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Effect of Agricultural Practices on Hydrology and Water Chemistry in a Small Irrigated Catchment, Yakima River Basin, Washington
Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5030
By: Kathleen A. McCarthy and Henry M. Johnson
https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20095030
More information: USGS Index Page (html)
The role of irrigation and artificial drainage in the hydrologic cycle and the transport of solutes in a small agricultural catchment in central Washington's Yakima Valley were explored using hydrologic, chemical, isotopic, age-dating, and mineralogical data from several environmental compartments, including stream water, ground water, overland flow, and streambed pore water. A conceptual understanding of catchment hydrology and solute transport was developed and an inverse end-member mixing analysis was used to further explore the effects of agriculture in this small catchment. The median concentrations of major solutes and nitrates were similar for the single field site and for the catchment outflow site, indicating that the net effects of transport processes for these constituents were similar at both scales. However, concentrations of nutrients were different at the two sites, suggesting that field-scale variations in agricultural practices as well as nearstream and instream biochemical processes are important components of agricultural chemical transformation and transport in this catchment. This work indicates that irrigation coupled with artificial drainage networks may exacerbate the ecological effects of agricultural runoff by increasing direct connectivity between fields and streams and minimizing potentially mitigating effects (denitrification and dilution, for example) of longer subsurface pathways.
USGS Numbered Series
Scientific Investigations Report
10.3133/sir20095030
Oregon Water Science Center
vi, 23 p.
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Witchy Woman: In 2018 American Women Seek “Stronger Brew”
by Cherie Vandermillen · December 23, 2018
[HuffPost] Double, double toil and trouble ― watch the rise of witchery bubble. Those interested in religion and spirituality have noticed that 2018 was a landmark year for the visibility of ancient natural religions, and those who are drawn to their principles and practices. Call it the Season of the Witch. While there are male witches, and always have been, the latest upsurge in witchcraft is largely a chick-and-genderfluid thing ― a spiritual seeking turbocharged by affinity with the supernatural and belief in the sacred feminine and the divine androgyne.
Maybe you’ve noticed the resurgence of interest in ethereal songwriter Stevie Nicks and ’90s teen cult fave “The Craft,” and noticed that every time you see your teenage cousin, she’s walking around the house with a smudge stick of white sage and a deck of SerpentFire tarot cards wrapped in a silk scarf. Maybe you saw one of the many news reports about the hex that a group of witches placed on newly appointed Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in a Brooklyn occult shop.
Or perhaps you’ve encountered a few of the numerous articles on the mainstreaming of the witch, like Naomi Fry’s piece for The New Yorker or a spate of recent Newsweek pieces. And if you’re a social media creature, you’ve no doubt observed that via Instagram, Twitter and especially Facebook, witches have taken messaging, organizing and education into their own hands, producing a number of witch-related gathering spots, websites, and books, books and more books. Certainly, not everyone with a pouch full of crystals and a pendulum is a witch ― the #WitchesofInstagram hashtag, which is on over 2 million photos, brings up scores of pictures of practitioners who run the gamut from dabblers sharing jokey memes about being a Leo to lifelong Wiccan artists peddling their painstakingly crafted candle magick wares.
Some women who might have been once attracted to yoga for solace and subtly subversive self-care are seeking stronger brew.
The modern witch, as we would recognize her today, is a mid-20th-century phenomenon, as laid out in a lovely Boston Review piece by journalist Jesse Kindig. “In their 1968 manifesto,” Kindig writes, “the women’s liberation activists from W.I.T.C.H. (Women’s International Terrorist Conspiracy from Hell) proposed that ‘A witch lives and laughs in every woman. She is the free part of each of us.’ It is this history ― from 1486 on ― that explains today’s global feminist protest chant, ‘We are the granddaughters of all the witches you could not burn!’”
That such a heady sentiment ― suggesting, at once, female power, resistance, wile, wisdom, mystery and no small amount of fearlessness ― is finding unprecedented popularity comes as no surprise in our current cultural moment. As an archetype, the witch stands firmly with other women, yet is bowed by no man. She hews to ancient tradition without being called to conform ― an untamed spirit, steeped in social responsibility, who roams free of corporatization, government interference or oppressive boy germs. The witch has always walked among us, only now she’s re-emerging as a cultural and political force with an aesthetic and an agenda.
New Age, natural and alternative spiritual practices have come and gone as trends in America ― tea leaves, astrology, palmistry, séance parties, telephone psychics and mass-market Ouija boards. In the 1990s, yoga exploded as a means of transformation and restoration and engagement with the higher self, but over the years, it has assumed a seriously Range Rover Lululemon bougie vibe (not to mention troubling issues of cultural appropriation, ectomorph-worship, ableism and a glaring sheen of whiteness). So some women who might have once been attracted to yoga for solace and subtly subversive self-care are seeking stronger brew.
A metaphysical book store in Brooklyn, New York gathered witches, Wiccans and locals to perform a hex ritual on Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Donald Trump, and Senator Mitch McConnell.
(NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Of course, as it ever must be under capitalism, big business has pegged Paganism and witches as a trend and tried to slap its slimy profit-seeking tentacles on those pentacles. Pop culture has its place as a message-bearer by which many future witches are first exposed to the craft. Says practicing witch Sara Coughlin in a piece published in Refinery29: “Where now we have The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, American Horror Story: Coven, and a Charmed reboot, I grew up with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Craft, and Practical Magic.”
But the commercialization of ritual items has proved a bridge too far. Sephora caused an uproar in September when it announced a plan to market and sell a Starter Witch Kit, which, to a serious Wiccan or Yoruba practitioner, must feel akin to sacrilege. Can you imagine, say, Hallmark stocking a beginner’s baptism kit? (Undaunted, Allure magazine stepped into the beauty biz witch void by offering an article on color magick, with corresponding links to yellow Versace perfume, red Yves Saint Laurent lipstick, black Origins charcoal mask and the like.)
At heart, the current surge in witchcraft among American women and femmes is about the power of female healing and uprising in a world that seeks, in every way, to harm us and tamp us down.
Not surprisingly, the media focus on witches features white women almost exclusively (insert requisite “basic witch” joke here) but this white-washing, while predictable, is misleading. Witches of color abound, practicing within a number of traditions, including Santeria, Wicca, Yoruba and Hoodoo, or a combination thereof. The illumination of traditions and customs, and the cultures from which they come, is feminist intersectionality at its best. Despite the mainstream media oversight, women of color have staked out a significant place on social media platforms and blogs. If you like to follow your Instagram healers but you don’t follow the ravishing sisterly warmth of The Hood Witch and the uplifting meme wizardry of astrologer Chani Nicolas, you’re missing out.
To continue reading click here
[Editor’s Note: This article was written by Lily Burana and originally published at HuffPost]
Caner Lies About His Heritage – Just LAST WEEK
by News Division · Published January 28, 2014
Catholic Schools Now Teaching God is ‘Gender-Neutral’
by Reagan Hall · Published June 6, 2019
Conservative Pundit Warns PCA About Tim Keller
by News Division · Published December 26, 2017
Next story Illogically, Ohio Governor Vetoes Pro-Life Bill in “Public Interest”
Previous story Thoughts about Hillsong and Brian Houston from a Minister Who Did Report His Own Father
California Legislature Blames Religious People for LGBTQ Suicides
When Pressed, Beth Moore Chooses Not to Condemn Homosexuality
Open Letter to Jerry Falwell, Jr: Drain the Swamp and Fire Karen Swallow Prior
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More thoughts on IQ & household income
Posted by pumpkinperson in income
Earlier, I talked about this chart showing SAT scores of kids from different household income levels:
In this post, I will estimate the IQ of the adults of various income levels from how their kids score on the SAT. Now the first step is converting the combined SAT scores of the kids of all ten income levels into IQ using this formula I created:
IQ = 39.545 + 0.068(SAT score)
This gives the following IQ’s for the ten income groups: 100, 104, 106, 109, 110, 112, 113, 114, 114, 118
One problem is mostly the brightest kids tend to take the SAT. For example, the average SAT taker has combined score (reading + math) of 1010, equivalent to an IQ of 108 (8 points higher than the national average). If we very crudely assume that at every income level, the ones who take the SAT are 8 points above the norms for their income group, we should correct these IQ’s by subtracting 8 points. Thus the IQ’s for the ten income groups become: 92, 96, 98, 101, 102, 104, 105, 106, 106, 110
Of course I’m not interested in the IQs of the kids from different income groups. I’m interested in the IQs of their parents since they’re the ones who earned the income. In order to estimate the IQ’s of the parents from the IQs of the kids, we note that the IQ correlation between both parents and their kid is 0.6 (by late adolescence/adulthood). This means that the children of exceptional parents will be only 60% as exceptional as their parents, so to estimate the IQs of the parents, we simply divide the number of IQ points the kids score above or below 100 by 0.6 to determine how far above and below average their parents are. This gives the following IQ’s for the parents in the ten income groups: 87, 93, 97, 102, 103, 107, 108, 110, 110, 117
The following chart shows the IQs of the parents of all ten income groups along with the income percentile of each income group calculated here:
It is interesting to ask how linear the correlation between IQ and income is. In an absolute sense it’s not linear at all because IQ is normally distributed and income has an extremely skewed distribution, especially at the high end. But what happens when we convert income into the same scale as IQ (a normal distribution with a mean of 100 and an SD of 15)? This is easily done by taking various income percentiles and assigning them MQs (Money Quotients) based on their position in a normalized distribution with a mean of a 100 and and SD of 15. So the median household earning over $200,000 a year is at the 97 percentile and thus is assigned an MQ of 128. Households earning around $0-20K a year are at the 11 percentile, thus assigned an MQ of 82. Thus we can graph the the average IQ of earners from various MQs and note how linear the graph is:
75 thoughts on “More thoughts on IQ & household income”
You’re a freak of ” damn ” Terman.
Another post on the same subject, ok.
But no new perspective. Examines just what the chart says. You’ve heard of divergent thinking ?? I guess you have not.
Now you confirm your Terman syndrome. For you, does not exist the possibility of existence of intelligence to IQ below 120. This is a hallucination. IQ does not belong to the real world. Iq is a relatively superficial expression of certain cognitive components, which however, does not measure all intelligence, and you’ve confirmed it for me.
You despise individual variation in cognitive scores and their possible implications as the idea that those with large amplitude differences between the highest and lowest scores iq, can be smarter in terms of genius, since they will tend to focus their skills on narrow specialized attributes. And this is a clear sign of super specialization and possibly a sign of genius.
It is entirely possible that a person ” with ” iq 140, be less intelligent in some perspective, in comparison to a person ” with ” iq 120 or less.
‘Meritocracy’ is based on the same principles underlying the structure of education. The idea of equality. Do you believe that we are all equal ???
If not, then why believe that only a non-broader psychometric criteria, can completely determine the hierarchy of human capacity ??
It is perfectly possible to have people who are very successful and has slightly above average IQ. It is perfectly possible to have people who are more intelligent, with IQ slightly above average, and even below. They MAY be more rare, but exist. You need to put in your head (firstly), which is analyzing averages.
Iq 110 for those earning $ 200k or more, it is an average. There is an unusual or Gaussian distribution of people within this statistical and socio-cognitive category and this implies variation and diversity.
How many schizophrenic people you know ?? 1% of the population is schizophrenic. 2% of population ” has ” iq above 130 (as you can think that way). The cognitive elite of a country is generally up to 5% of the population.
And Jay Z as well as several others that are rich, not ” have ” high iq. And in his case, nor should be above average. A more intellectual blacks tends to score (obviously, you know) above 100.
Jay Z must have an average of 95-97 iq. But as I suggested, its operation can be amplified either for biological reasons (blacks can appear to be more smart than ”their” iq scores show off) but especially for very significant environmental reasons. Appeared to ” need ” to produce many names of famous blacks in the media during second half of XX century. Most of these celebrities (also white) are manufactured.
Robert Gabriel Mugabe said:
peapea is so boring and stupid, i’me the only reason anyone’s ever read his blog.
i’m the star.
Forgive me for the sincerity and comments, almost always off-topics, but leaving my impression that it is very young, I felt the need to try to help you, despite also believing that you’re just worried about what I write here.
If you want to take my comment, no need to explain, the blog is yours, and again forgive me for not being on your side commenting against the trolls. But I feel I’m becoming completely incompatible with Hbd, since our interests are not really the same, even though I had the innocence to believe that change could happen.
absolutely santoculto.
peapea
is boring.
I think he can better.
alcoholicwisdom said:
Everyone has his own ideas, and it is healthier to have different opinions.
You are very young, not ”it”, grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
age does not matter.
and nobody would like to get “help” from someone else, he has just different opinions than you.
The age factor can tell, yes. Especially regarding gifted, since they tend to ripen more slowly. At his age, if I had been exposed to knowledge Hbd, and had a blog, there would be a real possibility for me to engage in the same type of statistical linear determinism and what he is doing now. But are assumptions. At his age, I was already intuitively awakened to the reality Hbd.
The democratic problem ” everyone has ideas. ” This is evident. The problem is when ideas are wrong or incomplete. Well, when you do something assertions, analyzing only the surface of the subject, you’re being careless and making mistakes. Their ideas are wrong because they are incomplete. Another serious problem, very common in evolutionary psychology are problems with the interpretations. I think that’s the biggest problem.
@santaculto
Yes, one ripens with age, so we will be much more mature than our younger versions. But a young person can be much more mature than others.
There must be an ultimate authority who can tell who is right and who is wrong. And that is science. There must be a common ground for any discussion to occur. And this can be achieved with experiments. However, experiments can be misinterpreted. Then we need better experiments, or experiments that will not give room to alternative interpretations.
And pumpkinperson uses science to argue his points. Much more than anyone else. He bases all his steps to some studies, calculating to arrive at conclusions at many steps. And I think his solutions are accurate because he uses many sources, and many steps, and the errors in individual steps will cancel out at the end conclusion, most of the time.
après moi le deluge peapea.
i’m the only reason anyone reads your stupid blog peapea.
you’re killing the goose that laid the golden egg.
I read him because of his very interesting posts. It is good to have people with different ideas, but you are mudding with so many comments as if you have no other job/hobby in your life.
And with so many different nicknames. I am interested in what kind of brain structure or life experiences make you behave this way.
In real life, if you behaved like this, you would be beaten up twice daily.
peapea thinks I or Swank has denied that IQ and income are correlated.
the only thing either has denied is that after a not very high threshold the regression curve bends to a slope with a lower gradient.
it’s SLDR obviously.
peapea is such and utter peapea.
she’s a girl with a peapea. a little tiny peapea. good for scissoring.
where’s the bend?
Gladwell was right. 115, 120, somewhere around there. (and Gladwell’s mother was a light skinned Jamaican princess. like peapea, except not a lezzie.)
I expect one would still see returns to higher IQs above that, they’d just be less and less.
the regression curve is a straight line up to 115, 120 then it starts to bend to a lower and lower gradient, so that at IQ 150 at most the curve is a flat line.
even peapea has said this.
You’re conflating two different things: The regression slope predicting money from IQ, and the regression slope predicting IQ from money. This post is about the latter while Gladwell was talking about the former. As for the predictive value of IQ above 120, draw your own conclusions:
Extremely Bright (About IQ 135): $47,500
Very Bright (About IQ 125): $36,000
Bright (About IQ 115): $27,000
Normal (About IQ 100): $21,000
Dull (About IQ 85): $13,000
Very Dull (About IQ 75): $7,500
These are incomes of young adults in the mid 1990s
whatever peapea.
neither swank nor I would deny that there is a relationship between IQ and income.
with percentile matching the curve of conditional means or medians will be a straight line and then start to bend to an asymptote at (at most) IQ = 150.
buffett said it himself, “investments isn’t the sort of thing where the IQ 160 beats the IQ 130.”
With respect to income predicting IQ, as I’ve stated many times, average IQ probably increases 8 points for every ten fold increase in income (or something similar to this):
Three figure income earners (the homeless): Average IQ 84
Four figure income earners (part-time minimum wage): Average IQ 92
Five figure income earners (middle class): Average IQ 100
Six figure income earners (future millionaires): Average IQ 108
Self-made deca-millionaires: Average IQ 116
Self-made centi-millionaires: Average IQ 124
Self-made billionaires: Average IQ 132
Self-made deca-billionaires: Average IQ 140
swanknasty said:
even peapea’s hero Jensen has agreed with you and me Swank.
Steve Shoe has a post on it.
but log income is no good unless income is lognormal.
better is percentile matching so that the joint distribution can be stretched over a bivariate normal distribution so to speak.
Best is to NORMALIZE the income distribution as I did in my last chart which compared IQs to MQs (money Quotients)
no peapea.
again you’re not understanding the maths.
normalization is only applicable to normal distributions.
so the first step is to stretch the empirical distribution over a normal one.
yeah but if we’re talking about individual income, then you conflating it with household income is unfair. For example, what percentage of the lower income households were single earner households versus the other households where we had dual earners? Those numbers could change if the category was “average of parent’s earnings” instead of “total household income.”
yeah but if we’re talking about individual income, then you conflating it with household income is unfair.
I doubt it would make much difference, but yes, I would prefer individual income data
doubt based on…….?
my guess is that the difference between 1057 and 1157 will drop significantly because the line between dual earner/single earner (considering assortative mating) would probably start around there.
yeah looks like this is probably true….
“Households in the top quintile, 77% of which had two income earners, had incomes exceeding $91,705. Households in the mid quintile, with a mean of one income earner per household had incomes between $36,000 and 57,657.”
http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Household_income_in_the_United_States
if f(x) = E(Y|X=x) is a curve, then so is f(y) = E(X|Y=y).
That’s age 29. According to Jensen, the IQ income correlation increases with age and stabilizes at middle age when peak career potential has been reached.
your first post was all about late 20’s income….
Early 30s…But actually in the 20s the IQ income correlation can even be negative because smart people are still in school making no money, while dumb people are working at bars for 80 K
Well the only schooling that might not be done at 29 is PhD level. And your typical PhD isn’t going to be making much money anyway.
should find a profession that allows an individual to become very rich but which also has the same barrier to entry — i.e. medicine, law graduates from same school. Then track what the richest and poorest lawyers/doctors look like.
but age 29 is too small. one thing Jensen was right about.
peak earnings are best, but earnings at 40 are very predictive of peak earnings so these can be used too.
the study of mathematically precocious youth showed that if one were in the top 1.0 to .25 percentile range one had NO GREATER CHANCE OF BEING IN THE TOP 5% OF INCOME THAN AN AVERAGE SHLUB. but if one were in the top .25 percentile his chance was doubled. ONLY doubled.
SO 90% OF THOSE IN THE TOP .25% OF ABILITY AT AGE 13 WERE IN THE BOTTOM 95%.
I’m 95% sure you (and many others) misinterpreted that stat..you should stop citing it
in other words it disproves your theory therefore it must be silemnced.
Professor Shoe misinterpreted it.
Lion also misinterpreted it.
I misinterpreted it.
let’s see how Swank interprets it.
http://infoproc.blogspot.com/2014/05/life-impacts-of-personality-and.html
and here’s Jensen AGREEING with Swank and me.
http://infoproc.blogspot.com/2012/05/jensen-on-g-and-genius.html
Yes, I’m 95% sure all three of you misinterpreted it because you all assumed that their incomes were being described relative to the general population when in actuality it was relative to the gifted population. because the point was to show income differences between the mildly gifted and highly gifted.
But I’m on way out & do not wish to argue this point until I can get some proof either way
please stop citing facts says peapea.
here’s Prof. Shoe misinterpreting from the comments:
Apparently, income returns to IQ are smaller than one might guess.
I think a big part of this is that really smart people are often more interested in learning, solving problems or creating new things than in maximizing their net worth. In my own case (and yours!) I am sure I could be significantly wealthier had I focused on money to the exclusion of other interests.
and that is part of the reason.
the economic returns to an elite MBA are much greater than for an elite PhD in natsci.
yet MBAs HAVE THE LOWEST GRE SCORES WHEN THEY TAKE IT.
Further, before he perhaps misunderstood that stat, Steve Hsu gushed that the study produced many millionaires earning over $500 K a year
AND WHEN DELIBERATE SELECTION FOR IQ IS BACKED OUT THE RETIURNS ARE EVEN SMALLER.
I scored 770 on the GMAT (790 on the practice test). this was much higher than the mean of admits to ANY B-school. HBS and Stanford = 720 average in the year I took the GMAT.
are you talking about “income in the 95th percentile” as being relative only to the gifted population?
idk looking at the chart and adding up the proportion of each quintile gives a number > 5…so….
1+1.5+1.75+2.75.
But maybe I’m guesstimating the exact percentage wrong.
even underestimating by a bit still leads to a number > 5.
of course peapea,
Shoe is an IQ salesman.
But I have no doubt that the higher the IQ the better for income/wealth/etc all else being equal.
My disagreement is that the relationship is linear from the very bottom to the very top.
As Langan said (I paraphrase) “If you’re interested in getting rich IQ helps, if you’re not it doesn’t.”
has anyone said there is -no- correlation? i don’t think I’ve said it. it’s just that this correlation is non-linear and weaker as iq gets higher. there’s some certain “ability” that is probably VERY helpful for getting rich past a certain threshold. after that, however, it’s less and less useful.
my guess is it’s some ability to deal with a few abstract concepts and form mini-theories, which iq tests would predict at around 110-115. from there the returns diminish fast.
redacted (wrong place)
jay-g said:
How about the millions of kids born to illegal Hispanics? A good portion of the lower income percentiles are Hispanic families, many headed by blue collar immigrants. Although Hispanic IQ is estimated to be between 85-95, their American raised kids should do better on the SAT than their parents income suggest.
One could replicate the analysis on whites only
Get this Swank,
It’s the stake in vampire peapea’s heart:
The median family income of Finalists was higher that that of all nonwhite families and was very similar to that of the total U.S. population.
“Finalists” refers to National Merit Scholar Finalists, the smartest of the smart.
was I a finalist?
no. just “honorable mention”.
yeah, seems like all the available data disagrees with the conclusions being drawn here.
but if I understand correctly this is just for black Finalists who were chosen differently.
it would be interesting to find out what it is for all finalists.
my guess is it’s not much more than $100k.
So the parents of black finalists were richer than other black parents. That proves my point, especially since the black finalists probably have IQs around 123 & then their parents IQ regress to the black mean
idk.
you should try to find what I was trying to find but couldn’t. namely, the median family income of finalists per se not just black finalists.
and a breakdown by geography and race would be required.
it might be an inordinate number are children of immigrant engineers living in super high income zip code for example.
but anyway the quote I gave proves that at the time blacks were not even earning at what would be predicted from their IQs.
so theoretically there are ca 130k Americans with IQ >= 150.
the problem is that 160 is the ceiling for GENUINE self-described IQ tests (unlike those absurd mega society etc. tests).
but actual, though not self-described, IQ tests like the SAT, ACT, GRE, LSAT, GMAT, etc. could identify these people.
the problem here again is that there is DELIBERATE SELECTION for IQ.
but there are more than enough Americans to test the theory that the derivative of the expected income vs IQ curve is first almost constant and after a certain threshold is decreasing.
one of the OBVIOUS reasons for this is that income as an employee, outside the C-suite, has a pretty low ceiling.
that is, there are a lot of very smart people stuck at the ceiling of whatever their job category is.
but as I’ve commented before billionaire status in the US is what peapea guessed.
namely, +5 SDs. not +4 or +4.5 but +5 or +5.1…
and peapea was right that mean IQ for this group of 5x.4 = 2 is reasonable.
First Ypres said:
peeps could really make a name for herself if she got hold of the school records for the Redlegs.
there are likely records in Barbados and surrounding islands.
get on it peeepeee.
Therefore, most tried to emigrate to other British colonies whenever the opportunity arose, which reduced the white population to a small minority; and most of the white population that chose to stay eked out, at best, a subsistence living.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redlegs
so, like Appalachia, scores much lower than the white mean might be dismissed.
but if the Redlegs still scored higher…
that would be very bad news for the “liberals” on race issues.
of course I’ve always agreed with Chomsky…it should make no difference to economic policy. and it shouldn’t even mean the end to aa. the “ecological fallacy” is real. but poor white hillbilly Appalachian trash should also benefit from aa.
i’m that rarest of creatures the Roman Catholic agnostic. Francis’s politics are mine.
ultra conservative socially. “liberal” economically.
and by very bad news I mean it would be like a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.
I really can’t see how one could credibly maneuver out of that one.
“If the glove don’t fit, you must acquit.”
if the Redlegs scored at 100…
then you MUST convict!!!
a Canadian mightn’t get that reference as it has nothing to do with hockey.
OJ did it. I’m sure of that. but some of the evidence seemed quite damning for Vannatter (now deceased) and Lange iirc.
Fuhrman? some very suspicious evidence but not damning.
(Fuhrman was a douche and the mostly black jury had very GOOD reason to suspect a frame.)
the cops framed a guilty man is most likely.
the title here reminds me of pp’s dismissing all evidence against him.
“it’s true. it’s true”, cries pp.
“except it’s not”, <cries pp.
Evidence Dismissed
http://www.amazon.com/Evidence-Dismissed-Tom-Lange/dp/0671009591
”@santOculto
Destruture,
The fact that Pump use science to embark their views, does not mean it is right. Unless you believe that dogma and religion. Believe 100% in science is like being a religious fanatic. The differences lie in the level of belief by the spectrum-factoid fact, however, the essence is the same, believing unilaterally on certain assumptions.
To expose a particular idea, just not enough to have unwavering faith in science, moreover, is insufficient. The science originated from philosophy and religion, however, can not deny them as direct predecessors, or that might be useful. The fact of modern philosophy, if we may call it that, is very monotonous and for many reasons, does not mean it has ceased to be useful to try to understand the reality.
But if you get to agree with me on some points
IQ is not intelligence, it measures (superficially well) some important attributes hierarchically within the range of cognitive skills of technical-utilitarian nature,
Even within the methodological principles of assessment iq, we have an internal diversity, where the evaluative emphasis will be very important. Iq is not just performance. We have specialists in mathematics, verbal, in space. We have specialists in internal subdivisions of mathematics, verbal and spatial. We have specialists in other functions that are remotely related to the three main components.
Therefore, a Gaussian bell curve is a poor representation of the true qualitative diversity, even within the traditional assessment based on iq.
I do not deny that IQ is good for measuring contextual situations hierarchically, such as income distribution, performance to perform utility functions and even that correlates with intelligence. I do not deny that, ON AVERAGE, the highest iq’s tend to be more intelligent. But the comprehensiveness of mathematical methods, in my opinion, ends there.
You try to fit the results into the main models are based. In other words. To explain why giftedness clear of any child ” from ” iq 102, you try from the idea that some objective pathology caused this situation. I mean, if it is not ” normal ”, can be pathological. This is the universal premise of conservatives.
If the condition is not an attempt to explain, try to look for alternative answers like, ” she seems smarter than REALLY is. ”
I saw this example in denial of most psychologists about the giftedness clear, functional autistic. Denying it only iq score, is to deny that there savantism is to accept that Jay Z has 130 iq.
the idea is like a articulation with osteoarthritis.
You must always exercising.
When I saw Pumpkin stipulated that the average IQ of 130 Jay Z because of its monetary value, at least for me, the red lights flashed on.
actually, pumpkin’s willingness to consider the possibility makes him better than many other racist HBD proponents. for example, it’s very likely that Barack Obama has a lot of IQ. now there’s pretty reasonable evidence that this is the case based on his likely lsat score (IMO lsat is probably best verbal IQ test). witness the amount of nonsensical speculation against barack obama having a high IQ.
now, if obama has very high IQ (145 range), then we can see what IQ gets you and where race relations stand in America. it’s very obvious that BO, despite his abundant intellect, must suffer a healthy amount of prejudice.
The cherry on the cake.
Obama is a good president ???
Apparently not. I do not doubt that ” has ” a high iq. But it is useless.
we should move on to another fun topic — who’s got more smarts, doctors or lawyers? are engineers smarter than both (I’m sure Hsu would say so!)? lol.
Guillermo da Veneto said:
Plomin and Ian J. Deary have proven that lower income and SES is genetic as it is highly affected by IQ which is equally heritable across the board.
You see, HBDers are hard to take seriously because they say “is genetic” because it is “heritable across the board,” as if those facts made their case. Sure, it’s associated with genetic variation. And?
”it’s associated with genetic variation”
Which is meaningless….
The HBD case depends on genetic causation. Or in other words, the malleability of trait X or Y. Like I said, HBDers give casual lip service to H^2 != malleability but every single policy recommendation an HBDer tends to make only makes sense in light of H^2 = malleability.
We’re not even getting into the main deficiencies of the model — H^2 being a snapshot, G + E = P, etc. etc. etc.
HBDers are unsophisticated, unsubtle, bores, but some version of their jive talk is part of mainstream politics. That is an even more crude version of a crude worldview.
The Bell Curve got a lot of press for a reason. Had it been merely fringe, no one other than self-identifying HBDers would have heard of it.
Income is not biological as intelligence or color eyes, Jesus fucking christ!!!!!
Pingback: Does the average self-made decabillionaire have an IQ of 150? | Pumpkin Person
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July 10, 2018 May 30, 2019 / DSUpshaw
Eld. S. R. Nolan preached Sunday at the Baptist church in Farmerville.
A full line of harness and lap robes at Baughman’s. Price to suit any buyer.
Sheriff C. H. Murphy returned Monday from a business trip into Arkansas.
I have a large quantity of the best commercial fertilizers for sale. J. D. BAUGHMAN.
Mrs. S. E. Chapman and Miss Josie Gill left Tuesday morning for Ruston.
Judge Barksdale, of Ruston, came to Farmerville Tuesday on professional business.
JUST RECEIVED! two cars of Missouri mules, mares and horses. See them before buying elsewhere. J. D. Baughman.
Messrs. Abe Stein and D. E. Laupheimer came up Monday from Monroe to vote in the municipal election.
TO CURE A COLD IN ONE DAY. Take Laxative Bromo Quinine Tablets. All druggists refund the money if it fails to cure. E. W. Grove’s signature on each box. 25¢.
Mr. Emile Selig left Sunday for Randolph to accept a position in the commissary department of the Summit Lumber Co.
If you want a carriage or buggy, don’t fail to see my assortment. I can sell you these goods at city prices as I buy in car load lots exclusively. J. D. BAUGHMAN.
The municipal election was so hot Monday that, notwithstanding the day was quite cool, many people kept sufficiently warm without fires.
Gold Dust Fertilizer. The best made. $19.50 per ton. Freight paid to your landing. Address: LANCHE-GUNBY D. G. Co. West Monroe, La.
Last week Mr. J. D. Fenton sold out his remaining stock of merchandise to the Union Mercantile Co., Ltd., and retired from the mercantile business.
The Best Prescription for Malaria, Chills and Fever is a bottle of Grove’s Tasteless Chill Tonic. It is simply iron and quinine in a tasteless form. No cure, no pay. Price 50¢.
Mr. and Mrs. T. J. Breed left Monday to visit relatives in the 8th ward. Mrs. Breed will visit her former home in Arkansas before returning.
You Know What you are Taking. When you take Grove’s Tasteless Chill Tonic because the formula is plainly printed on every bottle showing that it is simply Iron and Quinine in a tasteless form. No Cure, No Pay. 50¢.
As an aftermath of Monday’s election, a little scrap occurred Tuesday morning between Mr. H. Ludwig and Mr. F. E. Mayo, resulting in the latter contributing $3.50 to the town exchequer as a fine.
A Physician Writes. “I am desirous of knowing if the profession can obtain Herbine in bulk for prescribing purposes? It has been of great use to me in treating cases of dyspepsia brought on by excesses or overwork. I have never known it to fail in restoring the organs affected, to their healthful activity.” 50c a bottle at R. Haas, agent.
Ex Confederate Veterans Reunion, New Orleans, La., May 19 to 22. The St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern railroad, will make a round trip rate of $5.85. Tickets on sale may 16th, to 21st, limit May 21st, except upon depositing with Joint Agent and paying 50 cents same will be extended to June 15th. For any information apply at Ticket Office or write H. D. Apgar, Agent.
Mr. J. N. Hicks, the D’Arbonne merchant, came in this morning on the Robinson bringing to town 700 dozen eggs and 150 pounds of country butter. These eggs and the butter were gathered within the past 6 days in the D’Arbonne community. Come again, Mr. Hicks, with another cargo of this sort. — Monroe News.
The egg and butter business of Union Parish is already very profitable, but when our railroad is under way, it will be many times more so, as it will give our people a better market.
Attention, Comrades! Camp, No. 379, United Confederate Veterans, will meet at the court house in Farmerville, on Saturday, April 18, to select officers and delegates to the reunion at New Orleans. All members are requested to attend. R. M. TATUM, Adjutant. D. STEIN, Clerk.
One of the main essentials to successful farming is to provide yourself with labor saving implements. J. D. Baughman is agent for the celebrated Deering mowers and rakes. Get him to order these implements for you, and your harvesting of grain and hay will be an easy job.
Cures Sciatic Rheumatism. Mrs A. E. Simpson, 509 Craig St., Knoxville, Tenn., writes June 10th, 1899: “I have been trying the baths of Hot Springs, Ark., for sciatic rheumatism, but I get more relief from Ballard’s Snow Liniment than any medicine or anything I have ever tried. Enclosed find post office order for $1. Send me a large bottle of Southern Express. Sold by R. Haas.
Children’s Coughs and Colds. Mrs. Joe McGrath, 327 E. 1st., Hutchison, Kan., writes: “I have given Ballard’s Horehound Syrup to my children for coughs and colds for the past four years, and find it the best medicine I ever used.” Unlike many cough syrups, it contains no opium, but will soothe and heal any disease of the throat or lungs quicker than any other remedy. 25¢, 50¢ and $1.00 at R. Haas, Agent.
Monday’s municipal election was interesting throughout. There were two tickets in the field, and the supporters of each became so enthused that every available voter in the town was induced to cast his ballot. The count of the votes showed the following result: For mayor — Robt. Roberts, 32, W. P. Chandler 26; for aldermen — J. M. Underwood, Jr., 33, W. J. Turnage 32,, J. G. Trimble 31, Duke Selig 30, R. Haas 27, J. G. Taylor 27, Oscar Baughman 26, D. Stein 26. The entire ticket, headed by Robt. Roberts for mayor and embracing the four aldermen receiving the highest number of votes was elected.
Wm. E. Evans, of Truxno vicinity, has been missing for about fifteen days and it is thought that he and a companion were drowned in the Ouachita river near Lake Landing. They started out in a skiff, presumably to get a barrel of whiskey for a blind tiger operator, and nothing has been seen of them since in that vicinity. Their boat was found capsized, but no trace of the men, hence it is supposed they were drowned. Moral — He who monkeys with blind tiger liquor may be getting in drowning water.
So Sweet and Pleasing in Taste! Mrs. C. Peterson, 625 Lake St., Topeka, Kan., speaking of Ballards Horehound Syrup says: “It has never failed to give entire satisfaction, and of all cough remedies it is my favorite, and I must confess to my many friends that it will do, and has done, what is claimed for it–to speedily cure a cough or a cold; and it is so sweet and so pleasing in taste.” 25¢, 50¢ and $1 bottle. Sold by R. Haas.
Among other enterprises that will follow the building of Farmerville’s railroad, Messrs. J. D. Baughman, M. J. Pearson and J. W. Stancil are contemplating putting a complete system gin in Farmerville and running a cotton yard in connection therewith.
After a week’s hard work the grand jury adjourned last Saturday. They reported 43 bills of indictment. As all business was not completed, the body will again convene on the 3rd Monday in April.
No breaks of any serious consequence have occurred in the levee since the last issue of THE GAZETTE, but the situation is yet very critical. Much uneasiness is felt for the Sycamore levee in Concordia Parish, La., and the main levee near Rosedale, Miss., is caving badly. However, the river is falling at points above, and this given new hope that the worst may be over.
For Sale. A lot of store fixtures, including large iron safe, patent oil tank, computing scales, platform scales, show cases, book-keepers desk, etc. Will sell all or part. Cash or for good paper. J. G. TRIMBLE.
Take The Gazette! Only $1 a year.
farmerville, March 1903, News, Union Parish
← Tenant Child
Farmerville’s Railroad →
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Senior Leadership TeamSt John Fisher2017-10-03T08:34:54+01:00
Mrs Rigby
Mrs Rigby joined St John Fisher as Headteacher in September 21017. She has a wealth of experience in Catholic education having been a classroom teacher, Head of Department, Head of Year, Assistant Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher. Mrs Rigby is a Physical Education specialist.
Mr Coyle
Deputy Headteacher
Mr Coyle has whole school responsibility for the safeguarding, pastoral care and guidance of pupils within school. He is also oversees the SMSC/PSHE programme and the work of Mrs Drake, SMSC Co-Ordinator, to ensure this curriculum is delivered effectively and appropriately in school. His role also covers a number of areas including attendance and punctuality, Pupil Leadership (Prefects, School Council) and the school behaviour and rewards systems. He is the Designated Senior Leader (DSL) for safeguarding and liaises with external agencies and providers who support pupils and the school. Mr Coyle manages the pupil movement in/out of our school. He is a science specialist.
Mrs Donlon
Mrs Donlon has overall responsibility for pupil outcomes, the school curriculum (including timetable & options), reporting to parents, data management for whole school tracking and target setting. She is also responsible for Quality Assurance across the school. She also oversees the work of the Education Visits Co-ordinator. Mrs Donlon is also the SLT link with SENDCo for pupils with Special Educational needs and oversees Mr Handley (SENDCo) who is the lead contact for Children Looked After (CLA). Mrs Donlon is a science specialist.
Mr Ryder
Mr Ryder overall responsibility for Teaching & Learning. This includes numeracy across the curriculum, assessment, homework and the training and support of teaching staff in providing a high-quality experience in the classroom. Mr Ryder is also the lead for Pupil Premium learners. He supports Mrs Stanton (Head of Year 7) with Year 6-7 Transition (pastoral and academic). Mr Ryder is a Physical Education Specialist.
Mr Roberts
Mr Roberts is responsible for the pastoral care and guidance of Key Stage 4 learners and Intervention. He oversees Careers Guidance and Post-16 Transition, Alternative Curriculum and Work Experience. He has overall responsibility for external examinations, literacy across the curriculum staff development and the organisation of school transport. Mr Roberts is an English specialist.
Mr Atherton
Mr Atherton has overall responsibility for financial matters in school, personnel, management of premises staff and also the catering and clearing services. He also has overall responsibility for the care and management of the school buildings and grounds and health & safety matters.
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Category Archives: POLITICS
After website of the Ministry of Defence was hacked, websites of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Law and the Ministry of Labour are also down now.
The MHA site is off-line while the sites of Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Law and Department of Legal Affairs, MoL&J, GoI have gone through some unexpected error.
The hacked Ministry of Defence website was earlier showing certain letters saying the website encountered an unexpected error and please try again later.
Now the site has also been taken down as restoration work is going down on it. And the similar experiences with MHA, Law Ministry and MoL says they might also have faced such problems.
On MoD hacking, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says action has been initiated to trace down the cause and the website will be restored shortly. She has also assured of steps taken to prevent such an eventuality in future.
Nirmala Sitharaman @nsitharaman
Action is initiated after the hacking of MoD website ( http://mod.nic.in ). The website shall be restored shortly. Needless to say, every possible step required to prevent any such eventuality in the future will be taken. @DefenceMinIndia @PIB_India @PIBHindi
A detailed response from the Government of India is yet to come.
Posted in COMMUNICATION, GOVT COMMUNICATION, KVIKIES, POLITICS, SOFT POWER | Tagged Central Ministries Websites Hacked, Indian Government Websites Hacked, Labour Ministry Website Hacked, Law Ministry Website Hacked, MHA Website Hacked, Ministry of Defence Website Hacked, MoD Website Hacked, Nirmala Sitharaman | Leave a comment
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says action has been initiated to trace down the cause and the website will be restated shortly. She has also assured of steps to be taken to prevent ny such eventuality in future.
Posted in COMMUNICATION, GOVT COMMUNICATION, KVIKIES, POLITICS, SOFT POWER | Tagged Central Ministries Websites Hacked, GoI Websites Hacked, Indian Government Websites Hacked, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Defence Website Hacked, MoD Website Hacked, Nirmala Sitharaman | Leave a comment
Posted in COMMUNICATION, GOVT COMMUNICATION, KVIKIES, POLITICS, SOFT POWER | Tagged Central Ministries Websites Hacked, GoI Websites Hacked, Indian Government Websites Hacked, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Defence Website Hacked, MoD Hacked, MoD Website Hacked | Leave a comment
After Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention, the Information & Broadcasting Ministry has withdrawn the proposed guidelines on fake news and accreditation of journalists. The ministry had proposed new rules yesterday that saw massive outrage.
The proposed move sought to put in place provisions to suspend journalists even mere on the complaints of a fake news and the irony was, the journalists had to remain so till any conclusion of the news alleged to be fake. And a third time publication of fake news invited permanent cancellation of accreditation as well. The bill certainly contained provisions against journalists that could have been misused.
But if we go by the facts, we know that accredited journalists and mainstream media institutions are not at core of fake news prevalence but it is largely driven by tech giants like Facebook, Google, their associated networks and other such sites. The new rules never talked about it and about the non-journalists who really spin and twist news items on these platforms that have raised many international controversies like spread of fake news in the US presidential election or France’s allegations that Russia tried to affect the French elections through internet last year.
The threat has been so critical that many countries have started making laws against fake news and the collaborators behind them, especially after the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica leakage controversy in the US presidential polls that has set the world on storm.
GERMANY: Germany enacted a law last year for social media outfits that asks them to remove fake news from their platforms within 24 hours. A delay is fined with upto $61.5m.
IRELAND: In December, the country introduced a bill to handled fake news. The Online Advertising and Social Media (Transparency) Bill 2017 is aimed at ensuring integrity of online media and targets the prevailing undemocratic practices happening there.
UNITED KINGDOM: UK is planning to treat entities like Facebook and Google as publishers and not just as information sources so that the regulations around them can be tightened. Though UK still has no specific law to deal with fake news, its Prime Minister Theresa May has warned the biggies of the social media to face fines if they fail and a legal solution may well be in offing.
FRANCE: On January 3 this year, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that he was going to introduce a new law to curb fake news through social media content as much of it was affecting the flow of societies and democracies. His pre-election campaign was also largely affected by it.
ITALY: Italy is running programmes to make its citizens aware of conspiracy theories and fake news online. The same has also part of the high-school curriculum in the country. And the country is taking help of sites like Facebook as well in this effort.
EUROPEAN COUNCIL: The Cambridge Analytica led Facebook controversy has forced the European Council to take precautionary measures. Warning that issues like profile leaks from Facebook can ‘subvert our democratic systems’ and the election to the European elections can really be a target of a massive Eurosceptic disinformation run, the council is working on to legislate a law.
UNITED STATES: Fake news has been made a globally known term by US President Donald Trump as he terms most of controversial coverage about him in US media as fake news. And this time around also, the country is in the middle of the storm with the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica controversy.
The US Congress has summoned Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg for clarification and as the US, for long, has dealt with the phenomenon, with provisions of its Federal Communication Commission for fake news on television and radio broadcasts, the related social media releases may soon be defined as well if they indeed cause much public harm.
INDONESIA: In January, Indonesia launched a cyber security agency to aim religious extremism and fake news on online platforms. The country took the step as more than half of its population is now internet users and the government needed a measure to ensure cyber security.
MALAYSIA: Yesterday, Malaysia’s parliament passed a law to deal with fake news. The bill though criticised by many has a fine of $128,000 and prison term of upto six years. It covers digital publications and social media outfits and targets collaborators who use wholly or partly false data to publish stories.
MALAYSIA: Malaysia’s parliament on April 2 passed a law prohibiting fake news that critics fear will be abused to silence dissent ahead of a general election. Despite warnings such a law would lead Malaysia closer to dictatorship, the bill was approved 123 to 64 after a heated debate. The bill originally proposed a 10-year jail term and a fine of up to 500,000 ringgit ($128,000) for offenders, but the approved legislation sets the maximum prison sentence at six years.
SINGAPORE: Singapore conducted a survey where more than 90% of its residents opinionated for stronger laws to tackle fake news and the country is expected to come up with the one soon, in 2018, as informed by K Shanmugam, its Law Minister. Singapore is a country of high internet density and its people are from various races and religions, so the country needs a stronger law even more, Mr Shanmugam said.
Now, let’s see what India really does on this fake news spread where a guideline to control accredited journalists and mainstream media cannot really work.
Posted in COMMUNICATION, MEDIA, MEDIA COVERAGE OF POLITICS, POLITICS | Tagged #FakeNews, Anti Press Law, Countries Dealing with Fake News, Fake News, Fake News Flow, Fake News Laws, Media Freedom, Social Media and Facebook | Leave a comment
WHY THESE APPOINTMENTS WERE QUESTIONED?
CHIEF ELECTION COMMISSIONER ACHAL KUMAR JOTI
Appointed Chief Election Commissioner In July 2017, is in office till January 2018.
Former Election Commissioner and former Chief Secretary, Gujarat (2010-2013).
Was appointed Election Commissioner in May 2015, is a 1975 Batch IAS officer.
It is said he maintains low profile and largely had remained non-controversial before becoming the CEC.
The Opposition is alleging him of working on the government’s behest after delayed announcement of the Gujarat election last year.
He was also accused of bias by Arvind Kejriwal in ‘offices of profit case of 21 AAP MLAs.
ENFOREMENT DIRECTORATE (ED) – DIRECTOR KARNAL SINGH
Appointed ED Director in October 2016, was due to retire in August 2017 but got extension in February last year following a Supreme Court order. He was given a fixed tenure of two years to make it compliant with the CVC Act and accordingly, he will retire in October 2018.
Before it, he was ED Special Director and was holding additional charge of ED Chief.
He is a 1984 Batch IPS officer.
Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram has accused the ED of abusing power on direction of the Modi Government – ED is probing Chidambaram in the Aircel-Maxis Case.
CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (CBI) DIRECTOR ALOK VERMA
Former Delhi Police Commissioner, appointed CBI director in January 2017.
From AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territories) Cadre.
Before it, Verma had never worked in the CBI, so his appointment was a departure from norms.
The Supreme Court guidelines say the person heading the CBI should have prior CBI experience.
The Government cited his experience in vigilance behind his appointment as the CBI Director.
Congress didn’t support his appointment – The Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge Said “Selection must be made according to law, merit and seniority.”
The three-member panel that selected him included Prime Minister Narendra Modi, then Chief Justice of India JS Khehar and Mallikarjun Kharge.
Congress was supporting RK Dutta, a senior official from the Ministry of home affairs, saying Dutta had over 17 years of CBI experience.
CENTRAL VIGILANCE COMMISSION (CVC) CHIEF K V CHOWDARY
KV Chowdary was appointed CVC in June 2015, for a term of four years.
He is a former Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer, 1978 Batch.
Former Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Chief, Chowdary’s appointment by the Modi Government was again departure from established norms.
Before Chowdary, all other CVCs, since its inception in 1964, were IAS officers.
His appointment was criticised by Ram Jethmalani and Prashant Bhushan – they raised the point that he lacked credentials for the job
Bhushan wrote a letter to PM Narendra Modi where he alleged that Chowdary had visited former CBI Director Ranjit Sinha while the 2G probe was on. All such visits to Sinha by various people during the 2G probe were considered suspicious by the top court.
Bhushan further alleged that Chowdary’s investigation into 2G related tax evasion cases gave clean chit to all, unlike the progresses made by agencies like CBI and ED in other 2G cases.
Bhushan also alleged that Chowdary himself was under suspicion in a stock scam.
Jethmalani also wrote a letter to Modi alleging that Chowdary was totally unfit for the job – he also alleged that Chowdary was involved in a stock scam.
Posted in KVIKIES, POLITICS | Tagged #CEC, #CVC, #ED, CBI, CBI Director Alok Verma, CBI Director Appointment, CEC Achal Kumar Joti, CEC Appointment, CVC Appointment, CVC K V Chowdary, ED Appointment, ED Karnal Singh | Leave a comment
NORTH KOREA: CHINA CALLS US LED MEETING ILLEGAL AND A COLD WAR VESTIGE
The article originally appeared on India Today.
Just a day after Donald Trump and Xi Jinping phone conversation over North Korea, China has strongly objected to a US led meeting in Canada’s Vancouver that called for strict implementation of sanctions imposed on North Korea.
Calling the meeting illegal and a Cold War vestige, a spokesperson of China’s Foreign Office said, “It will only drive a wedge among the international community and undermine the concerted efforts to seek proper settlement of the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.”
The US and Canada hosted Vancouver Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on Security and Stability on the Korean Peninsula on 16th January. The meeting was aimed at “the Complete, Verifiable, and Irreversible Denuclearization of North Korea”, as the US State Department summed it.
Rex Tillerson, the US Secretary of State, said the purpose of the meetings was to improve the effectiveness of the maximum pressure campaign and combat North Korea’s attempts to evade sanctions.
China raised objections over meeting and its participants, the 20 countries of the United Nations Command (UNC) that supported South Korea during the 1950s Korea War, “We all know that the so-called UN Command, as a product of the Cold War era, has long lost its relevance. As initiators of the meeting, the US and Canada co-hosted the meeting under the banner of the so-called UN Command sending states. That is Cold War mentality pure and simple.”
The meeting that excluded China and Russia was attended by 20 nations including the US, Canada, South Korea, Japan, France, Britain, the Philippines, Sweden and Australia and none of them had any trade relation with North Korea last year.
China argued that when no major parties of the Korean peninsula issue were present in the meeting, expecting any solution through it was a futile exercise, questioning the ‘legality and representativeness’ of the meeting.
China also countered the tough message of the military option that the US led meeting sent to North Korea. China’s Foreign Office said on the move, “Only through dialogue, equally addressing the reasonable concerns of all parties, can a way to an effective and peaceful resolution be found.”
Tillerson had warned that the ultimate responsibility for producing a new future lies with North Korea and it can only be achieved by abandoning its current path of pursuing missile and nuclear weapons technologies.
But if the North doesn’t do so and diplomacy fails, it may trigger military confrontation, “We have to recognize that the threat is growing and that if North Korea does not choose the pathway of engagement, discussion, negotiation then they themselves will trigger an option,” Tillerson had added.
The daylong meeting concluded with a joint announcement that a nuclear-armed North Korea was not acceptable and if the country desired a future, it must follow the path of complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization.
In spite of the international sanctions against its missile and nuclear weapons programme, North Korea successfully test fired many missiles last year including nuclear capable inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBM) and detonated a hydrogen bomb as well.
The country has now declared itself a nuclear power, threatening the world with its recent military advances and its acts like firing missiles over Japan or threatening the US military base at Guam in the Pacific, coupled with its no holds barred war rhetoric, have escalated the tension like never before.
Posted in GEOPOLITICS, GLOBAL HEADLINES, INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS, INTERNATIONAL ISSUES, KVIKIES, POLITICS, TERRORISM, WAR | Tagged #NorthKorea, #RexTillerson, #UNC, Canada North Korea Meeting, China Warns US on North Korea, North Korea, North Korea Meeting, Rex Tillerson, United Nations Command, US Meeting on North Korea, Vancouver North Korea Meeting | Leave a comment
NORTH KOREA: DONALD TRUMP’S THREATS ARE SPASMS OF A FRIGHTENED LUNATIC
Article originally on India Today:
After a brief hiatus, North Korea has resumed its verbal assault against US President Donald Trump. And the country’s latest jibe at the US President tells the world that his acts are like ‘spasms of a lunatic’.
The trigger behind the latest outburst was Donald Trump’s ‘nuclear button’ tweet on 3rd January. In his typical fashion to exact fire and fury against North Korea through his tweets, Trump hit back on North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un’s claims that the later had a nuclear button on his table and the whole America was in the striking range of his nuclear missiles.
Adding humiliating and stinging words for Kim Jong-un’s and his predecessors’ rule, calling it a depleted and food starved regime, Trump asserted that he, too, had a nuclear button which really worked, and in fact was a much bigger and more powerful one than Kim Jong-un’s.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un just stated that the ‘Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times’. Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a nuclear button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my button works!
– Donald Trump on Twitter
Though it took two weeks for North Korea to hit back, probably due to the recent thaw in ties with South Korea and the North’s participation in the Winter Olympics in the South next month, the verbal retort from the country was equally humiliating and stinging, mocking Trump on a scale that could match the buzz created by his tweet a fortnight ago.
A commentary in North Korea’s state-run publication Rodong Sinmun called Trump’s ‘bigger nuclear button’ tweet warning a bluff, ‘just a spasm of a lunatic frightened by the might of North Korea,’ by a person who has the habit and making reckless remarks, “Recently, Trump who is crazy about the hostile policy toward North Korea, has once again stunned the world by twitting that he has a ‘big and strong nuclear button.’ After these reckless remarks were twitted, they have become the target of scoff and criticism.”
Using choicest of words for him, like North Korea has been doing all along, the commentary added, “The spasm of Trump in the New Year reflects the desperate mental state of a loser who failed to check the vigorous advance of the army and people of the DPRK.” Trump’s mental health has been a favourite theme in North Korea’s anti-America propaganda and the country has used terms like ‘psychopath and mentally deranged dotard’.
And like the country has done in past, time and again, alleging Trump of escalating tension and ratcheting up war rhetoric, the commentary further said that the tweet, in fact, revealed who wants peace and who wants a nuclear war, “Experts on the Korean issue said that it is not fitting for the president to put the dangerous and serious issue like a nuclear war on twitter and it is an irresponsible behaviour leading the situation to the brink of a war.”
Trump, in fact, was widely panned after this ‘nuclear button’ tweet. Critics said the tweet would needlessly provoke North Korea at a time when the North had declared itself a nuclear power and the possibility of a nuclear war was more real than ever.
Also, after persistent demand from different quarters, Twitter, in fact, had to issue clarification that Trump’s tweet did not violate rules against abusive behaviour.
NORTH KOREA AND THE US
Tension between North Korea and the US has heightened to unprecedented levels since Donald Trump became US President last year.
Trump has been an advocate of adopting tough measures against the North, a rogue nation that is seen as a terror sponsor and nuclear proliferator.
Last year’s successful inter-continental ballistic missile and nuclear tests by the North only added to it.
Comments like ‘North Koreans will be met with fire and fury this world has never seen before’ or ‘the rocket-man or madman, Trump’s inventions for Kim Jong-un, will be tested like never before’ are common.
The North, in response, has its own range of words for Trump like ‘a gangster fond of playing with fire’, ‘unprecedented rude nonsense’, ‘frightened dog’, ‘psychopath’, ‘mentally deranged dotard’ or the latest one, ‘spasms of a lunatic’.
Posted in GEOPOLITICS, GLOBAL HEADLINES, INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS, KVIKIES, POLITICS, TERRORISM, WAR | Tagged #DonaldTrump, #NorthKorea, Donald Trump, Mentally Deranged Dotard, North Korea, North Korea Propaganda, North Korean Propaganda, Rocket Man, Spasms of Lunatic, Trump North Korea Tweets, US North Korea War of Words | Leave a comment
SO, LONDON MAYOR REVEALS WHY DONALD TRUMP CANCELLED HIS BRITAIN VISIT YET AGAIN
Earlier this week, London Mayor Sadiq Khan released a statement after US President Donald Trump cancelled his London visit due next month. He claimed the real reason that forced Donald Trump to cancel the visit is – he is very unpopular in his country.
Khan said Donald Trump finally got the message that he was not welcome in London after many Londoners ran campaigns to say ‘no to Donald Trump’ for pursuing a divisive agenda and asserted that ‘in case Trump visited London, he would, without doubt, meet by mass protests.
Many Londoners have made it clear that Donald Trump is not welcome here while he is pursuing such a divisive agenda. It seems he’s finally got that message. pic.twitter.com/YD0ZHuWtr3
— Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) January 12, 2018
Earlier, Trump had tweeted to let the world know that he was cancelling his London visit. The reason he cited was his distaste about the Barack Obama Administration decision of selling the existing embassy building, best located and finest embassy in London, for peanuts and shifting it to an off location, and that too, for a cost of $1.2 Billion.
Reason I canceled my trip to London is that I am not a big fan of the Obama Administration having sold perhaps the best located and finest embassy in London for “peanuts,” only to build a new one in an off location for 1.2 billion dollars. Bad deal. Wanted me to cut ribbon-NO!
But as Mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted, Trump is quite unpopular in Britain. Last year, he had to cancel his state visit to Britain on British Prime Minister Theresa May’s invitation as he feared he was too unpopular in Britain, something that Khan highlighted in the message he tweeted, ‘what a mistake it was for Theresa May to rush and extend an invitation of a state visit in the first place’.
Trump’s Britain state visit was scheduled for June last year but it was postponed for October after fears of backlash over Trump’s controversial travel ban targeting seven Muslim majority nations, a report in The Sun said. Many British MPs had then snubbed Trump and protests were planned. “In June it was said the trip was being postponed again until people support him coming to the UK,” the report further added.
According to The Guardian, he even called Theresa May to inform her that he did not want to come to Britain if there were large-scale protests and he was postponing his state visit to the UK “until the British public supports him coming.” And with this cancellation, it can be said that Trump still fears that Britishers don’t like him.
Also, Trump misrepresented facts to make his point here. He tweeted that the decision to shift the London Embassy was taken by the Obama Administration but the fact is, the process to shift the US Embassy was initiated by the government of George Bush, in October 2008, another report by The Guardian said.
The Obama Administration finalized the deal and the amount was certainly not in peanuts. The US Embassy building at Mayfair, London was sold for £500m ($684 Million today). Barack Obama won the US Presidential Election in November 2008 and his government was inaugurated in January 2009.
Posted in GEOPOLITICS, GLOBAL HEADLINES, INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS, KVIKIES, POLITICS | Tagged #DonaldTrump, #SadiqKhan, Donald Trump Britain Visit, Donald Trump Cancels Britain Visit, Donald Trump Cancels London Visit, Donald Trump Cancels UK Visit, Donald Trump London Visit, Donald Trump Vs Sadiq Khan, US London Embassy | Leave a comment
NATION FEELING BETRAYED BY US, WILL NOT SEEK REDEMPTION OF AID: PAKISTAN ARMY CHIEF
Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has said that entire Pakistan is feeling betrayed over recent statements from the US questioning Pakistan’s credibility and commitment in the war against terror and the unanimous national response denouncing the US stand was a reflection of that.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations, Pakistan Armed Forces media wing, General Bajwa conveyed the prevailing sentiment in Pakistan to General Joseph L Votel, Commander, US Central Command (CENTCOM) during a phone call last week. CENTCOM’s area of responsibility includes 20 nations, from Northeast Africa across the Middle East to Central and South Asia including Afghanistan and Iraq.
General Bajwa said Pakistan will not seek resumption of US aid and will continue with counter terrorism efforts on its own but his country did expect an honourable recognition of its contributions, sacrifices and unwavering resolve in fight against terrorism.
General Bajwa also reiterated the routine Pakistani allegation that US was making it a scapegoat to hide its own failures in Afghanistan.
Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor @OfficialDGISPR
Comd USCENTCOM & a US Senator telephoned COAS to discuss security coop post POTUS tweet. “Entire Pakistani nation felt betrayed on trivialising our decade old cooperation. We won’t ask for restoration of financial assistance but honourable recognition of our contributions”, COAS.
4:16 PM – 12 Jan 2018
After US President Donald Trump’s declaration of no more US aid to Pakistan and the subsequent follow up steps and statements from the US Administration calling Pakistan a liar, a deceitful country that employs terror as state policy, there has been a rush of reactions from the Pakistani leadership, both military and civilian.
They say they don’t need US aid and in fact, have spent multiple times of the US aid in the ongoing war against terrorism. They have started alleging that the US has been an ally who has always betrayed. The Pakistani leadership also sees an Indian hand in all this and warns the US from giving India a prominent role in Afghanistan. Pakistan has also suspended intelligence and military cooperation with the US.
The US, on the contrary, feels betrayed by Pakistan’s double-dealings and treachery.
On many occasions, Donald Trump and his government’s senior ministers and officials have spoken openly against Pakistan that how it backstabs the US by harbouring the terror groups that harm US and other coalition forces in Afghanistan. The US has also described Pakistan a safe haven for terrorists in its official records including the Country Report on Terrorism and the Narendra Modi – Donald Trump Joint Statement last year.
Apart from economic and military aid, the US also reimburses Pakistan under the Coalition Support Fund for its expenditure incurred on action against terror groups like the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network. But of late, it has started withholding the Fund, alleging that Pakistan has not taken any concrete action against these terror groups.
The US frustration was summed up in the New Year Day tweet by Trump where he slammed Pakistan for giving safe haven to terrorists the US hunts in Afghanistan in spite of receiving more than $33 Billion in US aid over the last 15 years. He then declared that Pakistan would not receive any more US aid.
Following Trump’s tweet, US has withheld $255 Million military financial package to Pakistan for fiscal year 2016 and $900 Million Coalition Support Fund for 2017, the White House has formally asked the country to do more against terror and a US senator is bringing bill to stop all aid to Pakistan and move has been endorsed by Trump.
Posted in GEOPOLITICS, GLOBAL HEADLINES, INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS, KVIKIES, POLITICS, TERRORISM | Tagged #TerrorHaven, Bill to End Aid to Pakistan, Donald Trump, Pak Aid Banned, Pak Aid Stopped, Pakistan Army Chief, Pakistan Cornered, Pakistan in Denial, Pakistan Isolated, Pakistan Terror Groups, Qamar Javed Bajwa, Safe Haven, Terror Haven, Trump Afghanistan Policy, Trump Bans Pak Aid, Trump Puts Pakistan on Notice, Trump South Asia Policy, Trump Stops Pak Aid, Trump Support Pak Aid Ban Bill, Trump Suspends Pak Aid, US Pakistan Relation #SafeHaven, US Pakistan Ties, US Puts Pakistan on Notice, US South Asia Policy, US Stops Pak Aid, US Suspends Pak Aid, US Warns Pakistan | Leave a comment
PAKISTAN RAISES CONCERN OVER ISRO SATELLITE LAUNCH
Pakistan has raised objections over India’s satellite launch scheduled for tomorrow. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is scheduled to launch 31 satellites on 12 January from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota and began the 28-hour countdown today at 5:29 AM.
During his weekly briefing, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal warned India of using satellites for military purposes as it could destabilize balance of power in the region.
“All space technologies, including earth observation satellites, are inherently dual use and can be employed for both civilian and military purposes and therefore it is essential that such pursuits are not directed towards a build-up of destabilizing military capabilities, which can negatively impact the regional strategic stability,” a release from Pakistan’s Foreign Office said.
There are only three Indian satellites among the 31 satellites that ISRO is launching tomorrow at 9:29 AM, under its first mission in 2018, PSLV-C40/Cartosat-2 Series Satellite Mission. 28 other satellites are from six other nations, i.e., Canada, Finland, France, Republic of Korea, UK and USA.
The three Indian satellites include the 710 kg Cartosat-2 Series Satellite for earth observation, a micro satellite in 100 kg class, Microsat, and a 5 kg nano satellite, Indian Nano Satellite IC. Both, micro and nano satellites, have been built as co-passenger payloads.
The Cartosat-2 satellite being launched this time is seventh in the series of remote sensing satellites and data obtained from it will be used in services like cartographic applications, Geographical Information System (GIS) applications, Land Information System (LIS) applications, coastal land-use regulation, utility management like road network monitoring, water distribution, creation of land use maps and change detection to bring out geographical and manmade features.
Tomorrow’s launch event is the 42nd flight of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, India’s main space launch vehicle. ISRO defines PSLV as its reliable and versatile workhorse, that, apart from carrying out 39 consecutively successful missions so far, has also launched successfully the Chandrayaan-1 in 2008 and the Mars Orbiter Spacecraft in 2013. In 2017 alone, ISRO placed over 130 satellites into orbit.
The PSLV’s first failure came last year, during 39th mission on August 31, when it failed to deliver India’s eight navigation satellite, the IRNSS-1H, as the heat shield tip which houses the satellite did not open.
Posted in KVIKIES, POLITICS | Tagged #PSLV, Cartosat 2, India’s Space Programme, Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO, ISRO Launch, ISRO Satellite Launch, Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV Launch, PSLV Mission | Leave a comment
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LILLIBULERO’S HISTORICAL NICHES
LILY IS my granddaughter, though I call her Lillibulero, after a traditional English ballad with a 350-year heritage. Lillibulero is said to have sung a king out of three kingdoms. Yet it has also announced the hour to millions of people around the world, on everything from short wave to the internet.
This BBC recording offers the proper mood. Image from Old BBC.]
The tale of Lillibulero involves discord, yet unity too. The discord has its gory aspects, though I suspect this will be okay with my granddaughter. Lily is almost 10, and kids that age seem to enjoy grizzly stuff.
For all its peaceful ambience I enjoy, Britain has had some bang-up set-toos. In one of them, the Glorious Revolution of 1688 – 1689, the British Parliament tossed out King James II, who also carried titles of James VII of Scotland and James II of Ireland. Thus, Lillibulero singing a king out of three kingdoms.
James II of England, 1633 – 1701, reigned 1685 – 1688. Portrait by Nicolas de Largillière, 1686.
On the bright side, this particular James was merely exiled to France, for a second time. By contrast, his older brother, Charles II, may have died of poison. And their father, Charles I, lost his head. Well, it wasn’t actually lost; they sewed it back on later.
These were complex times indeed. Less than 150 years earlier, James’s great-great-great-great-uncle Henry VIII broke with Roman Catholicism over familial dalliances, thus establishing Britain as officially Protestant. By contrast, James II, who inherited the throne after his brother’s death, was Catholic. By the way, all this continues to have relevance today in the politics of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Richard Talbot, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell, 1630 – 1691, Irish royalist, Jacobite soldier. Portrait by Français de Troy, 1690.
In 1687, James II was two years into his kingship when he appointed Richard Talbot, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell, as Lord Deputy of Ireland. Tyrconnell, another Catholic, promptly assigned positions in Ireland’s government and militia to other Catholics, thus pleasing Irish Catholics no end and displeasing plenty of other people.
Along came the 1689 Glorious Revolution, with William III (a Protestant) placed by Parliament on the British throne, James rethinking things in France (again) and plenty of his Jacobite supporters stirring things up in Ireland.
The lyrics of Lillibulero satirize these Jacobite hopes of having James regain the British crown (ultimately thwarted by the Battle of Boyne in 1690). Like any proper folk song, Lillibulero has too many verses and a nonsense refrain, but several suffice to tell the tale. [Teague, or Taig, was (and is) a derisive term for an Irish Catholic.]
Ho, brother Teague, dost hear the decree?/Lillibulero bullen a la/We are to have a new deputie/Lillibulero bullen a la.
Lero, lero, lillibulero/Lillibulero, bullen a la/Lero, lero, lero, lero/Lillibulero, bullen a la.
Now Tyrconnell is come ashore/Lillibulero bullen a la/And we shall have commissions galore/Lillibulero bullen a la.
It gets positively scurrilous through the middle, and ends with the following, the lillibulero bits left to the reader’s imagination.
There was an old prophecy found in a bog/That our land would be ruled by an ass and a dog.
So now this old prophecy’s coming to pass/For James is the dog and Tyrconnell’s the ass.
Let’s raise the level of this discussion by appealing to the British Broadcasting Corporation. From 1955 until fairly recent satellite radio days, BBC World Service employed Lillibulero as an audio logo immediately prior to its hourly time check.
BBC World Service. A link in space and time.
For those searching out BBC news in fragile short wave reception throughout the world, Lillibulero was a friend indeed. ds
© Dennis Simanaitis, SimanaitisSays.com, 2015
2 comments on “LILLIBULERO’S HISTORICAL NICHES”
Tom Tyson
Oh, so THAT’s what that little ditty is named. I’ve been hearing and whistling it since I was a teen with a shortwave radio.
Many thanks for filling in a(nother) gap in my knowledge.
– TT
It was partly meant as an insult to the Catholic Irish who were regarded as backward and superstitious (old prophesy found in a bog).
The problem is it’s the pot calling the kettle black as witch hunting was still popular there when it was written and these folks were the ones who believed that Prince Rupert’s poodle was a demon, if not the devil himself. The good protestants forgot the caution about removing the beam from their own eyes
This entry was posted on May 21, 2015 by simanaitissays in And Furthermore... and tagged BBC, James II, Lillibulero, Richard Talbot 1st Earl of Tyrconnell, The Glorious Revolution.
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Robert Anton Wilson 1/11/2007 Death US author
Edward Gibbon 1/16/1794 Death English historian
Robert Barclay 10/3/1690 Death Scottish writer
Sergei Dovlatov 8/24/1990 Death Russian writer
Gailli AbedElrhman 8/24/1990 Death Sudanese writer
Alexandre Dumas, fils 11/27/1895 Death French author
Pierre de Bourdeille, seign... 7/15/1614 Death French historian and biographer
Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer 12/22/1870 Death Spanish poet and writer
Ethel Anderson 8/4/1958 Death Australian poet
Felix Salten 10/8/1945 Death Austrian author
* 1/21/1789 - The first US novel, The Power of Sympathy or the Triumph of Nature Founded in Truth is printed in Bos...
Art on White Magnetic Mirror (12)
Anton Furst 5/6/1944 Birth US production designer
Garth Williams 4/16/1912 Birth US illustrator
Tim Jacobus 4/21/1959 Birth US artist (Goosebumps)
William John Swainson 10/8/1789 Birth English naturalist and artist
Gian Paolo Lomazzo 4/26/1538 Birth Italian painter
Eugène Delacroix 4/26/1798 Birth French painter
Kalervo Palsa 3/12/1947 Birth Finnish artist
Robert Smithson 7/20/1973 Death US land artist
Simon Ushakov 6/25/1686 Death Russian painter
Religion on White Magnetic Mirror (10)
Aryeh Levin 3/22/1885 Birth Orthodox Jewish rabbi
Pope Pius VII 8/14/1740 Birth
Paramahansa Yogananda 3/7/1952 Death Indian guru
Martin Heidegger 5/26/1976 Death German philosopher
Pope Boniface VII 7/20/0985 Death
* 8/9/1329 - Quilon the first Indian Diocese was erected by Pope John XXII and Jordanus was appointed the first Bis...
Science on White Magnetic Mirror (20)
James Beckwourth 4/26/1798 Birth US explorer
Jason Scott Sadofsky 9/13/1970 Birth US programmer
Philip Morrison 11/7/1915 Birth US scientist
James Mirrlees 7/5/1936 Birth Scottish economist, Nobel Prize laureate
Allvar Gullstrand 6/5/1862 Birth Swedish ophthalmologist, recipient of the Nobel Priz...
Nicolas Appert 11/17/1749 Birth French inventor
Eugen Schuhmacher 8/4/1906 Birth German zoologist
Hermann Oberth 6/25/1894 Birth German physicist
Johann Christian Reil 2/20/1759 Birth German physician, founder of psychiatry
Robert Hanbury Brown 1/16/2002 Death British astronomer and physicist
Alain Fournier 8/14/2000 Death French-born computer graphics researcher
Jean Baptiste Boussingault 5/11/1887 Death French chemist
Joseph Fourier 5/16/1830 Death French scientist
* 1/26/1992 - Boris Yeltsin announces that Russia will stop targeting United States cities with nuclear weapons.
* 11/27/1895 - At the Swedish-Norwegian Club in Paris Alfred Nobel signs his last will and testament, setting aside...
* 8/19/1839 - Presentation of Jacque Daguerre's new photographic process to the French Academy of Sciences.
* 5/16/1986 - The Seville Statement on Violence is adopted by an international meeting of scientists, convened by th...
* 12/2/1942 - Manhattan Project: A team led by Enrico Fermi initiates the first self-sustaining nuclear chain reacti...
War on White Magnetic Mirror (24)
John Wayne Gacy 3/17/1942 Birth US serial killer
William C. Lee 3/12/1895 Birth U.S. Army general
Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl o... 1/11/1591 Birth English Civil War general
Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood 12/12/1724 Birth British admiral
Michael Andreas Barclay de ... 12/27/1761 Birth Russian military commander
James Oglethorpe 6/30/1785 Death English general and founder of the state of Georgia
Evgenii Miller 5/11/1939 Death Russian counter-revolutionary
Carl Gustaf Wrangel 7/5/1676 Death Swedish soldier
* 6/15/1904 - A fire aboard the steamboat General Slocum in New York City's East River kills 1000.
* 9/8/1923 - Honda Point Disaster: nine US Navy destroyers run aground off the California coast. Seven are lost.
* 9/13/1814 - The British fail to capture Baltimore, Maryland. Turning point in the War of 1812.
* 11/7/1811 - Tecumseh's War: The Battle of Tippecanoe is fought near present-day Battle Ground, Indiana United Sta...
* 6/30/1941 - World War II: Operation Barbarossa Germany captures Lviv, Ukraine.
* 3/12/1999 - Former Warsaw Pact members the Czech Republic Hungary and Poland join NATO.
* 3/17/1942 - Holocaust: The first Jews from the Lviv Ghetto are gassed at the Belzec death camp (eastern Poland).
* 4/16/1964 - Great Train Robbery 12 men are sentenced to a total of 307 years.
* 9/8/1975 - Gays in the military: US Air Force Tech Sergeant Leonard Matlovich a decorated veteran of the Vietnam...
Sports on White Magnetic Mirror (51)
Dudley Nourse 11/12/1910 Birth South African cricketer, Wisden COY 1952
Peter Pollock 6/30/1941 Birth South African cricket player
Rudi Bryson 7/25/1968 Birth Former South African cricketer
Darío Silva 11/2/1972 Birth Uruguayan footballer
Bob Pettit 12/12/1932 Birth US basketball player
Chris Mullin 7/30/1963 Birth US basketball player
Chyna 12/27/1969 Birth US professional wrestler
Claudio Reyna 7/20/1973 Birth US soccer player
Jennie Finch 9/3/1980 Birth US softball player
Kevin Everett 2/5/1982 Birth US football player
Lynn Swann 3/7/1952 Birth US football player
Mary Decker 8/4/1958 Birth US athlete
Matt Murley 12/17/1979 Birth US ice hockey player
Paul Azinger 1/6/1960 Birth US golfer
Elena Likhovtseva 9/8/1975 Birth Russian tennis player
Vladimir Vorobiev 11/2/1972 Birth Russian ice hockey player
Salif Diao 2/10/1977 Birth Senegalese footballer
Peter Forsberg 7/20/1973 Birth Swedish ice hockey player
Valentin Badea 10/23/1982 Birth Romanian footballer
Lee Eul-Yong 9/8/1975 Birth South Korean footballer
Masanori Murakami 5/6/1944 Birth First Japanese baseball player in major leagues
Aidin Nikkhah Bahrami 2/5/1982 Birth Iranian basketball player
Nixon McLean 7/20/1973 Birth West Indian cricketer
Andy Keogh 5/16/1986 Birth Irish footballer (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Ivano Balic 4/1/1979 Birth Croatian handballer
Robert KovaÄ 4/6/1974 Birth Croatian footballer
Jean-Christophe Boullion 12/27/1969 Birth French race car driver
Kari Jalonen 1/6/1960 Birth Finnish ice hockey player
Miguel Olivo 7/15/1978 Birth Dominican baseball player
Daniel Agger 12/12/1984 Birth Danish footballer
Mads Rieper 7/20/1973 Birth Danish footballer
Armin Hary 3/22/1937 Birth German athlete
Birgit Fischer 2/25/1962 Birth German kayaker
Jaromír Jágr 2/15/1972 Birth Czech hockey player
Mark Hunter 11/12/1962 Birth Canadian ice hockey player
Daniel Merrett 12/12/1984 Birth Australian Rules Football
Matthew Egan 7/10/1983 Birth Australian rules footballer
Daniel Ruben Bilos 9/3/1980 Birth Argentinian footballer
Howie Long 1/6/1960 Birth National Football League player
Josh Hamilton 5/21/1981 Birth Major League Baseball player
Martín Herrera 9/13/1970 Birth former Argentine footballer
Rodrigo Palacio 2/5/1982 Birth Argentine footballer
Tomas Kopecky 2/5/1982 Birth Ice hockey player
Viv Richards 3/7/1952 Birth Antiguan West Indies cricketer
Cuan McCarthy 8/14/2000 Death South African cricketer
Bobo Olson 1/16/2002 Death US boxer
Chris Finnegan 3/2/2009 Death British Olympic Boxing Gold Medallist
William Calhoun 12/7/1989 Death professional wrestler
Yasuhiro Kojima 11/27/1999 Death wrestler
* 10/23/1930 - The first miniature golf tournament was completed in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Education on White Magnetic Mirror (2)
* 9/23/1908 - University of Alberta in Alberta, Canada, is founded.
Nature on White Magnetic Mirror (1)
Business on White Magnetic Mirror (5)
Cornelius Vanderbilt II 11/27/1843 Birth US businessman
Bertrand Goldberg 10/8/1997 Death US architect
Willem Marinus Dudok 4/6/1974 Death Dutch architect
Hudson Fysh 4/6/1974 Death Australian aviator and businessman
Accidents on White Magnetic Mirror (3)
* 10/13/1992 - An Antonov An-124 operated by Antonov Airlines registered CCCP-82002, crashed near Kiev Ukraine.
* 3/22/1989 - Clint Malarchuk of the Buffalo Sabres suffers a near-fatal injury when another player accidentally sli...
Other on White Magnetic Mirror (37)
Charles Robert Malden 8/9/1797 Birth British naval officer
Henry Simpson Lunn 7/30/1859 Birth English humanitarian
John Leland 9/13/1502 Birth English antiquarian
André Citroën 2/5/1878 Birth French automobile pioneer
Jean Moulin 6/20/1899 Birth French Resistance leader
Debbie Thrower 11/17/1957 Birth news reader
Elizabeth Stride 11/27/1843 Birth victim of Jack the Ripper
Nikita Yakovlevich Bichurin 8/29/1777 Birth founder of Sinology
Paul Teutul, Sr. 5/1/1949 Birth founder of Orange County Choppers
Colonel Tom Parker 1/21/1997 Death US manager of Elvis Presley
Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl... 6/25/1218 Death French crusader
Adolphe of Luxembourg 11/17/1905 Death
Enguerrand de Monstrelet 7/20/1453 Death French chronicler
Dantrell Davis 10/13/1992 Death victim of gang crossfire in Cabrini-Green
El Cid 7/10/1099 Death of Castile
Najm ad-Din Ayyub 8/9/1173 Death father of Saladin
Robert Krausz 10/3/2002 Death Stock market advisor and investor
Wally Parks 9/28/2007 Death Founder of the NHRA
* 2/15/1764 - The city of St. Louis, Missouri is established.
* 5/6/1996 - The body of former CIA director William Colby is found washed up on a riverbank in southern Maryland ...
* 7/20/1921 - Air mail service begins between New York City and San Francisco.
* 4/16/1912 - Harriet Quimby becomes the first woman to fly an airplane across the English Channel.
* 11/2/1868 - Time zone: New Zealand officially adopts a standard time to be observed nationally
* 1/1/1861 - Porfirio Díaz conquers Mexico City.
* 7/20/1973 - Palestianian terrorists hijack a Japan Airlines jet en route from Amsterdam to Japan and force it down...
* 8/4/1854 - The Hinomaru is established as the official flag to be flown from Japanese ships.
* 9/18/1809 - The Royal Opera House in London opens.
* 9/13/1814 - Francis Scott Key writes The Star-Spangled Banner
* 7/5/1884 - Germany takes possession of Cameroon.
* 4/26/1954 - The Geneva Conference an effort to restore peace in Indochina and Korea, begins.
* 1/21/1893 - The Tati Concessions Land formerly part of Matabeleland, is formally annexed to the Bechuanaland Pro...
* 1/16/2002 - The UN Security Council unanimously establishes an arms embargo and the freezing of assets of Osama bi...
* 3/12/1947 - The Truman Doctrine is proclaimed to help stem the spread of Communism.
* 7/30/1859 - First ascent of Grand Combin one of the highest summits in the Alps.
* 8/4/1906 - Central Railway Station, Sydney opens.
* 8/9/1173 - Construction of the Tower of Pisa begins, and it takes two centuries to complete.
* 12/27/1657 - The Flushing Remonstrance is signed.
Affirmation for: White Magnetic Mirror I Unify in order to Reflect
Attracting Order
Reading for: White Magnetic Mirror
Reading for White Magnetic Mirror
White Mirror's are able to clearly reflect others back to themselves once their own mirror is clear.White Mirror is also your Higher Self & Guide. (you are guided by your own power doubled)To the Maya, White Mirror is the knife that cuts you free from that which binds you. The sword of White Mirror symbolizes truth, light, and the beneficial use of power - that is, power balanced with love and wisdom. As such, White Mirror can be seen as a symbol of spiritual warriorship. In becoming a spiritual rainbow warrior, you choose to undergo apparent tests and trials - to temper your blade in order to bring forth great wisdom. You undertake initiation by the light, that you might fully fuse with your Essence Self.White Mirror is an octave above Blue Monkey, the trickster/fool. Here, at last, the cosmic joke can finally be appreciated and understood. And the joke, of course, is that you are already an enlightened being!Meditate with the star-glyph White Mirror. Encoded within its pattern is an aerial view of a three-dimensional Mayan pyramid, the "interlock" of matter, the crack between worlds. Through meditation, you can unlock the mystery in this pattern of White Mirror. Its star-glyph reflects the apparent duality of male and female, light and dark, happy and sad, ignorant and wise. As part of the Mind of Light curriculum, you have chosen to experience all of these positions in order to learn more about your consciousness.At any time, however, you can choose to sit fluidly poised between any two polarized positions, becoming a third point above the linear patterning of duality. In so doing, you create a triangle of light that expands duality into a more open system. With further expansion you can create a multidimensional "pyramid" of light within which you are poised in the crystal clarity of the eternal now. In this time of transformation, the pyramid of heaven is touching the pyramid of Earth, and the crack between the worlds is widening. On the platform of this expanding present moment, heaven and Earth are merging as one.
You contain the paradox of the "separate" self and unity with the One. You are simultaneously the primal point of beginning and the crowing culmination. You are the initiator. You are the one who opens the way. You may feel alone or separated from Source. If so, stand in the unity of your Essence Self and focus on the reality of the one heart. You are the wisdom you seek!***These excerpts were taken from the amazing book, "The Mayan Oracle - Return Path to the Stars" by Ariel Spilsbury & Michael Bryner - Click here to email Ariel and purchase a signed copy!
White Magnetic Mirror is in the Mirror wavespell
Kin: 118 White Magnetic Mirror
Be the 1st PASSENGER to add to Valentin Badea's page!
Mark Kuhn
pomaikai
Honolulu HI USA
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Minneapolis MN USA
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diesel D
Cape Charles VA USA
Corey333
Melbourne 07 Australia
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is in 111 days on 11/7/2019
Valentin Badea is a Yang Water Dog
Yang Water Dog
Dog affinity is with Horse and Tiger
But Dog opposes Dragon!
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Albany Firefighter Fighting For His Life
By Erika Leigh City of Albany
PUBLISHED 10:34 AM ET Feb. 10, 2019 PUBLISHED 10:34 AM EST Feb. 10, 2019 UPDATED 5:51 PM ET Feb. 11, 2019
An Albany Airport firefighter is fighting for his life.
Josh Woodward is in sepsis, according to now-viral Facebook posts by his wife Chelsea. She says it all started February 7.
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From there, Josh's condition worsened, according to the posts.
Chelsea says her husband had a heart attack from the stress and that his kidneys got worse. In another post, Chelsea says that doctors said her husband had just a 5 percent chance of survival.
On Saturday afternoon, she posted that some of Josh's stats were on the rise again and doctors were hopeful, but his condition is still critical. Sunday morning, she updated followers that he had been weaned off two medications and that his oxygen saturation had improved, but he has a long road ahead and family friends say he isn't "out of the woods yet."
The posts have gone viral, with thousands of supporters from around the country commenting, reacting and praying for the family on Facebook. The couple has two young children, Jax and Holland.
Now friends say, the outpouring of support from thousands of people they don't even know, has meant the world.
"Chelsea's in the moment all the time, which is one of the reasons she makes everyone feel special," said David Mazzella, a friend of Josh's and the family's pastor. "She's transparent in that way and I think that's powerful and it's compelling."
Mazella and Steve Dorsey, the Albany Airport Professional Firefighters IAFF Local I-65 President, credit the support for Josh to wife Chelsea's resilience.
"We've received word that people in India have been praying," Mazzella said. "We even received a shoutout from Mark Wahlberg wishing Josh good luck and prayers."
And Josh Woodward's health isn't just pulling strangers from all over the world together. Mazella and Dorsey -- his friend and pastor and fire union president -- just met three days ago, but you'd never know they haven't known each other long. The pair and other friends and family of Josh have been trying to keep spirits high in an ICU waiting room.
"There's moments where we have been in silence because the news that came down was just absolutely bleak," Mazzella said. "We were together in that dark place and then we get great news and together we're sharing it, so we've been sharing this whole journey together."
That dark place shared by Chelsea Woodward Friday on Facebook. Josh's doctors told her he had just a five percent chance of survival.
"These things that are important to him, the fire service, the church and his family -- they're all groups that focus on a community values," Dorsey said. "So all three of those communities are coming together to make this thing much bigger than any of us thought."
It resonates with people because as Josh's illness happened so suddenly and so rapidly.
"We're not sure of any statistics, how many times this takes place, but this isn't some far-reaching and exotic condition," Dorsey said.
And now with people from all over the world rooting for Josh Woodward's speedy recovery there are two friends, who have also now become friends, just waiting him to recover.
"He's just such a great person, I've seen him grow up, he's become such a great man, a great father, a great husband and a great friend," Mazzella said.
And Dorsey said, being a firefighter isn't what defines Josh Woodward.
"Being a firefighter is what Josh does for a living, I mean, it's part of his heart, but there's a bigger part to Josh, his family, his church, his career and helping people."
Spectrum News reached out to Chelsea Woodward this morning but we haven't heard back just yet. Her latest post says Josh is getting the balloon removed from his heart and that he squeezed her hand.
A family friend has set up a GoFundMe for Josh Woodward's medical expenses, and it's raised more than $40,000 in less than 48 hours. Aleysha Eckhert, who set up the fundraiser, tells Spectrum News, "Chelsea said everything is collectively & timely posted on social media and she is happy to be followed for updates."
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Carol Concerts
The candlelit Great Hall and pre-concert mince pies all added to the Christmas spirit at the Carol Concert. The highlight of the evening was hearing Cantamus perform the winning entry from the first St Paul’s Carol Competition: ‘A child’s song of Christmas’ by Isabella in the V. Paulina Voices have given a series of performances this Yuletide, including a collaborative concert with Wandsworth Symphony Orchestra at St Mary’s Church in Putney where Laura’s ‘Once in Royal David’s City’ solo set the tone beautifully. Eleven singers from Paulina Voices then rounded off their 2016 performances by leading the Guild of Mercers’ Scholars Carol Service at St Mary Woolnoth Church in the heart of the city of London (below).
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John Mooney
Full Name John Mooney
Born February 10, 1982
Age 37 Years, 5 Months, 8 Days
National Side Ireland
Batting Style Left Handed
Bowling Right-arm medium
Batting Rank ODI - NA, World Cup - NA, T20I - NA
Bowling Rank ODI - NA, World Cup - NA, T20I - NA
Teams Played Ireland, Ireland A, Ireland Under-19
Man of the Match ODI - 1, World Cup - 0, T20I - 0,
Career Span [ODI, 2006 - 2015], [World Cup, 2007 - 2015], [T20I, 2009 - 2015],
Having represented Ireland at the Under-19 World Cup in 2000, John Mooney made his debut in the 2004 ICC Intercontinental Cup against the Dutch. He played his second game after a gap of nearly two years and was also part of the EurAsia cricket series and the CAG Trophy in the same year.
John Mooney Overall Stats
64 55 14 963 96 v SCO 0 3 92 14 23.48 79.25 19 0
14 13 3 132 33* v ENG 0 0 15 0 13.20 66.00 4 0
27 23 9 231 31* v SL 0 0 25 1 16.50 107.94 13 0
50 299.3 19 1635 48 4/27 v CAN 2 0 34.06 5.45 37.43
14 95 5 580 14 4/63 v ENG 0 0 41.42 6.10 40.71
10 26 1 176 10 2/7 v NEP 0 0 17.60 6.76 15.60
john mooney News
World Cup: Brendan Taylor Apologises Over Derogatory Article on Ireland's John Mooney
World Cup: Zimbabwe Fume Over Controversial John Mooney Catch
Irish Pace Ace Delves into Medieval History for Helmet Boost
Ireland hammer Afghanistan by 122 runs to win Intercontinental Cup
Ireland's John Mooney out of World Twenty20
John Mooney Profile
Mooney played in Ireland's first-ever ODI in 2006 against England where he put in an impressive show picking 3 crucial wickets and also scoring 30 off 26 deliveries. He was part of the Irish squad in the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup after which he took a break from international cricket in order to complete his electrical apprenticeship. In 2009 Mooney was named captain of the victorious Ireland A squad for the European Cricket Championships where he was named player of the tournament. He was singled out by the national team coach as the stand out performer at the 2009 ICC World Twenty20. For the 2009/10 season Mooney moved to Australia to play club cricket in a bid to play the longer format of the game. In Jan 2011 he was named Ireland's Player of the Year for 2010. He was part of the Irish squad at the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup.
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Jaquars tagged posts
Should Replay Decisions Be Ended In The NFL?
After a review that lasted almost five minutes – the NFL’s head of officiating Al Riveron deemed that the evidence proved that James had failed to survive the ground and the pass was incomplete. Source: AKjoshgray via Twitter
The New England Patriots have benefited again from the NFL’s review system to secure the number one seed in the AFC Conference for the post-season. Their fortune has drawn the ire and the whisper of ‘conspiracy theory’ by fans and the teams chasing them alike in the battle to reach the Super Bowl. The question has been posed whether the usage of replays, especially slow-motion, is taking the moment out of the sport...
Jaguars Implementing Catapult And XOS Digital Thunder Radar NFL Athlete Tracking System
May 19, 2015, Blog No comments
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS ADOPT THE LATEST PLAYER PERFORMANCE INNOVATION.
Catapult USA in Chicago and XOS Digital out of Boston announced a new business partnership today centered on the XOS Thunder Radar athlete tracking system for the forward thinking Jacksonville Jaguars franchise. The NFL has prioritized the integration of next gen stats to enhance the fan experience and further elevate performance training and analysis to a new level, something Catapult and XOS lead the way with digital coaching technology and wearable tech solutions respectively...
Your 2014 GSS Start-Up Competition Finalists
Global Sports Symposium 2014
@ Emirates Stadium on Thursday, May 15th, 2014
The Global Sports Symposium (GSS) Pitch Competition gives sport start-ups crucial exposure to top agencies, teams, leagues, and entrepreneurs in the sports industry plus the chance to win up to one month’s worth of advisory services from 1010 Capital, a global merchant bank that focuses on incubating, advising and investing in consumer brands and ventures across the sports, entertainment and lifestyle industries.
The Global Sports Symposium (GSS) Pitch Competition gives sport start-ups crucial exposure to top agencies, teams, leagues, and entrepreneurs in the sports industry plus the chance to win up to one month’s worth of advisory services from 1010 Capital, a global merchant bank that focuses on incubating, adv...
