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Civil unrest in Missouri after teen's shooting
Clashes with Police continue in Missouri
Riot police clear a street with smoke bombs while clashing with demonstrators in Ferguson, Mo., Aug. 13, 2014. Police in Ferguson fired several rounds of tear gas to disperse protesters late on Wednesday, on the fourth night of demonstrations over the fatal shooting last weekend of an unarmed black teenager Michael Brown, 18, by a police officer on Saturday after what police said was a struggle with a gun in a police car. A witness in the case told local media that Brown had raised his arms to police to show that he was unarmed before being killed.
Credit: Mario Anzuoni/Reuters
Riot police clear a street of demonstrators in Ferguson, Mo., Aug. 13, 2014.
Riot police take cover as they clear a street of demonstrators in Ferguson, Mo., Aug. 13, 2014. Police in Ferguson, a suburb of St. Louis, fired several rounds of tear gas to disperse protesters late on Wednesday, on the fourth night of demonstrations over the fatal shooting last weekend of an unarmed black teenager Michael Brown, 18, by a police officer on Saturday after what police said was a struggle with a gun in a police car.
A riot police officer aims his weapon while demonstrators protest the shooting death of teenager Michael Brown, in Ferguson, Mo., Aug.13, 2014.
Police stand watch as demonstrators protest the shooting death of teenager Michael Brown on Aug. 13, 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri.
Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images
Riot police stop a vehicle as they clear a street of demonstrators in Ferguson, Mo., Aug. 13, 2014.
A television position is pictured empty while riot police clears a street of demonstrators, in Ferguson, Mo., Aug. 13, 2014.
Police Chief Thomas Jackson speaks during a news conference at the police headquarters in Ferguson, Mo., Aug. 13, 2014. The police officer involved in the fatal shooting of an unarmed black teenager last weekend in Ferguson, Mo., was injured in the encounter and treated for a facial injury, the city's chief of police Jackson said on Wednesday. He did not name the officer, despite saying that he would, earlier.
A combination photograph shows in sequence a protester throwing back a smoke bomb while clashing with police in Ferguson, Mo., August 13, 2014.
A young woman walks from a corner after police standing near the corner fired tear gas at her on Aug. 13, 2014.
Police stand watch as demonstrators protest the shooting death of teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., Aug. 13, 2014.
A Ferguson, Mo. resident wears a button featuring a picture of Michael Brown during a press conference with Police Chief Thomas Jackson who was fielding questions related to the shooting death of Brown on Aug. 13, 2014.
Demonstrator Keisha Gray cries while protesting the shooting death of teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., Aug. 13, 2014.
Police officers detain a person in Ferguson, Mo., Aug. 13, 2014.
Civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton, left, stands with Michael Brown Sr., the father of slain teenager Michael Brown during a press conference held on the steps of the old courthouse in St. Louis, Mo., Aug. 12, 2014. The younger Brown was shot and killed by a police officer on Saturday in suburban Ferguson, Missouri. Sharpton and Browns family were calling for order following riots and skirmishes with police over the past two nights in Ferguson by demonstrators angry over the shooting.
Demonstrators protest the killing of teenager Michael Brown outside Greater St. Marks Family Church while Brown’s family along with civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton and a capacity crowd of guests met inside to discuss the killing in St Louis, Mo., Aug. 12, 2014. Brown was shot and killed by a police officer on Saturday in the nearby suburb of Ferguson. Ferguson has experienced two days of violent protests since the killing but, tonight the town remained mostly peaceful.
Demonstrators protest the killing of teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., Aug. 12, 2014.
Demonstrators protest the killing of teenager Michael Brown outside Greater St. Marks Family Church while Brown’s family along with civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton and a capacity crowd of guests met inside to discuss the killing in St Louis, Mo., Aug. 12, 2014
Demonstrators protest the killing of teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, Aug. 12, 2014. Brown was shot and killed by a police officer on Saturday in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson.
Demonstrator Anthony Shahid shouts at police officers while protesting against the death of black teenager Michael Brown, outside St Louis County Circuit Clerk building in Clayton, Mo., Aug. 12, 2014. The FBI has opened a civil rights investigation into the racially charged case and St. Louis County also is investigating
Credit: Mario Anzuoni /Reuters
Lesley McSpadden, left, the mother of slain teenager Michael Brown joins a capacity crowd of guests at Greater St. Marks Family Church to discuss the killing of her son and the civil unrest resulting from his death in St Louis, Mo., Aug. 12, 2014.
Police take up position to control demonstrators who were protesting the killing of teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., Aug. 12, 2014.
Police officers patrol a street in Ferguson, Mo., Aug. 11, 2014.
Sunny Ford, a resident of Ferguson, Mo., attempts to calm an emotional protestor during a protest of the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown by a Ferguson police officer, outside Ferguson Police Department Headquarters in Ferguson, Mo., Aug. 11, 2014. Civil unrest broke out as a result of the shooting of the unarmed black 18-year-old as crowds looted and burned stores, vandalized vehicles and taunted police officers. Dozens were arrested for various infractions including assault, burglary and theft.
Credit: Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images
Guests listen to speakers during at a town hall meeting hosted by the St. Louis County NAACP at Murchison Tabernacle Church to discuss the killing of 18-year-old Mike Brown and the community unrest that followed his death in St. Louis, Aug. 11, 2014. Brown, who was reported to be unarmed, was shot and killed by a police officer on Saturday in suburban Ferguson, Missouri. 32 arrests were made after protests over the shooting turned into rioting and looting in Ferguson on Sunday and protests turned violent again on Monday.
Members of the Nation of Islam speak to protestors during a protest of the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown by a Ferguson police officer, outside Ferguson Police Department Headquarters, Aug. 11, 2014.
Attorney Benjamin L. Crump speaks to the media during a press conference regarding the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown at Jennings Mason Temple Church of God In Christ, in Jennings, Mo., Aug. 11, 2014.
Missouri State Highway Patrol tactical vehicle travels down South Florissant Road following a protest of the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown by a Ferguson police officer, outside Ferguson Police Department Headquarters, Aug.11, 2014.
Tirezz Walker, a resident of Ferguson speaks to Missouri Highway Patrol offers in riot gear during a protest of the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown by a Ferguson police officer, outside Ferguson Police Department Headquarters, Aug. 11, 2014.
Two people argue during a protest of the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown outside Ferguson Police Department Headquarters, Aug. 11, 2014.
A man is arrested during a protest of the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown by a Ferguson police officer, outside Ferguson Police Department Headquarters, Aug. 11, 2014.
A man is arrested during a protest of the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown outside Ferguson Police Department Headquarters, Aug. 11, 2014.
Police advance on protestors as they are forced from the business district into nearby neighborhoods, Aug. 11, 2014.
Demonstrators protest the killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown, who was shot by police on Saturday, Aug. 11, 2014.
People view a memorial in the street where 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot, Aug. 11, 2014.
People flee as police advance on protestors firing tear gas and rubber bullets to force them from the business district into nearby neighborhoods in Ferguson, Mo., Aug. 11, 2014.
Police force protestors from the business district into nearby neighborhoods, Aug. 11, 2014.
Protesters are forced by police from the business district into nearby neighborhoods, Aug. 11, 2014.
Tear gas floats in the air as residents gather at a police line as the neighborhood is locked down following skirmishes in Ferguson, Mo., Aug. 11, 2014.
A child uses a rag to shield his face from tear gas being fired by police who used it to force protestors from the business district into nearby neighborhoods, Aug. 11, 2014.
Police refuse to let people leave a neighborhood in Ferguson, Mo., Aug. 11, 2014.
Police guard a Quick Trip gas station that was burned on Sunday when protests over the killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown turned to riots and looting in Ferguson, Mo., Aug. 11, 2014.
Tear gas hangs in the air as police force protestors from the business district into nearby neighborhoods, Aug. 11, 2014.