THE ACC DIGITAL NETWORK STREAMS PLAYERS DRAFT PARTY LIVE
May 8, 2014, Blog No comments
THE ACC DIGITAL NETWORK STREAMS PLAYERS DRAFT PARTY LIVE – #SportsTechie blog
Today, beginning at 8:00pm ET, in conjunction with the NFL Draft, the ACC Digital Network brought to you by Ruby Tuesday is providing unique coverage by allowing fans to tune in to a private Players Draft Party. Besides the two networks and over 1,000 news media people converging on Radio City Music Hall in New York City, Sports Techie community blog readers can watch the live 2014 NFL draft with Clinton Portis, Greg Olsen and Renaldo Wynn at theACCDN draft party.
In conjunction with the NFL Draft, the ACC Digital Network brought to you by Ruby Tuesday is providing unique coverage by allowing fans to tune in to a private Players Draft Party
ACC in the NFL Draft ACC in the NFL Draft page: http://theacc...
Register For First Ever Global Sports Symposium At Emirates Stadium In London
The Global Sports Symposium organization is excited to be expanding internationally by hosting the first GSS in partnership with Arsenal FC and Emirates Stadium
It is an honor to be invited by the planning committee to the 1st annual Global Sports Symposium (“GSS”) on Thursday, May 15, 2014 at Emirates Stadium in London. I hope the Sports Techie community blog enthusiasm for this inaugural all day event is contagious worldwide, in Europe and here in the United States. All students and those who are trying to get into the sports business are invited to attend this new event hosted in the UK. Students can use this sportsbiz opportunity to meet industry professionals and start to grow your network.
In its company history, the Sports Symposium achieved an international reach through its co...
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Search in WebsitePeople
Getting to Bond
Study facilities
Careers at Bond
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Working at Bond
Bond University provides parking for students, staff and visitors.
Parking on campus is free of charge.
The speed limit on campus is 20kph.
Vehicles must be parked according to signage and within the marked lines of a single parking bay.
Persons parking motor vehicles and bicycles on campus do so at their own risk.
Bond University is not responsible for fire, theft or loss or damage of any kind to any vehicle or contents thereof whilst on university property.
All parking regulations apply 24-hours a day, 365 days a year.
Infringements & fees
Campus map with parking
Download a copy of the Campus map with parking
Download a copy of the Campus map with parking for visitors (incl. events car park)
Download a copy of the BIHS Campus map with parking
All staff and students wishing to park a vehicle on campus must complete a vehicle registration form at the security office. Student/Staff ID cards must be presented when applying for a permit.
Your registration will be logged and used with Licence Plate Recognition.
If you sell or change your vehicle, you must update your details with security to obtain a new parking permit.
Students residing on campus will be issued a parking permit semesterly.
Those sponsoring/organising a group or conference should contact security office well in advance of the event to obtain advice re visitor parking.
Download a copy of the Vehicle Registration Form
Parking breach fees
Not authorised within a marked car space $55.00
Unauthorised parking in loading/emergency zones $55.00
Unauthorised parking in a restricted carpark $55.00
Vehicle not registered with Security (Staff, Student, Contractor) $55.00
Parking in disabled space without approved permit $55.00
Car park terms and conditions of use
By entering and leaving your vehicle in this car park you accept the following terms and conditions which constitute a legal agreement with Bond University. If you do not accept these terms and conditions you must immediately leave this carpark.
If parking in a Bond University carpark you must:
a) At all times:
i. Ensure your vehicle is registered with security using the approved process
ii. Park only in the car park areas approved for parking of your vehicle; and
b) not park along or over yellow lines marked along roadways
c) comply with all signs and notices displayed in this car park; and
d) park your vehicle wholly within a marked bay or as directed by security; and
e) not park in a bay marked EMERGENCY bays unless you have obtained prior written permission from security, and
f) not park in a disabled or handicapped person’s bay without displaying a current disability permit issued under Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995; and
Parking within Bond University is only permitted by following the Vehicle Registration process. All vehicles must be registered with Bond University or have obtained permission from Bond University Security.
Bond University authorises Pripark (QLD) Pty Ltd to enforce the carpark terms and conditions as described.
If you breach any of the terms and conditions in clause 1, then in respect of each breach you agree to pay Pripark (Qld) Pty Ltd a parking fee of $55.00. You further agree that Pripark (Qld) Pty Ltd may give notice of a claim for a parking fee by affixing a tax invoice to your vehicle.
If the parking fee referred to in clause 4 is not paid by the due date stated on the tax invoice, then an amount of $43.00 will be charged for costs to Pripark (Qld) Pty Ltd associated with recovering the parking fee. If the parking fee plus recovery cost remains unpaid for a further 7 days after the due date then Pripark (Qld) Pty Ltd may take legal action to recover the same. In that event you further agree to pay legal costs of $77.00 for Pripark (Qld) Pty Ltd lawyers to demand payment and to indemnify Pripark (Qld) Pty Ltd in respect of all other legal costs and disbursements incurred by Pripark (Qld) Pty Ltd to recover the parking fee and associated recovery costs.
Bond University Security or Pripark (Qld) Pty Ltd may at any time request that you leave and/or remove your vehicle from this car park if you:
a) breach any of these terms and conditions; or
b) disturb, inconvenience or injure any person or damage any property or vehicle in the car park or cause or permit any of those things to occur;
AND you agree to immediately comply with that request.
You irrevocably consent to Bond University Security and/or Pripark (Qld) Pty Ltd removing your vehicle by the use of a towing provider for a breach of these terms and conditions. You agree Bond University, Bond University Security and/or Pripark (Qld) Pty Ltd are not responsible for the vehicle once removed from the premises and you must;
a) Pay a minimum removal fee of $400.00 to the towing operator.
You must remove all valuables from your vehicle and secure it when unattended. Bond University does not represent or warrant that secure parking is available in this car park and shall not under any circumstances be responsible for any loss or damage to or theft of your vehicle or its contents.
You agree that Bond University and its contractors shall not under any circumstances be liable or responsible for any injury, loss or damage to person or property, whether arising in bailment, contract or tort or otherwise how so ever described and all injury, loss and damage to any person or property is at the sole risk of persons entering in and/or leaving their vehicles in this car park.
You agree to indemnify Bond University and its contractors against any and all claims, costs, demands, expenses and legal proceedings what so ever and how so ever described, incurred or suffered by it and its contractor arising out of your breach of these terms and conditions, your negligence, acts or omissions, or the use of this car park to park your vehicle.
No person other than Bond University or Pripark (Qld) Pty Ltd has authority to vary, waive or excuse compliance with any of these terms and conditions.
Bond University agrees that your vehicle may remain in this car park provided that you do not breach any of the above mentioned terms and conditions.
Bond University has engaged Pripark (Qld) Pty Ltd, to enforce its car park terms and conditions this includes its authorised agents, contractors, employees, successors and assigns.
Download a copy of Car Park Terms and Conditions of Use.
Car parking FAQs
Why the change
Despite the growing number of parking infringement notices issued over the last 2 years (over 1,900), Bond has not been able to enforce a penalty associated with any infringement. Our control over our own parking areas has therefore been ineffective.
It is necessary to have appropriate oversight and penalties in place to ensure that our community parks in the right places so as not to inconvenience or obstruct emergency vehicles, access to disability parking or obstruct others due to parking in a manner that puts car park users in danger. There has also been an impact upon those allocated restricted parking spaces which have been provided in recognition that their University duties will require them to drive off campus from time to time when that dedicated space is occupied by an unauthorised vehicle when they return to work.
How does this impact me?
The implementation of the control plan will have no effect on those who park correctly. Those who do not park appropriately and do not comply with the parking terms and conditions may be issued with a parking fee tax invoice of $55.00 to be paid within 7 days per clause 4 of terms and conditions of use
How will it work
All vehicles entering site are considered to have accepted the terms and conditions of parking on Bond University property. Campus Security will carry out standard patrols and any vehicle identified as breaching the T&C’s may be issued a warning, or parking fee tax invoice for the amount of $55.00
What do I need to do
All vehicles must be registered with security. Their office is located on ground floor of Building 10 contact # 5595 1234 and owner’s details will be added to the database and a parking permit will be issued. The permit should be affixed to the lower passenger side of the windscreen.
Failure to do may result in a warning or parking fee tax invoice for the amount of $55.00
What do I do if I get a parking penalty?
Make payment to the contracted provider of parking supervision, PriPark Private Parking Management via online, phone, or mail as identified on the ticket issued within 7 days or an additional administrative fee of $43.00 will be applied. If this is not paid within a further 7 days, subsequent penalties will apply for non-payment of the fee plus recovery costs.
Information is detailed at Car Park Terms and Conditions of Use signage on display at both points of entry to the University campus.
In what circumstances do I risk my vehicle being towed away?
If your vehicle is dangerously parked in a way that potentially impacts the safety of others, Security will make every attempt to contact you via the contact information that you have provided on your registration form. If Security is unable to contact you to move your vehicle a towing company will be engaged to do so.
Charges for vehicle recovery start at approximately $400 (paid to towing company) and will escalate, subject to length of time your vehicle is left at the impound yard.
Do you have further questions? Please send an email to [email protected]
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Colbert Says Steelers Have Started Contract Negotiations With Roethlisberger
Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert will be leaving soon for the NFL Scouting Combine and as he does every year, he sat down with the local media to answer questions about the team.
According to Scott Brown of ESPN.com, Colbert said the organization has begun preliminary contract extension talks with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and his camp and he expects a deal will get done at some point.
“When you have two parties interested in getting the same goal achieved it usually goes quicker than not,” Colbert said.
Colbert also said that Roethlisberger is getting better with age in his opinion and that he still has room to improve.
Colbert was also asked about soon-to-be unrestricted free agent linebacker Jason Worilds on Wednesday and the longtime general manager indicated that the organization feels that the former second-round draft pick had a good season in 2014 and that they hope to be able to re-sign him. Will Graves of the Associated Press reports that Colbert didn’t rule out using a franchise or transition tag on Worilds, but that it may depend on what the cap hit is that comes along with it. The team hopes to avoid that route altogether by getting a long-term deal done with Worilds ahead of that. With the deadline now less than a month away, we should know very soon if the Steelers will be able to accomplish that.
“He’s still a young player,” Colbert said, according to Mike Prisuta of DVE Radio. “He’s probably still an ascending player. I don’t think you’ve seen the best of Jason.”
As far as the Steelers offseason salary cap situation goes, Colbert sounded positive.
“I think we’ll be in a manageable area,” said Colbert. “I don’t think we’ll have to do as much work to get into compliance”
Clarification: Steelers have started contract negotiations with Roethlisberger camp. There was confusion over what KC said.
— Scott Brown (@ScottBrown_ESPN) February 10, 2015
Colbert on Worilds: "He's still a young player. He's probably still an ascending player. I don't think you've seen the best of Jason."
— Mike Prisuta (@DVEMike) February 10, 2015
Colbert on salary cap situation: "I think we'll be in a manageable area. I don't think we'll have to do as much work to get into compliance"
Colbert says Steelers want to re-sign Jason Worilds and that organization feels he had a good season in 2015 and has upside.
Related Items:Ben Roethlisberger, contract negotiations, Jason Worilds, Kevin Colbert, Mike Prisuta, Scott Brown, Will Graves
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Steelers Might Not Miss WR Antonio Brown Inside Red Zone Too Terribly Much
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Uber is 10 years old! Here's ten things you probably didn't know about it
by Jackie A | Apr 05, 2019
Uber makes zero profit but is valued at $120 billion
Founded in March 2009, last year it suffered a staggering net loss of $1.8bn, yet it's going for its IPO next month and could be valued at as much as $120 billion. Me neither. But the last time unprofitable companies went public at this rate was in 2000. Dot. Com. Bubble. Burst.
Despite being deep in the red, this week it's about to spend $3.1 billion buying a Dubai-based rival
Careem, set up in March 2012, is an Uber copycat based in Dubai with operations in over 100 cities in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. It's a product of the Dubai Internet City cleverly established in 1999, which also spawned Amazon copycat e-commerce platform Souq.com, which Amazon then acquired two years ago. It appears imitationis now the most lucrative form of flattery.
The man who came up with the Uber concept is a mystery Canadian
Gareth Camp, 40, is Canada's third richest man, worth $5.3 billion. One New Year's Eve after he and his friends spent $800 hiring a private driver, Camp realised sharing the cost with others could make it affordable. Uber was born. Maverick businessman Travis Kalanick then came on board and gives him "full credit for the idea". Almost nothing is known of Camp's private life, other than he's joined The Giving Pledge, which commits giving away half of his wealth to charity. If only his company showed such morality.
On Uber's Wikipedia page, the 'Criticism' entry runs to 19 subsections
A decade in business and Uber has amassed a brutish reputation. There was the aggressive strategy for dealing with regulators, the evasion of law enforcement operations, user privacy and data breaches, the 5,560 fake Lyft rides it booked to undercut its rival, sexual harassment allegations and of course the shenanigans of its deposed co-founder Travis Kalanick. His town house in San Fran is called the Jam Pad, "The church of creative capitalism", and has its own Twitter feed. Srsly.
Uber has its own vomit inspectors
Once a passenger revisits his or her supper all over the back seat of a Febreze-smelling Uber, drivers can be reimbursed for “damage” if they photograph the crime scene. A tier system determines how much money to issue for the 'Uber cleaning fee' (up to $250). Apparently it's not unknown for drivers to use “false vomit” to get extra money, so inspectors have to be especially beady-eyed. Jeez.
Between 11pm - 1am on Saturdays and Sundays is prime time for leaving stuff in Ubers
According to its 2019 Lost & Found Index released by Uberlast week, we mostly leave our phones, cameras, wallets and bags. But the more interesting forgotten items include an eight week-old coffee-coloured Chihuahua, a propane tank, a fully stocked fish tank with fish and water, one Gucci flip flop and the head of a salmon. Eww.
Uber hijacked a company with the same name and made its life hell
The design firm Uber Inc, established in NY in 1999 by two Austrian sisters, become a target for furious Uber clients and drivers when Uber the cab company took off. The design company had a customer phone line, Uber didn't. Even today, the menu on Uber Inc's website reads: "Design Portfolio, Awards, About, Contact, Uber v Uber." When the big boys at Uber suggested owner Herta Kriegner change her company's name, she demurred and instead managed to dig out a number for Uber which she prominently puts on her website.
Go girl.
Uber takes 25% of every ride (and many of its three million drivers make less than the minimum wage)
While London drivers take home £11 an hour, £4 less than the company's estimates before driver costs, but 80p more than the London Living Wage, their LA colleagues recently had their rates slashed from 80 cents per mile to 60 cents. Over the past several years, Uber drivers have endured multiple rounds of pay cuts. There's also no staff discount.
Uber drivers aren’t immediately notified of your destination when they accept a job
Which is why they often cancel your ride when they eventually find out. (When a job comes through, drivers must either agree or decline the request, not knowing how near or far they are going. Annoying for everyone.)
Uber dodges paying UK tax
It processes jobs through its Dutch subsidiary, Uber BV, where VAT is 0% for entrepreneurs conducting 'foreign businesses' from the Netherlands. In the UK, VAT is 20%. Uber calls its tax affairs "open to interpretation". We call it sneaky. At best.
Related Aticles
Uber is 10 years old! Here's ten things yo...
Uber is 10 years old! Here's ten th...
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Tag Archives: tunnels
Symbolism in “The Buried Giant” by Kazuo Ishiguro
This book was a selection for the book club to which I belong. The friend who suggested the book only said it was about collective memory. Since that is a subject I find interesting, I was eager to read it.
The tale is set in post-Arthurian Britain and depicts a country suffering from a form of mass amnesia, where a strange mist has caused everyone to forget much of their collective past. The story follows the quest of five individuals seeking to restore memory by slaying a dragon responsible for causing the collective forgetting.
What I love the most about this book is the abundance of symbols that Ishiguro uses to explore memory. Hence, I figured I would focus this post on some of the more prominent symbolic representations of memory.
The first memory symbol I would like to explore is a village. The specific village is described as labyrinthine, and reminded me of the city of Siena in Italy, which had strange streets that were confusing to walk.
Axl was puzzled that a village which from a distance looked to be two orderly rings of houses could turn out to be such a chaotic labyrinth now they were walking through its narrow lanes. Admittedly the light was fading, but as he followed Beatrice, he could discern no logic or pattern to the place. Buildings would loom unexpectedly in front of them, blocking their way and forcing them down baffling side alleys. They were obliged, moreover, to walk with even more caution than out on the roads: not only was the ground pitted and full of puddles from the earlier storm, the Saxons seemed to find it acceptable to leave random objects, even pieces of rubble, lying in the middle of the path.
(pp. 49 – 50)
In this passage, the city represents the way memories are stored in the mind and how one struggles in the search for forgotten memories. When trying to remember something that has been forgotten, it feels like you are wandering aimlessly through streets, trying to recognize patterns which will spark and illuminate the fragment of memory which the mind is trying to bring to the surface. As is often the case, the longer we wander the streets of the mind, the more difficult it becomes to find the lost fragment of memory. Other fragments seem to jut out from nowhere, adding to the frustration.
Trees are often used as symbols for memory, and Ishiguro makes use of that symbol also.
For a moment Wistan appeared lost in thought, following with his eyes one of the gnarled roots stretching from the oak’s trunk and past where he stood, before burrowing itself into the earth.
Here, the oak tree represents the conscious mind, the part of the psyche that is readily accessible. But below the earth lies the subconscious mind, and the collective consciousness. The roots represent the mind’s attempt to reach into the subconscious and tap into the hidden regions of memory.
The tree symbol segues nicely into the next symbol, which is that of tunnels underground.
They all paused to recover their breaths and look around at their new surroundings. After the long walk with the earth brushing their heads, it was a relief to see the ceiling not only so high above them, but composed of more solid material. Once Sir Gawain had lit the candle again, Axl realised they were in some sort of mausoleum, surrounded by walls bearing traces of murals and Roman letters. Before them a pair of substantial pillars formed a gateway into a further chamber of comparable proportions, and falling across the threshold was an intense pool of moonlight. Its source was not so obvious: perhaps somewhere behind the high arch crossing the two pillars there was an opening which at the moment, by sheer chance, was aligned to receive the moon. The light illuminated much of the moss and fungus on the pillars, as well as a section of the next chamber, whose floor appeared to be covered in rubble, but which Axl soon realised was comprised of a vast layer of bones. Only then did it occur to him that under his feet were more broken skeletons, and that this strange floor extended for the entirety of both chambers.
The tunnels and underground chambers symbolize the portals into the subconscious. Additionally, the bone fragments represent fragments of memory, pieces of ourselves and of those who lived before us that comprise the collective consciousness. I also interpret the moonbeams entering the chamber as an individual’s glimpse into the hidden regions of the psyche.
The last memory symbol I want to mention is the river.
It was bitingly cold on the river. Broken ice drifted here and there in sheets, but their baskets moved past them with ease, sometimes bumping gently one against the other. The baskets were shaped almost like boats, with a low bow and stern, but had a tendency to rotate, so at times Axl found himself gazing back up the river to the boathouse still visible on the bank.
The river, or stream, is a common metaphor for consciousness and memory, but what I like about Ishguro’s use here is his inclusion of ice fragments, which conjures similar symbolism from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Coleridge’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner. These ice fragments are shards of memory that are formed from the collective consciousness, yet also melt back into the collective stream of memory and thought. It is the fluid made solid. The random bumping into the fragments suggest that the memories that move into our conscious mind are also random. We really do not have control over the memories which come to the surface. We move along the stream of consciousness, occasionally coming into contact with the shards of memory that also float along the surface.
There is a wealth of other symbols in this book, all woven together in a beautifully written and engaging story. I don’t want to give too much away. I highly recommend this book. It’s both thought provoking and a pleasurable read.
Tagged as analysis, ancient mariner, blog, bones, book club, book reviews, books, Britain, buried giant, collective unconscious, consciousness, criticism, dragon, English, fragmentation, fragments, frankenstein, ice, Italy, Kazuo Ishiguro, King Arthur, knight, labyrinth, Mary Shelley, memory, metaphor, moon, novel, oak, psyche, reading, review, rime, river, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Siena, Sir Gawain, stream of consciousness, subconscious, symbol, symbolism, trees, tunnels, village, water, writing
“Pickman’s Model” by H. P. Lovecraft: An Exploration of Art and Horror
Art has the ability to express that which standard forms of communication are unable to convey. This is particularly true when it come to the expression of the deeper regions of the subconscious. Often, these recesses contain our darkest thoughts, the fodder from which our nightmares take shape. It is this realm that the artist in this tale by Lovecraft delves into for inspiration.
You know, it takes profound art and profound insight into Nature to turn out stuff like Pickman’s. Any magazine-cover hack can splash paint around wildly and call it a nightmare or a Witches’ Sabbath or a portrait of the devil, but only a great painter can make such a thing really scare or ring true. That’s because only a real artist knows the actual anatomy of the terrible or the physiology of fear—the exact sort of lines and proportions that connect up with latent instincts or hereditary memories of fright, and the proper colour contrasts and lighting effects to stir the dormant sense of strangeness. I don’t have to tell you why a Fuseli really brings a shiver while a cheap ghost-story frontispiece merely makes us laugh. There’s something those fellows catch—beyond life—that they’re able to make us catch for a second. Doré had it. Sime has it. Angarola of Chicago has it. And Pickman had it as no man ever had it before or—I hope to heaven—ever will again.
Artists who explore these darker regions of the psyche are skirting the fringes of insanity. But often, an artist must temporarily let go of sanity in order to glimpse the internal landscapes which provide inspiration for truly powerful creations.
He shewed me all the paintings and drawings he had about; including some pen-and-ink sketches that would, I verily believe, have got him kicked out of the club if many of the members had seen them. Before long I was pretty nearly a devotee, and would listen for hours like a schoolboy to art theories and philosophic speculations wild enough to qualify him for the Danvers asylum.
Lovecraft uses tunnels and wells as symbols for the entry and exploration of the buried realms of the subconscious. When the characters enter the cellar and uncover the well, leading down into the tunnels below Boston, they are symbolically letting go of their fragile sanity and opening themselves to the darker mysteries of the psyche.
My host was now leading the way down cellar to his actual studio, and I braced myself for some hellish effects among the unfinished canvases. As we reached the bottom of the damp stairs he turned his flashlight to a corner of the large open space at hand, revealing the circular brick curb of what was evidently a great well in the earthen floor. We walked nearer, and I saw that it must be five feet across, with walls a good foot thick and some six inches above the ground level—solid work of the seventeenth century, or I was much mistaken. That, Pickman said, was the kind of thing he had been talking about—an aperture of the network of tunnels that used to undermine the hill. I noticed idly that it did not seem to be bricked up, and that a heavy disc of wood formed the apparent cover. Thinking of the things this well must have been connected with if Pickman’s wild hints had not been mere rhetoric, I shivered slightly; then turned to follow him up a step and through a narrow door into a room of fair size, provided with a wooden floor and furnished as a studio. An acetylene gas outfit gave the light necessary for work.
The danger that artists face when exploring the subconscious is that they may ultimately plummet into insanity, losing all touch with the world of light and getting lost forever in the realm of shadows.
Richard Upton Pickman, the greatest artist I have ever known—and the foulest being that ever leaped the bounds of life into the pits of myth and madness. Eliot—old Reid was right. He wasn’t strictly human. Either he was born in strange shadow, or he’d found a way to unlock the forbidden gate. It’s all the same now, for he’s gone—back into the fabulous darkness he loved to haunt.
Creative people should never shy away from looking into the depths of the soul for inspiration. But they should do so with care. It’s important to stay grounded when unlocking the forbidden gates of the mind.
Thanks for stopping by. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Tagged as American literature, analysis, art, artistic expression, artists, book reviews, books, Boston, cellar, criticism, dark fantasy, horror, insanity, inspiration, literature, Lovecraft, October, psyche, psychology, reading, review, short stories, subconscious, symbol, symbolism, tunnels, well, writing
Symbolism in “The Lurking Fear” by H. P. Lovecraft
This is a tale that is terrifying and disturbing on various levels. It has insanity, cannibalism, inbreeding, and psychological terror, all cast against a dire setting that includes a decrepit mansion in the Catskill Mountains. There is also some dark symbolism woven into the story that adds another level to the horror evoked by this piece. Rather than summarizing the story, though, I am just going to point out some of the symbolism.
Shadows appear frequently throughout this tale, and my interpretation is Jungian, that the shadows which the protagonist sees are the dark, shadow aspect of his own psyche.
As I shivered and brooded on the casting of that brain-blasting shadow, I knew that I had at last pried out one of earth’s supreme horrors—one of those nameless blights of outer voids whose faint daemon scratching we sometimes hear on the farthest rim of space, yet from which our own finite vision has given us merciful immunity. The shadow I had seen, I hardly dared to analyse or identify.
As I mentioned, inbreeding is a theme in this story. The inbreeding is symbolized by tree roots, particularly in the graveyard, where the roots connect the present to the dead ancestors.
The scene of my excavations would alone have been enough to unnerve any ordinary man. Baleful primal trees of unholy size, age, and grotesqueness leered above me like the pillars of some hellish Druidic temple; muffling the thunder, hushing the clawing wind, and admitting but little rain. Beyond the scarred trunks in the background, illumined by faint flashes of filtered lightning, rose the damp ivied stones of the deserted mansion, while somewhat nearer was the abandoned Dutch garden whose walks and beds were polluted by a white, fungous, foetid, over-nourished vegetation that never saw full daylight. And nearest of all was the graveyard, where deformed trees tossed insane branches as their roots displaced unhallowed slabs and sucked venom from what lay below. Now and then, beneath the brown pall of leaves that rotted and festered in the antediluvian forest darkness, I could trace the sinister outlines of some of those low mounds which characterized the lightning-pierced region.
The mansion also figures prominently in this story and is the scene of much of what occurs. The house represents psychological decay, where reason gives way to insanity, the result of inbreeding among the previous inhabitants of the house.
Meanwhile there grew up about the mansion and the mountain a body of diabolic legendry. The place was avoided with doubled assiduousness, and invested with every whispered myth tradition could supply. It remained unvisited till 1816, when the continued absence of lights was noticed by the squatters. At that time a party made investigations, finding the house deserted and partly in ruins.
There were no skeletons about, so that departure rather than death was inferred. The clan seemed to have left several years before, and improvised penthouses showed how numerous it had grown prior to its migration. Its cultural level had fallen very low, as proved by decaying furniture and scattered silverware which must have been long abandoned when its owners left. But though the dreaded Martenses were gone, the fear of the haunted house continued; and grew very acute when new and strange stories arose among the mountain decadents. There it stood; deserted, feared, and linked with the vengeful ghost of Jan Martense. There it still stood on the night I dug in Jan Martense’s grave.
Finally, there is a great scene where the protagonist discovers tunnels beneath a grave, into which he enters and crawls, in search of the daemon. This is symbolic of the protagonist entering into the subconscious mind, burrowing deep into his primordial psyche to the place of his most base animal instincts.
What language can describe the spectacle of a man lost in infinitely abysmal earth; pawing, twisting, wheezing; scrambling madly through sunken -convolutions of immemorial blackness without an idea of time, safety, direction, or definite object? There is something hideous in it, but that is what I did. I did it for so long that life faded to a far memory, and I became one with the moles and grubs of nighted depths. Indeed, it was only by accident that after interminable writhings I jarred my forgotten electric lamp alight, so that it shone eerily along the burrow of caked loam that stretched and curved ahead.
Lovecraft’s genius is that he was able to craft truly scary stories and weave in complex psychological symbolism. This is a great example of his literary prowess and definitely worthy of reading on a dark, October night.
Tagged as American literature, analysis, ancestors, book reviews, books, cannibalism, Catskills, criticism, dark fantasy, decay, fear, graveyard, horror, house, inbreeding, insanity, Jung, literature, Lovecraft, Martense, October, primordial, psyche, psychology, reading, review, roots, shadow, short stories, subconscious, symbol, symbolism, trees, tunnels, writing
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Visual Arts + Museums
EXHIBIT: "Looking at a Flower, Chapter 3: Works by Joseph Cohen"
Presented by Winston Contemporary Art at Winston Contemporary Art, Houston TX
“Art meets science” in this latest body of work by Joseph Cohen in the culminating chapter of his trilogy
Houston-based artist and scientist Joseph Cohen builds on his “Looking at a Flower” trilogy by introducing his “Nanostrings” series, accompanied by a hexalogy of multi-layered squares, one central piece, and selected works from Chapters 1 & 2. In Chapter 3, his new works incorporate a range of nanomaterials – from tracer dyes to separated carbon nanotubes – that fluoresce outside of the visible spectrum, both ultraviolet and infrared. Applying similar vocabulary as his previous works, the “Nanostrings” are comprised of countless layers creating a topography that can be broken
Houston-based artist and scientist Joseph Cohen builds on his “Looking at a Flower” trilogy by introducing his “Nanostrings” series, accompanied by a hexalogy of multi-layered squares, one central piece, and selected works from Chapters 1 & 2. In Chapter 3, his new works incorporate a range of nanomaterials – from tracer dyes to separated carbon nanotubes – that fluoresce outside of the visible spectrum, both ultraviolet and infrared. Applying similar vocabulary as his previous works, the “Nanostrings” are comprised of countless layers creating a topography that can be broken down and shown through different wavelengths of light. These works allow for multi-dimensional viewing: when observed using a handheld light source (385nm), they transform; and, under natural light, there is an evident, yet subtle, glow emitted from the works because of Cohen’s use of purified phosphorus.
Over the past four years, Cohen helped create nanomaterials in the labs of world-renowned research institutions; the use of which resulting in an expansion of his artistic methodology in ways never before achieved. The unique optical and physical properties of these nanomaterials have guided the creation of his work, taking him into new directions. By incorporating specific nanomaterials, he works in a manner akin to a scientist by “doping” and altering molecules to exhibit new properties into the paint. While the works appear ephemeral in normal lighting conditions, the medium becomes active, releasing photons into the atmosphere when specific wavelengths of light excite the material.
“I strive to have my art experienced as a physical object, without being referential … ‘a thing in itself,’” states Cohen. “The operative nature of our fast-paced society brings about a barrage of visual imagery that competes for our attention and in turn, produces a numbing effect. My work calls for a slowing down, thus allowing a respite in which one may contemplate. Nanostrings goes a step further toward awareness, wherein scientific research has created unique materials that activate the physical object.”
This exhibition is funded in part by the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance.
Tuesday: by appointment only – call (213) 446-3467 or (832) 380-4421 to schedule
Wednesday thru Friday: 10am to 5pm
Sunday thru Monday: Closed
SPLIT SCREEN-unlit-lit, Nanostring 1 by Joseph Cohen, 2019 (Chapter 3)
Winston Contemporary Art
2426 Bartlett St., Suite D, Houston, TX 77098
Minimal gallery parking available; Residential street parking available.
Volume Control Telephone
CONNECT WITH Winston Contemporary Art
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Home Editorial INTERVIEW: Great Good Fine Ok keep branching out
INTERVIEW: Great Good Fine Ok keep branching out
Gabriel Aikins
Photo Credit: Shervin Lainez
Change happens literally all the time. Every second of every day, something is changing. The weather changes as the sun moves across the sky. Opinions change based on new information. And most importantly, people change. The experiences we’ve gone through, even those happening day-to-day, shape who we are going forward. Over time, we can change quite a bit. When that happens with artists, it also changes their art. Whether through the subtleties of tiny changes or through concentrated effort, it’s rare for an artist and their art to stay completely the same. Jon Sandler and Luke Moellman of Great Good Fine Ok know a little bit about this. Over four EPs–including the freshly released GGFOUR EP out today–and numerous singles, the New York duo have constantly innovated with their music. With a tour supporting the EP ongoing and a clear vision of how they want to keep evolving, Great Good Fine Ok are not afraid of change.
When I talk to Sandler in early June, the primary thing changing for Great Good Fine Ok is the scenery as they travel past the mountains of Wyoming on the way to their Seattle tour date. While most of the EP was released as singles before this week, there’s still a thrilling sense of newness to the project dropping. “We’re excited to package it all up and finally look to start the next thing,” he says, already looking ahead.
For GGFO, this release pattern is not outside the norm. Since the first EP Body Diamond back in 2014, the duo have cranked out singles and EPs at a staggering rate. Sandler explains that this partially has to do with how the music industry is built around streaming in recent years, saying “singles are just better digestible for people, and with Spotify culture each song has a better chance to get some legs and really do something if you don’t release a bunch of songs all at once.” At the same time, he also says they enjoy the rapid release pace for their own enjoyment, never having to wait to gift fans with new music (although a future full-length album is not something they’ve ruled out pursuing).
When it comes to the new sounds on GGFOUR EP, which features more live instrumentation like guitars and horns, it came from a very natural space for GGFO. Sandler says himself and Moellman are fans of a variety of musical genres and styles, and wanted to incorporate more of those loves into the music. “It was just a matter of time before we brought that kinda stuff into our recordings,” he says, and adds that it’s a direction they’re looking to explore more of in the future. In all cases, the pair let the process of songwriting shape most of their music. “We don’t really ever go in with a clear idea of how we want the song to start,” he says. “Either Luke will come up with a piece of music that I’ll write on top of which oftentimes evolves and changes a lot before the end product, or I’ll come up with lyrics or a melody, and either way we’re never exactly sure how it’s going to turn out.”
The same care and dedication goes into everything around GGFO, from the music videos to the artwork on the singles and EPs. “We always kinda felt like space was a cool visual representation of the music we’re making,” Sandler says of the futuristic art style they employ on their music. Moellman himself makes the artwork, and Sandler says they see it as a cool way for fans to see how the band visualizes their own work. Because of this hands on nature, Sandler says “you know that it’s exactly what we are feeling” when you listen to the music.
Every single day we change a little bit. Jon Sandler and Luke Moellman are no different, and the result is that Great Good Fine Ok never stop evolving. With GGFOUR EP, they’ve moved towards more live instrumentation and demonstrated there’s no genre or sound they’re afraid to explore. Who knows what they’ll sound like tomorrow? No matter what they sound like, it’s a safe bet it’ll be exciting.
Previous articleCastle No Kings announce new EP ‘Morphine,’ drop new single “Red Light”
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Gabriel is a fan of all forms of media. His three biggest loves are music, cats, and food, in that order. Follow him on Twitter for pop culture opinions and lukewarm takes.
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PREVIEW | CHELTENHAM TOWN
New keeper joins squad
Another Warm-Up Win
PREVIEW | BRIDGWATER TOWN
New Stadium Sponsor Announced
18–19 Team Stats
Cygnet Stadium
18–19 Peacocks TV
Preview | Chesham United
Posted by Neil White on March 29, 2019
Town make the journey to the league’s in-form side Chesham United tomorrow afternoon (30 Mar), 3pm.
The hosts have enjoyed a complete change of fortunes from when the two sides last met at the Viridor Stadium which saw Rob Dray’s side run out 3-0 winners. United were languishing in the relegation zone for the majority of the campaign but a run of just 1 defeat in 17 games ensures a difficult encounter for the Peacock’s visit.
Taunton appear to have regained their mojo following back to back victories over Poole Town and most recent a 2-1 win at Frome Town to book a place in the Somerset Premier Cup Final on 7th May.
New arrival Shane Krac and Bridgwater & Taunton College’s Noah Coppin are both included in the squad, however, Ed Palmer is unavailable for the trip.
Head of Football Rob Dray commented, “The last two wins need to be a springboard for the last few weeks of the season. Chesham will be a tough test and there second half season shows that. We have to grind another result out because that is what it’s all about when you’re fighting for a title. Unlike so many other teams in this league we are in the shakedown at we go into tomorrow feeling confident.”
Rocky Neal bagged a Hat-Trick back in September.
Ground: The Meadow, Amy Lane, Chesham, Buckinghamshire HP5 1NE
Admission: Adults £10, Concessions £8, U18’s £3, U12’s Free.
Travelling supporters are advised drums will not be admitted into the stadium.
© 2019 Taunton Town F.C | Hosted by Triton TS Ltd
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FRAPA’s Jan Salling boards BBC Studios
FRAPA head Jan Salling has joined BBC Studios to run production out of the Nordics.
The exec will serve as head of BBC Studios Nordics Productions, based out of Copenhagen, Denmark. His new role will see him drive sales and production of the producer-distributor’s formats in the Nordic region and he will work closely with Banijay Nordics, with which BBCSN operates an exclusive production partnership.
Salling will continue to lead international format protection group FRAPA as co-chairman.
The exec has spent the last 25 years in senior production and sales roles for various production companies in the Nordics as well as previously heading formats sales for both Zodiak, Banijay and Nordic World.
Salling said: “I’m thrilled to be joining BBCS at such an exciting time in the media industry. Backed by one of the strongest format catalogues and best brands in the world, I am looking forward to be working with current and new partners to realise our future ambitions.”
Jacob de Boer, SVP for international production and formats for BBC Studios, added: “We are delighted to welcome Jan to BBC Studios. His passion for formats and his undisputed track record across formats and production will be invaluable for us, and for all our partners”.
Tags: BBC Studios, BBC Studios Nordics, Formats, FRAPA, Jan Salling
Quibi teams with MTV Studios to reboot 'Punk'd', 'Singled Out'
Jeffrey Katzenberg’s Quibi has partnered with MTV Studios to reboot Punk’d and Singled Out for the forthcoming short-form, mobile-first platform. The two formats will be reimagined for the service, with each receiving a 20 x 10-minute episode order. Producer-distributor STXtelevision is to produce Punk’d in association with MTV Studios, while Singled Out will be solely […]
Hungary's TV2 signs on for 'Fittest Family,' 'Catchpoint'
Hungarian free-to-air broadcaster TV2 has signed on for local adaptations of formats from Magnify Media and ITV Studios Global Entertainment (ITVS GE). TV2 has commissioned a local version of Kite Entertainment’s Fittest Family format, which originated out of RTÉ Ireland. The format sees 12 mega-fit families competing in a series of physical tests and challenges to win the coveted title of […]
Sales round-up: DRG strikes 'Remarkable' deals in Europe; DCD secures UK sales for Oz drama
DRG serves up sales for ‘Remarkable Places To Eat’ BBC Two’s Remarkable Places To Eat has been sold into a raft of broadcasters in Europe and Australia by DRG. SBS Australia, DR TV (Denmark), VTM (Belgium), RTL’s CLT-UFA (Luxembourg and Netherlands) have all bought the programme, alongside P & P Permissions and Rights covering Bosnia […]
Endemol Shine China, Hunan TV set for first co-pro format
Endemol Shine China and Hunan TV have partnered for Acting Up, the first show to result from a deal made between the two partners at MIPCOM 2018. Acting Up is a talent format where up-and-coming actors vie for roles in real Chinese scripted drama films. The pilot is currently in pre-production with a targeted release for the […]
CBS 'Love Island' reboot heads to Canada
ITV entertainment boss Siobhan Greene departs
TBI Weekly: Formats thrive in purple patch post-MIPTV
BBC Three commissions Banijay's Wonder for fact ent formats
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Tracy Voss, founder of TracysDogs
By Duncan | September 20, 2017 | Adoption, Advocates, Dogs, Legislation, Pets, Rescue | No comments
Tracy Voss—the co-founder of TracysDogs, a San Antonio, Texas-based organization that pulls dogs from high-kill shelters, rehabilitates them, then adopts them out to families across the country, transporting the dogs in their 32-foot trailer—discusses growing up as a dog devotee, and how a beloved black Lab significantly helped her navigate through a somewhat awkward, isolated childhood.
Voss recounts being laid off from her job several years ago, and seeking to do a kind act that would make her feel better, spurred her to visit her local animal shelter, use her iPhone to videotape dogs that were slated to be euthanized, then post the clips on Facebook and elsewhere, urging folks to adopt those dogs. She subsequently was re-hired by the company who laid her off, and while her time to help dogs consequently became more limited, TracysDogs still follows largely the same procedure—but on a larger scale. Voss describes how
there are monthly adoption events, typically held at PetSmart locations in various parts of the country, and in the run-up to those events, she and her colleagues post pictures and videos of the dogs available for adoption, interested parties submit their applications—some dogs elicit numerous applications, some none, but TracysDogs adoptions
managers and General Manager/Adoptions Counselor Kerrie Bell Nelson, whom Voss swears has magical matchmaking powers, pair up the humans and the canines. Even though people don’t meet their new dogs until the day they adopt them (a source of some trepidation), this approach appears to be quite successful: For instance, the most recent event—the Saturday before this interview, the event in Secaucus, New Jersey yielded 49 adoptions—and Voss says they have an overall return rate of less than 2%. (www.tracysdogs.com, www.facebook.com/TracysDogs/)
ALSO: I spoke briefly with Amy Jesse, Public Policy Manager for the Puppy Mills Campaign at the Humane Society of the United States, about AB-485, a bill that places California on the cusp of being the first state to ban the sale of puppy mill dogs in pet stores. The bill requires the signature of Governor Jerry Brown to become law. (www.humanesociety.org)
COMEDY CORNER: Paul F. Tompkins’ “Apologize For Your Dog” (portion) (http://paulftompkins.com)
MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” instrumentals
NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: We didn’t play Name That Animal Tune today.
AUDIO ARCHIVE:
Listen Online Now:
https://talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/TASept20.mp3
| Open Player in New Window
Tags: AB-485, Amy Jesse, ban on selling puppy mill dogs at pet stores, Governor Jerry Brown, high-kill shelters, Humane Society Of The United States, nationwide adoption events, PetSmart, Puppy Mills, Tracy Voss, TracysDogs
Duncan Strauss is the producer-host of “Talking Animals,” which he launched at KUCI in California in 2003, combining his passions for animals, radio, journalism, music and comedy. The show has aired since late 2005 on Tampa’s WMNF. Strauss lives in Jupiter Farms, FL with his family, including four cats, two horses and one dog. He spends each day talking to those animals, and maintains they talk right back to him, an as yet unverified claim.
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Balaam's Ass
Like Balaam’s Ass…
Speaking the Truth
20 December 2017 20 December 2017 / Timotheos
[This first appeared at The Jagged Word on November 17.]
The war machine will take what you have to give and when you’re used up, it will discard you. At least if you’re General Glen McMahon, or any of the other fictional generals who head up the combined allied troops in Afghanistan. War Machine (streaming on Netflix) is comedic, but its underlying themes are deadly serious and maybe even tragic. A veteran (or someone else who knows more than I do about inner workings of the military) could probably point out the moments at which this film touches reality, in the political machinations or the stupidity of how some military operations are decided and carried out.
General McMahon, played with pathos by Brad Pitt, is called up to do what he did in Iraq, and win a war that no one else seems to be able to win. Everyone but him and his team seems to know it’s an unwinnable fight, but he’s undeterred. He’s going to do his job and, as he tells the ambassador, he’s going to win the war or lose it. Alan Ruck’s cynical and savvy ambassador responds that he has to “call bulls**t on that.” He says there won’t be any parades after this war. The best McMahon can hope for is to have slightly better graphs than the last guy. (Incidentally, Alan Ruck is in one of my favorite short films ever, Destroyer.)
There’s a lot to the 120 minutes-plus of this film. None of the time is wasted. It does a great job of highlighting the seeming meaningless, endlessness, and irrationality of modern warfare. In a nice move, the place of the narrator (whose name and significance the viewer doesn’t discover until at least halfway through the film) is the nexus on which the plot turns. The movie is alternately hilarious and despair-inducing.
But the significance of McMahon’s untenable position is not confined to the military. There are very few jobs in this world that are not bound on multiple sides by contradictory demands and requirements. McMahon is caught between his training, his responsibilities to the people of Afghanistan, and the demands of both military and civilian superiors.
The feeling of frustration that McMahon, for the most part, keeps silent is expressed by the Marine corporal, Billy Cole, who has no time for protocol and awards for “courageous restraint.” He simply wants to do his job, and he can’t understand why he’s being prevented from doing it. In this way, he acts as McMahon’s true inner voice, though McMahon keeps it mostly to himself because of his four stars.
What is the point of their training if the soldiers are kept from utilizing their skills? What is the point of being brought in as the commanding officer, if he can’t do what his experience dictates he should do? The conflicting motivations of the superiors, who each have their own turf to protect (and their own superiors to whom they must answer) put McMahon in an impossible situation. And that’s even before he has to deal with the people, win their “hearts and minds,” and help them attain freedom—a freedom that they apparently do not want. What they do want is for McMahon and his soldiers to get out of their country.
Slowly, McMahon comes to see just how much of a dead end his job in Afghanistan is. Beside whatever similarity to the actual situation in Afghanistan is contained in the film’s portrayal, the center of this film is General McMahon’s inability to escape the labyrinth of where his job has landed him. Everything he’s done, every way he’s been prepared and prepared himself, every experience, every decision he’s made—where has it gotten him? He isn’t stupid; he sees the writing on the wall. But his post-military leadership lecture shows him looking completely lost. He embodies the futility of the modern counter-insurgency type of warfare.
Anyone who’s had to deal with conflicting demands from people who believe themselves to have the primary and most valid points of view; anyone whose job has involved navigating an entrenched bureaucracy; anyone who feels that his training is being stymied by the actual demands of a particular job; anyone whose intentions are frustrated by the specifics on the ground will find a kindred spirit in Glen McMahon. His exaggerated squint and gait can’t disguise the serious issues with which War Machine deals. Maybe we’re all, finally, cogs in machines not of our own making.
But we’re left with the question: what will we do with that knowledge and the frustrations of reality? Will it get the best of us? And is that the point? Or should we try to avoid the implications of such thinking and push on with some other sense of significance? The answer means the difference between the despair of ultimate frustration and the ability to work with what we’ve been given, knowing that the ultimate meaning comes from somewhere outside the specific work. It brings us right up to the conclusion of 1 Corinthians 15 and whether (or not) we will find, in the end, that our labor is anything other than empty and worthless.
Culture, Media, Movies, Politics
film, Netflix, The Jagged Word, vocation, war, War Machine
← Force Majeure
Reaching for Immortality →
One thought on “War Machine”
30 December 2017 at 3.12 pm
While looking for your short film “Destroyer,” I came across this one by the same name. Also interesting:
Who Speaks
Salvageable on Heaven and Earth Bear Wit…
knowledgeofhim on No Battle Hymns for the Americ…
Salvageable on Nostalgia Ain’t What It…
Scott on War Machine
Timotheos on The Call Process in the L…
I Spoke
Heaven and Earth Bear Witness
St. Coraline the Mundane
Gosnell and the Hypocrisy of Everything
Absurdity Between God and Evil
Guilt and Grief, and Relief
Wild West Preachers
The Devil and Father Amorth
Memory is Treachery
Guilt and Rest
Pick-up Lines For Married Couples
An Open Letter on the LCMS National Youth Gathering
Exorcism in St. Louis
The Call Process in the LCMS
Body and Blood; Body and Soul
Losing My Religion and Works Righteousness
Who Comes Here
Lutheranism, Current Events, Theology
Angry Lutherans
Bishop and Christian
Concordia Theology
Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions
Concordian Sisters of Perpetual Parturition
Confessional Lutherans for Christ's Commission
Cruce Tectum
Curlew River
Four and Twenty+Blackbirds
GoLCMS
Gottesblog
ITunes U-Concordia Seminary
Love and Blunder
Luther at the Movies
lutheran envelopes
North Prairie Pastor
Purpose Driven Drinking
Quicunque vult
Radical Grace
St. James the Hoosier
Suckas take heed
The Anxious Bench
The RAsburry Patch
The Theological Organ
Watchful One
Watersblogged!
Witness-Mercy-Life Together
After Abortion
Dawn Eden
If Only This Could Be Said
On the Other Foot
Paredwka
Real Choice
St. Cynic
The “Blog” of “Unnecessary” Quotation Marks
The Ohio Anglican
“Lutheran Again”
“The Lutheran Difference”
Chesterton’s Online Works
Dr. Mike S. Adams
EndRoe.org
Rock For Life
The Book of Concord
Women Pastors in the Lutheran Church?
"I will bind myself to the Truth/and speak it like Balaam's Ass once more" --Bill Mallonee, Vigilantes of Love
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Cystocele/Rectocele
Connective tissue separates the pelvic organs. The tissue, called fascia, is attached to nearby muscles. The fascia and muscles support the bladder, vagina, and rectum. Defects in the fascia can cause cystoceles and rectoceles.
In a cystocele, there is a defect in the fascia between the bladder and vagina. This allows a part of the bladder wall to bulge into the vagina. There are 3 grades of cystocele:
Grade 1—mildest form, where the bladder drops only partway into the vagina
Grade 2—moderate form, where the bladder has sunken far enough to reach the opening of the vagina
Grade 3—most severe form, where the bladder sags through the opening of the vagina
Cystocele
In a rectocele, there is a defect in the fascia between the rectum and the vagina. This allows part of the wall of the rectum to bulge into the vagina.
Rectocele
The sooner that a cystocele or rectocele is treated, the better the outcome. If you suspect you have this condition, contact your doctor.
The walls between the vagina and bladder or rectum can be damaged by:
Difficult vaginal births :
The use of forceps to assist delivery
Perineal tears during delivery
Episiotomy during birth
Strain from lifting heavy objects
Weakening of vaginal muscles caused by a lack of estrogen after menopause
Postmenopausal women are at increased risk.
Factors that increase your risk for a cystocele or rectocele include:
History of difficult vaginal births
History of straining during bowel movements
Many cases are mild and do not have symptoms.
In more serious cases, the symptoms of cystocele include:
Urine leakage while laughing, sneezing, or coughing
Incomplete bladder emptying after urination
Pain or pressure in the pelvis
Pain during sexual intercourse
Feeling of tissue bulging out of vagina
Symptoms of rectocele include:
Pain or pressure in the vagina
Pain or pressure in the rectum
Difficult passage of stool
Needing to apply pressure on the vagina to pass stool
Feelings of incomplete stool passage
You will be asked about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done. You may also have a vaginal and rectal exam.
You may need to have images taken of your urine and bowel activity. This can be done with:
Voiding cystourethrogram
Defecogram
Your bodily fluids may need to be tested. This can be done with urine tests.
Talk with your doctor about the best plan for you. For the mildest cases of cystocele and rectocele, no treatment is needed. For more serious cases, treatment options include the following:
Activity Modification
Your doctor may suggest that you avoid heavy lifting.
Kegel exercises, which involve squeezing the pelvic floor muscles, may help to strengthen the muscles around the vagina and bladder.
A diet that allows for easy passage of stools may help with a rectocele. The diet should include fiber, liquids, and a stool softener if advised.
A pessary is a device that is inserted into the vagina. It can provide support to keep the bladder and/or rectum in place.
Estrogen Replacement Therapy
Adding estrogen may help strengthen the walls of the vagina after menopause . It may be delivered in the form of pills, creams, or patches.
For severe cases, surgery may be needed to move the bladder or rectum back into place.
To help reduce your chances of a cystocele or rectocele:
Avoid heavy lifting.
Perform Kegel exercises regularly.
Treat constipation.
If you smoke, talk to your doctor about ways to quit .
Maintain a healthy weight.
Reviewer: EBSCO Medical Review Board Adrienne Carmack, MD
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
https://www.niddk.nih.gov
The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
https://www.acog.org
https://www.sogc.org
Cystocele (prolapsed bladder). National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases website. Available at: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/bladder-control-problems-women/cystocele-prolapsed-bladder. Updated March 2014. Accessed December 18, 2017.
A healthy pregnancy for women with diabetes. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists website. Available at: http://www.acog.org/~/media/For%20Patients/faq176.pdf?dmc=1&ts=20130301T1642555353. Published December 2011. Accessed October 27, 2014.
Pelvic organ prolapse. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T114467/Pelvic-organ-prolapse . Updated March 23, 2015. Accessed December 18, 2017.
Rectocele. American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons website. Available at:https://www.fascrs.org/patients/disease-condition/rectocele-expanded-information. Accessed December 18, 2017.
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Retired Former World Champion Filippo Magnini Facing Possible 8 Yr Ban
Former world champion swimmer Filippo Magnini may have retired last year from the sport of swimming, but the 36-year-old is still under investigation by Italy’s National Anti-Doping Organization (NADO) for his connection to a nutritionist involved in a Pesaro criminal probe. Archive photo via Mike Lewis/Ola Vista Photography
by Loretta Race 1
June 06th, 2018 Anti-Doping, Europe, International, News
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Former world champion swimmer Filippo Magnini may have retired last year from the sport of swimming, but the 36-year-old is still under investigation by Italy’s National Anti-Doping Organization (NADO) for his connection to a nutritionist involved in a Pesaro criminal probe.
When we originally reported the investigation, Pesaro authorities had previously cleared Magnini, along with teammate Michele Santucci, but alleged that there was proof of unusual meetings, phone conversations and payments between Magnini and the nutritionist.
Now, however, La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that the Chief Prosecutor of the Procura Nado Italia, Pierfilippo Laviani, has requested the sanction of 8 years for Magnini and 4 years for Santucci for the following violations for the WADA code:
use or attempted use of doping substances
abetment
Both swimmers deny wrongdoing. A ruling is expected in September.
Magnini is a two-time World Champion in the 100m freestyle event, winning titles in 2005 and 2007. The Pesaro native was also a member of his nation’s bronze medal-winning 4x200m freestyle relay at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
Santucci earned bronze at the 2015 World Championships as part of Italy’s 4x100m freestyle relay. His most successful international competition to date has been the 2006 World Junior Championships where he won 2 golds and a bronze.
You can read our SwimSwam Italy article here.
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If he’s currently 36, during the World Junior Champs in 2006 he would have been 24?
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About Loretta Race
After 16 years at a Fortune 1000 financial company, long-time swimmer Retta Race decided to change lanes and pursue her sporting passion. She currently is Coach for the Northern KY Swordfish Masters, a team she started up in December 2013, while also offering private coaching. Retta is also an MBA …
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West Virginia’s Carr Sets Pool Records In Weekend Sweeps
Senior Nate Carr set a WVU Natatorium record in the 400 individual medley to highlight victories for the West Virginia University swimming and diving teams against Seton Hall and Xavier on Saturday morning. Current photo via West Virginia Athletics
More College
Kellogg was previously head coach at Georgia Southern for 12 seasons before his three as an assistant coach at William & Mary.
Minnesota’s Hicken-Franklin previously spent 16 seasons at the University of Denver, 11 of them as associate head coach.
Gardner-Webb has completed its staff rebuild for the 2019-2020 season under new head coach Mike Blum.
Northwestern Hires Kris Jorgensen as New Diving Coach
Kris Jorgensen, the former University of South Dakota diving coach, has been tapped to lead Northwestern University’s diving team.
October 28th, 2017 ACC, College, NCAA Division I Mid-Major
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West Virginia 227, Seton Hall 53
West Virginia 224, Xavier 53
Seton Hall 162.5, Xavier 111.5
Xavier 140, Seton Hall 134
Courtesy of West Virginia Athletics
Senior Nate Carr set a WVU Natatorium record in the 400 individual medley to highlight victories for the West Virginia University swimming and diving teams against Seton Hall and Xavier on Saturday morning.
The West Virginia men and women both beat Seton Hal and Xavier at the two-day meet. The WVU men bested Seton Hall, 227-53, and Xavier, 224-53, while the Mountaineer women posted a 217-63 win over Seton Hall and a 198-79 victory over Xavier.
West Virginia combined to win 26 of 30 events on Friday and Saturday. On Saturday, the men claimed victory in six of seven races, while the women won five of seven races.
“Today was a solid session, we weren’t as sharp as last night but got better throughout the meet,” WVU coach Vic Riggs said. “Our freshmen continue to impress and get better, which is great. Amelie Currat, Emma Harris, Morgan Bullock and Nate Carr all had stand-out swims today, with Nate breaking the 400 IM pool record. Overall we accomplished many of our goals for the weekend, and this sets the teams up very well for the OSU Invite.”
After coming just short of a pool record in the 200 breaststroke earlier in the meet, Carr earned a 3:54.86 in the 400 individual medley to break the pool record by more than two seconds. The previous mark of 3:57.05 was set in 2008.
Carr’s record was the second set in as many days, after senior diver Logan McHenry posted a school-record score of 380.80 on 3-meter on Friday.
Along with Carr, sophomore Morgan Bullock and freshman Angelo Russo each posted two victories on Saturday. Bullock earned wins in the 100 butterfly and 200 individual medley, while Russo won the 200 backstroke and 100 butterfly.
Junior Merwane El Merini got the Mountaineers going on Saturday morning with a win in the men’s 100 freestyle thanks to a 45.86. Freshman Sofia Bernard paced the women’s team, placing second with a 52.25.
Senior Amelie Currat followed with a win in the 200 backstroke. Her time of 2:00.73 gave her the victory by more than two seconds. Russo posted his first win for the men, touching the wall in 1:50.86, ahead of sophomore teammate Luke Hene‘s 1:51.32.
Carr came just shy of a pool record in the 200 breaststroke, touching the wall in 2:01.46, 0.31 seconds shy of the WVU Natatorium record of 2:01.15. For the women, junior Emma Harrisnotched a win in 2:21.54.
The West Virginia men finished 1-2-3 to highlight the 500 freestyle. Sophomore Trayton Saladinled the way with a 4:36.54, winning by nearly four seconds. Freshman Giselle Gursoy‘s 5:02.21 gave the WVU women a victory by 7.80 seconds.
The Mountaineers followed with a strong 1-2-3 finish in both the women’s and men’s 100 butterfly. Russo earned his second win of the day with a 49.77, while Bullock touched the wall in 56.10 to pick up the women’s victory.
Bullock earned her second win of the day as West Virginia earned a 1-2 finish in the women’s 200 individual medley. Her time of 2:05.71 gave her the victory by nearly four seconds. For the men, Carr’s pool record in the 400 individual medley led a 1-2-3 finish.
The tri-meet closed with the 200 freestyle relay, where Xavier claimed victory and WVU placed second in both events. The WVU women posted a 1:37.58, 0.32 seconds behind Xavier, while the men touched the wall in 1:25.93.
Up next for the Mountaineers, the swimmers will compete at the Ohio State Invitational from Nov. 17-19, while the divers travel to Piscataway, New Jersey, for the Frank Elm Invitational.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUSwimDive on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
« Marist Women Win 178-122 Over Rider While Men Fall
Iowa State Swims To Victory Over Omaha 198-01 »
Kevin Swander Promoted to Associate Head Coach at South Carolina
Indiana State Introduces 2019 Signing Class
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Wisconsin Men’s Swimming’s Winningest Coach Jack Pettinger Dies at 79
Jack Pettinger, the winningest coach in Wisconsin
by Braden Keith 5
July 10th, 2018 Big Ten, College, News
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Former University of Wisconsin head coach Jack Pettinger died on Tuesday. He was 79 years old.
Pettinger was the head coach of the Badgers men’s team from 1969-1994, where he led a team that scored at the NCAA Championships 17 times – including a high of 14th place in 1970: his first season as head coach.
His 233 career dual-meet wins at Wisconsin are the most of any men’s head coach in the program’s 107-year history – by a factor of almost 3.
Pettinger also spent 1 season, 1973-1974, as the first coach in the history of the Wisconsin women’s swimming program.
He was named the Big Ten Swimming Coach of the Year in 1992 at Wisconsin.
Pettinger also spent time as an assistant coach under the legendary Doc Counsilman at Indiana from 1964-1969, where he worked with Mark Spitz and Gary Hall, among others. He also spent 1 season at Minnesota as a volunteer assistant, where the Gophers won the Big Ten title: a team that included current Auburn head coach Gary Taylor:
In just 1 season at Minnesota, #JackPettinger had an impact that will last me a lifetime. Jack was an incredible coach, mentor, and above all else, person. He cared about me much more than he should have. Thank you Jack. #ForeverGrateful #RIPJP pic.twitter.com/Z27GQNs4Hu
— Gary Taylor (@AUBCoachTaylor) July 10, 2018
Pettinger coached most recently with the Badger Aquatic Club in Madison. The list of swimmers that he coached is long, including 4-time Olympic champion and former World Record holder Jim Montgomery, Brad Horner, Robert Pinter, Jack Young, Valter Kalaus, and Jack Collins – the current head coach of the Badger Swim Club in New York.
Pettinger is associated with a number of high-profile figures in American swimming. He swam at Michigan from 1958-1961 for Gus Stager, where he was a roommate of Jon Urbanchek – who was just hired as USA Swimming’s National Team Technical Advisor.
His coaching tree includes current Purdue head coach Dan Ross, ASCA Hall of Fame coach Bob Groseth, Drew Walden, Robert Pinter, Kristy Brager, Jesse Stipek, and Blaine Carlson.
During his time at Wisconsin, he coached, among many others, Mike Unger, the Assistant Executive Director of USA Swimming.
“Jack was the ultimate coach,” Unger said of his former mentor. He had a VERY tough exterior, and a huge heart. He cared for his swimmers as if they were his own kids, and was as principled as they come.”
Pettinger also served as a captain in the United States Marine Corps after finishing his education at Michigan.
A Memorial Service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 14, 2018 at CRESS FUNERAL HOME, 3610 Speedway Road, Madison, Wisconsin, followed by a final team picnic at Cress. Attire is casual – shorts and sneakers.
« Taylor Ruck Only Entered In Freestyle Events At Canadian Trials
2018 U.S. Nationals Preview: Ress Leads 50 Back Field Of Wildcards »
Jeanne Fleck
What a great man!!!! he will be missed by many. Thanks Jack for all you did for swimmers and coaches.
Vote Up280Vote Down Reply
NM Coach
Great, GREAT Man! His swimmers loved him. Well, maybe they didn’t love those Hawaii training trips, but they loved him.
I will miss you my friend!
Jim Richardson
Jack was among the very, very best people I have had the good fortune to know and learn from. His legacy is obvious in the lives of all he touched. Well done Jack!!
About Braden Keith
Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …
More from Braden Keith
Cunha and Reymond Defend 25K Titles in Tremendous Conditions
Matthew Klotz Breaks His Own Deaf Swimming Record at Louisiana State Meet
Sarpy County Swim Club Clears Benchmark for National 15-16 Mixed Medley Record
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Interactive videos for RAC Road Safety, with 2and2
Their client, The Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia (RAC WA) is a motoring club and mutual organisation, offering motoring services and advice, insurance, travel services, finance and driver training. As the independent voice for road users in WA, RAC is concerned with all aspects of road and community safety.
The RAC were launching a Road Safety Campaign to raise awareness of safety issues while using mobile phones when driving. This was targeted at new drivers in WA aged 16-18. The main focus was on texting, taking selfies, watching YouTube, using Snapchat and Face-timing.
2and2 planned and designed an interactive episodic series where the player can decide on the outcomes and create their own story. The episodes are a mixture of video and interactive graphic novel.
The concept was ‘What would you do if you could change the future?’. Each story opens on a ‘just before accident’ scene. It is the viewer’s job to try and prevent what is about to happen. The aim was for this to be believable and raw, and strike a chord with young people.
As 2and2’s video production partner, TEN ALPHAS were brought on to produce the interactive videos for this project.
Episode One focuses on the car crash of an 18 year old couple driving to their schoolies trip, distracted while texting and playing on their phones. The viewers witness the series of events that lead up to the crash, including two school boys fooling around with a shopping trolley on a dark road.
As the series takes place in Western Australia, and we were filming in New South Wales, location scouting was important – we needed to find backdrops with houses, roads and vegetation that could be geographically believable. We ended up finding some great spots around Bulli NSW.
We cast a talented group of young actors – Edward Geyl and Lewis Defina as the school boys, and Lachlan Edmonds-Munro and Daniele Clements as the teenage couple. They all got on very well, which meant that their on-camera interactions were natural and spontaneous, and they were able to improvise some sections of the script.
To fully engage viewers, the project required various types of videos – dramatic scenarios, Snapchat videos from the point of view of the characters and videos taken by the characters on their mobile phones. When necessary, we directed the actors to assist with capturing these elements, resulting in raw and realistic outputs.
Many scenes needed to be filmed outside at night, which involved extensive risk assessment and health and safety precautions, as well as carefully planned lighting set ups.
We then edited and graded the videos to fit within the “graphic novel” style of the campaign.
The series of interactive videos we created complimented and completed Episode One of the RAC Road Safety Campaign, creating an engaging education tool that has been successfully used to lower the road toll of young drivers in Western Australia.
Agency: 2and2
Director: Jonathan Adams
Assistant Cameraman: Jess Milne
Editor: Adrian Powers
Make up Artist: Lauren Hoddinott
Emma: Daniele Clements
Pete: Lachlan Edmonds-Munro
Josh: Eduard Geyl
Daniel: Lewis Defina
Find out more about Educational Videos here!
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3688 newsletter subscribers >
Tesla reports zero autonomous miles logged on public roads in California in 2017
Wednesday January 31, 2018 5:01 pm PDT by Susan Love
According to it’s 2017 year-end report submitted to the California DMV, Tesla has not tested any vehicles on public roads in California in autonomous mode for the reporting year 2017 (November 30, 2016-December 1, 2017).
This news comes in the midst of mounting frustrations over delays in Tesla’s Full Self Driving feature, which Tesla currently sells as a $3000 option in all of its new cars, to be enabled in a future date following extensive software validation and regulatory approval. According to Tesla’s marketing print, Full Self Drive means, complete autonomous driving. You simply tell the car where it needs to go and the car will drive to the final destination with no input from the passenger.
Tesla reports that they have continued to conduct testing to develop autonomous vehicles via simulation, in labs, on test tracks and on public roads outside of California. They also point out that they are actively testing their autonomous driving feature via “shadow-mode” in customer cars. In shadow-mode, Full Self Drive features run in the background of real customer vehicles and provides data on how it would perform in real world, real time conditions. This allows Tesla to compare its autonomous driving features with Autopilot and with actual driver actions.
The report also points out that Tesla is the only participant in the autonomous driving program with a fleet of hundreds of thousands of actual customer cars on the road with billions of miles of driving records received from real drivers via over-the-air transmissions, effectively allowing it to develop their self-driving system more efficiently than other manufacturers.
You can read the full report to the California DMV here.
Watch these epic out-of-body reactions to the new Tesla Roadster going 0-60mph in 1.9 seconds
Wednesday January 31, 2018 1:01 pm PDT by Dave Lee
The new Tesla Roadster is scheduled to arrive in 2020 with incredible acceleration and performance like no other vehicle.
The new Roadster will go 0-60mph in 1.9 seconds, have a top speed of 250mph, and will have a 620 mile range (yes, you read that correctly! This car will go over 600 miles on a single charge).
Don’t miss the Tesla Daily podcast by Rob Maurer
Wednesday January 31, 2018 9:01 am PDT by Dave Lee
Rob Maurer started Tesla Daily podcast last year in August and has been consistently growing his audience by providing daily podcasts on Tesla news.
Rob’s podcast covers the latest Tesla news in a concise manner and is a great resource to keep updated when on the go. He also provides insightful and valuable interviews from people in the industry to help understand and follow Tesla.
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Democrats Say They’d Take Any GOP President But Trump. That’s Not What They Said Before
The Left is gaslighting conservatives into thinking President Trump is in a league all on his own and we must believe Democrats’ cries for concern this time, unlike all other times.
By Jason Hopkins
To hear it from a typical member of the Left, President Donald Trump’s rise has been the closest thing to the End of Times since its revelation in the Bible.
In the midst of the 2016 election, Democrats spoke so much about the dangers of handing Trump the nuclear codes, they actually went so far as to air commercials depicting nuclear warfare should he be elected to office. President Obama, insisting he never objected to other, more qualified, Republicans from occupying the White House, claimed Trump was uniquely unfit for the nation’s highest office.
The objections to Trump’s candidacy were unlike anything ever before them. Never before had we seen a presidential candidate protested as much as this New York billionaire. Fascism, a political philosophy long reserved as a label for only the most abhorrent of ideologies, was used regularly to describe his worldview. He was made out to be a deviant, a buffoon, and a man no different than Adolf Hitler himself.
The confessions of stalwart liberal pundits could make one believe Trump really was a man beyond the pale of political normality. Speaking to the ladies of “The View” during a November interview, Keith Olbermann claimed Trump was worse than Osama Bin Laden and ISIS—combined. He had the gall to say the Trump family has done more damage to the country than the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks.
A ferocious critic of Republicans during his disheveled career, Olbermann told Meghan McCain, daughter of Sen. John McCain, that he owed her father and President George W. Bush an apology for the way he had treated them in the past. Olbermann went quite far in his mea culpa, claiming Sen. McCain was his “favorite” person in politics and that he’d prefer three terms of Bush over what we have now. In the face of Trump, the former GQ special correspondent has now experienced an enormous change of heart over Republicans he has vilified in the past.
Olbermann is nowhere near the only liberal talking head to miss GOP members of times past. Take Bill Maher, the host of a widely popular HBO program.
Maher, as the tenacious liberal that he is, hasn’t kept his politics confined to the television screen. During the 2012 election cycle, he donated $1 million to re-elect President Barack Obama. Maher used his TV show as a pulpit to regularly bash Obama’s then-opponent Mitt Romney, not just for his worldview, but also attacking him on a personal level.
Now, flash-forward four years and Maher acts as if a President Romney would be our saving grace. Speaking to CNN’s Van Jones in February, Maher said he would give that past donation of $1 million dollars to Romney if it meant he, instead of Trump, would occupy the White House. Maher even said he would—gasp!—become a Mormon if it meant ending a Trump presidency.
The list of progressives making an about-face on past Republicans goes on and on. We see what these left-wing pundits are suggesting: We don’t hate all Republicans. Just this Republican. We are only reserving our most intense hostility for Trump. We wouldn’t be acting like this if it were any other Republican politician.
This gaslights conservatives into thinking Trump is in a league all on his own and that we must believe Democrats’ cries for concern this time, unlike all other times. That’s completely bogus, and Maher’s newfound affection for the former Massachusetts governor could not be a better example of liberal crocodile tears.
Love him or hate, there is one truth about Romney: He is a decent human being. Of course, I would argue he is much more than that. From saving a global management consultancy from financial ruin to saving the Salt Lake City Olympics, Romney may be one of the only men in politics who has enacted more change outside of elected office than inside.
He did well for himself financially, there’s no question about that. But he also used his immense wealth to give back to the world, donating millions of dollars throughout his lifetime to those in need.
So did this mean when Romney became the presumptive GOP nominee in 2012, the Democratic Party battled him on the campaign trail with the kind of dignity and respect only a gentleman deserves? No. Don’t let time take away the memories of 2012. Romey was made out to be a monster—a business magnate boogeyman who preyed on the poor and supposedly hated the everyday man.
National Democrats had no dirt on Romney, so they had to make dirt. Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader at the time, literally lied when he claimed Romney did not pay taxes, and later admitted to lying.
Liberals turned Romney’s monumental success at turning around failing businesses into an albatross, with claims he got rich as Bain Capital CEO by firing employees (when in reality, he saved thousands of jobs by keeping these companies from collapsing). Maher and Olbermann are just two of the countless liberal talking heads who took part in demonizing Romney.
Maher didn’t just hit the Massachusetts governor for his politics, he consistently took the low road by poking fun at his religion. The HBO host used his platform to poke fun at Romney’s Mormon faith, calling it a “cult” and questioning the validity of the religion itself. Castigating a religious minority is typically something liberals regard as akin to Nazism, but the rules were proven to be different for a religious sect that votes overwhelmingly for the Republican Party.
Olbermann, a man who may have broken a record with his number of layoffs, also made his attacks against Romney very personal and very insulting. Several years later, after Trump won the Electoral College, Olbermann filmed a video in which he urged electors to buck the rules and vote for Romney as president instead of Trump.
Romney is simply the most recent example of a Republican presidential nominee made out to be the worst person after Lucifer. We can cite the same examples with McCain, Bush, and so on. But we are told to believe the past didn’t play out that way.
So here we are, a year into the Trump administration, and Democrats everywhere claim that they were okay with Republicans in elections past, but they just can’t stomach the one who is in the White House now. We should know this is not true because no matter who the Republican is, they will vilify him or her just the same.
Things are, however, different than before. We have a Republican president who is unabashed in not caring what the liberal elite think of him. Unlike Romney and other Republicans, who have walked back controversial comments, Trump says what he wants and makes no apologies. In this regard, this presidency is something truly historic—and something that has driven Democrats into near insanity.
Trump may not be the president Democrats want, but he is certainly the president they deserve.
Photo White House / public domain
anti-Trump Bill Maher Democrats Donald Trump George W. Bush hypocrisy John McCain Keith Olbermann Mitt Romney resistance Trump Derangement Syndrome
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Theresa May’s secretive plans to replace NHS in England with private US healthcare system Kaiser Permanente
May, NHS, privatisation
UPDATE: We now have no less than Professor Stephen Hawking expressing public concern about the threat to the NHS by Kaiser Permanente – see here.
Kaiser Permanente is a private healthcare organisation based in California.
But unlike many other private healthcare companies in the US, Kaiser provides a complete model of integrated pre-paid insurance along with healthcare which is supposedly provided free at the point of need.
This is a system much like our own NHS but with three major differences – Kaiser’s healthcare provision is much more expensive than the NHS, the healthcare provision side is run for profit and unlike the NHS its cover isn’t comprehensive – it only covers those people who are in work.
Despite that, Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt seems to love Kaiser. He and other ministers have personally visited the company at its California headquarters – several times in fact:
And Kaiser’s own website lists other recent visitors from the UK, including many NHS hospitals and NHS trusts as well as HM Treasury and the Ministry of Health itself (click to enlarge):
We have already seen that US firms are looking to capitalise as the NHS becomes increasingly privatised, including Kaiser Permanente Foundation‘s senior vice president Hal Wolf who has openly called for the NHS to become “more like Kaiser Permanente“.
Alarmingly, Theresa May has specifically refused to guarantee she will not open up the NHS to US firms in a post-Brexit trade deal across the Atlantic.
Understanding the plans to replace the NHS with the Kaiser Permanente system explains why there has been a recent speeding up of the ongoing marketisation and privatisation of the NHS.
It also explains why the Tories were so desperate to push through their disastrous NHS reforms in the first place. A central plank of the NHS reforms was the formation of Clinical Commissioning Groups – which were openly based on Kaiser’s Permanente Medical Groups and which also happen to be a central plank of Kaiser’s healthcare system.
And understanding the plans to replace the NHS across England with the Kaiser Permanente system goes a long way to explaining why Theresa May has done nothing to resolve the worsening NHS crisis, which she is gambling will only make the public more keen to see changes to a system that is being deliberately broken.
If we don’t spread the word about what the Tories are doing, we can say goodbye to the NHS in England and hello to Kaiser Permanente. Permanently.
So please share …
116 thoughts on “Theresa May’s secretive plans to replace NHS in England with private US healthcare system Kaiser Permanente”
mikejpaterson said:
You are such a Pratt.
Stephen Slator said:
Hit the nail on the head there for sure. And don’t forget the head of NHS England, Simon Stevens’, previous role as big cheese at US conglomerate United Health
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Pingback: Theresa May’s secret plans to replace #NHS England with private US healthcare system Kaiser Permanente | Pride’s Purge | sdbast
snaithmagmailcom said:
Reblogged this on michaelsnaith.
jeffrey davies said:
vote may end of nhs but thats only part of it norman law will rule
Hello From GCHQ said:
Two questions: 1. Was the source of this story the voices in your head? 2.Are you another sock puppet account like @rachael_swindon, @namechangegirl and @skwawkbox Steve? Anyhow we’ll know soon enough who the person behind those accounts is. Cheerio Mr.Walker :3
Pingback: Theresa May’s secret plans to replace NHS England with private US healthcare system Kaiser Permanente | Pride’s Purge | Britain Isn't Eating
mikey mikey said:
@Hello from Tory pretending to be GCHQ
Thanks for letting me know about rachel swindon and namechangegirl
Well could only find Ms Swindon’s twitter account, but it is really good. Thanks again, Tory boy pretending to be GCHQ.
Pamela stepp said:
Sooner the Conservative party are out of power the better I like it .I know that health care is expensive so we need to raise taxes and most fair minded people agree and cut tax loop holes for the rich and famous if I was the Chancellor I would be taxing those with the highest earnings at 60% and if the didn’t like it go elsewhere I’d also want far greater accountability on MP’S salary and how many directorships they have and that should be taxed separately.
maurene said:
a private health company in a country where literally millions of men women and children have no health cover whatsoever……and the UK is considering big time to bring such a company over here…… I feel sick……. such politicians and the like should be ashamed……
tophattingson said:
That’s a fun conspiracy theory you have there. What if…
John Reid visited Kaiser Permanente in 2003. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3207027.stm
jcobyn4jadams4eva said:
Rachael’s a bloke, just so you know poppet. Remember on the 9th of June it’s down not across, the doc’s find it awfully tricky to stitch to repair the injury when it’s done that way or you could do the NHS a favour and just take a running jump from Beachy Head. And take that awful woman abbott with you thankies ❤
Paolo said:
People who don’t realise that this is happening are blind or stupid.
“Remember on the 9th of June it’s down not across,”
Bullying and encouragement to commit suicide. Reminds me of this story:
“Ben Harris-Quinney, chair of rightwing thinktank the Bow Group, who gave evidence to the inquiry, said: “It would appear from the report that CCHQ officials were happy to overlook Mark Clarke’s track record and behaviour because he was able to deliver positive campaigning results using nefarious tactics.”
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/aug/17/inquiry-into-tory-bullying-scandal-finds-13-alleged-victims-of-mark-clarke
concernedkev said:
This needs to be spread far and wide. Treachery and corruption of the worst kind. All individuals who have been on this fact finding jolly, if proven. should be drummed out and investigated for misconduct in public office. It is a collective conspiracy to defraud all UK citizens.
Well done Tom
Pingback: Theresa May’s secret plans to replace NHS England with private US healthcare system Kaiser Permanente | Worldtruth
mohandeer said:
Reblogged this on wgrovedotnet.
vondreassen said:
Amazing ain’t it, we are a European country- Russia is nearer to America than we are ; YET we – our leaders are obsessed with copying a way of life that has little relevance to our own;
Why are ‘they’ NOT looking at er – Scandinavia etc;
George Orwell thought it was to do with language – we are too lazy to learn – though the Scandivavians all learn English !;
Switch on the radio – LBC especiallty- and it’s yak yak about Trump – Wots going on ?
sheila jenkins said:
If this happens.go back to what Niel Kinock said don’t be old or sick if the Tories win this election.
NHS employee said:
https://centerfortotalhealth.org/tag/jeremy-hunt/
Not evidence of any privatisation. Do a bit of googling before you post!
Martin Ritchie said:
Surely such a proposal must be more expensive that the current NHS funding system as they have to add profit onto their costs and I expect their profit requirement will be significant so where will they add value?
MM said:
Or alternatively they are looking at comparable services to see if the NHS can learn from best practices much like all organisations should do.
Bob said:
Google words – Liam Fox Atlantic Bridge. Read a bit.
Cara Tarini said:
They could do worse than implementation of a Kaiser model.it is a not for profit HMO begun in Ca to care fore employees of various kaiser companies and they have provided me with very good medical care !
Ron Hod said:
The reasons for the majority of privatisations is to reduce the wages and conditions of the workers while increasing the money the company directors and chif execs get. At no point is it improving the lot of the general public who are just the tools to give the rich more money. The UK health system is one of the cheapest in the world, the evidence for this can be seen in the basic fact thet travel and holiday insurance including the USA is more than anywhere else in the world!
Beryl Foster said:
It is disgusting that immigration to this level has been allowed thanks to Mr.T.Blair.Some have paid into system all their lives and immigration has helped to drain us.I will support Mrs T.May as I do like her but I knew what Iwas voting for Out of EU and single market if with free movement. I do not know enough about the so called new system that may replace NHS but like me some have paid all their lives..not for foreign countries to take advantage of us.
Beryl Fosterk said:
David Williams said:
This is typical of a government that has done nothing but betray the general public which it claims to represent. Hopefully, the people of the UK will be wise enough to vote them out this time.
With the internet and mobile network it would seem to me that it is time to consider a different method of debate and passing of legislation that would involve active public opinion so that the people of the UK are truly represented and not subjected to any elected parties corrupt control. In other words a new type of government that can’t go against public opinion.
Paul Williams said:
You do realise the article you linked to when claiming they are for profit, clearly says they are non-profit?….
We should never forget the Liberal Democrats role in the Health and Social Care Bill. They didn’t merely enable the Tories, if memory serves the CCGs were there contribution to the proceedings. We should remember this when they try to pass themselves off as ‘progressives’. The only progress they genuinely care about is the unending ‘progress’ of the market, public be damned. Now they are mobilising to cut Labour off at the knees, ably assisted by many a narcisistic New Labour grandee and a gaggle of useful idiots too blinded by the trauma of loosing the referendum. They’ll let the Tories in the back door, they might even hand the LibDems their favourite roll as king makers. Then the bastards will unite in shafting us all and selling off our NHS.
Pheobe jacques said:
They did the same with the tax and it all went wrong. Now it’s our health they want to gamble with.
Dirk Minter Lee said:
@Beryl Fosterk – you do understand that immigration rose massively under the Tories. Far above the levels it was at under the previous Labour administration don’t you?
If you vote Tory it means you hate my wife and every other disabled person in the country. You will be voting to have them systematically attacked in a attempt to kill them off. You will be making this choice freely and cannot deny knowledge of the consequences of your actions, because you have been informed of them before the fact. If you vote for them I, along with tens of thousands more, will hate you eternally and ultimately hope that one day you too will become disabled through a misfortunate accident and suffer at the hands of the people you helped to install, just so that you can experience the full horror of a life-limiting condition under a Tory government.
tagster01 said:
So that’s why, when May is questioned on the future of the NHS, that she says healthcare will remain free at the point of issue. Half truths and bloody minded deceit.
lallygag26 said:
If you think Tom’s blog sounds like fantasy, here is think tank Health Foundation’s blog on the same subject talking about politicians’ and senior Whitehall mandarins’ love affair with Kaiser from the point of view of the establishment. Simon Stevens, CEO of NHS England, has already introduced the first Kaiser-style Accountable Care systems, designed to be turned into Accountable Care Organisations. This change isn’t the future. It is now.
http://www.health.org.uk/blog/meeting-challenge-population-health-what-we-can-learn-kaiser-permanente
Larraine said:
NO!!!!!!!!!!!!
John Spencer-Davis said:
Will treatment leave me facing a Kaiser Bill? Sorry. J
anyvoices said:
Really enjoyed good facts well thought out. Would you consider sharing your blogs on a free website written by the public for the public. http://www.anyvoice.co.uk
Sybil Gowans said:
What about Scotland?
Kitty S Jones said:
Reblogged this on Politics and Insights.
loobitzh said:
Reblogged this on Lindas Blog.
Martin Rudland said:
Some Tory Troll comments, but do note the comments from
anubeon at 9:54 pm on April 24, 2017
Dirk Minter Lee at 3:40 am on April 25, 2017
tagster01 at 5:48 am on April 25, 2017
lallygag26 at 6:20 am on April 25, 2017
The Lib Dems must be repeatedly, publicly, very loudly and very often indicted for enabling this destruction of OUR NHS .
What mind-set do the politicians have when they say ‘free at the point of delivery’?
Do they think we’re idiots? They might be right!
Search for what Mark Britnell said to an APAC conference in New York in Oct 2010, ie he spoke of the private sector opportunities presented by the UK’s health reforms:
“The NHS will be shown no mercy and the best time to take advantage of this will be in the next couple of years,” he advised the attending companies.
Britnell was speaking a year into his job at KPMG, which he joined from the Dept of Health where he was DG i/c Commissioning. Britnell was the architect of what we see today: the privatisation of commissioning. This courtesy of http://www.spinwatch.org . AND “In future, The NHS will be a state insurance provider not a state deliverer” – c/o The Observer, 15 May 2011, “David Cameron’s adviser says health reform is a chance to make big profits”
Our future in the UK under the Tories is utterly dire!
A thought came to me that a Tory MP will set up a cloth-cap manufacturing company. Cloth-caps will be free at point of delivery and will enable regular exercise when your masters go by.
But seriously, everybody must spread the word as to how grim the future will be under Tories – it could be for ever if they win this one !
Green__Jenny said:
It was also New Labour’s plan to replace the NHS with the Kaiser Permanente system – they set up Kaiser Permanente pilots in various parts of England, including Torbay where the resulting S Devon Integrated Care Organisation recently went belly up. The Coalition and now Tory governments just continued the New Labour direction of travel. http://www.energyroyd.org.uk/archives/12788
abigdoob (@abigdoob) said:
Sybil Gowans.
There are no plans to follow this route in Scotland.
However. The amount of our own money that WM deigns to return to us in the form of Barnett, including that used to fund our NHS, is calculated as a percentage of spending in England. If England’s NHS goes…
Terry Davies said:
I predicted this would happen years ago. NHS was a convenient Quango to do the tories dirty. Its a very basic managerial technique. Shifting blame is one of the benefits but the primary reason for NHS England is to be the voicepiece for government policies minus the expectation of answering the questions. This has been the role of NHS England. Likewise the other quangos , effectively voice pieces and sources of blame at which the public can direct their anger. Hunt is the next to go after the NHS england who will each blame each other. This leaves May untouched so that the USA can cherry pick the NHS and public sector services. Remember that there is a way to avoid accountability. Avoid answering Questions and you can fool the public and horsethief minded tories have used this as a means of controlling the supply of services to UK people and supply of public services for private companies to compete for during franchise bids.
When a public service is privatised or partially privatised a ‘ gravy train’ is created and those on this train will never want to leave it.
Stupid or greedy politicians fail to see the link between these and violence and wars.
So expect the spanish cold war after the next election. Gibraltar will be blamed but spanish politicians will be in competition for sovereignty with UK. This will now be supported by other EU countries and tories be the cause of it all.
Sharon said:
Nothing better than the American system so that those dieing from cancer etc like my mum, can worry about how they will pay for treatment. Hey it takes their mind off of dying, right. I wonder how many people in the UK realise that in the US you don’t jus t book in for your appointment, you have to sit in front of a stranger while they ask you how much you can pay. My mum put $50.00 on her credit card every time the doctors or hospital asked her how much she could pay. She was poor, only had a pension and her last months of life were worrying how my dad (with dementia) would be able to pay the credit card debt. Shameful system, we don’t want this in the U.K. however I am afraid that it is probably too late…
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poglejones said:
I too am terrified at the prospect of a new TTIP opening up the UK health service to these large companies. However what I would say is that the Kaiser model is a good model of integrated care and that many of the visitors will have been looking for opportunities to use the Kaiser approach to improve NHS organisations and approaches to integration around stuff like care navigation, patient advocacy and care coordination.
revdianphamilton said:
A friend from the U.S.A. wrote, ” I used to work for KP, from 2002 – 10. Up till the mid-2000s, a point of pride that was useful to us researchers was the equal access to care across membership. Around 2004, competition of cheap plans caused KP to promote plans with deductibles, and that ended it. People were offered cheap plans with high deductibles, and went into heavy debt like anywhere else when catastrophe struck. The wishful thinking was that healthy people, young people, would go for the high deductible plans, but in fact most of them were simply poor people – who weren’t health to begin with, and of course became even poorer. All this did great things for KP’s bottom line (including the non-profit side – non-profit in the US is nothing more than a tax scam anymore), and the execs took it even further with staff reductions and automation. This was once an institution to be proud of; now it’s no more than a reflection of the broken US medical care system.”
Deus Vult said:
The stupidity here is very strong.
You do realise that your own gullibility in believing this sort of rubbish is what drives these idiots on.
For God’s own sake … take a step back and THINK, then be embarrassed, and then feel anger at these people who are trying to feed you this dross for their own purposes.
Inga said:
Just watch the Great British Public declare they would pay any tax to keep the NHS, and then vote Tory in full knowledge that this will kill it off. This has been the pattern since Thatcher. Nothing better illustrates the hypocrisy, selfishness and callousness of the British voter – as does their assumption that a real leader would use nuclear weapons pre-emptively. And their hostility to overseas aid. And to refugees. And to immigrants. The list is endless.
Bryan Lee said:
So what about those not in work, disabled pensioners etc.
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Valerie Hall said:
So my husband , 22 years post heart transplant and with multiple related health problems, will be offered affordable health care? If only!
I don’t know where you are Valerie but in the UK if the NHS gets the funding it needs you will. Don’t vote Tory that’s all. In terms of an integrated model of care he should get better healthcare. What we’re being sold at the moment is an underfunded service carrying the burden of austerity in other services. They are hiding the cuts within integrated health and social care programmes which are doomed to failure because they are unrealistic and underfunded. But the principles of integration in the model are good.
So to clarify I am just suggesting there are other reasons people can be interested in this other than replicating the financial model.
Mark Catlin said:
Reblogged this on Declaration Of Opinion.
Fran said:
The NHS is the jewel in our crown. It protects the most vulnerable, working class and middle class providing a non discriminate service. To vote Tory in effect means you don’t care about people in need. Imagine turning up in need of serious medical intervention for a loved family member only to be refused because your credit card is at its limit or you have been made redundant and are jobless. Is that what we really want. Be very careful what you vote for what goes around comes around. One day you might be that person in need
Stephen Barber said:
This is not new. Kaiser is a “not for profit ” organisation. This is irresponsible scare-mongering in my view. See this BBC report crom way back in 2010: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8688101.stm
Pam Peterson said:
Just confirms what we already know
Neither Theresa May nor her add ons .., including Hunt give a monkeys about us, the British people, or our healthcare
“not for profit” – is it a charity then ?
Alan Taylor said:
I’m not a fan of the current Tory leadership. However, I think there is a mixture of fact and fantasy in this report. Drawing conclusions based on fantasy! Public sector should be encouraged to learn from private enterprise for ideas on improving efficiency and services. They don’t have to adopt profiteering. I don’t see the issue here.
The Porcelain Doll said:
Reblogged this on perfectlyfadeddelusions.
This is such a pile of rubbish!
Owen jones said:
Unless it’s changed a lot Kaiser were crap when i was in the states.
@vondreassen
These kind of organisations are what’s commonly known as charitable corporations. They get the tax status, they get the profits. The payout method differs, that’s all. There’s no charitable root to their operations anymore.
One of those things spent ten years destroying a friend’s charity (an actual small local one). Had 130 employees, in social, children’s and home care area. Judge returned the case three times, then got pressured by politicians. Ended up finding for the other side on a technicality, said it was incomprehensible that a national charity should embark upon a hostile takeover of a local charity, called the other side despicable. Media was on their side.
Now five years later, all profits they make locally are siphoned off to national headquarters. My friend’s charity invested all profits back into the charity – kids got new play grounds, care home got a new garden and more staff etc. Whole town is suffering as the corporate charity – still legally a charity – is closing down everything that isn’t profitable enough and charging for all their services at a premium. Now the media is waking up to this, but it’s too late, of course. Bankrupted my friend, cost 100 people their jobs, but the other side, that national charity is still going strong…
So don’t be fooled by a “not for profits” statement on their web page and look at what they actually do – cost the taxpayer more money, pay their management huge salaries and deliver less value.
David said:
A number of points.
The U.S was 43 in the world when last the World Health Organisation did a survey.
The UK was number 18. The US pay twice as much for healthcare as other leading nations and the health of US citizens keep getting worse !!! Definitely the way to go if you want to follow in their footsteps all the way to hell while paying through the nose for the privilege.
What should be the measure of a good healthcare system? Surely people’s health should be improving not getting worse and the cost of the service should be reducing? What a revolutionary idea? Then where would there be the need for
locums at £4000 per day ? Or massively overpriced drugs ? or the PFI where changing a lightbulb costs £300?
Face it the NHS is about making money out of making people sicker and sicker !!!.