With their hands raised, residents gather at a police line as the neighborhood is locked down following skirmishes in Ferguson, Mo., Aug. 11, 2014.
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UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations have certainly hindered French football
June 16, 2015 December 7, 2016 Uncategorized
UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations have certainly hindered French football from becoming one of the top leagues in the world over the last few years.
Monaco and Paris St Germain have incredible wealth at their disposal, but they have been limited by the UEFA rules that prevent them from making losses over a certain limit. PSG were already found guilty of not complying with the last monitoring period. This other club restricted severely in terms of spending limits in the last transfer window. Despite this, manager Laurent Blanc managed to lead the club to a historic treble.
After the Coupe de France final victory over Auxerre, Blanc stated that he was hoping for much more flexibility from UEFA. UEFA president Michel Platini recently stated that the European body would be reducing the FFP regulations in the hope of levelling the playing field. The presence of this regulation has prevented new clubs from entering into the elite world. UEFA has had a number of cases registered on this account, as it appears to benefit the already wealthy clubs. The only title that PSG failed to lift last season was the Champions League. Even then, Blanc reckons that the French outfit are already a big club and will win the European title in the short term.
“The financial fair play bothers us in what we want to do. I hope it will soon be moderated to allow us to do what we want. Many believe that Paris will not be a big club until it has won the Champions League. For me that is wrong – PSG is already a big club. And one day it will win,” said the PSG manager. Blanc was very close to being sacked just before the Champions League last 16 match against Chelsea, but he has managed a quite impressive turnaround.
Tagged on: Coaching Football Fulham
← Fulham has gone from competing in the Premier League
PSG struggling a lot these days →
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Just a quarter of Scottish workers get enough mental health support
New research has found that only a quarter (24%) of Scottish workers feel their employer provides them with enough mental health support in the workplace.
The YouGov study, commissioned by leading job board, totaljobs, surveyed Scottish workers to find out about their experiences of mental health and wellbeing at work.
The study showed that 4% of people have taken sick days off work, or have been unable to work as an employee, due to a mental health issue in the last year - with nearly a third (29%) of these stating that their employer was unaware of the reason.
Regarding whether they would be comfortable discussing a mental health issue with their employers, just under a third (30%) of Scottish workers said they would feel comfortable.
Of the reasons they would not feel comfortable discussing their mental health with their employer, 33% said they feel their employer would think negatively of them, 24% don’t think they would get enough or the right support, and 23% feel there is a ‘stigma’ attached to mental health issues.
Top 5 reasons employees are reluctant to discuss a mental health issue with an employer:
I feel it would make my employer think negatively of me (33%)
I don’t think I’d get enough/the right support from my employer (24%)
I feel there is a ‘stigma’ attached to mental health issues (23%)
I don’t think it’s my employer’s business (i.e. they shouldn’t need to know about it) (23%)
I’d be embarrassed to discuss it with my employer (18%).
When asked about the services offered by their employer that may aid mental health and wellbeing, the most prevalent service was counselling, with 26% of workers saying this was offered.
Top 5 mental health and wellbeing services offered by employer:
Counselling (free or paid-for) (26%)
Flexible working hours (24%)
Encouragement of regular breaks (15%)
Staff surveys specifically to ensure employees are not struggling at work (14%)
Gym memberships (free or discounted) (13%)
Totaljobs has created an online hub with lots of useful resources and articles on coping with mental health in the workplace. Find it HERE
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Marketing to Communities
When Mad Men premiered on the small screen in 2007, it was an immediate homerun. Numerous prestigious accolades and skyrocketing ratings followed, and the series was clearly an iconic gem of this generation. However, despite its wild popularity among modern television audiences, the plot was antiquated. Set in the 1960s at a New York City advertising agency, the show features Don Draper at the throne in the office, dictating the direction of all the advertising campaigns. Throw some womanizing and martini-soaked lunch hours into the mix, and it’s clear that the series represents an era that is no longer applicable to modern-day culture.