And the government facilitates corporates who feed off the NHS. Think Pharma..
Pharma and more Pharma.
Privatisation won’t stop people from getting major chronic diseases like Heart disease, Diabetes, Cancer, Dementia ,Lung, Disease , etc. Those figures will still keep rising.
Why because healthcare is about “managing” health conditions not curing people of them. So not matter what you pay you won’t get better if you rely on imported doctors or PFI financed hospitals. The NHS is there to facilitate the aims of Pharma and there is nothing you can do about it unless you are prepared to take more care of you and yours. Better nutrition, exercise, clean water, better air quality.
And no matter who you vote for you will still pay taxes to maintain the NHS even if you take the time and effort to look after health of yourself and your family.
Catherine mearns said:
If this is true then Theresa May is taking a giant backward leap into the past. The people of Britain will never accept this . By all means make the rich pay more in taxes as the poor is paying enough. The total misuse of funds by the jobs for boys brigade, their wages are enhanced by backhanders from other companies who want the contracts for providing supplies and medical instruments ” in which most are disposable” how did we ever manage before. I have recently been told that soap and disinfectant is no longer used in hospitals as it is against health and safety. One wonders how we have all managed onto old age. The NHS should recruit nurses from school leavers and train them on the floor as you would a apprentice, that is what makes a nurse , not a piece of paper from a university. How easy it is to collect a certificate but can they do practical, with a commonsense approach. People fight for what is your right.
Rosalind Dodd said:
How appalling
fergusmason said:
“Understanding the plans to replace the NHS with the Kaiser Permanente system”
Except there is no plan. You just invented it.
Capitalism innit – just wot the tories love…
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Gillian Reay said:
DThe NHS is an amazing healthcare system which has been left open to much abuse. Least of all by those who are in a position to either mend it or break it permanently. Don’t let this happen. Let’s fix our NHS for the good of the people who are citizens of Great Britain.
How do you know its an amazing system ? . A couple of years ago the NHS were
killing people at the rate of 130,000 a year on the Liverpool Pathway and giving bonuses to hospitals for the number of beds they freed up. Then they were caught out
and had to stop the practice which involved depriving the elderly of food and water,
which is not a nice way to die. Called NIL BY MOUTH. A good hospital system would be improving the nations health not “managing it for Pharmaceutical Co’s benefit.
This week in the Times the head of the IBPI Ms Anson said” that Pharma would move out of Britain unless they received £20 billion more a year”. That taxes should be increased to fund their innovative research”. And that lots of other countries would welcome research being done in their country.
Funny but the lead researcher of Glaxo Smith Kline said ” Our drugs don’t work on most people” what a surprise(not).
David have you read/heard communications by Public Health Specialists? Eg Prof Allyson Pollock (Inst of Health & Society Newcastle Univ; previously Prof of Public Health Research & Policy, Qu.Mary, UoL; set up & directed the Centre for International Public Health Policy, Univ.E’boro; & prior to that Head of the Public Health Policy Unit, UCL, Dir. Research & Development at UCL Hospitals NHS Trust); & by Prof.Colin Leys (with 20+ experts of Centre for Health and the Public Interest, CHPI – see https://chpi.org.uk/about-us/); & by Prof Colin Pritchard (see http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/10583606.The_problem_with_our_NHS/ ) .
You are of course aware of how long was spent by the Tories in preparing the Health & Social Care Bill which became an Act in Mar’12 & its contents, eg it opened up OUR NHS for Private Health Industry to get in there, & it led to £4.5bn to £10bn having to be spent by the NHS in tendering for work it used to do automatically in house! Worth finding the exact wording of Mark Britnell’s ‘talk’ to a Private Health confeence in N.York in late 2010 – basically the NHS is up for grabs in the next 2 years & have no mercy on the NHS. Britnell moved from very high up in the Civil Service Health Dept to KPMG in 2009-ish!
Do read those links & search for more detailed info.
The NHS IS AMAZING, & the people who work in it for us all leave Tory politicians looking very very sad – the Tory attitude to OUR NHS is sick .
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To Martin Rudland
The Times April 27th 2017
Drug Giants threaten to Leave Britain.
Unless the NHS is given £20 billion a year for research for new treatments.
Apparently the 9.9 % we spend on research is less than other countries who spend
11.3%.
So when articles appear in the newspapers insisting the NHS needs more money
was that for Doctors and Nurses? No …now we know where the money is going.
and how Pharma goes about its business threats ,bribery, fear so that the population rush out to buy toxic vaccinations, while doctors don’t? Now why might that be?
In the US they are mandating certain vaccines like Flu, using the herd immunity
nonsense. And what do these vaccines contain and are they safe? ethyl mercury, polysorbate 80, and aluminium.? Are all highly toxic . See Miller’s Review of Critical Vaccine Studies , 400 important scientific papers on vaccines.
Similarly in Australia mandating vaccines and no benefits for those families who don’t vaccinate!!.
The Flu vaccine 2 years ago had a success rate of 3%. and it appears that the usual
success of that vaccine is around 50%.
Returning to the £20 billion demand, do they make the same demands of every country? Pitching them the same story as here and threatening to leave otherwise.
Is that how Glaxo made “2 billion in the first quarter on sales of 7.4 billion. Better returns that the arms business and the banking sector, by a long shot.
lyndajanepurcell said:
Hello Tom – I’ve reblogged this post. Am shocked at how we seem to be sleepwalking into the US system of ‘healthcare’.
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Mr Kenneth Best said:
Theresa May wants to have this evidence removed, it shows the future of OUR NHS youtu.be/qOI7-XIbkq8 PLEASE SHARE TO ALL!
dinajpadillagmailcom said:
As a U.S. & CA.citizen. I’m all too well familiar with the “non profit” because there are far too many more of us who were fired and lost all in lieu health care as well any care for the many disabilities and illnesses it so deliberately caused and yes there are those who have died because of no care for their illnesses and its done with U.S. govt impunity as the targets ARE, older, female & minorities including children of these groups. It’s worth many billions of dollars, a year and its all tax free, All on states, federal & patient monies.. It’s only goal is to make money at any cost. AT ANY COST for its other non medical care activities. It’s own idea of making money is to “manage” care, it decides how much care to give which is little to none and one is far more likely to die sooner than one thinks because there is too little care for your medical condition that is needed or tell you need a treatment that you really do not need and will greatly increase your demise while you as a patient will be paying high cost premiums, one way or another. This is one of Americans biggest cons going since the 60’s, Integrated care is based on false data that IT, the managed care system created, all to deny real medical care for real illnesses such as asthma, heart disease, arthritis, back or spine injuries, pretty much everything that touches peoples lives on a daily basis. this all started TO deny injuries and illnesses that it caused it’s own employees but it’s gone further though out the U.S., Canada, & Australia. France didn’t go for it’s B.S.
Our veterans too are patients that have unnecessarily suffered because OF it’s path of the “managed” care premise, all the while pretending to be healthcare organization. Either May is totally ignorant to the “managed” care B.S. or there’s something in it for her to want to send particular classes of the working people off to get sick and die sooner.
Stay with NIH to stay alive and well..
Sam Beeton said:
Where will the Conservative party find the money to pay for very sick people unable to work and pay for private health care if Teresa May privatises the NHS? Is Teresa May intending to take us back to a time where we had no NHS and children and adults could not afford to pay for a Doctor. Back in that time children died in the arms of emotionally pained parents that couldn’t afford a Doctor for their child. Parents back then couldn’t even afford to pay the Doctor to pain relief their child while they were dying. Conservatives have and are going to damage the NHS that I believe can be the best of the Conservatives stop privatising and stop bringing in the private health to cover our lack of NHS staff. We should have enough NHS staff and relief staff if the conservatives put our money into the NHS and the NHS will be a better service for everyone that is in need of it.
The previous president wanted to help the American people by building a NHS system in America. What happened to that very good idea. There must be people in America suffering greatly from illness and can’t pay. It makes me wonder if children in America are dying without health care that they need. Why is Teresa May going to follow in the American footsteps. I thought the previous president wanted a NHS system as good as ours in the U.K. Used to be.
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A6er said:
Reblogged this on Britain Isn't Eating.
JEPH said:
Hardly a balanced piece of commentary and somewhat propagandist.
Sue Walsh RGN (retired) said:
Vote for Corbyn, he is our only hope for the NHS
More than likely written by the CEO of kaiser. IT’S integrated care is one big lie, there is no such thing, just another label to deny real care., as it was started, kaiser sold the idea make more money with less care and that money is their main goal as told to President Nixon in 1972, Sadly much of the health care on the U.S. models kaiser’s business model. This too, is so it can sell more tea in China. ( no joke either) among other non medical care industries. All of it snake oil salesmanship ripping off billions of tax payer& patient money for many decades as well as their many disabled workers benefits, ALL of their benefits, even the disabled workers paid into govt benefits.. like SSA/Medicare. It’s a bottomless pit of money for a false health care organization and those govt agencies & legislator’s are involved. How many ways can you steal maim and kill? Kaiser is a very profitable foundation only for those who run it. RUN, don’t walk from this boondoggle called “health care” organization. Medical care in general doesn’t exist anymore. this is all about making money while limiting necessary medical care, to complete the offing of those who have been working and living for the last 90 or so years. Kaiser is the elite’s choice all after they stole from us working class. that’s been the plan all along.
An a Harvey said:
If you vote Conservative in the election then unless you have money, you can kiss goodbgood by to the NHS.
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Paul Smyth said:
Reblogged this on The Greater Fool.
GeaVox said:
They’d best not even THINK about it… protests will cost them MILLIONS and in the end people will boycott and set up OUR OWN Healthcare Co-op and SINK THEM!
This is Britain, it is NOT the property of Coporations and soon Theresarse Mayhem will be a hasbeen looking for a job!
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emmashillam said:
Can say with certainty that there is at least one ‘recent visitor’ that hasn’t existed since about 3 years ago. For this reason in particular I feel this blog post is unreliable and invalid.
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Hilary Temple said:
This is terrifying. I can see it mobilising the population into mass demonstrations, if not general strike mode.
DEIRDRE CARDEN said:
My dad died in 2008 in a NHS hospital aged 96 He fought for this country and he would turned in his grave if the tories get in again Their greedy and minipulaters of even the voting system it sholud be one man one vote . However they will only need 24% to get in lets all make sure it never happened
Richard Kelly said:
Interesting but speculation. NHS visits etc to other countries us common, the idea is to find new ideas of management, productivity, medicine etc. I have worked within companies that interact with perceived competitors in order to gain insight.
If there were tangible facts I would react differently but this is just adding 2+2=5.
Before anyone says it….I’m not a Tory, I’m a proud Brit that wants electoral reform and a Republic.
Are you nuts?
Fact! Private healthcare is just that!
Fact! Dorset is already being managed by Virgin instead of the NHS … if their patients cant pay exhorbitent fees up front to see their GP … they have a four week wait for an NHS appointment … and there is a dramatic reduction in A&E services … so where do sick people without a large bank account go?
Then there is their paediatric services …Fact! also gone over to private healthcare … children with long term incurable conditions have been discharged and have no healthcare options amongst them there are children with chronic conditions … previously cared for by Consultant Paediatricians … children who suffered oxygen starvation either in utero or at birth … a spectrum of disorders that if not supported throws them on the rubbish heap for their short life … Autism … ADHD … cerebal palsy … special needs … Downs Syndrom … the list is long
As it is … care is disjounted in the areas of the NHS that are being privatised … there is no exchange if information … waiting times are horendous and if these operators are not paid up front … you dont get seen or treated … the NHS is a not for profit service that keeps many people alive who will not survive without it …Fact! many people have already needlessly lost their lives … the for profit organisations do not have patient safety or dignity as their guide … no profit … no treatment … and even if there is a profit the care can be non existent
By the time you finish waiting to see what happens … you will have no options left … healthcare will be private only and the NHS will be a brand name only
This is common-knowledge in the rest of the world do you not have friends who are British ex pats living overseas and informed?
We are allegedly a sovereign democracy … democracy ifs largely out the window we are heading full tilt towards becomng a tax haven for the filthy rich where unless you are one of their number … you will be left with little or nothing
If you want a Republic as your home … Iteland is the closest
K Fishburn said:
Over in Holland people have a private insurance. You pay different prices for different levels of cover. I lived there years ago & was impressed by my basic cover. The hospitals were brilliant & the dentists were more advanced than the dentists in the uk.
It was a better system. The waiting list to see a Doctor or specialist was fantastic.
The only problem is that people that don’t want to work , get away with it all yet again & pay nothing.
It’s cheaper than national insurance
That all sounds wonderful but the Government here is not looking at the Dutch System but the American which Virgin are already operating in Dorset and quietly being rolking out into various UK areas … but no reduction in the funds deducted at source from NI and tax … which if actually used to pay for healthcare … would provide the best and by far superior service worldwide
As for people who are disabled, aged, chronically ill and unable to work
What hapoens to them … in America … they are left to die having been physically removed from hospitals and dumped outside
There is no tenable alternative to the NHS offered to the British public who continue to pay for the Service … yet our healthcare is quietly and consistently privatised without disclosure consultation
We have no contribution to the decisions already made behind closed doors, much less discussion for the future
The British public really does need to wake up and inform themselves on what is happening now, at tgeir expense, and the suffering this is already delivering
stefan kursa said:
the NHS was originally brought in as a safety net; an immediate free point of care for emergencies , accidents and general illness, It was not designed for sex changes , fat removal, depression , anxiety gastric bands and other surgeries that people feel the need to have these treatment/ procedures.
if you strip all that back then the NHS would be in fine shape .
Some of the comments above are complete bollocks and people need to stop reading/believing everything they see in a redtop newspaper or in the local pub.
You tealky need to check your facts
Sadly … you are the one with no idea of what you speak
The NHS was put in place in 1948 to meet ALL our heakthcare needs includind dental, and whikst free at point of use, is to br paid for through our tax deductions
By the time you wake up and understand what is actually going on … it will be too late
Like it or not NHS services have been sold off ti Virgin who are operating in the West Country
Pippa said:
The US already has private American owned companies running parts of the NHS in the UK and they are called HCA so it’s unfortunately already happening. There already here covering what the NHS cannot do because of short staffing and charging the UK taxpayer a fortune. It’s Ridicuolous
liz said:
2 questions, no magic money pot) 1.-does the 1 perscent for nurses etc come out of tax payer money if not where 2- where does it come from for ,mps, peers etc
Laura Cook said:
this MUST be shared EVERYWHERE
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Karen said:
The first reason the lying tories should be ousted. Imagine how their tactics will effect over FIVE YEARS!?
Today’s health care is not about necessary medical care. It is about offing people for CEO & govt profit and it’s being done on, especially those that need real medical care, like the created poor, disabled, minorities, women & those that are retired, the new elderly, all making room for the newer ones who will be next. It’s all nazi & commie “health care”, profit or no profit. It’s all one big lie, now that so many need it, those who came after the last generation during the WW11 generation . It worked in WW11 AND those involved in the murdering machine laughed then too, all the way to the bank, which of course include corporate and govt execs. Kaiser goes way way back with its foulness.
Hywel Thomas said:
False news. This article is cobblers dressed up as facts.
The reason dozens of NHS Trusts have been visiting Kaiser Permanente over the past 15 years is their structural model: “Underpinning the Kaiser model is not just an integrated model of care…but “a critical cultural change − the physicians lead in population care”
Nothing to do with health insurance, nothing to do with charging at the point of delivery, instead getting rid of layers of management and letting the doctors get on with the job.
I would have thought that was something we all wanted.
kaiser permamente is false news. it’s doctors are trained NOT to give you medical care and their retirement depend on this false health care org. It’s not about medical at all, it’s about profit for itself to even more harm in other areas. Unfortunately some in US.CONGRESS bought this so employers would NOT have to pay for REAL medical care needed by their employees. It was sold to make employers even richer including itself. Kiaser is the biggest leech of American tax payer money & health care premiums and it then in the 90’s went full throttle on older, more experience and higher paid employers to cause work place injuries and illnesses and NOT pay for the medical care the employees needed and then bring in lesser educated and illegal employees ALL FOR CORPORATE PROFIT.. Our current President knows what the employers are doing but he needs to step up to the plate, stop this scourge of inhumanity and give those who disabled the benefits they were promised and get back what the employers illegally and criminally stole away. The AFL-CIO wrote up the contract and the non profit human resources was created to carry out and cover up the theft and harm that employees have faced since the latter 80’s. Kaiser created all of it at the behest of Congress for self-insured employers profit. The whole universal health care scheme generated by kaiser to cut employer cost for it’s own profit. The U.S.Congress OWES the American workers the truth of the pain and theft that kaiser was employed to do via” integrated” health care, that started in 1960 by a crackpot PH’d with others from Harvard that like Kiaser doesn’t believe in anything but making money at human costs. It’s all built on a false premise and I cannot emphasize more that the UK folks are going to be treated the same shoddy and callous way and suffice it to say, that this is just another way to deny care and let people die however that occurs with out real medical care. I swear to this GOD is my witness , to Congress and the people of the U.S.A.! That the fashcists and commies in our country are at it again, been at it, all to our govt for allowing kaiser and some who’ve been in our govt to tear it all and another way to killing American, Canadian, Australian , African and other populations off and one of the best and especially secret ways is through the MEDICAL arena. Kiaser starts from Caesar, the head of the roman empire and it’s attitudes and acts are the same.
The people of the UK NEED to research as we did for many years and we were employees who did our research on who and what kaiser really is and IT IS NOT ABOUT REAL MEDICAL CARE. IT’S A CON PERPETRATED ON THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, thanks to past president Nixon in 1971 (tapes) and that this heinous corporation is all about making disabled workers, and then killing off these AMERICAN older men & women, minorities and many who were unions members
The AFL-CIO wrote up the contract for this to happen with the SSA/Medicare, NAFTA sealed the deal,, again to save self insured employers INCLUDING employers like the SSA/MEDICARE, local, state & federal govt agencies that go into other counties to do the same and use the money for other egregious acts like war, terrorists acts, drugs and gangs all for the perpetrator’s and traitors pockets. The seditious acts should lead to charges of outright treason. Not all corporations do this but they’ve all been indoctrinated with the premise of integrated care and that employees ARE the problem and NOT the employers, who have and are causing decades of heinous acts on their own workers and there is no accountability or responsibility taken by our own govt that ignores complaints no matter whether it is the legislators, justices or agencies. ZERO response form those we pay to protect us, their constituents.
One day soon the truth will come out and I sure hope President Trump is with us to shine the vicious and ugly truth about what’s been happening for at least 57 years to the American people, those who are paying for it all. WE’VE BEEN SCAMMED, CONNED, MAIMED, INJURED, MADE ILL AND KILLED ALL FOR corporate and govt profit. A large order indeed but a crucial and necessary one to save our country and it’s people. AND we have kaiser’s own bragging rights to evidence it all.
MAY too, is a sham for factions like the faschists and communists corporations and why going global should have never happened. It did spread faschism and communism and yes mideast beliefs, that are totally contrary to what most of us believe, what is right and wrong and just. Atheists are easily fooled or are a part of this cause the Romans on down were Atheists too. Tech companies too are involved with their so called aggorythms to indoctrinate our minds on what is right wrong and just, with compassion, empathy and other positive human traits, everything to make us think that money is all what life and celebrity is really about but never reaches the workers who make our countries what they are.. Don’t be fooled anymore!
GOD bless us all because we need HIS Divine Intervention, Blessings and Miracles for and on our survival.
I didn’t mean for this comment to go on for so long but it needs to be said, The Truth and that is God given.
I apologize for my errors. It’s hard for me sometimes to think and express while typing, one, who’s been disabled by kaiser since the last day I worked in 6/92.along with hundreds of others (then) 35, years long. This is too for those who were killed, workers and patients who have no voice and who others as well as myself doing what we can to give them a voice and to stop the theft, maiming and killings.
Dina J.Padilla
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Home > Bangkok implements 'Giant Tunnels' project
Bangkok implements 'Giant Tunnels' project
Written by Tris Thomas on 11/11/2010 in News
Bangkok’s Governor, Sukhumbhand Paribatra, announced today that The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration BMA will spend some US$550M on completing a system of four ‘Giant Tunnels’ that will double the city’s current drainage capacity within five years. Included is the Don Mueang tunnel, which at 13.5km long and 6m diameter will be Thailand’s largest and longest drainage tunnel.
The first of the four, the 5km long, 5m diameter Rama IX-Ramkhamhaeng tunnel in Eastern Bangkok, is the only currently under construction having started in 2001 with completion scheduled for January next year. Work on the second, the 6km long, 5m diameter Ratchadaphisek-Suthisarn tunnel, is expected to begin next year with tenders to be called next month. The third tunnel is Thailand’s largest, the Don Mueang tunnel, at 13.5m of 6m diameter bore, whilst the fourth is the Rama IX Park tunnel, which will be 3km long and of a similar diameter.
The ‘Giant Tunnels’ project is a part of the Governor ‘Bangkok Getting Ahead’ programme, and is integral in preventing a repeat of the large scale flood events seen during this year’s rainy season.
“We need to stop wasting money on temporary solutions to flooding, with hundreds of thousands of sandbags and more pumps being purchased every year, and get to long-term fixes. In just the last three years we’ve spent 11bn baht on flood prevention measures, which have still not brought an enduring solution to the city’s flooding problems. This year’s rainy season has made it obvious that we need the tunnels,” Sukhumphand said.
“The Giant Tunnels programme provides a massive amount of additional drainage capacity. The amount of water that can pour through these four tunnels would allow you to drain four average-sized swimming pools in a single second,” said the Governor.
“More importantly, they will be really big tunnels, with a diameter of 5m or more, which is around three times larger than the average diameter of existing tunnels, which are at about 1.8m,” he said.
According to Sukhumbhand, the system of four tunnels will increase the total length of drainage tunnels in Bangkok from 14km to around 50km.
“These tunnels will be like a drainage expressway,” Sukhumbhand said, and will re-direct floodwaters under the capital into the Chao Phraya River, which emptied into the Gulf of Thailand.
Bangkok has suffered recent flooding from the Chao Phraya River due to its high tides, flood surges from the North, and the ever-present threat of heavy rainstorms. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation has said flooding has been responsible for the death of 203 people across the Provinces since October 10th.
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Jacks ball safe for now
Keaundrey Clark and Skye Kimya
Jacks head coach Rob Smith talks to players, students and media after it was announced at the Redwood Bowl that Jacks football would live on. | Gabe Rivera
By｜Keaundrey Clark & Skye Kimya
Through trials and tribulations, Humboldt State football will be playing another year in the Redwood Bowl, as was announced by President Lisa Rossbacher and Interim Athletic Director Duncan Robbins on Tuesday, Dec. 5.
In front of HSU students, athletes, boosters, administration and coaches, it was announced that the team will return after months of doubt by Rossbacher.
“Through a lot of work by the boosters and the community,” said Rossbacher. “Alumni generating pledges for support make this possible for next year. “
President Rossbacher said she was impressed by the passionate group of boosters who led a recent fund drive. This convinced her they could bring in the resources needed to help continue the football program.
Six months of doubt have been put to bed for now, as boosters led by Jim Redd and Ceva Courtemanche worked endlessly to provide a solution to HSU Athletics financial woes. Redd and SaveHSUAthletics were able to confirm that almost $511 thousand in pledges and donations for 2017-18 has been reached.
“Not all of this is local community, there are previous athletes from all over the United States that have donated,” said Redd. “People that have just heard about our cause that have donated. It just speaks volumes, that athletics and the student athletes are very important to this community.”
The future of Jacks football, which is the University’s most expensive athletics program, had been in question due to financial challenges.
The Athletics Department, Office of Advancement and the boosters struggled to maintain a balanced and working relationship to find a solution to the department’s financial woes. In terms of balancing the budget, the University is working to address an ongoing structural deficit that has been on Rossbacher’s plate for a few years now.
With an additional $395 thousand for year two, $375 thousand for year three, $355 thousand for year four and $335 thousand for the fifth year, the community of Humboldt showed how much HSU football means to them.
“We never gave up,”said Redd. “We kept fighting until the very end and the community support is absolutely unbelievable.”
Several players walked away from the Redwood Bowl Plaza this afternoon with plenty of appreciation for their community and Rossbacher.
“It feels great, it feels like I got a lot of relief off of my shoulders. Now I can get ready and focus for next season,” said returning player Jamere Austin.
Plenty of players have been worried about where they would have headed next, but they are looking forward to continuing in their first step foward after today’s decision – Spring Ball.
“President Rossbacher made the right decision,” said returning player Joey Sweeney. “Next year should be a really good year.”
Head Coach Rob Smith held a meeting with players, urging them to notify their families that the team will be back. He understands that because of the uncertainty surrounding the program some players won’t return. But he hopes players will stay and be a Jack for life.
“Most coaches and most players had kind of checked out, they saw the writing on the wall, anticipated the program not being here next year and were preparing for life after this,” said Smith. “Now we all kind of need to get together and figure out how to move forward.”
One of HSU’s best defenders, junior linebacker Curtis Williams, is excited for the prospects of a great season next year.
“It feels great,” said Williams. “Knowing we have another season is a great feeling.”
Humboldt State has been playing football for decades. The prospect of losing the team is something the players, coaches, school and community couldn’t face. Head Coach Rob Smith has his work cut out for him next season.
“Coaches will come and go, Presidents will come and go, but this team belongs to Humboldt State,” said Smith
Tags: Football, Football cut, HSU, HSU Football
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Our Passions, Our Day Jobs May 29, 2014
Jason Shawn Alexander, No Good at Exits, 2014. Courtesy the artist and 101/EXHIBIT.
by Sarah Deming
Even someone who writes erotica for a living has to find ways to get through moments of shame.
It is our trick; nature her custom holds,
Let shame say what it will: when these are gone,
The woman will be out.
—Hamlet (IV, 7)
My first night in Vegas, I dreamt I was making love to a man who was also a bird. It wasn’t surprising that I was dreaming of sex; I had come to Vegas to do research for my second erotic novel. The bird-man was lanky and soft-skinned. He reminded me of a Vietnamese boy I knew at Brown who paid off his college loans by playing blackjack. In my dream I was worried, because I was violating one of the few editorial rules I had been given for my novel-in-progress: no bestiality.
No bestiality, no incest, and no rape are the most common rules in commercial porn. In my first erotic novel, for example, I was allowed to keep the two sisters in the same sauna for the climactic orgy scene, but only after removing the sentence “Bella reached out and softly touched Sophie’s feet.” I was also allowed to keep the scene in which two shoe salesmen penetrated each other with Manolo Blahniks, although a reader in the test group said no one in her right mind would be aroused by that.
In my dream, the bird-man kept fucking me despite my protests that our scene would almost certainly be cut by my editors at St. Martin’s Press. Young bird-men and bird-women appeared, watching us. I looked over at a bird-girl in a red lace bra and was overwhelmed with embarrassment, but then I thought, Who cares what she thinks about me?
Sin City was already working its magic. In real life, I am tortured by what others think. I’m worrying about what you’re thinking right now. If I could add up all the hours I spend worrying that people are laughing at me the minute I leave the room, it would prove to be the biggest waste of time in my life, edging out masturbation, Facebook, and learning French.
I was six years old when my mother found me playing Wonder Woman in the nude with my uncle David. The whole thing was very innocent. My autistic uncle and I were great friends and spent hours together tape-recording burps, listening to an album called Forty Funky Hits, and playing Wonder Woman, which involved spinning around until we got so dizzy we fell down.
There were visitors in the other room, and my mother was angry at my wild behavior. As a sort of punishment, I suppose—she would have her first manic episode three years later and was already behaving erratically—she carried me kicking and screaming into the kitchen, where she held me aloft, naked, before the room of grown men. Everybody laughed. Six is that odd age at which innocence can turn to shame in an instant. I finally shook myself free and ran up to the attic, where I collapsed. My other childhood memories have faded over time, but this remains seared into my mind in a permanent present tense.
Emily Dickinson wrote, in "XCVII":
To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee,—
One clover, and a bee,
And revery.
The revery alone will do
If bees are few.
Reverie is an essential thing for writing, particularly essays, the form closest to a rambling walk. Yet reverie requires safety, and sometimes my mind feels less like a prairie and more like a construction zone. I take neurotic alternate routes to avoid damaged areas, just as I take a circuitous path to the Bergen Street subway stop to avoid the laundromat where I once accidentally sent in my dildo with the sheets. (It was a particularly embarrassing dildo called “Nubby G” that was supposed to make me female ejaculate but didn’t and was returned to me in a small plastic bag atop the clean laundry. I don’t know if they washed it.)
Sharing shame seems to lessen it, which is probably why I write porn. The woman I was staying with in Vegas turned out to be a prostitute. I had found her on Craigslist and paid $200 cash to stay a week with her and her twin, incontinent corgies. When I told her I wrote erotica, she showed me her old photo albums. She had toured the country as a headliner at strip clubs and worked briefly as a NFL cheerleader, but she never quite broke through.
I looked over at a bird-girl in a red lace bra and was overwhelmed with embarrassment, but then I thought, Who cares what she thinks about me?
“It’s hard to imagine that’s me,” she kept saying.
I lied and said she didn’t look that different. She was pushing 60 now, worn around the edges and at a weight where her fake breasts looked real. She showed me a misty nude, stretched out on the rocks in the desert outside Vegas, and said if I wanted I could use it for the cover of my novel. My heart broke a little. I told her I didn’t have control over the covers. She showed me a dominatrix shoot.
“I wore that wig during my live show, too, until I accidentally set it on fire with a flamethrower.” She hesitated. “It gets pretty raunchy on the next page.”
“I don’t mind a little pink,” I said, trying to sound cool by using porn lingo.
“I guess I do,” she said. “I guess I mind pink.”
The next shot showed her lying on her back with her legs wide, reaching down to spread herself with her fingers. I could feel the heat of her shame filling the space between us on the couch.
“That must have been hard to do,” I said.
“Yeah. I went outside and cried.” She shrugged. “But they make you. You just have to put on your game face and keep going.”
As she closed the album, she smiled. “You know, it helps to show someone these. It makes it better.”
We went upstairs to sleep, she to her two corgies and I to my bird-man dream, at the end of which the bird-man rolled me onto my back and reached down to spread me wide apart.
“Sarah,” he said. “This is better.”
He pressed down into me so that we were chest to chest and forehead to forehead, and I woke up filled with the gratitude and wonder that only comes from an adult wet dream. I stepped over the diminutive mounds of corgie shit in the hall and went downstairs to make coffee.
If there is any way to heal shame, I think it is through penetration. It comes from letting someone else’s soul enter your own. Souls are like birds, which makes this a risky business. They might sing you a song. They might shit on you. They might give you an exotic disease. You just have to put on your game face and keep going, let shame say what it will.
Sarah Deming‘s essays about sex, boxing, liquor, and life have appeared in the Washington Post, the Threepenny Review, Stiff Jab, the Guardian, the Huffington Post, and Penthouse Forum, and have been awarded a Pushcart Prize and noted in Best American Essays. Her children’s novel Iris, Messenger (Harcourt, 2007) is about the Greek gods in suburbia. She coaches youth boxers in Brooklyn. More by Sarah Deming
Follow Sarah Deming on Twitter
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5 Ads You Should Watch Right Now – Back To School Edition
Alistair Griffiths
2016-09-02 Back to blog
The summer is officially coming to an end, which means one thing – Back To School shopping. So, in place of our normal 5 ads to watch column, we’ve rounded some of the best and most shared Back To School ads.
The Back To School shopping season, which eMarketer defines as July and August, is expected to be worth north of $800bn in the US alone in 2016. So it’s no wonder brands are on the hunt for the perfect, shareable ad.
This special edition features ads from clothing brands and stores such as JCPenney, H&M, Old Navy and Sainsbury’s – as well as an uplifting ad from UK charity Save The Children.
So, without further ado, enjoy!
5. JCPenney – Back to School Lip Dub
This ad from department store chain JCPenney turns the iconic American school bus into a dance floor packed with some seriously talented kids. It has been shared almost 15,000 times since launch – and it’s not hard to see why. Child dance groups are an online video mainstay. The JCPenney ad is far from the first (or the last) to feature one in an ad, and kiddie troupes always dominate prime-time talent shows. The ad also gets some points for a surprising cameo from Alfonso Ribeiro, i.e. Carlton from the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Although his signature Carlton dance is sadly absent.
4. H&M – Back To School 2016 — New Autumn Collection
Like JCPenney’s spot, H&M’s new ad also features some impressively talented kids and great choreography. The spot has personality in spades, and features lip-syncing and the most family-friendly rap song we’ve heard in quite some time. The star of this ad is definitely the small girl acting as the DJ.
3. Sainsbury’s – Back to School
This Back To School ad from Sainsbury’s has a simple but effective premise that shows off the value of the retailer’s basic range in a familiar setting. The ad’s twist comes when a disapproving older sister steps in to rearrange the inevitable fashion faux pas associated with mums dressing sons.
2. Old Navy – Back To School Starring Amy Schumer
This ad from Old Navy starring Amy Schumer plays on the idea of embarrassing parents with acute accuracy, with the comedienne playing the role of an out-of-touch aunt, complete with a palpable cringe factor. The spot succeeds thanks to Schumer’s natural comic timing and the deadpan faces of her character’s nephew and niece, with the best moment being when she forgets the girl’s name.
1. Save the Children – #ClassOf2016
Slightly different from the Back to School clothes ads on the list, this recent spot from Save The Children & Don’t Panic is a simple but effective reminder that children from all over the world have big dreams, and they all deserve a chance to reach them. The spot is essentially a slideshow of photographs, but the fact that it’s real kids elevates the work and is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
O is for Outstream
N is for News environments
Llamas, Snoop Dog and Barbados: Getting banking ads right
P is for Programmatic
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By Sara Gardner
March 14th, 2019 |
Scene + Heard
Spring tends to be a time of reflection, renewal and rediscovery.
We decided to take advantage of the sentiment and in an informal exercise, our team all took the abbreviated Myers-Briggs personality test via 16 Personalities to see where each of us lands. Interestingly, almost everybody in the office got completely different personality types!
Read on to discover more about each of us.
Margaux is an ENFJ-A Protagonist – extroverted, intuitive, feeling, judging and assertive.
I feel super inspired to be in the company of Obama (one of the celebrities with the same personality type) and while I aspire to greatness – I more so define my own greatness by the way I can help make others find their path to reach their own excellence, business goals and personal dreams – I feel more like the proverbial back-up singer.
(Image Credit: Netflix, 20 Feet from Stardom)
These are the girls I looked up to growing up with parents of the 60’s.
(Image Credit: AmeliaEarhart.com)
Maybe if they were shaken and stirred with a Florence Nightingale and Amelia Earhart you’d get me on the a much tinier scale.
Mark is an ENTP-A Debater.
Armed with a powerful intellect and vivid imagination, Debaters can overcome or outmaneuver obstacles that seem unbeatable to most. ENTPs enjoy the mental exercise found in questioning the prevailing mode of thought, making them irreplaceable in reworking existing systems or shaking things up and pushing them in clever new directions. Debater personalities love to brainstorm and think big. They only make up about three percent of the population, which is just right, as it lets them create original ideas, then step back to let more numerous and fastidious personalities handle the logistics of implementation and maintenance.
(Image Credit: Celine Dion via Giphy)
Proud to share a personality type with the incomparable Celine Dion.
(Image Credit: Justin Fischer)
I’m perpetually curious and love to dive deep into new frontiers. Here I am analyzing and extract made from my patented Echinacea GreenEnvy by Biocogent Labs.
Jamie is an INFJ Advocate.
Advocates have an inborn sense of idealism and morality, but what sets them apart is that they are not idle dreamers, but people capable of taking concrete steps to realize their goals and make a lasting positive impact. Advocates tend to see helping others as their purpose in life, but while people with this personality type can be found engaging rescue efforts and doing charity work, their real passion is to get to the heart of the issue so that people need not be rescued at all.
(Image Credit: Casper via casperdreamery.com)
Advocate personalities often need time alone to decompress. I love the way Casper brought their products to life in an innovative and interactive way and allows visitors to recharge.
(Image Credit: Bumble Bizz via Instagram @bumblebizz)
Advocates are seen as positive people who thrive in environments where they can share their creativity and insight. I love accounts like Bumble Bizz that post inspiring quotes that always encourage just that.
Sara is an ENFJ-A Protagonist.
Protagonists are genuine, caring people who talk the talk and walk the walk, and nothing makes them happier than leading the charge, uniting and motivating their team with infectious enthusiasm. I feel like the description of my personality type was pretty spot-on, particularly in regards to the intuitive and empathetic nature, and sometimes being over-analytical. Some like-minded ENFJ peers are Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and the fictional Elizabeth Bennet (from Pride & Prejudice) so I’m definitely in good company!
(Image Credit: Jen Mussari via Instagram @jenmussari)
“Go Forth” exemplifies the take-charge + get-it-done attitude that comes along with having an ENFJ personality. This definitely is a motto for me in many ways.
(Image Credit: Charles Gorry/VP via Washington Post)
Powerful female leaders throughout history are a major source of inspiration to me. I’ve been lucky enough to hear Gloria Steinem speak twice, and the way she’s able to rally and unite through her words and actions is something that I aspire to do, and definitely speaks to the altruistic influence that ENFJ’s have. (From left: Gloria Steinem, Rep. Bella Abzug (D-NY), Rep. Shirley Chisholm (D-NY) and Betty Friedan.)
Alexis is an ENFP Campaigner.
The Campaigner personality is a true free spirit. They are often the life of the party, but Campaigners are less interested in the sheer excitement and pleasure of the moment than they are in enjoying the social and emotional connections they make with others. Charming, independent, energetic and compassionate, the 7% of the population that they comprise can certainly be felt in any crowd.
Completely accurate – I live my life through imagination and humor. #jokes
(Image Credit: Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka via geektyrant.com)
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Aneesha is an ISFJ Defender.
The ISFJ personality type is quite unique, as many of their qualities defy the definition of their individual traits. Though possessing the Feeling (F) trait, ISFJs have excellent analytical abilities; though Introverted (I), they have well-developed people skills and robust social relationships; and though they are a Judging (J) type, ISFJs are often receptive to change and new ideas. As with so many things, people with the ISFJ personality type are more than the sum of their parts, and it is the way they use these strengths that defines who they are.
ISFJs are true altruists, meeting kindness with kindness-in-excess and engaging the work and people they believe in with enthusiasm and generosity.
I definitely think this personality type describes me – I feel like I’m a mix of everything.
(Illustration Credit: via phys.org)
I find this photo inspirational because it makes me think about my personality and characteristics in a “big picture” way.
(Illustration Credit: Severi via WeHeartIt)
This photo inspires me because it illustrates how I often balance between my emotional side and my logical side depending on the situation.
Michelle is an ESFJ-A Consul.
Encourage, lift and strengthen one another. For the positive energy spread to one will be felt by us all. – Deborah Day
People who share the Consul personality type are, for lack of a better word, popular – which makes sense, given that it is also a very common personality type, making up twelve percent of the population. In high school, Consuls are the cheerleaders and the quarterbacks, setting the tone, taking the spotlight and leading their teams forward to victory and fame. Later in life, Consuls continue to enjoy supporting their friends and loved ones, organizing social gatherings and doing their best to make sure everyone is happy.
I wouldn’t necessarily characterize myself as a cheerleader, but I do love to throw a party – themes and costumes are a must, of course. Halloween is my holy day.
(Image Credit: Bradley Theodore, “Anna and Karl”)
(Image Credit: Bradley Theodore, “Kate in NYC”)
Sonia is an ESTP-A Explorer.
Explorers possess a self-reliant mix of enthusiasm, quick thinking, and ingenuity that can lead to impressive personal and professional accomplishments. Comfortable with uncertainty and minimally concerned with preparation, these personality types simply adapt and overcome as events present themselves. Explorers’ flexibility helps them make snap decisions in the moment, and they’re unlikely to dwell on the future or the past. They aren’t obsessed with precise detail (unless they’re really in the zone, in which case they can muster a level of precision and focus that would make a seasoned engineer blush).
(Image Credit: Feel Mystic via Flickr)
Opals: Complex, mysterious, subtle, delicate yet resilient. A gem that surprises and delights at every glance.
(Image Credit: quib “Exorcize” print via Society6)
Minimal artists create linear drawings that contain just one singular line. I draw inspiration from these drawings as they symbolize a nonlinear journey that takes unexpected twists and turns, yet in the end, the final result can be beautiful even if you didn’t think your journey or “line” would take you there.
Myung is an INFP Mediator.
Mediator INFP personalities are true idealists, always looking for the hint of good in even the worst of people and events, searching for ways to make things better. While they may be perceived as calm, reserved, or even shy, Mediator INFPs have an inner flame and passion that can truly shine. Comprising just 4% of the population, the risk of feeling misunderstood is unfortunately high for the Mediator INFP personality type – but when they find like-minded people to spend their time with, the harmony they feel will be a fountain of joy and inspiration.
Mediators you may know are William Shakespeare, Björk, and J.R.R. Tolkien.
(Image Credit: Mariano Peccinetti via Flickr)
Collages are always interesting to me because it really brings my imagination to fly. It makes me look at everyday objects in a different perspective. According to the test, I’m intuitive and focuses on hidden meanings, open-minded and curious which I think coincides perfectly with why I enjoy collages.
Also, particularly these two collages spoke strongly about my trait of enjoying solitude, seeking harmony, compassion and bringing optimism and resilient attitude in hardships.
Gavin is an ITSJ Logistician.
My observation is that whenever one person is found adequate to the discharge of a duty… it is worse executed by two persons, and scarcely done at all if three or more are employed therein. – George Washington
The Logistician personality type is thought to be the most abundant, making up around 13% of the population. Their defining characteristics of integrity, practical logic and tireless dedication to duty make Logisticians a vital core to many families, as well as organizations that uphold traditions, rules and standards, such as law offices, regulatory bodies and military. People with the Logistician personality type enjoy taking responsibility for their actions, and take pride in the work they do – when working towards a goal, Logisticians hold back none of their time and energy completing each relevant task with accuracy and patience.
I should have joined the military!
(Image Credit: Gavin Strumpman)
The lake in Prospect Park is where I go to get recharged and take a breath.
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You Snooze You Lose: Wake Up With A Stranger On Wakie App
Sim Yan Ting
Hate getting up in the morning? So do over 1.5 million others.
The founders of the Wakie app hear you, and they’re here to make morning calls social.
Wakie touts itself as a “social alarm clock” with an international community of users who wake each other up in the morning. The idea is to get a stranger to wake you up. With each alarm set, a Wakie user will be randomly chosen from anywhere in the world, and only has up to one minute to wake you up before the call disconnects. You may also choose to return the favour by waking someone else up yourself.
The app made its debut on Windows Phones and Android earlier this year, but has finally arrived on iOS today.
Image Credit: Wakie
“A lot of people keep snoozing alarm clocks and still can’t wake up,” Wakie co-founder and CEO Hrachik Adjamian said to TechCrunch. “Our research shows that a 1 minute talk to a stranger wakes your brain up with a 99 per cent guarantee. When someone asks you questions in the morning your brain has to wake up to answer. Also you try to be kind, you try to turn on your social pattern of behaviour. After the call you can’t sleep anymore even if you had a short sleep.”
Wakie is fully available in US, UK, Ireland, Canada, Singapore and Hong Kong. In all other countries, users can wake someone up, but not set alarms for the time being.
The Wakie Experience
Seeing the potential of the app for workaholics like us, we took Wakie out for a spin.
Those who would like to be woken up are aptly dubbed Sleepyheads; while early birds who would like to spread some morning cheer are dubbed Wakies.
We first tried out being a Sleepyhead.
The call came through two minutes before the designated time we set on the alarm clock. The Caller’s ID displayed a Canadian number.
“Mornin’,” said a muffled but cheerful male voice with a strong Irish accent, “it’s time to wake up.”
45 seconds of small talk later, we wished each other a good day and hung up. I found out that he was Irish and trying out the app for the first time. The rest of the conversation was obliterated by both the poor call quality and an inability to decipher his strong accent (and vice versa, probably).
That wasn’t too bad.
Rise and Shine, These Gadgets Work Better Than Standard Alarm Clocks!
Image Credit: photosof.org
We were curious about the Canadian number though, since Wakie promised full anonymity of the calls. The number remained the same even after multiple rounds of testing the app as a Sleepyhead, and we concluded that it probably is a generic number through which Wakie sends out the calls, but not the actual phone number of the callers.
What we didn’t quite like though is that normal carrier charges still apply for incoming calls, especially since the calls were international calls, waking up each morning might become a rather expensive affair. It would help if the app stuck to Internet calls or allowed us to choose the country of origin of the callers, so that cost would not be a deterrent to the app usage.
Making wake up calls however appears to be free of charge.
For the times we got through as Wakies, it was very much a thankless job.
“Good morning!” I said.
“Hmph…(grunts),” said the male voice on the other end. “Okay…” The line went dead.
Other calls were directed to voicemail. Just my luck.
Image Credit: yeahgoodtimes.blogspot.sg
A scroll through the app’s comments section reveals that others had far more positive experiences of connecting with strangers through the app, some even trying to get in touch with their minute-long mates.
The Wakie app is currently provided free of charge, but according to TechCrunch, a paid-for “Premium” version is in the pipeline that will extend each wake up call to 5 minutes, and allow you to specify the gender of the person you are connected to and see their profile after the call, depending on the privacy settings.
And yes, in case you were wondering, the app also tries to match you with someone of the opposite gender. “It just makes you become nicer,” said Adjamian.
Wakie, we see what you did there.
10 Best Apps That You Could Rely On (And Make You Lazy)
Tags: alarmalarm clockappappssocialwakiewaking up
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June 5, 2019 / 4:32 PM / a month ago
REFILE-Huawei cuts orders to key suppliers after U.S. blacklisting -Nikkei
(Corrects to fix typo in third paragraph)
June 5 (Reuters) - China’s Huawei Technologies Co Ltd has cut or canceled orders to major suppliers for components that go into its smartphones and telecom equipment following its U.S. blacklisting, the Nikkei reported on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC) confirmed that orders from Huawei have declined after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a ban on the Chinese firm on national security grounds, according to the report here
Huawei has also downgraded its forecast for total smartphone shipments in the second half of 2019 by “about 20% to 30%” from the previous estimate, the Nikkei reported.
Both, Huawei and TSMC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reporting by Akanksha Rana in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D’Silva)
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« nazi home furnishings, fuck off!
grotesque; the necessary horror movie »
the unnecessary horror movie
Torture porn has many detractors. I am not one of them. They are the extreme descendants of 80s grindhouse/slasher flicks. Nude, crude & blood soaked. Having said that, the ‘torture porn motif’ has been around since at least the 70s; I Spit On Your Grave, anyone?
They are by no means cinematic gold, but they’re watchable. Done well, they’re truly unsettling – though I’m of the opinion that when they become structured & plot-orientated they aren’t so much torture porn but a different kind of extreme horror. Martyrs & Inside (& much recent French horror, although I wasn’t too keen on Frontiere(s)) fall into this category. They are unsettling, ooze torture porn themes, but are actually good (subjectively) cinema.
Last night I decided to watch one particular movie that had been raved about. Eden Lake. It had been raved about by articles, it had been raved about by petite pink-clad girls who are still scared by the opening sequence of Nightmare Before Christmas, it had been raved about by teenage horror addicts. & the question I found myself asking whilst the movie flickered dimly on my computer screen last night was ‘why?’.
Eden Lake, I’m afraid to say, was not a good horror movie. I’m not even sure it can be called ‘horror’. Some of it was horrific, certainly. But to include it in the grand pantheon of titles – Rosemary’s Baby, Wicker Man, the …of the Dead series, Halloween, Psycho, Ring, The Shining, Alien, Audition, Tokyo Gore Police, Cannibal Holocaust, Braindead, & on & on & on – just seems inappropriate. It seemed unnecessary. Even Hostel didn’t feel unnecessary.
Eden Lake tried to be several altogether entirely noble (in a cinematic respect) things at once. It wanted to be a psychological thriller – the dementia displayed by the lead antagonist could really have been something, were he not just blindly violent & general gobby little twat. It could have made some wishywashy social commentary with the happy-slapping style phone camera recording their crimes. But it didn’t. The girl with the phone ran away, in some kind of mute protest, before being run down by the car – incidentally, the moral message of the movie is: if you have a conscience you’ll probably die, if you’re a mean fuck you’ll kill all the nice, well-to-do ladies & gentlemen & get away with it because all your friends are also all complete psychos or conscientious people who’ll die soon anyway. It could have been a lost-in-the-woods horror. It’s been done to death, but there’s always potential for putting a new twist in the old dog. It could have been torture porn – no problems with that, it would have just been as dull as the Hostel series.
The attempt at, or the perceived attempt at, realism was just a bit too distracting. It kept rubbing itself in my tired face like an absurd rag. Okay, so there are some troublesome kids in England. Rather blatantly the stereotypical troublemakers are quite clearly ‘chavs’, or ‘pikeys’, in that time honoured way of generalising a demographic, labelling it, & blaming it for all society’s ills. But, Jesus Christ, they don’t burn people alive! Literally living, alive, breathing people. This is what spoilt the horror & torture porn. Zombies aren’t magical, they have potential realism, but they never will be real! There’s never going to be a hotel in deepest, darkest Europe that lets you murder nubile girls! There’s never going to be a sect that tries to push people to the utter extremities of pain so they can see into the ‘other side’! Torture porn is just as implausible as other horror sub-genres. Yes, Eden Lake was implausible, but I got the feeling it was pretending not to be. & not in a ‘oh no, the zombies are coming, the zombies are coming!’ sort of way, in a ‘oh look at our clever social commentary, aren’t the youth just ghastly’ sort of way.
Ohh, & didn’t that ending just rile you something rotten? She may have been dazed from serious blood loss & a great gaping hole in her foot, but she knew that house, she knew at least one of the kids (& thus their equally unstable parents) lived there. & the adults – the grown up folk we trust with running our tiny little lives – were just pathetic. Angry, angry people. Irrational & incapable of reasoning with this woman. & it didn’t help she’d irrationally killed two of their kids either. But they believed the ‘sick’ things the lead antagonist said of the two middle-class campers so unbearably willingly you just wanted to vomit their stinking senselessness back into their inexplicably hateful faces. It makes you angry. The desired effect, I imagine. But an intentional effect accidentally accomplished, I also imagine.
Besides, you’re in a fucking town! GO NEXT DOOR! It’s not Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It’s not Cabin Fever. It’s not even Wrong Turn. It’s a fucking business-orientated development park in the middle of a fucking town! You’d think there’d be a fairly intelligent, reasonable business-man somewhere nearby, or it wouldn’t be worth building the park, would it? But no. Everyone staggers around in an almost visible cloud of anger like monstrous inbreds better suited to a backwoods cannibal flick than a movie set in a fucking ENGLISH TOWN IN ENGLAND IN A TOWN, A TOWN! But plot holes aside for now, since most movies have them anyway.
There was perhaps only one sympathetic youth. Even the reserved bullied kid is a total dick in the end – although, he is somewhat unfairly done-in near the end. This reflects badly on our youth. Obviously all horror reflects badly on those it’s vilifying, but these kids were not anomalous kids, they were the standard bearing representatives. That is, they were the only kids portrayed. Yes, they were the product of equally odious families, so again – all the adults become evil. So our conclusion? They Daily-Mail-satisfying reaction of ‘TEENAGERS; BURNING THE MIDDLE CLASSES ALIVE”. It just isn’t.
Frankly, if I were a teenager, I’d be thoroughly offended at how my generation is being portrayed. In fact, I’m considering returning to teenage-hood for a few days just to wallow in indignation a little longer.
I’m sorry this blog has lacked the relative elegant loquaciousness of former entries, that it wasn’t doused in the pleasant waters of rhetoric, smeared in the comforting goo of verbosity. I had to take a break from that to relay this tedious dribble of opinion.
Expect a return to pompous oratory soon enough.
Today, your post-script comes courtesy of paragraph four. You’ll notice I ranked Tokyo Gore Police & Cannibal Holocaust alongside classic horror. I felt I should note that I too noticed the absurdity of that. But feel no need to justify it, so there, I’m afraid, my post-script ends.
Tags: Daily-Mail-isms, gore, horror
This entry was posted on September 8, 2009 at 00:31 and is filed under blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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Spider Riding Shotgun Causes New York Woman to Crash Her Car
posted by R.J. Johnson - @rickerthewriter - Apr 12, 2019
It's one case of distracted driving that every arachnophobe in the world will be able to relate to. A woman in upstate New York was minding her own business driving through Cairo, New York when she noticed a spider in the "driver's area" of her car and crashed, sustaining injuries, the Cairo Police Department said on its Facebook page.
The driver was reportedly driving down Silver Spur Road in Cairo when she "panicked" after seeing the spider. During the crash, the woman injured her leg and was taken to the hospital.
"We know that it is easier for some drivers than others but PLEASE, try to teach new drivers and yourselves to overcome the fear and pull over to a safe place," the department wrote in its post. "Lives depend on it."
Police thanked Cairo's fire department, ambulance service and the County Medics and Greene County Sheriffs.
Photo: Cairo Police Department
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Hit the road Duncan! Eurovision 2019 winner adds more tour dates, as Madonna praises “Arcade”
North to south, east to the west, the “Arcade” hitmaker is killing it.
And now Duncan Laurence has added yet more dates to his already expansive European tour.
As well as bringing the total number of shows to 30, Duncan has also sold out twelve Dutch shows.
The tour has been a runaway (hey Sahlene!) success, with the London date changing to a larger venue to accommodate demand. The new London venue — The Garage — is almost double the size of the previous venue.
The expansion of the tour includes Duncan’s first dates in Italy and Poland, and two shows in Spain. He’s also not just selling out shows in his homeland either. Dates in neighbouring Belgium and Germany have also sold out.
Will you be there?? #newtourdates pic.twitter.com/GdB5gSxyIX
— dunclaurence (@dunclaurence) June 18, 2019
The success of this tour mirrors previous tours by winners including Salvador Sobral and Måns Zelmerlöw. However, the scale is impressive, considering less is known about Duncan’s music to come.
Fans in Tel Aviv were lucky enough to preview some of Duncan’s new material at an intimate showcase.
Don’t ever worry about tomorrow just keep dancing in the rain. Wise words from @dunclaurence at his showcase in Tel Aviv ahead of #Eurovision 2019 pic.twitter.com/9ydIBQ3u8a
— wiwibloggs (@wiwibloggs) May 13, 2019
Iconic approval
She released her fourteenth album Madame X last week. And on the promo trail in The Netherlands, Madonna took time to speak about Eurovision and Duncan too.
Firstly she was asked about her now-infamous performance at the Eurovision grand final, both for quality and political content. Madonna was pleased with her show, saying:
I was very happy with it. I did exactly what I had planned to do, I gave exactly the show that I wanted to give, and I am very proud of the message that I have conveyed. Namely, that of peace between the Palestinians and Israel. That was what I had come for.
Madonna was then asked if she knew who won, and if she’d heard the song. She said she knew “the Dutch dude” won, and she’d seen him perform. She went on to say Duncan had a good voice, and that she liked the song. Well, if you want anyone to like your song, Madonna is not a bad place to start!
She ended the interview with small talk, asking where the interviewer thought it would be (Amsterdam or Rotterdam in this case). When asked if she wants to go again, she gave a big smile and said she’d skip it, ending with a joke about not wanting to cause trouble in The Netherlands. Pesky, much? Of course she wasn’t the only one to cause trouble, with Hatari unfurling Palestinian banners during the results.
Team Wiwi will be heading down to some of Duncan’s shows. Will we see you there? Where are you going, and are you full fangirling and going to more than one? Let us know in the comments below.
You can find us on Twitter HERE, and catch up on the latest news and reviews on YouTube HERE.
GET MORE NETHERLANDS NEWS HERE
Lucy Percy
Australia: Jessica Mauboy drops new single “Little Things”…and announces new upcoming album “Hilda”
“They burn us alive” — Georgia’s Nina Sublatti says “Warrior” rails against Russian “occupation of my beautiful country”
byDavid Smith
JochCool
I’m going to Duncan’s show in Amsterdam on July 5, so happy that I could get the tickets before it sold out!
I’m going to Duncan’s show in Amsterdam on July 5, so happy I was able to buy the tickets before it sold out!
Ryan Van Deren
If Eurovision 2020 is going to be held in Rotterdam, I will be sure it will be the most spectacular, sustainable & modern show in decades!!
Madonna: “Dutch dude has a very good voice and I am very happy that I don’t”
That’s the title I would pick for this article.
This ist only bizarre…
I would say Madonna’s performance wasn’t a success, because people were so focused on the bad vocals that they didn’t even notice the flags. I didn’t.
I definitely didn’t see them watching live, and out view was decent. All I could think about was how depressingly bad it all was:
Henrikh Mugosa
No one did either @ my Europarty.
Kentlevie
Where can I find the interview with madonna? 🙂
You can find it here (it’s in Dutch though, so you might want to have google translate at hand :-)): https://www.ad.nl/show/madonna-je-mag-blijkbaar-geen-lol-meer-hebben-na-je-60ste~ae7b0575/
Hope it helps. 🙂
Madonna Voice Fan
https://youtu.be/WvnODQWPv8c
There u got it honey <3
This video contains content from RTL Netherlands, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds.”
WTF. I am in the Netherlands.
Eurovision wasn’t mentioned on her UK promo tours, I wonder in the interviewers were briefed beforehand not to mention it following her performance?
I wonder if the guy who paid her 1,3 millions, knew that she wanted to show the P flag. I agree with her message of peace, but I wonder if that guy regrets now.
And btw, what about Iceland? Has EBU said something about their banners?
Azaad
I’m guessing ultimately RÚV won’t face a major sanction given that Iveta waved a Nargono Karabkh flag in 2016 (which would have been more shocking given that Sweden has nothing to do with that conflict) and Armenia got to participate on normal terms in 2017- maybe a minor sum and a warning but if KAN doesn’t complain about Madonna then the EBU can’t be too punitive towards Hatari and RÚV, especially when they represent the views of many Icelanders.
they knew that she was gonna do it…that guy, KAN, the hosts…
No. They didn’t knew.. She did the rehearsals without the flags
she said she was going to do something very “political and controversial”, that’s why it took some time till they confirm her as an interval act. What were they thinking then? That she would aks if Crimea is Ukraine??
Eleni Queen
We will never know, but first I’ve heard that political message was about T r u m p. So it’s possible that she fooled the host.
Roy Moreno
As far as I remember, he was interviews on Israeli news (I’m Israeli) and he said he doesn’t regret and that it was also a surprise for him albeit I’m not quite sure how accurate my memory about it really is
Looks like she had fun, even though her segment mde the show longer than it should. Good for her.
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Two killed in Utqiagvik’s first fatal whaling accident in nearly 20 years
Author: Zaz Hollander
A whaling captain and a crew member from Utqiagvik died Sunday as they towed a whale back from a hunt, according to local media reports.
The names of the dead were not officially released Monday.
A spokesman for the North Slope Borough released a statement saying no additional information would be available "until all the facts are gathered and all family members have been notified."
The Arctic Sounder newspaper reported Monday that the accident occurred when the men's boat flipped in rough water as the crew towed a whale to shore.
Others whalers in the area said about a dozen other boats rushed to help, the paper reported. They pulled a few of the capsized crew members to safety, but couldn't get the two men out of the water in time.
The accident has devastated Utqiagvik and its tight-knit whaling community in the midst of the fall whaling season that just started.
Social media messages Sunday and Monday morning expressed grief, prayers and condolences to the families of both whalers as well as sharing fond memories of their legacies.
The deaths mark the first fatal whaling incident in almost 20 years, according to North Slope Borough spokesman D.J. Fauske.
North Slope Borough Mayor Harry K. Brower Jr. — himself a member of a prominent whaling family — issued a statement Monday afternoon asking the media to respect the wishes of the whaling community and Whaling Captains of Utqiagvik in not releasing more information.
"I hope you understand this as we all know tragedy and sacrifice have no boundaries, and people shouldn't die doing what they love out on the sea but try and take comfort in knowing, to some, it's a peaceful blessing or perhaps homecoming," Brower said. "Rest in peace and God bless the North Slope and the families involved in this tragedy."
Zaz Hollander
Veteran ADN reporter Zaz Hollander is based in Wasilla and covers the Mat-Su region and breaking news.
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Claysville School celebrated 90 years of existence on April 27. The last remaining grades in the school were transferred to DAR last week. It will now only house 5 pre-K classes and the Alternative School.
Photo By Sherry Mayberry
County School Bd. –
County School Bd. – Grades moved from Claysville to DAR
They’re not calling it a school closing, but regular classes will no longer meet in Claysville School, which celebrated its 90th anniversary earlier this year.
The County School Board met in a special session Wednesday afternoon and voted to move grades K-4 from Claysville to DAR. County school superintendent Cindy Wigley said Claysville will now be home to 5 pre-K classes and the county school system’s alternative school.
The student population at Claysville School had been dwindling for years. The school once went through 9th grade. The middle school grades were moved to DAR years ago and only the elementary grades remained.
There was only one classroom per grade the last few years. One classroom only had 7 or 8 students this past school year.
Last month, Claysville principal Tenna Anderton was transferred to DAR Elementary to take the place of retiring principal Keith Buchanan. That was the first step in moving the Claysville grades.
Wigley said they’ve been looking for ways to trim costs around the county school district and moving the Claysville grades was part of that effort.
Wigley issued this statement concerning the grades being moved from Claysville School:
"At Claysville, due to continued falling enrollment, the decision has been made to move grades K-4 to DAR Elementary. Student enrollment does not provide enough state earned teacher units and our budget does not allow for locally funded units.
"In an effort to ease the transition for our Claysville students and families, an open house and tour of DAR Elementary is scheduled specifically for them on July 30.
"In addition, the Claysville principal, Dr. Anderton, and teachers from Claysville will join the staff at DAR Elementary. Each family and staff member received a personal phone call last week and overall, everyone has been very supportive and excited about the transition.
"We are excited about building our preschool programs at Claysville. We will be adding one this year, making a total of five on the campus. A-school, and the Home Visitation program will also remain on the campus.
"Our focus will be to continue providing the best educational opportunities for our students."
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1339 Pearl St, Napa, CA 94559, USA
| +1 707-294-2049
Photo by Rachel Weill, AFAR Media
Tue - Sun 6pm - 9pm
When Japanese video game magnate Kenzo Tsujimoto founded Kenzo Estate winery on Mount George, high above the Napa Valley, he dreamed of eventually opening a restaurant that would serve authentic kaiseki, or multi-course, prix fixe dinners. That dream became reality in late 2016 when the upscale Kenzo Napa opened on Pearl Street in downtown Napa. Today, with a fresh Michelin star under their belts, the culinary team crafts a new menu every other month, importing fish, seaweed, and other ingredients from Japan to make the experience feel as it might in Hokkaido. Flavors are simple and refined—dashi broth tastes like the sea itself, Wagyu beef is as smooth as sashimi. One of the highlights of every menu is the seasonal hassun, which consists of small bites that contrast fish and beef. Another is the sushi course, which differs with every meal. Dessert comes in a trio, often featuring flavors such as matcha, adzuki beans, and candied nuts. All of the dishes are served on custom-fired, hand-painted ceramics from Japan, making every course a work of art. Pairings with Kenzo wines are available and can include sake courses, as well. The atmosphere is intimate in the 25-seat dining room. You might even spot Tsujimoto himself; he and his wife dine at the restaurant at least once a month.
By Matt Villano , AFAR Local Expert
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Ghana's president asks police to drop case against man arrested for 'insulting' him
Ismail Akwei
Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo has called on the police to drop an “incitement” case against man arrested for sharing an audio on social media accusing him of being a marijuana smoker.
The popular opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) party member Frank Kwaku Appiah was arrested on Tuesday in the Ashanti Region and transferred to the police headquarters in the capital Accra for intent to “cause fear and panic” with the publication on Facebook, his lawyer explained to local media.
“Initially, the police were reminded to bring the issue of insulting the president. But as you are aware, post-2001 that law was repealed … for now there’s no such thing in our statute books,” his lawyer Godwin Tamakloe told local media portal GhanaWeb.
“The President’s attention has been drawn to the arrest of one Mr. Frank Kwaku Appiah, popularly called Appiah Stadium for spreading lies about him (the President). H.E. Nana Akufo-Addo wishes to state that he is not interested in pursuing the matter,” the presidency said on Wednesday.
The President has informed the Police administration that he is not interested in the matter and has asked them to be accordingly advised.
“The President is therefore, convinced that right thinking Ghanaians recognise that Appiah Stadium is merely reciting from an NDC propaganda book, which has since been discredited.
“The President has informed the Police administration that he is not interested in the matter and has asked them to be accordingly advised,” a statement released by spokesperson Mustapha Hamid said.
Frank Kwaku Appiah was granted bail on Tuesday and returned to the police headquarters on Wednesday morning as part of the bail condition before the case was finally dropped, his lawyer said.
Many Ghanaians have condemned the action of the opposition party member while condemning his arrest arguing that it was not necessary because it was not an offence per the law and he had apologized.
Presidents in Ghana since the early 2000s have been subjected to insults by opposition members in the media due to the country’s laws that ultimately respects the concept of freedom of speech.
The National Media Commission is mandated to take action against media houses and individuals who commit slander or libel.
Culture for global development [The Morning Call]
Promoting African excellence and culture for global economic development
Nana Akufo Addo
Ghana - Ivory Coast lift ban on cocoa sales
Uganda police arrest ex-journalist for calling Museveni 'a liar, gambler and thief'
BUSINESS AFRICA
Ghana, Ivory Coast cocoa floor price [Business Africa]
Ivory Coast, Ghana step up efforts to reform cocoa industry, set $400 premium
THIS IS CULTURE
South Africa adds Ghana, Sao Tome to visa-free countries list
A look at the AFCON 2019 quarter-finals
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All That's Good in Time
Author: Ben Keeshin
FASHION/STYLE/WATCHES
The Witty, Wild World of Gucci Watches Online
by Ben Keeshin
Gucci hasn’t broken the internet, but it has cracked Instagram. And we can’t get enough.
Photographs by Martin Paar
For its new Instagram campaign, Gucci commissioned British photographer Martin Parr to capture its new watches at nine so-called Gucci Places—sites of brand inspiration, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Maison Assouline in London, and Gucci’s own Florentine garden. As with all of Parr’s work, the photos are hyper-saturated, acerbic, precisely observed. It’s the only luxury watch campaign this year co-starring a stale croissant, a pigeon’s gnarled claw, and a few spots of a tourist’s acne. #TimeToParr is as visually successful as it is ambitious. Which is saying something.
ITALY. Gucci. Time to Parr. 2018.
The collaboration between Gucci, a brand that’s as Italian as bus strike, and Martin Parr, documentarian of British kitsch and quirk, was not self-evident. It owes its existence to one Roman Anglophile: Alessandro Michele, the visionary, maximally-coiffed creative director of Gucci.
Michele’s love of the British is foundational. His very first collections featured models that looked as if they were honey-dipped then dragged through the Elizabethan, Victorian and Edwardian eras; above the shoulders alone, accessories included ruffled collars, slips of tartan and silk scarves knotted under the neck, a look recognizable to viewers of The Crown. Another dream, realized in 2016, was a Gucci show staged at Westminster Abbey, the sight of all English coronations since William the Conqueror’s ascent in 1066. Cool, Britannia.
Now we have these Martin Parr pictures, which—not to put too fine a point on it—are about perfect. Timely, technicolor, absurd and charming. From the company that sells four-figure jackets embroidered with the Yankees logo, commissioning the former president of the Magnum photography collective to shoot an Instagram campaign makes a perverse kind of sense. It’s the full glory of high-low.
But there are many British photographers. What bound Michele’s cavalcade of prints, ruffles and horse-bit everything specifically to Martin Parr is a two-part epoxy: one part robust Anglophilia, one part dense, referential, mordant wit. Parr’s work is most often described as anthropological and satirical. What are Michele’s silhouettes, pulled from Renaissance paintings, if not anthropology? What is an interlocked-G Gucci logo the size of a focaccia if not satire?
Rather than flying in a phalanx of models, Parr cast subjects via their proximity to Gucci’s chosen locales and, in the case of one Chatsworth House groundskeeper, for the proximity of the green of his jacket to Gucci’s own trademarked hue. The man, gray and gentle, sweeps the pavement. Peeking from beneath the sleeve of his fleece: a 38mm G-Timeless, its band a perfect match to the worn broom handle.
GB. England. Gucci. Time to Parr. 2018.
Another photo from Chatsworth is a portrait-of-a-portrait: two teens taking a selfie. They’re demure and apple-cheeked. The boy’s phone case, garish and worn, would give most art directors an aneurysm. But follow his hand down to the wrist and you see the juxtaposition: cheap plastic foregrounding Gucci’s Eryx G-Timeless, sitting as serene and golden as a sphinx.
Across the Atlantic, a different shot shows a woman head to toe in pink: clothes, nails, eyeglasses, jewelry, hairdo, notably taut face. Whatever she’s regarding is out of frame, but it could be one of LACMA’s Rodins—her hand clasps her chin in homage to the sculptor’s “The Thinker.” The watch, Gucci’s Le Marché Des Merveilles, is appropriately Pepto-Bismol, plus serpents, studs, and shoe-leather from one of Shirley Temple’s old Mary Janes.
HONG KONG. TOKYO. LA. NYC. Gucci. Time to Parr. 2018.
Was commissioning Martin Parr, famed for biting meta-portraits of the leisure class, to photograph luxury goods a wise idea? Can such a surfeit of irony—Gucci’s current retro-indulgence plus Parr’s wicked perspective plus The Internet—trick the laws of metaphysics, piercing through layer after layer of critique, parody and burlesque, and end up engendering the glamour that makes a buyer point to a bauble, and say, Mine?
And so one might wonder: Is this #TimetoParr campaign the best Anglo-Italian collaboration since Spaghetti Westerns?
Indeed, we say. Decisamente, si.
ART/PROFILES/STORIES
Do you know the name of the last man on the moon?
The painter Michael Kagan does. This April, sitting in an a Williamsburg studio built one brackish spray away from the East River, he spoke about portraying men on the edge of other boundaries.
“Eugene Cernan knew he was going to be the last. He was up there, looking at earth—not religious at all—he said it didn’t really hit him. ‘There’s earth.’ And then he turns around and looks at the blackness of outer space. That was it. The profound thing was seeing nothing.”
Seeing nothing is an odd aspiration for a visual artist, especially one like Kagan, whose large-format oil paintings are predominately figurative, and often include real figures. His main preoccupation, and most fruitful artistic ground, is men like Cernan—the astronauts who flew during the height of the Cold War in the 1960s and 1970s. Rendered in oil, his portraits combine the slickness and formal strength of their source material: old NASA publicity photos, with a bright palette of black, white, and only a couple of dabs of color. As seen most often, condensed into a square on Instagram—Kagan has more than 19,000 followers—the paintings are entirely sensible and compact, taking no more than the duration of a swipe to comprehend.
“Those Who Came Before Us” 2018. Oil on linen. 96″ x 72″.
As Kagan says, “It’s like—boom, astronaut.”
That consumable nature, a stylish repurposing of midcentury propaganda, caught the eye of Pharrell Williams—himself a man who makes serious coin tweaking material from the Space Age. (Williams’s 2014 smash “Happy” is both wholly his own work and a retread, in vocal style and sonic exuberance, of Curtis Mayfield’s 1970 hit “Move On Up.”) In 2012, having seen a profile of Kagan’s work, Pharrell purchased the rights to three paintings. A year later, they appeared on pieces from his streetwear line, Billionaire Boys Club. Half a decade on, they still trade above retail.
All of which is to say that Kagan’s paintings work great in miniature. On a screen, on a card, printed on T-shirts, the spacemen appear antiseptic and tight, with a geometry befitting the era of rocket science. This, the “seeing something” version, works very well.
“Moonwalk” 2018. Oil on linen. 36″ x 36″.
But sitting in the artist’s studio, an arm’s length from some canvases, you see how Cernan’s appraisal of oblivion, or at least of an indiscernible world, appears in Kagan’s work alongside all this order and shapeliness.
Take “Mercury 7,” an 8-by-8-foot canvas painted from a pre-flight still taken of the Mercury Seven, the name NASA gave its first class of astronauts. Initially, it seems quite heroic.
“These guys were the ultimate rock stars,” he says of Buzz Aldrin, Leland Melvin, John Glenn, and the others in NASA’s pioneering space programs. “People would clap when they walked into restaurants. They had huge parades down Fifth Avenue in New York. Everyone was behind it in a positive way.”
In the painting, the seven men are posed indoors, but washed, somehow, in the harsh, high-contrast light of the sun unfiltered by the atmosphere. With their visors up, you see that the figures are clean-cut pilots, handsome instruments against Communism. Their transgressions—boozing, speeding, and sexual opportunism—quashed by NASA’s press office, scrubbed from the official portraiture.
Yet, in person, you realize that the smooth convexity of those NASA helmets is rendered by Kagan in topographic daubs of oil paint, used as if its didn’t cost $200 a tube, applied with a squeegee as often as with a brush. The forms waver; the balance shifts. The strokes are dispersed, disordered.
“We Have Felt the Ground Shake” at Bill Brady Gallery.
It’s a small violence: To approach a Michael Kagan painting is to watch the pristine whites of a space suit disintegrate.
Kagan likes that conceptual wiggle—from seeing something, to nothing, and back again.
“Some people say I should take a side photo of my paintings with a raking light, but I don’t want to,” he says. “I like that it tightens up in the small Instagram format, but up close, it falls apart.”
It’s the touch of vertigo that swells between “something” and “nothing” that makes Kagan’s work about more than rockets and space. Where Eugene Cernan had an encounter with the void, we, the earthbound, have the opportunity to encounter art, in hopes of forcing a perspectival shift—to see our institutions as edificial and then, in three steps, dissolve into artifice.
The first watch on the moon? Not exactly. Kagan wears an unexpected yet sentimental Seamaster from Omega. (Photo: Christopher Garcia Valle)
“When you’re in space, you don’t see borders. You just see the globe. Everyone comes back and they question why there’s so much fighting and political strife. One of [the astronaut] goals was to see in the future if space travel could be a normal thing—could we take a bunch of politicians up? Could we take people up and see what good could come from that perspective and new way of thinking?” Kagan says.
From space, through a reinforced window that shares Instagram’s aspect ratio, the world is tidy, creamy, and perfect. Only on the ground, after the Command Module has plopped into the sea, do all the jagged divides make themselves visible, and the sense of unity collapse.
PROFILES/STYLE
Posted on May 14, 2018 June 7, 2018
The Creative Godhead Behind Hollywood’s Must-Have Apple Watch Accessory
Close to the edge of a rooftop in Tribeca, Harry Bernstein struck a pose, the late afternoon sun filtering through his luxuriant curls.
Beneath him, in stacked glass conference rooms, sat dozens of employees, unaware that their boss was ably modeling a patchwork afghan, selvedge jeans, and a pair of fresh kicks, planted mere inches from the cold, upscale nothingness of undeveloped downtown airspace.
Indigo Patchwork Wrap, Rare Weaves; Indigo Shirt Jacket, Kapital; White T-Shirt, David Michael; Jeans, Double RL; Sneakers, Yeezy; Native American Bolo, vintage; Eyeglasses, Warby Parker
Here’s what they did know: This man on the roof is an advertising godhead, the reason Boost Mobile demanded to know “Where You At?”; the reason Shaquille O’Neal played an improbable jockey for Vitamin Water; the reason kids line up for Supreme drops; and, arguably, the reason influencer marketing exists at all.
Harry “Bee” Bernstein, founder of the groundbreaking digital ad firm Annex 88 (neé, The 88) and current chief creative officer at Havas Worldwide’s flagship New York agency, radiates the excitement of someone coming off two decades of really, really good ideas.
“Let’s have a roof party and just pay the fine! We have good insurance!”
For most corporate heads with “chief” and “officer” in their titles, alfresco photoshoots come as rare as Peter Luger prime rib. But the prolific Bernstein—who does not eat meat—looks nothing like your average exec. He has called his style “streetwear clown,” but that misses the glorious high-taste-hippie of it all, as if Jerry Garcia had lived to see Adidas x Pharrell.
Despite the globally sourced wardrobe of an Afropop Worldwide listener, Bernstein counts a local upbringing—Queens, New York—as the source of his remarkable sensibility.
Apples & Bolos from Bernstein’s personal collection.
“In pre-internet life, what was cool was subculture, the underground and true rarity. Now, the market is about having what everybody else has. You used to want to remain in the subculture. Now everyone wants to be famous … [consumers] buy things because other people have it. Hypebeasts, literally, they buy things on hype.”
So when it came to his own closet, Bernstein, the master of starting and disseminating trends via social channels, wanted something different.
“I want to find a reason to find and to buy things. I had a Rolex that my dad gave me from the 1980s. It’s supreme, but it doesn’t feel like my luxury trope. Whereas what I’m wearing today, there’s a meaning, and a point, and a singularity. I’m searching for singularity, and a unique perspective on the world. That’s my job as Chief Creative Officer. So if I do what everyone else does, I’ll produce what everyone else does.”
One expression of this ethos, worn exclusively by Bernstein and a few high-echelon celebrities, are the turquoise-inlaid, metal-worked bracelet ends that he retrofits to accept an Apple Watch. These two components, from wildly different ends of the American crafts timeline, represent Bernstein’s major preoccupations: the interplay of digital and analog, the singular and the mass produced, the inert and the dazzlingly dynamic. Some of the bracelets use stylized snakes fashioned out of nails, others classic Zuni geometric patterns. Among the stones, the beveled face of a sleeping Apple Watch looks like an enormous black obsidian.
The combination is bizarre, striking, covetable. The backstory is just downright funny. It goes like this: Bernstein, on vacation in Taos, New Mexico, with his fiancée, becomes transfixed by an enormous piece of turquoise, which he promptly purchases for $5,000. It sparks an obsession. Eventually, he gets hooked up with Fish, a turquoise collector from Austin, Texas.
Native American Bolo, vintage; Indigo Patchwork Jacket and Indigo Scarf, Rare Weaves; White T-Shirt, David Michael; Eyeglasses, Warby Parker
“I went to Fish’s house and I didn’t know if I was buying speed or jewelry. There was a parrot and a guy in a La-Z-Boy. One room had flat files full of necklaces, rings. I tell him I was looking for bolos, and he takes me into the bathroom. He puts the seat down, I sit on the toilet, and there are drawers of different pieces.”
Bernstein received a crash course in the foyer. There’s little centralized information on turquoise jewelry, and widespread forgery makes expertise a necessary tool in finding the best pieces. Now, he’s deep into eBay auctions, message boards, ancient websites, hunting for quality stones and bits of history. Which is how, somewhere outside Austin city limits, 1,800 miles from Queens, our man finally found his subculture.
Back inside the Havas offices, after an impromptu piece of performance art—what does it mean to use a glass-walled office as a changing room?—Bernstein leapt barefoot onto his desk. Adorned in bangles, he struck another pose, half-yoga, half-Amy Cuddy, before settling for a Talmudic shrug.
Surveying the small group of employees below through discontinued Warby Parker frames—turquoise, of course—Bernstein murmured, “I’ve done this one before, but it works.”
Yoga Top and Native American Bolo, vintage; Printed Camouflage Silk Pants, Advisory Board Crystals; Eyeglasses, Warby Parker.
Photos by Christopher Garcia Valle. Styling by Dylan Hogelin.
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Methane mendacity – and madness
Guest Blogger / April 13, 2016
Radical green and government agitators slam methane in latest bid to terminate fossil fuel use
Methane Measurment vs. Models
Guest essay by Paul Driessen
Quick: What is 17 cents out of $100,000? If you said 0.00017 percent, you win the jackpot.
That number, by sheer coincidence, is also the percentage of methane in Earth’s atmosphere. That’s a trivial amount, you say: 1.7 parts per million. There’s three times more helium and 230 times more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. You’re absolutely right, again.
Equally relevant, only 19% of that global methane comes from oil, natural gas and coal production and use. Fully 33% comes from agriculture: 12% from rice growing and 21% from meat production. Still more comes from landfills and sewage treatment (11%) and burning wood and animal dung (8%). The remaining 29% comes from natural sources: oceans, wetlands, termites, forest fires and volcanoes.
The manmade portions are different for the USA: 39% energy use, 36% livestock, 18% landfills, and 8% sewage treatment and other sources. But it’s still a piddling contribution to a trivial amount in the air.
Of course, the Obama EPA and Climate Cataclysm Industry ignore these inconvenient facts. They insist that methane is “a far more potent greenhouse gas” than carbon dioxide, and that its emissions must be drastically reduced if we are to avoid “runaway global warming.” So EPA and other federal agencies are preparing to unleash a tsunami of new regulations to block natural gas drilling, fracking, flaring and production, while radical environmentalists orchestrate new assaults on petrochemical plants that create plastics, paints, fabrics, computer and vehicle components and countless other products for modern life.
They want us to believe that government regulators can decree Earth’s climate simply by controlling methane and carbon dioxide – regardless of what the sun, ocean circulation, recurrent planetary temperature cycles and other powerful natural forces might do. They say it’s pure coincidence that these two trace gases (CH4 and CO2) are the only climate-affecting mechanisms that are associated with the fossil fuels and industrialized economies they despise.
They also want us to believe reducing United States methane emissions will make a huge difference. But even if US manmade methane emissions are 20% of the worldwide total, the 39% US fossil fuel portion of that US portion means even totally eliminating US methane emissions would reduce global manmade methane output by a minuscule 7.8 percent. Under a best-case scenario, that might keep atmospheric methane below a still irrelevant 0.00020% (2.0 ppm; 20 cents out of $100,000) for a few more years.
This smells like fraud. And as New York AG Eric Schneiderman so kindly reminded the climate skeptics he’s threatening with RICO, “The First Amendment does not give anyone the right to commit fraud.”
Perhaps EPA plans to go after America’s agricultural sector next. After all, as former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan intoned last year, red meat is bad for us (cancer) and for the climate (animal flatulence and manure). Moreover, “insects have a very good conversion rate from feed to meat,” there are 1,900 species of edible insects on Planet Earth, and more than a billion people already make bugs part of their diet. Perhaps the IPCC and White House will serve roasted roaches at their next state dinners?
That would reduce US methane emissions a bit more. But it gets even more deceitful, more barking mad.
The un-ratified 2015 Paris climate treaty obligates the United States, Australia, Canada and Europe to continue reducing their fossil fuel use and emissions – even though they can hardly afford to kill more millions of jobs and further roll back living standards for all but their ruling elites.
Meanwhile, developing countries will not and cannot afford to lock up their fossil fuels, shut down their economic growth, and leave billions of people mired in poverty, malnutrition and disease. Indeed, under the Paris treaty, they are not required to reduce their fossil fuel use or “greenhouse gas” emissions; they need only take voluntary steps to reduce them, when it is convenient for them to do so.
That means slashing US methane (and carbon dioxide) emissions – and the jobs, living standards, health and welfare that fossil fuels bring – will have no effect whatsoever on atmospheric greenhouse gas levels.
But that is irrelevant to Mr. Obama and his EPA. The fact is, this methane mendacity and madness has nothing to do with stabilizing Earth’s climate. It has everything to do with hogtying and bankrupting US fossil fuel companies, controlling industrial activities and people’s living standards – and mandating a costly transition to renewable energy, while rewarding the hordes of scientists, activists and industrialists who benefit from the $1.5-trillion-per-year Climate Crisis, Inc. money train.
That raises a critical question: Just where and how will we produce those “eco-friendly” biofuels?
US ethanol production alone requires all the corn grown on an area the size of Iowa (36 million acres), and it makes up only 10% of the country’s E10 gasoline blends. Replacing all gasoline with ethanol from corn, sorghum or still-illusory switchgrass would therefore require ten Iowas: 360 million acres. But there is one other critical factor: ethanol has one-third less energy per gallon than pure gasoline.
That means we would need to plant an additional 120 million acres, 480 million acres in all, just to replace gasoline. That’s equal to Alaska, California and West Virginia combined!
Replacing all the liquid petroleum we use annually (291 billion gallons) would require twice as much land – some 45% of all the land in the United States: six times more land than we currently have under cultivation for all cereal crops – plowing even marginal croplands, deserts, forests and grasslands.
We’d also need far more fuel to grow, harvest and convert those crops into “eco-friendly” fuel. That would likely mean turning southern Canada into a vast biofuel plantation – unless, of course, the ruling classes simply impose lower living standards and vehicle ownership restrictions on us commoners.
Growing biofuel crops also requires hundreds of times more water than is needed to conduct hydraulic fracturing (fracking) operations to produce the same amount of energy from oil and gas, on a tiny fraction of the acreage. Where on this water-starved planet will that precious liquid come from?
Biofuel crops also require prodigious amounts of fertilizer and pesticides. And if organic and anti-GMO factions have their way, far more land would be needed, pest control would be minimal or done by hand, and fertilizer would come from human wastes and animal manure – raising even more complex issues.
To put it bluntly, a biofuel future would be totally and disastrously unsustainable.
There’s another deep, dark secret about biofuels. Somebody needs to tell Obama, McCarthy, Clinton, Sanders and their army of “green” supporters that biofuels are hydrocarbons! They are composed of carbon and hydrogen, though in less complex molecular structures than what we pull out of the ground – which means we get less energy per gallon. And when we burn them, they release carbon dioxide!
We have at least a century of untapped oil and natural gas (and of coal) right under our feet. To lock that up, based on unproven, illusory, fabricated, fraudulent climate chaos claims, is utter insanity.
Even crazier, most anti-fossil-fuel zealots also oppose nuclear and hydroelectric power – and want future electricity generated primarily or solely with wind turbines and solar panels. To blanket our scenic, crop and wildlife lands with wind farms, solar installations and biofuel plantations – and destroy economies, jobs, living standards, health and welfare in the process – is nothing short of criminal.
President Obama and presidential candidates Clinton and Sanders assure us we can have 30% renewables by 2030, 50% by 2050, 100% by 2100 – or some similar magic, catchy, sound bite concoction.
Voters should demand to know exactly how they will make this happen. If they cannot or will not answer satisfactorily, a strong case can be made for the proposition that they are too ignorant and dishonest to hold office – and that their supporters are too stupid and anti-environment to vote. J
Paul Driessen is senior policy analyst for the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (www.CFACT.org) and author of Eco-Imperialism: Green power – Black death.
April 13, 2016 in Methane, Opinion.
Methane warming exaggerated by 400%
Methane production and emissions in trees and forests
Melting ice sheets release tons of methane into the atmosphere, study finds
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213 thoughts on “Methane mendacity – and madness”
Name and shame these fools in letters ‘writ HUGE’
CH4 levels on the graph from article were faked,
http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/trends_ch4/
as of 2015 the level was 1840 ppb
Luc Ozade (@Luc_Ozade) says:
When are we going to make a stand against these idiots? Something drastic needs to be done. If AGW-supporting organizations like Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth can get the ear of those in power and sway public support with all their alarmist lies, why can’t we do something similar for our own, righteous, cause?
I’m fascinated, nay riveted with anticipation to see whether the terabytes of data courtesy of Mossack Fonseca peel back the banana skin on the Greenista, and equally, whether the Fourth Estate really have the nerve.
thallstd says:
Because the solution to their “alarmist lies” results in less freedom and more state intervention, giving the state more control, something most leaders in both parties want. Out “righteous cause” yields more freedom and less state intervention, something most leaders in neither party want. That’s why this has become more a political battle than a scientific one and why, at this point, I don’t believe the science will ever influence the politics.
I don’t think we will gain the political upper hand until one of two things happen. Either some point in the future, after the climate fails to cooperate with the alarmists, and it becomes laughable to still hold alarmist views or the issue becomes more prominent and our elected officials learn that that being alarmist hurts more than helps their election efforts, assuming that the public hasn’t been swayed by the constant one-sided reporting…
daveburton says:
The warming effect of anthropogenic methane is slight. A “big” increase in methane levels might be on the order of +0.1 or +0.2 ppmv (i.e, from 1.8 to 1.9 or 2.0 ppmv). The warming potential of methane is estimated to be 30-35 times that of CO2, so increasing CH4 by 0.1 ppmv would warm the planet about as much as a 3 to 3.5 ppmv (= ~1%) increase in CO2 — i.e., negligible.
What’s more, the effect of a spike in methane levels would be very transient, because even if you don’t burn it, methane in the atmosphere oxidizes with a half-life of only about 6 to 8 years, into minute amounts of CO2 and water: CH4 + 2·O2 → CO2 + 2·H2O.
Nick Stokes says:
A “big” increase in methane levels might be on the order of +0.1 or +0.2 ppmv
No. According to your plot we had an increase of about 0.15 ppmv just between 1980 and 1990. Using your factor, that is equivalent to about 5 ppmv of CO2. In fact, CO2 increased from 338 to 354 ppm, ie by 16 ppm. So the methane effect (increase) is about 30% of CO2. Smaller, but not nothing.
As to transience, past emissions were transient too, but methane has continued to increase.
Stephen Richards says:
None of what you have written here are verifiable facts except in the crimate community. and you know it.
Methane is measured in Parts per Billion. 0.00017%.0.0000017 parts. 17 * 10^7
urederra says:
daveburton
…. The warming potential of methane is estimated to be 30-35 times that of CO2, …
And since the warming potential of CO2 is also estimated, it makes the warming potential of methane to be estimated “squared”.
If you look at the graph in the main article, you will find that model overestimate methane levels increase. Same goes here, Let’s use less estimated values and more actual measurements, and maybe this way we may find a model that works.
Ron Clutz says:
And that 30 times CO2 warming potential is calculated by weight. It is 7 times by volume (ppm).
https://rclutz.wordpress.com/2016/03/11/much-ado-about-methane/
Donald L. Klipstein says:
Regarding the comment by Ron Clutz about weight vs. volume of methane in the atmosphere: The Wikipedia article on atmospheric methane shows the current concentration in the 1800s being parts per billion by volume.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPCC_list_of_greenhouse_gases says:
The 2005 level of methane at 1774 nmol/mol (ppb by volume), increase of 1074 ppb by volume since 1750, is calculated to have a forcing of .48 W/m^2, about 30% of the 1.66 W/m^2 from CO2’s increase over 1750 level by 100 ppm by volume. This makes methane 27 times as potent as CO2 by the units of atmospheric concentration that are normally used.
TA says:
urederra
April 14, 2016 at 3:25 am wrote:
“And since the warming potential of CO2 is also estimated, it makes the warming potential of methane to be estimated “squared”. ”
Very good point!
Crispin in Waterloo says:
Trees produce about 4% methane when absorbing CO2, i.e. they are not 100% efficient converting it to biomass. Thus for each 25 molecules of CO2 they convert one to CH4. On a 10 year basis, growing trees has a net warming effect, according to the IPCC list of forcings. We could reduce this wanton production of methane by leveling all the forests, maybe paving them. The problem that would create a huge amount of wood that would be burned to CO2 or rot to methane. There is just no way to save the planet from these evil gases.
If all else failed we could adapt, I suppose.
If we get switchgrass ethanol going strong, then biofuel alcohol will be viable. Corn alcohol takes a lot more resources than switchgrass ethanol. And switchgrass can be grown where food crops can’t be grown, or can’t be grown without irrigation. But the corn lobby is strong.
One thing about ethanol: It has a high octane rating, so car engines can have a higher compression ratio and deliver a higher percentage of the fuel’s energy.