Today, many analysts agree that social communities should be a top priority for marketers. According to Esteban Kolsky, founder of ThinkJar, more than 20 percent of activity on the Web includes social communities, and that proportion will continue to grow. “It’s a pretty significant number,” he observes. “Pretty much everyone is using at least one of them. The goal is to disseminate information to the public. And if they are all in one place, that’s where [marketers] want to go.”
However, for social communities, which seemingly have been popularized overnight, change happens quickly. As for marketers who are looking to participate in these communities, best practices that worked as recently as a year ago may no longer apply.
The “number one mistake” usually occurs when planning social marketing campaigns, Kolsky says. “They see it as just another channel for marketing,” he explains. “Instead of looking at how to do things differently…they just go into online social communities and advertise their message, instead of engaging and having conversations.”
Social communities are shaking up the entire space. “The company used to have the power, control, and ability to influence the products and customer service strategies,” says Kimberly Collins, research vice president at Gartner. “Social media has put the consumer in power more so than they have ever been in the past.”
Taking the customer’s voice “strongly into consideration” is vital for today’s marketers. “If you don’t listen, then you could really miss some key insights to improve your customer experience and brand name,” Collins warns.
“While Don Draper probably wouldn’t agree with me, marketing and data accumulation in the Mad Men era was easier, as customer interactions came through a limited number of channels,” Tim Wentworth, chief marketing officer of Ektron, wrote earlier this year. “Now we have the Web, email, and social media, in addition to traditional sales channels like the phone and face-to-face customer interactions.”
Wentworth explains that most marketers are “savvy enough” to track customer behavior. As a result, the term “mad men” has significantly changed. “Thinking like a Mad Man means that you recognize that selling also occurs outside of channels that you can’t easily control,” he wrote.
“Investment of Resource”
When selecting a company’s target community, social media is a “strategic investment of resource,” asserts Joe Fox, senior account executive and local product manager of Fathom Online Marketing. “Businesses should try to find where their target market congregates within the realm of social media and specifically market to those places,” he says. “Customers want information and a simple connection to what is relevant to them. Businesses should give them a simple way to find what is around them, even in social media.”
Collins adds, “Choose three to five platforms that make the most sense for your company. You don’t want to be in every channel; otherwise you are gong to be spending a lot of time and seeing very little return on investment if you try to manage too many of these.”
In terms of marketing strategy, Kolsky says, B2B and B2C campaigns are similar. “There may be some technical challenges to keeping confidential or privileged information secure, but the same tools and same concerns apply: Become a member of the community, contribute, engage, and use marketing sparingly and wisely,” he says. “This does not change from B2B to B2C.”
While LinkedIn has been viewed as a preferred marketing platform for B2B vendors, Kolsky disagrees: “LinkedIn is not well suited for marketing; it is more of a sales and recruiting community. Each community has it own purposes, and marketers should never try to change or modify that. Companies should turn to LinkedIn for recruiting and HR issues, at best.”
Currently, two of the top social community software platforms are Jive and Lithium. By combining the powers of community, collaboration, and social networking software, Jive offers marketers an integrated platform. Recent updates include video, analytics, and social media monitoring.
Last year, Lithium acquired social media monitoring provider Scout Labs, whose service enables brands to engage with their customers beyond the community to monitor, map, and measure customer conversations.
“Lithium focuses exclusively on what we call the social customer,” says Katy Keim, chief marketing officer at Lithium. “We built our entire company based on serving that social customer, and what we try to do is build a place where customers can engage with one another and the company. We call it a brand nation.”
Whom to Trust
With customers engaging so much, whose opinions do they trust? When Edelman published its annual Trust Barometer research last year, there was a clear shift in consumer behavior. For several years, industry analysts, consultants, and marketers promoted people’s peers as the top trusted source for consumers. However, Edelman’s 2011 report showed that new top trusted sources are third parties, experts, and academics.