Note that ethanol and most biodiesels are not hydrocarbons – hydrocarbons are compounds of only carbon and hydrogen. And non-hydrocarbon biofuels don’t have lower energy content due to simpler molecules, but because they have oxygen atoms in a useless state – almost like compounding hydrocarbons with water and that dilutes them. Note the energy per gram of methane which is a hydrocarbon and the main component of natural gas – highest of any common or semi-common fuel except hydrogen, and it has a simple molecule.
” Note the energy per gram of methane which is a hydrocarbon and the main component of natural gas – highest of any common or semi-common fuel except hydrogen” Hydrogen has a high energy density per gram, the problem with hydrogen, particularly for transport fuel, is the density. Even if we cool and liquify it, it has a density of only 70 kg/m3 (compared to about 800 kg/m3 gasoline).
Paul of Alexandria says:
And do we really want to rely on a cryogenic fuel for transportation?
Ferdinand Engelbeen says:
They once tested a storage tank for liquid hydrogen where I worked in a former (pre-retirement) life as reserve supply if the hydrogen supply to other factories from the chlorine electrolyzes would stop for any reason. When they decoupled the tank-car, some liquid hydrogen was spilled on the ground. Fascinating to see how the oxygen/nitrogen did freeze out of the atmosphere on that spilled liquid…
Not something I like to have in my car, even less for compressed hydrogen at 300 bar with a 10% chance of a heavy car accident in a lifetime…
Don K says:
There are biofuels and there are biofuels. Biodiesels are vegetable fats that happen to have physical properties somewhat similar to diesel. I haven’t seen an analysis of the EROI of biodiesel, but I assume it is better than corn ethanol. It’d be hard to be worse.
Yes, some ethanol feedstock requiring less irrigation and no fertilizer would probably be better than corn as an ethanol source. You still end up with a low proof “beer” that has to be concentrated — typically by distillation. Distillation is energy intensive.
A BIG problem with biofuels is that they require, and probably always will require, huge monocrop plantations that are pretty much an ecological disaster. Ecologically, an unremediated strip mine that’ll grow over and return to forest in a century or three is probably better.
Cocktail napkin time: Assume the planet’s population stabilizes eventually at 10,000,000,000 (about 9.something billion too many if you ask me. But no one will). And that each person uses about 2 gallons of biodiesel a day. (That’s about half the total energy use of today’s Japanese or Frenchman. Never mind Americans or Canadians). And assume that biodiesel yields after planting, harvesting, etc are 100 gal per acre per year (seems optimistic to me). That suggests that we need 365*2*/100 = about 7 acres per person just to grow biofuel (maybe we can grow a little food in the roadside ditches? Probably need some of that). Multiply by 10^10 people and divide by 640 acres per square mile, that works out to 109 million square miles of plantations. That looks to be roughly 30 times the area of the US, Canada, or Australia — very roughly twice the land area of the planet. Assuming the arithmetic is roughly correct — which is possible — anyone see a problem there?
I apologize for using English units. The answer is presumably the same in SI units if anyone cares to work it through.
I see no reason to assume that 10billion people is too many, unless you just don’t like people.
The world is so far from being crowded, much less over crowded that it makes no sense to talk about limiting populations.
Richard A. O'Keefe says:
World population was about one milliard when the telegraph got going, about two and a half when computers got going. Perhaps it is possible to have an information society in a depopulated world, but I don’t see any reason to believe it. For what’s worth, population is expected to PEAK at about ten milliard, not STABILISE there.
george e. smith says:
High compression engines generate the high combustion temperatures and pressures that are required to burn the nitrogen in the air. That’s why EPA regulations prevent the sale of high compression engines in the USA, by mandating that they be able to run properly on 87 octane gasoline. It is those higher temperatures and pressures of the high compression engine that give them the increased thermal efficiency, but the NOX output is even worse than methane as a GHG.
Trying to grow fuel that already exists aplenty is a fool’s game.
He’s already admitted that he would like to get rid of 90% of the people on the planet.
Catcracking says:
Switch grass has been a dismal failure and a waste of resources including $$$ and fossil fuels to build useless plants. Time to move on and stop subsidizing failed concepts. I know having work on
Don’t repeat that incomplete comment about high octane improving efficiency, Engineers all know and understand that such a high compression engine is very expensive. Ethanol is a flawed concept for fuel and resorting to expensive engine technology adds to the futility. The fossil energy required to produce and transport the fuel to marked is extensive and only works with a foolish and expensive government mandate. .
Slipstick says:
For the sake of accuracy, biofuels are indeed hydrocarbons; however, they are formed from carbon already in the environment and can be produced in a carbon neutral process. To equate them with fuels which release previously sequestered carbon is mendacious.
William Astley says:
The problem is biofuels are a scam. We will starve and destroy the majority of wild life on the planet if the madness is continued.
Vast amounts of agricultural land are being forced into production to produce food to convert to biofuel. As the amount of agricultural land on the planet is fixed and increasing land use requirement for human consumption, biofuel requires cutting down of virgin forest or/removing agriculture production which was for food to biofuel.
Analysis of the total energy input to produce ethanol from corn show that 29% more fossil fuel input energy is require to produce one energy unit of ethanol. If the fuel input to harvest the corn, to produce the fertilizer, and to boil the water off to distill ethanol/water from 8% ethanol to 99.5% ethanol (three distillation processes) to produce 99.5% ethanol for use in an automobile, produces more green house gas than is produced than the production consumption of conventional gasoline. The cost of corn based ethanol is more than five times the production cost of gasoline, excluding taxes and subsides (before the mysterious fall in crude oil price).
Comment: The increase in atmospheric CH4 and CO2 is due to increased release of deep CH4. Roughly 5% of the earth’s core is CH4. When the core solidifies the CH4 is extruded as super high pressure. The CH4 is forced to the surface and causes tectonic plate movement. The CH4 released from the core increases when the solar cycle is high which explains why atmospheric CH4 mysteriously almost stopped increasing in 2000.
The EPA mandate for ethanol is that it will in the future emit 20% less CO2 than ‘fossil’ fuel. That assumption is met by assuming the energy input to produce ethanol is from 100% ‘green’ energy. The problem is the green energy is a scam. If the energy to construct the green energy components and the loss in grid efficiency due to inability to use combined cycle natural gas power plants which are 20% more efficient but require 10 hours to start and hence must be left on weeks is taken into account; There is almost no CO2 reduction. The green scam limit is around 10% of total electrical grid capacity.
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/11/22/shocker-top-google-engineers-say-renewable-energy-simply-wont-work/
The key problem appears to be that the cost of manufacturing the components of the renewable power facilities is far too close to the total recoverable energy – the facilities never, or just barely, produce enough energy to balance the budget of what was consumed in their construction. This leads to a runaway cycle of constructing more and more renewable plants simply to produce the energy required to manufacture and maintain renewable energy plants – an obvious practical absurdity.
A research effort by Google corporation to make renewable energy viable has been a complete failure, according to the scientists who led the program. After 4 years of effort, their conclusion is that renewable energy “simply won’t work”.
Rather than subsiding the production of corn based ethanol the same money could be used to preserve and increase rainforest. The loss of rainforest is the largest biological cause of the increase in CO2.
Virgin forest is cut down and burned to grow food to convert to biofuel. The cutting down of virgin forest removes habitat which is the single most important cause of loss of diversity.
The Clean Energy Scam
The U.S. quintupled its production of ethanol–ethyl alcohol, a fuel distilled from plant matter–in the past decade, and Washington has just mandated another fivefold increase in renewable fuels over the next decade. Europe has similarly aggressive biofuel mandates and subsidies, and Brazil’s filling stations no longer even offer plain gasoline. Worldwide investment in biofuels rose from $5 billion in 1995 to $38 billion in 2005 and is expected to top $100 billion by 2010, thanks to investors like Richard Branson and George Soros, GE and BP, Ford and Shell, Cargill and the Carlyle Group.
But several new studies show the biofuel boom is doing exactly the opposite of what its proponents intended: it’s dramatically accelerating global warming, imperiling the planet in the name of saving it. Corn ethanol, always environmentally suspect, turns out to be environmentally disastrous. Even cellulosic ethanol made from switchgrass, which has been promoted by eco-activists and eco-investors as well as by President Bush as the fuel of the future, looks less green than oil-derived gasoline.
Meanwhile, by diverting grain and oilseed crops from dinner plates to fuel tanks, biofuels are jacking up world food prices and endangering the hungry. The grain it takes to fill an SUV tank with ethanol could feed a person for a year. Harvests are being plucked to fuel our cars instead of ourselves. The U.N.’s World Food Program says it needs $500 million in additional funding and supplies, calling the rising costs for food nothing less than a global emergency. Soaring corn prices have sparked tortilla riots in Mexico City, and skyrocketing flour prices have destabilized Pakistan, which wasn’t exactly tranquil when flour was affordable.
Biofuels ‘crime against humanity’
Massive production of biofuels is “a crime against humanity” because of its impact on global food prices, a UN official has told German radio. “Producing biofuels today is a crime against humanity,” UN Special Rapporteur for the Right to Food Jean Ziegler told Bayerischer Runfunk radio. Many observers have warned that using arable land to produce crops for biofuels has reduced surfaces available to grow food. Mr Ziegler called on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to change its policies on agricultural subsidies and to stop supporting only programs aimed at debt reduction. He says agriculture should also be subsidised in regions where it ensures the survival of local populations. Meanwhile, in response to a call by the IMF and World Bank over the weekend to a food crisis that is stoking violence and political instability, German Foreign Minister Peer Steinbrueck gave his tacit backing.
Re biofuels and much policy and plans, it makes sense if the end goal us a world of 500 million agricultural farmers and the ruling elite living in a fossil fuel ivory tower.
So with only 500m world wide population (Gates Turner Rockefeller Prince Philip) then the land use for ethanol is not an issue, plus most of the US will be empty and protected from us farmers with military enforced biodiversity, that UN map is pretty “alarming”.
With the Rockefeller foundation and god knows what else involved (They have had the Zika virus since 1947 from monkey blood in Uganda) for example, a fetus attacking virus conveniently.. the drive is most definitely eugenicist. Not only do they want 500m global population they most certainly want to determine which genes survive (their vision of best of humanity)
All of this climate change nonsense seems insane, unless you look at it from the perspective of the ruper powerful (A super powerful friends group that sees most of us as “breeders” and “deficient”)
Smart Rock says:
The CH4 is forced to the surface and causes tectonic plate movement
Interesting concept. Some evidence would be nice though.
MRW says:
Not the aesthenosphere?
I was not commenting on the economics of biofuels, merely the false equivalence, either from ignorance or intent, with fossil fuels. The point the author made relative to biofuels is dependent on this inaccuracy.
DR. Bob says:
Biofuels can be hydrocarbons but also can be oxygenated fuels. The difference is significant. Ethanol at 85% and biodiesel at 20%, both oxygenated fuels, or higher cause issues with engine operation or with the fuel infrastructure. Ethanol is corrosive to pipelines at >10% and causes corrosion of soft metal components if it contains water, which is hard to eliminate from any fuel.
Hydroprocessed fatty oils produce HRD (hydrogenated renewable diesel) which is a drop-in replacement for conventional diesel, but requires a much more elaborate process to produce than biodiesel (FAME–Fatty Acid Methyl Ester).
FlexFuel vehicles can operate on gasoline with no to 85% ethanol, but are not as thermally efficient as engines dedicated to E85. E100 does not work as a transportation fuel as it is hard to ignite at low temperatures. E85 has enough compromises including 30% lower volumetric fuel efficiency. But corrosion of engine parts is also an issue as well as the need for more frequent oil changes due to contamination of the oil with combustion byproducts of ethanol including acetic acid.
The E-85 market experiment has been run in many places. Given a choice between E10 and E85, even in the corn belt, E-85 only commands a 1 to 2% market share, essentially rejected by most consumers. E85 simply doesn’t meet customers needs for a number of reasons.
Biofuels are a very complex subject with little factual data supporting the environmental benefits of their production and use. So this should be a subject for another discussion
Slipstick
What is mendacious is to equate carbon with CO2.
The only thing that is not “carbon neutral” is carbon-14 decay. Well, you can say that it is the reverse of carbon-14 production, so appart from the odd carbon containing meteorite that falls into the Earth, everything is carbon neutral. Fossil fuels were also formed from carbon (CO2) in the environment. And it is a good thing that we are liberating those carbon atoms from their kidnappers, so they can be used by all the living organisms in the biosphere.
Agree!!
Thanks for pointing that out. C16H34 is a hydrocarbon whether it comes from naturally produced oils forming deep in the Earth or from biomass grown artificially on the surface. Both ‘diesels’ are long chain paraffins approximately C16H34 to C22H46.
The only thing ‘fossil’ about oil is the old argument that it comes from leftover biomass that somehow escaped down into the ground for scores of millions of years.
Naming naturally formed CH4 gas as a ‘fossil fuel’ is also mendacious.
Can anyone confirm that No biologic molecule can exist at a temperature higher than the ‘critical temperature’ of salt water (somewhere around 384 C)?https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_point_%28thermodynamics%29.
I read the ‘critical temperature’ of salt water is reached at a depth of 3 to 5 km [1.86 to 3.12 miles], depending on whether you’re in a continental or marine environment. So the notion that carbon material at the depths of the mantle is of biologic origin has absolutely no meaning. Hydrocarbons are in deep space, on Saturn’s moon, NASA discovered in 2007, no dead dinosaurs there.
Pat Ch says:
How upsetting it must be that the deterioration rate of methane is remarkably fast. Nature loves it. It was the atmospheric seed from which it all began.Like CO2, nature loves a good shot of methane to cheer up.
PiperPaul says:
Hey Pat Ch – did you invent the word glurge?
Sunsettommy says:
“Of course, the Obama EPA and Climate Cataclysm Industry ignore these inconvenient facts. They insist that methane is “a far more potent greenhouse gas” than carbon dioxide, and that its emissions must be drastically reduced if we are to avoid “runaway global warming.”
It is IMPOSSIBLE for CH4 to cause a run away warming trend.There are too few molecules and to small a portion of the IR window it absorbs in and too little of that energy being absorbed.
It is a naked attempt to scare lazy minded people into panic.
Exactly. You are describing the majority. It’s the doughnut chomping, sports loving, MSM grazing, non-thinking lackeys that they are appealing to. This is good marketing strategy. They’ve done their consumer research and numbers win. I fear that people on this site are in a miniscule population minority – very unfortunately.
The original Tim.
JohnKnight says:
“This is good marketing strategy.”
It seems more like a good way to get you giant headed clowns to panic, since “climate change” consistently polls very low as a concern among your inferiors, bigots.
As the planet warms, the rate at which CH4 oxidizes into CO2 and H2O increases.
Could someone please distract the greenies with facts about H2O being a more ‘dangerous’ greenhouse gas than all the others put together … oh … that’s right … they won’t pay any attention until water becomes a giant fuel industry.
jimheath says:
If the energy wasted on this rubbish was spent on something useful we would have an anti gravity device and a perpetual motion machine by now.
We’ve had perpetual motion machines for ages.
Otherwise known as toddlers.
“That number, by sheer coincidence, is also the percentage of methane in Earth’s atmosphere. That’s a trivial amount, you say: 1.7 parts per million. ”
So if a compound represents a small % of the total, it can’t cause problems – is that what you are saying? Arsenic at levels of ..8 to 1.8 ppm cause increased vascular disease and mortality.
Strawman argument. Go off and study some logic. I suggest a Monty Python sketch about the similarity of wood, ducks and witches.
TonyL says:
A short course in logic and reasoning for ClimateScience! researchers.
It’s not my fault, he made me do it.
The devil made you do it
Empty retort. Go off and construct a reply with proper reasoning. Driessen said that the fact that methane comprises a small % of the atmosphere makes it irrelevant. It wasn’t about the properties of methane itself, simply the fact that it is present in small quantities in the atmosphere. I provided an example of how absurd that logic is.
seaice1 says:
Alex: “Go off and study some logic.”
The fact that it is a small percentage does not logically mean it has a small effect. Chris has not made a fallacious argument. Whereas it is a fallacy to equate “small” with “insignificant”.
Alex: “Fallacious statements are a sign of stupidity. Unfortunately ‘stupid’ is bone deep.”
Having 3 cubes of sugar in my coffee instead of 1 will not harm me, therefore tripling the amount of methane and CO2 in the atmosphere will have no effect.
Good, solid reasoning. The connection between the two is uncannily close.
Is this a serious comment, or are my sarcasm detectors malfunctioning? Alex above suggested studying logic.
From a logic perspective we must see if the conclusion actually follows from the premise. If we take your premise to be true (tripling sugar in coffee will not harm you), we can then see if the conclusion (tripling CO2 in the atmospheres will have no effect) logically follows, as implied by the “therefore”.
It is trivial to see that we can make no such conclusion using only the premise, since there is no mention of CO2 or atmosphere in the premise, only sugar and coffee. Therefore, the conclusion is not valid. This is an example of a non sequitur, the conclusion has no connection to the premise. This does not make the conclusion false, only not valid.
Of course, if the premise were false, then the conclusion could be false even if it were valid. Tripling sugar intake is likely to cause harm long term, so there is a good case to be made that the premise is false.
seaice1
Your sarc detector is malfunctioning. I was illustrating that my reasoning was equivalent to arsenic effects on the body.
No actual connection to methane or CO2 in the atmosphere
Alex, saying small = insignificant is simply not true. If you take ALL greenhouse gases, including water vapor and everything else, you still have only 3% (or less) of the troposphere. Yet that “small” amount of gases are what keeps the earth’s surface temperature from being 17C colder.
” Driessen said that the fact that methane comprises a small % of the atmosphere makes it irrelevant. ”
No he didn’t, you are spouting a falsehood, sir.
JohnKnight, Driessen said “What is 17 cents out of $100,000? If you said 0.00017 percent, you win the jackpot.
That number, by sheer coincidence, is also the percentage of methane in Earth’s atmosphere. That’s a trivial amount, you say: 1.7 parts per million.”
What precisely is the purpose of writing that statement, if not to imply that by being a small amount of the atmosphere, it’s effect (on AGW or anything else) will be small?
That’s not what you wrote which I commented on . . and still you’re not presenting anything the author actually did say that you are willing to disagree with, as far as I can tell.
Jim Reedy says:
Of course he is arguing that Chris.. what a touche moment you got off there… /sarc
If we disregard the straw man you introduced…
and pay attention to other comments
per daveburton…
Obviously Chris you need to take into account the overall effect..
where as arsenic can be poisonous in small quantities.. Methane will not cause run away global warming
in small quantities..
do I need to add a der?
You have far more patience than I do. Ignorance of facts, I can live with. People can become informed. Fallacious statements are a sign of stupidity. Unfortunately ‘stupid’ is bone deep.
Jim, I see this logic all the time on WUWT. For example, CO2 is only .04% of the atmosphere by volume, so how can it be causing the earth to warm? The point I am making is in reference to the “it’s a small amount so how can it cause a problem?” argument, not the specific substance being discussed.
Gary Pearse says:
“Jim, I see this logic all the time on WUWT. For example, CO2 is only .04% of the atmosphere by volume, so how can it be causing the earth to warm?”
Chris, most here understand the physics of warming from absorption and re-radiation of some bands of IR radiation and a large number here agree there is SOME warming, Linear thinkers, ideologues and simple useful idiots, though, don’t give credence to, nay are ignorant of, obvious negative feedbacks like thunder storms/convection that bypass the near surface “heat trap”, and the fact that each addition of CO2 is less effective in the process than past additions.
The earth system is far more sophisticated than the numb, passive view of the earth held by the Marxbrothers. The dreaded “Pause” was putting a lie to the central significance of CO2 warming, though, and that is why ideologues, grant troughers and obedient civil servants penciled in an end to it. This is laughable because they don’t understand that their egregious bandaids are not enough to stop the flattening. Stay tuned and remember this statement.
Methane at 1.7ppmv is truly a minor trace that if you “cleaned it up” would have no noticeable effect. This is the reason that they needed to project such a steep and unrealistic rise for the future. I guess the thing I find disheartening is the decline in morality politicization of thought and what it has done to science and education (I am a scientist who studied paleoclimatology in the 1950s as a student of geology, so have known most of my life that the climate changes, but only between bounds of a few degrees up or down. The unbroken record of life on earth for over a billion years is fully reliable proof of no tipping points possible). Faith based science is an oxymoron and scepticism used to be an honorable part of the scientific process.
You do see “this logic all the time” but you don’t understand it.
Gary, your last two paragraphs are completely unrelated to the point being discussed. My comment relates to the commonly trotted out statement that because methane is a tiny percentage of the atmosphere, so therefore can’t have much affect on warming. The same logic is used for CO2. Small % = insignificant is simply incorrect. Even water vapor, the largest greenhouse gas, represents 3% or less of the troposphere – does that make it insignificant as well?
Slacko says:
Chris. Unless you can educate us on the IR absorption window of arsenic in the atmosphere, you are just wasting your breath by comparing apples to soccer balls.
Slacko said: “Chris. Unless you can educate us on the IR absorption window of arsenic in the atmosphere, you are just wasting your breath by comparing apples to soccer balls.”
Nope, he makes no mention of IR properties until later in the article. His first point, which is not contingent on the later points, is that being a small % makes something trivial. It’s just not true, just as something being a large % (like nitrogen) does not automatically make it a major factor.
@Chris, you obviously missed the highly public discussion about this in the NYT where all your points were debunked by leading notable “warmist” climate scientists. There are enough essential links in the article for you to get the scientific perspective you lack.
Arctic Methane Credibility Bomb
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/25/arctic-methane-credibility-bomb/?_r=1
Quite.
And the potency of a greenhouse gas is reduced by saturation of IR radiation in its absorbance band.
Methane is potent because it is a trace gas. At similar concentrations to CO2 it would have similar greenhouse warming effects.
Rainer Bensch says:
So it would be also not measurable?
Samuel C Cogar says:
Carbon dioxide (CO2) 402 ppm — 0.0402% —– Specific Heat Capacity – 0.844 kJ/kg K
Water vapor — (H2O) 40,000 ppm – 4.0000% — Specific Heat Capacity – 1.930 kJ/kg K
Methane —— (CH4) 1.745 ppm – 0.0001745% — Specific Heat Capacity – 2.220 kJ/kg K
“Ignorance can be fixed, ….. stupidity is permanent”.
Why have you listed heat capacities? You missed nitrogen 800,000ppm, 80%, Heat Capacity 1.0kJ/kg K and oxygen, 200,000ppm, 20%. Heat capacity 0.9 kJ/kg K.
Or we can look up heat capacity of air – 1.009 kJ/kg K.
Why have you listed heat capacities?
SURPRISE, SURPRISE, ….. your above question correlates directly with my previously posted quote of …… “Ignorance can be fixed, ….. stupidity is permanent”.
So, ….. try keeping “track” of the conversation, …….. but more importantly, try “fixing” your ignorance of what Specific Heat Capacities are and why they are important when one is calculating the warming “effects” of the per se atmospheric “greenhouse” gasses.
Attempt your “fixing” by clicking on the following “link” and then attempt to educate yourself, to wit: Specific Heat Capacity @ http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/thermo/spht.html
And to further “fix” your problem, you might want to know that it is the Specific Heat Capacities of your noted Nitrogen (80%) and Oxygen (20%) …. [and H2O vapor when present] …. in your locale that determines what your thermometer “says” the air temperature is.
Samuel Cogar. I am aware of heat capacities. They will determine the temperature for a given energy. For the atmosphere the only one that matters is the Cp for the atmosphere. The energy comes from the radiative forcing which does not have anything to do with heat capacities.
“And to further “fix” your problem, you might want to know that it is the Specific Heat Capacities of your noted Nitrogen (80%) and Oxygen (20%) …. [and H2O vapor when present] …. in your locale that determines what your thermometer “says” the air temperature is.” For a given energy content, the temperature of the atmosphere will be deternined by the heat capacity. The contribution to the total heat capacity of the atmosphere from CO2 and methane are insignificant, and water is only very slight. This is why the Cp for air is quite close to that of N2.
If we put 1kJ into a kg of air without CO2 or methane we raise the temperature by almost the same amount as if we put 1 kJ into a kg of air containing 400ppm CO2 and 1.7ppm methane. I doin’t see how this relates to the discussion at all.
So instead of assuming I am ignorant and/or stupid, why don’t you explain what the significance of the listed heat capacities is?
Says: seaice1 – April 15, 2016 at 5:31 am
seaice1, as noted by the above quoted closing statement, excerpted from your above post, ….why in hell are you asking me to explain “the significance of the listed (specific) heat capacities” …….. when you just got through EXPLAINING THEIR SIGNIFICANCE via your response to my request for you ……. “to further “fix” your problem”?
seaice1 EXPLAINED, to wit:
For a given energy content, the temperature of the atmosphere will be deternined by the (specific) heat capacity.
And seaice1, I truly loved this comment that you posted in your above response, to wit:
Me thinks your above statement completely discredits all claims of AGW or CAGW, thus relegating them to “junk science” status.
Look at the y axis of the graph at the head of the article.
Not ppm (that’s for CO2), it is ppb.
Parts per billion.
Mike Jonas says:
1. re methane: Methane has a half-life in the atmosphere of about 7 years if my memory is correct.
2. re nuclear, hydro, etc: The greens oppose anything that works.
Somebody please get the media to listen for a moment.
Jim Ross says:
Interesting paper referenced here: https://www.niwa.co.nz/news/scientists-attribute-rising-methane-levels-to-agriculture
Conclusion: “The findings of a study initiated by NIWA scientists, rule out fossil fuel production as the major cause in the rise of methane levels in the atmosphere since 2007.”
“biofuels are hydrocarbons!”
No, they aren’t. Ethanol is not (C2H5OH). Nor is bio-diesel; it is made from long chain esters. But as slipstick says, they are carbon neutral. Growing them removes CO2 from the air – that’s where they get their carbon from. Using them returns that carbon.
Ethanol is not (C2H5OH) ?
Growing corn for ethanol involves many steps from seeding to harvesting to delivering and mixing with gasoline. All of these steps are not ‘carbon neutral’.
Bottom line is that an ethanol mix at the pump is less carbon neutral than gasoline is on it’s own.
I am not going to link toanything. Merely linking to one’s own brain should tell you that what I say is correct.
Sorry, I actually meant to write Ethanol (C2H5OH) is not (a hydrocarbon). As to net carbon costs, it is indeed possible that they could outweigh the fact that the actual C in ethanol came from the air. The task is to find processes that avoid that. But the fuel itself is carbon neutral.
The corn itself is carbon neutral ( hate to be technical).
It’s probably a bit better, but it’s certainly not great, and it depends on the crop. IIRC sugar cane returns about 700% the net energy that corn does as ethanol, so that’s a much better biofuel crop.
Of course sugar cane is evil and communist, so the US is stuck with what they have.
Fuel production from water might be an option for the use of excess electricity from renewable sources that can’t be shaped to demand such as wind and solar. Not particularly efficient, but it allows a greater proportion of the power generation to be wind and solar without having to invest in as much storage.
The whole process is too inefficient for the energy return to be of use to a 300 million population, and that’s ignoring what this has done to food prices
Tom in Florida says:
Don’t forget that engines and fuel delivery systems have to be designed to operate on ethanol. So factor in the “carbon use” to do that and then add in the extra manufacturing costs.
Except that corn requires 29 percent more fossil energy to produce ethanol than the fuel produced.
Cornell ecologist’s study finds that producing ethanol and biodiesel from corn and other crops is not worth the energy
http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/july05/ethanol.toocostly.ssl.html
http://vivo.cornell.edu/lifesci/individual/vivo/individual16468
That’s what I said. Perhaps my wording was awkward. It takes more energy to produce ethanol than it does to produce gasoline
Take a good look at that formula for alcohol again. Yes, it’s a hydrocarbon.
Hydrocarbon: a compound containing carbon and hydrogen only
Ethanol C2H5OH
It is not a hydrocarbon because it contains oxygen. This is not really important to the discussion, but there is no point in questioning stuff that is correct and can be checked quite easily. It is not a hydrocarbon, but it does contain carbon, so when burned it produces CO2. As pointed out numerous times, this does not add to atmospheric CO2 levels because the carbon was removed from the atmosphere when the plant grew and is simply being replaced back into the atmosphere.
It is a carbohydrate. One third oxygen, but really it is closer than government work to a hydrocarbon.
No, it’s not a carbohydrate either. That is, or used to be, literally (but not chemically) a hydrate of carbon – ie C + some H2O. Like glucose C6H12O6, or sucrose C12H22O11. That can be stretched, but not to include ethanol or biodiesel, which is more like a fat.
Not that any of this matters – I’m just puzzled why the author made a big point with bold and exclamation marks, when it just isn’t true.
Nick, the formula can be rewritten C2H4.H2O = ethylene hydrate.
According to the reminiscences of chemistry I was taught in my youth in France, fossil fuels are hydrocarbons, mainly alcanes, while biofuels are carbohydrates due to one (like in methanol or ethanol) or more oxygen atoms combined in the molecule. The more there are oxygen atoms in the carbohydrates the less energy they release when burnt.
Am I right ?
Yes. Not absolutely sure about the term carbohydrates as these are more usually compounds containing oxygen and hydrogen in a ration close to 1:2, but in essence you are right. Think of the compounds containing oxygen as already being partly oxidised, so they produce less energy when burned.
Biofuels are generally alcohols (ethanol, butanol) or esters (biodiesel).
Biofuels will never replace all the fossil fuels we currently use as this would require all the land we have just to produce fuel – even with more efficient processes. Corn ethanol was never about carbon savings IMO, it was about fuel security. It was just a way to turn coal and other energy sources into liquid fuel so the USA is less dependent on imports.
Ethanol from sugar is effective at saving carbon, corn is not. Algae have potential because it can be grown in salt water ponds where there is no existing agriculture. It may be part of the energy mix, but will never replace fossil fuels entirely. This has been long understood and much discussed, for example in wikipedia.
cementafriend says:
Yes Paul, it is a fraud. See if you can find anywhere proof that methane absorbs more radiation than CO2. It is in fact less than one fifth. They may claim that methane CH4 burns in the atmosphere to give CO2 on a one to one basis but it does not burn. So that is false.
See this post https://cementafriend.wordpress.com/2011/10/ When methane (or natural gas) CH4 is burnt it produce H2O which is absorbs about 10 times the IR of CO2 but some greenies which are paid by oil companies propose that natural gas when burnt gives less greenhouse gases than the burning of coal or oil. That is also a lie. Water vapor H2O is the main greenhouse gas which does have an affect on climate when it condenses to form clouds but the IPCC and the US EPA do not regard water vapor as a greenhouse gas. That is a major reason why the whole of AGW or “Climate Change” is a scam fueled by incompetents who call themselves “climate scientists”
There is a saying throw a enough mud and some will stick. Tell big lies repeatedly and frequently some less intelligent people such as politician will get to believe some of it. (think Goebbels of the German National Socialist party said something like that)
(think Goebbels of the German National Socialist party said something like that)
It’s root is Edward Bernays, Freud’s nephew. The man who made propaganda an effective mass manipulation tool, and called it “PR”
It has been known forever that corn ethanol is net energy negative. Point blank, you need fossil fuels produce it. In the US, corn ethanol requires the full combination of subsidies, mandates, and tariffs against imports.
On another planet methane might be a greenhouse gas, but on Earth there is just not enough of it.
Question: Someone says that something has an effect, but acknowledges the effect is too small to measure. If the effect is too small to be detectable, how can anyone claim the effect is really there? Is that person really making any sense?
Water vapor is the primary greenhouse gas, much larger than CO2. Yet CO2 swamps the contribution of CH4. What would that tell anybody about the relative effect of CH4 vs. H2O?
It has been known forever that corn ethanol is net energy negative.
Most studies put it at slightly positive. About 1.2 or 1.3 to 1.
You can do a lot better than corn.
Other way around. It’s a more significant greenhouse gas per tonne the less of it there is.
Water vapor is the primary greenhouse gas, much larger than CO2.
Because the mechanism of water leaving the atmosphere by rain and hail and the like is not really rate limited, there’s a very different climate consequence of releasing a tonne of CO2 compared to a tonne of water.
Releasing a tonne of water will make it rain more the following week or so. Releasing a tonne of CO2, and it will still be operating as an extra bit of greenhouse effect a century later. (And because the atmosphere will be warmer it will hold more water vapour on average).
What would that tell anybody about the relative effect of CH4 vs. H2O?
It would depend on timescale.
YouGottaBeKiddingMe bad.
Negative, Seth, negative. Greenies always dismissed work that shows negative, claiming things like burning the cornstalks as extra energy. Nonsense, do the math on how things are done, not on how you think things *could* be done. Now that the greenies have got an eyeful on how bad it really is, most of them concede negative. Do better, switchgrass, cellulosic ethanol does not exist and *nobody* knows how to do it.
Matter of fact, I went to a big international biology conference a few years back and people were talking about if it *might* be possible to genetically engineer algae to do the trick. No clue.
Small bits are more effective per unit. But the unit is small, so the effect is small, you can’t get something from nothing. Does not matter. H2O totally smothers CH4 absorption in the 7-8 um band. You can add the logarithmic effect of CH4 to the logarithmic effect of H2O. Sorry, you have to do it that way. When two species absorb at the same wavelength, the effects are cumulative. It is incorrect to pull one species out and consider it’s effect separately. And make no mistake, H2O totally smothers CH4.
The condensation of H2O is a nonsense argument. It rains, and you get evaporation. The atmosphere is never without water. If it is present, it has an effect. If it is not present, it does not. The individual residence time of any specific molecule in irrelevant. Photons don’t care. So multiplying a putative greenhouse effect with a putative lifetime to produce a new more powerful greenhouse effect is double nonsense. And that is where a lot of those crazy 30X, 80X “times worse” numbers come from.
Oh look, he invoked the water vapor positive feedback assertion. Careful, you might hit a tipping point. Be especially careful when increasing water vapor in your model. You may want it to get warmer, but all you get is more convective cooling, and *gasp* 0.1% more clouds.
I really don’t believe that Seth is interested in hearing or reading about any scientific facts associated with the natural world that he lives in.
Me thinks that “peer approval” from his likeminded friends is the only thing that concerns him.
Peter Miller says:
In typical lefty fashion, should this nonsense about methane come to pass and the bleeding obvious of economic mayhem ensues, it will just be another case of:
“Well, don’t blame, this wasn’t supposed to happen.” Lefties have always been strong on dubious theory, but not so much on the practical results of their actions – in order to confuse the issue, they brand practical realists with the term ‘anti-science’, when they should clearly be applying this to themselves.
kiwirob says:
It’s better not to classify facts as left or right, because people can ignore truth quite readily for the sake of aligning themselves with who they consider to be their group.
mikerestin says:
I suppose you’re correct.
It’s not left or right it’s the ignorant (or criminal) progressives i.e. Obama, Gore, Clinton, McCain, Romney, nearly all of the left and most of the Republican establishment.
I believe they knew the answer a hundred years ago…
“The whole modern world has divided itself into Conservatives and Progressives.
The business of Progressives is to go on making mistakes.
The business of the Conservatives is to prevent the mistakes from being corrected.”
Illustrated London News (ILN), 4/19/24
G.K.Chesterton
MikeC says:
It’s important that they be seen as doing good thereby signalling their virtue.
As noted above the earth’s liquid core is composed of roughly 5% CH4. When the liquid core solidifies the CH4 is extrude at very, very, high pressure. The liquid CH4 is pushed to the surface of the earth. Depending on conditions higher in the mantel the liquid CH4 is partial converted to liquid petroleum and to black coal.
The super high pressure CH4 dissolve metals which then drop out at specific pressures. This explains why there are concentration of metals up to a million times concentrated higher in the surface of the mantel.
Thomas Gold book ‘The Deep Hot Biosphere: The Myth of Fossil Fuels’ includes roughly 50 unique observations to support of abiogenic origin of crude oil, black coal, and natural gas.
http://www.springer.com/gp/book/9780387952536?token=prtst0416p
The Deep Hot Biosphere The Myth of Fossil Fuels
The solar magnetic cycle changes cause there to be an increase or decrease in deep earth CH4 to be released from the core and the deep deposits of CH4. It is the CH4 changes that cause earthquakes.
One interesting side effect of the deep CH4 that is released from the core and then pushes up to the surface, is CH4 sudden release which causes some types of earthquakes. Below 60 km the mantel is plastic and cannot therefore be stressed.
The very deep earthquakes are caused by the sudden release of the CH4. That explains why massive regions of the ocean floor suddenly fall as occurred in a series of recent Pacific region earthquakes. The same phenomenon explains why there were drops of up to 30 feet of land in the famous Alaskan earthquake of 1964. Supporting mantel cannot disappear to cause very, very, rapid drops in the earth’s crust, CH4 release from the mantel on the other hand will cause sudden drops when it is suddenly released from the mantel.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~coleen/earthquake.jpg
The same CH4 release caused the Mississippi, New Madrid earthquake.
http://www.new-madrid.mo.us/index.aspx?nid=132
In the known history of the world, no other earthquakes have lasted so long or produced so much evidence of damage as the New Madrid earthquakes. Three of the earthquakes are on the list of America’s top earthquakes: the first one on December 16, 1811, a magnitude of 8.1 on the Richter scale; the second on January 23, 1812, at 7.8; and the third on February 7, 1812, at as much as 8.8 magnitude.
Sand Boils
The world’s largest sand boil was created by the New Madrid earthquake. It is 1.4 miles long and 136 acres in extent, located in the Bootheel of Missouri, about eight miles west of Hayti, Missouri. Locals call it “The Beach.” Other, much smaller, sand boils are found throughout the area. (William: Sand boils occur when there is a sudden release of CH4.)
Seismic Tar Balls
Small pellets up to golf ball sized tar balls are found in sand boils and fissures. They are petroleum that has been solidified, or “petroliferous nodules.”
Earthquake Smog
The skies turned dark during the earthquakes, so dark that lighted lamps didn’t help. The air smelled bad, and it was hard to breathe. It is speculated that it was smog containing dust particles caused by the eruption of warm water into cold air. (William: The fog is caused by the CH4 that cools when it expands. The bad smell is sulfur that is contained in the CH4. )
There are two theories to explain how water and hydrocarbons came onto the earth: 1) The late veneer theory and 2) The deep CH4 theory.
Roughly 100 million years after the earth was formed a Mars sized object struck the earth. That event formed the moon and stripped the mantel of light elements. There are two theories to explain why there are light elements on now on the earth’s surface.
The late veneer theory hypothesis: Comets struck the early earth after the big splat event covering the very hot earth with hydrocarbons. The late veneer hypothesis requires that the earth had a Venus like atmosphere (atmospheric pressure of say 60 atmospheres) for the early earth, except with methane.
There are multiple problems with the later veneer hypothesis (See Thomas Gold’s Book Deep Hot Biosphere for details. One of the key problems is the observation that the percentage of heavy gaseous elements in the earth’s current atmosphere does not match that of comets (Comets are residues of the early solar systems. The comet elemental composition does match that of the sun). The late veneer theory’s explanation for the miss match of isotopes in the earth’s atmosphere to that of comets is that the early solar system had a close encounter with another solar system which temporary provided a limited source of comets to cover the earth but not significantly change the element composition of the sun.
The second hypothesis is the deep earth hydrocarbon theory. This theory hypothesizes that massive amounts of hydrocarbons (5% of the total core mass) are located in the earth’s core. As the core cools these hydrocarbon (CH4) are released. At very high pressures the CH4 forms longer chain molecules.
The release of CH4 is still occurring as the upper surface of the ocean is saturated with CH4 which indicates that CH4 is being released from some source.
The Nobel Prize winning astrophysics Thomas Gold’s book the Deep Hot Biosphere provides more than separate 50 logical pillars based on observations ( I can provide an additional 20 logical pillars) which support the assertion that deep core CH4 (CH4 is extruded from the core as it solidifies, the super high pressure liquid extruded CH4 continually breaks/flows through the mantel and is hence the origin (non-biological, primeval origin), for petroleum, natural gas, black coal, CO2 in the earth’s atmosphere, and the earth’s oceans.
Organic metals form in the very, very, high pressure liquid CH4. The liquid CH4 as it passes through the mantel thereby picks up and concentrations specific heavy metals such as gold, uranium, thorium, iron, mercury and so on which explains why there are heavy metals in crude oil and why there are heavy metals in black coal.
The super high pressure liquid CH4 extruded from the core as it solidifies with dissolved organic metals in it explains why helium is found in oil deposits and in natural gas deposits which is commercial source of helium and explains the super concentrations of metals in the earth’s mantle (as much as million times concentrated). The source of helium is the radioactive decay of Uranium and Thorium.
The super high pressure liquid CH4 carries metals out of the liquid core in solution. As the pressure in decreases as the super high pressure liquid move to the surface specific metals drop out and hence become concentrated in the mantel, in this case below the oil and natural gas deposits. As helium is a gas at all pressures in the earth, the helium gas from radioactive decay cannot break the mantle and pass into the oil and gas deposits. The super high pressure liquid CH4 breaks the mantel as it forms the oil and natural gas deposits.
The super high pressure CH4 that is extruded from the core of the earth as it solidifies provides the force that separate and moves the ocean floors, driving the ocean floor underneath the continental crust. The CH4 in the ocean crust is left under the continental crust which explains why there are bands of mountain ranges at the edge of the continents and why there are massive gas deposits/liquid petroleum as the edge of continents, in mountain ranges, and immediately offshore of continents.
The deep gas abiotic oil hypothesis has been scientifically discredited and is obsolete.
Good to see a range of anti-science here though. It was getting very climatey.
No, it hasn’t. Thomas Gold has been discredited. Gold, an astrophysicist, purloined Russian science (1979, he spoke Russian) during the Soviet years claiming it as his own. After the fall of the USSR, the existence of over 4,000 scientific papers published since 1951 on their decades of geologic and abiotic oil research came to light. None of them have been translated into English. Dr. JF Kenney who worked with these pioneering Russian scientists brought these facts to light starting in 2002 or 2003.
Kenney introduces the abiotic oil hypothesis in this brief paper here: An introduction to the modern petroleum science, and to the Russian-Ukrainian theory of deep, abiotic petroleum origins.
http://www.gasresources.net/Introduction.htm
Article on Canadian research “Organic carbon on Mars is abiotic” with a source link.
http://origeminorganicadopetroleo.blogspot.com/2012/10/organic-carbon-on-mars-is-abiotic.html
dbstealey says:
MRW,
I’m not a geologist, so I’ll defer to any here as experts. But I wonder, aren’t the methane seas on Titan abiotic?
But I wonder, aren’t the methane seas on Titan abiotic?
As far as I know: yes.
Khwarizmi says:
Unlike petroleum, methane isn’t stable at high pressure & temperature regimes. Gold plagiarized the Russian-Ukraine theory of petroleum genesis, then turned it upside down in breach of thermodynamic constraints.
“Regrettably, Gold was as ignorant of statistical thermodynamics as he was of ethics.” – J.F. Kenney
http://www.gasresources.net/plagiarism%28overview%29.htm
It is very unlikely that the Earth’s core is either liquid or a repository for primordial hydrocarbons.
Hydrocarbons are generated in the mantle/lithosphere as a consequence of rock water reactions bearing the ugly name “serpentinisation.” You don’t need a fantastic epicyle at the core of the planet.
1) I see we have some cult of CAGW members who have come to push the pathetic fossil fuel myth. Obviously they have zero scientific references and of course they never provide an explanation for the more than 50 paradoxes that disprove the biogenic theory of crude oil, ‘natural’ gas, and black coal.
2) Guys explain how heavy metals get into crude oil and how heavy metals get in to black coal. Explain how helium gets into crude oil and ‘natural gas’ deposits. Explain why there are sudden drops in the earth surface when the CH4 is released. Explain why there is massive amounts of methyl hydrates at the edge of continents.
P.S. The super high pressure CH4 that is extruded from the core of the planet as it cools moves and raises the continents and ocean floor. The oldest section of the ocean floor is 200 million years. As the ocean floor is pushed beneath the edge of the continents which explains why the are bands of mountains on the edge of contents. Studies of the speed of wave movement through the earth confirms the earth’s liquid core contains a significant amount of light elements.
3) Explain what biological material is converted into crude oil and natural gas. And of course explain the source paradox. There are super, super, massive concentration of oil and natural gas in regions where there are no large biological sources.
4) High pressure converts liquid CH4 into long chain molecules. Oh by the way the standard theory for the origin of crude oil and natural gas in the Ukraine and Russia is the abiogenic theory which was discovered in the 1930s. The Ukraine institute of science threaten suing Gold for presenting it as a new theory.
5) Explain why certain crude oil deposits refill (Gulf and Middle east).
6) Explain the massive Vietnam crude oil deposit in granite.
7) I notice the biogenic fans do not acknowledge and do not even discuss the fact that geological research does not support the assertion that the early earth had Venus like atmosphere (60 atmospheres) of CH4. It the early earth had super high pressure atmosphere there would be small amounts of components formed that only form at high pressure. There is none. Also note the noble gas content of the atmosphere does not match that of comets or the sun. That is explained by the abiotic theory as big splat removes the light elements and most of the early earth’s atmosphere. The earth’s atmosphere forms over time as the CH4 is released from the deep core. That also explains why the continental crust increases with geological time and why there only shallow oceans a billion years ago. The core of the earth is estimated to have started to form 1 1/2 billion years ago.
It is of course possible to determine using chemical thermal dynamic analysis to determine whether a chemical reaction will or will not occur, at a specific temperature and pressure (see this attached peer reviewed paper for the analysis). Plant residue will not change to liquid petroleum at the temperature and pressures where the liquid petroleum is found. The fact there is no natural reaction that will convert biological residue to liquid petroleum in the conditions where the liquid petroleum is found is show stopper number one for the biogenic hypothesis for the origin of oil.
The biogenic supporters will not discuss biogenic show stopper number 1 as there is no solution. Perhaps show stopper number 2 would be trying to explain the super, super, large middle east, Alberta, and Venezuela petroleum deposits.
As this paper notes chemical thermal dynamic analysis shows that long chain carbon molecules will not spontaneously be formed, except at great pressures (at pressures that occur at roughly 100 km below the surface of the earth.). To support their assertion they perform an experiment that produces long chain hydrocarbons from CH4 using a diamond anvil that can recreate the pressure at great depths.
The following are excerpts from this paper.
http://www.pnas.org/cgi/reprint/99/17/10976
The evolution of multi-component systems at high pressures: VI. The thermodynamic stability of the hydrogen–carbon system: The genesis of hydrocarbons and the origin of petroleum, By Kenney, Kutcherov, Bendeliani, and Alekseev
The scientific problem of the genesis of hydrocarbons of natural petroleum, and consequentially of the origin of natural petroleum deposits, regrettably has been one too much neglected by competent physicists and chemists; the subject has been obscured by diverse, unscientific hypotheses, typically connected with the rococo hypothesis (1) that highly reduced hydrocarbon molecules of high chemical potentials might somehow evolve from highly oxidized biotic molecules of low chemical potential. The scientific problem of the spontaneous evolution of the hydrocarbon molecules
comprising natural petroleum is one of chemical thermodynamic-stability theory. This problem does not involve the properties of rocks where petroleum might be found or of microorganisms observed in crude oil.
Natural petroleum is a hydrogen–carbon (H–C) system, in distinctly nonequilibrium states, composed of mixtures of highly reduced hydrocarbon molecules, all of very high chemical potential and most in the liquid phase. As such, the phenomenon of the terrestrial existence of natural petroleum in the near-surface crust of the Earth has presented several challenges, most of which have remained unresolved until recently. The primary scientific problem of petroleum has been the existence and genesis of the individual hydrocarbon molecules themselves: how, and under what thermodynamic conditions, can such highly reduced molecules of high chemical potential evolve?
The expression in the second line of Eq. 2 states further that for any circumstance for which the Affinity does not vanish, there exists a generalized thermodynamic force that drives the system toward equilibrium. The constraints of this expression assure that an apple, having disconnected from its bough, does not fall, say, half way to the ground and there stop (a phenomenon not prohibited by the first law) but must continue to fall until the ground. These constraints force a chemically reactive system to evolve always toward the state of lowest thermodynamic Affinity.
These constraints force a chemically reactive system to evolve always toward the state of lowest thermodynamic Affinity. Thus, the evolution of a chemically reactive, multicomponent system may be determined at any temperature, pressure, or composition whenever the chemical potentials of its components are known. To ascertain the thermodynamic regime of the spontaneous evolution of hydrocarbons, their chemical potentials must be determined.
Oil in bedrock granite off Vietnam’s shores
After aftermath of a series of pullouts by Western oil majors, Vietnam has gone into partnership with its former Cold War ally Russia to develop its oil industry.” This development was reported by the Asia Times Online on Dec. 3, 1999, a report loudly rebroadcast by Vietnam News at the time.
The Russians were confident they would succeed where Western countries failed. Why? Armed with what has become known as the Russian-Ukrainian theory of the deep, abiotic origin of petroleum, the Russians planned to find oil where traditionally trained “fossil-fuel” petro-geologists had failed to look. So, in 1981 the Russians teamed up with the Vietnamese to form a joint venture oil company named Vietsovpetro (PetroVietnam). Together they headed into the South China Sea off Vietnam and drilled deep wells into the crystalline basement structure of the sea bottom.
As a result, seven production oilfields were discovered, the largest of which is known as White Tiger, which is on the continental shelf of Vietnam. The main reserve of the White Tiger oilfield is “concentrated in fractured granite basement that is unique in the world oil and gas production practice.” Western oil companies typically expect to find oil only in sedimentary rock. Generally, Western oil companies refuse to drill unless they find “source rock” – sedimentary rock that contains oil the petro-geologists believe derived from decaying ancient biological debris, dead dinosaurs and pre-historic forests. That the Soviets and the Vietnamese have found oil in granite structures is revolutionary, unless, of course, you think from the perspective of the deep, abiotic theory.
From the granite basement offshore Vietnam, the White Tiger oilfield produces almost 280,000 barrels of oil a day. A second oilfield, known as Black Lion, currently produces 80,000 barrels of oil per day, but within three years PetroVietnam expects to increase that output to 200,000 barrels per day.
The White Tiger oilfield is at a depth of 5,000 meters (approximately 3 miles), of which 4,000 meters (about 2.5 miles) is fractured granite basement. How can the “Fossil-Fuel” theory possibly explain finding oil at these deep levels in granite rock?
A survey of worldwide oil exploration in fractured basement formations is maintained on the website of GeoScience, a U.K. consulting firm specializing in ultra-deep oil and natural gas exploration and production. The GeoScience compilation further documents that the oil found offshore from Vietnam is being found in bedrock structures that are volcanic in nature:
opluso says:
You really shouldn’t trust WND as a source for geological information. Or probably for any information whatsoever.
Oil source rocks and geophysical principles are actually fairly well understood. And they have nothing to do with “dead dinosaurs”.
For example, from Geoscience (Bạch Hổ is “White Tiger”):
At Bach Ho field offshore Vietnam a granite ‘buried hill’ produces from a ~1000m column at approximately 3000m to 4000m depth. The dominant control on reservoir quality appears to be fault proximity, with fault damage zones being associated with both storage and production. A network of open fractures in the upper part of the granite is associated with a late Oligocene thrust structure which emplaced part of the granite directly above source rock, such that active and ongoing recharge of the hydrocarbon column is possible.
You put anything into the earth long enough, and it absorbs stuff. A couple of million years is more than long enough to absorb some heavy metals.
I’ve already explained why the earth drops in some earthquakes.
Are you being paid to embarrass yourself?
Thomas Gold was a good astrophysicist. Unfortunately he didn’t bother to learn much (ie. anything) about geology. The evidence for biological origin of coal, petroleum and a lot of natural gas is overwhelming. Moreover the mechanisms that might convert methane in situ into complex hydrocarbons tidily inserted into sedimentary sequences are not only completely unknown, they appear to be highly unlikely.
There is a possibility that some natural gas is abiotic. But no one is drilling holes in places it might collect and no one is likely to any time soon.
The evidence for biological origin of coal, petroleum and a lot of natural gas is overwhelming.
The alleged evidence is underwhelming, actually. Most of the “evidence” cited for biological origin can be found on Titan and Comet Haley.
If your favorite fable violates the 2nd law of thermodynamics…
http://www.pnas.org/content/99/17/10976.long
..you probably won’t find any real evidence to support it.
Aarne H says:
Gold’s abiotic theory is not even junk science, it is magical thinking. Thoroughly debunked over the years it somehow manages to live on (thanks to the internet). As a Geologist working in the industry it amazes me that people will ignore 50-60 years of observations confirming the biogenic origin of all the world’s hydrocarbons. I’m ignoring the simple hydrocarbons formed through serpentinization.
Methane can have a non-biological source, therefore all hydrocarbons are non-biological?
Is that really the theory you want to hang your reputation on?
Aarne, I strongly suspect it’s like those people who still insist that airplanes could not have brought down the twin towers.
The desire to think yourself special because you have a revelation that others do not understand can be overwhelming to those who have nothing else going for them.
In reponse to MarkW:
“MarkW April 14, 2016 at 9:59 am
MarkW April 14, 2016 at 10:01 am
I am puzzled with your comments to me. I can only figure that you did not understand what I posted or that you are just trolling.
The same phenomenon explains why there were drops of up to 30 feet of land in the famous Alaskan earthquake of 1964. Supporting mantel cannot disappear to cause very, very, rapid drops in the earth’s crust,
I have never heard that mantel disappears in any quake. As for the 1964 quake, plate tectonics was in its infancy, and it help provide tremendous support for the new theory.
http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2014/3018/pdf/fs2014-3018.pdf says in part:
Recognizing Hazards due to Movement on Secondary Faults
The 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake demonstrated that secondary faults that spread out or splay upward from the main rupture plane can accommodate much of the horizontal and vertical movement associated with the sudden plate motion. These splay faults can locally uplift the seafloor, causing the water above to be displaced and creating a tsunami. The hazards posed by secondary splay faulting can be severe because, although localized, the uplifts and tsunamis produced by the 1964 earthquake were greater than those generated by displacement in the subduction zone itself. These secondary ruptures were commonly located closer to shore, reducing the travel and warning times of the waves. After the 1964 earthquake, vertical uplifts of 36 feet were mapped along splay faults on Montague Island, and vertical uplifts along related faults were inferred to extend as far south as Kodiak Island. These uplifts produced large tsunamis on the Kenai Peninsula near Seward and on Kodiak Island. Such secondary faulting is likely also responsible for the tsunami disaster in Aceh, Indonesia, during the 2004 Great Aceh-Andaman Earthquake.
If CH4 can be blamed for a 30 foot drop, how can there be a 36 foot uplift? Subduction zone release makes so much more sense.
The deep earth release CH4 explains why there are earthquakes that originate at 40km and deeper in the earth. The mantel is hot and plastic below around 20km therefore there is no method for stress to build up at great depths.
The fossil theory of CH4 cannot explain why there is sudden release of massive amounts of CH4 from the earth. What suddenly change to cause the release of CH4? What is the biological source to create the CH4 deposit, deep in the ocean? Note the marine environment is very efficient, only 7% of dead biological material makes it to the ocean floor. There is no sunlight deep in the ocean.
The abiotic explanation is the earth’s liquid core is gradually solidifying which causes super high pressure CH4 to be extrude from the core of the earth. There is therefore a large continual source of CH4 moving into mantel, a portion of which continually moves into the atmosphere.
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/bermuda-triangle-mystery-solved-by-enormous-gas-blowouts-ocean-floor-1549223
Scientists may have discovered the secret behind the notorious Bermuda Triangle: methane bubble explosions. Giant craters on the seabed around Norway’s coast have been discovered by scientists, marking areas where massive bubbles of methane may have exploded.
The large chasms on the ocean floor are around half a mile wide and 150ft deep. They could have been caused by gas leaking from deposits of oil and gas buried deeper in the sea floor. The gases are thought to accumulate in sea-floor sediments before bursting through the sea bed and into the surrounding waters.
Scientists have recently developed radar that can show detailed images of the sea bed, according to a Sunday Times report. The graphics vividly depict areas of methane seepage around the globe. The discoveries may offer scientific explanations for reports from sailors of water starting to bubble and foam with no apparent cause.
“Multiple giant craters exist on the sea floor in an area in the west-central Barents sea… and are probably a cause of enormous blowouts of gas,” said researchers at the Arctic University of Norway. “The crater area is likely to represent one of the largest hotspots for shallow marine methane release in the Arctic.”
A 165-year-old mystery
The area, also known as the “Devil’s Triangle”, is a western area of the North Atlantic Ocean bounded by Bermuda, Puerto Rico and a point near Melbourne, Florida, where numerous ships and aircraft have mysteriously disappeared throughout the ages. Since records began in 1851, it is estimated that around 8,127 people have been lost in the Bermuda Triangle.
The bedrock of these seas has many magnetic anomalies that can produce misleading compass readings. The deposits of frozen methane gas can explode in violent outbursts – methane blowouts, – capable of sinking even large vessels
If the mantle is hot and plastic, then there is no mechanism for sudden releases of CH4.
MarkW
The liquid high pressure CH4 breaks through to the surface of the planet which causes a sudden release of pressure in the deep earth. See article concerning the finding of massive blow outs on the surface of the ocean.
Very instructive article about methane that teaches that on our planet this gas is not mainly the result of biochemical processes of degradation of biological materials, as ecologists and ignorant people are believing but is intrinsically present in huge amounts since billions years in the Earth’s core.
Therefore, knowing that the crust may release at every moment huge amounts of this gas (without we humans, can even notice it), we may wonder if this very efficient greenhouse gas isn’t another big component of the natural variability of the climate since as soon it is released it begins decaying into CO2 and disappears within a few decades.
Anyways it is obvious that we have absolutely no control knob on the methane concentrations in the atmosphere like some climate activists are boasting we have.
Part of CH4 may be abiotic (as far as I have read not at all in the earth’s core, as it is produced in the mantle), but most is from biogenic origin. As in William’s story oil and coal are from abiotic origin: that is complete nonsense. One can see the imprints of leaves in coal of the plants where the coal was made of.
Fact is that in the previous warmer interglacial (the Eemian of ~110,000 years ago) methane levels were ~700 ppbv, the same in this interglacial until ~1750, but nowadays around 1800 ppbv. The difference is caused by human emissions, as is clear from the increase over the past centuries:
http://www.ferdinand-engelbeen.be/klimaat/klim_img/law_dome_ch4.jpg
Its effect on temperature is probably not even measurable…
hot air says:
So..earth farts?
This is the kind of pollution that I find the worst – the internet is getting clogged with it. We have turned loose the infinite number of monkeys but none have replicated a Shakespearean play and will never do so. William, calm down. Because its in print doesn’t necessarily mean it’s about reality. Indeed, most often the reverse is true.
Another cult of CAGW paradigm pusher.
We are not going to run out of hydrocarbons to burn. The continents float on massive deep deposits of CH4 that has been extruded from the liquid core of the planet as it solidifies. The slow release of CH4 explains why the ocean volume has increased over time and explains why the early super strong solar winds did not remove all of the water from the earth’s atmosphere.
There are massive amounts of ‘natural’ gas (CH4) which are now accessible via deep drilling (20,000 feet) techniques.
See Carnegie Institute of Sciences Deep Carbon Workshop presentations if you interested in this subject.
https://www.gl.ciw.edu/workshops/sloan_deep_carbon_workshop_may_2008
Salby is correct the majority of the recent increase in atmospheric CO2 (Salby’s calculation using two independent analysis techniques is that at most 33% of the recent rise in atmospheric CO2 is due to anthropogenic sources) is due to natural causes, not anthropogenic emission.
I see the cult of CAGW has no answer to the piles and piles of anomalies and paradoxes concerning the fossil fuel urban legend.
The Thomas Gold/Russia/Ukraine deep earth theory explains why: 70% of the planet is covered in water, provides the reason why there are massive concentration of hydrocarbon such as the 1.2 Trillion barrel heavy oil concentration in the Canadian province of Alberta (deep source of CH4 provides the pressure to push the CH4 through the mantel picking up heavy metals during the flowing process, the puzzle with the biological theory is why the massive concentration, what is source of the pressure and so on. Deep earth micro organisms eat the methane converting it to heavy oil and leaving biological residue), the reason why Saudi Arabia was 25% of the world’s oil with a single field that has 50% of their total, explains why the solar wind has not stripped off water from the planet (i.e. CH4 is continually released from planet core which disassociates to form H2O and CO2), explains the composition of the atmosphere, explains why the atmosphere C12/C13 has remained constant with geological time (there is constant new source of high C12 from the core contained in CH4.)
http://www.rense.com/general63/refil.htm
Oil Fields Are Refilling… Naturally – Sometimes Rapidly
There Are More Oil Seeps Than All The Tankers On Earth
Analysis of the ancient oil that seems to be coming up from deep below in the Gulf of Mexico suggests that the flow of new oil “is coming from deeper, hotter formations” and is not simply a lateral inflow from the old deposits that surround existing oil fields, she said. The chemical composition of the migrating oil also indicates it is being driven upward and is being altered by highly pressurized gases squeezing up from below.
http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2012/06/focus
There have been massive CH4 fields found in Canada, with deep drilling techniques.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/bc-emerges-as-major-natural-gas-player/article1247539/
Now, his proposed $3-billion Kitimat liquid natural gas project has the backing of some of the biggest names in the business – including the world’s largest gas importer, Korea Gas Corp., and U.S. gas producers EOG Resources Inc. and Apache Corp. , two key players in the Horn River.
The change from an import to an export facility is emblematic of the changing B.C. economy and the province’s emerging role as a significant gas producer on a global scale.
MIDDLE EAST GEOLOGY Why the Middle East fields may produce oil forever
http://www.offshore-mag.com/articles/print/volume-55/issue-4/news/general-interest/middle-east-geology-why-the-middle-east-fields-may-produce-oil-forever.html
Deep Earth CH4 hypothesis explains super, super large oil deposits and natural gas deposits. See Qatar.
The deep earth hypothesis can explain why Saudi Arabia has 25% of the planet’s oil reserves half of which is contained in only eight fields. Half of Saudi Arabia production comes from a single field the Ghawar.
Some of the basic observations Gold has that provides support for the abiotic origin of natural gas, crude oil, and ‘natural’ gas.
P.S. I see the cult of CAGW never responses to the paradoxes and anomalies that the fossil theory cannot explain. What happen to ‘peak’ oil which is always around the corner?
(1) Petroleum and methane are found frequently in geographic patterns of long lines or arcs, which are related more to deep-seated large-scale structural features of the crust, than to the smaller scale patchwork of the sedimentary deposits. (See Middle East deposits for example).
(2) Hydrocarbon-rich areas tend to be hydrocarbon-rich at many different levels, corresponding to quite different geological epochs, and extending down to the crystalline basement that underlies the sediment. An invasion of an area by hydrocarbon fluids from below could better account for this than the chance of successive deposition. (As Gold notes there is also black coal near and in one case in the oil deposit.)
(3) Some petroleum from deeper and hotter levels almost completely lack the biological evidence. Optical activity and the odd-even carbon number effect are sometimes totally absent, and it would be difficult to suppose that such a thorough destruction of the biological molecules had occurred as would be required to account for this, yet leaving the bulk substance quite similar to other crude oils.
(4) Methane is found in many locations where a biogenic origin is improbable or where biological deposits seem inadequate: in great ocean rifts in the absence of any substantial sediments; in fissures in igneous and metamorphic rocks, even at great depth; in active volcanic regions, even where there is a minimum of sediments; and there are massive amounts of methane hydrates (methane-water ice combinations) in permafrost and ocean deposits, where it is doubtful that an adequate quantity and distribution of biological source material is present. (William: Gold notes the natural gas commonly has significantly low C13/C12 ratio and unexplainably has a large variance of C13/C12 ratio. This is explained by fractionation as the CH4 moves from the core to surface. The speed of transit varies which affect the C13/C12 ratio.)
(5) The hydrocarbon deposits of a large area often show common chemical or isotopic features, quite independent of the varied composition or the geological ages of the formations in which they are found. Such chemical signatures may be seen in the abundance ratios of some minor constituents such as traces of certain metals that are carried in petroleum; or a common tendency may be seen in the ratio of isotopes of some elements, or in the abundance ratio of some of the different molecules that make up petroleum. Thus a chemical analysis of a sample of petroleum could often allow the general area of its origin to be identified, even though quite different formations in that area may be producing petroleum. For example a crude oil from anywhere in the Middle East can be distinguished from an oil originating in any part of South America, or from the oils of West Africa; almost any of the oils from California can be distinguished from that of other regions by the carbon isotope ratio. (William: The big issue is how the heck does heavy metals and mercury get into coal and into crude oil, in addition to the fact the amount of metals is the same in deposits in the same region.)
William, you obviously write scads more than you read if you’ve identified me as “a CAGW paradigm pusher”. I am a geologist and an engineer and I can tell you unequivocally that what you are wasting your time on is a very fringe belief indeed, one that seems to excite people outside the industry more than those within it.
Now, very often what we have in these controversies (like CAGW for example) is a partial truth in competing claims, but zealots go holus bolus into the brave new stuff and never look back. I would reserve sensible judgement on this methane coming all the way from the core – this is speculation without a mote of evidence. Organic material on the sea floor entering subduction zones is certainly possible, but these tight conditions are more likely to scrape the mud off on the upper lip so even it is unlikely to be as big a contributor as you think.
In making me a CAGW pusher, I presume you are trying to tell me that this makes methane/oil “renewable”. Well, in the same sense coal is also renewable (if we stop draining the swamps) but the human race may have disappeared before it becomes coal again. The race might have to disappear to ensure enormous boggy forests are left alone to do this job. Re oil, I don’t believe the reservoirs produced 150 year ago have been noticeably filling up again although better methods have been able to squeeze out more of what is there. Get a grip William and at least chop your posts down about 80-90% to make it readable.
Land falls after an earthquake in a subduction zone because it was formerly being buckled by the pressure generated by the fault. When the pressure is removed, the buckle goes away.
Please learn some basic geography and stop embarrassing yourself.
Howdy Mark.
Any response to the piles and piles of above anomalies?
Or is name calling all you have?
P.S. The Thailand tsunami was created by a 500 km^2 area fall (about 10 m) in ocean floor. No subduction zone. Of course the Madri Missippi massive natural gas release occurred in the centre of a continent.
You cult of CAGW guys are amazing. You are 100% scientifically incorrect. I can and will in my own thread present 20 of the easiest to understand observations that support the CH4 is extruded from the liquid core as it solidifies theory vs the late veneer comet theory which is what the fossil theory/Bern model is based on.
William Astley
The 2004 “Thailand tsunami” was caused by an undersea megathrust earthquake was caused when the Indian Plate was subducted by the Burma Plate.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake_and_tsunami
What I said is correct in terms of ocean floor falling. There was a series of articles discussing why the ocean floor fell and the extraordinary deep source of the earth quake.
Further support that deep released earth CH4 is associated with thrust type earthquakes and is the cause of very deep earth quakes where there is no thrust zone.
There are multiple observations where the deep CH4 theory is the only explanation. The following is a super deep earthquake where there is no thrust zone.
http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150609-mystery-quake-among-deepest-known
A mysterious earthquake that struck the centre of the US was one of the deepest earthquakes of its type ever recorded, say scientists.
The quake, known as the Wind River Earthquake, struck the state of Wyoming in 2013 with a magnitude of 4.7 Mw (Moment magnitude scale).
The quake was strange for various reasons.
The Wind River area of Wyoming is usually quiet, seismically speaking. In the past 60 years since records have been collected, few earthquakes in the region have been recorded with magnitudes of 4 Mw, while just one surpassed 5 Mw.
However, the region is also tectonically quiet – that is, there is little movement in the Earth’s tectonic plates below the site. The nearest tectonic movement occurs 200 km away to the northwest, at the so-called Yellowstone Hotspot, an area that produces volcanic activity across the states of Oregon, Nevada, Idaho, and Wyoming.
Earthquakes usually occur as tectonic plates in the Earth’s crust grind into each other along fault lines, releasing pent up energy (William: And release CH4 which explains why there is sudden cooling in the region of the earth quake which is caused when liquid CH4 expands), or as slabs of crust descend deeper into the Earth’s hotter and more viscous mantle.
Now scientists have evidence that the Wind River earthquake actually occurred deeper within the Earth, in its mantle, rather than within the Earth’s crust.
Their measurements suggest the earthquake occurred at a depth of 75 km.
In 1979, an earthquake struck at depth of 90 km under Randolphe, Utah, some 40 km into the Earth’s mantle.
In 2000, another quake struck under the Arafura Sea, at a depth of 61 km, some 25 km into the mantle.
The extreme depth of the Wind River Earthquake “poses some interesting questions”, say the researchers.
Land falls after an earthquake in a subduction zone . . .
Well, one half or side of the land would, wouldn’t it? Since it’s subduction, the other affected half would have to rise.
Mike Higton says:
Is it not the case that the absorption spectrum of methane overlaps heavily with that of water vapour? Given the dominance of water in the atmosphere, the impact of methane – in terms of potential warming – is reduced dramatically.
Biofuels are certainly borderline as an energy source. So I essentially agree with this essay, despite it’s a bit ranty.
They insist that methane is “a far more potent greenhouse gas” than carbon dioxide
And so it is. This is because it is so rare in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is less potent because adding more of the same gas largely absorbs outgoing IR that would often have been absorbed by another carbon dioxide molecule a little higher in the atmosphere.
It has everything to do with hogtying and bankrupting US fossil fuel companies, controlling industrial activities and people’s living standards – and mandating a costly transition to renewable energy, while rewarding the hordes of scientists, activists and industrialists who benefit from the $1.5-trillion-per-year Climate Crisis, Inc. money train.
No, governments don’t try to bankrupt companies. They try to get re-elected. Bankrupting companies is counterproductive.
Not think about the carbon cycle. Where did the carbon come from for the biofuel compared to the fossil fuel?
If you got “the atmosphere when the plant that is the basis of the fuel was growing” and “the atmosphere 200 million years ago in the carboniferous era, when the plant is the basis of the fuel was growing”, well done. Give yourself a prize.
Now can you see why one affects current carbon dioxide levels in that atmosphere, and the other one doesn’t?
Disingenuous nonsense. Clinton promising to close down coal, and her only option is regulation and bankruptcy, Peabody just did go under. Obama has been waging a war too. “Exxonknew”.
What on earth are you talking about?
Thank your for admitting saturation is already occurring. NASA said this in 1970
Disingenuous nonsense.
Um, no.
People in government like to get re-elected. It’s their main thing.
Economic recession is bad for the elected government. What they want is happy little constituents.
Clinton promising to close down coal, and her only option is regulation and bankruptcy,
Not for its own sake.
Obama has been waging a war too. “Exxonknew”.
Yes they did. And they do. But Obama open up a lot of ocean for drilling. And oil gets a lot of tax breaks, especially exploration.
Thank your for admitting saturation is already occurring.
The response to an increase in a greenhouse gas certainly is approximately logarithmic. About 3°C per doubling for CO₂.
“Saturation” implies that there’s not more warming for additional adding of CO₂. that won’t happen until well above the CO₂ toxicity concentration for humans.
AndyG55 says:
“Yes they did. And they do”
BullS**t…… Nobody knows,, its just an unproven hypothesis, with basically ZERO evidence to back it.
Yes, Exxon probably knew that the Greens were mouthing off about it.. but who really cared back then.
Come to think of it……..
Who really cares now, except for votes they think they can milk out of the feely- touchy agenda.
Maybe you’ve missed the evidence. About 97% of climatologists are convinced by the evidence. Either you or all them are mistaken.
In July 1977, Exxon’s senior scientist James Black told the company’s management committee:
There is general scientific agreement that the most likely manner in which mankind is influencing the global climate is through carbon dioxide release from the burning of fossil fuels… present thinking holds that man has a time window of five to 10 years before the need for hard decisions regarding changes in energy strategies might become critical.
Which the scientific community knew at that time, but there was (and is) a large disingenuous push to claim that there is no such general scientific agreement.
Who really cares now
At the time of the Paris talks, about 54% of the world would have said it was a very serious problem.
But that was before the last three months, the recent finding that models are underestimating warming, and this years unseasonably early start to the melt in Greenland
And of course ecologists, philanthropists and economists are concerned.
Think of it like this. Climate sensitivity is expressed as a warming per doubling of gas concentration. To double CO2 we need to add several hundred ppm. To double methane we need to add 1.7ppm. Therefore methane will have a much greater effect per ppm than carbon dioxide, even if it has a lower sensitivity overall.
The physical response for a CO2 doubling is around 1°C, not 3°C, based on measured IR absorption in a 1996 “standard” atmosphere of clouds and rain. Climate models make average 3°C of it, as these include a lot of positive feedbacks which in reality don’t exist: water vapor (no “hot spot” in the upper troposphere of the tropics), clouds (reverse of the models), etc… Real warming, even including the recent El Niño, are half the warming as “projected” by the models.
Models are not reality. If the models don’t reflect reality, the assumptions underlying the models are wrong and the models have zero value.
About 97% of climatologists are convinced by the evidence. Either you or all them are mistaken.
If you believe in the myth of the 97%, then you aren’t able to distinguish between what is really known by scientists and what is fabricated by activists… What is the evidence? The earth has warmed since the LIA (~1600). CO2 has increased significantly for any effect mainly since ~1950, thanks to humans. Half of the warming was before 1950 and most scientists (around 2/3) believe that humans are responsible for at least half of it since then. Thus about 1/4 of the warming or 0.2-0,3°C since 1600 may be human. That is all…
Time frames matter. Plus plausible deniability.
If the damage doesn’t happen until after the politician leaves office, then politically the damage doesn’t matter.
Beyond that if the politician can find someone else to blame for the damage the politician caused, then one again the damage doesn’t matter politically.
Finally, if the politician can gather sufficient donations in exchange for activities that damage the economy, then the politician will go ahead with damaging activities.
You really need to get out and study the real world. It’s not all black and white, single cause, single affect stuff.
Peabody’s problem was lousy timing of an expansion attempt; the government was not a factor.
janus100 says:
“….Now can you see why one affects current carbon dioxide levels in that atmosphere, and the other one doesn’t?…”
Seth, you should tone down your sarcasm. CO2 reduction by corn based biofuel is approximately 20% based on the same amount of energy flow. (in the other words,it introduces about 20% of solar energy into the final product.)
It is a crime against humanity, similar to burning corn in locomotives as was the case during the great depression. (read Steinbeck’s book Grapes of Wrath)
Seth, then we dare not make methane rarer in the atmosphere. Am I right?
“No, governments don’t try to bankrupt companies. They try to get re-elected. Bankrupting companies is counterproductive just an added Socialist benefit.”
Are you trying to add cover for Obama and the watermelons or are you ignorant?
That should help you understand.
SAMURAI says:
Seth: “No, governments don’t try to bankrupt companies. They try to get re-elected. Bankrupting companies is counterproductive.”
Leftists hacks try to destroy companies and industries all the time….
Obviously it’s counterproductive for Leftist’s to destroy industries and jobs, but Leftists couldn’t care less about the economic consequences as their primary desire is to stay in power and to get as many people as possible on the government dole becuase it assures their votes to keep the government largess flowing… There will always be more people on the dole than entrepreneurs running corporations… It’s a numbers game..
Leftists will, of course, take $billions of political “donations” from corporations in exchange for special favors in the future, with the understanding that politicians can trash them in public for populist posturing…
It’s all a big game of smoke and mirrors with political and Left-leaning corporate elites running the show…
The fact is methane is not at dangerous levels, it is not going to be at dangerous levels for the foreseeable century or two, and that’s without natural changes like a cold snap in the next 2 centuries that would hammer out some of the natural sources that are an much larger than human contribution, like termites, who also emit significantly larger amounts of CO2 than humans.
It’s pure scaremongering to push policy.
The fact is methane is not at dangerous levels
On the other hand, it’s a greenhouse gas, and greenhouse gasses are at dangerous levels.
In the past, CO2 has been 20 times higher than it is today and, surprise, surprise, the Earth didn’t melt and plant and animal life increased,,You are correct about CO2 being at a dangerous level…dangerously LOW !!!
No they aren’t. Nothing is dangerous about them.
Jenn Runion says:
No they aren’t at dangerous levels. If anything they are at levels that are starving the plant life for which we ALL depend upon for our very survival. There is no runaway greenhouse effect–ooo there’s a blast from the past–on Earth because our planet is NOT VENUS!!! Won’t be Venus and can not be Venus–why? because we are the 3rd rock from the sun, not the 2nd.
WBWilson says:
Once again Seth, the geologic history of the earth disproves your theory. In the geologic past your ‘dangerous’ so-called greenhouse gasses, CO2 and methane, were many times more abundant in the atmosphere. Life flourished; it was not catastrophic. It was generally warmer, but sometimes colder. It has been cooling rapidly (geologically speaking) for several million years now.
The idea that humans can now control the climate by twiddling a couple of trace gas control knobs is purely political. And the scientists who promote it are in thrall to the politician’s money.
This is an example of the absurdity that warmists trot out,pushing the idea that trace gases with limited IR absorption,absorbing small amount of IR energy is somehow capable of overcoming much larger H20 effects in its various forms. In the tropical regions CO2 and CH4 are dominated by Water Vapor to the point of its irrelevancy, it is also where the main source of atmosphere warming is located.
The much talked about “Hot Spot” still fails to show up despite your silly claim that CH4 is at “dangerous levels”, while outgoing long wave energy at least double the postulated warm forcing of your two gases you whine about. It has been at least 15 years now that warmists have pushed the “hot spot” idea yet still doesn’t show up at all.
Again from here, http://theinconvenientskeptic.com/2012/05/the-science-of-why-the-theory-of-global-warming-is-incorrect/ is this that warmists continually ignore or overlook at how weak your two gases are in warming the planet:
“If the Earth were to warm by 1.1 °C, the amount of energy lost would be almost 4 W/m2 greater than what it lost in 1984. If the Earth were to warm by 3.0 °C which is what is predicted by a doubling of CO2, then the amount of energy lost would be > 10 W/m2 the energy loss that existed in 1984.
The science of this is very clear. The rate at which the Earth loses energy will increase at more than twice the rate that the theoretical CO2 forcing is capable of causing warming to take place. The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere cannot stop the Earth from losing more energy if it warms up…”
This has been known for a while now,yet warmists continue to advocate an impossible idea that CH4 and CO2 can cause run away warming.
I agree SunsetTommy, it hasn’t in the past 4.5 billion years, so why would it start now !! Both have been higher, while temps were lower and both have been lower while temps were higher ! If anything, CO2 is dangerously low !
Not even close to being true, but who cares when their is an economy to destroy.
Doonman says:
If you believe 400 ppm CO2 is dangerous, then you must also explain how C3 plant stomata are still able to utilize ~1200 ppm of CO2 in photosynthesis. C3 plants either evolved to do that over millions of years of dangerous levels or it was recent divine intervention based on whim. Which solution do you choose?
You are wrong as usual, seth. Who feeds you your misinformation? John Cook? Hotwhopper?
Current CO2 levels are about as low as they’ve ever been in geologic history:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cHhMa7ARDDg/SoxiDu0taDI/AAAAAAAABFI/Z2yuZCWtzvc/s1600/Geocarb%2BIII-Mine-03.jpg
(click in chart to embiggen)
The biosphere needs much more CO2, not less.
EVERY scary claim made by the alarmist cult has turned out to be exactly wrong; backward. Seth’s false assertion is just one example of many.
“….There’s another deep, dark secret about biofuels. Somebody needs to tell Obama, McCarthy, Clinton, Sanders and their army of “green” supporters that biofuels are hydrocarbons! They are composed of carbon and hydrogen, though in less complex molecular structures than what we pull out of the ground – which means we get less energy per gallon. And when we burn them, they release carbon dioxide!…?
But the growing the crop feed stock is absorbing the same amount, so it is CO2 neutral, so they say.
On over all energy balance, biofuels bring approximately 20% of solar energy into the final product. I agree with the commenters above that corn based ethanol is a crime against humanity and environment.
phil cartier says:
I really think that congress should require all unelected government officials to conduct all their business in person and only be allowed to travel by train, animal drawn wagon, or a sailing ship. These rules would greatly reduce carbon emissions due to excess government travel expenditures and really help to reduce global warming. All the hot air and exhaust gas would be limited to very small areas.
Ok, lets get into the logistics shall we?
So…my question is: just WHO is going to farm it? Nevermind the water component for the moment; who is going to farm that much corn for ethanol? And what are THEY going to eat? Can’t be the bugs because those will all be necessary to pollinate the vast amount of corn crops and aerate the soil. So that leaves what exactly to eat? Certainly not any other crops that might be essential to life–you know that pesky food thing we have to consume because all available farming land will be given over to make fuel.
Seriously. Why is it with this type of alarmist rhetoric we never get any logistics on how it is going to work? Oh wait, that comes later doesn’t it–because the first part of this new world order is to establish the right of the rulers to demand obedience.
As for reducing the amount of methane in the atmosphere–that’s an easy solution, tell ships to stay out of the Bermuda Triangle–lest they tempt the ocean to unleash it’s methane bubbles and sink them with no trace. If there are no ships, there is no temptation. 🙂
While it’s nice that there are plenty of people here willing to point out the basic science mistakes in Dreissen’s essay, why am I the first to do so at cfact.org?
..Well what did you think all those “illegals” are for ??
So…my question is: just WHO is going to farm it? Nevermind the water component for the moment; who is going to farm that much corn for ethanol? And what are THEY going to eat?
Good question deserve good answers.
Who: Enviros and especially Bernie Sanders type supporters of democratic socialism. We will collectivize them and put them on “community farms”.
What will they eat: A quick list produced this list – cutworms, seed-corn maggot, southern corn rootworm, corn wireworm, corn leaf aphid, corn flea beetle, corn earworm, fall armyworm, european corn borer, corn sap beetle, and japanese beatles. No Problem, glad I could help.
beng135 says:
Methane, shmethan. The amounts are too small to be of consequence.
David A says:
Ric says,
Thanks for venturing into such areas. The more rational educated voices commenting on alarmist sites the better.
Bruce Cobb says:
Hoo- boy. Object lesson here in how not to construct an argument against the completely bogus and mendacious claims of the Climate Liars. Don’t trot out, and most certainly don’t start off with the weakest argument, which in this case is the % argument, which, as one of the more astute (which isn’t saying much) trolls here pointed out, is irrelevent. The problem is, that it gives them an “in” (they think) to trot out their long-debunked and totally illogical arguments. We have to do better than that. The arguments against their bogus methane-scare arguments is basically the same as the ones against their bogus CO2 claims, times ten. The connection between the brief, completely unremarkable warming we experienced in the 80’s and 90’s and man’s CO2 output has never been made, despite their emotion-laden, ardent desires for it to have done so. For them to then trot out the far less significant “greenhouse gas” methane, hoping to ride in on the coattails of their CO2 monster is laughably idiotic, and yet one more example of their increasing desperation.
I don’t bother arguing about the consensus percentage baloney,because there are better ways to attack the consensus fallacy.
I point out the consensus errors that have set back science research and caused deaths,sometimes many deaths due to the reliance on consensus arguments that hang onto a dead end in an idea or belief. Sometimes I just point out the superiority of the basic “Scientific Method” ideal over the empty consensus rhetoric to show what good science is really about.
People need to learn to know what good science research looks like.
markopanama says:
There is an 800 pound gorilla lurking in the biofuel debate – basing critical energy supplies on an agricultural monoculture.
Up until the 1950s, bananas were larger and more delicious than the pale shadows that are imported today. The United Fruit Company planted vast areas of the tropics with the one-best-variety, out of thousands. Along came a virus and wiped out the entire industry in a couple of years. You can still visit the ghost towns and chat with the old-timers whose careers and lives were left in the dust.
History is replete with the failure of monoculture crops – one might say that nature abhors a monoculture.
So, massive conversion to biofuels is nothing short of racial suicide, even loonier than basing energy supplies on the very weather and climate that they claim is changing unpredictably.
Tom Halla says:
Good subject to call out the trolls–yes, I mean you Seth. What part of “the IPCC mocels do not reflect reality” is not understood?
William W Jackson says:
The purpose of the new methane arguments is to continue the effort to create an energy shortage so that the photo op of dragging frozen grandmas from the ghetto can be aired ad nauseum.The corrupt central government authorities despise the energy infrastucture in the US because they have been unable to inject their largesse as they have in healthcare, banking, auto industry, et al and there is a vast amount of theft that as yet is left untapped that they can exploit as they concentrate more authority over the energy sector. The collapse of the coal industry using specious arguments has succuessfully removed reliable electrical power generation, but the advent of the natural gas replacement has delayed the shortages they envisioned. Therefore the powers have ramped up the fallacious arguments concerning hydraulic fracturing dangers and the realtively new efforts to reduce methane. One cannnot drill and complete wells in the oil and gas fields without some random escape of methane. As the EPA prepares new rules to require zero methane emissions the cost will effectively reduce the expansion of the hydrocarbon fuels necessary to make up for the destruction of coal fired electrical power.
I can envision the senatorial show trials in order to deny government responsibility preordained to reach the conclusion that once again capitalism has failed and the only viable solution is to have the government take it over.
Jerry Henson says:
Where to start….
In George Washington’s day, Doctors, by consensus thought that blood letting let out
the “Bad Humors”, so Washington was bled four times on the day he died, the last
was reported to be 18 ozs.
But for “Consensus” , Washington might still be alive today. /S
The US government’s own studies say that ethanol has 49% of the BTUs in gasoline.
http://www.afdc.energy.gov/fuels/fuel_comparison_chart.pdf
The BTU content is the source of mileage.
KIWIROB,
Only small minds say that the “discussion is over.”
I have proved that natural gas perks up all around the earth, but it is not evenly
distributed Up welling natural gas, not just methane, provides the energy which
microbes use to make upland topsoil rich.
Methane was part of the earth”s original atmosphere, and CO2 was a much larger
part of the atmosphere than it is today.
http://forces.si.edu/atmosphere/02_02_01.html
Hydrocarbons have always perked out of the earth, been oxidized, and subsequently
been deposited in layers at the bottom of the ocean. Layers of carbonaceous rock
200+ million years of layers of it can be seen in a trip down the Grand Canyon
in the U. S.
This rock is repossessed by tectonic action with heat, pressure, and minerals
available at great depth, to again become hydrocarbons which then rise, some
to be modified to larger molecules. The earth should be thought of as both
a hydrocarbon distillery and a hydrocarbon cracker.
The article above, attributing the increase in atmospheric methane to Agriculture
is partially correct. Converting undisturbed land area to agriculture disturbs
the largely balanced native culture, which tends to be in balance with the
amount of energy (from natural gas) available.
Soil freezing in winter substantially blocks the rise of the up welling gas, and
thawing allows a burst of to rise unoxidized to the atmosphere. Substantial amounts
of moisture also forces the gas to rise faster than it can be oxidized, causing
the bursts of hydrocarbons seen in the atmosphere.
The USEPA says that upland soil is a sink for methane. It is not. The gas which
they find in the topsoil is up-welling from below. Methane, introduced to the
atmosphere, rises. The scientists who test soil only test for a combustible gas,
and finding one, call it methane.
Studies which have used a gas chronograph have found the other components
of natural gas.
It is accepted science that the outer planets have hydrocarbons in their atmosphere
and Titan has lakes of the stuff.
All of the extra-solar system planets which have had their atmospheres analyzed
have been found to have hydrocarbons in their atmospheres.
I think, as do others, that up-welling hydrocarbons at tectonic plate margins,
“lubricate” or facilitate slippage. In the case of the San Andreas fault, I believe
that the vast amount of hydrocarbons removed from that area have reduced
the smaller quakes which should have been happening, but the forces are
accumulating.
I further believe that deep gas wells on the New Madrid fault might prevent the
next big quake.
Patrick MJD says:
“Jerry Henson April 14, 2016 at 8:06 am
“…consensus thought that blood letting…”
Blood letting is the only “treatment” available today for people who suffer from haemochromatosis.
CD in Wisconsin says:
Quote from the post above:
“U.S. ethanol production alone requires all the corn grown on an area the size of Iowa (36 million acres), and it makes up only 10% of the country’s E10 gasoline blends. Replacing all gasoline with ethanol from corn, sorghum or still-illusory switchgrass would therefore require ten Iowas: 360 million acres. But there is one other critical factor: ethanol has one-third less energy per gallon than pure gasoline.
It is my understanding from what I’ve read online that coal can be made into a type of fuel (alcohol fuel?) known as butanol which has about 92% of the energy content of gasoline. I recall a story I read many years ago which claims that butanol can be blended in with gasoline at any ratio (of butanol to gasoline) with little to no alterations needed to a car’s or truck’s fuel system.
I don’t know if the economics of a project like this would make sense right now with crude oil and gasoline as inexpensive as they are. If greenies however are determined to shut down coal fuelled power plants, then coal to butanol could possibly be looked at as an alternative to ethanol. If the economics are there, this would make sense to me despite the greenies opposition to it because we are producing a fuel domestically with a higher energy content and are preserving all those jobs in the coal industry. I have little doubt that communities that depend on the coal industry are in serious danger of dying out right now.
No doubt the corn farmers won’t like it if the ethanol mandate is replaced with butanol from coal. However, if the enthanol mandate is indeed driving up food costs as claimed, the morality of it should rightfully be questioned and alternatives given serious consideration.
CD in Wisconsin,
The main route from coal to liquid fuels (mainly diesel oil) is the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, where coal is transformed into a host of hydrocarbons. See Wiki:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fischer%E2%80%93Tropsch_process
Germany used it in WWII by lack of oil supply and lots of coal. The same for South Africa, when they were banned from the markets for their Apartheid policy. They then started the Sasol company, which still is the largest company in the world to use that type of synthesis, be it that they have changed from coal (only economical from open pit mines) to natural gas as feedstock, nowadays a lot cheaper:
http://www.sasol.com/about-sasol/company-profile/overview
Not only for diesel oil, but also feedstock for a lot of chemicals like plastics.
I don’t think the greens would be happy with coal as feedstock… Only biomass as feedstock may be allowed, but then we are back to the primary problem: the area of land you need to plant all these trees…
spen says:
Reading above the depth of scientific knowledge expressed maybe someone can advise on this query.
Hydrogen fuel derived from methane is becoming a popular force as a renewable. When hydrogen burns water vapour is produced. But water vapour is a greenhouse gas. Would this be significant or not?
spen,
Not very significant: it has a temperature limited maximum in air and simply rains out within a few days if the limit is exceeded, which is always the case when temperature drops in the energy (and water vapor) path of air (and water) from the equator to poles… Locally it may give a little more precipitation, but that is about all.
Of course, as long as hydrogen is made from methane, it is not renewable, despite all propaganda for hydrogen cars and busses (we have a few of the latter here on certain lines). Only if they use either hydrogen as byproduct from chlorine electrolyzes (which is the case here) or from water electrolyzes fed by wind or solar, hydrogen is “sustainable”… I only wonder if the direct yield of batteries and electric motors is not better that via hydrogen and fuel cells… Direct use of natural gas in a motor seems to me a lot better too than first converting it into hydrogen…
verdeviewer says:
In the Southeast U.S., 100-year old trees are cut with fossil-fueled engines, pelletized using electrical energy from the grid, shipped in the most polluting fossil-fueled vehicles on earth to the U.K., and burned to produce more atmospheric CO2 than the coal they replace — a process financed through a voodoo-ish system of “gusher-up economics.”
The degree to which this process reduces dangerous methane emissions does not appear to have been documented.
Jan Kjetil Andersen says:
I think this is a rather foolish article.
To claim that a certain substance must be harmless because it constitutes only 1.7 parts per million is pretty senseless. There are plenty of stuffs around that are very harmful in much lower concentrations than that. There is no point whatsoever in telling how many percentage of the atmosphere the methane level amounts to. The important thing is that the concentration is increasing.
The remaining 29% comes from natural sources: oceans, wetlands, termites, forest fires and volcanoes.
Then 71% comes from manmade emissions, I think that is pretty much.
Of course, the Obama EPA and Climate Cataclysm Industry ignore these inconvenient facts
Inconvenient facts?
Sorry, as I see it, the most inconvenient here is that this silly article has been published.
/Jan
Jan Kjetil Andersen,
I do agree that using small concentrations as argument doesn’t make sense. Neither does the argument that 71% comes from human emissions.
The only real argument is if that causes harm. Which is easily answered: not at all. Even not if it increased a tenfold as was the case in the far history of this planet…
“To claim that a certain substance must be harmless because it constitutes only 1.7 parts per million is pretty senseless.”
That would depend on what the certain substance was, don’t you think?
“There are plenty of stuffs around that are very harmful in much lower concentrations than that.”
And plenty more that are not harmful at greater concentrations, right?
“There is no point whatsoever in telling how many percentage of the atmosphere the methane level amounts to..”
It does if you are trying to understand what effect methane has on global temps, obviously . .
“The important thing is that the concentration is increasing.”
Why would that be important unless a tiny bit is harmful? Your reasoning isn’t even circular ; )
It does if you are trying to understand what effect methane has on global temps, obviously .
He does not make any effort to understand what effect the methane has. His only argument is that it must be harmless since it has so low concentration.
The irony is however, that the low concentration is exactly what makes methane a more potent greenhouse gas.
Opposed to CO2, which is 200 times as abundant as methane, and therefore has a more saturated absorption spectrum, the methane spectrum is not close to being saturated.
The greenhouse effect of methane therefore increases linearly with concentration, not logarithmically as CO2.
Very few issues in climate science is easily answered, and this is certainly not one either.
Do not think climate science is easy and have obvious answers. The science in not settled.
He didn’t say it must be harmless . . YOU injected that.
He stressed that it’s an infinitesimal component of the atmosphere, so naturally it’s unlikely to cause significant warming . . and logically speaking that’s a very strong argument all by itself. Certainly enough to begin an essay dealing with economic/socialist matters. It’s not a scientific paper, attempting to PROVE methane is not going to cause a global heat-death spiral for goodness sake . .
Ferdinand says:
The only real argument is if that causes harm. Which is easily answered: not at all.
That argument and answer also applies to human-emitted CO2.
As far as I know, the only “harm” from increased CH4 (and CO2 – as dbstealey reminded me) is from an increased temperature. In all known periods of the earth’s existence, once it cooled sufficiently down to sustain life, warmer periods were beneficial for life, colder periods did harm life on earth.
Neither the 30% increase of CO2 or the CH4 doubling has had any negative effect – until now. All negative effects are from computer models which all fail to follow the real increase in temperature, which is less than half the “projections” and thus the alleged negative consequences…
Ferdinand, if I understand you correctly you agree with me in that using the small concentration as an argument make no sense at all.
You may also agree that the contribution to global warming from Methane is probably not negligible.
But you say that we should not worry for this because global warming is good, cooling is bad
If I have I got your position correct, I can say that we agree on the first two and I think the third topic is so big that it should be discussed in an article aimed specifically to that.
The article states that methane is 1.7 parts per million.
You state above “To claim that a certain substance must be harmless because it constitutes only 1.7 parts per million is pretty senseless. There are plenty of stuffs around that are very harmful in much lower concentrations than that. ”
I’m not saying you’re wrong but I don’t know of any. Can you name a few?
He stressed that it’s an infinitesimal component of the atmosphere, so naturally it’s unlikely to cause significant warming . . and logically speaking that’s a very strong argument all by itself
There I disagree with you. Methane is more potent than CO2 just because it is in small amount.
Besides, other even more potent greenhouse gases are found in much smaller concentrations than Methane. IPCC lists 19 long lived greenhouse gases in AR5. Sixteen of those are in concentrations of less than one thousandth of the methane concentration.
Table 2.1 https://ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar5/wg1/WG1AR5_Chapter02_FINAL.pdf
Thall:
Well, for a starter, that concentration of free morphine in your bloodstream would certainly kill you.
That level of heavy metals in your food would be very harmful to your health.
If we go to climate science, IPCC lists 19 long lived greenhouse gases in AR5. Sixteen of those are in concentrations of less than one thousandth of the methane concentration.
(Units are PPT for all other than CO2, CH4, and N20)
(Myself)~ “He stressed that it’s an infinitesimal component of the atmosphere, so naturally it’s unlikely to cause significant warming . . and logically speaking that’s a very strong argument all by itself ”
(You) ~ “There I disagree with you.”
Where is this “there”? I don’t think you understand, I spoke of logic, not what is necessarily true in an ultimate sense. If you disagree that it is logical to think it unlikely that a minuscule component of the atmosphere will have a significant effect on global temps, we have no basis upon which to discuss these matters.
“Methane is more potent than CO2 just because it is in small amount.”
Sorry, double-talk is not my native tongue ; )
Where is this “there”?
I don’t think small amount is a good argument for having a small impact. As I said, many elements are very harmful in smaller amount than the atmospheric methane concentration.
Sorry, double-talk is not my native tongue
It is not double talk. The issue is that when a greenhouse gas constitute a large part of the atmosphere, it will not make so much difference to add more. Because methane is a small component of the atmosphere, each part added have more effect than it would have if methane already was more abundant.
You can for instance compare it to Tetrafluoromethane (CF4). CF4 constitute only 0.079 PPB. That means that methane is 22 000 times more abundant in the atmosphere than CF4. One part of CF4 in the atmosphere give a greenhouse effect 27 times greater than one part of methane, and 7000 times more than one part of CO2.
Jan, the post was not about a very small part of the atmosphere in isolation. The clear message was that the warming properties of methane are not a concern because there is so little of it, that even doubling or tripling it will have very little warming affect. It has zero to do with poisons.
You yourself said, “You may also agree that the contribution to global warming from Methane is probably not negligible.” Yet if we had 400 PPM methane it would be a problem. Just because some things are deadly in low concentration, it does not mean other things are not harmless in low concentration and harmful in higher concentration.. Context is everything, and you missed the context.
“As I said, many elements are very harmful in smaller amount than the atmospheric methane concentration. ”
The subject is warming of the planet, sir. The question is likelihood, not mere possibility. Amount is obviously relevant to livelihood, and I have no interest in discussing complex matters with a person who can’t (or won’t) grasp that.
The clear message was that the warming properties of methane are not a concern because there is so little of it, that even doubling or tripling it will have very little warming affect.
Concerning the greenhouse effect from well mixed gases, methane is the second biggest contributor after CO2. The current greenhouse effect caused by human emissions of methane is about one third of the same effect from CO2.
It is only “important” in the fevered minds of Alarmists. The climate couldn’t care less, just as it doesn’t care about the increased CO2. No real-world effect has ever been shown.
In yet another appeal to ridicule, MarkW says:
The desire to play armchair psychologist instead of dealing with the substance of a peer reviewed paper debunking the biological fable must be an overwhelming one for those feeble-minded folks who have nothing but faith and fallacies to support their anti-scientific belief in “fossil fuel.”
Why didn’t you address the content of the PNAS paper I referenced, Mark?
Is thermodynamics to hard for you?
Are you sure you want to pin your reputation to a theory that requires dead stuff to flow uphill spontaneously?
wacojoe says:
Just because a molecule contains carbon does not mean it captures heat energy.
Before you permit yourself to get all scare-defied over more methane being released into the atmosphere, and even if you buy into recent (since WWII) surface temperature rise being as a result of increased greenhouse gasses, do your research and find that methane is an irrelevant gas in the theoretical causes because of the limited bands of energy it can possibly absorb and from those two bands upon which it can act, it must share that potential with one more prevalent, which has already done the job almost completely in those bands leaving nothing much for methane to work upon. Those who promote gloom & doom from impending release of stores of methane wrongly assume the gas would have unlimited stores of energy upon which it could draw to heat the planet should that release occur. Therein lies the failure of this sub-theory even assuming such release is possible and imminent. There is no such pool of energy.
The energy beamed by the sun comes to Earth in the form of short waves, is absorbed by the planet, and some is transmitted back to space in the form of long waves in various bands of energy. Warmists’ Anthropogenic Global Warming Theory holds that greenhouse gasses intercept by absorption and transmit back to Earth a percentage of the long wave radiation energy in the form of kinetic heat in natural balance until humans destroy the balance by over supplying unnatural amounts of greenhouse gasses by which such process and added heat causes more of the principle greenhouse gas, water vapor, to be produced accelerating the process in an ever heightening loop of heating Gaia. Methane is a “greenhouse gas.” The misnamed process acts nothing like a greenhouse, BTW, and empirical measurements, the acid test of science, do not reflect water vapor increasing as required in proportion to CO₂ increases or even out of proportion. No increase of water vapor at all in fact has been measured among the several failures of the theory to be sustained by empirical measurement.
Methane (CH4) by its physical properties has only two narrow absorption bands at 3.3 microns and 7.5 microns in the overall broad electro-magnetic spectrum from which it can absorb energy. Theoretically, CH4 is 20 times more effective an absorber than CO2 – in those bands. However, CH4 is only 0.00017% (1.7 parts per million) of the atmosphere. Moreover, both of its bands occur at wavelengths where H2O is already absorbing virtually all energy. Because water vapor is much more plentiful in the atmosphere than methane (or any other GHG), H2O absorbs vastly more energy and is by far the most important greenhouse gas. On any given day, H2O is a percent or two of the atmosphere (1.0-2.0% or 5,882 to 11,764 times as prevalent as methane in the atmosphere, or 5882÷20=294.1 [or 588.4] multiple the absorber as methane); we call that humidity. Hence, any radiation that CH4 might absorb has already been absorbed by H2O in the only radiation bands methane absorbs energy. Once the energy in a band of the spectrum has been sucked dry, no additional absorptive gas can absorb more. Painting a black window another coat will not keep out more light. In other words, the ratio of the percentages of water to methane is such that the effects of CH4 are completely masked by H2O because the absorption of infrared energy in the bands of the spectrum affected by methane has already been saturated by H2O absorption. The amount of CH4 would have to increase 100-fold to make it comparable to H2O and even then it would no longer matter because water vapor has beat it to the punch.
There is not much ambient energy in those two little short, stray bands of the radiation spectrum to start with and most of that has already been worked over by H2O from time immemorial leaving only the scraps to poor CH4, which can never effect climate to any appreciable or worrisome amount. Because it absorbs energy in a laboratory does not mean it works that way in a chaotic atmosphere with other agents and processes present.
Learn more of what the science neophytes should have investigated before fearing methane, which is an irrelevant greenhouse gas (graphs, observed facts & all that tedious math kind of stuff) —
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/04/11/methane-the-irrelevant-greenhouse-gas/
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2015/10/10/stop-the-devastation-of-peoples-lives-by-speculating-with-no-data-remembering-cattle-and-methane-emissions/
Methane is fine vehicle to instill fear, the politicians greatest ally, on an uninformed populace though. It is the rare person whose knowledge on the substance reaches even the level of understanding the stuff coming from their gas stove is raw methane…easy targets for manipulation.
Well said !! + 4 stars
The Cassini mission mapped Titan’s methane seas (the dark areas):
http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/media/images/71714000/jpg/_71714327_untitled-1.jpg
http://en.es-static.us/upl/2014/08/Ligeia-Mare-and-Lake-Superior-v2-e1407950982339.jpg
There’s a lot of methane in the Solar System. Oceans of it. And we’re worrying about parts per billion?
Chalk up another climate scare that didn’t come true.
I believe Vegans are contributing more than their share of both methane and Co2 due to the massive amounts of plant material they eat causing lots more methane and Co2 to be released by burping and farting .
Make it illegal to be a vegan for the planets sake !
Don’t let William Astley see your methane seas – we will be getting reams and reams more than he already graces us with. He already has pegged me as a CAGW pusher, too, so you can see writes and copies more than he reads.
Gary Pearse,
You are no ‘CAGW pusher’. I’ve followed your comments here for years, and they are always rational, and make sense. It would be great if everyone were as rational.
I don’t have a dog in this particular fight. If I were to take a position, it would be the same as Ferdinand Engelbeen’s: some methane is abiotic, and some is the product of biologic activity. I don’t know what the ratio would be. But we know that biologic activity produces methane, and we know that methane is found in places with no known bio activity.
However, I strongly disagree with J.K. Andersen’s belief that methane is a problem at current (and projected) concentrations. It is always a specious argument to claim that some minuscule amount of morphine (for example) can kill, therefore other compounds must perforce act the same. Water can kill in small amounts, too. Put your face in 4″ of water and keep it there. That’s a killer, no?
The big picture is this: neither methane, nor CO2, nor the very minor global warming of the past century, nor any other alarmist scare has any validity. They were all wrong. There are no empirical measurements quantifying any global damage or harm from the rise of either methane, or CO2, or global T. Thus, per Occam’s Razor, the simple explanation is that those minor changes are “harmless”.
So let me turn the question around for Mr. Andersen, who made the conjecture that the rise in methane is dangerous. Thus, the onus is on you to support your conjecture with solid, credible evidence. Skeptics of your conjecture have nothing to prove.
As stated, the onus is on you, Mr. Andersen. What have you got?
Thank you for your well-written comment Mr. Stealy.
My intention was not to prove anything.
I just pointed out that I simply do not think that the author’s argument that small concentration means small impact, is a very good argument at all.
My main reason for this is that the IPCC’s AR5 report list 19 well-mixed greenhouse gases, and methane is the second most influential of those.
Furthermore, there is little doubt that human emissions have caused the rise in atmospheric methane; this is evident from Ferdinand Engelbeen’s curve above.
There is also little doubt that this increase give some increased greenhouse effect, and that the effect is approximately one third of the increased greenhouse effect due to the elevated CO2 level.
Whether this is dangerous or not is a very big question. Basically it depends on two factors; firstly, how big the climate sensitivity is, and secondly how much damage, if any, will rising temperatures make.
I think both of these factors are too big topics to start on that here, but we may discuss them later under articles which address each of these topics specifically
Jan;
If I said your argument is that a small amount means a large effect, I would distorting your position, right?
This is what you originally wrote;
“To claim that a certain substance must be harmful despite it constitutings only 1.7 parts per million is pretty senseless.”
He never claimed it “must be’ harmless, and if I said “Your claim that it must be harmful is senseless”, I would be a . . liar, right?
Oops, I got my quotes and misquotes mixed up ; ) This is what I wanted to say;
“To claim that a certain substance must be harmless despite it constituting only 1.7 parts per million is pretty senseless.”
I think I have made my point
The author does not discuss the physics of methane in the atmosphere. His only argument is that since the concentration can be compared to a monetary amount of 17 cents versus 100 000 dollars, which we know is negligible; a chemical compound with the same concentration in a solution must also have negligible effect.
This is an utterly naive argument.
I am afraid that I cannot help those who still think that the author has a good argument, so I say thank you for the debate.
JK Andersen,
If you can show any evidence of global damage or harm from methane, then you have a reasonable argument.
But so far, you seem to be arguing from emotion.
Liar,k
He did not make the claim you said he did.
This is the basic logic of the matter to me;
The smaller any given component of the atmosphere is, the less likely it is that component will have a significant effect on the whole.
The concept of it “must be” so, is just a straw man you introduced, ’cause all I see from him is the stressing of just how tiny this minuscule methane menace is . . Perhaps that bugs you, but that don’t make it illogical . . just the opposite I figure, slick ; )
I see now that Des writes above that the graph from the article was faked:
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2016/04/13/methane-mendacity-and-madness/#comment-2192363
I am not sure that I will use the word “fake” myself, but one can question why the plot of the CH4 observations stop in 2011 right before the recent rapid growth up to 1840 ppb.
One can also ask where in the IPCC reports he has found the graphs of the alleged projections made by IPCC. I have not found any such detailed projections there.
When you refer to four reports and each of them has close to 2000 pages, I think it is reasonably to include page number in the reference; unless you do not want the readers to see for themselves of cause.
I meant “of course”
… of course
Friday Funny - @NRDC Now it's toilet paper causing 'climate change'
Crenshaw Introduces Bipartisan Carbon Capture Legislation
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May JUN Aug
02 Jun 2007 - 01 Apr 2019
Zoo Map
Chapter 4 - Long Awaited Change
Table of Contents | Next Chapter
In 1947, Zoo director Gus Knudson, DVM, retired after forty years at the zoo. He was often frustrated by the mistreatment of the animals by visitors, as well as the lack of support for the zoo by the City. He had been a conspicuous and familiar figure in local papers over the decades. He had the opportunity, on his retirement, of having his say about the state of the zoo. His farewell remarks were front page news. Knudson vented his considerable accumulation of frustration, blasting the Park Board for micromanagement and the City of Seattle for their lack of financial support. Dr. Knudson passed away in 1951.
Johnson and Knudson,sometime in the 1940s.
The Aviary. Seal/Sea lion pool and Swan/Pelican pool completed. The "new" pony ring.
He was succeeded by the very capable Edward J. Johnson. Johnson had been at the zoo since 1926, and not only rose to become the zoo's director, but later became the superintendent of Parks and then the director of Seattle Center. It may have been a combination of Knudson's remarks, Johnson's political skill, and the booming post-war economy, but for whatever reasons the zoo entered an unprecedented era of building.
The zoo that existed at the time of Knudson's retirement had changed little in thirty years. The zoo that Johnson left when he became Parks Superintendent in 1960 was phenomenally improved.
To begin with, he went on a grand tour of the country's better zoos, to take a look at their exhibits and get ideas. In just ten years, a new complex of bear grottos, a modern Feline House, Aviary, Ape House, Seal pool, Administration building, Pony Barn, Flamingo Exhibit, and Giraffe/Kangaroo House were built. It is possible that without this timely burst of construction activity, Woodland Park Zoo might have gone the way of other zoos which were neglected for too long and were finally deemed not worth saving.
1947: The annual report says "1 million plus visitors" though that figure should be taken with a large grain of salt. The zoo was not even fenced, let alone gated, and therefore attendance estimates were very rough.
Deaths: Bactrian Camel (probably Nile, see 1922)
Animal acquisitions were funded for the first time. Previously, acquisitions were only by donations or trades.
A new Aviary building was under construction, project cost $150,000. Demolished in 1990, it was located on the current site of (the western half of) the Rain Forest Food Pavilion.
Dr. Gus "Doc" Knudson, D.V.M., retired at age 67.
Edward J. Johnson, zoo employee since 1926, was appointed director on 1 Sept.
Seal Pool (now the penguin exhibit) completed.
1948: A new Pony Barn and pony ring were constructed. These are the barn and ring still at the zoo in 1999.
First administration building was constructed (in the 1970s it was remodeled and enlarged, and became the ARC building, near 55th and Phinney).
The old zoo barn near the west entrance was removed.
The Aviary was completed on December 5.
A bond issue was passed, and $800,000 was allotted for zoo improvements.
Plans for new bear grottos opened for bids. The bid of $242,853 was the largest item on the zoo improvement list. Today, this complex, updated and with more natural-appearing exhibits, still serves as home for gorillas and tropical bears.
The zoo's first zebras were exhibited.
Work began on a west entrance at Phinney Ave., in preparation for fencing the zoo for the first time.
A Childrens' Zoo was proposed by Ed Johnson.
A 1948 map shows a miniature train in place north of the Parks shops, the location it would occupy until its removal in 1980. It ran on 2,179 feet (.4 mi.) of track, across the current sites of the Elephant Forest and Trail of Vines. It was christened "Buffalo Barn and Southern" by Doug Welch.
Interior Feline House. South end, Feline House exterior. Bear Grottos.
1949: Ocelot acquired from John Beck carnival in exchange for boarding fees.
1950: Started renovation of Primate House -- improving heating and air conditioning.
"Kiddyland" opened with 5 rides on the site of the old tennis courts (now the south parking lot). It had the original Ferris wheel and carousel with a new boat ride, auto ride, and streamliner train. Almost immediately, the area proved to be too small to deal with demand.
Frederick & Nelson donated a pair of jaguars.
Construction started on Feline House and bear grottos.
Fencing of the zoo started.
Seattle population 467,591
1951: Feline House (planned by Ed Johnson) opened. It was the first of its kind in the country with glass-fronted cages instead of bars. Animals could be moved from cage to cage by just one person using a unique trolley type cage (still in place and in use, 1999).
The Primate House renovation was completed.
Dr. Knudson passed away.
A guide/speaker program for children was inaugurated by Rev. Henry Post (died November 1951). It was not an official program but led to the establishment of one the following year.
The bear grottos were completed, considered "state of the art" at the time and attracted the attention of Marlin Perkins and his "Zoo Parade" show.
Zoo fencing completed.
1952: New restroom/concession stand opened near site of old bear cages, closed in 1990s. Giraffe/Kangaroo house (now called Australasia) funded by the City. Unfortunately, two giraffes captured in Africa and paid for by S. L. Savidge (a Seattle Chrysler dealer) were not allowed into the U.S. by the Dept. of Agriculture.
Position of Guide-Naturalist (an education staff person) as a formal program was approved. First to hold the title was Jack Alexander.
1,217 specimens, 313 species.
Woodland Park Zoo received animals from the Everett Zoo, which closed.
Giraffe House, later Australasia building, under construction.
Map of the zoo, 1953. Great Northern locomotive. A page from the 1956 guidebook "Who's Who at the Zoo."
1953: The zoo's first Animal Health Department completed, with X-Ray, minor surgery, necropsy room. Now referred to as Old Animal Health
Bobo was purchased for $5500 -- the zoo's first gorilla and probably most-celebrated ever animal.
Tigers Tongou and Sultana were brought to the Zoo. They produced a total of 54 offspring at WPZ.
Great Northern Engine #1246 was installed near what is now the entrance to the Elephant Forest, just south of the Feline House along the main circulation path.
Because of parents' complaints (too crowded, lines too long, kids refuse to go on into the zoo) Kiddyland was relocated to the area just south of what is now the Thai Elephant Forest, then inside the trackage of the BB&S railway. Kiddyland was renamed Woodland Rides to appeal to teenagers. The rides were increased in number and quality. The move took place in 1953-54.
The former site of Kiddyland was converted into a 256 space parking area. Two new lots were also created along Phinney Ave.
Lion Samson acquired.
1954: A part-time veterinarian worked at zoo (a staffer for King Co. Health Dept.)
Reserpine was first used to immobilize animals for treatment
Experimental work with parasite drug Caracide was provided free by drug manufacturer.
In December, the KCTS show Buttons and His Buddies began, featuring zoo animals and a zoo staffer, first Jack Alexander, and later Frank Vincenzi, who had trained Buttons, a gibbon.
Giraffe Duke donated by S.L.Savidge.
1955: Acquired sea otter Susie. She was the first of her kind in a U.S. zoo.
Giraffe Duchess I was donated by S.L.Savidge.
Ape House.
Miniature Train. Flamingo Yard. Elephant Yard.
1956: Elephant rides were inaugurated with Morgan Berry-owned elephants in the wading pool where the savanna is now located.
Construction was begun on a Great Ape House.
Tiger Sultana had a litter of five.
1.5 million to 2 million visitors (est.)
Who's Who at the Zoo was published. Author Gordon Newell (Parks Dept. Public Relations officer), illustrated by Don Sherwood.
"Elmer" the Safety Elephant (Cross Streets Safely) purchased with children's donations. The fund-raising drive was promoted by KING-TV. Elmer was a female African elephant, approximately 2 years old.
Gorilla "Fifi" was acquired by zoo in early December. She was to be Bobo's bride.
1957: Great Ape House was completed. All glass fronts, as in the Feline House. Twenty years later, the glass was salvaged and used in the viewing windows of the new gorilla exhibit.
Sultana had a litter of five.
A second sea otter was acquired.
Channel 4 (KOMO) and 5 (KING) had zoo guest appearances during the year. Buttons and his Buddies continued on KCTS.
Acquired "hero pigeons" Geronimo and Eureka from the Army Signal Corps, Ft. Monmouth, NJ. These were among the last of the noted Army carrier pigeons. Keeper Bill Cowell (died 1998), who worked at the zoo from about 1946 until the late 1980s, was discharged from the Homing Pigeon section of the Army Signal Corps immediately prior to coming to work at the zoo.
A pair of young orangutans was acquired: Elvis (I) and Sandra.
Tibetan camels Tib and Bet were acquired.
Lion Mach II had a litter of four.1958: Flamingo exhibit featuring constructed. Site now occupied by east patio of Rain Forest Food Pavilion.
Sultana gave birth to a litter of four. Tiger cubs were going for $1,000 apiece then, real money in the Fifties.
Flamingo Yard. Sultana's cubs, actual year unknown.
1959: Sultana had a litter of five.
Zoo annual budget $211,420
Elephant moat constructed, sloping the yard down to a five-foot high wall.
Polar bear cub born.
Giraffe Duchess (I) died of an accidental injury (broken leg), 1 Aug.
If you have comments or suggestions about this page please send an e-mail to Dana Payne
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Dreamworld emergency stop button 'a risk'
8:31pm Nov 22, 2018
Dreamworld's former engineering boss has questioned whether a single emergency stop button should have been installed onto a ride that later killed four people.
Cindy Low, Kate Goodchild, her brother Luke Dorsett and his partner Roozi Araghi died in October 2016 when a water pump on the Thunder River Rapids failed.
It caused water levels to drop and their raft to flip after colliding with another raft that became stuck.
Bob Tan, former general manager of engineering at the Gold Coast tourist attraction, on Thursday told an inquest into their deaths that shutting down the ride could have caused a bigger hazard.
He told coroner James McDougall putting a stop to the ride would have also turned off a water pump that would have led to dangerous amounts of water then washing through the ride.
"If two pumps turned off at the same time, there is violent water turbulence back flowing into the reservoir at the area at the bottom of the conveyor," he said.
"I would not be comfortable to agree to doing that."
The inquest has previously heard experts suggested a single emergency stop button be fitted during safety audits, but it could not be done because the attraction was too old to be retro-fitted.
Prior to the tragedy, Mr Tan was made aware the now defunct Wonderland theme park in Sydney had fitted a similar pump to their version of the ride.
But he did not consider making similar adjustments to the Dreamworld ride because it was built differently.
The long-running inquest has previously heard that the water pump had malfunctioned on October 19, 22, 23 and twice in the hours before the October 25 tragedy.
None of those failures were investigated.
Mr Tan, affectionately known among Dreamworld staff as the "oracle" because of the 28 years he'd worked at the park, also overlooked major modifications to the ride as posing a safety risk.
He said the removal of slats from the ride's conveyor belt took place before he started working at the park and so didn't see an issue with the changes.
"I was not involved in removing them but I assumed whatever had to be done was done," he said.
"Nobody reported they had a concern, so I didn't do what I didn't know."
Mr Tan, who resigned from Dreamworld in 2016, presumed safety analysis was carried out before the slats were removed but never found proof that it had been.
The inquest has previously heard the removal of the slats from the conveyor belt introduced a hazard, but Mr Tan assumed it complied with basic engineering and safety standards.
The inquest has wrapped up until December 6, when three expert witnesses will give evidence.
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Labor not counting on Palmer preferences
7:45am Apr 24, 2019
Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek is certain Clive Palmer will not preference Labor amid reports the controversial businessman is on the verge of doing a deal with the coalition.
Mr Palmer's United Australia Party is polling well in some key marginal contests, making his how-to-vote cards potentially crucial at the May 18 election.
"I'm very certain that Clive Palmer won't be preferencing Labor, he's never voted with us in his life and he's made that very clear," Ms Plibersek told ABC News Breakfast on Wednesday.
The coalition is close to striking a deal with Mr Palmer, which could deliver him a Senate spot and help the coalition's fortunes in Queensland lower house seats, The Australian reports.
"Scott Morrison is playing off One Nation against Clive Palmer," Ms Plibersek said.
The senior Labor figure said she would be surprised if UAP played a major part in the Townsville-based seat of Herbert, which the opposition holds with a wafer-thin margin, given his treatment of workers in the area.
"I would think the workforce of Townsville would remember better than most how disappointing Clive Palmer has been," Ms Plibersek said.
European Union ‘preparing to give would-be UK PM Boris Johnson a Brexit date extension'
"He loves to make big promises and he leaves behind a trail of destruction, frankly."
How-to-vote cards will need to be finalised in time for early voting which starts on April 29.
A Newspoll released on Tuesday shows United Australia Party holds between five and 14 per cent of the primary vote in the marginal seats of Herbert (Queensland), Deakin (Victoria), Lindsay (NSW) and Pearce (WA).
Mr Palmer has ploughed millions into an advertising blitz with voters inundated across a range of media.
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Tag: with confidence
What’s On My Playlist?: With Confidence share what they’re listening to
AltPress - June 27, 2016
With Confidence members Jayden, Luke, Indigo and Josh sit down with APTV and discuss some of their favorite tracks. Familiar names like Motion City Soundtrack...
If I Ruled The World: With Confidence explains how they would make the world...
Members of With Confidence discuss with APTV what they would do if they ruled the world. From introducing an eight-day week to desensitizing society to...
APMAs Presidential Race: With Confidence endorses Alex Gaskarth
With Confidence's Luke Rockets and Inigo Del Carmen announce Alex Gaskarth as their endorsement for the 2016 APMAs. Both members explain how they've heard certain rumors about...
With Confidence drop Harry Potter-referenced song “Voldemort”—listen
Caitlyn Ralph - June 9, 2016
It's true: your favorite up-and-coming pop punkers With Confidence have premiered a new, Harry Potter-referenced track. Listen to "Voldemort" below, and leave us a comment...
Pop-punk prodigies With Confidence premiere “Higher” (exclusive)
Mackenzie Hall - May 11, 2016
With Confidence have teamed up with AP to release another track off their upcoming release Better Weather—out June 17 through Hopeless Records. Listen to the...
New Hopeless Records signees With Confidence announce album, release new single
AltPress - April 4, 2016
Australian pop punkers With Confidence have announced their upcoming album, Better Weather, and are offering a taste of it with the premiere of "Keeper." Better Weather won't be...
10 things we learned about Hopeless’ new signing With Confidence
Mackenzie Hall - February 25, 2016
Yesterday, Australian pop-punks With Confidence took over the Hopeless Records page to do a live Q&A. Between the cute dogs and arguments about Blink-182...
With Confidence sign to Hopeless Records, to tour with State Champs and Neck Deep
Caitlyn Ralph - January 4, 2016
Australian four piece With Confidence are the newest addition to Hopeless Records’ roster. The band have signed with the label and released a video...
‘Halloween’ reboot announces back-to-back sequel release dates
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Tag Archives: Oracle
90s Comics, 90s DC, DC Comics, Uncategorized
The Technological Marvels Of Yesterday: A Hacker Files Podcast
August 18, 2018 Dean Compton Leave a comment
Hello Legions of the Unspoken! Have a listen as Dean Compton welcomes newcomers Jesse Starcher and Chris Armstrong to the site to discuss the forgotten DC Comics gem of the early 1990s, The Hacker Files! It’s non-stop computer action in the DC Universe, and you can goddamn hear all about it right here, right now!!!
[Audio File Below Covers]
https://theunspokendecade.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/ud-hacker-files-final.mp3
ARPAnetBarbara GordonBatgirlCatherine ColbertCheyenne MountainDC ComicsDigitonixFlashGreen LanternHackerHal JordanInternetJack MarshallJustice League EuropeLewis ShinerNORADOraclePower GirlSarge SteelSpeed Metal KidsTiananmen SquareTom SuttonWade EilingWally WestWar Games
Cut to the Chase by Emily Scott
November 15, 2016 Dean Compton 1 Comment
Greetings, Legions of the Unspoken! Emily Scott here with yet another tantalizing round of telling you about a comic that never got to fully explore its potential! Come one, come all and gather ’round to gasp at the abandoned character development! Marvel at the missing resolutions! And if you’re very brave, try your hand at wildly speculating where the unexplored plot points would have eventually lead!
I kid, but as the links demonstrate, a lot of interesting and worthwhile comics never got the chance see how good they could really get, and each one makes me a little sad and wistful, even as I’m simultaneously glad I got to discover them at all. As fans of, say, Firefly or The Clash will tell you (whether you want them to or not), it can be rough to contemplate what might have been with any art that speaks to you, but as the links also demonstrate, good art goes away abruptly all the time, and there’s no use being histrionic or too sentimental about it. Sometimes you read a fun comic, and then there isn’t any more of it, and it’s a bummer. Such is the case here. So without further ado and sans the gnashing of teeth and rending of garments, let’s cut right to the Chase. (You knew that was coming. Hell, I made it the title of the article.)
Anyone else really want to know what Martian Manhunter is watching?
Chase, a DC comic published from the beginning to not quite the end of 1998, follows one Cameron Chase, a rookie agent with the Department of Extranormal Operations. (Its name calls to my mind the opposite of what it’s meant to. I picture of bunch of agents in suits investigating, like, really normal things. EXTRA normal things.) Its ten issues, mostly written by Dan Curtis Johnson, drawn by J. H. Williams III, and inked by Mick Gray, paint a character who feels very of her time but also slightly ahead of it.
Chase is cynical but determined, brave and unafraid to take action, but flawed in more than enough believable ways to keep her far away from fulfilling any Strong Female tropes. She might not feel quite as novel a character in a time when even non-comic readers know the name Jessica Jones, but in 1998 there was a dearth of female characters in any medium written complexly enough to wear their strengths and their weaknesses equally well, and there’s still one now. I may have gotten some 90s nostalgia reading Chase, but there’s not much about it that couldn’t have just been written today and still feel pretty fresh.
Someone getting kneed in the groin never goes out of style as a reliable source of comedy.
There also aren’t a ton of characters who can slot right in to as many different settings as Chase can, but that’s one of the benefits of a perpetually put out character. She feels just as natural rolling her eyes at Batman or scoffing at the Teen Titans as she does sneering at weird mystical creatures or quipping at an Artificial Intelligence. Her scorn makes her feel relatable in unrelatable situations, where you could see why a detachment from her surroundings would make her a top notch investigator. She has a disdain for the superhero (pardon me, metahuman) world in particular, and her choice to inhabit that world anyway and the ways in which she belongs there more than she knows seemed as though they would have been pivotal emotional conflicts had the title continued.
I am retroactively sad for 15-year-old me that Vampires of Angst is not a real band.
Chase’s first mission finds her in Ohio investigating a case that would fit right into today’s world (well, today’s world if people had superpowers). Jerry, a high school kid sick of getting picked on by a chadbro actually named Chad, is set off by the sight of his crush with his tormentor and unleashes a pyrokinetic blast. Chase and her handler, Agent Sandra Barrett, track Jerry down, and Barrett tells him he will be sent to a training facility for “talented” youth, a decision that does not sit well with Chase. (This is another conflict that seems like it also would have been expanded on in further issues had there been more. There are references to a list generated by standardized testing used to identify children who likely have powers, and in a later issue, you see a newspaper with the headline “Govt. kidnapping super kids!”)
Chad ends up dying from his injuries, and the town shows up to Jerry’s cell out for his blood. Jerry escapes with another pyrokinetic blast, and Chase finds him by correctly guessing that he is heading for his crush’s house. Before Jerry can do any more damage with his abilities, something inside Chase reaches out and dampens Jerry’s fire. Chase decides not to tell anyone how she was able to counteract his powers, considering she is still new to the DEO, has already had an ideological disagreement with how they handle metahumans on her first mission, and has wholly negative feelings about those with powers anyway. And, you know, shadowy government agencies, real or fictional, don’t always have the best track record at handling things they don’t understand particularly well. So probably a good call on her part.
Chase’s next mission sends her off to South America to investigate an Artificial Intelligence called the Construct that had taken up residence in a temple and was a day away from taking over the world’s computer network when the Justice League shut it down. Amanda Waller informs Chase that there is still a heat output in the temple and sends her to investigate with, you guessed it, the Suicide Squad!
This panel tells you just about everything you need to know about how well they work together.
The mission goes about as well as you would expect, with the Suicide Squad amusingly annoying the piss out of Chase, then deciding to go with Plan B (escape) when the conflict between some insurgents and the soldiers holed up in the temple prevent them from accomplishing their objectives. Chase attempts to stop them, which leads to her power-dampening powers flaring up on Copperhead, and she falls down a cliff and ends up in the custody of the soldiers. Those soldiers turn out to be form Soviet Intelligence, who are apparently just kind of bored since the Soviet regime collapsed and scavenging for information in the temple. They stick Chase into the Construct’s interface, since they don’t know what it will do to a human, and she is informed that the Construct has infiltrated the Soviets’ armor with plans to take over the world’s systems next.
Chase does manage to escape with that valuable information after kneeing her captor in the crotch (see above), so it’s not a total wash, but she assumes incorrectly that her next assignment, babysitting the Teen Titans, is a punishment for the previous mission’s failure. Her misconception is corrected by the DEO’s director, Mister Bones, who she discovers is a talking skeleton. (Am I the only one who would read a title that’s nothing but a walking, talking skeleton engaging in mundane bureaucratic tasks to work his way up the ranks?) Bones tells her that a lot of European law and intelligence agencies are suddenly willing to exchange information with the DEO now, and since no good deed goes unpunished, Chase’s reward is to guard just the sort of people she can’t stand!
The real star of this issue, however, is not its titular character, any of the Teen Titans, or even Booster Gold, who shows up seemingly for no other reason than to rag on the Titans for his action figure being better than theirs. No, the real star of this issue for me is the villain, spoiling for a fight, and ready to introduce the world to his new group of henchmen, the Clockwatchers. It’s time (I said it) for the Clock King.
Could he be wearing any more timepieces?
To be honest, there’s nothing beyond a really cool design that makes me like the Clock King so much, and his team gets handled pretty quickly by the Teen Titans and Chase’s still-hidden power. He and his Clockwatchers are mostly played for comedy, which is all worth it for the scene where they squabble about taking the bus:
If this were really New York, nobody would be staring at them, no matter how many guys with clocks for faces were on the bus.
Chase is injured in the fight, and while she is laid up in the hospital, we get the chance to hear a story about one of her pre-DEO P.I. exploits, an encounter which Klarion the Witch Boy. This issue also gives us a closer look at the characters who make up Chase‘s supporting cast, her superhero obsessed sister Terry who has been displaced by an earthquake in Gotham, a vagrant named Knob with a penchant for the paranormal, and Chase’s boyfriend Peter.
I enjoy the way her relationship with Peter is handled because it is a prominent part of her life and interferes with and buoys the rest of her life in realistic ways. So often females characters are entirely defined by their romantic relationships or those relationships are presented as impediments to some mythical idea of “having it all,” so it’s always refreshing to see the situation handled with more nuance. When they bicker, it feels lived in, and the shadow of past grievances can be heard in their words. Peter may flirt dangerously with being something of a useless boyfriend cliche who only serves to, like, hold her back, man, but he always seems to be pulled back before he can cross that line. He may not be crazy about, you know, getting a job, but he proves his worth with some 1337 haxor skills, and when he argues with Chase about her work with the DEO, it feels like the words of someone who truly cares rather than someone trying to keep her down.
But for real, look at that guy. He’d be Mr. November on a calendar of dashed expectations.
Chase’s relationship with her family and the particular nature of her opposition to superheroes is explored in the next issue when she and her sister are stuck on an elevator. Chase is tired of hearing about the stories in her sister’s superhero tabloids and snaps, revealing a tragic past her sister is wholly ignorant of. Their dad, who Terry was lead to believe died in a benign way, was in fact a mask who belonged to a group of do-gooders. He was known as the Acro-Bat, which is both a great and a stupid name. What is just a great name is the moniker of the group of masks he belonged to: The Justice Experience.
Who’s signing the petition with me for a Major Flashback solo title?
It’s kind of hard to blame Chase for being embarrassed by this piece of her family’s past, considering her dad is the only one of his friends who looks like an out-and-out dweeb, amirite? These wannabe heroes got into a fight with a villain group called the House of Pain (You’re hearing Jump Around in your head right now, aren’t you?), and a woman was caught in the crossfire and died. The man who loved her was less than pleased with the Justice Experience, as you might imagine, and he begins to take them out one by one. The comic goes from “Haha, look at these silly vigilantes in their silly costumes,” to, “Oh Jesus Christ, that’s brutal,” real quick when you see the aftermath of his revenge.
C’mon, bro, you could have just gotten a knife or something. Like are you actually eating him? That’s next level revenge.
The Justice Society of America veterans are eventually enlisted to take care of this threat, sparing anyone else from being maybe sort of eaten, but leaving lasting scars of Chase’s psyche. Terry is understandably indignant that no one told her the truth sooner, but she doesn’t hold it against her sister very long. That’s good news for Chase because she will need all her focus on her next mission, which sends her to Gotham, to properly verbally cut Batman down to size, once of my favorite things in the title.
The gist is there is a new drug mutating its users, who now look demonic. The DEO and the DEA have been experimenting with thyroidal mutagens, which only one corporation in Gotham is licensed to use. Chase sees Batman skulking around the place, and when they return together the next day, they discover the doctor who designed the mutagen went missing with the drug in the days after the earthquake. The doctor had been growing increasingly paranoid that the government wanted to steal his work to create superheroes and supervillains. They find two more kids who’ve been mutated, and Batman turns up to stop them. Chase shoots one of them who is about to get the drop on Batman, and he has, what she will later describe in a way that makes her one of my heroes forever, a Bat-Tantrum.
“You’re….welcome?”
I’ve got to go with Chase on this one. I first read this comic right after seeing the second season of Netflix’s Daredevil, and I was so tired of Matt Murdock’s smug sliding scale of morality, that I was happy to see someone pretty sane just take some decisive action without wringing her hands a whole bunch about it. I understand why the taking of a life is a huge moral dilemma in a lot of comics (and obviously in a plenty of real world scenarios), but it seems like it’s usually someone on the Punisher’s level of not ok that you see characters fall on this side of things. Seriously, though, if you ever see a large demon creature trying to rip me apart, you certainly have my permission to do whatever it takes to stop them without spending a lot of time considering if they might be able to be changed back.
The doctor escapes, and the mutagen is recovered, at which point we find out Chase’s presence has been a cover for her real mission, which is to find out if Batman is a lone nut. Since she had previously met him in her first appearance, in Batman #550, she is able to confirm that it is the same man and not a group of men all using the mantle Batman.
Yep, would still read a comic of nothing but this guy smoking and muttering to himself while he does paperwork.
Chase uses the pretense of trying to find the doctor to stay in Gotham, and Peter continues to be marginally useful with hackzor assistance to try and smoke Batman out. He eludes their attempts, at which point we find out it was actually the Oracle they were tracking all along. She warns Batman, who is already aware the Chase is spying on him, which he probably can’t be too upset about, considering he is already spying on her. Oh, those kooky spooks!
Chase attends a party at Gotham Broadcasting, where she uses all her secret agent and private eye skills to come to the startling conclusion that Batman must be the guy in charge of GBC, since Batman has to be using its satellite. Well, in all fairness the guy was standing next to Bruce Wayne. Ok, seriously, in all fairness, that man is the Sentinel, Alan Scott, so it’s not like she was completely off base on the whole him being a superhero thing.
Chase encounters Batman again, where she learns some less than savory stuff about the agent she was working with on the case, and Batman delivers the world’s most hypocritical advice about revenge not healing the death of a parent. At least, it would be the world’s most hypocritical advice if it were actually Batman and not Alan Scott doing Batman a solid.
Even knowing it’s not Batman, I still am getting riled up.
Chase….chases him across the top of some buildings to tell him just how wrong he is, and “Batman” falls through a roof. Chase considers taking his mask off while he’s dazed, but decides not to, saying that her actions haven’t been motivated by hatred but a desire to keep anyone else from going through what she went through. Her proof her intentions are good will be to keep his identify safe. We find out the ol’ switcheroo was Nightwing’s idea to throw Chase off the scent of both Wayne and Scott’s identities, but Batman, of course, has to be the smartest guy in the room, saying that he knew Chase didn’t really want to know but she had to discover it for herself.
And that’s about that for Chase the title, even though Chase the character would make plenty of other appearances in other titles. As I said earlier, I’ll do no bemoaning there’s not more. It was good, I enjoyed it, and you probably would too. Chase has also recently been portrayed on Supergirl by the fantastic Emma Caulfield, so she has been far from forgotten even if her solo title was regrettably short lived. What will hopefully not be short lived is your enthusiasm for the subject of my next article, Valiant’s Magnus, Robot Fighter. How can you not be enthusiastic for something with such a great name? See you then, Legions!
90s comics90s DCAlan ScottAmanda WallerBarbara GordonBatmanBooster GoldBruce WayneCameron ChaseChaseClock KingCWDC ComicsDepartment of Extranormal OperationsEmma CaulfieldFirehawkGotham CityGreen LanternJLAJustice League of AmericaKiller FrostOracleSentinelSuicide SquadSupergirlTeen Titans
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How TPP cements Obama's corporatist legacy
James Poulos
AP Photo/Charles Dharapak
At last, the Obama administration seems to have reached a tentative deal with its negotiating partners on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the landmark Pacific Rim trade treaty that far exceeds NAFTA in size, scope, and, well, corporatism. Covering 40 percent of the world's economy, the TPP makes the regulatory regimes of its 12 (mostly Asian) member nations part of one big happy family. In substantial part, it does so by making it easier to do business for familiar corporate heavyweights like Apple and Pfizer. But it also lets foreign corporations sue the U.S. in non-U.S. courts. And it doesn't explicitly prevent foreign governments from manipulating their currencies in ways that Wall Streeters often happen to be better than the rest of us at profiting from.
The disagreements over the TPP's provisions are nuanced and complex. But the theme is not. Indeed, the TPP could well be President Obama's most enduring legacy, because it gives his corporatism its biggest stage yet. It captures the central idea of his presidency — that when big government and big business make policy, the result is good for average Americans, even if it reduces their political freedom, or even their political participation. ObamaCare laid that marker down domestically, triggering a lightning round of health industry consolidation that turned the "big five" insurers — and their $346 billion yearly revenues — into a "big three." The math is simple: When everyone has to buy the products dominant corporations sell, dominant corporations win. From a liberals' standpoint, TPP takes the idea global — allowing powerful international corporations to further disadvantage American workers through a complex set of legal, financial, and economic privileges. As Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) put it: "The administration has put big business first, [and] workers, communities, and small businesses last."
And for once, the left doesn't know what to do about it.
The administration has long been able to get liberals to support just about anything if it panders enough to the base's brand of identity politics. (The same has happened on the right for generations.) So, as long as Obama appeased the left's social-justice sensibility, he has been able to focus on advancing his corporatist agenda — what The New Republic senior editor Noam Scheiber rather obliquely termed "boardroom liberalism."
"It's a worldview that's steeped in social progressivism, in the values of tolerance and diversity," Scheiber wrote. "The picture of the boardroom liberal is a corporate CEO handing a refrigerator-sized check to the head of a charity at a celebrity golf tournament. All the better if they're surrounded by minority children and struggling moms."
The TPP takes that strategy to its logical conclusion, promising the most fabulous gains for the people who had the least influence over its creation. It's as if anything philanthropy can do, ultra-elite inside deals can do better. "Big win for U.S. workers," the White House recently tweeted. "@POTUS just secured a trade deal that helps the middle class."
But here, the boardroom liberal president has lost the liberal base. Because that tweet is just about word for word the opposite of what labor unions, movement progressives, and old-school liberals believe about the TPP. Spluttering and frightened, they've all begun unloading on the president. And they're having an effect. For fear of insulting the base, Hillary Clinton — whose surname is all but synonymous with the Democrats' pro-corporate reboot — seems ready to break with Obama on the TPP.
The TPP might not pass. Congress must approve it. And Democratic senators from Elizabeth Warren to Bernie Sanders have huge objections. "In the Senate, I will do all that I can to defeat this agreement," Sanders has thundered. "We need trade policies that benefit American workers and consumers, not just the CEOs of large multinational corporations."
In the same breath that Sanders slammed the TPP for rewarding corporatists first, he also warned that the treaty would follow in the footsteps of previous deals that "cost millions of jobs and shuttered tens of thousands of factories across the United States." In his mind — and according to the ideology of the anti-corporate left — policies that lavish perks and privilege on the power elite just can't be good, on balance, for the rest of us peons. According to the moral intuition of Sanders and Co., the best regime — the most just — simply can't be one that keeps the power elite in clover. President Obama begs to disagree. And with the TPP, he's one step closer to hardwiring his worldview into the Democratic Party.
Republicans, for once, have it easy. They know the TPP is America's best shot at ensuring that international trade remains dollar-denominated for decades to come. Desperate for a grand strategy sound enough to replace mere "toughness," the GOP could do much worse than that.
For Democrats, it's devilishly more complicated. With Clinton hanging in the balance and Biden waiting in the wings, TPP is their sharpest reminder yet of how much is at stake in choosing Obama's successor. The next party leader will likely determine whether the consecration of corporatism becomes the left's secular religion — and, so, under Democratic rule, the government's.
Damon Linker
The problem with calling Trump a 'racist'
Joel Mathis
Why we fight Trump's racism
More from James Poulos
If Trump goes down, everyone wins
China's digital nightmare
America's failure in Afghanistan is going to be worse than Vietnam
Cheering supporters welcome Rep. Ilhan Omar back to Minnesota
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CITY OF RIVERSIDE: STATE OF CALIFORNIA WANTS $94.7 MILLION IN PROPERTIES BACK! FORMER COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE FINANCE DIRECTOR SAYS “STOP THE RIP-OFF!”
Tags: attorney general kamal harris, barry foster, city manager scott barber, city of riverside, congressman ken calvert, governor brown, henry garcia, measure a riverside, mel opotowsky, moreno valley, NAACP, paul zellerbach, properties, redevelopement, rusty bailey, state of california, tom desantis, woody rucker hughes
“OKAY, ONE MORE TIME JOHN, YOU SAID THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE DID WHAT”?
CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW FULL AUDITING REVIEW
State Controller John Chiang announced May 16, 2013 their completion of review of the assets transferred by the City of Riverside’s redevelopment agency (RDA) prior to its dissolution. The review found that the RDA is not only in current possession of $30.45 million in real property that it no longer is legally entitled to hold, but that it inappropriately transferred another $64.25 million in real property to the City, which equals out to a mere $94.7 million. In other words, the City of Riverside knowingly stole the properties prior to the dissolution date of June 28, 2011 for RDA, even though the State Controller John Chiang’s sent a letter with instructions. Now in the case of the $64.25 million in properties illegally transferred, the City contends that the Title companies refuse to now change title back to the State. Does the Title company sniff something illegal? Well they didn’t seem to have a problem transfering the properties and giving title to the City. But now the City contends that the problem with the transfer had something to do with title insurance.! In case people didn’t know RDA (Redevelopment Agency) was operated and administered by the our City Council. This is John Chiangs letter dated April 20, 2012 which describes RDA dissolution as well as what assets in regards to property need to be transfered back.
CLICK TO VIEW JOHN CHIANGS LETTER TO ALL CITIES
The law requires that all RDA assets transferred to a city, county or other public agency after January 1, 2011, must be returned to its successor agency, unless the assets were committed to a private third party by June 28 of that year. It certainly appears that the City of Riverside thought differently on this issue, even though local watchdogs continued to warn them, but fell on deaf ears. Some of the players at the time were former Mayor Ron Loveridge, former City Manager Brad Hudson and Chief Financial Officer/Assistant City Manager/Treasurer Paul Sundeen (Yes, he actually had three job titles).
According to an auditing review by State Controller John Chiang’s office, they determined that the State RDA successor agency is owed $94.7 million in properties. The City of Riverside is ordered to transfer all properties back. Now what you may not know is that the City Council was told that when the properties were transfered from Redevelopment before it resolved, it was an illegal action. The proof we had was as follows.
CLICK LINK TO VIEW TRANSFERRED PROPERTY DOCUMENT
So that didn’t help so we thought that the next action would be road trip, of course, Sacramento. Do we have another Moreno Valley occurring in Riverside, will people go to jail on this one? Why didn’t Councilperson Nancy Hart’s Monthly, Bi-Monthly, (Not sure), Finance Committee Meeting catch this? Afterall they had the “experts.” But two misinformed citizen of Riverside, Dvonne Pitruzzello and Vivian Moreno found this. They went to City Hall and told them about this, the Council did nothing. So two took a road trip to Sacramento to meet with the State Controller Office. It appears that all the laws were not adhered to as we were assured by the City.
I asked my electeds questions about these properties along with other nice folks in 2011 and they assured us along with the city management that everything was done appropriately and by the book. They kind of implied we were liars and troublemakers too but what was the truth? Why does the State Comptroller now agree that the properties were inappropriately handled by the city and its RDA? Are they liars and trouble makers too? – Mary Shelton, Commenter on the P.E.
Riverside blew an elaborate shell game. Someone needs to do time for this lie. – Ernie Tyler, Commenter on the P.E.
To date, the Controller has completed 46 reviews. According to a Press Enterprise article in a statement released by City Manager Scott Barber stated that only $64,018 remains in dispute. Well we don’t know of the intended purpose of the letter, if it was in fact to divert attention.
CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW CITY OF RIVERSIDE’S STATEMENT RESPONDING TO AUDIT
We certainly know that $64 thousand is different from $64 million, which was the amount in question. Further, what the City said is that the Title companies refused to go along with the city’s attempt to transfer ownership from the former redevelopment agency to the successor agency (a new agency created in care of the State to handle the dissolution of RDA assets).
In a statement released Thursday, May 16, State Controller John Chiang stated, “After decisions by the governor and Legislature to disband redevelopment, my office is working to make sure all remaining RDA assets, including those in Riverside, are used properly to retire debt and pay for critical local public services, such as education and public safety.” In the Riverside audit, the controller’s office found the city’s former redevelopment agency transferred $142 million worth of property after January 2011. Of that, about $64 million is out of compliance with the June 2011 law dissolving the agencies, the controller’s office reported. The audit also said that Riverside’s former redevelopment agency still has $30.45 million in assets which have not been transferred?
TEN THOUSAND SHORT?
When Redevelopment was dissolved, the State of California mandated the creation of Successor Agencies, which would be at the local level in care of the State of California in order to handle assets of the debunked RDA. The City in terms of ROPS, could request payments for RDA projects which legitimately followed Redevelopment Law. The State Controller, John Chiang, saw that the City of Riverside was not lawfully in compliance again with Redevelopment Law. In this case a new board was created of the usual suspects, now called the Successor Agency, while, in case people didn’t know, the original RDA (Redevelopment Agency) was operated and administered by the our City Council.
CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW FULL LETTER
WHAT DOES A FORMER FINANCE DIRECTOR FOR THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE SAY: STOP THIS RIP-OFF BY THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE – VOTE NO ON MEASURE A!
Comment written in support of No on Measure A by former Finance Director (92-94), County of Riverside, Tom Courbat :
I believe Measure A is illegal as it provides for some NON-WATER DEPARTMENT CUSTOMERS to vote on whether a portion of payments made by WATER DEPARTMENT CUSTOMERS shall be transferred from the Water Department to the General Fund of the City of Riverside. Since any city residents who do NOT receive water from the city have no vested interest (no “skin in the game” as it were), there should be no basis for allowing them to vote on whether the city should be allowed to continue the illegal practice of using excess Water Department earnings in the general fund. Proposition 218 is very clear, UTILITY FUNDS COLLECTED FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE (e.g. providing water) MAY NOT BE USED FOR A DIFFERENT PURPOSE. The city has been aware of this prohibition since 1996 and has blatantly continued this practice until private citizens had to sue to make them stop violating the law.
The use of scare tactics (we’ll take away your free Internet, swimming, certain police protections) is reminiscent of the roaring 30′s – you pay gangsters for “protection” and you’ll be able to continue to run your business without gangsters tearing up your place of business or scaring off your customers. The use of these Water Department funds for police, fire, parks, etc. has been illegal since 1996 – why should Water Department customers have to pay twice for the same service? They pay the same taxes as everyone else in the city for police, fire, parks, etc. and then they pay ANOTHER 11.5% when funds are transferred from the Water Department to the General Fund. Clearly the Water Department is charging more than its cost of operation (also against the law) so that an 11.5% “slush fund” is created and then slipped over to the general fund. Any legitimate audits of the Water Department should have pointed out the illegality of this practice years ago.
It’s EXACTLY like what I saw on the reality show “Kitchen Nightmares” tonight. The owner of the restaurant was paying his waiters/waitresses an hourly rate. All tips left by customers (who CLEARLY intended the tips to be for the servers) were kept by the OWNER who prohibited his staff from pocketing ANY tips left for them. When the customers were informed that the owner was pocketing the tips, they were absolutely outraged!! So should every voter in this election be outraged. Water charges are to pay for water, not police & parks. Tips are for the workers, not the owners.
STOP THIS RIP-OFF BY THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE – VOTE NO ON MEASURE A!
Tom Courbat Former Finance Director County of Riverside
Well stated Tom, we’ve stating this for years, but of course we are crazy or misinformed, because this is how they continue to treat and think of the community, because it is about the them not the communtiy. The money as we’ve been stating for years has no accounting whereby the City states it is being allocated for particular services such as police and fire. No documents responsive, so what are the taxpayers to think, except that for years this has been an 11.5% slush fund.
MEASURE-A UPDATE
The ring leader, as we feel, could be none other than former Mayor Ron Loveridge, whom has operated this city as some underworld organization. The community has an opportunity to begin to take back their City, and not have the follow in the footsteps of San Bernardino and Moreno Valley. Don’t fall into their trap of scare tactics; ask them the hard questions. Property taxes pay for City services, where is this money really going? But why are they working so hard to pass this measure? Even the Press Enterprise is on it. Is it because they’ve recieved special utility rates in the past from the City? Or is it because the City is helping them with a new location for their business? Could it be Developer’s Mark Rubin’s Citrus Towers? Or is it that we do not want to upset the fact that the County of Riverside is intending to purchase their building, of course they did. What ever it is, the stress levels with City personal and staff are high.
What appears to be more outrageous is that the City seems to have plenty of money in the General Fund Reserves to subsidize the new Black Box Theatre. This at a time when the City is claiming foul, and if Measure A doesn’t pass, the City will be on its way to doom and gloom. The City claims that the 11.5% transfer has paid for a multitude of city services, but they are unable to produce documents revealing how it was spent. The hypothetical question is, if the transfer money never actually paid for City services, what did it really pay for? Well we don’t know that either. The approximately $6 million which appears to magic because it seems to fund everything under the sun that property taxes through the general fund does. If in fact the 11.5% transferred all these programs and services, you would think that the City would immediately lease the Fox Theatre. The Fox Theatre is currently running at a yearly deficit of approxixmately $3 million. We just found $3 million just by leasing the Fox to the private sector. There is no doubt in my mind that the City continues to cry wolf, and the sad ending to this is no one is listening.
While Councilman Steve Adams accuses representatives of the No on Measure A campaign of misinformation, he threatens the community by stating that if Measure A does not pass we will have to raise water rates and raise taxes. Now this is a councilman who is rumored to have aspirations of running for Congress. Well, Mr. Congressman raising water rates and raising taxes are not that easy, you’ll have to justify it, and so far you cannot even justify the current accounting on the transfer! If you have to strong arm and scare the community into voting on an illegal measure, then you lack leadership abilities.
Measure A looks good to the Press Enterprise. We at TMC question that move. Was it because you didn’t want to upset the deal with the County of Riverside? Was it because you receive special utility rates with the City of Riverside? Was it because the City of Riverside is rumored to be assisting in locating an alternate location which is amicable? Would it be with developer Mark Rubin’s Citrus Tower’s? Contractually recieving better utility rates from the City of Riverside would this in fact effect your reporting? I hope not, why have a paper that destroys the illusion of the Fourth Branch of Government?
CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW FULL REPORT
The people of the City of Riverside pay every month for the Fox Theatre, and the City would like the taxpayer to foot the bill for the Black Box Theatre, but most of the people footing the bill can’t afford to go to the Fox. This at a time when the City is claiming for the first time in 16 years that the $6.1 million water transfer pays for essential services. So how may I ask, does the City justify funding the Black Box Theatre at a cost to the taxpayer of close to $500,000.00 over 2 years, until it is able to sustain a profit and pay for itself. If you can afford the Black Box you can afford Police and Fire.
I recalled this was the same line statement made regarding the Fox Theatre and currently it is running at a yearly $3 million deficit. So we have $3 million plus $0.5 million, what do we have, $3.5 million. That’s $2.5 million away from what the City claims they will be losing. Mayor Bailey went over budget in his mayor’s office by a miniscal $100,000.00. There’s another 100K, and council just voted to hand over $750,000.00 to the Fairmont Park Golf Course. How much are we at now? Pretty close? Then you have Mayor Bailey with the Streetcar Named Debacle idea? Again, and again we the continued excessive spending and no cutbacks. What you have here is that the City will threaten the residents to cut essential services such as Police and Fire, which by the way are already covered by property taxes, if Measure A is not passed. This they will do before cutting non-essential services or expenses that continue to incurr as a deficit to the taxpayer. Well, shame on them.
In the City’s desperation, they continue to stray into the gray areas of an FPPC violation, but that does not stop them. Now there attempt to explain their slush fund over the areas has metamorphisized into some City services, to just about every service under the sun is funded by this $6 million water transfer. Ask them specifically how they have spent this money over the last 16 years, they don’t have an answer. The accounting stops when the monies are deposited into the General Fund, then it’s tracks are lost, not to be found. It’s how the City wants it, it is the way it has always been since Ron Loveridge became Mayor.
Was Ron Loveridge a Proposition 218 proponent? Was he a Propostion 13 proponent? Probably not, he has done everything to change that. In otherwords, counter to everything that is in effect, beneficial to the taxpayer. Why is that former Mayor Luv? And why are the Police and Fire Unions spending so much money to buy your vote? Is it really about them rather than the residents?
Another letter of support regarding the Moreno’s Water Lawsuit. This from a former City Finance Director.
MR. LIABILITY HEARING THE BEAT OF A DIFFERENT DRUM, OR JUST BEATING THE SAME OLE’ DRUM TO DEATH?
Drumming up controversy, Councilman Steve Adams had alot to say regarding public speakers and disinformation. I guess he forgot that public speakers tried to reach out years ago involving problems the City could have with issues concerning Proposition 218. When brought to the forefront of the Council, those interest resulted in deaf ears. The law suit filed by citizens resulted in a win for the residents of the City of Riverside. But what will eventually happen according to Adams, is that the City will retaliate against the citizens of Riverside, this in my opinion for not voting in favor of Measure A. If this is to occur Adams states we will have to make up this money through higher water rates and increase taxes. Typical Adams? But the reality of higher rates and taxes is to sustain their slush fund, and continued mismanagement of taxpayer monies. Or is it to help pay off the astronimical debt incurred to the taxpayer due to the Renaissance projects? This is a fund which has no accounting of how tax monies were spent… and now aspirations for Congress?
Councilman Adams getting cozy with Congressman Calvert, failed to respond to our inquiries regarding bond fraud in the City of Riverside, but it seems he responds better to a side of the road transaction.
Like electing Bernie Madoff as Mayor or Treasury secretary. Adams has proved he is not even qualified as councilmen. He used the illegal license plates for over a year and knew he was wrong as he was an ex police officer. Then he cost the taxpayers 10 million in a settlement when he influenced the promotions of the police department. Why would the city elect a proven criminal to Congress even if the Ward accepts his behavior. The DOJ has enough work with the current Congressmen who are committed crimes then to add another one. We saw the former Police Chief embarrass the city and how well he worked with Steve Adams. Just think how people were played for fools when a former police officer Steve Adams said he did not know the untraceable license plates only given to under cover federal officers which ever local police officer knows. – Jackie Rawlings, Commenter on the PE.
Isn’t this the Adams when cofronted by a public speaker at City Council regarding his excessive spending on food via the taxpayer, answered back, “Well, I gotta eat!” or who answered back, “Yes!” when he was asked if he thought disability was funny?
HUNT, HUNTING FOR ISSUES WHICH NEED TO BE FERRETED OUT?
Tom Hunt, member of the RUSD Board of Education, calls certain people who have a personal problem with the city council because they were evicted from their city owned businesses. It may be that he doesn’t understand that there are several degrees of “deadbeats” according to the City, the ones that the City likes and the ones they don’t, and there are those who the City supports and haven’t given them a late fee etc., and others that have and wouldn’t follow the program and you never want to do that, and there are those who just don’t follow the vision set forth by the City, and of course, there are those who have been railroaded.. We can ask former City Manager Brad Hudson about that one, but he suddenly skipped town a couple of years ago. But don’t hold me on this, in fact don’t even put a gun to my head on this issue…
Making the case in favor of Measure A can’t be made, since it has been made. Placing the issue on the ballot was not the idea or request in the Moreno’s lawsuit, but a offered by the City’s team of attorney’s. I would imagine it this decision was made by the foremost attorney on Proposition 218 and a co-author of the Proposition 218 implementation guide, the City of Riverside’s hired attorney, Michael G. Colantuono. We also recommend also to bring you questions on the legalities of Measure A to Attorney General, Kamal Harris at 1-800-952-5225. The Moreno’s case fell under the realms of what is known as the Private Attorney General Act.
DISPORTIONALITY IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT WHEN IT COMES TO THE FAIRNESS OF THE GENERAL FUND TRANSFER AND MEASURE A.
Approximately 3,958 Riverside Public Utility customers won’t get to vote on Measure A, that’s because they are not City residents. But they still contribute to the 11.5% transfer which is paid through their utility bill, therefore they will not receive a benefit in terms of police, fire and library.
Approximately 8,769 customers receive their water from Western Municipal, they will get to vote on Measure A, because they are residents, but don’t receive a benefit either. Further, since they pay more for water, the 11.5% transfer is more for them, even though there is no benefit to them.
There are other’s who are Riverside residents who received Measure A ballots but are not Public Utility customers since they are on their own well water.
But as we have been saying along, water utilities cannot be a profit making entity. City Clerk Coleen Nicol statement regarding public utility customers outside the City of Riverside is as follows: “they’re paying for water. The profit that the utility realizes, the citizens of Riverside have decided that a portion of the utility’s profit will be transferred to the general fund.” Proposition 218 voted overwhelmingly by the voters in 1996 by 85% stated otherwise.
“That’s just the way it works” stated Councilman Paul Davis. But don’t we as constituents elect officials as Davis to fix what is wrong, rather than nonchalantly state to simply otherwise deal with it?
If Measure A doesn’t pass, some council people are crying foul. Councilman Steve Adam’s said we need the money, we therefore have to increase water rates and taxes. Why should the taxpayer pay for the bad decisions a Council person makes?
A PEEK AT WHAT CITY ATTORNEY GREG PRIMOS HAS COSTED THE TAXPAYER LEGAL LIABILITY
THE BACON/HURT SETTLEMENT THE CHRIS LANZILLO SETTLEMENT
The City/ Taxpayer paid out to Lt. Darryl Hurt $300,000.00 and to Lt. Tim Bacon $250,000.00. Even Chris Lanzillo recieved compensation of $25,000.00. This is someone according to the document had 8 workers compensation claims pending with the California Workers Compensation Appeals Board related with his employment with the City. He then went to start his own business in Orange County, some question his claims of disability. He later made news by inaccurately accusing a local councilman of drunk driving. Lanzillo was the former president of the Riverside Police Union.
SCOTT SIMPSON’S “A SCHEME IS BORN” TIMELINE. Scott Simpson’s background: Chief of Enforcement for the California EPA Dept. of Toxic Substances Control, and also worked for the Dept. of Food and Agriculture in their Environmental Hazards Assessment Program specializing in ground water contamination. Simpson brought issues of illegalities of the water fund and citizens water rates to the Riverside Grand Jury. The first submission was lost, the second one was incidently thrown out without an interview. Questions regarding close ties between the City, Judges, DA and Grand Jury were brought into speculation. As you see from Simpson’s background, this was his job to bring issues to the courts, so it is therefore quite remarkable how he was treated at our local Grand Jury level. Simpson “A Scheme is Born” analytical timeline of the chain of events over the years regarding water rates, violations of Proposition 218 and who knew.
CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW FULL TIMELINE “A SCHEME IS BORN”
The City always knew, those who were players in these criminal actions. The City of Riverside had a deadline as all cities had, the date of November 08, 1998. The date came and the City failed the meet the approved deadline, therefore knowlingly violating the State Constitution, since probably, who is really going to challenge them? Well, in 2012, the Moreno’s did, and the judge agreed, and the City of Riverside’s attorney agreed, afterall, he wrote the implementation guide.
A WORD FROM FORMER MANAGING EDITOR OF THE PRESS ENTERPRISE, MEL OPOTOWSKY, ON A NO VOTE ON MEASURE A!
According to a PE opinion by Opotowsky, he stated that the Yes on Measure A campaign is playing on our fears. They took us for fools when they warned in the (illegal) descriptions in city literature that the money was needed for 911 services. Does anyone really believe the City Council members would have the temerity cut the 911 operation if Measure A doesn’t pass?
They take us for fools when they warn that police patrols will be cut. Who thinks that would happen in this very pro-police city?
And the rest of the threatened cuts — programs for fire protection, seniors (not likely because they vote), the disabled, after-school programs (well, they may cut that because “those people” don’t vote).
The outlandish prevarication regarding the clean water and the 911 cutbacks brings us to the second maternal quote: What can we believe from City Hall?
Common sense tells us that in facing the loss of a mere 3 percent of the budget if A does not pass, city officials should find a way to make small reductions in the things that make them feel good — like plaques under a railroad underpass and giving up the expensive Don Quixote fight to save Redevelopment Agency projects.
Gee, they say, it’s only $6 million and we have been taking it for years and nobody said anything. They took it illegally, it turned out, and they knew it was illegal. They just figured the rubes wouldn’t be nit-picky about our government following the law. All that time they took us for fools.
Read the whole article by clicking this link..
MORENO VALLEY: KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY: CITY MANAGER HENRY GARCIA OUT, TOM DE SANTIS IN AS NEW ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.. What will Garcia’s long time girlfriend, City of Riverside’s Human Resources Director Rhonda Strout, A.K.A. Luxury Girl, say about this? Will she attempt to give Henry a job in the janitorial position in order to help clean house in the City of Riverside? What is the rumor with Tom? After keeping track of city business on post it notes, badges and cold plates, did he leave due to indiscretions while at the City of Riverside? Why did he leave the County of San Bernardino? Was it the same?
Recently, Barry Foster, head of the Economic Department also the City’s Community Development Director, left his position according to the PE. Rumor is, was he actually fired? Foster is also the husband of Riverside’s former Public Works Director, Siobhan Foster. Foster abruptly left the City of Riverside, to take a position almost an hour away for the City of Pasadena, as their Public Works Director. Pasadena’s City Manager Michael Beck was also former City of Riverside’s Assistant City Manager, during the time when cold plates and badges were in.
In Moreno Valley Electric Utilities, The New Mission Statement include an interesting new twist. “In the future, MVU will provide more revenue for the City’s general fund, which helps pay for other important city programs.” Was the influence De Santis? This is what happened in the City of Riverside when De Santis was City Manager. Increase the electric rates and take a percentage of the electric fund to transfer to the general fund.
Thomas DeSantis
Nothing really changes but always seems to come back in full circle where we left off. The surprising chain of events which has consumed, after the Mike Rios incident, makes for a great new story for “Mad Men.”
BLACK VOICE ARTICLE ON FORMER MORENO VALLEY COUNCILMAN BATEY
Former Moreno Valley Councilman Bill Batey on doing the right thing and why he reported possible corruption in the City of Moreno Valley to the Riverside County Distric Attorney’s Office.
CITY OF RIVERSIDE CAMPAIGNING THE YES ON MEASURE A CAMPAIGN WITH YOUR TAX DOLLARS?
The mailers that the Yes on Measure A campaign have been distributing have been reflective of their talking points. This new mailer just received has the City of Riverside star of approval with endorsing names such as our Chief of Police Sergio Diaz, Fire Chief Steve Earley and City Manager Scott Barber. It cannot get any more blatant than this. Legally the City of Riverside has had to take a position of neutrality, while over the past few months stated it was on a Measure A informational tour. This mailer shows that that the City sent this mailer and can be ultimately construed as a campaign mailer endorsing a Yes vote on Measure A. This can be seen just by the language and pictorial used.
CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW FULL MAILER
Further this mailer was paid for by you and me the “Taxpayer.” Therefore is the City of Riverside on the verge of violating FPPC (Fair Political Practices Commision) rules and regulations? Not to mention misappropriation of taxpayer funds.
Will you do it again? or be fooled again by the Yes on Measure A Campaign?
If Measure A doesn’t pass will lose all of a sudden in excess of 80 jobs? The majority of the campaign financing have been the Fire Unions and Police Unions. Why are they struggling so hard to have a mere 2.8% to 3.1% of the budget not get cut? If the City of Riverside is actually in dire straights, and using Measure A as a scapegoat, it shouldn’t be a problem to dissolve the Riverside Police Department and the Riverside Fire Department, and transfer both forces to the Riverside County Sheriff and Cal Fire.
Even the NAACP is involved with the Yes on Measure A campaign. What does the NAACP have to do with a water issue? That’s a question to ask Woodie Rucker-Hughes.
Why would Ms. Rucker-Hughes and the NAACP inadvertainly appear to have some sort of obligatory agreement with the City of Riverside on this issue? Why would she dis those she is in position to help? Is it all about who we dance with? I seriously don’t think the NAACP would approve. That’s just me talking, the TMC reporter.
The City’s hypocrisy has no end..
Vote No on Measure A, www.noonmeasureariverside.com
For more information on this June 4th, 2013 Measure A, contact us noonmeasureariverside@hotmail.com
GOVERNMENT SHOULD LIVE WITHIN THEIR MEANS, AFTERALL, WE THE TAXPAYER HAVE TO..
TMC, RATED RIVERSIDE’S MOST “SLANDEROUS” AND MEZZSPELLED, “MISSPELLED” AND “OPINIONATED” BLOG SITE! TEMPORARILY BLOCKED BY THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE AT PUBLIC ACCESS SITES WITHIN THE CITY, THEN UNBLOCKED. I GUESS YOU CANNOT DO THAT ACCORDING TO ACLU. NOW TAGGED LOCAL BLOGGERS OR LOCAL MEDIA? RATED ONE TWO ONE STAR OUT OF FIVE IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY APPROVAL RATINGS.. TMC IS NOW EXCLUSIVELY ON FILE WITH THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE’S DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE, AND PROSSIBLY POSSIBLY ON FILE WITH THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE’S POTENTIAL SLAPP SUIT LIST… WE WILL HAVE TO ASK GREGORY ABOUT THAT ONE ( OUR PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO CONTACT HIS PEOPLE)… AGAIN, THANK-YOU COMMUNITY OF RIVERSIDE AND THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE EMPLOYEE’S FOR YOUR SUPPORT! COMMENTS ALWAYS WELCOMED, ESPECIALLY SPELL CHECKERS! EMAIL ANONYMOUSLY WITH YOUR DIRT OR FOR CONTACT! THIRTYMILESCORRUPTION@HOTMAIL.COM
To the Morenos’; well done! We the People of Riverside demand 1) a flat rate for water service based upon the variable operation and maintenance cost of the water utility. 2) Every one pays the same rate. No contracts for lower rates and no customer classifications for different rates and no tiered rate schemes. 3) Borrowing money and paying debt service must be approved by the voters or land owners bonding the land. 4) Fixed costs of the water utility to be paid by the monthly meter fee/service fee. 5) All surplus water revenue or profits of the water utility shall only be spent to reduce the cost of water service in the following budget year. 6) Developer impact fees are to pay debt expense for expansion of water utility service capacity or the developer may bond the land.
CITY OF RIVERSIDE: !STATE OF CALIFORNIA WANTS $94.7 MILLION IN PROPERTIES BACK FORMER COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE FINANCE DIRECTOR SAYS “STOP THE RIP-OFF!” | TMC: Thirty Miles of Corruption | The Rusted Bell says:
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CITY OF RIVERSIDE: STATE OF CALIFORNIA WANTS $94.7 MILLION IN PROPERTIES BACK FORMER COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE FINANCE DIRECTOR SAYS “STOP THE RIP-OFF!” | TMC: Thirty Miles of Corruption | The Rusted Bell says:
CITY OF RIVERSIDE: STATE OF CALIFORNIA WANTS $94.7 MILLION IN PROPERTIES BACK! FORMER COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE FINANCE DIRECTOR SAYS “STOP THE RIP-OFF!” | TMC: Thirty Miles of Corruption | Riverside County Gossip says:
City Of Riverside Caught Red Handed? | Temecula – Riverside says:
Did The City Of Riverside Just Get Caught Red Handed? Something Smells Fishy? | The Rusted Bell says:
CITY OF RIVERSIDE: MEASURING UP TO MEASURE A
MEMORIAL DAY: WE WON’T FORGET..
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Posts Tagged ‘city councilman paul davis’
Tags: bankruptcy, chery johannes, city councilman mike gardner, city councilman paul davis, city manager johh russo, city of riverside, city of riverside fire department, hey riverside, jason hunter, measure a, measure z, partnership compensation model, public employee pensions, public employee unions, ralph torres, riverside police officers association, riverside teachers union, stockton california, the nouveau riche
What’s left for the Local Riverside Taxpayers after Measure Z is passed by heavily funded Unions! What is left when the Riverside Council voted for higher Utility Rates for a Utilities that the Riverside Public Residents actually own! RPU is Riverside Public Utilities! Why did they do it? They increased your Utility rates, to pay for their bad decisions and contracts with the Unions. What they did was to increase the General Fund Transfer from the Utility fund to pay unsustainable pensions. A sanitation worker in Los Angeles is retiring with $280K per year. Are public workers the Nouveau Riche? What gives? My pension is $980.00 a month with the Vons Corporation as a Managing Pharmacist, What gives?
It’s been two years after Measure Z passed and I believe it is necessary and warranted that we at TMC explain the truth behind Measure Z. We only need two images to explain this travesty against the honest taxpayers. If you remember, Measure Z came to the voters in November of 2016 as a proposal to increase our sales tax an additional 1% to 8.75% total!
Measure Z was entitled, “The Public Safety and Vital Services Measure,” and was billed as a panacea for our infrastructure and services needs. As it was stated in Ballotpedia, “To prevent cutting police, firefighters, paramedics, 911 emergency response, antigang/drug programs, homelessness reduction and youth after-school/senior/disabled services; to repair local streets/potholes/infrastructure; and to provide other general services, shall a one-cent transaction and use tax (sales tax) be implemented providing $48,000,000 annually through 2036….” Sixty Percent of Riverside voters favored it as it was heavily promoted by the “Yes on Measure Z” campaign committee, which raised over $100,000 to inundate the general public with mailers, text messages, Facebook ads, etc., on top of the normal City propaganda (meetings, RPU bill inserts, push polls, etc.). This is what the City of Riverside and the Public Unions did to deceive the public. First they, the unions, who invested huge monies toward influencing the public that passing Measure Z was the right thing to do. Further, they pressed their members to vote for Measure Z….or else. It’s what they do.
With the economy strong, Measure Z continues to beat forecasts for revenue taken in by the City and currently approaches $53 million/year. So what ACTUALLY happened to the money? And here’s where the story takes a predictable turn.
At the same time Measure Z was being put on the ballot, now-infamous former City Manager John Russo crafted a deal with the local unions (and non-represented) employees, which was passed by our crooked City Council (with no veto from the Mayor), called the Partnership Compensation Model (PCM). The PCM was structured to grant salary raises of 9-12% ABOVE AND BEYOND NORMAL MERIT RAISES spread over 2 years for all public employees ONLY IF Measure Z should pass.
In return for this lucre, the unions had to promote the heck out of Measure Z (click on image to enlarge below).
Which they did to the tune of the aforementioned $100,000. And they used the same scare tactics they use every time they need to raise taxes…and many of us keep falling for it: “cutting police, firefighters, paramedics, 911 emergency response, antigang/drug programs, homelessness reduction and youth after-school/senior/disabled services; to repair local streets/potholes/infrastructure.” This is what that $100K paid for… beautiful propaganda mailers with happy families and smiling fire employees and the threat that if this wasn’t passed you, the taxpayer won’t have service. Some call it hard line politics, some call it political black mail. Shouldn’t this be illegal? You realized that you were lied to.
This was a shot of those in charge of the Teachers Union, Fire Union and Police Union all together having a good time after the passing of Measure A back in 2013!
Tim Strack, president of the Riverside City Firefighter in center, raises his fist as the first results of Measure A came in, at the Orangecrest Club in Riverside, at left, Tom Hunt of the school board and writing in the totals is Dave Austin, on Tuesday, June 4, 2013.
Now here’s what should make you take your pitchforks and torches down to City Hall at the next Tuesday City Council Meeting: according to City Finance’s own numbers (presented March 13th, 2019 to the Finance Committee), in return for that $100,000, by the end Fiscal Year 2021, those very same employees will make off with over $21,000,000 annually ($16,000,000 from Measure Z itself and the remaining from your recently-raised utility bills) as a result of PCM (Partnership Compensation Model) – see and click on image below to enlarge.
Simplified:
1) Your Mayor and Council (with an assist from former City Manager John Russo) made a deal with the devil unions to trade an annual annuity of over $20 million of your money in return for $100,000. The Net Present Value of that annuity over the next 20 years (the sunset on Measure Z)? NEARLY $300 MILLION.
2) Every one of your elected officials at the time (including Ward One Council member Mike Gardner) contributed monetarily to the “Yes on Z” campaign, as did City “leaders,” non-profit associations like the Riverside Chamber of Commerce and the Raincross Group did as well.
3) The 2021 Fiscal Year budget forecast shows a $15 million deficit, which means SERVICE CUTS are on the way just 5 years after the passage of Measure Z. You think we’ve got a homeless/pothole/you-name-it problem now? Give it a year! They’ll be sleeping in your front lawn and RPD will not be able do anything about it, as this occurrence recently in our cherished Wood Streets.
4) The numbers in Simplified #1 above do not reflect how the PCM will make our unfunded pension liability explode, as pensions are calculated off an employee’s highest salary. I’ll take a swag and guess that number will eventually be in the HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS too.
5) The City runs for the benefit of the electeds, a few special interests, and the employees, with just enough thrown back at the general public to provide the illusion that all’s well and things are getting done. Behinds the scenes we have $2 billion in debt, a $535 million unfunded pension liability, and budget deficits as far as the eye can see (at the City alone, not counting the County, the School Districts, etc.).
6) Eventually, all the Measure Z money will go to employees as Simplified #4 kicks in. You have been screwed royally by those sworn to serve and protect you. The City’s proposed solutions to the problems they’ve created seem to center around selling your assets, cutting your services, and taking more money from you…the road San Bernadino took over 10 years ago. Sooooo, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? I will offer my suggestions at a later date. The below was a debate on the subject of Measure Z hosted by Ralph Torres of Hey Riverside. Councilman Paul Davis and Community Tax Activist Jason Hunter were on the hot seat! He gave a warning to the taxpayer residents as follows: And don’t say some of us didn’t warn y’all at the time (at 10 minute mark in particular):
Please, please share with your neighbors. It’s time folks woke up. There’s still time to mitigate this impending disaster.
I get a bit peeved, as you should, at the entitlement I see amongst the public sector workers who think there’s any equity between work in the public and private sector by allowing public sector folks to retire at (in some cases) 90% of their highest one-year career salary in their early 50s, especially with the amount of pension spiking that still goes on. That’s not a comfortable retirement: that’s a scam on the private sector taxpayers, many of whom at looking at $35K/year in Social Security at age 70.
According to the PE, 53,000 former public employees in California were pulling down 6-figures a year in 2016, many of whom NEVER PUT A PENNY OF THEIR OWN MONEY towards their retirements. If this was seen in the Private Sector this would lead to Bankruptcy. And no, I don’t feel sorry for one second about demanding that those pensions be modified (particularly the higher end ones), especially since reform of the problem has been postponed by our public employees continually buying our elections (like Measure Z) and politicians. The general public is the boss under our Constitution, so if enough of us say “no more,” guess what? That’s it … regardless of past promises, just like in the private sector. Google, “United Airlines bankruptcy,” for reference. And the whole argument that everyone who bitches is just jealous they can’t get a job in the public sector is preposterous on its face (the private sector pays for all ALL general fund employee compensation via taxes) and shows how little people know about how our economic system of capitalism works (while not perfect, I challenge someone to show me a better model that’s actually been implemented in a country this size).
Bottom line, the City of Riverside should consider Bankruptcy as an option, and then renegotiate those Union contracts or give the Unions an ultimatum, decrease salaries and increase the pension obligation or contribution to the fund. The City of Riverside should only negotiate contracts with Unions that we actually can afford. The Private Sector does it all the time, they would otherwise see bankruptcy!
The above was a news story that was published on Youtube in 2013 by Fox Business, it talks about the unsustainable pension cost crisis that California is being confronted with. When they looked further they found public city workers were retiring with high yearly fat payouts. They had a sanitation worker in Los Angeles retiring with $280K per year, a librarian in San Diego retiring with $234K per year, a retired life guard in New Port Beach retiring with $180K in pension and health care benefits per year and 94 public government workers in the Bankrupt City of Stockton, CA receive over a $100K plus per year in pensions. Why am I peeved? I receive a pension of $980 per month in my pension as a pharmacist. I worked with the private sector as a pharmacy manager with the Vons Corporation. My background, I have a Doctorate in Clinical Pharmacy from the University of California. What I’m telling you, and should be obvious, is their are elements within City Governments that do not care, and do not look upon the interest of their taxpaying constituents.
This reminds me of Riverside Public Utilities dispatcher Donald Dahle who received $257,719 in overtime in 2016, boosting his total earnings to $373,235! A dispatcher folks! According to Internal Audit Manager for the City of Riverside Cheryl Johannes stated, “In other words, they found no fraud, … Where (Public Utilities staff) were lacking was internal review. They had policies, but if people don’t follow policies, this is what happens.” Duh, are we talking about City of Riverside Employee who was in charge or who had supervisory role was derelict in their duties or who was clearly incompetent? This being said cost the taxpayers a heap of money!
Cheryl Joannes
Just wanted to take this time to thank Jason Hunter for allowing TMC to use and share his information he posted on Next Door for this posting: The Truth About Measure Z: The Public Employee Salary and Employment Tax. Thank-you! Best, Javier Moreno
TMC, RATED RIVERSIDE REGIONAL COUNTIES MOST, “SCANDALOUS,” “NEGATIVE,” “WARPED,” “RAUNCHY,” “LOW CLASS,” “VISIONS OF GRANDEUR,” “FULL OF B.S.,” “REPREHENSIBLE,” “IGNORANT,” “MISGUIDED,” “BULLYISH,” “INDECENT,” “REPUGNANT,””IMMORAL,” “FILTHY,” “VILE,” “SICK,” “PERVERTED,” “DEFAMATORY,” “STUPID,” “PATHETIC,” “DESPICABLE,” “DISAPPOINTING,” “BELOW THE BELT,” “A NEW LOW,” “SHOCKING,” “OFFENSIVE,” “OBNOXIOUS,” “INAPPROPRIATE,” “HURTFUL,” “MEAN SPIRITED,” “DISTASTEFUL,” “EMBARRASSING,” HORIFFIC,” “SLANDEROUS” “FIT TO BE VIEWED FROM THE REAR” AND MEZZSPELLED, “MISSPELLED” AND “OPINIONATED” BLOG SITE! YES WE ADMIT WE OUR ALL OF THAT AND MORE, WHICH IN CURRENT TERMS IS KNOWN AS “UNPOLITICALLY CORRECT.” TEMPORARILY BLOCKED BY THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE AT PUBLIC ACCESS SITES WITHIN THE CITY, THEN UNBLOCKED. I GUESS YOU CANNOT DO THAT ACCORDING TO THE ACLU. RATED ONE STAR OUT OF FIVE IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY APPROVAL RATINGS.. … AGAIN, THANK YOU COMMUNITY OF RIVERSIDE AND THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE EMPLOYEE’S FOR YOUR SUPPORT! CONTACT US: thirtymilescorruption@hotmail.com
Posted: February 12, 2018 in City of Riverside
Tags: assistant city manager marianna marysheva, chief financial officer brent mason, city councilman paul davis, city manager john russo, councilman mike soubirous, measure z
John Russo, Zorro, champion of the underdog and defender of the common man; or low-down outlaw and notorious gang leader?
As we at TMC wax nostalgic over the passing of the largest tax increase in the history of the City of Riverside just over a year ago, we pass along these gems, proving once again: the more things change, the more they stay the same in the ole’ River City…
Exhibit A, Councilman Mike Soubirous, 11/30/2017, a year after the passage of Measure Z:
As a 2013 candidate for Council I was against the GFT (Measure A). Mostly out of principle because I thought that the City should not have to rely upon the GFT to make ends meet. At the time, being an outsider (not on the Council) not knowing our City’s true financial status, I believed that if we needed that transfer that much we must be in bad shape financially. After the former City management team left and newly hired City Manager John Russo and his staff came on board, it was discovered that the City was about $11.5 million in the hole (or $11-1/2 million less than what Council had been told we had). In order to balance the budget Council immediately implemented 4% across-the-board cuts to all departments/services (June, 2016). We also discovered additional bond debt that was kept somewhat quiet. We were headed down the path toward bankruptcy had we not taken the immediate budget cutting action!
The residents/voters saw the Council initiated reforms and pledges to pay down debts, raise our dwindling reserves (from 15% to 20% – actually at the time down to 13%) while balancing key infrastructure and public safety needs. So the residents voted to approve Measure Z. Since May, 2015,the City Council and Executive Management team has promoted an openness, transparency track and have been improving the City’s economic development/building & safety/planning business model (more business friendly) customer service oriented position. Things are headed in the right direction! Problem is, the economy is not growing very fast (tax revenue) and is staying somewhat flat. Flat is better than trending down, but means we will probably have to impose ANOTHER 4% across-the-board cuts this June (2018) to again balance the budget. This is good for taxpayers as our City is becoming financially leaner and leaner. Doing more with way less. But not so good for those who want City services right now or five minutes ago. So by cutting back on the GFT at this point would mean imposing more than the upcoming anticipated 4% across-the-board cuts to all departments and services. Most who voted for the Measure Z (1 cent per dollar sales tax) did so to keep or advance City owned tree trimming, road paving, hiring of more police and some infrastructure projects in place or actually (finally) catching-up.
CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE OR CLINK ON LINK TO VIEW SOURCE
Exhibit B, City Manager John Russo and sidekick Natasha Fatale Marianna Marysheva, 4/23/16, seven months or so before the vote on Measure Z:
The city’s new administration has spent several months working to institute the kind of fiscal discipline required to generate healthy and sustainable budgets well into the future. This process has been difficult at times for everyone involved. A $1 million surplus projected for fiscal year 2015-16 – built on the type of budgeting we should no longer allow – has morphed into a shortfall of about $8 million. This shortfall, if not corrected with sustainable ongoing measures, will result in a $10-12 million budget hole in fiscal year 2016-17.
Unfortunately, some perennial critics of the city have confused the cure (early diagnosis of future budget challenges) with the disease (a negative imbalance between ongoing expenses and ongoing revenue). These folks have been frightening some Riversiders by proclaiming loudly that the city faces imminent bankruptcy.