Ben Boyd, executive vice president at Edelman, says “a number of factors” are driving the change. “Three or four years ago, I found it both novel and impactful that I could find out what movies my friends liked and what restaurants they liked in a one-on-one scenario,” he recalls. “But I think over the subsequent three to five years, we have seen that become not as much of a useful information feed.” Instead, it has become “a drowning sea of different opinions.”
Furthermore, Boyd says the financial crisis had a “seismic impact” on consumers’ overall trust. He recommends that marketers bring well-trusted and highly regarded individuals into their social communities to build consumer confidence. “I think that individuals are looking for higher credentialed sources of authority who they feel can really help them make sense of it,” he says. While Boyd thinks this is true “across all channels,” it is especially critical for the financial communications industry. “I think it’s safe to say that, as an industry, it will have to rely even more heavily on academics and third parties for sourcing of believable insights for consumers.
“As a firm, we don’t think that there is going to be a shift back in terms of a dominant person like me, as there once was at the advent of social networks. But we do believe that having that trust reservoir established for a brand is paramount,” he continues. “Those brands that have established themselves as a trust reservoir in the minds of consumers tend to weather the storms much better.”
Consumer Sentiment
With the advent of social networking platforms and growing options for consumers, engagement with customers is setting brands apart. “For the most part, the person that gets steamed enough to go out and [post a negative comment] should definitely be followed up on,” says Laurie McCabe, partner at SMB Group.
In addition, follow-ups should not be limited to negative comments. “Certainly contacting and connecting with those customers who are happy could make them even happier, increase their loyalty even more, and reinforce in their minds, ‘Yeah, I made the right decision to buy,’” McCabe says. “The listening and the response are really what it’s all about.”
Collins adds, “Customers can have influence in product strategies so they can talk about the features, functionality that they like, and the new products they would like to see. You can really use them as a source of input and innovation for product development based on more of what the customers would like to see.”
On the other hand, Kolsky emphasizes the “self-policing” qualities of social communities. “The problem is, you don’t control the communities, so if someone makes a disparaging comment about your product, the best you can do is offer information that counters that claim,” he says. “It doesn’t mean it’s going to be well-perceived, but it’s going to be all you can do. You can’t just remove it and say ‘I don’t want people to know about it.’”
Instead, companies should focus on creating “champions for the brand,” he says. “You want to create a community where you engage with your members so the other members of the community will come to your defense when there is an unfair and unjust attack launched at you.”
Consumer insights also are valuable when crafting advertising strategies. Engaging with consumers is important when discerning the dos and don’ts for individual marketing campaigns. “Before you spend a lot money on a television commercial, you can ask, ‘Which of these do you like better?’” explains Collins. “Sometimes you air something and it’s offensive. So if you ask the social community online, they could have told you that.”
Customers are communicating through threaded conversations on review sites, such as Yelp, in addition to “less obvious methods,” such as likes and interests on Facebook. “While consumers are still using social media as major sources of conversation amongst one another, the indirect effect of these other methods cannot be ignored,” Fox says. “A simple ‘like’ from a trusted friend might sway an uncertain consumer in a purchasing decision.”
Fox notes that creating a social media presence is an easy and virtually free way to get started, but “that comes after scouting the potential of a given network. Once a profile is established, companies should make meaningful content available designed for their target market. Sharing product information, deals, photos, links, and other items with customers can help foster brand loyalty.”
McCabe says that using social media is “absolutely critical” for monitoring what’s being said by consumers. “If you are using social media to promote your brand and your offerings, there is nothing wrong with that, but you want to make sure that these two worlds are in sync,” she advises. “The last thing you want to be doing is just circulating some kind of tweet or Facebook posting about how great something you do is and, meanwhile, you are just caught off guard because your customers are circulating a different story.”
Amid the current “social media explosion,” McCabe says the time has come to approach social campaigns with a clear agenda in mind. “We are just starting to really learn how to use it most effectively and what some of the risks are,” she says. “Businesses should go into social media campaigns knowing their objectives.”
One of those objectives is to know how to communicate with your audience. For example, a recent study conducted by Yahoo and Digitas Health identified key implications for marketers targeting women:
• Be honest and strong.