Let us state unequivocally that the city of Riverside is not going bankrupt; in fact, the city could have continued on its prior path for many years without suffering financial doom. But we believe that our standard should be higher than the very “low bar” of “just don’t go bankrupt.” We are committed to a rational budget in which ongoing revenue meets ongoing expenses, and long-term capital needs, like road repair and tree trimming, are properly covered.
As Riverside moves through weeks of introducing, refining and, ultimately, approving a budget for fiscal years 2016-17 and 2017-18, there will be some bumps in the road. Residents and business owners may hear things that make them uncomfortable, and perhaps even a bit nervous about Riverside’s financial health. But as we work through this difficult process, please keep in mind that Riverside is in good financial condition overall, and that this process is only going to make that even stronger.
CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE OR CLINK ON LINK TO VIEW SOURCE
So who are we to believe regarding the financial condition of the City of Riverside in 2016? Staff prior to the passage of the Measure Z ballot measure, a $50+ million new annual sales tax; or an elected official afterwards? Well neither, of course! Butttttttttt, neither were technically (fingers crossed) lying either…the key word being “imminent” when it came to the timing of bankruptcy.
Staff and the Council knew back in early 2016 (and looooong before that for some of them) that the City had been hiding its true liabilities off-balance-sheet for years. Trouble was, the cows were soon to be returning to the barn, where they was no hay. We’ll even give you TMC’s version of proof of this knowledge: former Finance Director Brent Mason was scapegoated fired within months of Assistant City Manager Marysheva arrived on the scene. Given the tremendous leeway the City has traditionally afforded other overpaid, hack executive employees caught with their pants down hands in the cookie jar, so they could either “retire” or “seek better opportunities,” while staying on the City payroll for much greater time periods, we must conclude Mr. Mason did something fairly egregious to merit his ignoble departure. Marysheva described it at the time as, “The city has a history of unbalanced budgets, but those imbalances have been disguised,” while ex-City Councilman Paul Davis described it more in layman terms: “cooking the books”.
But the real truth would have to wait until 2017 because Harold Hill John Russo had a tremendous idea at the time and just the right strategy to pull it off. And that hustle plan was the Wells Fargo Wagon Measure Z good folks. And along the way he would seduce one spinster librarian loner Councilman and perhaps fool the whole town into believing his shipoopi. But that fine story is for another day…but with a twist we’ll bet you didn’t see coming! Then you may have been caught with your pants down in River City.
Instead of hustlers and charlatans, put your faith in Thirty Miles of Corruption, who last time we checked received no income or favors from any local government source: we predicted years ago that the City would run out of money by 2016 … and as they like to say at the Goeske Center, “B-I-N-G-O!” (another pyrrhic victory…hooray!)
Long-time readers will remember how we and our band of, “perennial critics,” trudged over to council chambers week after week after week to warn of impending financial collapse, and our dear “leaders” (gulp) only response was to call us crazy or deranged. As the old adage goes: if you can’t attack the message, attack the messenger. And so who’s crazy now? With gargantuan unpaid pension liabilities, fully-leveraged assets with bonds that need to be paid, and skyrocketing taxes, fees and rates … yep, there’s still going to be plenty of trouble; right here in the ole’ River City. More to come.
Brent Mason, Recycled Trash Sent to San Bernardino
TMC, RATED RIVERSIDE’S REGIONAL COUNTIES MOST, “NEGATIVE,” “RAUNCHY,” “LOW CLASS,” “VISIONS OF GRANDEUR,” “FULL OF B.S.,” “REPREHENSIBLE,” “IGNORANT,” “MISGUIDED,” “BULLYISH,” “FILTHY,” “VILE,” “SICK,” “PERVERTED,” “DEFAMATORY,” “STUPID,” “PATHETIC,” “DESPICABLE,” “DISAPPOINTING,” “BELOW THE BELT,” “A NEW LOW,” “SHOCKING,” “OFFENSIVE,” “OBNOXIOUS,” “INAPPROPRIATE,” “HURTFUL,” “MEAN SPIRITED,” “DISTASTEFUL,” “EMBARRASSING,” HORIFFIC,” “SLANDEROUS” “FIT TO BE VIEWED FROM THE REAR” AND MEZZSPELLED, “MISSPELLED” AND “OPINIONATED” BLOG SITE! YES WE ADMIT WE OUR ALL OF THAT AND MORE, WHICH IN CURRENT TERMS IS KNOWN AS “UNPOLITICALLY CORRECT.” TEMPORARILY BLOCKED BY THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE AT PUBLIC ACCESS SITES WITHIN THE CITY, THEN UNBLOCKED. I GUESS YOU CANNOT DO THAT ACCORDING TO THE ACLU. RATED ONE TWO ONE STAR OUT OF FIVE IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY APPROVAL RATINGS.. … AGAIN, THANK YOU COMMUNITY OF RIVERSIDE AND THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE EMPLOYEE’S FOR YOUR SUPPORT! CONTACT US: thirtymilescorruption@hotmail.com
CITY OF RIVERSIDE: CITY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE: TWO TIMING TALLEY? DOES SHE SPREAD HERSELF AROUND?
Posted: September 23, 2014 in Uncategorized
Tags: best best & krieger, christina talley, city attorney edward bell, city attorney greg priamos, city councilman paul davis, city of anaheim, city of bell, city of colton, city of riverside, code of ethics and conduct, councilman andy melendrez, sanctuary city
According to the San Bernardino Sentinel, Colton City Attorney Christina Talley has been relieved of her position as of September 18,2014, or could we say “fired?” Christina Talley works for the infamous Best, Best & Krieger, and incidentally has been hired by the City of Riverside through BB&K to be interim City Attorney, after former City Attorney Greg Priamos skipped town when he couldn’t handle the heat in the kitchen to Riverside County. Of course, the County Boys embraced Priamos with open arms. Accordingly, Ms. Talley appears to have been passed around to cities like a bad can of sardines beyond there expiration date. Cities continued to employ her, regardless of the smell she left behind. According to the article there is more to the story then meets the eye, not only was City of Colon Colton concerned with her ineptness with Brown Act regulations, whereby she allowed non-agendized items to be discussed by council. But even more discerning, was what occurred at a June 3 Colton Council meeting , at which a decision was made to place City Manager Stephen Compton on administrated leave. This was as a result of Compton’s inquiry with reference to questionable financial practices, including “off-the-book” projects in public works department which led him very close to uncovering details of how certain projects were funded, including several unauthorized projects which were being run out of the public works department. This of course, brought scrutiny, according to the article, toward the actions of public works director Amer Jakher, who enjoyed a close relationship with a majority of the of the city council. As the focus pointed to Jakher, some council members were pushing Compton to examine the city’s contract with Best, Best & Krieger and Talley, and potentially put the contract for city legal services out to bid.
In July of 2014, a group of Colton residents filed a complaint with the city to investigate alleged irregularities in the city’s public works department alleging potential misappropriation of public funds, gift of public funds and misuse of public funds which benefitted two city council members. The citizens provided documentation indicating that the “off the books” activity, i.e., work that had not been considered or approved by the city council, had indeed taken place in the public works division. That request was moved forward by Police Chief Steve Ward, who was then acting in the capacity of city manager during Compton’s absence. Chief of Police/City Manager Ward initiated an investigation and personally forwarded the request to Talley. The investigation was handed over to another Best Best & Krieger attorney, Ronald Ball, who is “of counsel” with the firm. Several weeks later it was discovered that Talley, however, neglected to provide Ball with the background documentation that had been provided to the city by the group of residents requesting the investigation. Thus, the investigation failed to focus on the “off-the-books” activity in the public works department that was at the root of the concerns expressed by the citizens group, and the final report reflected an incorrect timeline of events which discredited its conclusion that two of the members of the council, Frank Gonzales and Susan Oliva, had not benefited from the misapplication of resources in the public works department. Manipulation of the facts? Read the whole story in the September 19th article in the San Bernardino Setinel.
Beginning in August 2014, according to the San Bernardino Sentinel, Talley became less and less visible in Colton. She was replaced in some venues by Marco Martinez, a partner with Best Best & Krieger. In fact, Talley’s mishandling of the Colton account appears to have impacted her standing with Best Best & Krieger, which now appears to be in danger of losing Colton as a client altogether. Talley, who formerly had an office in Best Best & Krieger’s Irvine office, where she was formerly listed as an “associate,” has been consistently unavailable at that location since August. She is no longer listed as an “associate,” but is now deemed to be “of counsel,” an indication Best Best & Krieger is seeking to disassociate itself from her.
But it doesn’t stop there, in the “Anaheim Blog”, Christina Talley who was Anaheim’s City Attorney since 2009 was asked to resign in January of 2013, with what appears to be her ineptness, again, with the Brown Act. The “Voice of Orange County” also brought forward another issue with Talley with reference to her alleged ineptness with the Brown Act.
But in my eyes what we see is a powerful law firm who has been allowed to be part of the very fabric which ultimately represents the interest of the taxpayers. It certainly appears that they are their to protect their taxpayer paycheck with bad legal advice.
As in the instance whereby the City of Bell sues former City Attorney Edward Lee, a BB&K attorney, for let’s see, “Faulty Legal Advice!” So Riverside, you know have a little information of how the City of Riverside rolls in what is in it’s best interest…it may very well not be you. What appears to be allegedly evident is that Best Best & Krieger has been manipulating California City politics through their “fly-by-night” team of legal attorneys, which seem to cause more financial liability to the taxpayer, then financial protection to the taxpayer.
Well I would expect that the City of Riverside’s spokes hole and former PE reporter, Phil Pritchard may attempt to spin the story by just saying she left Colton to work for the City of Riverside… Watch Two Timing Talley’s antics unfold at today’s City Council Meeting, and you the taxpayer decide! Is she really inept, or really good at playing the field of City Politics? Should we allow uncontracted legal work to continue with BB&K? Should we allow BB&K Trash Attorneys to represent the taxpayers? I think not.
CITY OF RIVERSIDE: COUNCILMAN MELENDREZ: HUMANITARIAN RESOLUTION TRIGGERS ETHICS COMPLAINT.
Councilman Andy Melendrez’s attempt to create the City of Riverside as a “Sanctuary City” appeared to be hidden according to many in the community and not brought forward at a Tuesday’s City Council Meeting. As a result, a formal Code of Ethics and Conduct complaint was filed by Fontana Council candidate Tressy Capps, specifically against Melendrez’s assertion that their would be no “fiscal impact” in the adoption of this resolution, as stated in the City Council Memorandum. The following is the filed complaint by Tressy Capps.
UPDATE: TRESS CAPPS IN THE NEWS: THE DAILY CALLER: WOMAN WHO REALLY HATES MEXICAN FLAG LOSE JOB OVER HATRED OF MEXICAN FLAG. The title says she hates the Mexican Flag, but the report list no direct statement by her with the words “hate” etc.
CLICK THIS LINK TOVIEW FULL ETHICS COMPLAINT FILED BY CAPPS
The following is the City Council Memorandum stating that there would be no “fiscal impact” with the adoption of this humanitarian resolution. The meaning of a resolution is defined as a firm decision to do something, or not to do something.
CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW CITY COUNCIL MEMORANDUM
What was more discerning was this item/resolution it was placed on the Consent Calender, as some have indicated, a way to pass and sneak a real issue from the community. Rather than just passed, it was brought out from the consent calender for discussion. This play on politics does not make Andy a proponent for what’s right and wrong, as indicated by many in his ward. The resolution states the following: “WHEREIS: The City of Riverside hereby stands in support of sanctuary and humanitarian efforts or assistance in the processing and treatment of all immigrants, including those recently arriving in the United States..” According to the Press Enterprise, Melendrez stated that “the resolution would not have actually required the city to do anything, nor would it have committed any city funds.” Even our interim City Attorney Christina Talley chimed in when asked for an opinion by stating the following, “Based upon the face of the resolution, I didn’t see anything in that resolution that conflicted with federal or state law.” But when you look at the resolution statement it appears rather vaguely written, possibly not to directly take issue with the real point, “illegal” immigration. His point of stating “including those recently arriving in the United States,” would actually imply helping immigrants “illegally” in the country. It also seems that the City of Riverside supports efforts of efforts and assistance in the processing of all immigrants. According the statement, this would imply both “legal” and “illegal” immigrants. If this is true, the City of Riverside would effectively stating in this resolution that it supports breaking the law by supporting efforts to process “illegal” immigrants. This I would say is a direct conflict with Federal Law, and out of the scope of a local municipality, such as our City. Further, the definition of a “child” is someone under the age of 18 year of age, in some in some instances it may very well be under 19 years of age. The full original resolution is as follows:
CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW THE MELENDREZ HUMANITARIAN RESOLUTION
Capps states that this resolution directly violates specifically page 4, item #6 of the Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected Officials. She cited the item, “they will seek to insure that information provided by the city government to the public is accurate and clear.” Where is City Attorney Greg Priamos when we need him? Hell, he would just make matters worse.
CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW FULL CODE OF ETHICS AND CONDUCT (CLICK IMAGES ABOVE TO ENLARGE)
According to some in the community, this resolution advocatess breaking Federal law.. Not only is he advocating breaking Federal Law, he is stating it would be acceptable for the City of Riverside to assume acceptance of those who have entered the country illegally. Some in the community feel this was done without consideration of those in his community who are legal, and need help, such as are veterans, homeless, residents struggling financially to make ends meet etc. On the other hand, proponents state that we need to ensure that the security, protection and needs of illegal or undocumented children are addressed on a humanitarian level. Which appears to be acceptable since immigration is a Federal issue. Though the term “children” has yet to be defined in these resolutions. Many city’s have adopted similar resolutions, even some states, there is really no conflict as such which would interfere with Federal laws. But what does this mean when a resolution such as this, is adopted at a local level?
UPDATE: COUNCILMAN ANDY MELENDREZ AT THE SEPTEMBER 23RD COUNCIL MEETING INSISTED THAT THE RESOLUTION FOR “SANCTUARY CITY” STATUS FOR RIVERSIDE BE BROUGHT BACK FOR COUNCIL VOTE ONCE AGAIN. WILL THIS MEAN HIDDEN ADDITIONAL ASPECTS WHICH WILL BURDEN THE TAXPAYERS OF THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE?
CITY COUNCILMAN PAUL DAVIS INVESTIGATION IN LIMBO…ACCORDING TO THE RIVERSIDE PRESS ENTERPRISE!
Again, what happens if the whole investigation is dropped, who is responsible for the bill? You got it, we are! Should an incompetent City Manager Scott Barber reimburse the taxpayer for his inexperience? Then again attempting to sue the taxpayer as a direct result of his own personal conflicts?
UPDATE: CINDY ROTH AND THE GREATER RIVERSIDE CHAMBER RECEIVES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY, OVER A HALF A MILLION OVER THREE YEARS FOR “KEEP RIVERSIDE CLEAN AND BEAUTIFUL” PROGRAM, AS VOTED AT SEPTEMBER 23RD CITY COUNCIL, WITH THE ONLY NO VOTE BY COUNCILMAN PAUL DAVIS. INCIDENTALLY, COUNCILMAN PAUL DAVIS FOUND THIS QUITE PECULIAR ENOUGH THAT HE REQUESTED THIS ITEM BE REMOVED FROM THE “CONSENT CALENDER’ FOR DISCUSSION. The discussion led to questions regarding how Cindy Roth’s Greater Riverside Chamber is paid. First, the taxpayer must pay for this “Volunteer Program” in their “Trash Bill.” Five other cities in California wouldn’t think of doing this. Riverside does. Therefore, the issue of this item becomes an illegal charge or tax against the taxpayer! Since the charge comes from the Public Works Department, it must be brought forth for “bid.” Secondly, there must be a contractors contract, referencing item by item, how the taxpayer money is to be spent. Non of this has ever been done! With her attorney husband and now Senator, “Something seems to be Rotten in Denmark!” Question have arose over the disbursements of taxpayer monies, which appear to have never been reported to Council in the past. Taxpayers continue to argue that it is a “money laundering” scheme. Incidently, Cindy Roth, CEO/President, her husband is now Senator for the State of California, Richard Roth… In the past has done outside legal work for the City of Riverside, which has been allegedly been questionable with reference in how his work really benefited Riverside residents.
Cindy Roth and the Greater Riverside Chamber was also against Measure A, which was not in the best interest of the taxpayers, and evidently is why her behind the scenes political activities at City Hall have been seen as some, as a political powerhouse, which includes former CEO and Publisher of the Riverside Press Enterprise , Ron Redfern. Riverside, wouldn’t you think something is wrong in Denmark? At the cost of $574,754 over three years to the taxpayer in your Trash Bill? Now folks, this is a volunteer program… Technically according to City policy, since this money arrives from Public Works, this item must go out to bid, secondly, there must be a contractors contract initiated itemizing the cost of services provided. This was not done. Also, an expenditure report has never been given to the City to disclose a specific itemization of disbursements. So, where does the money go? With this in mind, questions arise to how the monies are actually spent. First of all, is there a specified account for this money? Or is this money just deposited in the Greater Riverside Chamber’s general fund? To possibly be used for Councilmember and Mayor special trips, campaigns etc.
CITY COUNCIL MEMORANDUM CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE
UPDATE: IS THE AMERICAN DISABILITIES GUIDELINES NOTHING MORE THAN A “SHAKE DOWN” SCHEME PERPETRATED BY THE CALIFORNIA TRIAL LAWYERS THROUGH LEGISLATION? NOW UNDER THE DECEPTIVE NAME OF CONSUMER ATTORNEY’S OF CALIFORNIA? NEW STORY IN THE PRESS ENTERPRISE..
TMC, RATED RIVERSIDE’S MOST “SLANDEROUS” AND MEZZSPELLED, “MISSPELLED” AND “OPINIONATED” BLOG SITE! TEMPORARILY BLOCKED BY THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE AT PUBLIC ACCESS SITES WITHIN THE CITY, THEN UNBLOCKED. I GUESS YOU CANNOT DO THAT ACCORDING TO THE ACLU. RATED ONE TWO ONE STAR OUT OF FIVE IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY APPROVAL RATINGS.. TMC IS NOW EXCLUSIVLY EXCLUSIVELY ON FILE WITH THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE’S DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE (WE BELIEVE THIS WILL END SOON, SINCE THE FOCUS IS NOW ON THE IMPROPRIETIES OF MR. “Z”, WE TRIED TO TELL YOU, BUT NOBODY LISTENED), AND DON’T FORGET WE ARE PROSSIBLY POSSIBLY ON FILE WITH THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE’S POTENTIAL SLAPP SUIT LIST… A STRATEGIC LEGAL MANEUVER THAT CAN BE DONE ONLY IN RIVERSIDE WITHOUT A CONTRACT (WE BELIEVE THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN NOW, SINCE GREG SKIPPED TOWN TO THE COUNTY)… AGAIN, THANK-YOU COMMUNITY OF RIVERSIDE AND THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE EMPLOYEE’S FOR YOUR SUPPORT! COMMENTS ALWAYS WELCOMED, ESPECIALLY SPELL CHECKERS! WE JUST CAN’T SPELL! EMAIL ANONYMOUSLY WITH YOUR TOXIC DIRT BY CONTACTING US AT: THIRTYMILESCORRUPTION@HOTMAIL.COM
CITY OF RIVERSIDE: POLITICAL Coup d’état IN THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE Exposé? OR DOES THE COP PLAY BOOK CREATE BETTER POLITICS OR SIMPLY PISS POOR POLITICS?
Posted: August 4, 2014 in Uncategorized
Tags: aurelio melendrez, brian smith, buena park councilman fred smith, chief sergio diaz, chris lanzillo, city attorney gregory priamos, city councilman mike sobirous, city councilman paul davis, city councilman steve adams, city manager scott barber, city of riverside, cliff mason, cop play book, councilman jim righeimer, Dammeier, fourteenth amendment, hostile work environment, john brandriff, Lackie, mayor william rusty bailey, McGill & Ethir, riverside police officers association, rpoa, whistleblower's protection act
I been thinking about this investigation quite a bit, and continue with the thought of just what were they thinking? Was this a conspired smear campaign, a power play to remove a colleague who may have become a political advisery? Their plan, it appeared, simply begain to unraveled at the seams unveiling a vile, putrid decay of the very fabric of our democratic system. Mayor Bailey and Councilman Adams relayed to Soubirous on April 1, 2014, that four City of Riverside employees filed under the Whistleblower’s Protection Act with complaints against him that he violated Riverside City Charter Chapter 407, thereby creating a Hostile Work Environment, what was said to him never occurred. At the July 22nd Councilman Soubirous hearing, Councilman Paul Davis admitted Brown Act violations in which are council were involved.
In the Hostile Work Environment Guide, whats important to note is that the conduct or behavior must be pervasive and constitute a pattern rather than consist of one or two isolated incidents. This pattern must include discrimination in the work place based on race, ethnicity, religion, disability, age, sex or color. I didn’t see incompetence listed here. Whats also interesting is that this specialized high priced Law firm of Gumport Mastan, either didn’t know what the legal definition of “Hostile Work Environment” was, or they knew and were going to take advantage of City Manager Scott Barber, Chief Sergio Diaz, Mayor Rusty Bailey and Councilmember Steve Adams and RIP-OFF the City of Riverside for approx $100,000.00. How embarrasing that Barber,Diaz, Bailey and Adams thought this investigation would be in the best interest of the public. Who was advising these people! Oh yea I forgot Greg Priamos. Did Greg know the legal definition of Hostile Work Environment? Well I guess it was a good thing that Priamos left for new job with the County, he is that much closer to the County Jail. In retrospect, are they all really that DUMB, INCOMPETENT, and/or CORRUPT?
According to Seattle Business Magazine, misapplying “hostile” increases unfounded legal claims and tension and strained relationships between employers and employees and/or between coworkers, while misunderstanding “hostile” causes management to mishandle such allegations.
Section 407. Interference in administrative service. Neither the Mayor nor the City Council nor any of its members shall interfere with the execution by the City Manager of his/her powers and duties, or order, directly or indirectly, the appointment by the City Manager or by any of the department heads in the administrative service of the City, of any person to an office or employment or their removal therefrom. Except for purpose of inquiry, the Mayor, the City Council and its members shall deal with the administrative service under the City Manager solely through the City Manager and neither the Mayor nor the City Council nor any member thereof shall give orders to any subordinates of the City Manager, either publicly or privately. (Effective 12/27/1995).
Since they are “Whistleblower’s”, I would have imagined Federal Complaints would be in order. No such Federal filing according to records ever occurred. The four employees would have been RPOA President Brian Smith, RPOA Vice President Aurelio Melendrez, Chief of Police Sergio Diaz and City Manager Scott Barber. It would appear that the conspirators whittled the four filers to two since the true investigation only reveals two employees; Barber and Diaz, with Smith and Melendrez as “witnesses.” Barber made an indirect claim of a hostile work environment based on the witness testimony of third party information which, came directly from his meeting with Union President Brian Smith. He then crafted his letter and sent it to Mayor Bailey and Councilman Adams, of course, CC’d (Carbon Copy) City Attorney Gregory Priamos (AKA: The Architect). Remarkably, his letter stated that what was said between Smith and Soubirous created a hostile work environment for himself, he even admits what he has written is derived “third hand”, or AKA third party information. I guess you can always count on third party information to make a tight case.
BARBER’S COMPLAINT (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE)
Not once, did our City Manager Scott Barber find it necessary to contact Councilman Soubirous to corroborate RPOA President (and RPD Sergeant-hoping to be Lieutenant) Brian Smith’s side of the story. This I find quite extraordinary! Isn’t Barber a conflict manager specialist? Or was this class just not offered in a Thespian Major? They didn’t even file their complaint according to the rules they evidently uphold (Charter Chapter 202-Code of Ethics and Conduct).
CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW CODE OF ETHICS AND CONDUCT SECTION 202
Did they perceive themselves as entitled, for the rules of law? Did they think the rules of law didn’t apply to them? They certainly apply to everyone else! Section 202 describes that a complaint form should be used and filed with the City Clerk! That certainly didn’t happen.
In a secondary act of incredible noteworthy importance, the Chief of Police in his letter did the exact same thing as City Manager Scott Barber. He based his complaint on RPOA Union President and RPD Sergeant’s Brian Smith’s personal account of his meeting with Councilman Mike Soubirous, that fateful Valentine’s Day of 2014.
DIAZ’S COMPLAINT (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE)
Again, an indirect claim of a hostile work environment was made, this time by the Chief. We have to ask the question if Soubirous was being set up as part of orchestrated smear campaign? We know there was growing tension between Soubirous and his relationship with City Manager Scott Barber and the Chief of Police Sergio Diaz. Diaz in fact, threatened Soubirous political career. Diaz stating in an email that it is “politically unwise to declare war on your cops.” This is a guy who Soubirous loaned his truck out to on several occasions! Also Council Candidate John Brandriff, had filed a complaint against the chief in which his complaint was “founded”. Diaz had told Brandriff at a West Side Story showing at the Fox Theater said the following: “If you have anymore political aspirations don’t make an enemy out of me”. This is a Chief who makes more than a half a million a year, $247 from his LAPD pension and $307 from his current salary as RPD Chief. Thinking he can manipulate the political fabric of our city.
CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW THE REST OF THE LEFT OVER INTERVIEWS ELIMINATED FROM THE FIRST INVESTIGATIONAL RELEASE, THEY JUST DIDN’T SEEM TO FIT INTO THE LAW FIRM OF GUMPORT MASTAN’S $100K STORY
RPOA President Brian Smith emailed me to tell me how I may have spun the actual fact, that I need to investigate before making a statement on the blog. So when RPOA Brian Smith sent TMC this email:
We asked RPOA President Brian Smith to clear up some questions simply because of his tag line, that he felt our post was a “interesting spin.” (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE).
With that we asked our email to respond to the original Cop Play Book. (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE). I did attempt to clarify through Seargent Smith himself but he never emailed me back. So I did take his advice and did a little investigation of my own. What I also found quite peculiar was RPD Sergeant and RPOA President Brian Smith’s interrelationships and affiliations with reference to CorporateWiki.Com The connection between Cliff Mason and Chris (Christopher) Lanzillo.
Now, former RPOA President Sgt. Cliff Mason was implicated in illegal sale of revolvers to former City Manager Brad Hudson and Assistant City Manager Thomas DeSantis while a RPD officer with the City of Riverside. At the time Lanzillo was president, Brian Smith was Vice President, and Aurelio Melendrez (Councilman Andy Melendrez’s son) was Secretary. According to Chief Sergio Diaz, Lanzillo was fired for doing some “pretty bad things.” Those bad things were never elaborated upon. We are still attempting to find what these really “bad things” are. But he did come back to sue the taxpayers with the law firm he later worked for, Lackie, Dammeier & McGill. His job was reinstated with RPD and shortly thereafter retired on a medical disability. Shortly thereafter, started his own investigation company in Orange County and did some investigatory work for this law firm. We asked the question is Lanzillo committed insurance fraud as a result of his miracle recovery? The law firm was later the brunt of a DA investigation, which ultimately led to their dissolution.
When Chris Lanzillo was President of the RPOA, Brian Smith was Vice President and Aurelio Melendrez was Secretary, was the cop play book in effect back then? The Police Union have in the past employed a law firm, Lackie,Dammeier & McGill, and a member of that law firm- former RPD Officer and RPOA Union President Chris Lanzillo who, according to numerous reports chronicled in the Orange County Register, tailed Cost Mesa Councilman Jim Righeimer falsely claiming he was drunk. He had a receipt for consuming his diet cokes at a meeting at a local bar in his possession. We now must look at the person behind the incident, former RPOA President and former RPD Detective Chris Lanzillo, and if he still is in contact with current RPOA President Brian Smith?
Former RPOA President & former RPD Detective Chris Lanzillo
The Cop Play Book was a list of strategic tactics designed and crafted by the law firm of Lackie, Dammeier, McGill & Ethir, for cops and their unions in order to get what they want on the negotiating table. The full play book is listed below with some excerpts. The Playbook was quickly removed from the law firms web site when the cow pies began fly; not to mention Chris Lanzillo’s name was also removed from their web site as a working associate when the press exposed their underbelly.
CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW FULL COP PLAY BOOK
Accordingly, with reference to the first page above, “associations leaders know, association leaders should be selective in their battles.” We also know that Aurelio Melendrez, Vice President of the Riverside Police Officer’s Association has referred to their RPOA as an “Organization.”
Always keep this in mind. The public could care less about your pay, medical coverage and pension plan (really?), All they want to know is “what is in it for them?” Again, how arrogant, deceiving and elitist of a statement this is, of course the taxpayer cares of the cost, they are paying for it! Isn’t this the reason for the majority of municipal bankruptcy’s? Unsustainable pensions?
The Association should be like a quiet giant in the position of, “do as I ask and don’t piss me off.” Again I ask RPOA President Brian Smith, is this a formula to create better politics, or “piss poor politics?”
“You should be in very close contact with your associations attorney, during these times to ensure you are not going to get yourself or any of your members in trouble.” I would say they are referring to the law firm of Lackie, Dammeier, McGill & Ethir. The demise of this law firm and their criminal activity can be read in the article by OC Watchdog, “Bare-knuckle police defense gets knocked out.” Further, part of the law firms criminal activity was that they used GPS, in the form of attaching electronic devices illegally in order to track city officials!
No City Council or Governing Board should take place where members of your association and the public aren’t present publicly chastasing them for their lack of concern for public safety. Do we not see this in the City of Riverside because they deal and prevent this issue from being public in closed sessions? Every City Council meeting Riverside has in closed sessions deals with negotiating with Union Representatives!
Blunders by the City Manager, Mayor, or City Council members of wasteful spending should be highlighted and pointed out to the public at every opportunity.
…as a pressure tactic, tactic seeking petition to file a referendum on eliminating the City Manager’s position for a full time elected Mayor may cause the City Manager to rethink his or hers position.
Focus on a City Manager, Councilperson, Mayor or Chief of Police and keep the pressure up until that person assures you his loyalty and then move on to the next victim. Sounds familiar?
Of course, other ideas that cops come up with a very imaginative. Just keep in mind, the idea is to show the decision makers that the public favors public safety and it will only harm their public support by not prioritizing you and almost equally important, to let them know that next time that they should agree with you much sooner. Sounds familiar? Sound to me as another strong-arm tactic possibly utilized to attain an objective. Is this in the best interest of the taxpayer? Or is the taxpayer being shaked down?
“Are Police Unions crossing the line while bullying public officials?” as in this news story. How effective was play book for former Upland Law Firm Lackie, Dammeier & McGill as in this news story “How Police Play Hardball At The Bargaining Table”. Was the play book a soft illegal tool implemented in order to creatively “shake-down” or “strong-arm” political targets, in order to make them a bit more pliable?
CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE (RIGHEIMER CALLS THEM “THUGS” & “A CRIMINAL OPERATION.” ON KFI RADIO)
On the KFI 640, radio host John and Ken interview Councilman Jim Righeimer about the incident, the original 911 call by Chris Lanzillo is also played on this show. It’s worth listening to. Righeimer is being set up by police officer and Chris Lanzillo. Lanzillo is driving a white Kia with no license plates while following Righeimer. Also noted was that he was illegally on the phone while driving, while making a false 911 call.
CLICK THIS LINK TO HEAR THE 08/27/2012 AUDIO INTERVIEW BETWEEN JOHN & KEN AND COUNCILMAN RIGHEIMER AND AUDIO OF LANZILLO’S 911 CALL REPORTING AN ALLEGED DUI WHILE TAILING RIGHEIMER
Councilman Jim Righeimer claims that the base pay that is indicated for police officers as well as fire fighters within the city is not the actual pay. For example if their base pay states $65K, it can actually be $135K, because their are actually 75 different ways to pay a public employee, not to mention pension, and may not even include healthcare! What they are saying is that the actual average pay per officer is actually $135K, but what you see or talked about is the base pay of $65K. Righeimer states that this was the main reason he was targeted, because he exposed to the taxpayer how much public employees really make. TMC is investigating this aspect within the City of Riverside.
On September 9, 2012 the Orange County DA subpoenaed video from the Costa Mesa bar, where Lanzillo says Councilman Righeimer was drunk. According to a KTLA report, Lanzillo stated that Councilman Righeimer stumbled out of the bar and was swirving all over the road in 911 call. According to the video, it showed that he was not. The police officer who went to Councilman Righeimer’s home, found he was not drunk, and found he had only drank two diet cokes. Congressman Dana Rohrabacher became involved, and a Federal investigation ensued. Currently, Righeimer is suing the Costa Mesa Police Union over the DUI sting fiasco. In what was called a “very sophisticated conspiracy” by Righeimer’s attorney, Vince Finaldi, the use of GPS tracking devices utilized just takes this whole episode to the next level. Bad enough, that the FBI is involved.
Councilman Jim Righeimer
A very similar incident occurred with Buena Park Councilman Fred Smith in this Orange County Register story.
Jack Wu of the Daily Pilot brought this coveted point, if Lanzillo was getting paid to investigate and watch someone else, then stop and waste precious time following Councilman Righeimer whom he thought was drunk. Wouldn’t you want your money back and question if there was some sort of attention deficit associated with his medical disability?
In an article by Lauren Williams of the Daily Pilot, The Los Angeles Police Protective League (LLPPL) issued a statement critical of Upland based law firm Lackie, Dammeier & McGill and criticized the Costa Mesa Police Association (A Police Union). They said that “Hardball Tactics”, or what I would say “Intimidation Tactics” can erode the publics trust. Residents in communities trust and the need the police to protect and serve. When these types of incidents occurr, the citizens see the police as a seperate entity, whereby the residents health and safety become at risk, and they to become intimidated by uncertaintity of who’s benefit the police really serve. The LLPPL have a long and proven record of working with city officials to ensure that public safety comes first. It’s now left to the Fed’s to investigate the activities of this law firm and respond to the public with their conclusions.
Is the power of the badge being used to “bully” and/or being used in “enforcer type tactics” for police unions against elected officials? Have police unions and law firms taken their activities to a different level that will become a red flag for the Feds? An article by Steven Frank of California News and Views has this to say about that subject.
What I’m getting from some of these reports is very disturbing. Have Police Unions become so powerful that they are somehow controlling certain political scenarios? This would definitely not benefit the taxpayer, but the very few in union membership. And by doing so, becomes a public health and safety issue. So now you have a police union, an attorney law firm with a police background, and possibly toss in some outside police officers working together in unison using the grey areas of the law to terrorize and shake down individuals in city government. Then decisions and contracts are then negotiated under these “circumstances.” Others in elected positions are also saying that the law firm harasses by threatening grand jury investigations.
Well if anybody knows, you can file a grand jury investigation against just about anything, you are harassed by the fact that you have to deal with it. Sounds like a good tactic as others say in the business, a “client control” strategy. Taking it a step further, is this part of the reason why California has unsustainable union contracts, is going bankrupt, and/or the reason why these contracts cannot be fulfilled or honored? Then the question would be, were some of these contracts not negotiated in the best interest of the taxpayer due to ulterior motives? Something to think about, this is what movies are made out of.. And this is one scenario I would like to see played out on the wide screen.
Let me see if I’ve got this straight…A Riverside detective named Chris Lanzillo gets fired…then is called back so that he can be retired early on a medical disability…which qualifies him to recieve his pay in large part tax free for the rest of his life. BUT…he’s not so disabled that he can’t work as a private investigator for a law firm that represents cops and cop unions…and shall we say…suuplement his retirement pay……Is that absurd or what! He’s a bad cop who’s now a crook…and we got to pay his freight for the rest of his life! – John Bosch, Commenter on the Orange County Register
Chris Lanzillo made #15 of Orange County Weekly’s Scariest People of 2012! According to OC Weekly, Lanzillo proved the adage that once an asshole cop, always an asshole cop.
But in this pic it appears he (Lanzillo, to the right) is drinking his ass off…
We also ask the question if City Hall elites have a play book, to get what they want? Reviewing, could this have been a concerted avenue utilized by Adams (Ex-RPD), Bailey, Smith, Aurelio and Diaz to destroy a political opponent? Could this have been a set-up, as Councilman Righeimer felt, as in his case?
According to a PE article you stated that the investigation on Soubirous was “incomplete” rather than “inconclusive.”, since Soubirous refused to let Gumport interview him. But it seems that Smith has forgotten that Soubirous was told April 1, 2014 that he would never know the identities of those who complained against him, that there were four and accused him of interfering with employee duties and causing a hostile work environment. According to the Fourteenth Amendment, was Soubirious being deprived of his right of “due process?” With this in mind, the case lacks creadance, therefore having documentation of all correspondence would be in order. Soubirous did just that, he declined to be interviewed, instead provided written answers to questions. After all we found out later that the interview process contained no audio recording or corresponding notes. This already appears as a set-up when you don’t know who the accusers are, and not allowed to respond appropriately by questioning them. Incidently, Smith supported Soubirous when he ran for Supervisor and had close ties to the Soubirous family. What made this campaign different for RPOA? Did the order come from the City?
Smith said he would have nothing to gain by making up a story about what Soubirous said. “As a law enforcement officer, if I am proven to be less than credible, that’s potentially career-ending,” he said. But does he? Does the Cop Play Book tell a different story?
Are the actions of the seven responsible for this embarrassing political train wreck?
The wife and I have lived at this address for 42 years…we have had outstanding council reps, Arden Anderson, Rosanna Scott, Frank Schiavone, Paul Davis and now Mike Soubirous. The unfounded “complaints” lodged against Councilman Soubirous are a joke. Apparently our City Manager and Chief Diaz got their bowels in a uproar over statement{s} made by the police union president or whatever title he hold/held. What a waste of tax payers money for lawyer fees. The approx. $98.000.00 would have bought alot of books for the libraries. We support Councilman Soubirous 110% against these complaints or whatever you want to call them. Same goes for the investigation of Paul Davis too…Suck it Up Boys…get over it and save the City of Riverside taxpayers money for good causes not mickey-mouse charges. – Gordon Williams, Commenter on the PE
Smith met with Soubirous one time alone and Soubirious met with one time with Aurelio Melendrez. You would think that if Smith felt there was any inclination of inappropriateness by Soubirous, he would attempt to record the moment or bring along a second party (which he claims are in RPOA’s “policy”). He did not. In fact he supported Soubirous for County Supervisor, even then giving him a campaign check.
Chief Sergio Diaz also supported Soubirious by giving him a $500.00 personal check. Smith, Diaz and Soubirous were friends. Soubirous even loaned his truck out (several times) to Chief Diaz. So what happened? Was it that he couldn’t be bought? He asked the questions he shouldn’t have asked?
Does Melendrez appears to conceive that RPD is an independent “organization” as stated at City Council? An organization (or organisation) is an entity, such as an institution or an association, that has a collective goal and is linked to an external environment. Has Riverside’s finest lost there way? Concerned citizens and local community groups in Riverside agree that changes need to be made. The Riverside Police Department cannot be part of as an independent external entity, it cannot be effective distancing themselves from the community, they must be part of the community.
Aurelio made it very clear that there “organization” should be autonomous.. I don’t know what world he is living in, but the residents of Riverside pay his salary and all of those in RPD. If he would like to be in control of his own organization, he should try to privatize it and start up his own armed security company, otherwise it gives the impression of a rogue organization. A police force which has no transparency or accountability! Why would someone think this was anything but open, honest and transparent? The residents, the taxpayers, pay a lot of money for their salaries and pensions, and they come back and treat us in a condescending manner? That’s unacceptable! It’s apparent that RPOA only cares about their members, the members of their “organization,” as opposed to the taxpayer who pays their salaries, who they are there to protect and serve..or are they really self serving? I ask this because the question arises as to where their loyalty lies? Is it an attempt to separate law enforcement from their responsibilities and loyalties to the community residents? We may attempt to say yes, only by their actions.. Actions speak louder than words.
Mr. Smith, do the majority of RPD officers believe in what you are doing? If so, the taxpayers best interest is not at heart and we have a conflict and a question of loyalty. Your oath should state that. To breach that would cause a health and safety issue with the taxpayers, that you’ve taken an oath to protect and serve. Would you hold the taxpayer hostage to the wishes of your organization? This would be a cause of breaching your contract with the taxpayer. We as taxpayers asked RPOA to replace the cost of this kangaroo investigation. We asked the amount to be replaced to the General Fund. We ask that you resign as well as Aurelio Melendrez, or be fired. This the community of Riverside ask, in the hopes they will not be retaliated against, we know we will.
Regardless, I would like RPOA President Brian Smith to chime in on this.. especially placing his Chief as a “deity” or “god like”. That statement just seemed off the beaten track. It is also easy to use big words and threats on the taxpayer, with the taxpayers own money. Should this be acceptable to the tax payer or criminal? I say this because we then attempt to arise to a different level of reasoning. Those who work for us and take an oath to protect and serve, those who pay for their services, can actually take a different route..a route that doesn’t include the taxpayer. Therefore what do we have as a police force? We have a double dipping Chief of Police who was approximately two years late with his Strategic Plan… Again I say it, he was not qualified! And as a citizen and taxpayer, I should’t be threatened by the Chief of Police nor any citizen/resident in Riverside. Why does he do this? What is necessary and hasn’t been done is to investigate Chief Diaz’s background. If we would have investigated former City Manager Brad Hudson’s background, we would find that he had a criminal background…credit card fraud. While Mayor Bailey stated that Hudson was a “moral compass” we dispute that.. He did have a criminal past! The Hudson legacy gave us City Manager Scott Barber and Chief Sergio Diaz. Two of the four instigators of this Valentines Day Blunder. Not to mention, Hudson gave us his greatest gift to the residents, $4 billion in unpaid debt. Ask why you are seeing increases in sewer rates and mandatory water conservation, where we own our own water. We see that this was one issue all can agree on even Smith regarding former City Manager Brad Hudson. Smith states, “I think Scott’s done a great job for the city considering the bucket of shit he was left with Brad (Hudson) and Tom (DeSantis) and half the City Council that there’s now left him with it.” (pg.20 Smith Investigation, pg. 46 Investigative Report).
When Smith commented on this investigation at City Council on June 17th, he hadn’t known that Soubirous actually responded in writing to questions. The current investigation as it stands was not good enough for Smith at the Jully 22nd, who calls the investigation “incomplete” and would like the DA to get involved. When a group of conspirators decide that the accused, should not know who is accusing him, or have and information of what the detail charges are. Why would anyone agree to a oral interview? The law firm didn’t even tape the interviews or had written notes! Good thing Soubirous didn’t agree to that, and rightfully so. The law firm could not be trusted, where’s the due process? The Chief and RPOA should know better, especially the Fourteenth Amendment. Maybe they don’t know, or maybe they don’t care about the people’s rights?
But it didn’t stop there, Smith claimed in his unsworn testimony that Soubirous wanted a meeting via his phone text. This was unverifiable by Smith, since he states he doesn’t keep his text messages, he deletes all of them. Unknowingly, Soubirous kept his, and those text contradicted Smith’s testimony. The truth of the matter is that Smith called for a meeting. (pg.7 Smith Interview, pg. 33 of investigational report).
Smith in the interview states Soubirous texted him to set up a meeting, Soubirous personal text show contradicts Smith’s statement. (CLICK ABOVE IMAGES TO ENLARGE).
Why didn’t Smith file a complaint on Soubirous, and was only a witness? This investigation seems quite remarkable, after all, he created the allegations. In fact, it was all about Sergeant Brian Smith. Was he up for a promotion to lieutenant? What hat was he wearing? RPOA President or RPD Officer Sergeant Brian Smith? He was definitely wearing RPOA President hat, and this was not the first time. The question is what made this meeting different?
We also ask the question of why the suggestion of armed security guards were in order for La Sierra Park? Soubirous originally asked Chief Sergio Diaz about the issue of utilizing RPD officers to patrol at the February 11th, City Council meeting. Diaz never responded to the question, but instead disrespected Councilman Soubirous and even tried (actually succeeded) to get the audience to laugh at the question at Soubirious expense. Scott Barber seemed to have to come up with a plan if in fact Diaz refused to comply. Was armed security the alternative as a result of Diaz’s ego? RPOA President Brian Smith was in favor of 3 million bucks in overtime money for his “troops.” Of course this would never happen in the private sector, overtime that is, that is a no-no. Why couldn’t we utilize that money for hiring new officers at the base salaries? It therefore must be a perk. But with Diaz claiming there was not enough officers to handle the panhandlers, this seem to be the only viable option left for Soubirous to suggest as a way to fix the problem.
Was Valerie Hill recruited as Ward 3 candidate to run against Soubirous because of her commitment to RPD issues over the taxpayer? Was Soubirous not chosen because of his position on (he was against) Measure A? Cindy Roth, of the Greater Riverside Chamber thought so. Now that we have Measure A, we still apparently have a problem with a shortage of RPD officers, hum… Roth still needed to receive her city taxpayer handouts for her non-profit “laundering” activity. When will these welfare groups ever do the right thing? The bottom line is that Soubirous rubbed two RPD officers egos the wrong way, and a conspiratorial retaliation ensued. We saw it first hand, some residents have seen this first hand but have remained intimidated and or quiet.
Smith accuses Soubirous of calling his guys “lazy” when it was Soubirous constituents who made that call. That would be Smith’s real employer, the taxpayer. (pg. 11 Smith Interview, pg.37 Investigative Report). Smith then wanted those emails and names, was he thinking of retaliation of those constituents? It seems like Smith is parroting his boss, Sergio Diaz, who in his email to Soubirious stated to him that he (Soubirous) referred to RPD as “Lazy.” Did Diaz make this up and his little boy Brian follows Daddy’s lead? We need to ask the question of why the community does not contact RPD with their concerns. I also don’t believe there is a direct contact number anymore, except for 911.
Why did Diaz avoid the issue of mental health training suggestions to help avoid officer-involved shootings when dealing with mentally disturbed or violent persons, when brought up by John Brandriff at a CPRC meeting? Then he retaliated against him.. What kind of person with a badge and gun does a thing as this; without a badge, gun and power would someone actually attempt to do this?
According to Smith account in reference to Chief Diaz’s job being in jeopardy, he states that “Sergio Diaz is a “deity” in this City.” “Other than the elected Sheriff of Riverside County, you are not going to remove Sergio Diaz without an uprising from the city and the citizens here and the employees that work for him.” This according to his Smith’s interview. Now remember non of these interviewees were legally sworn in to tell the truth, according to law.
DEITY:
1. a god or goddess
2. the state of being divine; godhead
3. the rank, status, or position of a god
4. the nature or character of God
I’m not sure where he gets this, but most of the community of Riverside sees otherwise. Why Smith would support Diaz, against community feelings is a misnomer. We ask the question to what is Smith’s MO? Again, the taxpayers of Riverside would like to be reimbursed for the amount of $49K times 4, by RPOA, City Manager Scott Barber and Chief of Police Sergio Diaz for this conspiratorial debacle and attempting to trump are Democratic process! Who are the real criminal masterminds?
character whiner god
Just the fact that at one time Chris Lanzillo was President of RPOA running the show, makes we wonder as to their MO’s when it comes to taxpayer’s monies, and what they will do to ensure that they get it.
Another promotional piece by the PE. Not going to work Press Enterprise. RPD Chief Sergio Diaz is a liability to the city of Riverside. He has already been found guilty of using inappropriate and vulgar language toward Riverside resident John Brandriff. Where do I start. Diaz has had numerous unprovoked angry outbursts toward several residents with whom he disagrees. RPD Chief Sergio Diaz is a bad role model for the Riverside Police Department. Among the things that he has said to residents: grow some balls – it is politically unwise to get me upset – if you have any political ambitions in this town, you do not cross me – residents who live in their mothers basement, sitting in their underwear, eating cheeto’s – you should not be able to say anything – you are a disgrace … Sergio Diaz refuses to attend RCPA Riverside Coalition for Police Accountability community meetings. Sergio Diaz refuses to accept any proposals from the city’s CPRC recommendations police commission. Sergio Diaz supports out-dated police policies that have cost Riverside taxpayers into the six digits due to lawsuits from residents who have been injured or killed by the Riverside police department. Is this the kind of behavior that Riverside should have as a police chief ? Let’s get a REAL police chief, preferably someone from within our own department. No more LAPD transfers !!! -Don Gallegos, commenter on the PE
FORBES DECLARES RIVERSIDE A “COOL CITY”…
The City of Riverside is rated #8 on their 2014 list of Cool Cities (CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW FORBES ARTICLE)
TMC, RATED RIVERSIDE’S MOST “SLANDEROUS” AND MEZZSPELLED, “MISSPELLED” AND “OPINIONATED” BLOG SITE! TEMPORARILY BLOCKED BY THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE AT PUBLIC ACCESS SITES WITHIN THE CITY, THEN UNBLOCKED. I GUESS YOU CANNOT DO THAT ACCORDING TO THE ACLU. RATED ONE TWO ONE STAR OUT OF FIVE IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY APPROVAL RATINGS.. TMC IS NOW EXCLUSIVLY EXCLUSIVELY ON FILE WITH THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE’S DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE (WE BELIEVE THIS WILL END SOON, SINCE THE FOCUS IS NOW ON THE IMPROPRIETIES OF MR. “Z”, WE TRIED TO TELL YOU, BUT NOBODY LISTENED), AND DON’T FORGET WE ARE PROSSIBLY POSSIBLY ON FILE WITH THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE’S POTENTIAL SLAPP SUIT LIST… A STRATEGIC LEGAL MANEUVER THAT CAN BE DONE ONLY IN RIVERSIDE WITHOUT A CONTRACT, WE WILL HAVE TO ASK GREGORY ABOUT THAT ONE ( OUR PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO CONTACT HIS PEOPLE)… AGAIN, THANK-YOU COMMUNITY OF RIVERSIDE AND THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE EMPLOYEE’S FOR YOUR SUPPORT! COMMENTS ALWAYS WELCOMED, ESPECIALLY SPELL CHECKERS! WE JUST CAN’T SPELL! EMAIL ANONYMOUSLY WITH YOUR DIRT BY CONTACTING US AT: THIRTYMILESCORRUPTION@HOTMAIL.COM
CITY OF RIVERSIDE: THE BAILEY COMPLAINT: “WITH SEVEN YOU GET EGG ROLL!”
Tags: city councilman mike sobirous, city councilman paul davis, city manager scott barber, city of riverside, mayor william rusty bailey
…continually yelling in a crowded restaurant, while on City business, in a foreign country, stating, “I’m the Mayor!!!” and continuously exclaiming that he is the Mayor and how dare I (Davis) question him on this matter.
Who would have known with seven council you get egg roll? The Mayor that is… Mayor Bailey that is…in Jiahang, China that is….in a Chinese restaurant that is….that he stated in the most stately way that he is the the Mayor, to Councilman Paul Davis that is…. Got your attention? The following is a Code of Ethics and Conduct Complaint issued and filed August 1, 2014 by Councilman Paul Davis against Mayor William “Rusty” Bailey for an incident which occurred in the country of China.
CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW THE THE FULL 88 PAGE DOCUMENT
Mayor Bailey is being charged with violating Riverside City Charter Section 201, Government Code 6252.5 & 6252.7 and will full & intentional interfering with a lawful public records request. Not done yet, Riverside City Charter Section 300, 406, 407, 600 and 701. Lastly, City of Riverside Resolution No. 22546.
The main gust is that Mayor Bailey directly interfered with a lawful public records request by Councilman Davis, by directly requesting City Manager Scott Barber not to give him those records! Davis made a public records request a list of all employees who have left the city in the last 180 days, and who will be leaving. During email exchanges with Davis, the City states the information does not exist, in a later email the information does exist.
THIS CITY DOCUMENT STATES WHAT CAN, AND WHAT CANNOT BE REQUESTED REGARDING CITY EMPLOYEES (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE)
The complaint states that Bailey admits he interfered with the Public Request Act by making this statement in the crowded restaurant: “I will not allow the City Manager (Barber) to provide you with the requested report, as you are only going to use it against Scott!!!”
In the complaint Davis states that Bailey failed to maintain order, decorum and civility in a public place: “When asked why he (Bailey) was yelling, he had no response, yet continued to act unprofessionally, yelling again, and acting quite childish and in a visibly offensive posture.”
But this does not stop there, regarding the Soubirious and Davis Investigation done by the City, the actions that occurred as a result of the recent Soubirous hearing, July 22nd, will be submitted to the Riverside Grand Jury for review. Below is a statement to the Riverside Grand Jury by Councilman Davis.
DAVIS STATEMENT TO THE RIVERSIDE GRAND JURY (CLICK TO ENLARGE)
For more than two decades I was involved in responding to request for public information from a California City and State Agency. In all those years not a single request for public information was deemed to be an ethical violation, a criminal act or a violation of the Brown Act. I expect an elected official to make inquiries when they observe something out of the ordinary. It is called a fiduciary obligation! – Monrow A. Mabon · Commissioner at City of Riverside, CA – City Government, Commenter on the PE
WE ARE STILL WAITING TO HEAR THE STATUS OF THE FEDERAL LAWSUIT FILE AGAINST MAYOR BAILEY BY ATTORNEY LETITIA PEPPER REGARDING THE CLAPPING INCIDENT, AND THE VIOLATION OF HER FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS, NOT TO MENTION THE QUESTIONABLE ARREST!
JUST FOR LAUGHS, PIC WAS PHOTOSHOPED, BAILEY HOLDING ARTIST DON GALLEGOS RENDITION OF THE PEPPER INCIDENT. (CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE).
CITY OF RIVERSIDE: COUNCILMAN PAUL DAVIS: CONFLICT OF INTEREST? NO PROBLEM..THIS IS RIVERSIDE.
Posted: July 27, 2014 in Uncategorized
Tags: attorney mark mayerhoff, bar complaint, brown act, city attorney greg priamos, city councilman andy melendrez, city councilman chris mac arthur, city councilman paul davis, city councilman steve adams, city manager brad hudson, city manager scott barber, city of riverside, deputy city attorney raychele sterling, gumpart, justin scott coe, keith j. nelson, lieber cassidy whitmore, mayor ron o. loveridge, mayor william rusty bailey, press enterprise, raychele sterling, scott simpson
CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW THE FULL LETTER SENT TO ATTORNEY MARK MAYERHOFF, OF LIEBERT CASSIDY WHITMORE
MARK MAYERHOFF (CLICK TO ENLARGE)
What should be brought to the forefront is that Liebert Cassidy Whitmore is actually representing Councilman Paul Davis in the current case of Raychele Sterling vs. City of Riverside et al. Liebert Cassidy Whitemore is also the law firm that is doing the investigation for the City of Riverside against, of course, Councilman Paul Davis. So the firm is defending him but at the same time crucifying him and sticking the knife into him! Those in Riverside who keep up with the politics see this time and time again. Those in Riverside who are sleep, need to wake up and see what is happening in your City.
Additionally, I will be filing a bar complaint against you and your firm for violations of conflicts of interest rules, since your firm is my direct representation in the active case Sterling v City of Riverside et al. I have never waived my conflict rights in this case and neither can the council. Regards,
Paul Davis
Council Member –
This according to Councilman Paul Davis’s personal statement as indicated below, under “Full Davis Personal Statement on this Investigation”.
The letter is directed toward Mark Mayerhoff, which Davis states he is “shocked” that his firm has released an incomplete investigation, as a result of the following:
In the letter Attorney Mark Mayerhoff states the Investigation that will be release to Press Enterprise reporter Alicia Robinson will be redacted (to obscure or remove from a document prior to publication or release). Of course we asked the question of Why? Especially in the name of transparency. Mayerhoff also states that he attached an unredacted copy of the investigation to Councilman Davis. We have the unredacted investigation as follows, all 417 pages. Alicia, if you need the full unredacted copy just download from our site!
CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW FULL UNREDACTED INVESTIGATION AGAINST COUNCILMAN PAUL DAVIS
The following is a personal statement made by Councilman Paul Davis in reference to his investigation and submitted to Thirty Miles.
CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW FULL DAVIS PERSONAL STATEMENT ON THIS INVESTIGATION
Some telling excerpts are as follows:
These issues that Soubirous and I have been charged with is misappropriations of Public Funds for Political Gain and it is about exacting retaliation for our not being the “Go along to get along” guys, like many of the rest. The funds issue will be handled in another venue, as Adams and Bailey appropriated the funds without authority of the council. Evidence will be produced to prove this up. What happened is Barber files the complaint then funds the investigation under his 50K expense authority and they split up the contracts into four separate ones to equate to $200k authorization.
Interestingly enough the hired gun law firm and investigator failed to insert my interview “Eratta”, correction sheet into the investigation materials and even failed to incorporate the right statements in to Gumpart’s statements, where I said “Surely Not” and the stenographer records “Sure”. Gumport does this so that he can make a point in his opinion on his questions as to the effect of my statements on CM Barber being able to do his job. However, I have attached is separately.
Councilmember – Ward 4
City of Riverside
And of course it is not over yet! There is “MORE TO COME” according to Councilman Paul Davis! We will sit back and wait because it will be sooner than you think. Paul Davis’s Interview “Eratta” is as follows:
CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW FULL PAUL DAVIS TRANSCRIPT WITH ERRATA SHEET
We did a story on Ol’Scotty back when he intended to “Ferret” out a problem
We asked the question if Scott Barber should have been fired a long time ago. First is he qualified for the job of City Manager? Having a Thespian Degree? Just back in September of 2012, City Manager Scott Barber decided to take his City Manager hat off and play Council by authorizing a change order of $2.5 million without council authority for the Fox Performance Plaza.
CM Scott Barber Sorry, CM Scott Barber
He brought the issue to Council and basically appeared they would rubber stamp the idea, after-the-fact. Had this type of shenanigans been done before by the prior City Manager? The City Manager’s discretionary spending cap is at $50,000.00, anything over that amount must go to council. Certainly violated the Charter Amendment. What made Barber think that he had the authority to act as an elect and ferret it out without them? A complaint should have been filed against him with Human Resources, and Council should have fired him immediately.
What is now remarkable is the fact that Scotty is creating more liability as what appears to be personality problems at the expense of the taxpayer! It is now becoming evident he doesn’t care about the residents of Riverside, if not, only for himself. Will Scotty sue the City of Riverside? Or I should say, the taxpayer because of his perception of in house politics? Remember Scotty is a remnant of the Hudson legacy; he, Brad Hudson was convicted of credit card fraud. But our current Mayor Rusty Bailey considers him a moral compass, go figure..
Some things never change as this is common in Riverside. Brad Hudson ran the city and the Council as the Mayor was just a figure head madding back room deals, traveling, giving speeches and breaking a tie vote. Well a city attorney made the law up as he went but talked his way out. As the Mayor left and the hopes of an honest Mayor we saw a candidate who had powerful friends of the former Mayor. yes false fliers were sent out but the candidate got caught and apologized, using illegal Fed agent license plates and more corruption, as he was the choice of the people. To start his term he made national news by having a citizen arrested for speaking over 3 minutes, a lawyer arrested for clapping and big money was made with the help of the city Attorney in red lining homes for illegal foreclosure. People were in place to defend and protect the criminal acts. Brad Hudson skipped out along with the Deputy Attorney after illegally buying Glock Hand guns as the Feds closed in but the council did nothing. A replacement who would follow orders was needed and the Code Enforcement Director was picked. Things went for bad to worse as all violations by the council insiders were ignored but the firing of a Deputy attorney who reported illegal action was done as Mrs. Sterling was out. HR answered to Hudson and that was well known. Loveridge was funny as his old time lies did not work on a new generation. Just think Adams history of assaulting his girl friend, messing in a police promotion and as a veteran police officer taking illegal plates still got elected to council again and now running for Congress. Wow we have enough corrupt Congressmen in DC but at lease Riverside has an Honest Congressman in Mark. Well Davis and Mike know their honesty and loyalty to their Wards is not what the Bailey team wants. Most people know a misdemeanor is a violation that gets you jail time and a fine. But it seems Priamos missed that class in law school. Mike charged with hear say that failed even paying to LA lawyers 200,000 dollars which a law student would know. Then Davis with documents as evidence and wow the filing of complaints done wrong but no problem as even the Brown Act was violated twice and no due process in either case. Conflict of interest even paid Attorneys were clue less. The Mayor is spending allot to get two council out in the next election and put Bailey team members in their seats. What is clear is Riverside no longer wants citizens to elect their representatives but will let the Mayor do it. The way things are going Bailey wont need an election to continue as Mayor he will appoint himself. Scott Barber is a good worker and did a great job giving out tickets in Code Enforcement rather legal or illegal and really wanted the city managers job to do as he was told. Anyone who lives in the city of Riverside knows how things are done and employees/appointees take orders and follow them. I remember when we were asked for bond for the Library to help the children well after the money was given oops the council and mayor used it for something else only to come back again to ask for money for the Library. Using citizens and wasting money while making back room deals will continue until the voters clean out the corrupt elected officials and the Bailey Team. The Feds and the State are likely to come in and then the blame game but it will be great to see Brad Hudson and Greg Priamos finally answer to their crimes over the years. – AirJackie, Commenter to TMC
CODE OF ETHICS AND CONDUCT COMPLAINT HEARING BETWEEN FORMER EMPLOYEE JASON HUNTER AND JUSTIN SCOTT COE CANCELED FOR FRIDAY JULY 25TH, 2014 FOR FLAWS IN THE PROCESS! MORE TO COME. DOES THIS MEAN ALL PRIOR COMPLAINTS NEED TO BE REHEARD? TMC THINKS SO!
JUSTIN SCOTT COE
WAS THIS CANCELATION ALL BECAUSE OF WHAT KEITH NELSON HAD TO SAY? AND CALLING THE HIRED ATTORNEY FOR THE CITY A LIAR?
CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW COMPLETE LETTER FROM KEITH J. NELSON TO SOUBIROIUS
Board Member, Keith J. Nelson, Ph.D., Inland Regional Board of Trustees, who also served a member of the City’s Adjudicating Body whenever an alleged violation of the City’s Code of Ethics, responded in this letter to Councilman Mike Soubirous regarding his concerns with the behavior and involvement of City Attorney Greg Priamos and outside legal, hired by the city, local Riverside attorney Doug Smith. In fact, Doctor Keith J. Nelson calls Attorney Douglas Smith a “Liar” in the above letter. This is the kind of corruption we have come to in the underbelly of the City of Riverside, and it is being taking notice locally, but world wide. Thirty Miles of Corruption has being receiving hits from all over the world as you can see from it’s data banks.
RIVERSIDE ATTORNEY HIRED BY CITY OF RIVERSIDE, DOUGLAS SMITH
WATER CONSERVATION: THE FAUX DROUGHT IN THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE. We don’t have a drought in the City of Riverside, but it seems the City will create one in order take advantage of fines and maintain the current water rates. The clincher is that the City passed an ordinance to comply with State Law. They didn’t have to because we are exempt because we own our water supply. We as a City are also under a court order, if we don’t use the water we lose it! Since we own our own water in no position to declare a water shortage! Large educational institutions such as RCC and UCR are exempt.
CITY COUNCIL MEMORANDUM WATER RESTRICTION ORDINANCE
This is how contradictary this ordinance is, if you are a recipient of Gage Canal water, there are no restrictions, you can use as much as appropriated yearly to you depending on your shares. That means you can run the water into the street if you want. Of course, I’m not advocating that, but the point is that we have a unfair application of the laws, maybe because the City can always depend on squeezing a little more from the residents. The City didn’t have to pass the ordinance, but they did, they did because there is a monetary MO behind it. Education institutions such as UCR and RCC are exempt. One of the absolute benefits of living in Riverside is ownership of water. You can maintain you pool and jacuzzi as long as you don’t “overfill.” Did you get that one? Who overfills their pool? The San Bernardino Water Basin holds about 5 Million acre feet of water. Only about a million acre feet are available to the existing wells. So about 4 millions acre feet remains to be tapped by deeper wells. There is plenty of water. This is focused on an income source, and that income source is us. This political move also seems another way that the City can put one neighbor against the other by the snitch call to code enforcement, the other police force. It’s time to see what is occurring in the City of Riverside and remove your Councilperson. In my ward it is Councilman Mike Gardner.
Remember, approximately 20% of our water is sold to Western Municipal. Are we to conserve more water so that the City can sell more off to other communities for a higher profit. Cite the citizens on water violations to increase profits. Then they will then ask us to use less water then they will raise water rates to increase profits. You will use less and pay more. Then they will manipulate the tier pricing seasonally or at will to increase even more profits. The more money in the water fund, the more that 11.5% water transfer to the General Fund will have.
The Faux Drought continues with more City propaganda regarding water usage! New article by Alicia Robinson in the Press Enterprise addressing the city’s position regarding water conservation.
FROM THE DESK OF SCOTT SIMPSON: SCOTT RESPONDS TO RIVERSIDE’S FAUX DROUGHT AND THE DATA AND ARTICLE IN THE PRESS ENTERPRISE: REFERRING TO PE ARTICLE: DROUGHT GROUNDWATER AT RECORD LOW:
Scott Simpson was former Chief of Enforcement for the California EPA Department of Toxic Substances Control, and also worked for the Department of Food and Agriculture in their Environmental Hazards Assessment Program specializing in ground water contamination:
Interesting yet, manipulating the data. They first mentioned that ground water levels have dropped due to increased use/demand from consumers but, the graph displays only gw available in acre feet. The data that should have been shown in the graph in order to keep consistent with the written conversation is depth to ground water in the wells (1934-today). They have the data. The graph displays how much water was available every 2 yrs from 1934 on. This is the amount legally available to harvest annually. It is close to displaying how much water(rainfall) went into the basin each season. 1960-64 was the driest period on record but historical references are available of other dry and wet periods back to the early 1800’s. What the graph really shows is that Riverside takes about 10% of the annual harvest of water supplied by normal rainfall. The other water agencies share in the other 90%. The San Bernardino Water Basin holds about 5 Million acre feet of water. Only about a million acre feet are available to the existing wells. So about 4 millions acre feet remains to be tapped by deeper wells.
Of course in the current dry spell (notice there were several dry and wet periods 10 yrs apart) the available gw has decreased some due to demand but mostly due to low rainfall in the local mountains. Look at the wet years; almost instant recharge of the gw basin occurs as soon as we get the first normal or above normal rainfall. This shows the amount available to the various water harvesters is the amount of water that recharges the basin each year or about 500,000 acre feet on average. (this is detailed in the Court settlement order of 1980 settling the big water rights lawsuit filed in 1964.) There is plenty of water available in the gw basin. The Court has limited access to most of it.
Currently, Riverside uses about 84,000 acre feet of gw per year. Half or 44,000 acre feet is harvested from the San Bernardino Basin. The other 40,000 comes mostly from the North Riverside Basin from a well field near the soccer complex and old dead golf course. The North Riverside Basin is geologically and hydraulically connected to the San Bernardino Basin. Ground water flows from the San Bernardino Basin into the North Riverside Basin continuously via a narrow under ground channel beneath the Santa Ana River in Colton.
Now, lets get back to water rights. A Water Right is a legal claim to a fixed amount of water harvested annually from a defined source such as, a river. Your claim can be legally challenged at any time by another water harvester from the same water source. There are pre-1914 water rights and post-1914 water rights. The difference is the date of first lawful claim to the water. Post-1914 water rights claims are granted, processed, regulated and disputed through or by the Calif. Dept. of Water Resources. This legal status encompasses all of the state’s water resources unused or in its natural state post-1914 water law. This is about 62% of the states total water resources during average rainfall periods. The UlS. Constitution prohibits congress from passing retroactive law so, we get old law still in effect for many and the new law applying only to those engaging in the regulated activity as of the date of new law. Two systems of legal claims to water co-existing at the same time.
The other pre-1914 water sources comprising 38% of the states water resources pre-existed the 1914 change in state law toward state regulation of water harvesting and the creation of the Dept. of Water Resources. So if you held a legal water right prior to 1914 it was formed under old law dating back to the founding of the state circa 1849 and before John North et al started up the land development scheme (the Southern California Colony Assn) that became the city of Riverside circa 1885.
From 1850-1914 the primary concern of Californians and incoming settlers was the availability of water and the price! People were experiencing the tyranny of corporate monopolies with the railroad. Railroads arbitrarily raised freight prices after settlers moved in. Cheep rates to draw in settlers and raise them later to extract profits from them when they financially can’t leave. The basic lack of competition in a natural monopoly like a railroad sucked the money out of the local farmers. It was feared that the same monopolistic behavior would (and was) occur with water providers. The state legislature of 1850-1905 was very serious about curbing monopolistic water providers. 1852 saw the first laws regulating the formation of water companies and pricing. Our state Senator of the day, John Satterwaite, authored several laws including one passed in 1862, the Satterwaite Act or Civil Code 552. John North incorporated the So. Calif. Colony Assn. under this law to make profits from the sale of land with a guarantee of water delivery in perpetuity. In part it says, “The corporation is formed to build a water distribution (canal) system to make the land livable and profitable. The corporation making its’ profits from the sale of the land and the water sold at cost.”
This is further elaborated on in Superior Court, Appellate Court and Supreme Court decisions leading to Cal. Supreme, Price v. the Riverside Land & Irrigation Co., 1880. Where the law and lower court rulings were placed in context justifying the Supreme Courts decision. In part saying, ” The corporation having formed under the law of 1862 (civil code 552) may not make profits from the sale and delivery of water. The water belongs to the land and is fixed to it permenently. The price set for delivery of water is based only upon the cost of operating and maintaining the canal, pipes, pumps or other infrastructure annually, Water is not sold as a comodity the lawful price to only recover the cost of providing water to the land.” Including that this was a contractual obligation of the original sale of Colony land(s) to settlers. So, the So. Calif. Colony Assn. contractually sold parcels of land with the advertised and promissed guarantee of water delivery in perpetuity to the land, a contractual obligation that continues forever to pass with the land ownership and successive owners of the water company including a future municipality. This is published case law stating that state water law of the time is still in effect and contractural obligation both pass to successive owners. The water right is fixed to the land receiving water permanently and cannot be altered. State constitutional law upholding and the U.S. Constitution, fourteenth amendment protection of lawful contracts upholding. Land owners served by the city of Riverside water dept. as successor owner of the Riverside land &Irrigation Co. cannot be denied the water they have always received in the same amount and quality as originally delivered to the land and in perpetuity at not more than the cost to deliver the water.
So we are in a period of drought. The law and the Cal. Sup. 1880 says, “The (city of Riverside) water company must declare a water supply emergency to deviate from it otherwise lawful supplying of water to the land, in order to initiate any form of reducing water supply or consumption during the emergency period. It must also stop connecting new land/customers to the distribution system until the emergency is canceled.”
Hence, Riverside cannot charge us fees for conservation programs because that is not a cost of operating and maintaining the infrastructure/service. Riverside cannot do anything other than request Volunteer water conservation. Riverside cannot raise prices to force consumers to use less water. Riverside cannot use tiered punitive pricing to force less water consumption. You have a lawful right to water in the same amount as was originally delivered to your land. My parcel was originally planted in citrus pre-1890 and irrigated with about 8 acre feet of water per acre, the water also being of drinking water quality and used to supply the house. So my water allotment for our .84 acre parcel is about 6 acre feet of water per year. After that, Riverside can require conservation and maybe raise prices.
RUSTY’S RED TROLLEY! DOES HE THINK IT CAN? MEETING PLANNED FOR JULY 30ST, 2014 TO EXAMIN THE FEASABILITY STUDY! The City of Riverside received a Cal Trans Grant of $237,000.00 to do a feasibility study, and you better believe with this money the focus is on a reason to have it!
TMC will have a rebuttle of the pro’s and con’s of a trolley system in the City of Riverside, and will be able to do it for no cost to the taxpayer!
CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW DETAILS OF THE MEETING
TROLLEY UPDATE: TMC WAS TOLD THAT AT THE MEETING, THE TABLES HAD NAME CARDS OF ALL THE COUNCIL AND MAYOR WITH THE TROLLEY STUDY PACKETS. NOT ONE MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL SHOWED, EVEN THE MAYOR DIDN’T SHOW AND IT’S HIS PROJECT! IT APPEARS ANOTHER $237K IN STATE GRANT MONEY DOWN THE DRAIN..
THE RIVERSIDE CITY COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE WILL TAKE QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS ON THE UPCOMING SPECIAL AUDIT OF THE SEWER FUNDS. THIS WILL BE THIS TUESDAY JULY 29TH AT 6:00PM IN THE MAYOR’S CEREMONIAL ROOM ON THE 7TH FLOOR OF CITY HALL.
DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY NEIL OKAZAKI LEAVES CITY OF RIVERSIDE. Sources have said that Neil Okazaki would be leaving his position, possible going to the County. This occurred the day of the Soubirious hearing. Was this hearing the turning point for Okazaki? Weeks before, City Attorney Greg Priamos said he was leaving for a position with the County as well. What seems evident is that no one wants to go down with the ship!
FUROR ENGULFS CHICAGO’S RED LIGHT SCAMERA CAMERA SYSTEM! You’ll thank those that voted to remove our cameras here in Riversider sooner or later.
SORRY EVERYBODY! WE STILL HAVE MORE ON COUNCILMAN SOUBIROUS’S INVESTIGATION THAT WILL BE A COMPLETE SHOCKER! STAY TUNED FOR MORE AS RIVER CITY TURNS!
CITY OF RIVERSIDE: BREAKING NEWS! COUNCILMAN SOUBIROUS & DAVIS CALL FOR STATE CONTROLLER JOHN CHIANG TO DO A FORENSIC AUDIT OF THE SEWER, ELECTRIC & WATER FUNDS!
Tags: city attorney greg priamos, city councilman andy melendrez, city councilman chris mac arthur, city councilman mike gardner, city councilman paul davis, city manager brad hudson, city manager scott barber, city of riverside, corruption, councilman jim perry, councilman mike soubirous, mayor ron loveridge, mayor william rusty bailey, state controller john chiang
COUNCILMAN MIKE SOUBIROUS, WARD 3 COUNCILMAN PAUL DAVIS, WARD 4
Tonight’s explosive Council meeting regarding the rate increases to residents, ended with questions regarding bonds, loans, advances and debt service to the taxpayer. The new rate hikes were passed by Council, to replace the old. According to Councilman Davis, this rate hike will be a 302% increase since the year 2008. Councilman Davis also made a motion to bring California State Controller John Chiang do to a forensic audit of the sewer. Councilman Soubirous asked for same, but to include water and electric. If we are to increase the rates we need to bring trust back to the community by having a independent entity evaluate the taxpayer’s books over the years. Davis questioned CFO Brent Mason regarding posting dates and why some entries were backdated. The rest of Council and Mayor Bailey were visually disturbed and shaken by this call. TMC was right, the ones who went for the rate increase were, Councilman Mike Gardner, Chris Mac Arthur, Steve Adams and Jim Perry. When Councilman Jim Perry asked for a seperation of the issues, between the rate increases and forensic audit, the audience asked for a recall! The audience was shocked at Perry’s position not to support the issue of a forensic audit, but he called for a workshop on it. Councilman Soubirous and Davis can call the State Controller directly requesting an audit without the approval of council or a workshop! Councilman Andy Melendrez was absent from council, was he glad he was? What does this mean for the City of Riverside? The end of corruption? What is the Council afraid of finding? A Swiss Bank Account? It is evident that Davis and Soubirous find the atmosphere in the City of Riverside necessary to ask the State Controller to come in and bring closure for the taxpayer. What is the nervousness of those council people who are against this. Colusion? Why wouldn’t they see this as a win, win situation for the taxpayer? Especially newcomer, Councilman Jim Perry? Why would he attempt to divert attention to a prominent and relative issue somewhere else? Did they get to him? Coucilman Chris Mac Arthur asked the question to the City Attorney if it was proper to request the services of John Chiang’s office. It was obvious that City Attorney Greg Priamos did not want an audit, when he told council that they should take CFO Mason’s word that the books are in order, but left to their discretion if an outside auditing should be requested. This in lieu of a letter by an Code of Ethics Adjudicating Body Member, Keith Nelson, Ph.D, calling a local City of Riverside hired attorney Doug Smith a liar, and questioning the unscrupulous behavior of City Attorney Greg Priamos! Why would anybody rely on the word of our City Attorney Greg Priamos, he has a track record of misinforming council.
STATE CONTROLLER, JOHN CHIANG
FROM THE DESK OF SCOTT SIMPSON: SCOTT RESPONDS TO RIVERSIDE’S SEWER RATE HIKES:
Some times what the city does not tell you is most important to the decision to raise the sewer rates.
1. Hudson changed the financing stategy for sewer capital improvements away from voter approval of municipal bonds or property assessments or special taxes. These would show up on your property tax billing. We are still paying off capital improvement bonds from pre-Hudson era on our property tax bill. Bonds in general are a 30 year repayment obligation. Hudson took away your right to vote No on ever increasing debt which is what is driving these outrageous sewer rate increases.
2. Remember last night, staff kept saying the sixteen year period of no rate increases was pre-Hudson and bonds were financed differently. The truth is the operation and maintenance of the waste water facillity doesn’t out pace the cost of living. Especiallysince we experienced a recession that left 25% of our homes and businesses empty and thus not Flushing. This is the real reason they kept saying they have less waste water to treat along with less customer revenue.
3. California courts have ruled that rates fees and charges for sewer sevices supplied to the land are only for the purpose of recovering the annual cost of operation and maintenance. The rates are to be set annually utilizing the accounting records of the prior fiscal year. The courts said, this is the true Variable cost of the sewer service.
4. California courts also say that Fixed costs and Capital improvement cost and infrastructure replacement costs are not to be included in the sewer rates, fees and charges. They (fixed costs) must be a separate charge on the bill. They have also emphasized that capital costs are only lawfully recovered by voter approved municipal bonds, voter approved property assessments and/or voter approved special taxes. All of which will be collected on your property tax bill. The court specifically prohibited the inclusion of debt service in rates, fees and charges.
5. The courts also said that all customers pay the same rate for the same service to their property. This includes tax-exempt educational customers and all governmental agencies recieving the service.
6. The courts have also ruled that You as the indiviual property owner/renter recieving sewer services provided by a municipality can only be charged rates, fees and charges that do not exceed the actual (variable) cost of providing the service to your property. This means the city must individually determine the (variable) cost of the service you impose upon them.
7. Finally, our courts have ruled that when a municipality enters into a new instrument of debt of any kind, this act automatically creates a new demand for new tax revenue which must be approved by the voters before the debt is entered into.
– Scott Simpson
WAS FORMER CITY MANAGER BRAD HUDSON TO BLAME FOR THE SEWER WOES?
It is appearing that much of the problems that the City of Riverside is experiencing may be due to former City Manager Brad Hudson. When Brad was City Manager for the City of Riverside TMC asked for a forensic audit of the taxpayer utility books, but he just would hide behind the computer, as our City Attorney Greg Priamos currently does.
FORMER CITY MANAGER BRAD HUDSON
All this activity was in lieu of both Councilman Davis and Councilman Soubirous being investigated for complaints, of which we are not really sure of. We don’t know who the accusers are and why the complaints were filed. We know that Councilman and Congressional Candidate Steve Adams signed both contracts with the same law first to initiate the investigation. Incidently, these contracts were signed at the the City Manager’s cap of $49,000.00, anything over $50,000.00 must go to council for approval. Are we looking at the origins of a conspiracy?
We do know that there has been friction with these two council members with the Chief of Police Sergio Diaz, City Manager Scott Barber, City Attorney Greg Priamos and possibly some of the Council members, when pertinent questions were asked and not answered to the desires of the council.
Former City Manager Brad Hudson hired City Manager Scott Barber and Chief of Police Sergio Diaz. Councilman Steve Adams and Mayor William “Rusty” Bailey were supporters of Hudson.
TMC did a story on Christina Cortez, Whistleblower, back in December 2011, regarding bringing in the State Controller to look into the books of Montebello, California, which ended up being investigated by the FBI.
HERE’S ONE FOR RIVERSIDE POLICE CHIEF SERGIO DIAZ, WHO WE FIND THREATENING LOCAL ELECTS AND POLITICAL CANDIDATES! There are many instances of outburst and threats by this individual who formerly worked for the Los Angeles Police Department. Questions abound on his qualification, not only by TMC but by the residents of the City of Riverside which have not been addressed by those at City Hall.
TMC did a story back in June 2011 regarding Costa Mesa Police Chief Steven Stavely with his impressions of City Council.
Over the years, I have had city councils I thought were smart and thoughtful and ones who were less skilled. In every case, I know they were trying to do the right thing – I did not always agree, but clearly they were trying hard to improve the communities we all served. I have never, however, seen a council such as this one. They lack skill, training, education, knowledge, they fail to study (or at least learn). The majority either lies or are so lacking in the necessary skills that they actually believe the junk they say. They act as if they are owners of the business that is the municipal government of the City of Costa Mesa, but they are not, they are merely trustees of these public assets both human and physical and they fail in that role completely. They are in my opinion incompetent, unskilled and unethical.
UPDATE: MAY 21, 2014: NEW PE STORY BY ALICIA ROBINSON: INVESTIGATIONS OF COUNCIL CLOUDED BY UNKNOWNS: New article ask the question regarding the Soubirous and Davis investigation, as to what policies or procedure is guiding city officials. The City has been vague and secretive of the inquisition regarding the complaint and who are behind the filing.
TMC, RATED RIVERSIDE’S MOST “SLANDEROUS” AND MEZZSPELLED, “MISSPELLED” AND “OPINIONATED” BLOG SITE! TEMPORARILY BLOCKED BY THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE AT PUBLIC ACCESS SITES WITHIN THE CITY, THEN UNBLOCKED. I GUESS YOU CANNOT DO THAT ACCORDING TO ACLU. NOW TAGGED LOCAL BLOGGERS OR LOCAL MEDIA? RATED ONE TWO ONE STAR OUT OF FIVE IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY APPROVAL RATINGS.. TMC IS NOW EXCLUSIVELY ON FILE WITH ZELLERBACH’S DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE, AND PROSSIBLY POSSIBLY ON FILE WITH THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE’S POTENTIAL SLAPP SUIT LIST… WE WILL HAVE TO ASK GREGORY ABOUT THAT ONE ( OUR PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO CONTACT HIS PEOPLE)… AGAIN, THANK-YOU COMMUNITY OF RIVERSIDE AND THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE EMPLOYEE’S FOR YOUR SUPPORT! COMMENTS ALWAYS WELCOMED, ESPECIALLY SPELL CHECKERS! EMAIL ANONYMOUSLY WITH YOUR DIRT OR FOR CONTACT! THIRTYMILESCORRUPTION@HOTMAIL.COM
CITY OF RIVERSIDE: AS OF SUNDAY 03.25.2013 DAY 153 STILL NO CHARGES! KAREN WRIGHT NOT GIVEN THE RIOT ACT AT COURT APPEARANCE? DA’S CASE DOA? OR POLITICAL HOT POTATO? SHOULD CITY COUNCIL DROP THE CHARGES?
Posted: January 25, 2013 in Uncategorized
Tags: attorney client privilege, chief sergio diaz, Chuck Conder, city attorney greg priamos, city councilman paul davis, councilman chris mac arthur, john hall da spokesperson, karen wright, mayor william rusty bailey, paul zellerback, penal code 403, public speaking, riverside county da's office
In an incident that made national news, Public Speaker Karen Wright appeared at her December 27th court date regarding her charge of disrupting a public meeting. Later found through a public request act of the police report, City Attorney Gregory Priamos had given instruction to RPD Officer Sahagun to stop Wright from going past the three minute allotted time by sixteen seconds.
Riverside City Attorney Greg Priamos Riverside DA Paul Zellerbach
The situation became increasingly incomprehensible when Priamos would not comment do to “attorney-client privilege.” Attorney client privilege? That’s what we said… In lieu things continued to take a strange turn when the filing by the Paul Zellerbach’s District Attorney’s office was never issued. Karen was told by the court to call the DA’s office to find out if the DA intends to file or not. Attorney Letitia Pepper attempted to request the issue be addressed in court so she could ask for a dismissal. The court would not allow this. The waiting game continues, since the DA did not have the courtesy to follow through, the justice system leaves Ms. Wright in the dark at this point, and she herself must make the effort to contact and find out their intentions. How many DA departments be connected to and placed on hold to ask the question, “Mr. DA, do you plan to file charges against me?” Could this inaction by the DA’s office be construed as a continued form of harassment toward Ms. Wright? Or to continue the confusion so a warrant for her arrest is issued? That’s so Riverside. Most Riversidian’s agree, the Council and Mayor should have dropped the charges rather than enduring more city embarrassment, but currently the DA appears to be dancing around the issue.. So what is DA Paul Zellerbach’s relationship with the City of Riverside? Possibley BB&K? The Riveriside Grand Jury? Local Superior Court Judges? The Attorney General Office of the State of California? and of course local cronies?
One of the first items for new Mayor William “Rusty” Bailey would have been to drop charges. Currently, Chief Sergio Diaz has yet to publicly apologize to Ms. Wright for his behavior and unrestrained verbality toward her earlier this year at a City Council Meeting. No complaints were issued against Chief Diaz by Wright. Chief Diaz was not arrested at this incident for his disturbance at Council Chambers.
So the citation issued by the police lists a court date. You check the docket the day before and can’t find your name, you call the DA and they say they are still consulting. You are then in a position where you still have to go to court because you don’t want to have the DA file at the last minute, you not show and the judge issue a bench warrant. You also don’t want to appear in court without an attorney, so you have that exspence. I’m sorry but it looks like they are unfairly jerking Ms. Wright around. This case should have been dismissed. Shame on the city of Riverside and shame on the DA. – Kevin Dawson, Commenter on the PE
Just wait until the trial and CA Greg Priamos takes the stand under oath and has to testify who ordered him to order the officer to “stop” her. I don’t think his “apology” will quite cut it here. – Mary Shelton, Commenter on the PE
UPDATE: 01/04/2013: Acording to the Press Enterprise, John Hall, Spokesman for the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, state they didn’t have enough time to investigate.
John Hall, Spokeshole Spokesperson for the Riverside City DA’s Office
Okay John! this can expressly be construed as the DA does not have a case. Hall went on to say, “There’s nothing that we have to do by law to notify anyone that nothing’s going to be done on that particular day.” Okay John, I get it, you have the power but you had over 8 weeks to figure this out! What goes? By the way do you take dance lessons, because it appears you are dancing around the issue as well as the Big Kahuna, Zellerbach. He further stated according to the Press Enterprise, that in the past six years, only one other case has come in under penal code section § 403 — disturbing a public meeting — and the district attorney ended up filing different charges against the suspect. Penal Code § 403 states every person who, without authority of law, willfully disturbs or breaks up any assembly or meeting that is not unlawful in its character, other than an assembly or meeting referred to in Section 302 of the Penal Code or Section 18340 of the Elections Code, is guilty of a misdemeanor. So they couldn’t charge someone with the original arrest charge of penal code § 403 and had to concoct subsequent charge or unlterior trumped up charge? So why would the DA have to do this? Would it be because of the embarrassment of the whole charge to begin with? As of January 4, 2013, Wright’s case remains “under review” and remains unlisted on the courts databases. “Under review?” Is this code word for “no case?” It’s only common courtesy that the DA’s office show on a court date, it’s only common courtesy that the DA’s office collaborate with the defendent, otherwise can this be construed by the DA’s office of a pronounce expression of arrogance? Information for the DA’s Office only.. we have included a printable icon for ease of printability in order for the DA’s office to file TMC articles..
THE TWEET OF THE CONDER
So far this year, it’s okay to utilize public emails for campaign purposes by violating CA Code 8314 (a), it’s okay to give the finger to someone at City Council. Talking about fingers, according to Press Enterprise’s Alicia Robinson’s tweets, it appears that Councilman’ s Chris Mac Arthur’s legislative aide Chuck Conder issued a petition in lieu of a filing fee for the upcoming June 2013 election for Ward 4.
Let’s see, by golly isn’t that Councilman Paul Davis’s current Ward? Wasn’t that the same Chuck Conder who was canvassing the Ward 4 neighborhoods for petition signatures against changing wards due to redistricting? Incidently, Chuck resides in Ward 4 and did not want that changed. The final accepted version of the district map coincidently cut the area in question directly in half. His residence remaining in Ward 4, while the other half went to Ward 2.
Isn’t Councilman’s Paul Davis up for reelection in June 2013? Will the real Chuck Conder please step up!
Nope! Still Not Right! Ahhh Yes, this is the one!
and who was really the Wizard of Emerald City?
RIVERSIDE FORGOTTEN…
View of the Santa Ana Bridge dedication ceremony, 1932, Riverside, California
TMC, RATED RIVERSIDE’S MOST “SLANDEROUS” AND MEZZSPELLED, “MISSPELLED” AND “OPINIONATED” BLOG SITE! TEMPORARILY BLOCKED BY THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE AT PUBLIC ACCESS SITES WITHIN THE CITY, THEN UNBLOCKED. I GUESS YOU CANNOT DO THAT ACCORDING TO ACLU. RATED ONE TWO ONE STAR OUT OF FIVE IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY APPROVAL RATINGS.. TMC IS NOW EXCLUSIVELY ON FILE WITH THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE’S DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE, AND PROSSIBLY POSSIBLY ON FILE WITH THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE’S POTENTIAL SLAPP SUIT LIST… WE WILL HAVE TO ASK GREGORY ABOUT THAT ONE ( OUR PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO CONTACT HIS PEOPLE)… AGAIN, THANK-YOU COMMUNITY OF RIVERSIDE AND THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE EMPLOYEE’S FOR YOUR SUPPORT! COMMENTS ALWAYS WELCOMED, ESPECIALLY SPELL CHECKERS! EMAIL ANONYMOUSLY WITH YOUR DIRT OR FOR CONTACT! THIRTYMILESCORRUPTION@HOTMAIL.COM
CITY OF RIVERSIDE: IS THIS MAYOR LUV’S FINAL PUSH FOR POWER? THE MUNI MAFIA SENDS A MESSAGE ABOUT SPEAKING TO DISABLED SPEAKERS…THE CITY SPIN CONTINUES…
Tags: arrest, city council, city councilman andy melendrez, city councilman chris mac arthur, city councilman mike gardner, city councilman paul davis, city councilman steve adams, city councilman william "rusty" bailey, city councilwoman nancy hart, city of riverside, council aide chuck condur, ethics complaints, karen wright, mayor ron loveridge, muni mafia, police chief sergio diaz, public speaking, riverside police department
UPDATE: 11/03/2012: KAREN WRIGHT MAKES THE UK DAILY MAIL.. “Woman, 60, gets handcuffed at California city council meeting for speaking over time limit.”
YOUTUBE ON HANDCUFFED WOMAN BY INTERACTIVE HEALING (CLICK THIS LINK).
UPDATE: 11/02/2012: ACCORDING TO CITY ATTORNEY GREGORY PRIAMOS RESPONSE STATEMENT REGARDING THE ARREST OF PUBLIC SPEAKER KAREN WRIGHT WHEN ASKED TO RESPOND. HIS RESPONSE, WAS “ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILIGE”, MEANING THAT IN HIS PROFESSIONAL CAPACITY, HE IS REPRESENTING SOMEONE OTHER THATN HIMSELF. TECHNICALLY THIS WOULD BE THE MAYOR AND/OR COUNCIL. THE COUNCIL DENIES KNOWING ANYTHING ABOUT THE CIRCUMSTANCES, THEREFORE, DID PRIAMOS’S ORDERS OR DIRECTIVES THEN CAME FROM THE MAYOR? WHAT A TANGLED WEB WE WEAVE WHEN WE FIRST PRACTICE TO DECEIVE..
UPDATE: 11/01/2012: OFFICER SAHAGUN’S POLICE REPORT SUGGEST THAT WRIGHT WAS SINGLED OUT BY CITY ATTORNEY GREGORY PRIAMOS IF HE IN FACT ACTED ALONE. PRIAMOS’S PERFORMANCE EVALUATION UP ON NOVEMBER 13, 2012.. In this article, Councilman Gardner continues to amaze the intelligent community by standing by his rendition of events in the course of Ms. Wright. The officer took her elbow as if to guide her away from the lectern; he didn’t grab her or throw her to the floor, Gardner said. It appeared she sat down on the floor or lost her balance and fell. When will the lying end, is this what the constiuents “have to put up with?” Ooops, I believe I’ve heard this comment before..
Yes, Coucilman Gardner, that’s exactly what we saw, gently taking her elbow as to guide her away, possibly to help her find her way back to her seat, afterall she is disabled…then suddenly, she decided to sit on the floor, possibly just to relax a minute… Incidently, Gardner had front seats on the dais for this grand event, and he called it as seen it. In another statement in the PE, Gardner emphatically seems to say that Priamos would not over step his authority without the go ahead from the mayor or council. I could certainly interpret this statement as meaning, no move can be made by the City Attorney without the Council or Mayor. Could we now say that Primos was the messenger, and therefore council and/or mayor knew about it? What ever the truth may be, Gardner has either lost touch, or is truly telling the truth regarding what actually happened. In telling the truth, Council and/or Mayor knew….Is a recall in order for those involved?
UPDATE: 10/31/2012: EVENING: THE QUESTION OF GOING ROGUE..
In the Press Enterprise, Loveridge said he did not know whether Priamos had a conversation with the Officer Nick Sahagun. Maintaining decorum is the call of elected officials, not city staff! He evidently went on to say that “I need to talk to Greg to find out what was said or not said.” Is Mayor Luv stating Priamos made this decision on his own. After all, according to former employees, Priamos has been known to call Council members “idiot’s” within his circle. So how do they expect anyone to follow the rules of decorum when they do not follow the rules themselves, further, even the laws of the State of California. Four weeks ago, City Attorney Gregory Priamos conducted a two hour ethics training course to the Council. But was this really a “Bonehead Course”, as Dan Berstein coined. Maybe there is an emphasis in “How not to get caught”. At any rate it is quite a surprise to the community knowing Priamos’s track record.
Councilman Andy Melendrez said Tuesday that the officer’s statement surprised him. “I think it’s important that we as council members have clarity on who’s in charge, and my understanding has been that the mayor is in charge,” Melendrez said. “For the city attorney to play an active role on his own raises some concerns.”
This is quite disturbing because we currently have a City Attorney who has decided to give a directive of enforcement upon a citizen via a police officer. If in fact, the directive was solely his decision, and not one to involve the Mayor, would he be consider “rogue?”
A month ago we also had an incident whereby the City Manager Scott Barber made a decision to spend $2.5 million without counsel consent. Can we consider this “rogue?” In any case, we could certainly consider these two highly influential employees not following the set rule to the extent of violating them. If they in fact wish that constituents follow rules, they themselves should lead by example, of which is non-existent.
UPDATE: 10/31/2012: CITY ATTORNEY GREGORY PRIAMOS HIDING BEHIND ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE…IS HE CALLING OFFICER SAHAGUN A LIAR?
Well the City continues to overload it’s dirty laundry on the spin cycle. It started with the City’s response to the arrest, whereby they said that Ms. Karen Wright was cuffed and arrested for failing to obey the officer (Sahagun), not for going over the time limit, but Wright said the citation she got is for disrupting the meeting and that’s also what is stated in the police report by Officer Sahagun. One Concilman went on to state that this was a decision by the police officer, and no council member has the authority to interfere with a police officer, otherwise one could be severely punished. Well, the Press Enterprise states that according to Officer Sahagun’s police report, “Priamos requested that during future meetings, I should stop Subject 1 (Wright) from going too long past the three minute allotted time.” Did Priamos’s directive come from Mayor Loveridge? Or did it come solely from Priamos himself? It certainly wasn’t a decision Officer Nick Sahagun made. In the past, directives came from the Chair, or Mayor Pro Tem or Mayor. So why the move to question the integrity of a police officer? Why the move of the Council and Mayor to place the decision making authority upon the officer? Are we beginning to see a pattern of transparency in regards to how the Council and Mayor deal with issues? The real heat of this matter is now focused on the City Attorney, and all he can do is insult the community by hiding behind a questionable and remarkable claim of “attorney-client privilege” and become non-responsive. If he receives a salary paid for by taxpayer monies, he must know, we the taxpayer are his employer’s, and we are demanding answers. Has Priamos become a liability to the taxpayer? If it is founded that Priamos gave the directive, solely a decision made by himself, should he be fired? Ms. Wright believes the arrest was in retaliation against her in reference to criticizm made toward Councilman and Mayoral Candidate William “Rusty” Bailey, a candidate whom Mayor Loveridge endorses for the November 6, 2012 election.
CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW FULL POLICE REPORT
According to the PE, City Attorney Gregory Priamos appreared surprised that the police report was had been made public. Though he had yet to read the report, he stated that Officer Sahagun’s description of the conversation was inaccurate. He declined to elaborate further, and cited attorney-client privilege. Attorney-Client Privilege? We understand he is Privileged, but who’s the Attorney and who’s the Client Gregory? Technically, the taxpayer is the client and he, Priamos, the attorney on record to protect us.
Maybe just a another nervous search for syllables, or it could have been a little gas from a bad burrito.. But is City Attorney Greg Priamos basically calling Officer Nick Sahagun a “liar?” Again, while the Council and Mayor were stating that Ms. Wright was arrested for not obeying an officer, according to Officer Sahagun, that was not so.
Did the directive come from the Mayor? Two days after the arrest, a new so called protocol was implemented. This would now give authority to the meeting chair, being either the Mayor Pro Tem or the Mayor himself to give the order to remove someone from the podium. But these rules have already been in place, was this a scuffle to spin? Back in 2006, an 89 year old woman, Marjorie Von Pohle, was removed from the podium by the directive of a Mayor Pro Tem to an RPD Officer for exceeding the 3 minute rule. Ms. Wright is scheduled to appear in Superior Court on December 27, 2012. Some rumors down the information pipeline is “Allred.”
CHANNEL 11 NEWS: “SHE MUST HAVE GOTTEN UNDER SOMEBODY’S SKIN!”
HERE IT IS CHANNEL 11 NEWS..
LOS ANGELES TIMES STORY
CBS CHANNEL 2 NEWS
LA LATE STATES LOCALS ARE CALLING FOR THE RESIGNATION OF MAYOR RON LOVERIDGE.
It comes as a shock to TMC to see public speaking come to this. Other’s are telling me that I’m just naive, “this is Riverside”.. What a night, one disabled elderly female public speaker down and arrested, a second disabled elderly female skirted with the possibility of second taken down, then one Councilman’s Aide is seen by another female speaker with his middle finger across his face. This public speaker had just commented on the inappropriate behavior of this aide, especially toward females. Karen Wright, a 60 year old disabled public speaker icon, went over the three minute mark, approximately 16.8 seconds. Returning to her seat, she was met with one of Ronnie’s Bouncer’s. Midway from her seat, when she turned toward the council, she was pushed by the officer. When she arrived at her seat, she was getting some of her things, the officer inadvertently came from the right side, it appeared he wasn’t finished with her, and then grabbed her arm, turned it clockwise, whereby she could not nothing other than fall and and take her down to the floor, she fell seated, she then took her two hands to try to get up as she indicated, but was pushed by her right hand taken, then handcuffed. Not one, not two but three RPD officers surrounded her when she was on the floor. “Officer, you are making me naked.” she stated. A disgusting act of use of force, but Riverside has a track record of this, and a double standard when it comes to arrest. You might think this is Afghanistan or Iraq, unfortunately this is Riverside, specifically, regarding these current state of affairs, I must say, the City of Riverside.. So, if you live here, you msut exactly know what this blogger is talking about..
The first quickly came out of nowhere, as she turned after finishing her point after the three minute mark, she was met with officer, not regularly seen, who grabbed her and threw her to the floor as seen in the images. While the council just sat there stonefaced, as good leaders do. While one retired police officer, later stated to TMC who saw the video from home, “there was no reason for this officer to touch this person.” So again, why would this Mayor, this Mayor known as Mayor Ron Loveridge allow this? Later in City Council, Mayor Loveridge stated, “this is outrageous behavior”, when Councilman Chris Mac Arthur’s Council Aide, Chuck Condur, used a derrogatory finger symbol toward public speaker Dvonne Pitruzzello during council sessions. Why didn’t the Mayor have the gumption to say the same? Did he enjoy this? Did he allow this for personal reasons against Wright, being approximately his last appearance as Mayor on the dais? If there is a story, let’s hear it, this is not the normal standard behavior of a RPD officer at City Council.. Give us your side anonymously at thirtymilescorruption@hotmail.com
During this disgusting act of force, Councilwoman Nancy Hart, Councilman Steve Adams (also a former police officer), and Councilman and Mayoral Candidate William “Rusty” Bailey left their council seats and exited the dais. It appeared they themselve could not handle or stomach the scene. But non of these great leaders said, enough! This has to stop! A reflection of the leadership in Riverside. Well anyway, this is what happens if you talk a good 25 seconds after the 3 minute mark. You may find a couple of RPD on your back.. Being disabled that’s gotta hurt.. After this disruption by Ronnie’s Bouncers, she was later taken outside, released and issued a citation for “disruption of a public event.” The witnesses who were there were stating, “she was already returning to her seat!” RPD Officer you shouldn’t have done it, you’ve watched over the security of Council meetings before. This is behavior unlike you, were you briefed by Council, Mayor, City Execs, City Attorney or your superiors to do this, and target this specific public speaker? More information coming down the pipeline..
Months ago, Ms. Wright was accosted by non other than the Chief of Police, Sergio Diaz, for her opinion on naming El Tequesquite Park after a fallen officer, Ryan Bonamino. The chief confronting Ms. Wright, saying she had no right to say what she said…
The Chief then called Ms. Wright a “a horrible person”, “your disrespectful” and “You hate the police!” At the time he also turned to then Mayoral Candidate Dvonne Pitruzzello and stated, “I don’t like her!” This all occurred in a public arena. Chief Diaz has yet to publicly apologize for, as Mayor Loveridger would say, “this is outrageous behavior!” Though Karen had the right to file an ethics complaint on this very issue, she chose at the time not do so. Chief Diaz should be thankful of this. Many are saying should we disband RPD? And just go with Riverside County Sheriff, would this make a difference?
CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW FULL RPD USE OF FORCE DOCUMENT IMPLEMENTED BY THE CHIEF
CLICK THIS LINK TO WATCH YOUTUBE FROM ALICIA ROBINSON OF THE PRESS ENTERPRISE
Notice the empty seat behind above the left officer, Councilman and Mayoral Candidate Rusty Bailey left the dais, out of sight.. Some commenters on the Press Enterprise have begin coin Councilman and Mayoral Candidate… “Runaway Rusty.”
NEW NEWS ARTICLE FROM THE PE BY ALICIA ROBINSON: RIVERSIDE: SHOULD COUNCIL CRITIC HAVE BEEN HANDCUFFED?
CLICK THIS LINK TO WATCH ABOVE YOUTUBE
CLICK ON THIS LINK TO WATCH ABOVE YOUTUBE OF MS. WRIGHT PICKING HERSELF IN FRONT OF THE THREE OFFICERS.
CLICKTHIS LINK TO WATCH ABOVE YOUTUBE OF MS. KAREN WRIGHT BEING ESCORTED OUT OF RIVERSIDE CITY COUNCIL
According to a description of events cited from the Truth Publication Online, Councilman Paul Davis stated the following: “During that time the officer applied handcuffs to Ms. Wright and later took them off, after assisting Ms. Wright to her feet.”
Wrong Councilman Davis, she picked her own self up according to the above video. Let’s not begin to spin the chain of events in order to defend you and the council bullies, that night, for not doing the right thing and stopping what occurred. You stated that the decision for this is defined by the RPD officer, and by “law” you cannot interfere with that. But now, new rules? “Police Officers will now be directed by the Mayor?” according to the the Press Enterprise. Now, elected officials can interfere with the actions of the Police Officers? But some Council members are saying, again, as an authority figures, and I disagree with that, that they cannot interfere with the judgement of a an RPD officer? You work for us, and we expect some aggregious behavior to be stopped by a police officer, but you are telling them you have no power. Our we living in a microcosm of a police state?
Again, Davis went on., “The officer again told her that she needs to be calm, take her seat and she ignored him. At that time, the officer directed her to return to her seat and Ms. Wright turned and began to advance towards where she had been sitting. Ms. Wright then uttered some choice words to the officer, which may have been directed towards the council. He then told her to step outside, since she was clearly isrupting the meeting and she chose to continue to ignore him. The officer then took her right arm at the elbow and told her that she needs to accompany him outside. Ms. Wright then jerked her arm away from the officer, stating something to the effect that she needed to get her things and for him not to touch her.” (Courtesy of The Truth Publication Online). Mr. Davis, you are different person this day, this is not what happened, I was sitting in the second rowe, and didn’t hear any of this. Are you saying you have better ears than me? Especially from the distance of the dais?
To the elected individuals on the dais, we’ve have not declared war..we only want transparency…
“At that time she also decided to sit down, on the floor, just outside the Dais entrance door and near her seat, with her hands not visible from my vantage point.”
Councilman Davis, you are wrong again, let me show how she ended up on the floor. You call us “crazy”, but at least we are not “liars.” This is how Ms. Wright decided to to sit down..of course, according to Councilman Paul Davis’s innacturate rendition of the Council events..
Now the twist to be handcuffed..RPD style..
“Many have asked why the members of the Mayor, Council, or city Staff, did not take any actions to stop the officer from his actions. As a matter of law, no person has the authority to interfere with the lawful order or actions of a Police Officer performing his duties. By doing so, you would be in violation and you will be held for Obstruction of Justice, and be subject to severe penalty.” (Courtesy of The Truth Publication Online). Let me see Mr. Davis, “Police Officers at City Council Meetings will be directed by the Mayor.”
Nope, sorry Davis, no one believes that. Many believe the mayor has always had that power, and this incident was allegedly and directly orchestrated by Mayor Ron Loveridge himself.
CLICK ON THIS LINK TO WATCH ABOVE YOUTUBE OF KAREN WRIGHT BEING CITED BY RPD OFFICER.
So what happens next, the Officer says we are done. So what happens with the legal process for Ms. Wright next? When the interrelationdships and interconnections with the City, City Attorney, the Riverside Judges, the District Attorney Paul Zellerbach, the Riverside Grand Jury, even unfortunately to the extent of the State of California Attorney General’s interrelationship? What will happen to this poor disabled 60 year old elderly woman? Well it’s already been decided if you live in Riverside. Some call it politics, some just have to accept it..
According to the PE, the City stated that she was not arrested for going over the 3 minute time limit but for “not obeying the officer,” but the actual citation she received was for “disrupting a meeting.” This is indicated by the above YouTube video, a video the City did not know existed till know. Well, the spinning continues, with ring leader, our Mayor, Mr. Spin Cycle himself.. Officer indicates to Ms. Wright in the video that once the three minutes are up she needed to bring her comments to a close, therefore it was all about disrupting the meeting after the 3 minute mark… Again, how will the City spin this next, or is their now planned retaliation by the City in more ways than none, for those who speak freely?
“All I was told was that you are given a certain amount of time to make statements to the council and she went over her time,” Lt. Guy Toussaint said. “She was asked to leave and she refused to do so.” Again wrong, Ms. Wright closed her comments and was on her way to her seat. But what the L.A. Times has right, is that this was all about the 3 minute time limit, which the City denies was a factor in her arrest. Many of the Councilpeople on the dais, who did nothing, and maintained they could not interfere with a police officer. So who’s in charge? Some on the dais, even said in some ways, that “she’d had it coming.” Other’s on the dais, who were criticized, said, “how come those citizens in the audience do nothing?” This is what we have, and you now begin to see the picture unfold before your eyes in relation to political conundrums withing the politics of the City of Riverside.
Again it didn’t stop there, another disabled individual on crutches …What is it with the City of Riverside and disabled females? What is it with leadership that doesn’t have the guts to lead and come out to say this is wrong. Is it easier say that the individuals are just “crazy?” Well Dvonne Pitruzzello said it best when she said, “I rather be called crazy, then to be a crook.” Well anyway this person below was on crutches and the same RPD officer started to walk down toward the podium again… Ren Holmstrum on crutches was subjected to a possible throwdown, regarding her issue of Riverside hospice, when she went over the three minute mark.. One of RPD officers was again on alert, walking down the isle again to take care of muni mafia business…
CLICK THIS LINK TO WATCH THE ABOVE YOUTUBE
Councilman and Mayoral Candidate William “Rusty” Bailey seen with his head down in the video. Last week Councilman and Mayoral Candidate William “Rusty” Bailey, came to the TMC site to inadvertently download photos of his Mayoral opponent and former Riverside Councilman, Ed Adkison, of course without TMC’s permission. These were then sent city wide in a campaign mailer. Now RPD wants TMC’s photos of the Council Debacle…Many in the community, seeing this display of police are now afraid, who can we depend on when we cannot trust our own community police force? Who do we call when we cannot call our own police force for help? Questions some community constituents are asking. This is the same behavior community constituents have been talking about to their city leaders for years…
Other’s are asking the question if this was a set up.. Most often, RPD or Ronnie’s Bouncers are cordial, escorting the “3 minute violator” back to their seat. This time, the Mayor meant business, it was a throw down… Was this orchestrated and planned by the mayor, the puller of strings? As one reporter stated on Channel 11 News on 10/25/2012 “She must have gotten under somebody’s skin.” This because Ms. Wright goes to each and every council meeting to comment on issues, and is therefore well known..
“I want to live in a society that people can voice unpopular opinions because I know as result of that a society grows and matures,” – Hugh Hefner
It didn’t stop there, after Public Speaker Dvonne Pitruzzello spoke regarding Councilman Chris Mac Arthur’s legislative aide, the allegation of Chuck Condor holding a knife to the throat of Bailey’s Council Aide, Mark Earley.
From the current contact in the mainstream media, much is being said, many questions asked, pieces of the puzzle that just don’t make sense, but the questions of why none of the City Council leadership said nothing, allowed the activity to happen, and simply found it acceptable.. again actions speak louder than words..
“We do this for our neighborhood, we take our time do this…you have spent us into the poorhouse..” -Self Appointed Citizen Auditor Vivian Moreno.
Responsibility? You are looking at them….Now Main Stream Media will know….Stossel what do you think about this? Thank you for asking…
ETHIC’S COMPLAINTS ARE NOW GOING VIRAL.. I’VE GOTTA SAY THIS IS EXHAUSTING, BUT JUST ANOTHER NORMAL DAY IN RIVER CITY..
UPDATE: 10/24/2012: JUST IN, TMC SOURCES ARE STATING THAT COUNCILMAN MIKE GARDNER ALLEGEDELY STATED, “KAREN WRIGHT DESERVED IT.” IF THIS IS TRUE, THIS MAY BE PART OF MIKE THAT MAY NOT BE LIKED..
According to the PE, Councilman Mike Gardner, who was on the dais with the council a few yards from the incident, said he doesn’t think the force was excessive. But if you like Mike, you would agree. Further Mike has also said, “Resisting arrest doesn’t end well..” Of course, none of this is true, but what is true are the feeling of Ward 1 Councilman Mike Gardner.
LOVERIDGE GET’S IT ALL WRONG.. Loveridge said that Wright started showing up at council meetings a few years ago and became an active civic participant with “eclectic” interests who spends a lot of time preparing for her remarks. This according to a LA Times article. Ms. Wright has been coming to City Council for over 10 years, why the spin Mayor to discredit her?
COUNCILMAN CHRIS MAC ARTHUR’S LEGISLATIVE AIDE CHUCK CONDOR SHOCKS COUNCIL MEETING!
The question to the council by Pitruzzello was, ” Why Condor wasn’t arrested, or a police report created by Bailey’s Aide, Mark Earley? We just don’t know..”Was this a concerted effort by City Hall to cover up the alleged altercation back in April 2012?” Regardless, it still didn’t stop there! As Former Mayoral Candidate Dvonne Pitruzzello walked toward the back of Council Chambers she was met from a distance, Councilman Chris Mac Arthur’s Aide, Chuck Condor, placing the “middle finger” in front of his face toward Pitruzzello. Mrs. Pitruzzello interrupted the City Council to let them know just what happened. The following pics below taken at the time of the interruption. The shock was written all over Councilwoman Nancy Hart’s face. Officer Nick, again, one of Ronnie”s Bouncer’s pounced on the situation and begin to walk over toward Pitruzzello. She let Officer Nick know, “that’s who you need to arrest!” Referring to Mac Arthur’s Council Aide Chuck Condur. This is the one time TMC agrees with Mayor Luv when he stated, “this is outrageous behavior.” When a Council Aide can continually get away with derrogatory remarks and alleged actions, this is outrageous behavior.. This Public Council Meeting could not have been hotter…
Again, one of TMC’s crack minimum wage photoshop experts created what Mrs. Pitruzzello saw.. Another act of defiance against women?
But let’s not forget this is Riverside, Chuck Condor, may just get a monetary raise and become an elected official one day.. But many are asking the question, why does Councilman Chris Mac Arthur allow a person such as Chuck, who appears to be a loose cannnon, on his team? Another liability? Could revealers of Condur’s behavior now be in danger of retaliation by the City of Riverside Power House? Will have to ask Councilman Chris Mac Arthur who has protected his aide through thick and thin regardless of his derrogatory behavior. The question is, does the Community concur with this type of legislative aid behavior?
ON A DIFFERENT NOTE, THIS FEMALE GADFLY, AS SHE WAS NOTED, WAS ARRESTED FOR DISRUPTING A SANTA BARBARA CITY COUNCIL MEETING OCTOBER 2, 2012 FOR VERY DIFFERENT REASON. HERE FOR YOU’RE REVIEW AS A POINT OF REFERENCE.
OR THIS PUBLIC SPEAKER JENNIFER JONES ARRESTED AT CITY COUNCIL IN QUARTZSITE, ARIZONA FOR AIRING THE CITY COUNCIL’S DIRTY LAUNDRY BACK IN JULY 5, 2011..
EVEN THE FOLLOWING YOUTUBE NEWS REPORT CAME OUT OF JONES ADDRESSING THE CITY EXPOSING CORRUPTION THEN BEING ARRESTED.
ANOTHER ARTICLE CAME OUT REGARDING THE FACT THAT JENNIFER JONES MAY BE IN IMMINENT DANGER OF EXPOSING POLITICAL CORRUPTION
UPDATE:10/25/2012: YESTERDAY, LOCAL CITIZEN TELLS OFF MAYOR LOVERIDGE AT DOWNTOWN “COFFEE BEAN” IN FRONT OF ONLOOKERS!
TMC PROUD TO INVITE 16 SMARTEST PEOPLE ON EARTH, TO FIND THEIR HOME IN THE MOST INTELLIGENT CITY, THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE.. NO CURRENT EMAIL RESPONSES AS OF YET!
COUNCILMAN PAUL DAVIS RESPONDS TO THE WRIGHT INCIDENT ON THE TRUTH PUBLICATION BLOG SITE. TMC WISHES EDITOR SALVADOR SANTANA OF THE TRUTH PUBLICATION GOOD HEALTH AND A SPEEDY RECOVERY. WE NEED YOU BACK AT THE PODIUM!
UPDATE: 10/26/2012: THE DEVELOPER OF THE HILTON TO SUE THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE.. WITHIN THE CONTRACT, IF THE DEVELOPER DEFAULTS, THE CITY IS NOW IN THE “HOTEL BUSINESS.” FOR THIS TRANSACTION, TWO FIRESTATIONS AND TWO LIBRARIES ARE USED AS COLLATERAL..
(HYATT PIC COURTESY OF TRIP ADVISOR)
IS THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE INVOLVED IN “EXTORTION” AS CLAIMED BY HYATT DEVELOPER?
According to the Press Enterprise, a story broke by City Council Gadlflies almost a year ago, no one listened, because they may have thought they were simply “crazy” made mention to the contract between the City of Riverside and the Developer Siavash Barmand. The other claim states that the city “extorted” money from MetroRiverside by improperly changing the obligations to build public improvements, and by delaying approval of designs for the improvements. The claims say the developer lost money because of the design approval delay and the convention center closure.
UPDATE:10/29/2012: A MONTAGE OF COMMENTERS COMMENTING ON THIS ISSUE REGARDING MS. KAREN WRIGHT FROM THE PE BEFORE THEY ARE DELETED…POSSIBLY BY SOME DIRECTIVE BY A CITY ELECT OR THE CHIEF OF POLICE HIMSELF…
Remember folks, you have to be in a bad mood as a citizen when you come to City Council Meetings when you know that you the taxpayer, are $4 billion in debt, and that you the taxpayer are responsible for it as a result of the elected officials who voted on these issues.
This is ridiculous. Going over the time limit is not a crime. I’m not a fan of Karen’s, but she had finished talking and was walking away from the podium. Someone has it in for her, and that’s not right. Terrible, terrible showing by the police, the mayor, and the council. -Kaptalism, commenter on the PE
This makes me SICK! Sooooo unjustified! This isn’t the last we have heard of this, believe it! A lawsuit will be forthcoming for SURE! So shameful! -Nettie Nettie Bobettie, commenter on the PE
Unbelievable~!!! They should be ashamed of themselves~!!!! – Alice Wersky Naranjo, commenter on the PE
AND THIS MORNINGWE ARE ON FOX NEWS. AREN’T WE GREAT? –Ron Rose, commenter on the PE
This is how it works at Casa Loveridge. You get three minutes to speak. If you’re kissing his butt, make it four and you can bring about 20 other people up to keep the love flowing longer.
If you’re a guy criticizing, he starts to cut in and the hand goes up at about 2:45 into your comment and its purpose is to try to distract you into disagreeing with him over your time is up until it’s up and you don’t talk about your original topic.
If you’re a woman, alas the infamous hand goes up at about 2:30. Bring a timer and time the speakers and the Loveridge hand wave yourself a couple times. I’ve done it myself. Very illuminating. The county board of supervisors have used the same tactics for years and rumor has it he wants Tavaglione’s seat if that guy wins the congressional race. So maybe he’s practicing for the bigger stage? If he doesn’t like what you’re saying, apparently…well there’s that too. – Mary Shelton, commenter on the PE.
The cop was not timing her I would bet. He was instructed to do as he did when the time-up signal was given. Minor petty politicians begin to think they are Lords. -James Overturf, commenter on the PE.
Too bad we don’t limit politicians to three minutes of speaking. – BJ Clinton, commenter on the PE.
Although I haven’t lived in Riverside since my Divorce in 2003, I still follow the news. Here are my thoughts:Everyone has a right to voice their opinion in a Public Forum. Time limits are made to provide equal time for all and show some dignity and respect for the Counsel and “Elected Officials” of the Counsel during such meetings. Three (3) minutes may not be enough for some however, if you come prepared to make your point clear and brief, three (3) is “normally” plenty of time. Handcuffing anyone with a strong opinion should not be the norm. This lady was no threat to the counsel or anyone else. The lady only spoke too long. Handcuffs would not have been my first choice to resolve the issue. BAD CALL… Counsel BAD CALL… Riverside Cops -Roy Robinson, commenter on the PE.
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Contract Spray Drying
Albion Nutritional Facts
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California Transparency in Supply Chains Act of 2010
Disclosure Pursuant to California Transparency in Supply Chains Act of 2010
Balchem is committed to fair employment practices and to following applicable employment law wherever it has operations. This includes complying with laws that prohibit child or forced labor. Balchem does not currently: (1) engage in verification of product supply chains to evaluate and address risks of human trafficking and slavery; (2) conduct audits of suppliers to evaluate supplier compliance with company standards for trafficking and slavery in supply chains; (3) require direct suppliers to certify that materials incorporated into their products comply with the laws regarding slavery and human trafficking of the country or countries in which they are doing business; (4) maintain internal accountability standards and procedures for employees or contractors failing to meet company standards regarding slavery and human trafficking; or (5) provide employees and management, who have direct responsibility for supply chain management, training on human trafficking and slavery.
U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch highlighting Albion on the Senate floor
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#AOBOSSBABE FEATURING CHRISTENE BARBERICH
Christene Barberich is the global editor-in-chief & co-founder of the award-winning digital media company, Refinery29, which has a global audience footprint of more than 500 million across all platforms. She is also the New York Times best-selling author of Style Stalking and the host of the podcast, Unstyled. In 2016, she was named one of Folio's Top Women In Media, and one of the 50 Most Creative People by Ad Age. MIN also named her one of the 30 Most Intriguing People in Media.
Christene is a seasoned writer, editor, creative, award-winning media maven and we are thrilled to feature this powerhouse as this month’s #aobossbabe!
Three words that best describe your head space right now...
Bright, vast, and hungry.
I wake up at....
Bed time is at....
What was your biggest challenge in launching your own business?
Never giving up, even when certain things felt impossible.
No matter how impossible things can seem.
How do you deal with them [challenges]?
By talking through them with people I trust. Waiting/processing. And then talking through them again with a real resolution in mind. I'm a big believer in certain theories, some by Freud, about the problem solving abilities of our unconscious minds. A little space/distance always seems crucial for me in the untangling process.
What do you think holds women back from achieving their dreams?
It's different for all of us. But for me, personally, it's always challenging myself to think, What if? And to not put limits on my happiness, my creative ambitions, my potential.
And if you need support, find a mentor who's already blazed the trail, from salary negotiation to parenting or family care to dealing with outside criticism. And, perhaps most importantly, try to tune out the noise and listen to your own gut. If you focus, you know exactly why you're here and how far you're going to go.
What mantra do you live by?
Minimalism or maximalism?
Minimal maximalist. That's cheating, but it's accurate.
How has your attitude towards life changed in the last 5 years?
I think as women, we're trained by history, media, and culture to step back or recede as we get older, which feels counter to my perspective and spirit right now. I don't want less, I want more! And, I want to give more, too...doesn't everyone?
Head or heart? [in terms of how you make decisions]
They're connected. Although depending on the decision, one generally tends to take the upper-hand.
When was the moment you knew Refinery29 was going to change the digital media landscape?
From the moment I met my co-founders. I knew our journey together had a profound purpose.
You are the queen of multi-tasking! How do you find balance?
I'm like most busy women who want to make a difference—in their own lives and in others. Which generally means my To Do list is long, messy, and a constant practice of checks and balances—Practical and ambitious; serious and dreamy, etc. Good measure is my jam.
What makes a good leader?
Courage, kindness, and trust.
What is the most valuable lesson or skill you learned from a previous boss?
Brandusa Niro from the Daily taught me how important it is to be smart, strong, and funny. John McDonald from my CITY days taught me to take risks at a time when I really needed to more than anything else; And Steve Florio, former CEO of Conde Nast, taught me to ask for more, with salary, with scope, with deliverables, everything...just never settle.
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Back to: Speaker Series
Collusion - Signed
What if the Russians really are colluding with Americans...on the left?
Newt Gingrich returns with this rollicking tale of high-stakes international intrigue—the first book in a contemporary series filled with adventure, betrayal, and politics, that captures the tensions and divides of America and the world today.
Valerie Mayberry comes from the kind of wealthy family that would be royalty in any other country. Obsessive and compulsive, she’s also the FBI’s counter-intelligence expert on domestic terrorism.
Brett Garrett is a dishonorably discharged ex-Navy SEAL coming off a secret opioid addiction. A brusque, fiercely independent operative who refuses to play by the rules, the seasoned pro is now a gun for hire, working as a security contractor in Eastern Europe.
When a high ranking Kremlin official with knowledge of a plan to attack the US must be smuggled out under the nose of a kleptocratic Putin-like Russian president and a ruthless general, Mayberry and Garret are thrown together to exfiltrate him and preempt a deadly poisonous strike.
As these unlikely partners work to protect their human asset, their mission is threatened by domestic politics: leftist protests, Congressional infighting, and a culture riven by hatred.
Collusion raises many of the most significant issues facing America in real life today. Is Russia our ally, or our enemy? Are American leftist activists susceptible to influence from aboard? How far will our enemies go to disrupt our politics and weaken the nation? Can we trust the media to differentiate between the good guys and the bad guys?
Newt Gingrich and Pete Earley have entertained and educated readers with three previous novels of Washington scandal and foreign interference. From its explosive opening through several twists and turns to its heart-stopping end, Collusion is their most timely and powerful novel yet.
Newt Gingrich and Pete Earley
6"w x 9"h
Left Speaker Series Previous / Next
After the Fall: The Remarkable Comeback of Richard Nixon - Signed
Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead - Signed
Soaring to Glory: A Tuskegee Airman's Firsthand Account of World War II - Signed
Sacred Duty: A Soldier's Tour at Arlington National Cemetery - Signed
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Book Website
What Are Dreams Made Of?
Is Love A Fairy Tale?
Skeletons Of The Muse
“A brilliantly inventive work combining narration, story, colorful offbeat characters and music intended for young adult audiences”
In the kingdom of Wonderhaven, Aoede the Muse is plagued with a haunting dream; Children are spirited away by a Siren. Aoede must explore the overland and underworld, confront many creatures, and get to the heart of her dream…
What Are Dreams Made Of? was produced and engineered (as was Is Love A Fairy Tale?) as well as orchestrated by Aoede’s chief collaborator, Scrote, who has worked with Jackson Browne, Van Dyke Parks, Daniel Johnston and The Stripminers…
In this inventive audiobook, most of the songs are, in traditional musical style, embedded as part of the unfolding musical story. In the musical sampler, you can hear the narration and voice overs of Aoede and Luk…
Visit What Are Dreams Made Of? Site
Why Aoede? Once upon a time, in Greek mythology, way before the 9 celebrated muses, there was a muse named Aoede, the Muse of Song.
Let’s Connect!! Join Aoede’s Fan List… And Give Your Creative Spirit Wings!
Follow Aoede
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Criminal Charge: After Bail Hearing.
ahmadammar November 29, 2015
In our last issue we discussed the process of a Bail Hearing. As a reminder, a Bail Hearing takes place after an arrest and a criminal charge by the police. The purpose of the Bail Hearing is for a Justice of the Peace (JP) or a Judge to determine whether or not the Crown has shown cause for the detention of the accused. Whether an accused is detained in custody or released after a Bail Hearing, the criminal procedures are in their beginning stages.
In essence there are 2 paths to deal with a Criminal Charge. Each of the paths require different procedures. The accused may wish to resolve the Criminal Charge via plea or request a trial.
If the accused wishes to resolve the Criminal Charge via plea, the lawyer will meet with the Crown attorney to engage in “resolution discussions” in an attempt to reach a favourable resolution. The lawyer may then set a Judicial Pre-Trial date in court. In the Judicial Pre-Trial, the lawyer will meet with the Judge in the Judge’s chambers along with the crown attorney and discuss a possible resolution. Following the Judicial Pre-Trial, a plea and disposition date is set before the same Judge that presided over the Judicial Pre-Trial or a different Judge. On the date of the plea, the accused will plead guilty to the agreed charges. If there is an agreed resolution between the lawyer and the Crown Attorney, both the crown and lawyer will advocate for a “joint position”. If there is not an agreed resolution, the crown will state their position on sentencing and the lawyer will advance his/her position on sentencing. The criminal code makes it clear that the ultimate decision on sentencing belongs to the Judge even where there is a “joint position”; however, for the most part, Judges honour “joint positions”.
If the accused wishes to have a trial. The lawyer will set the trial date. If the charge is indictable, the accused may have the trial in the Ontario court of justice or the Superior Court of Justice. If the accused elects the Superior court of Justice, the accused may request to have a preliminary hearing prior to the trial to test whether or not there is any evidence to commit the accused to trial. If the Judge presiding at the preliminary hearing finds that there may be evidence which a trier of fact may convict the accused on, then the accused is committed to trial. However, if at the preliminary hearing there is insufficient evidence whereby a trier of fact may convict the accused on, then the accused is not committed to trial and is done with the charges. A trial in the Superior Court of Justice the accused chooses to have the trial conducted by a Judge and Jury or a Judge alone. If the charge is summarily, the trial takes place in the Ontario Court of Justice before a Judge alone.
Whether an accused charged with a Criminal Offence wishes to “resolve” their matter or take their charges to trial, it is always recommended to retain a lawyer to best protect their rights and ensure the best results.
Fill out the form below to receive a free and confidential initial consultation.
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CategoryCriminal Law, criminal lawyer, Legal Advice, Windsor Criminal Lawyer, Аttorneys
TagsBail Hearing, Criminal Charge, Criminal Lawyer, Criminal Lawyer Windsor
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Literati is the only book club for kids that lets you try before you buy. The world’s best children’s books are sent to your door. Get started now.
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Trade Books with Our Online Book Swapping Club. It’s easy: List books you’d like to swap with other club members. Once a book is requested, mail it to the club member.
[edit]. Source: See also Oprah's Book Club 2.0. See Oprah's Book Club 2.0 for the selections of the new club.
Join Spring Mountain Vineyard’s wine club. Select a series, Estate or Collector, and begin enjoying member-only exclusive benefits
Book of the Month is a book club that’s best-known for putting American literary classics like "Gone with the Wind" and "Catcher in the Rye" on the map. BOTM announces five book selections each.
This book club recommendations list contains old and new books of various genres that. And, its divisive nature would make it a fantastic book club selection.
New Arrivals. Read More Add To Box. Read More. Doubleday Book Club ® is a registered trademark of Random House. Used under license. Unauthorized.
In such obvious concussions cases, or even in instances not as blatant, the league would be wise to allow clubs to make an.
Books shelved as book-club-selections: The Help by Kathryn Stockett, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, The Book Thief by Markus Zus.
You get to discover new products or snacks or recipes. you $20 compared to paying box-by-box. Book of the Month is.
A selection of good books is essential during the. Black’s hosted three critically acclaimed writers at the Sugar Club in.
While reading is a solitary event, discussing a book in a small group helps the reader expand the experience, and understanding of the book. It’s also good, cheap fun to deconstruct a book in a.
Mar 2, 2019. Anyone who's in a book club knows the challenge of choosing what to read: Ideally, something that isn't too long, too esoteric or too dense,
Apr 5, 2019. 20 Books Coming Out in 2019 to Bring to Your Book Club. citizens in this new novel from the New York Times best-selling author (Walker wrote 2012's. The book will pick up 15 years after we last heard from Offred and will.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool are aiming to make up for the disappointment of several recent near misses while Tottenham Hotspur.
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Category Discover the Blog
Urdu Poetry Love Sad Facebook
She wrote in Farsi and later in Urdu too. Her writings were deep and meaningful,” said Apte. Quoting lines written by Taajbar Zeb, “Bhool ke bhi dard ko”, Apte said every era had its own style of.
Senryu Poems. Examples of Senryus and a list of poems in the correct poetic form and technique. Share and read Senryu poetry while accessing rules, topics, ideas, and a comprehensive literary definition of a Senryu.
I picked a Spanish tapas class, and fell in love with cooking. I’m now healthy and an excellent. Sometimes it would just be swear words scribbled out, and other times there were beautiful poems.
Download free Beautiful GIFs- I Love You Animated Pictures For Lovers and share on social media (Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, Google Plus etc.)
Long Poems | Long Poetry. Long poems. Read long poems, search long poems, and filter long poetry by category. These are the all-time best and most popular long poems by poetic form, category, length, or keyword.
Ketaki Saokar, a city-based dentist, attended an urdu event and has. which we hold in cafés. Simple poems are recited to create interest among the youngsters who attend. As youngsters are more.
I have tried all sorts of things to look at screens less often: I don’t get push notifications or use Facebook or watch Instagram stories. a slot machine that tells you whether or not people love.
Captain My Captain Dead Poets Synopsis. New England, the late 1950s. Todd Anderson (Ethan Hawke), a lonely and painfully shy teenager, who is under pressure by his stern parents because he must live up to his older brother’s reputation to attend Yale and become a lawyer, arrives for the new semester at the Welton Academy for boys — Todd’s brother
Jan 30, 2014 · You can change your city from here. Shilpa Shetty and her businessman husband Raj Kundra are excited about the trailer of their production debut ‘Dishkiyaoon’ packing a punch. The movie’s promo.
He’s penned lawsuits, poetry and songs. He’s struggled to keep his spirit. a copy of which has been published by a Facebook group maintained by one of his supporters. The Facebook page also.
Jashn-e-Rekhta is a three-day festival celebrated annually in Delhi under the aegis of the Rekhta Foundation, a not-for-profit organization devoted wholeheartedly to the preservation and promotion of the Urdu language, its literature and culture.
"The Masnavi is Maulana Rumi’s greatest poetic work, composed during the last years of his life. The Masnavi is divided into six books and contains thousands of rhyming couplets (a type of poetry called, in Arabic, “Mathnawî”) with stories, ethical teachings, and deeply spiritual Sufi teachings.
Poetry, written in any language, has a kind of healing energy. To be able to creatively express unquantifiable and complex human emotions is a rare talent and some Urdu shayars have done complete.
Apr 04, 2019 · Serge Mokonyane Bio. Environmental Affairs Minister Nomvula Mokonyane’s husband Serge Mokonyane was a pillar of strength to their children and his wife, who spent most of her time fighting for the liberation of South Africa, the governing African National Congress said on Thursday.
Explore Latest Collection of Romantic SMS here. The following words best describe this page. Romantic SMS, Romantic Text Messages, Romantic Quotes, Romantic Jokes, Romantic Poetry, Lovely Romantic SMS, Romance SMS, Romance Messages, Hindi Romantic SMS, Urdu Romantic SMS, Latest Romantic SMS Collection.
Some of them came up and recited their own couplets and urdu poetry on stage. "I love poetry and enjoyed the evening. We got to listen to such rich and beautiful literature. It is a beautifully woven.
Today I am sharing a fascinating post to every one of you. It’s all about poetry. Poetry is one of the things which make you unwind when you peruse poetry books you identify your encounters with that poetry then after that you feels the accurate implication of that poetry.
A man lives forever in his writings, in his progenies and in the hearts of those who love him. the warrior for poetry of our time. Thank you for listening.” And on the social media, Osita Ezeliora.
Shayari, historically associated with the politics of resistance, is experiencing a revival in the face of rising Hindu nationalism in Delhi. At the festival, as people take selfies in front of an “I.
And what he has come up with is a book titled Aankh Aur Urdu Shayeri. Right from his student days Dr Shams had a love for poetry and when he became an eye specialist, his passion took a different turn.
Short Funny Birthday Poems. Now we take care all your needs. We research team do online research and get best Short Funny Birthday Poems We keep updating our site All Best Messages regularly for Short Funny Birthday Poems.We are sure that you will recommend this site to your friends if you like our database of Short Funny Birthday Poems.
"Rumi’s poetry is divided into various categories: the Quatrains (rubayat) and Odes (ghazalyat) lyrical love poems dedicated to his mystical lover and Sufi master, Shams of Tabriz in his Divan or Diwan, and the highly mystical and spiritual Rhymed Couplets.
Michael Wade Author Of And Then It Happened They’d told their stories before, first in the quiet confines of therapists offices, then explicitly in court. “My experience with Michael’s threats was that he told me, ‘You and I, Wade, we have. A One-Two Punch: The Author Duo of Wade Miller, by Ed Lynskey. Then Wade rushes through a first draft, Miller rewriting close
(Baba Farid) Love is the Voice of Two Hearts Beating Together Below is from, Love’s Last Madness — Poems On A Spiritual Path, By Sant Darshan Singh, Published by Hohm Press (an English translation.
Aug 14, 2011 · Islamic Articles and information in Urdu, Last address of Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) (Khutbah Hajjatul Wida). Islam is a very fine and lovely religion. It is a most reliable worship which contains all the information related to daily life. Our beloved Holy Prophet (SAWW) won the Makkah and delivered all the important points of life which is necessary for their
Funeral Poems For My Son ac. Huge list of poems below at FUNERAL POEMS – INDEX. Poetry is an expression of the sobowler; ul, the heart and the mind. Readings bring focus and sets a theme in a ceremony Visitation will be Wednesday, April 3, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Wendt Funeral Home in. jokes and writing poems. In
Password requirements: 6 to 30 characters long; ASCII characters only (characters found on a standard US keyboard); must contain at least 4 different symbols;
Mark, The Author Of The Gospel By The Same Name, Was A Close Associate Of The Apostle Peter. A long article with a comments on each Apocryphal book. Classified according to origin Welcome Poem For Students For kids attending the ongoing summer camp ‘Mambazhakkalam: Kuttikalude Avadhikkala Koottayima’ at Vyloppilly Samskrithi Bhavan, the fun activities are as sweet as a mango. For many, it’s a welcome. The Belfry of Bruges and Other Poems 1845.
Around 15 young and old poets presented their best work in Hindi, Odia and Urdu. There were poems on Pulwama attack that took place earlier this year, expressions of the young budding love, writings.
I Want U Back Poems Oliver Herford (1863–1935) was an American poet, humorist, and illustrator. Born in England, his family moved back to the U.S. when he was twelve. she sometimes reads her poems like incantations. “I get in front of the audiences and make mistakes and ride the energy of the room,” she said. “I get involved and forget
I love our garden of Chaos here, watching Nature work and play. If I am tired or sad, I always feel better with a day among.
Inspiration Urdu: This page contains Golden Words and Inspirational Quotes in Urdu. One should act upon these pearls of wisdom in Urdu to make one’s life better.
Even though Ghalib was never fully appreciated in his own lifetime, today, his name is synonymous with Urdu poetry. His verses, which were far too advanced for his times, are not only recited in Urdu.
Kaifi Azmi’s literary legacy remains a bright star in the firmament of Urdu poetry and Rakhshanda. lyrical and the romantic. "Love and romance, in fact, run like warp through the woof of politics.
Facebook. Sad in Serbia. Horvat met Sasa at a political festival. She works for an NGO and, although she seems to share his ideological world view, she’s clearly an independent spirit. Horvat’s.
NAGPUR: Warm memories and soul singeing poetry pushed away the winter chill on Sunday evening at Deshpande Hall. The family of Dr Vinay Waikar, a patron of Urdu language and ghazals. Rahul cited.
Jul 29, 2018 · Shab-e-Maushiiqii, a ghazal night at The Hindi and Urdu Poetry festival held recently at Kalasseeum enthralled the music lovers. Playing00:30India’s first gay.
Dec 16, 2018 · Dawn’s memorial for the 144 children and adults of Army Public School Peshawar who died on December 16, 2014.
Faiz Ahmad Faiz spoke for an entire generation of Urdu poets when he wrote this. It is against this background of making common cause, of speaking up, that these poems on war and peace culled from a.
On weekend graveyard shifts at St. Joseph’s Hospital I worked the emergency room, mopping up pools of blood and carting plastic bags stuffed with arms, legs.
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Burd Family History
Burd Name Meaning
English: variant spelling of Bird. Jewish (from Poland and Ukraine): nickname for a man with a notable beard, from a southern Yiddish pronunciation of Yiddish bord ‘beard’
Similar surnames: Bard, Burt, Bord, Bird, Bury, Burr, Byrd, Burdo, Hurd, Burg
Burd Ethnicity Estimate
What are the common regions with the Burd name?
These results combine data from everyone in the AncestryDNA® database with the last name Burd. The Ancestry® ethnicity regions shown are top five most common on average for these people.
European Jewish
Burd Family Origin
Where is the Burd family from?
You can see how Burd families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Burd family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Burd families were found in the USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 24 Burd families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 42% of all the recorded Burd's in the USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Burd families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Burd surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
View Census Data for Burd
Burd Family Occupations
What did your Burd ancestors do for a living?
In 1880, Farmer, Laborer and Keeping House were the top 3 reported jobs worked by Burd. A less common occupation for the Burd family was Carpenter. The most common Burd occupation in the USA was Farmer. 41% of Burd's were Farmers.
View Census data for Burd | Data not to scale
Census records can tell you a lot of little known facts about your Burd ancestors, such as occupation. Occupation can tell you about your ancestor's social and economic status.
Burd Historical Records
What Burd family records will you find?
There are 33,000 census records available for the last name Burd. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Burd census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.
Search 1940's US census records for Burd
There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Burd. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.
View all Burd immigration records
There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Burd. For the veterans among your Burd ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.
View all Burd military records
You've only scratched the surface of Burd family history.
Burd Life Expectancy
What is the average Burd lifespan?
Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Burd life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Burd in 1944 was 63, and 73 in 2004.
View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Burd
An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Burd ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.
Famous Burd Family Ancestors
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Swan pleads with Greens to not block mining tax
March 12, 2012 Newss11_admin Cole Latimer
Swan has asked the Greens to not block the Mineral Resources Rent Tax in the Senate as they call for changes to mining tax legislation.
It comes after the Australian Financial Review reported last week that the government may cut the multibillion dollar tax cuts for small businesses.
The Greens have stated they are unwilling to pass the MRRT until the government includes promised company tax cuts for small business in the mining tax legislation, the AFR reports.
According to Greens head Bob Brown "the Gillard government has itself to blame if the Senate delays passage of the mining tax package in the coming weeks.
"Where is the government’s promised tax cut for small business (from 30% to 29%) due to start in July? It is reasonable to want to see legislation for the small business tax cut before handling the rest of the package," Senator Bob Brown said in Hobart on Sunday.
Swan retorted that it was important to have support for the mining tax legislation as it suffers Opposition challenges.
"These are important measures. That’s why we need to see priority for passage of this legislation through the Senate and we need to see the support of the minor parties and the Greens."
He went on to say that it was important the legislation passed the Upper House within the next two weeks to come into effect for 1 July, The Age reported.
The Greens have also pushed for more changes to the mining tax, predominately to widen its scope from just iron ore and coal, and to include gold and uranium.
Bob Brown recently came under fire for these statements.
Sandra Close, a director of Surbiton, said she was ‘extremely concerned by the claims of the Greens’ and their calls for gold to come under the auspices of the MRRT.
"I have already highlighted the misleading and incorrect information on the gold industry contained in a report the Greens released late last year," Close said.
"Just last week, Senator Bob Brown specifically called for gold to be included in the MRRT, basing his arguments on the fundamentally flawed report.
"It is a real concern when politicians use faulty figures to justify their policies,” she said. "It’s quite clear that the Greens have little understanding of the gold industry and they don’t even seem to appreciate that gold is at the other end of the scale to the bulk commodities of coal and iron ore."
Close went on to say that the Greens’ estimates of the size of the Australian gold industry and that it is equal to the amount of gold export "is crazy, because Australia imports, refines, and re-exports a large amount of gold which has been mined in other country.
"Either the Greens are just naive or they are deliberately trying to inflate the gold industry numbers, so they can justify their claims for what tax it might yield," she said.
Swan is unlikely to budge on the current form of the mining tax, adding that some amendments from the Senate were expected.
"The fact is we have settled on the design of this tax," he said.
Minerals Council slams Gov over funding threats
Shockingly low mining tax needs fixing: Greens
Mining tax shortfall: the experts respond
States hit back at Swan’s mining royalty threats
← Man killed while repairing mine truck Indonesian mining changes leave Aussies confused →
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Caltech Whistleblower Case Jury Trial Currently Underway
July 18, 2019 / Blog Author
Farshid Roumi, a Caltech scholar, was allegedly fired for whistleblowing. Roumi worked in Pasadena-based Caltech’s engineering and applied science division. In 2017, Roumi filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court alleging retaliation and wrongful termination.
Roumi claims that he was fired after he exposed misappropriation of funds from the Department of Energy. Superior Court Judge Monica Bachner is presiding in the downtown Los Angeles Stanley Mosk Courthouse courtroom.
Roumi finished his doctoral dissertation at Caltech in 2010, “Shape Changing Transformations: Interactions with Plasticity and Electrochemical Processes.” He currently works as the Chief Executive Officer of his own company, Parthian Energy.
The whistleblower retaliation lawsuit Roumi filed is not the first that Caltech will face. In 2014, a Caltech professor, Sandra Troian, filed a complaint alleging retaliation after she provided the F.B.I. with information about a researcher who released restricted data to Israel and then made it public. Troian alleged that retaliation followed in the form of false accusations of research misconduct, prevention of her participation in campus events, and being denied over $1 million in grant funding.
Caltech’s official policy clearly prohibits retaliation. To quote policy, Caltech “prohibits retaliation against an individual who makes a good faith disclosure of suspected wrongful conduct.” The Institute also maintains whistleblower hotlines online or by phone.
If you need to discuss labor law violations or if you are experiencing retaliation in the workplace, take action to get the resolution you deserve. Get in touch with the experienced employment law attorneys at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw L.L.P. With conveniently located employment law offices in San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Santa Clara, Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange, and Chicago; we are here when you need help.
July 18, 2019 / Blog Author/ Comment
Employment Lawyer, Retaliation
blumenthal nordrehaug bhowmik de blouw llp, california employment law, california employment law attorneys, wrongful termination, wrongful termination lawsuit, wrongful termination suit, filing wrongful termination lawsuit, filing wrongful termination suit, workplace retaliation, workplace retaliation lawsuit
California Youth Prison Worker Threatened Black Co-Worker with Noose
According to a recent lawsuit, a maintenance worker at a California youth prison outside Los Angeles threatened a black co-worker, Gales, aged 57, with a noose. The maintenance worker who threw a noose over a light fixture at Ventura Youth Correctional Facility in May 2017 kept his job, but Darren Gales, the black co-worker to which the threat was made, was forced to go on leave after experiencing retaliation in connection with the event.
When Gales' co-worker threw the noose over a nearby light fixture and said, "someone or something needs to be hanged today," Gales, the sole black employee in the prison's procurement department, filed a discrimination complaint and let his manager know about the incident. He later overheard the maintenance worker who made the threat in a conversation with another manager in which the manager pledged to support the maintenance worker.
After overhearing this conversation, Gales went on a doctor-ordered medical leave to reduce both anxiety and stress. His physician extended the leave until January 2, 2018, when Gales returned to his job. Upon returning, Gales was told his job duties were revised in his absence – he was limited to desk duty and required to notify his boss every time he left his desk. Gales' benefits were reduced, and he received a disciplinary notice regarding the incident that started it all (well after the 30-day window to issue this type of notice passed).
Gales was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder related to the alleged discriminatory incident and left his job again on February 7, 2018. He has not been able to return to the job. He seeks compensation for lost wages and benefits as well as damages for emotional pain and suffering.
If you need to discuss an incident of discrimination in the workplace, please call one of Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP's various locations: San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Santa Clara, Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange or Chicago. We are ready to be your advocate as you seek resolution for labor law violations in the workplace.
Discrimination, Employment Lawyer
blumenthal nordrehaug bhowmik de blouw llp, southern california employment law, southern california employment law attorneys, wrongful termination, wrongful termination lawsuit, wrongful termination suit, harassment lawsuit, filing a harassment lawsuit
Is Starbucks Misgendering Trans Woman a Violation of Labor Law?
Starbucks recently claimed that misgendering or calling an employee by the wrong pronoun is not harassment, which is in direct contradiction to their employee guidelines. A former Starbucks employee, Maddie Wade, filed a complaint at the Fresno Superior Court in California suing the company for harassment and discrimination.
Wade, a former barista at a Starbucks in Fresno, alleges that when she began her transition, her manager at the time reduced her work hours and refused to call her by preferred pronouns. She also claims that her former Starbucks manager began posting transphobic material online through social media outlets. Wade claims that she was bullied and targeted by her manager at the Fresno Starbucks daily after she came out as transgender.
Allegedly, the mistreatment by her boss, Dustin Guthrie, escalated to unbearable levels and Wage had to transfer to a different Starbucks location. The harassment continued at the next Starbucks location. Wade claims her manager at the new site encouraged her to take the matter to the District Manager, and she did, but the situation was not resolved. After nine years of employment, Wade eventually left her position at Starbucks at the advice of her therapist due to the mental stress and “intolerable conditions” she was forced to endure.
Wade seeks general damages, special damages, punitive damages, and attorneys fees from her former employer. She states that the loss of health insurance prevented her from receiving the treatment and procedures she needs to complete her transition. Wade also claims that Starbuck’s value marketing group for its LGBTQ employees on the Facebook page, Starbucks Partners – Pride Alliance Network, refuses to allow her to post on its wall.
It is ironic that as we enter Pride Month, Starbucks seems to be making moves counter to its public record highlighting LGBTQ acceptance. The company is reasonably well known for its LGBTQ acceptance: scoring 100 out of 100 on Human Rights Campaign’s 2018 Corporate Equality Index, releasing annual LGBTQ-focused products, rolling out trans-inclusive health care included in their benefits package, etc. Attorneys representing the massive coffee provider are filing a motion for summary judgment and arguing that there is not enough evidence to show that Guthrie was calling Wade by incorrect pronouns on purpose. Without proof of intent, the Defendant contends that the behavior in itself cannot constitute discrimination under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act.
If you have questions about filing a discrimination lawsuit or if you experienced discrimination in the workplace, the experienced employment law attorneys at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP can help. Get in touch with employment law office nearest you: San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Santa Clara, Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange or Chicago.
Employment Lawyer, Harassment, Discrimination
blumenthal nordrehaug & bhowmik, california employment law, california employment law attorney, California labor law, California labor law violation, misgendering, gender discrimination, misgendering bias, gender discrimination lawsuit
Google Hiring Discrimination Lawsuit Progresses & California Judge Apologizes
Google job applicants filed suit alleging discrimination based on gender, race, and political views. The plaintiffs in the suit claim Google had a clear pattern of hiring white or Asian men with particular political views (or perceived political views). In response to the lawsuit, Google filed three motions in an attempt to squash the legal action: a motion to dismiss, a motion to strike, and a motion for judgment on the pleadings.
The Superior Court Judge in Santa Clara took apart each of the arguments in a written order (nine pages long) and concluding by apologizing to Google and advising them that they would have to face the charges in court.
Plaintiffs counsel will need to negotiate with Google over the discovery plan and start getting documents from them related to the plaintiffs’ request to certify class.
The Defendant, Google, claims they lack the ability to discriminate against job applicants based on political views or activities. They argued that hundreds of thousands or even millions of people have applied to work at Google during the five years proposed as a class period, and they could not reasonably be expected to go through them all. They argued that even if they could go through them all, they couldn’t possibly define who is a conservative and who is not. Counsel for the plaintiff argued that Google’s argument was similar to arguments made decades ago when issues of discrimination against women were brought up in court. Concepts of gender and race are the basis for a large portion of discrimination cases, yet in the modern workplace, these concepts are more fluid than ever, yet the legislature actively protects them against discrimination, leaving it to the court to resolve the issue.
Plaintiffs’ counsel also made sure to note that according to Google insiders, the massive tech company reviews the personal data of job applicants using its own collection of user data. They even refer to an individual’s fitness to be a Google employee as the x-factor of “Googliness.”
If you have experienced discrimination in the workplace or during the hiring process, please don’t hesitate. The experienced employment law attorneys at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP can help. With convenient locations in San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Santa Clara, Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange, and Chicago, we are ready to be your advocate and seek justice for unfair working conditions.
blumenthal nordrehaug bhowmik de blouw llp, california employment law, california employment law attorneys, hiring discrimination, hiring discrimination lawsuit, hiring discrimination suit
Comcast Contractor Faces Settles Up to Resolve Allegations of Unpaid Overtime and Labor Law Violations
O.C. Communications Inc., a Comcast Contractor that supplies tech talent, agrees to pay a $7.5 million settlement to resolve an unpaid overtime lawsuit. Court documents include allegations that company employees were not paid overtime, were denied meal breaks in violation of state labor law, and not reimbursed for business expenses (i.e., tools necessary for the job).
The federal overtime class-action lawsuit was filed in San Francisco naming O.C. Communications (a California firm) and Comcast as Defendants. The two Defendants agreed to settle the case after an extensive amount of litigation that included the production of 1.5 million documents related to the case. Both Defendants, while agreeing to pay the settlement amount identified above, continue to deny any wrongdoing.
One of the lead plaintiffs in the class action overtime lawsuit, Desidero Soto of Concord, California, claims that O.C. Communications scheduled him to complete 32 job stops during one workday even though the typical complete workday included a total of eight stops. Supervisors instructed him to work through meal breaks to make it work regardless of what he was required to write on official time sheets. He claims any time taken to eat during the workday was while driving from job to job and even then, he was required to be accessible by cell phone at all times and to respond to work calls at any time.
Another plaintiff in the class action lawsuit, Jacky Charles of Margate, Florida, was a tech for the Defendant from September 2016 through May 2017. He claims that he was required to buy his own wireless drill, drill bits, screwdriver, staple gun, and a variety of cables, and work clothes to fulfill his job duties. Hundreds of other techs presented similar claims to the court.
According to court records, the $7.5 million settlement that O.C. Communications and Comcast agreed to pay plaintiffs on March 1st could have the 4,500 techs splitting the amount (minus legal fees).
If you have questions about unpaid overtime or what constitutes a violation of labor law, the experienced employment law attorneys at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP can help. Get in touch with the employment law office nearest you: San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Santa Clara, Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange or Chicago.
Class Action, Employment Lawyer, Overtime, Wage and Hour
blumenthal nordrehaug bhowmik de blouw llp, california employment law, california employment law attorneys, decision reversal, court reverses decision, overtime wage dispute, overtime wage suit, overtime wage lawsuit, california overtime lawsuit, california overtime suit, California wage lawsuit, wage suit
Overtime Claims Filed By Offshore Oil Rig Workers: Governed by FLSA or California State Law?
The Supreme Court recently ruled unanimously that state wage and hour laws do not apply to offshore drilling workers when federal law addresses the issue in question. In the recent case, Parker Drilling Management Services v. Newton, No. 18-389, the question the Supreme Court was asked to answer was whether California law governs minimum wage and payment for “standby time” for workers on oil rigs working in federal waters off the California shoreline.
When they held that California’s wage and hour laws do not apply, the Supreme Court rejected the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision. The Supreme Court concluded that under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), California state law is not applicable as surrogate federal law unless federal law presents a significant void or gap concerning the specific issue. The Supreme Court decision is a decided victory for companies currently operating or servicing oil rigs off the California coast in federal waters.
The Allegations Made in the Wage and Hour Case:
Brian Newton, the plaintiff in the case, worked on oil drilling platforms off the coast of California as an employee of Parker Drilling Management Services, Ltd. Newton alleges that he regularly worked 14-day shifts involving 12 hours of “on duty” hours per day and 12 hours of “standby” per day. During the standby hours, Newton claims he could not leave the platform, yet he was not paid for the standby hours.
Newton filed a class action lawsuit in California state court alleging that the company’s standby policies violated California’s wage and hour laws as well as other claims of labor law violations in connection to Parker Drilling’s failure to provide workers with pay for standby hours. After the case was removed to federal district court, parties involved agreed that the oil drilling platforms where Newton performed his job duties were covered under OCSLA.
If you are dealing with issues of wage theft and you aren’t sure how to seek justice for the wages you have lost, please get in touch with one of the experienced employment law attorneys at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP can help. Get in touch with the employment law office nearest you: San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Santa Clara, Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange or Chicago.
Overtime, Wage and Hour, Class Action
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Thomas Keller Pregnancy Discrimination Lawsuit Goes to Trial
A former server for the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group, Vanessa Scott-Allen, was denied a position at the French Laundry when management discovered her pregnancy. The company insists that they did not issue a formal job offer to Scott-Allen and that she misconstrued “pleasantries” with an official offer. They further claim that the reason she did not receive a job offer was her performance on the job.
Scott-Allen seeks $5 million in damages for wrongful termination and sex discrimination from the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group. The Group runs the French Laundry and Per Se, as well as other dining establishments. The plaintiff named Thomas Keller himself in the lawsuit alongside the General Manager of French Laundry, Michael Minnillo. The case went to trial in Napa County Superior Court close to three years after the plaintiff filed the original suit.
It is not uncommon for suits of this type to be settled outside of court, but Scott-Allen preferred to go to trial to raise awareness for issues that riddle the entire restaurant industry. Scott-Allen insists that she considered the company family and that they betrayed her by rescinding her job offer once her pregnancy was known.
Scott-Allen claims that she spent five years at New York’s Per Se, where she received regular promotions in the workplace from kitchen server to captain, the highest ranking server position at the company. She began planning a move to the West Coast to have more space, to raise a family, and to work at the French Laundry, Keller’s fine-dining destination in Yountville. She advised her manager of the move/transfer, signed the transfer request form, and packed her things. When she arrived in Napa Valley, she found that there was not a job for her after all. Only weeks had passed since managers at the French Laundry discovered that Scott-Allen was pregnant.
According to the lawsuit, managers asked Scott-Allen how her pregnancy may affect her job performance during an interview in April 2016. But the hiring manager, Minnillo, already knew that Scott-Allen was pregnant. Scott-Allen submitted proof of the prior knowledge during the case. Minnillo wrote in an email sent on March 1, 2016, to the company’s head of Human Resources that the pregnancy was never mentioned and that there was confusion regarding how to proceed. According to the suit, Minnillo and the HR manager came up with a plan to give Scott-Allen a “sham” interview to protect themselves and the company in case she decided to file a pregnancy discrimination lawsuit. During a video deposition, Minnillo stated that the interview was “to go through the motions” even though he had no intention of hiring Scott-Allen.
The company claims that Minnillo’s confusion was not due to what to do in the situation because of Scott-Allen’s pregnancy. They insist that Minnillo decided not to hire her based on her job performance as they had previously worked together at Per Se. The company insists that he was simply wondering if Scott-Allen’s pregnancy would prevent him from passing her over for the job. A little over a week after passing Scott-Allen over for the job insisting that there was no position for her at the French Laundry, the restaurant hired a different individual to fill the role of captain – one who had no prior experience at a Michelin-starred restaurant, but that was not pregnant.
If you have experienced pregnancy discrimination on the job or during the hiring process, the experienced employment law attorneys at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP can help. Get in touch with the employment law office nearest you: San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Santa Clara, Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange or Chicago.
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Home WHAT'S ON Cinema Africà de Barcelona & L'Alternativa
Cinema Africà de Barcelona & L'Alternativa
L'alternativa - Rabbit a la Berlin
African Film Festival
A large chunk of this month sees two Barcelona film festivals running back-to-back.
First is the 15th edition of the African Film Festival. Given Africa’s cultural, historic, linguistic and topographic mix, any (film) festival dedicated to Africa has to be highly selective regarding its content—and so it is here. This year, the range of countries represented is small and there’s a sad lack of female film-makers. However, there are screenings of both recent works (such as 2009’s Nothing But the Truth from South African film-maker John Kani) and productions from directors included in past editions such as Ivorian Henri Duparc. Homage is paid to the late Senegalese directors Ousmane Sembène, Mahama Johnson Traoré and Samba Félix Ndiaye and there’ll be two film premieres: Taxiphone by Algerian director Mohammed Soudani and Les gars du bled from Moroccan film-maker Mohamed Ismail.
Barcelona’s Independent Film Festival, L’Alternativa, also has a difficult remit, as it tries to offer audiences ‘alternative’ films. While tedious Hollywood sequels and remakes are not in short supply in Barcelona cinemas, the city also has its fair share of arthouse venues, making the task of finding an alternative to the alternative that bit more challenging. Still, their mission to highlight “other views and other voices that are never present in commercial cinema” is to be applauded. This year’s key director is Frenchman Raymond Depardon, a documentary-maker whose work takes a peek behind the doors of modern France to look at its justice system, agricultural workers and the sole psychiatric hospital with a 24-hour emergency department. Elsewhere, L’Alternativa offers: a masterclass by Barcelona cinematographer Lluís Miñarro (7th); a new children’s strand called ‘Pequeños Experimentos’ (where all the films are presented by a host who will talk to the young audience about the themes covered) and ‘Pantalla Hall’, a non-stop showing of recent experimental films
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Join Rob Webber and Bath Rugby this Movember!
Join Rob Webber and the Bath Rugby Movember team and help change the face of men’s health!
Get involved this Movember and join men and women from across the globe to help men live happier, healthier, longer lives.
This year, Bath Rugby's Rob Webber has agreed to be the Bath Rugby Mo Captain. If you can’t sign up yourself but you want to support Rob, or any of the other team members, you can go to http://moteam.co/bath-rugby to make a donation.
"I'm really pleased to have been asked to be Mo Captain for the Club this season," said England international Webber, whose Mo Bro page can be found here. "It's for a fantastic cause, so I really hope our supporters - and my teammates! - get behind me!"
It’s now Movember, formerly known as November, so it’s time to Grow that Mo, Get MOVE-ing or get donating, to support men’s health. Sign up today and join the Bath Rugby team!
If you can’t grow a Mo, it’s no problem: Movember have launched a new way to get involved called MOVE – people are moving every day throughout Movember. Perfect for the less hairy Mo Bro’s out there and a great opportunity for our Mo Sista’s to get involved!
Whether you have already decided to take part in Movember this year, or you would like to get involved now, we would love for you to join the Bath Rugby team today.
There are two ways that you can get involved:
GROW: Men will start clean shaven and grow a moustache for the month. No beards. No goatees.
MOVE: Men and women can commit to get active and MOVE every day during Movember.
However you want to get involved, go to http://moteam.co/bath-rugby today to sign up and join the Bath Rugby Team!
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Who We Are, What We Believe
Biblia Blog
Financial & Donation Information
Bibles For China
Bibles For Asia
Troas Project
Bekah's 5k Watermelon Walk + Run + Roll
Biblia Global
Biblia Global and CS Lewis
CS Lewis was an intellectual giant and one of the 20th century's greatest spokesmen of Christianity. While not a trained theologian, he had the ability to express profound truths in lucid, simple prose. Even 52 years after his death, his books still rank #1 in numerous categories on Amazon.com. Who among us hasn't been influenced by at least one of his great works like The Chronicles of Narnia, A Grief Observed, Mere Christianity, or The Screwtape Letters? Yet his legacy lies not in the number of copies his books have sold, who quotes him the most in their sermons, or his popularity in Christian subculture. His legacy and true achievement lie in WHOM he pointed us to. Lyle Dorsett has succinctly put it this way;
"Perhaps CS Lewis' most enduring legacy will be that in the final analysis, we do not see him clearly at all, because he stands in the shadows, as it were, like a soldier at a fork in the road on the edge of a combat zone. He briskly motions the troops on towards the proper direction. No one really sees or pays close attention to the one directing the troops. They are too preoccupied with the action that lies ahead." [1]
This is what we desire for Biblia Global. To be the soldier at the fork in the road directing God's people in the west to where the battle and need for prayer lies in the global church. To share the stories of our brothers and sisters in the hardest to reach places of the world who exist in the hornets nest of persecution and are still in need of His Word. Our work is ultimately about them and God's bigger story of His global Kingdom. This is what we want our supporters to see, pray for and support. These believers are the heroes of the narrative. Biblia Global simply directs western Christians to where the needs exists, tells those stories, and offers opportunities to be involved. On the other end, at the home front, we want to point our donors and supporters back to God and encourage more intimacy with Jesus Christ in their personal lives. Success, then, for us is not in growing an organization, but in seeing our donors connect to God as they seek Him, experience spiritual transformation and then in turn living generously in their lives back towards Him, wherever that may be. Success is getting our brothers and sisters in restricted nations the tools they need to grow in their faith.
Two personal stories illustrate the need for this. A number of years ago I had a desire to take Bibles to a communist country in south east Asia. Convinced God was leading me to do this, I purchased a plane ticket to a city there and got my visa to this country on faith. I had talked to some well connected friends in full time ministry about getting my hands on Bibles for this country and finding a contact to give my Bibles to once I got there. They felt sure we could find both these things before my flight left in six months. Fast forward to a couple of hours before I was supposed to leave for my trip and we still didn't have the Bibles or a contact in country! The main source we had gone to hadn't been able to help at all and I was left empty handed. I ended up flying to the country and simply praying for the people as I walked around and played the tourist. I see this as a formative experience for me as God used it in a bigger narrative: if I was willing to go to such great lengths to get Bibles to Christians (actually flying to the country), but was coming up empty handed do be able to do anything helpful (either in giving towards the need, carrying Bibles, or finding more information about the need), how many more people might be drawn to help and have even less contacts and information that I did? What was needed was a soldier at the fork in the road directing the Christian troops to where the need existed, how to help, where to go, and how to pray. God eventually did open the door to do work in this country a number of years later as Biblia Global came into existence. We are now actively taking Bibles to persecuted minorities in this Asian country.
The second story is similar in nature. After sharing stories of the need for Bibles in China to supporters back home, I had three people respond to give towards the need for Chinese Bibles. One was a missionary couple living in Uganda, the second was a 5 year old little girl who wanted her friends to give towards Chinese Bibles for her birthday party, the third was a friend who wanted to take the need before the elders of his home church. In each of the instances, there was 1. no place for someone living overseas to give online, 2. no organization to take the coins and dollar bills from the children who wanted to help out, and 3. no official organization to develop a relationship with a church for a congregation in the west to help out! What was needed was a soldier at the fork in the road showing the Christian troops where to give, how to help, and developing a relationship of trust to empower the church in the west to help with the need.
It was from these very experiences and initial dead ends that God brought Biblia Global into existence. As we celebrate our first year of ministry and how God is working through Biblia Global, may each of us - Biblia Global and myself included - seek to be the soldier at the fork of the road and point those around us to Jesus. They may only vaguely remember us, but may they go on to fully embrace our Lord and support our persecuted brothers and sister in the global church.
Soli deo Gloria,
[1]Lyle Dorsett, Seeking the Secret Place: The Spiritual Formation of CS Lewis (Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2004),165.
Tagged: What is Biblia Global?, CS Lewis, Bibles for China, Bibles for Asia
Newer PostEmperor of China with a Bible
© 2014-2019 Biblia Global. All rights reserved.
Biblia Global is a registered 501 (c)(3) non profit organization.
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News News News!
BIG HAIRY NEWS - "100% natural news, no fillers, no preservatives, no sh*t."
King and Queen of Europe Married
LONDON (BHN) - This happened in the middle of the night so I'm not exactly clear on the details, but I believe the King of England or Wales married the Queen of Sussex or London, and are now King and Queen of Europe.
Details: The King wore a red jacket with a bunch of crap hanging off it, and the Queen wore a white dress with a huge fabric landing strip leading to her Royal Heinie. Both rode in big cars, and got married in a big church - possibly the only church in Europe that's not been turned into a nightclub. Congratulations to the royal couple!
Gaddafi's Soldiers Issued Viagra
TRIPOLI, Libya (BHN) - Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's troops are being issued large quantities of the boner drug Viagra, in an attempt to encourage them to commit sexual violence against rebel forces.
The U.S. envoy to the United Nations told the Security Council that the results have been predictable, with Libyan forces paralyzed by an epidemic outbreak of anal rape among its soldiers, while unopposed rebel forces take key cities.
Superman Renounces U.S. Citizenship, Morality, Common Sense
NEW YORK CITY (BHN) - In order to more accurately mirror current events and morals, Action Comics issue #900 will feature Superman renouncing his U.S. citizenship and professing to be a gay Democrat.
"Being an illegal alien, it's long been assumed that Superman was a Democrat," said writer Bobbi Starr. "We've just taken the character to his logical fabulous conclusion."
04/29/2011 | Permalink | 0 Comments | TrackBack (0)
Obama: We Are All Connected, No Matter Where We Pretend To Come From
SAN FRANCISCO (BHN) - Obviously pandering to minority voters, President Obama told an audience at a California fundraiser that we in the United States are all connected, regardless of how we got here.
"No matter who you are. No matter where you came from. No matter what you look like. No matter whether your ancestors landed here on Ellis Island, snuck across the Rio Grande, or came from an African country but pretended not to, we are all connected," the President said.
Critics were quick to condemn the President's statement for equating legal with illegal immigration, and some voiced fears that Obama may try to kill himself when he comes to the full realization of what an insanely retarded thing his teleprompter made him say.
My comments: The thought that I am in any way "connected" to that bozo is, frankly, more than I can bear.
Barry Soetoro and mother in Kenya
Tags: barry obama, barry soetoro, commie obama, liberal pinhead, lying liberal obama, obama kenya, obama we are all connected, socialist obama
Napolitano: Pat-Down Of Little Girl Not So Bad
WASHINGTON (BHN) -Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said a video of a 6-year-old girl being groped by a TSA screener didn't show any improper conduct.
"I've been worked over twice as hard by a bigger woman than that, and outside of a little soreness and a small thigh bruise, I was no worse for wear," a laughing Napolitano told interviewers on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program. “But seriously, nobody likes to see those kinds of things done to a girl younger than 18,” she said. “I know I don't."
Napolitano said that she and her colleagues are working a number of things to streamline screening process, including expediting the process for frequent travelers.
My comments: This article evokes some visual images that may require a substantial quantity of tequila to erase!
Tags: frisking, grope, groping, homeland security, janet napolitano, pat down, security, tsa
White House Items Missing After Sharpton Meeting
WASHINGTON (BHN) - Several items were reported missing after President Barack Obama hosted a White House meeting on immigration reform Tuesday. The featured guest at the pseudo meeting/campaign photo-op was the "Reverend" Al Sharpton.
According to a White House source, items missing after the meeting were the President's wallet, an ashtray, one of the children's IPads, some silverware and a plate, and a pair of the First Lady's panties.
"Rev." Sharpton called the session concerning immigration reform "a very healthy beginning," and thanked the President for the private lunch and tour of the White House.
Washington police are working with the Secret Service to investigate the theft, but say they have no suspects.
My comments: I brushed against the "Reverend" boarding a plane out of Chicago once, and came up missing my money clip, watch, and a brand new pair of Nikes - he would be my number one suspect...
Tags: al sharpton, al sharpton and barack obama, obama and sharpton, rev al sharpton
Gore: Dropping Greenhouse Gases Cause For Concern
(BHN) - Former Vice President Al Gore called newly published reports that US greenhouse gases have dropped to their lowest levels in over 15 years "alarming."
"This is yet more clear proof that climate change is killing our world," claimed Gore. "Rising temperatures brought on by greenhouse gas emissions are destroying greenhouses and the food grown in them by eliminating badly needed gases. At this rate, in ten years there will be no greenhouses, and the world will starve."
Speaker of the House John Boehner called Gore's claims that greenhouse gases are destroying greenhouse gases "so retarded, even Nancy (Pelosi) can't get her head around it."
My comments: I have a feeling Al may be making this one up.
Al Gore speaking from gas-depleted greenhouse
Tags: 15 year low greenhouse gas emissions, al gore, climate change, global warming, greenhouse gasses
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Science selected
Birds' V formation finally explained Jump to media player Lead researcher Steven Portugal explains new findings that reveal why birds fly in a V formation.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/science-environment-25737960/birds-v-formation-finally-explained
Protecting Britain's birds of prey Jump to media player Conservationists say there is only one breeding pair of Hen Harriers left in England and claim numbers have dwindled over the last decade partly because of illegal killing
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/science-environment-21580923/would-changing-the-law-protect-britain-s-birds-of-prey
Birds' V formation finally explained
The mystery of why so many birds fly in a V formation may have been solved.
Scientists from the Royal Veterinary College in London fitted data loggers to a flock of rare birds that were being trained to migrate by following a microlight.
This revealed that the birds flew in the optimal position - gaining lift from the bird in front by remaining close to its wingtip.
The study, published in the journal Nature, also showed that the birds timed their wing beats.
Here, Dr Steven Portugal from the Royal Veterinary College describes the findings and the unique bird-training conservation project that made it possible.
Ibis footage courtesy of Waldarappteam. Video journalist: Victoria Gill
Go to next video: Protecting Britain's birds of prey
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James May's Toy Stories
This programme will be available shortly after broadcast
Flight Club
James May looks at the nation's childhood love affair with the model plane and attempts the first cross-channel flight ever achieved by an engineless, homemade supersized toy.
In this epic Toy Stories Christmas special, James gets to the heart of the nation's childhood love affair with the model plane and sets out to achieve what seems an impossible dream: the first cross-channel flight ever achieved by an engineless, homemade supersized toy. If it survives the perilous 22-mile journey, James's classic toy glider, lovingly built from over 1,000 pieces of balsa, will smash the British distance record.
James's mission is dedicated to making the dream of flight come true for the generations of children who, like James himself, slaved for hours over balsa and glue only to see their fragile and much-loved planes smash tragically on to the unyielding concrete of reality.
During his quest, James turns Indiana Jones to unearth surprising new evidence that identifies children as the true pioneers of flight and wrestles with an underperforming glider that threatens to barely leave the ground. And what starts as a simple yet noble aim takes James in many unexpected directions - to a mysterious and barely inhabited island, to helicopters lost in the fog and missing speedboats, and what can only be described as the world's first flying coffin for gliders.
Throughout, James is beset by a series of dramatic problems requiring inspired solutions, near-disasters and breakthroughs, which culminate in a thrilling and visually stunning last throw of the dice.
Underpinned throughout by James's own infectious passion for flight, a passion he's had since he first put glue to balsa as a ten-year-old, Flight Club is an epic journey into the unexpected.
The Great Train Race
The Motorcycle Diary
See all episodes from James May's Toy Stories
James searches for a large balsa glider
Presenter James May
Executive Producer Will Daws
Series Producer Tom Whitter
Director Tom Whitter
Sun 23 Dec 2012 21:30
BBC HD & BBC Two
Sat 29 Dec 2012 02:05
BBC Two Wales & England only
Sun 25 Aug 2013 22:30
BBC Two except Northern Ireland & Scotland
James May talks about toys
James describes the first toy he received at Christmas and the ones he wishes he'd owned.
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Something Understood
The Art of Faith
Dr Rowan Williams explores the relationship between art and faith and meets sculptor Antony Gormley, who reflects on the way his own art is used in a religious context.
Dr Rowan Williams explores the relationship between art and faith.
To help him explore some of his themes, Rowan introduces excerpts from a conversation he held recently with the sculptor Antony Gormley who has worked with the possibilities afforded sculpture by the contemplative atmosphere of places of worship, despite being without faith himself.
From the outset, the association between art and faith has often been difficult, particularly in relation to depicting the divine. Rowan explains, “From the Bible itself through the writings of the great contemplatives, there has been a constant stress on the mysteriousness of a God who can never be seen or touched like the objects of this world. Turn God into an object like others and you may as well forget about any serious religious depth.”
Rowan draws upon the music of Purcell and Elgar and the poetry of George Herbert - and concludes, “Like so much we hear and see in churches, images, sculptures, words and music can all be things that get in the way of what we’re there for… But they can also be invitations, reminding us that we come to sacred places in response to something we don’t always have words for, searching for a door or window that will let us receive more fully what the mystery that surrounds us wants to give.”
Presenter: Rowan Williams
Producer: Michael Wakelin
A TBI production for BBC Radio 4
Sun 4 Nov 2018 23:30
See all episodes from Something Understood
Music Played
Come Ye Sons of Art, Away
Performer: Michael Chance, New College Choir, Oxford, The Kings Consort & Robert King.
Purcell: Odes, Vol. 8 - Come Ye Sons of Art.
Hyperion Records.
The Dream of Gerontius, Op.38 Part 2: ‘I Go Before My Judge’
Performer: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge.
Elgar:The Dream of Gerontius - Delius: Sea Drift - Holst: Hymn of Jesus.
Decca Music Group.
O Ignis Spiritus
Performer: Gothic Voices. Conductor: Christopher Page.
Hildegard of Bingen: A Feather On the Breath of God.
William Byrd
IV. Sanctus et Benedictus
Performer: Tallis Scholars. Conductor: Peter Phillips.
The Tallis Scholars Sing William Byrd.
Gimell.
Vespers Hymn: O Lux Beata Trinitas
Performer: Anonymous 4.
Darkness into Light - Tavener: The Bridegroom & Other Works.
Harmonia Mundi.
Liturgy of St John Chrysostom: Cherubikon
Performer: Kiev Chamber Choir.
The Very Best of Tchaikovsky.
Naxos.
Title: Exodus 33:15-23, The Bible, New International Version
Publisher: Hodder Classics
Title: Prayer, The Complete English Works
Author: George Herbert
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Title: Psalm 139 v13 -18, The Bible, New International Version
Today’s programme was presented by Rowan Williams
The producer was Michael Wakelin
Religion & Ethics
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WSP acquires engineering and commissioning firm ccrd
WSP is expanding its national presence by acquiring ccrd, a national MEP engineering and commissioning firm.
WSP's buildings group, headquartered in New York City, now has 1,050 employees in 16 offices across the U.S. This merger will enhance the firm's capabilities in healthcare and science/technology, something that Houston-based ccrd has extensive expertise in.
“We are very enthusiastic about the benefits this will provide to our firms, clients and staff,” says Steve Burrows, executive vice president and USA director of buildings at WSP. “ccrd is a strong complement to our existing service offering, and the acquisition introduces WSP to new markets throughout the southeastern and south-central United States, while bolstering our existing presence in Houston and Washington, D.C.”
WSP and ccrd hold similar values and cultures, all the makings for an ideal merge.
WSP president and CEO, David Cooper, expands on the added benefits of acquiring ccrd. “Our coming together also expands the breadth of ccrd’s offering and affords them the benefits that come with being part of a national engineering consultancy, which, in addition to MEP systems engineering, has expertise in building structures, transportation and infrastructure, and environmental services,” notes Cooper. “ccrd’s clients will now have access to a single source for fully integrated multidisciplinary engineering services, and their employees will have expanded avenues for career exploration and growth.”
Vince DiPofi will be SSOE Group's President and CEO in December. He currently has executive level oversight over several of the firm's business units. Image: SSOE
June 04, 2019 | Engineers | John Caulfield, Senior Editor
SSOE Group names next President and CEO
Vince DiPofi has played a pivotal role in the firm’s business development strategies.
Burns & McDonnell's world headquarters, located on a 34-acre campus in South Kansas City, will be expanded by 22% with the additon of a 142,000-sf, four-story office building and a 550-slot parking deck. The firm will need more space as it beefs up its workforce to take advantage of a stronger economy. Image: Burns & McDonnell
August 29, 2018 | Engineers | John Caulfield, Senior Editor
Burns & McDonnell embarks on aggressive growth path
Favorable economic conditions spur plans to bump up hiring significantly over the next several years.
N|V|5 Global hopes to raise more than $93 million from a public stock offering. Image: N|V|5 Global
N|V|5 Global offers some of its stock for sale to the public
The proceeds could fuel more acquisitions.
A volunteer team from AECOM will be working with the nonprofit Solar Village Project to install a solar-powered water purification system that will supply the entire village of Darhi Ram, India, with clean water. The Solar Village Project is dedicated to finding sustainable solutions that provide electricity to rural areas in India and Africa. Image: AECOM
AECOM lends financial support to its employees’ volunteer humanitarian efforts
A grant program backs 25 projects in 15 countries.
February 05, 2018 | Engineers | Magnusson Klemencic Associates
Magnusson Klemencic Associates promotes six
MKA announces 2018 Senior Principal and Principal promotions as individuals continue to raise the bar and h...
Colorado State University's 121,600-sf Behavioral Sciences Building in Fort Collins is one of the many higher education projects that Bennett Wagner Grody has worked on. Image: BWG
November 02, 2017 | Engineers | John Caulfield, Senior Editor
CannonDesign expands its presence in Colorado with BWG acquisition
Future mergers could be in the offing.
4G Wetlands, the Central Pasco County (Fla.) Beneficial Water Reuse Project, for which CH2M provided design, permitting and services during construction, recently won the Florida Water Environment Association’s 2016 David W. York Water Reuse Project award. Image: CH2M
Jacobs agrees to acquire CH2M
Combined company could challenge AECOM as the world’s top engineering firm.
N|V|5 Global provided commissioning services on the Pentagon throughout its renovation. Image: Courtesy of N|V|5 Global
N|V|5 Global bolsters its MEP business with acquisition of RDK Engineers
This is its fifth deal so far this year.
May 03, 2017 | Engineers | ACEC
At first buoyed by Trump election, U.S. engineers now less optimistic about markets, new survey shows
The first quarter 2017 (Q1/17) of ACEC’s Engineering Business Index (EBI) dipped slightly (0.5 points) to 6...
Sub-metering refers to monitoring systems added on specific equipment, systems, processes, or floors to determine where energy is being used. Tracking energy consumption through sub-metering is currently at a 40—60% ratio of clients who do and do not install sub-metering.
February 24, 2017 | Engineers | Davide Vettraino and Michael Morrissey, NV5
Understanding retro commissioning
For owners of existing buildings, retrocommissioning creates a baseline to compare future building energy c...
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Roadster refreshed
New BILSTEIN B12 Pro-Kit for a BMW Z3 E36/7
“Can you feel how the shock absorbers are bottoming out?” Mustafa asks me to my left on the driver’s seat. Earlier on the freshly asphalted part of the country road everything was still okay. But here on the asphalt road with the bumps, the handling of the old BMW Z3 is actually anything but good. The roadster also quickly reaches its limits when cornering: “When it comes down to business, saying if the suspension has to work properly, you notice that the shock absorbers and springs no longer work optimally. This makes it rumble at the rear and the steering is also a little sloppy,” Mustafa explains.
No surprise, after all the BMW is now over 20 years old, built in 1998. Together with Daniel Boehnke, Mustafa Yavuz from our Customer Service / Technical Support wants to install a new suspension today to revive the proverbial driving pleasure of the Z3 and make the handling safe. The choice falls on the BILSTEIN B12 Pro-Kit, which offers a well-balanced sporty-comfortable set-up with maximum safety.
They take the car to the garage and up on the lift. Mustafa and Daniel first take care of the front axle. The two motor vehicle professionals dismantle the front wheels, loosen the tie rod and the bolts on the steering knuckles. After the screws of the dome bearings have been loosened, the struts can be removed.
A look at the old components shows: “The dome bearings are broken, the shock absorbers are externally ok”. But a simple test shows that the old shock absorbers are worn out and no longer serviceable. Mustafa compresses the standard two-pipe shock absorber, the piston rod remains in the retracted position and does not extend again. Mustafa has the explanation: “This is due to the nitrogen filling, which has evaporated. A problem that does not occur with our monotube technology”.
“On short journeys on level roads, the wear of the shock absorbers is hardly noticeable,” Mustafa knows. “However, in critical situations or on longer journeys they reach their limits more quickly because the nitrogen filling can no longer prevent cavitation (foaming of the shock absorber oil) and the characteristic of the shock absorber collapses. Due to foaming, the shock absorber loses its ability to damp the vibration energy by means of liquid friction. As a result, driving stability and driving comfort are impaired. “The best tires and brakes are of no use if the shock absorbers fail and traction is lost”.
The cover of the hood compartment on the rear must be removed so that the rear support bearings can be dismantled. The old shock absorbers and springs are quickly replaced. But the shock absorbers are not yet tightened. “The kingpin bolts are not tightened until the vehicle is back on the ground. Otherwise, tension can occur,” explains Mustafa. “In addition, when installing a new chassis, all axle bearings/rubber bearings should always be checked and the installation instructions followed”.
Once all the assembly work has been completed, the BMW Z3 goes where it belongs: on the country road. The 30 mm lowering suits the red roadster extremely well. Mustafa is satisfied: “The driving experience is much better now. The chassis now absorbs bumps, potholes or milled edges much more effectively”. How about the steering? “It also works much better, much more directly. All in all, the Z3 is sporty and comfortable, as if on rails”.
“Punching and swaying are perceived as typical driving characteristics of the old roadster,” Mustafa continues. “Our conversion to the BILSTEIN B12 Pro-Kit suspension proves that this image is unfounded, because the Z3 does not drive as one would assume. Agile and stable is the motto of our test. The BMW Z3 is running like a new car. No, I’m correcting myself, its handling performance is even better!”
BILSTEIN Products
Podium place for BILSTEIN and Black Falcon
Strong performance and many class victories at the 24h race at the Nürburgring 2019
Non-compliant bumper mounting prevents Anton Marklund’s debut victory
FIA World Rallycross Championship
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Birmingham residents raise £49,000 for hospice
Birmingham residents rose to the challenge of recycling a record number of Christmas trees to raise £49,000 for local charity, Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice.
2,630 homes across Birmingham took part in ‘Treecycling’ this weekend (Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 January) – the city’s largest tree recycling scheme – in which festive firs were collected from residents’ doorsteps in return for a donation.
Over 100 volunteers took part in the initiative, which saw them collect trees from a range of postcodes across Birmingham and Solihull. The trees were then recycled into compost or biomass fuel.
One of the key corporate champions supporting the campaign was civil engineering contractor, Fitzgerald, who generously provided staff and vans for the collection weekend.
All funds raised from Treecycling went towards Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice, which provides vital care and support to local families living with terminal illness across Birmingham and Sandwell.
Hamish Shilliday, head of fundraising at Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice, said: “Before Christmas, we set the residents of Birmingham and Solihull a challenge to increase the amount of trees recycled across the West Midlands – and we’re thrilled that they succeeded.
“It’s fantastic to have collected 1,000 more trees this year than in 2017 and to see the scheme go from strength to strength. Thank you to everyone who donated and to the volunteers who worked tremendously hard over the weekend. We are also grateful to Fitzgerald for their generous commitment in continuing to support Treecycling – our success would not have been possible without their support.
“Raising £49,000 is an impressive amount and will make a big difference to the local families living with terminal illness that we care for.”
Treecycling was part of the Hospice’s ‘Care at Christmas’ campaign – a festive appeal which aimed to boost support for individuals and families living with terminal illness. So far, the appeal has raised an impressive £135,000, enabling vital care, compassion and comfort to be available to more people, wherever and whenever they need it.
To find out more about Care at Christmas, take a look here.
Author: Sian Floyd
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Welly wanger competion row kicks off in Shropshire
A TRIPLE welly wanger champion has been branded a cheat amid claims he ‘fixed’ a tournament.
Mike Lockley
Mick ‘The Swing’ Scriven has been accused of tarnishing the ‘bootiful’ game by awarding himself the trophy at the Beckbury Challenge in Shropshire – despite being the ONLY contestant.
But 49-year-old garage owner Mick has hit back, denying allegations that he added weights to his welly to win the coveted Golden Boot three times.
The tournament, held around The Seven Stars pub, attracts up to 100 of the best wangers from across the Midlands each September.
But Mick’s would-be opponents abandoned the last contest, believing it had been called off due to heavy rain which had left the arena in a soggy state.
Mick, who runs the competition, went ahead anyway, even though he was the only contestant.
“I did not use underhand – or even overarm – tactics to lift the Golden Boot for a third time this year,” Mick told the Sunday Mercury.
“If they’re in the beer tent, that’s their problem.”
Mick insists his decision to re-start the contest was broadcast over the public address system, and that his throw was witnessed and measured by a tournament marshal.
“I keep the welly because I’ve won each year,” he explained. “The first time I won, I was gutted for the lad who came runner-up because he’d been in the lead all day. I paid for him to have six more attempts out of my own pocket.
Mick’s winning moves see him first compressing his welly into a near ball in his fist, then flinging the footwear from waist level.
The deadpan father-of-two insisted: “It’s all above board. It’s all about the wrist action. I do not add any weights.”
The champion defended his reputation after rival Mark ‘Northy’ Northwood, who uses the age-old over-arm ‘grenade’ technique when wangling his welly, lifted the lid on the win-at-all costs village heats.
Mark, 28, a former javelin champ at school and once trained by Olympic silver medallist javelin thrower Dave Ottley, has twice been runner-up to “The Swing’ at the village games.
“Mick uses his own wellington – an Argyll – for a start,” he complained. “When Barcelona played Chelsea last week, they didn’t bring their own ball.
“It has never been checked before, or after, being chucked. And last year no-one even witnessed the winning throw.
“I find the throws recorded by Mick surprising, although his 2009 effort was wind-assisted. If his welly was doctored, he must have used something like sand, something you can get rid quickly.
Mark is especially annoyed by last year’s show when Mick won the day with a lob of 37 feet, measured by friend and committee member Pete Glaze.
“We were told over the Tannoy it had been cancelled because of the rain,” he said. “Next thing we know, he’s lifting the shield. I haven’t spoken to a single person who saw that throw. A competition with one competitor isn’t a competition.
“I’m not asking for goal-line technology, but there needs to be hard and fast regulations from a governing body.”
The World Welly Wanging Association, based in Upper Thong, West Yorkshire, has drawn up 13 rules to govern competitions, which include an order for the sport to have “fair play, good humour and good manners to be exhibited at all times”.
In an attempt to resolve the row before the next competition in September Mick said: “He can have a wang-off, but it will be at the next Challenge in September. The trophy’s going nowhere until then.”
mike.lockley@trinitymirror.com
SparkhillMan charged with murder of Malik Hussain following Sparkhill stabbingHaseeb Mirza, aged 25, of St Benedicts Road, Small Heath, will appear in court on Saturday (July 20) charged with murder
In The NewsDad-of-two 'Tank' shot to death in broad daylight - before killer went to pubDepraved Wade Cox has been jailed after shooting a dad-of-two dead in broad daylight
Birmingham City CouncilPub boss sacked for hiring out old Wacky Warehouse to Burger Bar Boys gangsters for £2,500 a nightWest Midlands Police criticised the supervisor for 'chasing money' and pub owners Greene King for failing to 'take responsibility'
FashionThis is when Newlife is opening its Birmingham store selling bargain high street clothesThe shop will sell new sample stock and customer returns from shops like Topshop and River Island
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Wolves boss Terry Connor plots Great Escape II
TERRY Connor has told his players to ‘just give us a chance’.
Mat Kendrick
Terry Connor. Picture Sam Bagnall/AMA
Wolves head to Stoke hopelessly cast adrift at the bottom after five straight defeats. Hit by key injuries, Connor could be forgiven for giving up – but he has vowed to fight on.
“We just get back to work,’’ he said. “We started again on Monday with the process of building confidence and belief levels back up. We’ve still got seven games to play.
“I’ve told the players every game has to be competitive.
“If we do that we give ourselves a chance right to the very end and that is what I am asking for. We want to make sure we play a third season in the Premier League where every game is competitive and there are no dead rubbers.”
Wolves were written off after a 3-0 defeat at Stoke last season but pulled off a dramatic final-day escape after drawing at Blues then beating Albion and Sunderland.
“We’ve always done that – when we face difficult times and problems we have always got together and pulled through,” Connor said.
“We’re using that as our template. The lads’ approach against Bolton, particularly in the first half, was terrific and we should have been more than one goal ahead when we were.
“If we can reproduce that again seven times between now and the end of the season we’ll give ourselves a chance of playing 38 competitive games.
“If they play like that I can have no comebacks or no recourse. I’d settle for going to the last day and I’d settle for going a minute longer – to 89 minutes if it meant someone scoring a goal which kept us in the division.
“The most important thing is to try and stay in the Premier League and if we do that on the last day it would mean we are competitive for the 38 games, which is what we are aiming to be.”
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On ‘Ambedkar and the Bhagawat Gita’
by BS Murthy
Nalini Pandit’s essay – Ambedkar and the Bhagawat Gita – in Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 27, No. 20/21 (May 16-23, 1992), pp. 1063-1065, digitized by JSTOR, which is making rounds on the net, makes an interesting reading. Mine own ‘Mundane distortions in the Divine discourse’ dealing with the interpolations in Bhagvad-Gita, accessible in the perspectives on this site, affords the readers an alternate view point to Ambedkar’s point of view as follows.
In Nalini Pandit’s essay, it is articulated thus: When emperor Ashoka embraced Buddhism, it became a state religion. The Brahmins, then, lost all state patronage and were reduced to a secondary position. Ashoka prohibited all animal sacrifices in his kingdom. The Brahmins who officiated at these sacrifices lost their chief source of income. Consequently a rebellion of Brahmins against the Buddhist state took place under Pushyamitra Sung who came from a Brahmin dynasty. Pushyamitra destroyed the Buddhist state and established in its place a Brahmin political order. This is what Ambedkar calls a counter-revolution. The Brahmin rulers made Brahmins a class of privileged persons and the varna was turned into caste. The Brahmins brought about a system of graded inequality based on birth. Inter-caste dining and marriages were prohibited. The position of women and shudras was degraded. Manu smriti lays down the laws of this counter-revolution. And the Bhagwat Gita is meant to defend the new social order and its religious dogmas on philosophic grounds.
The soul of the Bhagwat Gita, according to Ambedkar, seems to be the defence of chataturvarnyaan and securing its observance in practice. Krishna does not merely rest content with saying that chatur-varnya is based on guna-karma but he goes further and issues two positive injunctions. The first injunction is contained in chapter 111, verse 26. In this Krishna says that a wise man should not by counter-propaganda create a doubt in the mind of an ignorant person who is a follower of karma kand which, of course, includes the observance of the rules of chaturvarnya. In other words, you must not agitate or excite people to rise in rebellion against the theory of karma kand and all that it includes. The second in-junction is laid down in chapter XVIII, verses 41-48. In this Krishna tells that everyone should do the duty prescribed for his varna and no other and warns that those who worship him and are his devotees will not obtain salvation by mere devotion but by devotion accompanied by observance of duty laid down for his varna. In short a shudra however great he may be as a devotee will not get salvation if he has transgressed the duty of the shudra, namely, to live and die in the services of the higher classes.
As elaborated in Nalini Pandit’s essay, Ambedkar shared D.D. Kosambi’s view that Bhagvad Gita was composed in the reign of the Gupta king Baladitya, who ascended the throne in the year AD 467, to serve the above cited purpose. On the other hand, it is the general belief that the Gita is two millennia old, albeit with some interpolations (variously speculated by many a critic) making their way in between. It would be interesting to see Ambedkar’s view that Bhagvad Gita ‘seems to be the defence of chataturvarnyaan and securing its observance in practice. Krishna does not merely rest content with saying that chatur-varnya is based on guna-karma but he goes further and issues two positive injunctions,’ in the context of the arguments advanced in my said ‘Mundane distortions in the Divine discourse’.
About the above cited first injunction contained in chapter 111, verse 26, if v9 to v18 and v24 of the chapter are taken as interpolations, then the said injunction would be an altogether different proposition. And this can be seen in ‘Theory of Action: Bhagvad Gita Chaper 3’ as rendered by me in this site.
In so far as the second injunction laid down in chapter XVIII, verses 41-48, in the said ‘Mundane distortions in the Divine discourse’ it is stated that ‘S41- s48 that describe the allotted duties of man on the basis of his caste are clearly interpolations. In essence, the discourse till s40 is about the human nature and how it affects man. As can be seen, the duties on caste lines detailed in the said interpolations have no continuity of argument. As in earlier chapters, the text acquires continuity if only these verses are bypassed as can be seen from 'Thy Looking Glass Bhagvad-Gita Chapter 18’.
Going by the above, the moot point is whether the soul of the Bhagwat Gita is to be found in ‘the defence of chataturvarnyaan and securing its observance in practice’ as opined by Ambedkar, or was it a case of a pollution of a pre-existing text to serve the said cause, which when the discourse is seen in its totality, seems more likely to my mind.
More by : BS Murthy
It is difficult to comprehend the conclusion of Yashuratnam that " probably the modernized version of the Bhagavad Gita was interpolated during the period 1793-1805 CE". If the head priest had indeed duped Wilford then references of Egyptian kings etc. become irrelevant. As against this if Wilford was not duped then his own credibility is suspect. Even if we assume that Wilford was duped, it does not mean that modern version of Gita along with its host of commentaries right from the days of Shankara (8th century) to the 17th century were systematically interpolated during 1793-1805 CE or thereafter.
Yeshuratnam's other question and its implicit claim that "in old age century-old scriptures cannot be memorized" is itself questionable. Yes, a new memorization in old age is difficult but the old memory, if its retrieval is exercised with reasonable frequency, can be kept very much alive. Further, the existence of oral tradition does no mean that the extant scriptures were not kept in any written form (manuscripts) prior to 1793 CE for reference.
Without ruling out the possibility of interpolation, Mr Murthy's alternative view may only mean that Gita can be interpreted to offer more than one doctrine without any deliberate or intentional blending of them. A deliberate blending of doctrines or views would have eliminated the contradictions which exist today side by side. However, there should not be any difficulty in accepting the fact that samatva (equanimity) and not Chaturvarnya is the dominant view of Gita. Whether this view was a counter-revolution (or otherwise) should not matter much today. (Consistent with this view, Verse 18 in chapter V of Gita should not be treated as an interpolation as done by Mr Murthy. It is quite consistent with the very next verse and there is nothing graceless in this particular verse, structurally or otherwise).
If we delve deep into the Mahabharata, it is only a story of a war between two families. It remained a story for several centuries. During the Hindu kingdoms of Gupta, Vijayanagar and Mahratta the story aspect of the Mahabharata alone was etched in the minds of the people. There were no philosophical discourses in temples. Devotees worshiped the idols of gods and goddesses. All Hindu scriptures remained mnemonic and there were no manuscripts, for it was considered sacreligious to produce manuscripts or to print books of the sacred scriptures. A prayer like the Gayatri mantra could be recited only by Brahmins. If a non-Brahmin had accidentally heard the recital by a Brahmin, molten led would be poured into his ears. The Asiatic Society was founded in 1784 by William Jones. While still on board of the frigate Crococlile carrying him from England to India, he prepared a memorandum detailing his plan of study. This included “the laws of the Hindus and Mahomedans; the history of the ancient world; modern politics and geography of Hindusthan; Arithmatic and Geometry and mixed sciences of Asiaticks; Medicine, Chemistry, Surgery and Anatomy of the Indians etc.,” So even before landing in India, Jones was bent upon establishing the fact that ancient Indians were well versed in philosophy, mathematicas, science and medicine. But there were no manuscripts of Hindu scriptures and no original sources about Indian knowledge of science and medicine. The preferred method of Jones and other British scholars was to sit in the company of Sankrit-knowing Brahmins's and other Hindus, and to ask them to recite from memory Hindu scriptures. Scientists say that memory loss begins at the age of 40. How could the old Brahmins recite by heart century-old Scriptures? Recital by Brahmins contained many contemporary ideas to make the scriptures quite presentable. William Jones and other Orientalists syncretised Sanskrit with Classical and Biblical narratives, to establish transcultural correspondences by means of often crude conjectural etymologies. There were Brahmins such as Pundit Ramlochan, Balachandra Siromani, Rajendralala Misra, Bala Sastri of Benares, Radhakanta Sarman who were allowed to produce their own versions of Hindu scriptures. Brahmin scholars could get easy access to Christian scriptures and western literature from Fort William College and Sanskrit College in Calcutta established by the British. Another scholar, Francis Wilford, claimed that he had discovered the relationship among Hindu traditions, the Bible and the ancient British antiquities. Jones and other scholars, in collaboration with Brahmins, produced Sanskrit manuscripts with these fake claims. Krishna’s narration of creation in the Bhagavad Gita and the creation account in the Manu smriti produced by Jones are modified reproduction of the creation account in the Bible. Krishna’s instructions in the Gita are patterned on the book of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes in the Bible. As the modern translation of the Bhagavad Gita indicates, the work is in poetic form and in many places it is metrically exact parallel to Biblical literature. Sir Charles Wilkins translated the Bhagavad Gita into English in 1785, and he had used the Sanskrit manuscript produced by Asiatic Society scholars with so many interpolations and deletions. It was the English translation that gave worldwide publicity for the Bhagavad Gita. Deception and forgeries can be detected in the manuscripts produced by them. In 1788, Wilford, claimed to have found innumerable references to ancient Egypt, its Kings and holy places in Puranas by publishing a long text of baroque complexity in Asiatic Researches. However, Wilford was forced to admit with a humiliating note in the same journal that he had been systematically duped by his head Brahmin Pandit between 1793 and 1805. Probably the modernized version of the Bhagavad Gita was interpolated during this period.
A.Yeshuratnam
Thanks, BS Murthy
Milind Gaikwad
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To what extent does the evidence provide us with a reliable view of the social effects of Roman Rule in the provinces?
History Other
Submitted By: ceders
Category: History Other
To what extent does the evidence provide us with a reliable view of the social effects of Roman Rule in the provinces? 50 marks.
Roman rule had much in the way of social effects on all the provinces of which it had control. Effects from Rome’s control can be seen in many respects but for this essay I shall consider the social effects as derived from the following themes: Revolts; Romanisation; The Imperial cult and Citizenship.
Firstly, revolts seem to be the most violent representations of the social effects of Roman rule. The gravity of Tacfarinas’ Revolt, in Africa, can be seen through the monument to Galbus, “Scipio commander of the IX legion Hispania was moved from Croatia to fight against Tacfarinas” If an entire legion needed to be moved to fight for one person’s cause, it is evident that the revolt must have had an enormous effect on the African province. Tacitus Annals 2.52-3.74 tells us the rest of the story; Tacfarinas continually retreats and maintains his revolt. His goal was to achieve “African independence from Roman Rule” hence the social effects were strong in that they roused an entire people against the empire to be free of their tyranny. As the revolt was under Tiberius, we have to consider that Tacitus as a source might be unreliable. He saw Tiberius as a precursor to Domitian and as he disliked that Emperor he demonises everything that Tiberius does in order to justify his opinion of the latter. Therefore his account of the revolt is inaccurate because he will have exaggerated Tacfarinas’ triumphs in order to show the emperor as more incompetent than he may have been.
The revolt of Vindex in Gaul also gives us an insight. Dio Cassius tells us that the revolt was due to taxation imposed by Nero to support his “Lavish lifestyle”. Vindex is said to have “hailed Galba as Emperor” and having the support of one of the commanders of a German legion. However in the confusion of seeing the legion march towards him, Vindex killed himself. This...
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BSCkids
BSCKids Team
Holiday Toy and Gift Guides For Kids
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Star Vs. The Forces of Evil Background Characters Have Meaning And The Composer
Donatella Pignati
So now we know. Many of the character that inhabit the background scenes in Butterfly Castle are inspired by some of the artists that work on Star Vs. The Forces of Evil. This is a great way for them to Easter Egg themselves into a wonderful show and we feel like we would be doing the same thing ourselves if we were artists on an animated show.
Many of the background characters who live in Butterfly Castle are inspired by artists that work on the series. The final season of #StarVsTheForcesOfEvil premieres March 10 at 8:00 a.m. ET/PT on #DisneyChannel, #DisneyXD and #DisneyNOW.
A post shared by DisneyChannelPR (@disneychannelpr) on Mar 6, 2019 at 11:45am PST
In the second picture that was released, we get to give a nod to Brian H. Kim who is the composer of Star Vs. The Forces Of Evil but also did most of the cool sounds for Star’s wand. Without Brian this show does not work as well as it does, the way he bring the emotion to the characters and scenes is wonderful, great for him to be recognized.
#StarVsTheForcesOfEvil composer @brianwithanh not only creates the music for the series, but he also developed most of the sounds for Star's wand. The fourth season premieres March 10 at 8:00 a.m. ET/PT on #DisneyChannel, #DisneyXD and #DisneyNOW
A post shared by DisneyChannelPR (@disneychannelpr) on Mar 5, 2019 at 3:20pm PST
A reminder that the fourth season of Star Vs. The Forces Of Evil will premiere on March 10th in the morning at 8:00 a.m. with “BUTTERFLY FOLLIES PART I AND PART II” on Disney Channel.
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Copyright © 2017 Boomtron LLC
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Resident Evil - Ducati Diavel Carbon Ridden!
Jul 04,2012 Aneesh Shivanekar Read News PRINT
Jul 04,2012 Aneesh Shivanekar Read News
There’s only one thing to be said after powering through the darkness of the night aboard the strangest thing to have come out of Bologna in its history – it’s a motorcycle right out of Star Wars! Wait, hear me out. I think Darth Vader was recruited by Ducati as team leader so that the final product really is Diavel: ‘evil, like the devil’. I mean, who knows more about evilness than him, right? But The Joker was also roped in as a consultant (weird, I know) to give the Diavel a wrathful, twisted personality. I won’t be surprised if it is also sold as official Star Wars merchandise. How do you put a price tag on that?
ET TU, BRUTE?
It’s an assault on the senses the first time you see and hear this beast, let alone ride it. More so for the passionate Ducatisti who shuddered at the mere thought of a power cruiser coming out of their hallowed gates in Bologna. Was their beloved brand – a byword for speed – going to land with…God forbid…a cruiser?! Ducatisti begged and they pleaded, but Ducati’s top brass knew better and they stood by their decision and later, put the concept into production. It’s fair to say that there is almost nothing (save for Yamaha’s Mad Max) on the market that looks like the Diavel, which manages to infuse streetfighter, cruiser and sportbike cues effectively. The burly stance makes it look like the Hulk poised on the starting block of a race, but the dimensions are something that don’t really come through in the photos. Grounded on a characteristic Ducati red trellis frame, the Diavel is not just a side-stepping departure from the traditional Bologna rockets; it actually takes off at a tangent. It stands for what Ducati would and could mean in the future, while creating a whole new motorcycle segment that pushes the envelope in terms of design, technology and feel, still retaining what a Ducati fundamentally stands for. Phew!
The massive flush-fitting tank and seat on top are a complete contrast to the busy lower half of the bike, making the Diavel appear like you’re piloting a water scooter with a handlebar. But you’re not. Looking at it in real life makes your head spin with the sheer visual assault. Whacking great bronze-finished pipes, side-mounted radiators that lend muscle to its ‘shoulders’, a stubby hacked tail section with brutish-looking twin vertical tail-lights, a menacing front fascia, a 240 mm tyre with more rubber than on a dragstrip starting line I could go on and on!
As you spend time with the motorcycle, the more fantastic the little details become. The starter button is integrated with a sliding kill-switch, like a missile trigger, the master cylinders have ‘Ducati’ classily etched on them, there are Marchesini rims blacked out except for finely machined silvery detailing, a custom-looking rear number-plate bracket and keyless ignition. No one knows for sure what to classify this as, but the closest that I can think of is ‘Sports Power Cruiser’. Or you could just call it the Darth Vader motorcycle and be done with it. Whatever you call it, there’s only one word you can describe it with – ferocious. Actually, barbaric too. And wrathful…and…and…
Time to poke Lucifer out of his slumber. Crank the starter for a second or two and the Diavel springs into life with an all-too-loud burst of exhaust gases and reverb. There’s bass aplenty, the kind of bass that makes the earth and bystanders tremble. No doubt, it’s the familiar classic rock from Bologna, but there’s a deeper, gruffer twist to it that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand on end. Thoughtful sound-deadening placed inside the crankcase helps make the sound purer, with less of the mechanical clickety-clack. Snicking it into first with a smooth, positive action, I get rolling and immediately hit traffic. As I roll up to the lights, fingers are pointed, jaws are dropped and everything else appears dwarfed. Sitting in traffic on this otherworldly piece of machinery, a Ferrari Enzo could’ve rolled up on that street and few would’ve taken notice. The lights turn green and I pull the trigger on this 162 bhp behemoth. It doesn’t accelerate as much as it goes into instant hyperdrive, shooting to 100 kph in 2.6 seconds, as the giant 13 kgm-rated Testastretta V-Twin transfers herculean levels of torque to the giant rear wheel that lights up instantly, spewing smoke, but it eventually hooks up.
The whole bike hunkers down and blasts towards the horizon like it’s been shot out like a cannonball. The front does go light, but no real worries as there’s pure pace on offer here – just pin it and prepare to have the horizon lassoed and pulled towards you at warp speed. Beyond 6000 rpm, it threatens to yank your arms out with an unrelenting, furious rate of acceleration. The ever-ready, point-n-shoot nature of the Diavel, the sheer responsiveness and the wide spread of torque is thoroughly exhilarating; you cannot help but grin every single time the Diavel goes for it.
But for times when you don’t feel like having your arms yanked out, you can select the ‘Urban’ mode on the Ride-By-Wire equipped Diavel so that the Ducati Traction Control safety net is increased and power is restricted to 100 horses. ‘Touring’ mode unleashes all 162 horses with mellowed throttle response, but to truly understand what Darth Vader has pulled off here, you need to put it into ‘Sport’, to turn most of the world into a trippy blur. The sound coming from my helmet went something like – ‘Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!’ amongst many unmentionables. Not that it mattered. On this motorcycle, no one can hear you scream. Thankfully, Lord Vader was kind enough to put on those substantial Brembo Monobloc anchors, which, by the way, offer supremely good feel and tremendous braking power.
TAKIN’ IT EASY
Despite feeling like it’s running purely on the fires of hell, the Diavel’s real forte is the ability to switch between Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde effortlessly. After an hour on a crotch-rocket, when your back will already be speed dialling the doc, the Diavel still feels comfortable and you’d even want to do a 200 km trip in the middle of the night, just for the heck of it. The wide, comfy seat is the lowest in the Ducati line-up, while the pillion seat is neatly tucked away under a panel combined with extremely tidy, flush-fitting passenger pegs and flat, wide bars. Of the two displays, the handlebar-mounted one is more bare-basic for glances at speed, while the colour LCD display on the tank displays real-time telemetry and all of the fancy tech whiz-bang.
Despite having substantial girth, it still is discernible as the Ducati of the power cruiser crowd on the road, both in terms of weight – at 207 kg, almost a 100 kg (!) lighter than the V-Max– as well as in terms of cycle parts. This is a class apart from anything else in it’s… er, class. Using beefy DLC-coated 50 mm Marzocchi forks and a Sachs rear monoshock, the Diavel requires less effort to turn in than you’d imagine and once leaned over, it holds its line like a rock. At speed, the Ducati’s weight becomes less apparent and handling is leagues above its closest competitor, but it comes as no surprise given the handling wizardry Ducati is renowned for. For such a beast, we could call it poised and agile even. You wouldn’t need too much saddle time to get your pegs grazin’, let’s put it that way.
Clearly, Lord Vader has come up with a stellar (heh) product, combining near-superbike pace, sprightly handling with comfort all around, spaceships full of character, styling to kill for but most importantly, an evil, hard-hitting demeanour that makes Pantera feel like Boyzone. Considering all that and the badge value, the Rs 25 lakh asking price for this exotic Carbon edition (Rs 20.5 lakh for the standard) definitely isn’t cheap, but we’d say it’s well worth it. That said, we’d definitely bargain for a Darth Vader helmet and a light sabre from the dealer!
Ducati diavel carbon edition review road test ride features india
ducati india
ducati motors india
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Hurricane Replacement Still Boosting Used Vehicle Prices
October 12, 2017 • by Staff
The average price of a used vehicle for model years 2012 to 2016 fell 0.7% in September, with the lion’s share of that depreciation coming from the car segment, according to Black Book. As of September, all vehicles are averaging a 12-month depreciation of 14.5%.
Breaking it down to a segment level, the car segment saw its overall value fall by 1.1% on a month-over-month basis while the truck segment saw its overall value fall by 0.3%.
“Although consumer confidence fell slightly in September, vehicle values held very strong because of all the vehicle replacement activity caused by the hurricanes,” said Anil Goyal, senior vice president of automotive valuation and analytics. “In addition to utilities, smaller vehicles are showing better retention values as we head into the holiday season based largely on the great value they currently present to shoppers.”
Four truck segments performed better than the truck segment as a whole.
Compact crossovers/SUVS saw a 1.1% month-to-month rise in value in September, the highest of all vehicle segments. On a year-over-year basis, the segment saw its value fall 13.8%, resulting in an average price of $12,605 during September.
Full-size vans such as the Ford T150, Ram 1500, and Chevrolet G1500 saw monthly depreciation remain flat. The average price of a MY 2012-2016 full-size van in September was $17,532.
Mid-size crossovers and full-size pickups saw the lowest monthly depreciation during September, as both segments’ average value fell by 0.02%. The average price of a MY 2012-2016 mid-size crossover during the month was $17,447, and $24,125 for a full-size pickup.
The biggest monthly change came from prestige luxury cars such as the BMW 7-Series, Lexus LS 460, Mercedes Benz S-Class, and the Jaguar XJ. These vehicles saw values fall 3.2% during the month and on a year-over-year basis, the prestige luxury car segment has experienced a 25.2% fall in value. The average price for a prestige luxury vehicle in September was $32,949.
Related: Post-Hurricane Buying Frenzy Slows Down
Read more about Depreciation Remarketing Black Book Used Vehicle Values
Wholesale Truck Segment Values See a Bump in February
In the month preceding the start of the Spring season, trucks continued to show the resilience they've shown in past months. A few key segments showed particular strength and luxury vehicles continued to struggle.
Experts Forecast the 2019 Used Vehicle Market
Prices and volume are not expected to plummet in 2019, but industry experts seem to feel that the best-case scenario will be a plateau, and more realistically, will fall slightly.
Cars Paced Used Vehicle Price Growth in 2018
The passenger car segment was a main contributor to the the rise in used-vehicle prices in 2018.
'Typical' Annual Depreciation Reaches 12%: Black Book
The average 12-month depreciation through the end of November for all vehicles was 12.5%.
Used Fleet Vehicle Prices Fell 2% in October
The average price for used fleet vehicles fell 2% at auction in October, but remained 6.1% higher than a year ago amid a strong month for wholesale prices, according to Tom Kontos, KAR Auction Services' chief economist.
Ford, Toyota Top Best Pre-Owned Value List
Ford and Toyota had the most models named as having the best certified pre-owned value among 37 segments by Vincentric, the vehicle valuation firm announced.
Used Fleet Vehicle Values Fall 1.6% in September
Vehicles from fleet consignors followed the broader used-vehicle market downward in September, as wholesale prices struggled to keep up with last year's hurricane-driven demand and a now robust upstream market, said Tom Kontos, KAR Auction Services' chief economist.
These Vehicles Retained the Most Value
Six pickup trucks made the top-10 list of vehicles that retain the highest percentage of their value after a five-year ownership period, along with two Jeeps, a Subaru, and the Toyota 4Runner. At the other end of the spectrum, the Nissan Leaf saw the highest depreciation over the same period.
Wholesale Values Stabilizing at Start of October
While luxury vehicles continue to struggle, overall vehicle values held steady last week, according to Black Book’s Oct. 8 Market Insights report.
New Vehicle Sales Declined Slightly in September: Edmunds
Edmunds is forecasting 1,392,434 new vehicles sales through September, representing a 5.4% decline from March and an 8.3% decline from the same time last year.
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Tribe raises £5.7 million to expand influencer marketing platform
In Influencer. March 28, 2019
Tribe, the influencer marketing platform that finds suitable micro-influencer matches for brands, just announced that it raised £5.7 million in a Series A funding round led by Gresham House Ventures.
The company plans to use the funds to expand its global reach and launch locations in New York City.
“We’ve seen a number of businesses in our portfolio benefit from the value of influencers and user-generated content,” said Steve Cordiner, Director at Gresham House Ventures. “When we assessed the influencer market, Tribe’s marketplace model truly stood out as both unique and scalable. They’ve also proven how portable it is through their successful expansion into the UK market which will continue to grow alongside the enormous opportunity of taking their model to the U.S.”
Tribe currently employs 70 people across offices in London, Sydney, Melbourne and Manilla.
The company was founded by Jules Lund back in 2015 and launched in the UK in 2017. It produces around £150,000 worth of branded content daily and creates 20,000 content pieces per month.
“With Tribe, we’ve created a tech model that finally drives authenticity within the industry,” added Anthony Svirskis, CEO of Tribe. “We believe that if influencers don’t already own a product, or are not willing to purchase it, they have no right recommending their tribe of followers should. That authenticity coupled with the content upfront model delivers campaigns faster than all others in the industry, and it has really resonated with the thousands of brands and agencies we work with.”
Tribe was created to make it easier to connect brands with influencers and ensure a smoother payment process for influencers.
KumulosMobile Application Performance Management made easy
ApptopiaMobile app data that helps you grow
AppticaData driven Inspiration for In-app advertising
MoburstMobile Done Right
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Home > Government & Economy > Singapore General Election
SINGAPORE GENERAL ELECTION
Hougang was not in financial difficulty, says WP chief
Claire Huanghuangjy@sph.com.sg
(From left) Workers' Party candidates Ron Tan, He Ting Ru and Terence Tan at the rally for Jalan Besar GRC. Ms He had told the crowd that her family and friends were worried she would be "fixed" for joining the opposition, but she said that she overcame her fears as she wanted a future that was decided by the citizens.
PHOTO: MARK CHEONG/THE STRAITS TIMES
THE Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) saga again came under the spotlight at the Workers' Party (WP) rally at Boon Keng Road on Thursday.
Speaking in Mandarin to the crowd, party chief Low Thia Khiang said that the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) has been "making a big fuss" over the AHPETC saga and using this to carry out its "smear campaign", which he described as "dirty politics".
He cited various instances in which the PAP had said that the AHPETC, which runs the Aljunied GRC, Hougang and Punggol Single-Member Constituencies as a town, used its surplus to cover losses incurred by the Hougang Town Council.
Mr Low said that the attacks were made by PAP ministers including Senior Minister of State for National Development Lee Yi Shyan in 2014, as well as Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean's comments in August.
"(Law Minister) K Shanmugam also said sarcastically that voters need to decide if they want to cover our losses in town council," said Mr Low, adding firmly that Hougang Town Council, which he ran before it was merged in 2011 to become the AHTC (Aljunied-Hougang Town Council) after the WP won Aljunied GRC, was not in any financial difficulty prior to that.
AHTC expanded to become the AHPETC in 2013 after the party won in the Punggol East by-election.
"I'm telling you categorically: The Hougang ward had no financial difficulties under WP before it joined Aljunied on May 26, 2011, and had a surplus of S$80,000."
The PAP ministers "are misleading voters", Mr Low continued, questioning the PAP's credibility and sincerity.
He went on to say that while the PAP says self-renewal is its focus, it only makes superficial changes, is still narrow-minded and cannot accept people who take a different stand.
"I want to ask Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong: Is this the calibre of the PAP?"
When he subsequently spoke in English, Mr Low said that the party had fulfilled its promise to be rational, respectable and responsible.
For many years, the PAP has defined what is the best interest of the people and also decided on policies as the government with a huge majority, he said, adding that the PAP paints the opposition as "troublemakers and rebels". "We must stop the PAP from becoming more self-absorbed. You must retain a say in how Singapore is run by having people of your choice in parliament. We must remind the PAP the distinction between what is national interest and what is party interest."
"We must remind the PAP that Singapore is a nation, not a corporation," added Mr Low.
Separately, Sylvia Lim, chairman of WP and AHPETC made the point that the party believes the government should not "infiltrate every aspect of life" by placing its representatives in all areas including business and sports, because there is more than enough talent to drive success in the various fields.
Power has made the PAP more and more arrogant and they want to control every aspect of the people's lives, she said, adding that in the 2015 election, "a strong message that Singaporeans want to be free from their arrogance and their threats" must be sent to the PAP.
A recurring theme in the WP rally besides the party manifesto, was the initial fears that several first-time WP candidates faced. They include corporate lawyer He Ting Ru, Singapore Cancer Society community manager Kenneth Foo, lawyer Terence Tan, and former associate librarian Mohamed Fairoz Shariff.
Ms He, the WP candidate for Marine Parade GRC, told the crowd that her family and friends were worried she would be "fixed" for joining the opposition. But she said that she overcame her fears as she wanted a future that was decided by the citizens.
Similarly, Redzwan Hafidz, the WP's candidate for Jalan Besar GRC, noted that joining the opposition could turn out to be "an inconvenience", but he felt that he had to do something as the country was moving in the wrong direction.
Several candidates on Thursday night also made the point about how the PAP only begun to tweak its policies and make changes, after the WP was voted into parliament.
Low Thia Khiang
sylvia lim
Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council
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New Bridging Loan lender in Northern Ireland
Last post: Apr 26, 2012
We’re pleased today to be able to add a third Bridging Loan Lender in Northern Ireland to our panel. This means we now have 3 companies that are willing to lend in this region and that’s 3 more than were available at the end of 2011!
We're pleased today to be able to add a third Bridging Loan Lender in Northern Ireland to our panel. This means we now have 3 companies that are willing to lend in this region and that's 3 more than were available at the end of 2011! This increased competition hopefully reflects a growing confidence in the region that will tempt even more Bridging Loan Lenders to once again become involved in lending there. The good news about this new Lender is that compared to our existing Lenders they can offer an increased term (up to 6 months) and for shorter loans they have a more competitive rate of 1.85% per month - previously the best headline Bridging Loan lending rate available in Northern Ireland was 2%. The minimum loan size remains at £50,000 and a maximum of up to £1m is attainable. Offices, retail and residential are all acceptable as security though the borrower's primary residence is not acceptable as a first charge security but other residential property is. Standard fees of 2% arrangement plus legals and valuation apply but these are the same across most of the industry which means our new Lender is still the most competitive deal we can offer. I'm pleased also to say that this lender will look at non-standard deals and have already displayed a lot of flexibility in their approach to get Bridging Loan deals done. If you need a Bridging Loan in Northern Ireland and would like to discuss your options then please get in touch. Either fill in the form on our Bridging Loan page here or give us a call on 0845 1260350.
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2010 will be remembered as a brilliant year for pop. Relive the year in pictures and check out the stars that stole the hit music limelight right here.
1. Lady Gaga: January 2010
Lady Gaga poses backstage with her awards for Best Dance Recording and Best Electronic Dance Album at the Grammy Awards on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2010, in Los Angeles
2. Beyonce: January 2010
Beyonce kicks off a year of hit music by bagging herself a total of six Grammy awards including gongs for 'Song of the Year' for 'Single Ladies'
3. Black Eyed Peas: January 2010
The Peas picked up the International Song of the Year award for 'I Gotta Feeling' at the 2010 Grammy awards
4. Cheryl Cole: January 2010
Dermot O'Leary, Simon Cowell, Cheryl Cole, Dannii Minogue, Brian Friedman and Joe McElderry collect the Best Talent programme award received for The X-Factor at National Television Awards 2010, at the 02 Arena, London. January
5. Jedward and Vanilla Ice: January 2010
Jedward and Vanilla Ice team up to perform at the National Television Awards, January 2010
6. Lady Gaga: February 2010
Lady Gaga with her three awards for International Album, International Breakthrough Act and International Female Solo Artist, at the BRIT Awards 2010, at Earls Court, London.
7. Robbie Williams: February 2010
Robbie Williams, winner of The Outstanding Contribution to Music Award at The Brits
8. Cheryl Cole: February 2010
Cheryl Cole riding a human chariot at the 2010 BRITs
9. Kylie Minogue: February 2010
Dannii and Kylie Minogue backstage at the Elle Style Awards 2010
10. Ke$ha: March 2010
U.S. singer Ke$ha performs during the Echo 2010 music award ceremony in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, March 4, 2010
11. Leona Lewis: March 2010
Leona Lewis attends Perez Hilton's 32nd Birthday Party in Los Angeles (March 3rd 2010)
12. Katy Perry: March 2010
Katy Perry and Russell Brand arriving at the Vanity Fair Oscar Viewing Party 2010, at the Sunset Tower, Los Angeles. Pic: PA Photos
13. Rihanna: March 2010
Rihanna was in Berlin performing at the 'Echo' music awards.
14. Lady Gaga: March 2010
Lady Gaga appeared on a chat show with a telephone on her head. Pic: WENN
15. Black Eyed Peas: April 2010
Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas performs at "Idol Gives Back 2010" on April 21, 2010 in Pasadena, California.
16. Jay-Z: April 2010
Jay-Z during day one of the 2010 Coachella Music Festival at Empire Polo Fields, Indio, California, April 2010.
17. Cheryl Cole: May 2010
Cheryl Cole supports The Black Eyed Peas in concert at the O2 World Berlin in Berlin, during their world tour.
18. Taio Cruz: May 2010
May 18, 2010, British R&B artist Taio Cruz poses for a photo in Los Angeles.
19. The Saturdays: June 2010
The Saturdays perform at the Isle of Wight festival, in Newport on the Isle of Wight. Pic: PA Photos
20. Rihanna: June 2010
Rihanna provided the closing set for Summertime Ball 2010
21. Dizzee Rascal: June 2010
Dizzee Rascal makes the crowd go bonkers at the Summertime Ball at Wembley.
22. Cheryl Cole: June 2010
Cheryl Cole at the Summertime Ball
23. Olly Murs: August 2010
Olly Murs signs copies of his new single Please Don't Let Me Go, at HMV in Chelmsford Essex.
24. Florence Welch: August 2010
Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine performing on Stage during t V Festival, in Hylands Park, Chelmsford, Essex. August 2010
25. Cheryl Cole: September 2010
Cheryl Cole's new video for 'Promise This'
26. Taylor Swift: September 2010
Singer Taylor Swift performs onstage at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, CA
27. Rihanna: September 2010
(L-R) Rihanna, Justin Bieber and Katy Perry is seen in the audience at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards at the Nokia Theatre on September 12, 2010 in Los Angeles, CA. ()
28. Plan B: September 2010
Ben Drew of Plan B performs live on stage during the Orange Rockcorps held at The Royal Albert Hall in London.
29. Shakira: September 2010
Shakira performs at Madison Square Garden on September 21 in New York
30. Lady Gaga: October 2010
Lady Gaga 'performs' with her piano at her Monster Ball at Oslo Spektrum on October 16, 2010 in Oslo, Norway.
31. Rihanna: October 2010
Rihanna gave the first televised performance of new singles "What's My Name" and "Only Girl (In The World)" on Saturday Night Live.
32. Katy Perry: October 2010
Celebrating Russell Brand and Katy Perry's wedding at Madame Tussauds in London.
33. The Wanted: October 2010
The Wanted - Siva Kaneswaran, Tom Parker, Maximilian 'Max' Alberto George, Nathan Sykes and James 'Jay' McGuiness performed a special Halloween fancy dress gig for fans to launch their debut album at HMV Forum, Kentish Town. 25 October 2010. Pictures by Rob Cable/LFI
34. Cheryl Cole: October 2010
Cheryl Cole unveils her waxwork at Madame Tussauds in London.
35. Olly Murs: October 2010
Olly Murs busking in the capital, Leicester Square. Pic: Simon Burchell
36. Scouting For Girls: October 2010
Scouting for Girls (left to right) Greg Churchouse, Roy Stride and Pete Ellard, in Wandsworth Park, in south west London. Pic: PA Photos
37. JLS: November 2010
Jonathan 'JB' Gill, Marvin Humes, Ortise Williams and Aston Merrygold of JLS at the 2010 GQ Men of the Year Awards
38. Katy Perry: November 2010
Katy Perry performs during the 2010 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York City.
39. McFly: November 2010
McFly dress up for the official switch on of the Heathrow Christmas Lights.
40. Rihanna: November 2010
Rihanna performs live on Italian X Factor, Milan. Pic: PA Photos
41. Take That: November 2010
Take That from the Look Back, Dont Stare film © TAKE THAT/Worldwide/UMusic
42. Diana Vickers: November 2010
X-Factor finalist Diana Vickers took to the stage at G-A-Y in gold hotpants.
43. Cher, Katie and Rebecca: November 2010
X Factor girls Cher, Katie and Rebecca pose for the cameras.
Take That perform for charity
45. The Wanted: December 2010
The Wanted performed a storm of a show at this years Jingle Bell Ball.
46. Nicole Sherzinger: December 2010
Not many people could pull off a catsuit like that! Nicole at the Capital FM Jingle Bell Ball.
47. Tinie Tempah
Tinie Tempah one of the Brits who looks set to make it big in the USA.
48. Usher: December 2010
Usher performing live on stage as part of his OMG tour.
49. Lady Gaga: December 2010
Lady Gaga spotted wearing not a lot at Palais Royal on December 21, 2010 in Paris, France.
50. JLS on tour
JLS and their flying car bring the curtain down on an incredible 2010.
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2011 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4
Lamborghini's latest supercar is both tamer and wilder than ever.
JUERGEN ZOELLTER
If you happened to be in Rome at the end of April, you might have been planning to hear Pope Benedict XVI deliver his traditional Easter blessing. Finding yourself in a parade of Italian supercars guided by mayor Gianni Alemanno might have been unexpected for foreigners, but is little surprise in Italy. Here, the people are as proud of their sports-car tradition as they are to be home to the Pope. No wonder, then, that Lamborghini chose Rome, the Holy City, as the site of the first drives of its new Aventador LP700-4.
Ducking through a scissor door and beneath the low roof—the Aventador is only 44.7 inches tall—we wedge ourselves into the narrow racing seat. It feels like we’re sitting barely one inch off the pavement as we reach up to pull the door closed. The pedals and steering wheel are perfectly positioned, without any of the uncomfortable offset of the Murciélago’s, which skewed to the right to make room for that monstrous left-front tire. The rest of the interior is a radical break with Lamborghini tradition, a mix of fighter-jet cockpit and video-game fantasy. The instrument panel is a thin-film transistor (TFT) display packed with information and offering the choice of either a speedo or tach as the main dial. We won’t complain about the limited visibility to the sides and back; this is a Lamborghini, not a VW Golf.
Lambo’s Personal-Use Volcano
Safeguarded by a red cover, the starter button awaits. With a satanic rumble, the 6.5-liter V-12 behind us erupts, seemingly with the first crank of the starter. In all it does, the Aventador’s new V-12 is a remarkably responsive engine—with just the slightest tap of the throttle, revs rise and fall with F1 quickness. Switch it off, and the suddenness of the silence is disorienting. Even if the displacement is the same, this is not the Murciélago engine. Indeed, Lamborghini increased the bore by seven millimeters while shortening stroke by 12.6, which could allow this engine to rev even higher than the 8500-rpm redline of the Murci mill. (Read our in-depth look at the Aventador’s engine here.) Peak output is 691 hp at 8250 rpm and 509 lb-ft of torque at 5500, increases of 59 hp and 22 lb-ft over the Murciélago’s V-12. Smoother, but still with plenty of bark, it’s lighter and mounted lower in an aluminum frame connected to the carbon-fiber monocoque.
Surprisingly, Lambo’s new engine is not direct injected. The Italian excuse is that it already is 20 percent more efficient than its predecessor, although we’re expecting EPA ratings of 10 mpg in the city and 14 on the highway, only 1 mpg better than the Murciélago in the city and the same for long hauls. Of course, summoning all 691 hp will push that figure deep into single-digit range.
Pulling the paddle on the right shifts the car into first. The single-clutch, seven-speed automated manual Graziano gearbox is lighter and more compact than a dual-clutch unit, which helped Lamborghini meet its 3472-pound (dry) weight target for the Aventador. (Sadly, there will be no manual transmission offered.) With all fluids aboard, the Aventador should come in somewhere between 3700 and 3800 pounds, a few hundred pounds lighter than the Murciélago. Like many modern sports cars, the Aventador’s top gear exists to maximize fuel economy during high-speed cruising; the car actually reaches its 217-mph top speed in sixth.
3. . . 2. . . 1. . .
You’ll want to take a moment—and a few deep breaths—before flooring the throttle. The driver hardly has time to gasp before the Aventador hits 60 mph, which we estimate will take only 2.8 seconds. The 100-mph mark should pass in around 6.5 seconds and the quarter-mile will take less than 11. The rate of acceleration hardly seems to slow below 200 mph, and thanks to the hyperquick gear changes, there is zero perceptible lull during upshifts. The Aventador is equipped with a high-end audio system, but we prefer to listen to the conversation between our right foot and the engine. The V-12 makes a powerful low-frequency roar at lower engine speeds, which becomes a thunderstorm over 3500 rpm. Stay on the throttle and, beyond 5000 rpm, the Lambo V-12 sounds like the apocalypse.
The higher the speed, the more torque the car apportions to the Haldex clutch at the front wheels. This is said to help stabilize the front end at speed. It certainly contributes to incredible stability in hard cornering. Damping and steering response can be sharpened with the (Audi-esque) “Drive Select” button on the center console, which offers three choices: Strada, Sport, and Corsa—Road, Sport (surprise!), and Track. Even with stability control on, the sharp Corsa mode allows some oversteer before intervening.
The car delivers up to 60 percent of the engine’s torque to the front end, a transition the driver will note is accompanied by the sensation of the front end getting lighter and a loss of steering feel. Compared to the Murciélago, the steering requires a little less effort, but is more precise. The driver does notice some nervous feedback through the wheel, but that’s to be expected in a car with steering this quick and tight.
Whatchoo Doin’ Tonight, Baby?
It’s a razor-sharp jet-fighter on wheels, but more important, the Lamborghini Aventador is one of very few truly raunchy automobiles. With its aggressive engine note and aerospace styling, it is completely different from the more sophisticated—and equally new—Ferrari FF. Lamborghini will build 500 units a year, and 750 have already been sold worldwide. In the U.S., it’ll take at least $381,700 to put an Aventador in your stable. That’s a small price to pay for a genuine piece of Italian national identity—Vatican pomp, eccentric politicians, and all.
VEHICLE TYPE: mid-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe
BASE PRICE: $381,700
ENGINE TYPE: 48-valve V-12, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection
Displacement: 397 cu in, 6498 cc
TRANSMISSION: 7-speed automated manual
Width: 79.9 in Height: 44.7 in
Curb weight (C/D est): 3750 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 100 mph: 6.5 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 10.8 sec
PROJECTED FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST):
EPA city/highway driving: 10/14 mpg
Our Kind of Top-Off: Aventador Roadster Driven!
2013 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Roadster
Spoiler Alert: This Aventador Test Is Mostly Positive
2012 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Prototype Photos
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Regulations such as Europe's Second Payment Services Directive (PSD2) are paving the way for a far more innovative payments system.
Regulations such as Europe's Second Payment Services Directive (PSD2) are paving the way for open banking and a far more innovative financial services industry.
Caught within a shifting threat landscape, a tighter regulatory environment and a seismic shift in customers' banking preferences - and their tolerance for security - financial institutions globally are making a shift to adaptive authentication.
In the wake of digital transformation and several large, high-profile data breaches - and at a time where all the personal information is shared in the social network - traditional forms of digital identity verification are no longer valid. Customers have zero patience for extra steps, and yet they expect their...
2017 DDoS Defense Study
Distributed Denial of Service attacks - DDoS. They used to be nuisance crimes committed by gaming rivals and script kiddies. The stakes grew higher five years ago, with the rise of hacktivism and high-profile attacks on large U.S. banks. But even those attacks are minor when compared with today's huge, IoT...
2017 Actionable Threat Intelligence Survey
In today's shape-shifting threat landscape, every organization needs the same thing: Real-time, actionable threat intelligence. And there is no shortage of intelligence feeds from reputable third-party sources. But are there too many intelligence feeds for systems and analysts to process? How effectively is actionable...
2017 Ransomware Defense Survey
Ransomware dominated the headlines in 2016, as organizations of all sizes and sectors fell victim to malware that locked down, encrypted - and in some cases threatened to destroy - critical systems and data. But is ransomware truly as big a security challenge as it is a compelling story? And what lessons have...
Preserving the Customer Experience Survey
It's every banking institution's quandary: How do you introduce the right cybersecurity controls to protect customer accounts and transactions - but without introducing new hurdles that might compromise the customer experience? How do you resolve the tradeoff between easy-to-use services and cumbersome security...
2016 Mobile Security & Business Transformation Study
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Home Car News First Official Pictures Maserati Maserati Kubang (2011) at Frankfurt motor show
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Maserati Kubang (2011) at Frankfurt motor show
Maserati Kubang: a familiar name, a new Maser 4x4
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Yes, yes - CAR Online got a bit excited last week and thought it had scooped the new Maserati SUV when it hadn't. But this one is real: Maser showed the new Kubang concept in the metal at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show.
If that badge sounds familiar, that's because Maserati showed a concept car bearing the same name at the Detroit auto show 2003. It's stuck with the same motif for the 2011 concept car.
Maserati SUV: coming soon
It's now official: Modena calls the Kubang 'the forerunner of the future Maserati range, creating at once discontinuity by entering a new segment, and continuity by maintaining the integrity of Maserati’s DNA.'
As previously disclosed by CAR, the Maserati 4x4 will be powered by Jeep tech at launch in 2012. But Maserati confirmed at Frankfurt that the engine, design, suspension, brakes and more will be tuned by Italy.
It's no mere badge engineering; the Kubang looks nothing like a Jeep Grand Cherokee donor car, and Maserati design chief Lorenzo Ramaciotti penned the look.
Maserati Kubang: the tech
Little else has been confirmed for the Maser 4x4. The company confirmed it would have an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Here's an interesting snippet of the rationale behind building a Maserati SUV: 'Until today Maserati has been producing sedans, coupes and two- or four-seater convertibles. Whether we named them Quattroporte, GranTurismo or GranCabrio – or, before them, Ghibli, Mistral, Bora or Indy - their common denominator rested in two words: sportiness and luxury. Times have changed: sportiness and luxury today don’t have just one definition. They can also take the form of a very dynamic looking and high performing sport luxury SUV.'
Maserati GranCabrio Fendi
Also lurking on the Maserati stand was the GranCabrio Fendi special edition. It's pepped up with exclusive colours and trim, including Fendi's double F logo on the seats, wood trim running the width of the dashboard and Luoio Ramano - Fendi's trademark leather - is used too.
In the first quarter of 2011, Maserati announced revenues of €303 million, 2% up on the same period last year. More good news in deliveries - it sold 11% more cars at the start of the year, up to 3213. This was boosted, unsurprisingly, by strong demand in China and the US.
Maserati Kubang: a familiar name, a new Maser 4x4 Maserati Kubang: engineering from the Jeep Cherokee, engines and styling from Modena
Maserati Diesel auto 5d
4,000 miles • Automatic • Diesel • £50,995
Maserati auto 5d
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Home Local Election ballots await final approval
Election ballots await final approval
By Tuesday afternoon, the Cayman Islands Elections Office was still not able to confirm a final ballot list for the 2013 general election and had not clarified what election rules would apply to the provision of refreshments at political meetings.
According to Elections Office Supervisor Kearney Gomez, at least one Bodden Town candidate – People’s National Alliance member Richard Christian – would not be allowed to stand for election.
“That’s the determination of the returning officer. If [Mr. Christian] wants to challenge that decision, he’ll have to apply for judicial review,” Mr. Gomez said.
Mr. Christian said he would release a statement about his candidacy on Tuesday; by press time it had not arrived.
“[The Elections Office] gave me seven days to appeal its decision, we have until Thursday,” he said.
There were also eligibility issues raised with regard to at least one other candidate seeking office in Cayman Brac and Mr. Gomez said the Elections Office was still awaiting information in that case from the attorney general.
Mr. Gomez said, due to the outstanding questions, his office could not complete the printing of postal ballots or to set the final list of names. The postal ballots are due to be issued Friday.
Also not addressed were statements made last week concerning whether refreshments could be served during political events or whether that might be considered tantamount to food being used to buy votes.
Mr. Gomez said meetings had been held all day Tuesday with relevant government officials and that a statement was expected to be made sometime on Wednesday concerning those provisions. A news conference set to discuss election offences on Tuesday that had been tentatively set last week was cancelled.
The confusion over the issue led at least one George Town candidate to cancel catering for a public meeting held last week, only to realise that another political group had its event catered that same night with no apparent legal repercussions.
“Treating” under the Elections Law (2009 Revision) is defined as an offence for “every person who corruptly … provides or pays, wholly or in part, the expenses of giving or providing any food, drink, entertainment or provision to or for any persons for the purpose of corruptly influencing that person, or any other person, to vote or refrain from voting at such election … and every elector who corruptly accepts or takes any such food, drink, entertainment or provision”.
Providing food and drink at political events is a fairly standard practice in the Cayman Islands and in most of the Caribbean. Both major political parties and the Coalition for Cayman political group have provided food at events that could be described as “political” in recent months and many of those attending those events did partake of such refreshment.
Mr. Gomez offered no comment about the practice on Tuesday afternoon.
Mr. Gomez
Mr. Christian
Bodden Town
Cayman Brac
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GENERATE: 24 hours of comics at SCAD Atlanta
by Tim O'Shea
– on Oct 05, 2014
This past Friday, Pat Quinn, SCAD Atlanta Associate Chair of Sequential Art, invited me to observe GENERATE, the school's version of 24-hour comic day. (SCAD calls it GENERATE to allow any other of the school's departments that wants to participate can do their own 24-hour challenge). The event kicked off at 10 AM on Friday. Students participating in GENERATE are challenged to create a 24 page black and white print ready comic in 24 hours from a blank slate. This year, they introduced an option for students to form a team to produce the book, those who chose that option had to also color the comic.
I relish any opportunity to visit the SCAD Atlanta campus, situated in the heart of midtown less than a mile down the street from the High Museum of Art. There is an energy and a friendliness to the students that hits you the minute you enter the third floor of the school building. In retrospect, I wish I could have stayed the full 24 hours to see the evolution of the various student's comics. Unfortunately, work and family commitments limited my onsite presence to nearly four hours (from 11 am to 2:30 pm ), a stage when students plowed through developing thumbnails and jumped on penciling pages.
Both IDW and ComiXology served as sponsors of the event (along with Top Shelf, among others). Much to the students delight and benefit, Marvel was a major boost for GENERATE, sending editors Mike Marts and Katie Kubert to serve as coaches for the students throughout the event. It was a delight to watch Marts and Kubert interact with the students, offering feedback on their story concepts and showing them ways to tweak/improve their narrative.
I intentionally timed my arrival in hopes of catching up with fellow Atlanta resident and comics writer Van Jensen. While Jensen and I both frequent the same comic store, surprisingly we do not synchronize our shopping times. Jensen was there for part of the day to offer feedback and advice for students as well.
One common link Kubert, Marts and Jensen shared that I appreciated: while all three are seasoned comics industry veterans, each of them still clearly relish the medium as a storytelling outlet. Surprisingly, in my time covering the industry since 1999, I have run across many folks who had ground themselves down to the burnout level of producing comics merely for the income stream. These three obviously loved the opportunity to discuss the projects each student was pursuing.
That zeal for storytelling clearly resides in the SCAD professors on hand for GENERATE with Quinn, including June Brigman, Jackie Lewis and Doug Dabbs. While friends with Lewis and Dabbs (and a fan of both their work), this marked the first time I had been introduced to Brigman. I just have to publicly say it was an honor to meet such a talented legend (and by calling her that, I do not mean to relegate her career to history) and to learn she has some a new project on the horizon (in addition to her teaching at SCAD).
According to Quinn, around 30 students (roughly 1/3 of the sequential art department) participated in GENERATE. I wish I could give a full accounting of each student's progress--in fact I did get shots of many of the student's thumbnails, but as with many stories the thumbnails do not do the finished pages justice. Rather than try to share character designs either, I heartily recommend you track down Twitter, Tumblr or Instagram accounts for SCAD students, including (but not limited to) Sage Coffey; Anderson Carman; Mittie Paul; Jamal Jones; Jasmine Mimms; Jorge Santiago Jr.; Cullen Gardape; B.A. Prince; Sarah Amundson; and Em Barnard.
There were other visitors through the course of the 24 hours, including SCAD alumni such as Cara McGee, Erin Gladstone and Brian Prince who swung by for a creative homecoming of sorts. Thanks to Kubert's involvement, popular DC/Vertigo artist Meghan Hetrick spent time at GENERATE for a few hours.
Early Friday evening IDW Publishing editor Sarah Gaydos provided a virtual tour of IDW's editorial offices via Skype for the students. As happened last year, IDW will be judging all the completed comics they receive (via PDF on Monday) and winners will be selected.
[caption id="attachment_195897" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
SCAD Atlanta's Pat Quinn holds an iPad up for the students to view as Sarah Gaydos conducted a virtual tour of IDW Publishing's offices. [Photo: Jackie Lewis][/caption]Every year, several publishers support GENERATE in different ways. This year, Top Shelf Productions was also a sponsor, in addition to the fact that Chris Staros is a part-time SCAD instructor. ComiXology has invited the students to upload their completed PDFs for SUBMIT line consideration.
One team attempted to produce and color a full comic, but they were able to only partially color the book. Still given that it was the first year of trying that option, that's quite an accomplishment given it was uncharted territory for the GENERATE participants.
While I had to leave in mid-afternoon, I stayed in touch with participants via Twitter (and offered words of encouragement). A few of them reciprocated by sharing their progress on Twitter or Instagram.
Believe it or not, I almost had as much fun as the SCAD Atlanta students and professors did. If I can make it work in my schedule, I want to stay onsite for the whole 24 hours in 2015.
Tags: marvel, sarah gaydos, comixology, van jensen, meghan hetrick, katie kubert, mike marts, jackie lewis, chris staros, june brigman, comixology submit, 24 hour comics day, scad atlanta, Top Shelf Productions, cara mcgee, Pat Quinn, Doug Dabbs, GENERATE, Erin Gladstone, Brian Prince
Evangelia Galanis
Cats Descends Into the Unnerving Depths of the Uncanny Alley
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Home » News » Razer Wants Gamers to Mine Cryptocurrency Using their Idle GPUs — But You Probably Shouldn’t
Razer Wants Gamers to Mine Cryptocurrency Using their Idle GPUs — But You Probably Shouldn’t
in Cryptocurrency Mining, News
Gamers invest considerable sums in the GPU chips that power their computers. However, even the most hardcore “Fortnite” player will leave his or her gaming rig on idle for a significant chunk of each day while they go to work, attend school, or — at the very least — sleep. Hardware manufacturer Razer says that it’s a shame that these expensive devices aren’t being used to their full potential, which is why they want gamers to let them use their idle GPUs to mine cryptocurrency.
Razer Releases Cryptocurrency Mining Software
To that end, the Singaporean gaming giant, which has dual headquarters in Singapore and San Francisco, on Wednesday unveiled cryptocurrency mining software that allows customers to earn passive income from their gaming rigs when they aren’t being used.
Have a gaming rig on idle at home? Here's a new way to score Razer Silver: launch Razer SoftMiner on your PC and start racking up Silver—one step closer to the reward you want, for doing nothing at all.
Check out Razer SoftMiner now: https://t.co/PRND2BQ3xU pic.twitter.com/qrHXCdQrjC
— R Λ Z Ξ R (@Razer) December 12, 2018
Once installed on a customer PC, the client — called Razer SoftMiner — will remain dormant while the computer is in use and then activate when the GPU is idle.
It’s not clear what cryptocurrency or cryptocurrencies the software will mine, though networks like Monero and Ethereum (at least until Ethash ASICs become widely distributed) are popular options for GPU miners.
Razer isn’t the first hardware manufacturer to encourage gamers to install cryptocurrency mining software that utilizes idle GPU power. Last month, Asus introduced a similar service that it developed in partnership with Quantumcloud and said would help PC owners gain a passive income stream.
Razer Gets Cryptocurrency; Users Get Rewards Points
However, there’s one major difference between the two programs. While gamers who mine crypto using Asus chips can cash out directly in fiat through PayPal or WeChat, Razer customers receive payment through the company’s loyalty rewards program, Razer Silver.
According to the firm’s website, users with the “proper setup” can earn approximately 500 Razer Silver per 24 hours. This rewards token, in turn, can be used to purchase one of the less than 100 items listed in the Razer Silver catalog, and miners will find that their tokens don’t have much purchasing power.
The cheapest item in the Razer Silver catalog is a $5 discount code to the main Razer storefront, which will set users back 1,500 credits. That works out to about $1.67 per day or $0.07 per hour — excluding the cost electricity.
If users want to spend their funds outside of Razer’s walled garden, the credits become even less valuable. A $10 gift card to ThinkGeek or Domino’s Pizza costs 14,000 credits, which would take an optimized rig running around the clock nearly a month to accrue. This works out to expected revenue of just $0.36 per day or one-and-a-half cents per hour.
Moreover, credits expire after 12 months, which means that even users who maintained a “proper setup” and mined 24 hours a day for an entire year would find that their balances (182,500) fell nearly 100,000 credits short of the most expensive item in the catalog, the 280,000 credit Razer Huntsman Elite which retails for $200.
Is Razer’s Crypto Mining Service Worth it? Probably Not
Remember, those are likely best-case scenarios, ones that take Razer’s projections at face value. In reality, revenue should decline at regular intervals as other miners upgrade their hardware to faster GPUs. This was not lost on Razer’s Twitter followers, many of whom panned the promotion.
“This is the worst trade deal in the history of trade deals, maybe ever,” wrote one user, channeling his or her inner Donald Trump. “Seriously? This is an early April fools joke right?” asked another.
Considering how competitive cryptocurrency mining has become, one would not expect to make a fortune loaning out their idle GPU power, particularly since the third-party intermediary will take a cut of the proceeds. However, given the unattractive revenue figures touted by the company itself, one must seriously question whether it’s worth it to utilize the service at all.
Nevertheless, gimmick though it may be, Razer’s cryptocurrency mining push does represent another instance of this nascent technology and asset class wading further into the mainstream, and that should give crypto enthusiasts something to cheer about against the backdrop of an otherwise dismal market.
What is Holding Coinbase Back From Integrating Ripple (XRP) Into its Exchange?
Bitcoin Price 'Could Go from Bad to Worse': Bearish Analyst
Josiah Wilmoth
Josiah is the US Editor at CCN, where he focuses on financial markets and cryptocurrencies. He has written over 2,000 articles since joining CCN in 2014. His work has also been featured on ZeroHedge and Investing.com. He holds bitcoin, but does not engage in day trading. He lives in rural Virginia. Follow him on Twitter @y3llowb1ackbird or email him directly at josiah.wilmoth(at)ccn.com.
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Home Press Release Press Release, Abuja, Tuesday 19th February 2019 | The Postponed Elections: Our Concerns on Ethnic Stereotyping
Press Release, Abuja, Tuesday 19th February 2019 | The Postponed Elections: Our Concerns on Ethnic Stereotyping
Published On - February 20, 2019
Admin Cdd Press Release
Press Release, Abuja, Tuesday 19th February 2019
The Postponed Elections: Our Concerns on Ethnic Stereotyping
This morning, we learnt that Professor Okechukwu Ibeanu, INEC National Commissioner was summoned to report to the Department of State Security (DSS) for interrogation. Others from INEC summoned with him include Chidi Nwafor, the Director of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Ken Ukeagu, Director of Procurement; Osaze Uzzi, the Director of Voter Education and Publicity and Bimbo Oladunjoye, the Assistant Director of ICT. The DSS has the responsibility to convene and interrogate anyone suspected to be a threat to national security and we do not in any way question that.
We understand that the DSS has since withdrawn the summons but we remain concerned. Our concerns stem from a web design that suddenly emerged on the social media yesterday presenting alleged linkages between the Atiku Campaign Organisation and leading civil society activists of Igbo ethnicity and Professor Ibeanu in INEC. Key civil society activists were targeted in the campaign – Olisa Agbakoba SAN, Clement Nwankwo, Sam Amadi, Innocent Chukwuma and Chidi Odinkalu. Alleged linkages were then drawn to Professor Ibeanu and Mike Ogini of INEC, Bukola Saraki in Senate and the Ballard facilitation of the Atiku trip to the United States and even Donald Trump. Within hours of the circulation of this web, a massive social media campaign with the hashtag #INECIbeanuMustGo was trending presenting Ibeanu as the Atiku Campaign mole in INEC with responsibility for scuttling last Saturday’s election and rigging the forthcoming elections.
We know Okechukwu Ibeanu to be a committed democrat who has devoted his life to the struggle for peace and democracy in Nigeria. He is a respected professor of political science and was in charge of logistics, having taken over from Amina Zakari in October 2018. Subsequently, a different ad hoc committee was set up specifically for the elections. The ad hoc committee has 17 members, and is headed by Ahmed Tijjani Mu’azu, a retired Air Vice Marshal. Making Ibeanu the fall guy for the botched elections is therefore completely wrong. INEC has collective responsibility for the failure.
There appears to be an orchestrated campaign against Okechukwu Ibeanu. His house in Enugu and his car have been broken into with valuables, including laptops and iPads, taken away. On Monday, an article written by Ibeanu in December 2015 resurfaced on the social media followed with a comment: “Nigeria has a Biafran agitator as the REC for Logistics, no wonder this unpatriotic individual, Professor Okechukwu Ibeanu who has made his mission to undermine the Nigerian state.” The article in question was a rejoinder to an opinion written by Ibrahim Jibrin (“Jibo”), one of the signatories of this press release on perceptions of the Igbo Question and Biafara
Professor Ibeanu has had a distinguished academic career at home and abroad and was special rapporteur of the United Nations from 2004-2010. In 2016, he was appointed INEC national commissioner representing the south-east. He was the Chief Technical Officer to Professor Attahiru Jega, the INEC Chairman between 2010 and 2015 and contributed enormously to the success of the 2011 and 2015 elections.
We have the following concerns:
1) There are too many conspiracy theories in circulation and a great deal of mudslinging in the campaigns. In addition, the campaign has been characterized by strong ethno-religious mobilization on all sides, which can be harmful to nation building.
2) This is a clearly orchestrated campaign to smear the names of these people, most of whom have devoted their lives to the struggle against military rule and for democracy for the past three to four decades.
3) The said campaign is divisive and is geared to smear an ethnic group and present them as enemies of democracy and free and fair elections.
4) The smear campaign can only do harm to the difficult process of consolidation of Nigerian democracy.
We therefore appeal to all stakeholders to desist from pursuing campaigns of calumny against any group, and to instead, focus on ensuring that the elections hold in a spirit of nation building that would allow the winners of the elections carry forward the Nigerian national project. Let us all work with INEC and all other authorities involved in the electoral process to re-build trust, and to ensure that there is peace and concord before, during and after the elections.
Professor Adele Jinadu, Chair, Election Analysis Centre
Femi Falana SAN, Legal Practitioner
Professor Ebere Onwudiwe, Political Economist
Professor Jibrin Ibrahim, Political Scientist
Y.Z, Ya’u, Co-Chair, Situation Room
Idayat Hassan, Director, Centre for Democracy and Development
Ms. Ayo Obe, Legal Practioner
Dr. Hussaini Abdu, Country Director, Plan International
Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, Executive Director, CISLAC
Professor Jibrin Ibrahim
Centre for Democracy and Development, Abuja
Follow me on twitter @jibrinibrahim17
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Kellie Woodley
Email: Kellie Woodley
Kellie Woodley is the coordinator of Citizen Network England, currently she is on maternity leave.
Kellie works for Inclusion North as a project manager for the North East of England, having worked in the voluntary and community sector for many years. She began her career working alongside people and families in the advocacy movement designing and exploring representational advocacy and user involvement, supporting and influencing local government. Kellie’s experience in supporting the advocacy movement led to her contributing to the national advocacy qualification.
In 2007 Kellie was part of the Paradigm delivery team leading the first Self-Directed Support programme in England. Kellie led and supported Cambridge and Richmond local authorities to pave the way for self-directed support for people with learning disabilities and their families.
Kellie has spent the last few years understanding and exploring the mental capacity act for families and workers. Kellie has practised as an Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA) and shared her approaches and thinking in a Guide to Supported Decision Making published by Paradigm (2008).
Kellie’s interest in supporting local and sustainable community innovation, particularly in line with personalisation has led to exploration of support brokerage – ‘how does a community support someone to be in control’.
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Home / News / Sean Mccarter From Local Sailor To Local Hero
Sean McCarter: From local sailor to local hero
Sean McCarter Skipper
“From the moment I met the crew I knew we had a great bunch of people,” smiles Sean McCarter, skipper of Derry~Londonderry~Doire.
Sean and his team narrowly missed out on a podium finish in the last edition, so you’d forgive the likable Irishman for perhaps feeling a little disappointed.
But as he explains to us at Race HQ, his team achieved far more in their eleven-month challenge then could ever be measured in points alone.
“As soon as we met we set out our goals and what we wanted to achieve, and at the back of our minds that was what we were working towards,” explains Sean, looking back on the day over 18 months later.
After growing up in Derry-Londonderry and having learnt to sail on Lough Swilly in County Donegal, Ireland at the tender age of five, 36 year-old Sean was the obvious choice to lead the Northern Irish team.
“You know it’s important that you never ask the crew to do anything that you wouldn’t do yourself.
“I was always very conscience to never ask a crew member to do something that I wasn’t prepared to do myself. It was really refreshing to see so much enthusiasm from the team. A lot of my crew are as professional as any professional sailors I have ever worked with.”
For the man from Donegal, the Clipper Race would see him achieve a lifelong dream after winning Race 6 of the 16 race series - the legendary Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.
“Sailing down the Derwent River in Hobart, knowing that we had won our class in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race was an unforgettable moment.
“It’s a race that everyone knows and is one of the three iconic offshore races in the world, so that was huge for us. The feeling of being the first boat in and tying up was incredible – it was really amazing and incredibly special.”
However the celebrations wouldn’t finish there. Having already won the heart of his city he grew up in, Sean still had one last trick up his sleeve. After leaving New York, for Race 14 and homeward bound he and his team achieved what so many before had tried and failed – winning into the team’s homeport.
“Winning our homeport race into Derry-Londonderry was incredible.
“The support and crowds were just massive, and I think it was that point it dawned on me what we had achieved. From the moment I joined the race I was told how incredible the Derry-Londonderry stopover was, and it certainly didn’t disappoint.
“I think it meant as much to the city as it did to us as a team – It was a magical time.”
The search for the next skippers to lead the 12-strong fleet around the globe in the 2015-16 edition of the race is already underway. Sean had these words of advice for any professional sailors interested in taking on the unique challenge:
“Be organised. Talk to past skippers and soak up as much advice as you can - some of it you’ll use and some you won’t. That’s what I did and it really helped with my preparation.
“I’d also say make sure you lead by example and ensure that the team is happy and having fun, because if you approach each race thinking all I want to do is win. Well you might win the race, but generally the team might not enjoy themselves. It’s important to get everyone signed into the same idea and objectives.”
If you are up for the challenge of skippering a race team round the world apply here.
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We have revealed this week that Bermuda is the newest Host Port and Team Partner to the upcoming 2019–20 edition which starts from London, UK, on 1 September 2019.During the inaugural year, the fleet will call into Hamilton, the subtropical…
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The Clipper Race fleet will be equipped with the latest version of TIMEZERO by MaxSea navigation software for the…
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The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race has announced it will be bringing its event back to Seattle in spring 2020. This follows Seattle’s second place victory in the previous edition of the global sailing race, with the city returning as a team entry too.This…
Irish Garda reflects on circumnavigation challenge
It was November 2012 when Conor O’Bryne first applied to take part in the Clipper Race. Fast forward two years…
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Langley small business owners in letter campaign to protest federal tax changes
Proposed tax changes meant to close loopholes could cripple family businesses, Chamber fears
Monique Tamminga
Sep. 4, 2017 12:00 p.m.
Dozens of Langley small business owners, a local lawyer and the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce have together started a letter writing campaign urging the federal government to scrap proposed tax changes they say could potentially cripple people’s livelihoods and prevent new businesses from opening.
Finance Minister Bill Morneau released the details of the tax changes on July 18 and the federal government’s consultation process ends Sept. 18.
The changes have been designed to close what the government calls ‘tax loopholes’ that private businesses use to gain an unfair advantage, said Morneau.
Changes include the curtailment of “income sprinkling,” a method by which business owners shift a portion of income to family members, either through salary or dividends.
It also will stop “passive investment income,” which the government describes as the investment of money left in a corporation, for purposes other than to invest directly in growth.
The changes are meant to target wealthy corporations, but in fact, will hurt small businesses the most, said lawyer Scott Johnston.
“As a business lawyer and corporate counsel for hundreds of incorporated small businesses in Langley, I am deeply concerned about the recent disastrous and foolhardy proposal by Finance Minister Bill Morneau to eliminate income splitting in private corporations,” said Johnston.
“The overwhelming majority of the Langley companies that I represent as counsel are “one woman” or “one man” shops: incorporated family businesses that utilize income splitting as a form of tax planning for their immediate families.
“These companies are primarily incorporated landscapers, HVAC contractors, electricians, plumbers, maintenance contractors, service providers, and other skilled trades: hardly the so-called “rich” doctors and lawyers that this scheme falsely claims to target.”
Scott Waddle, owner of Precision Auto, also wrote a letter to Langley City-Cloverdale MP John Aldag voicing concern about the effect the tax changes will have on family businesses like his.
“Many small businesses are tradespeople or professionals who have invested in training, education and equipment and need the existing tax rules to allow them to survive long enough to become profitable,” Waddle wrote.
“Why would anyone take the risk of starting a business and putting their financial lives at risk if they’re just going to have it all taxed away?”
Langley Chamber president and Otter Co-op CEO Jack Nicholson has urged members to write to their MPs about the changes.
He warns that family members who are employed with incorporated business will be impacted. “The government wants to scrutinize their [family members] compensation to apply a much higher tax rate on income they consider “unreasonable.”
“Do you invest the profits from your business?”
The federal government is proposing to tax that income at an effective rate of 70 per cent, said the Chamber.
“Do you want to pass your business on to your children?”
The new rules will make it difficult for younger kids to get the capital gains exemption. They could be double-taxed, Nicholson said.
Responding to a request for comment, Aldag’s office indicated the MP will meet with the members of the Cloverdale District Chamber of Commerce and Cloverdale Business Improvement Association on Thursday, Sept. 14 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. to consult with them on the proposed tax changes.
His office is also in the process of scheduling a consultation with the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Langley Business Association. On Aug. 30, the Surrey Board of Trade hosted a consultation with its members and a representative from Aldag’s office attended and recorded feedback on behalf of of Langley’s MP who was away.
Aldag also has meetings scheduled over the next two weeks with a number of small business owners in Langley to get their feedback on the proposed changes.
Anyone who would like to know more about the tax changes or to provide feedback to the federal government can click here.
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Facebook is reportedly entering the hardware business with a home device for video calling
Published Tue, Jan 9 2018 12:00 PM EST
Sara Salinas@saracsalinas
The Portal home device would act primarily as a video phone, in line with Facebook's long-time mission of connecting friends and relatives.
The device is rumored to cost $499 — significantly more than comparable items.
It will have some stiff competition in Amazon's Alexa-enabled devices, the Google Home, and Apple's HomePod.
Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
Facebook is reportedly entering the hardware business with a home device for video calling, according to a report from finance outlet Cheddar.
The Portal home device would act primarily as a video phone, in line with Facebook's long-time mission of connecting friends and relatives, but would also allow access to streaming services like Spotify and Netflix, Cheddar reported.
The Portal device is rumored to cost $499 — significantly more than comparable devices like the Amazon Echo Show, which sells for $230 — and will start shipping in the second half of 2018, according to Cheddar.
It marks another entrant into the increasingly crowded voice-activated space and will have some stiff competition in Amazon's Alexa-enabled devices, the Google Home, and Apple's HomePod.
Facebook did not immediately return request for comment from CNBC.
Read the full Cheddar report here.
Alphabet Class A
British foreign minister 'extremely concerned' by Iran tanker seizure
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Lok Sabha Elections 2019: BJP manifesto 'Sankalp Patra' focuses on doubling farmers' income, housing for all
Updated : April 09, 2019 02:15 PM IST
Top party leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and its chief Amit Shah, were present at the launch of the manifesto.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday had unveiled its campaign logo, tagline and theme song for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls with the slogan "Phir Ek Baar Modi Sarkar" (Modi once more) to seek a second consecutive term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday released its manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections of 2019, focusing on doubling of farmers income and housing for all by 2022.
Narendra Modi-led BJP promised in the manifesto—called 'Sankalp Patra'— short-term new agricultural loans of up to Rs 1 lakh at zero percent interest rate, plan a capital investment of Rs 100 lakh crore in the infrastructure sector by 2024, among others.
The party said that they are committed to making an investment of Rs 25 lakh crore for boosting the productivity in the farming sector and that a pension scheme for all small and marginal farmers will be launched. Small shopkeepers will also get pension benefits after 60 years.
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BJP, in the Interim Budget, launched a minimum basic scheme for all the small and marginal farmers, PM-KISAN. Singh said that the party, if re-election, will expand the coverage of the farm income support scheme so that the benefit is reached to all the farmers. The party aims to set up a Rashtriya Vyapar Ayog, to help expand the scheme.
For tax, "We are committed to further revise the tax slabs and the tax benefits to ensure more cash and greater purchasing power in the hands of our middle-income families," BJP said in its manifesto. In the Interim Budget, the party announced a full tax rebate of those earning up to Rs 5 lakh per annum.
Rajnath Singh, home affairs minister, said that the BJP will continue with a zero tolerance policy towards terrorism and will work towards completely stopping cross border infiltration.
Singh also said the party will continue working towards the Universal Civil Code. "BJP believes that there cannot be gender equality till such time India adopts a Uniform Civil Code, which protects the rights of all women, and the BJP reiterates its stand to draft a Uniform Civil Code, drawing upon the best traditions and harmonizing them with the modern times," according to the manifesto.
For traders, the party said that they will establish a National Traders Welfare Board for all the small traders and are aiming to increase loans to MSME under Credit Guarantee Scheme To Rs 1 lakh crore by 2024.
For the poor's welfare, the party promised pakka houses for every poor family, power in every village and power for all.
The party said the aim is to make India a $5 trillion economy By 2025 and a $10 trillion and the third largest economy by 2030.
For education, the party said they will increase seats in management, engineering and law institutes.
Singh said the manifesto committee comprised of 12 members and they aimed to bring a visionary, practical vision document after long deliberations.
Amit Shah, the party president, said BJP had made the-then Gujarat CM Narendra Modi its PM candidate in 2014 and people gave a historic mandate after 30 years. He praised Modi for the development that took place in the last five years and the enhancement of India's reputation abroad.
Shah reiterated that the surgical strike and the air strikes have addressed the roots of terror and have sent a strong message. Apart from this, BJP has taken several steps to eradicate black money and essential services like gas, electricity were provided.
"We have achieved economic growth without breaching boundaries of financial discipline," Shah said, adding that India attained greater heights under PM Modi.
Top party leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, and its chief Amit Shah, were present at the launch of the manifesto.
In 2014, the BJP pledged ‘sabka sath sabka vikas’ and laid down a five-year development road map for the country in the manifesto. It also promised to provide good governance and inclusive development.
The BJP on Sunday unveiled its campaign logo, tagline and theme song for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls with the slogan "Phir Ek Baar Modi Sarkar" (Modi once more) to seek a second consecutive term for Modi.
The party also launched its campaign song - "Chalo Ek Baar Phir Ham Modi Sarkar Banate Hai/Garv Ke Sath Desh Ko Age Badhate Hain/ Phir se Kamal Khilate Hai (let's elect Modi government again, let's move the country ahead with pride, let's help lotus bloom again)".
The party also released some of the videos as part of its campaign with Modi government's pro-poor schemes like Ujjawal, Saubhagya and some of its tough decisions including against terrorists.
The polling for the first phase of seven-phase parliamentary polls in the country is scheduled to take place on April 11, with the last phase on May 19 and the results will be announced on May 23.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had achieved considerable success with slogans like "Ab Ki Baar Modi Sarkar" and "Acche Din Aane Waale Hain."
(With inputs from PTI)
Tags Amit Shah Bharatiya Janata Party BJP manifesto General Elections 2019 Lok Sabha Elections 2019 Narendra Modi Sankalp Patra
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South African 'cannibal case' men get life sentences
Tara John and Brent Swails, CNN
Updated 7:20 AM ET, Thu December 13, 2018
The accused leave court on October 12, 2017
Johannesburg (CNN) When a South African traditional healer wandered into a police station last year and told officers he was "tired of eating human flesh," the police struggled to believe his morbid claim.
That changed when Nino Mbatha, who was also carrying a bag containing a human leg and hand, took the officers to a house in the town of Estcourt, in KwaZulu-Natal province, where more body parts were found.
The case, which has horrified South Africans and been dubbed locally the "cannibal case," came to a close on Wednesday when Mbatha, 33, and Lungisani Magubane, 32, were given life sentences for murder, AFP reports. A third man was acquitted. All three men denied the charges, according to local media.
Pietermaritzburg High Court judge Peter Olsen sentenced both men to life in prison for the killing of Zanele Hlatshwayo last year, saying they were guilty of "the most heinous crime," according to local media.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Natasha Ramkissoon-Kara told CNN that Mbatha denied saying he ate human flesh shortly after his arrest and prosecutors opted to try the case as murder instead.
Mutilating a corpse and being in possession of human tissue are criminal offenses, but there is no direct law against cannibalism in South Africa.
According to the indictment seen by CNN, Magubane approached Mbatha for muti -- a South African term for traditional medicine -- to help him attain good fortune. Mbatha suggested they get a woman or child for this purpose as the "ancestors insisted that blood needed to be spilled."
Prosecutors said Hlatshwayo, who was 25, was killed by Mbatha with the assistance of Magubane.
She was dismembered and some of her body parts were used to make traditional medicine, prosecutors said.
"What happened in this case is truly awful. It was the stuff of nightmares. How one would react in such circumstances is unpredictable. One may well want to unburden oneself of guilt, but later have second thoughts," the judge said according to Witness news.
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Hip Cookeville presents
Reserved seats $18.50
Students (21 and under) $15.00
Forever Abbey Road is comprised of five professional Nashville musicians who work hard at creating a unique show that demonstrates what the Beatles might sound like if they were around today with current technology and modern rock energy. Forever Abbey Road has also worked with colleagues of the Beatles including Denny Laine and Steve Holley from Paul McCartney and Wings.
September 20, 7:00 pm
Tickets $19.95
Students 21 and under $17.00
Here's the deal...
We're just a bunch of pals who love Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. We wanted to honor the memory of Tom, and his timeless, artistic creation.
What we AREN'T, impersonators or a band cashing in on a tragic loss. So you won't see someone who looks like or acts like TPHB. What we guarantee you'll hear are his greatest songs performed as closely to the original releases as possible
WITHOUT the aid of supplemental computer tracks in a live, high energy setting.
The Petty Junkies band is made up of professional musicians and artists who have been very successful in their own right.
Well over 300 hit songs have been penned, played on, sung, or produced by the members of this band.
Cultural Arts Support Team
The Cultural Arts Support Team (CAST) is a volunteer organization for individuals who enjoy the arts and other cultural activities, and who would be interested in assisting with events at the Performing Arts Center. For more information email Kim Frick-Welker.
The Performing Arts Center is accepting sponsorships for the renovated seats in the Margery Hargrove Auditorium. Individual or corporate seat sponsorships are $100 for each seat. Plaques on the seat arms are inscribed with the sponsor’s name or message. Call 931-528-1313 for your tax-deductible sponsorship.
Look at the artwork in the Center! In the Vestibule Galleries, paintings, sculpture, photography, and unique exhibits are on display and for sale. If you would be interested in displaying your artwork, contact us at 931-528-1313.
The Performing Arts Center is continually updating patron information. If you would like to be included on an email list, or have your current information updated, please send us an email or give us a call at 931-528-1313
Chad McDonald
Cultural Arts Superintendent
Email Chad McDonald
10 E Broad Street Cookeville TN 38501
Seating Chart (PDF)
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Government of India ready to "reconsider" inter-linking of rivers project if it is environmentally harmful
Is the Government of India reconsidering its plans for interlinking of rivers? A top non-profit organization – quoting Union minister for water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation Uma Bharti – has said that this may well happen, in case the senior minister sticks to what she said on the last day of the India Rivers Week 2014, November 27. “Government will not proceed with interlinking of rivers if environmental consequences are adverse”, Bharti was quoted as saying. “if we want to save our rivers, the first step is to ensure that no untreated effluent or sewage is mixed with treated water and finds its way into our rivers.”
The South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) said in a statement, Bharti “assured that minimum environmental flows will be maintained in the river itself”, even as Manoj Misra, member of the organizing committee of India Rivers Week “cautioned her not to proceed hurriedly on the project given its adverse social and ecological consequences.”
Speaking at the conference, Justice Madan Lokur, judge, Supreme Court of India stressed on the need to put in place alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to resolve water conflicts. “Courts are not the best option for this”, he said. Anupam Mishra of the Gandhi Peace Foundation spoke on the value of “time-tested systems of water harvesting and the need to promote the use of indigenous knowledge to solve water problem instead of gigantic and destructive schemes like interlinking of rivers.”
KJ Joy of Society for Promoting Participative Ecosystem Management, Pune, speaking on the issue of community initiatives for conflict resolution on rivers said that “there is a need to recognize the complexity, diversity and heterogeneity of conflicts around rivers. These conflicts often end up in courts for redressal. The experiences and struggles reveal limitations in the processes being handled in the court, thus raising the question of whether courts/tribunals are adequately equipped to redress these conflicts.”
Joy further said, “At the same time there are several community evolved and driven resolution mechanisms, sometimes in the form of customary practices. These are often co-opted and/or sabotaged by vested interests and inappropriately mandated state agencies/ laws. There is a need to search for policy, legal and institutional avenues for legitimizing these resolution practices, and also frame alternative mechanisms within a normative framework of social justice, sustainability, and equity and democracy.”
Bhai KK Chatradhara on behalf of the group, “Campaigns for protection or rejuvenation of rivers”, said, “River rejuvenation should be looked at from a holistic perspective – from source to sea. Cumulative Impact Assessment including downstream impact assessment should be done before taking up of any new project. That should require consultations with and consent of Gram Sabha and local panchayat raj institutions.”
He added, “Local community people should be involved in discussions and decision making processes at all levels. Effective cost benefit analysis including options analysis and direct and indirect costs incurred such as cost of decommissioning, aesthetic and landscape loss, disaster potential of an area should be assessed. Sand auditing should be carried out.”
Preeta Dhar, representing the group on “Good legal interventions and secured rivers”, pointed out that “there is a need for addressing outdated laws and standards, gaps and for accounting for changes in technology.” The greater role of panchayati raj institutions and local communities in governance was stressed. The group also recommended the need for use of legal spaces to develop best practices and do go for strategic litigation.
Sudhirendar Sharma, speaking on behalf of the group on “Dams decommissioning and restored rivers” said that “decommissioning of dams is new in the Indian context and in the light of the Mullaperiyar Dam, highly contentious and political. The arguments favoring decommissioning, if at all, are in a nascent stage both in terms of arguments, language and its presentation. The idiom of decommissioning has yet to be located. Locating decommissioning in the context of potential politics is weak in argument and smells of what critics might argue as a case of kinetic politics.”
The India Rivers Week event was organized between 24-27 November, 2014 by a consortium of NGOs including WWF India, INTACH, SANDRP, Toxics Link and PEACE Institute Charitable Trust, with additional support from Arghyam (Bengaluru), International Rivers (Mumbai), and Peoples Science Institute (Dehradun) to discuss, deliberate and exchange their experiences and ideas aimed at the conserving, rejuvenation, restoration of rivers in the country. With ‘Rivers in crisis’ as the theme, the Conference endeavors to devise a National Charter for Rivers and promote a National Forum for Restoration of Rivers.
The Indian Rivers Week-2014 conference awarded individuals and organizations the “Bhagirath Prayas Samman” for their dedicated work on river integrity and safety. Those who were awarded were Dr Latha Anantha of the Chalakudy Puzha Samrakshana Samiti, who has worked on safeguard the integrity of the river Chalakudy (Kerala); Akhil Gogoi of the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, who has successfully utilised the Right to Information Act in conjunction with mass mobilization of communities with respect to ill conceived projects in river Subansiri (Assam); and Koel Karo Jan Sangathan for its efforts to safeguard the integrity of the rivers Koel and Karo (Jharkhand).
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