• Be everywhere she is.
• Be in the content she cares about.
• Be present emotionally.
• Be specific to health styles.
“The big point is to market to the woman wherever she is, and don’t just focus on treating the condition,” says Lauren Weinberg, senior director of strategic insights and research at Yahoo. “Having one or many health conditions is a fact of life for most women. In spite of this, women choose to live full and positive lives. Health providers have the ability to speak to her effectively and emotionally through the content she cares about, especially around medication, fortification, and information.”
Kahn says online communities are “ideal” platforms for women because they are likely to be engaged consumers, seeking brand recommendations and researching new products. “The key to engendering trust and establishing relevance online is aggregating women around the right topics and inviting marketers to be adjacent to that content and part of the conversation,” adds Jim DeMarco, vice president of research and analytics at iVillage. “The bottom line is, in order for marketers to instill trust in their own brands, they need to align with media platforms that enjoy a high level of trust among their users.”
Building social communities is still new for marketers, and many analysts differ on the right approach. But the consensus is you won’t be a modern-day mad man by ignoring this phenomenon. “Trying to avoid it is a mistake because the power has shifted to the customer. And if you don’t listen, you could miss some key insights to improve your customer experience and brand name,” Collins says.
Associate/Web Editor Brittany Farb can be reached at bfarb@destinationcrm.com.
The Rise of the Agile Consumer
Traditional CRM systems are failing to keep pace with today's customer.
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White House considering Derek Kan for Fed seat
Derek Kan, an undersecretary at the Department of Transportation, is being considered for one of two open seats on the Federal Reserve Board
White House considering Derek Kan for Fed seat Derek Kan, an undersecretary at the Department of Transportation, is being considered for one of two open seats on the Federal Reserve Board Check out this story on detroitnews.com: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/nation/2019/05/17/white-house-considering-derek-kan-fed-seat/39489155/
Saleha Mohsin, Bloomberg Published 12:16 p.m. ET May 17, 2019 | Updated 12:19 p.m. ET May 17, 2019
Derek Kan (Photo: U.S. Department of Transportation)
The White House is considering Derek Kan, an undersecretary at the Department of Transportation, for one of two open seats on the Federal Reserve Board, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Kan, who has been a senior adviser to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao since 2017, has served on the board of directors for Amtrak and was previously general manager of ride-hailing company Lyft Inc. He earned his MBA from Stanford University and studied economic history at the London School of Economics, according to a profile on the Department of Transportation website.
President Donald Trump has struggled to find candidates for the Fed that are acceptable to the senators who vote to confirm them. Trump has named four people for the two open seats on the board of governors. None of them has made it through the Senate, raising questions about the White House vetting process for his picks.
The White House declined immediate comment.
Read or Share this story: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/nation/2019/05/17/white-house-considering-derek-kan-fed-seat/39489155/
Detroit police commissioner removed from raucous meeting in handcuffs
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3 charged in Warren after Lyft driver reports suspicious passengers
6 Dems 'disappointed' with Nessel's Line 5 suit
2 city of Detroit workers hurt by toilet explosion
Trump drops citizenship question from census
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Manufacturing & Engineering Skills Centre Launched by Pete Waterman
The future of engineering skills and training in the region was secured when Dudley Advance was launched by Pete Waterman OBE on Friday 18 October 2013. The celebrated music producer and railway enthusiast turned the first turf at the new Centre for Advance Manufacturing and Engineering Technology at Dudley College, Dudley, West Midlands, to mark the start of construction.
The ground-breaking event is the realisation of three years' planning to provide a dedicated training centre for the development of crucial skills and expertise necessary to secure the future of engineering and manufacturing in the Black County and further afield.
Scheduled to open in September 2014, the £8 million centre will provide engineering giants, supply chains and smaller manufacturers with the high-level engineering and manufacturing skills their current and future workforces require.
With growth across the whole sector, skills development is essential to the future of the industry. Today's launch of Dudley Advance will ensure that both local and national businesses reap the benefits of technically talented individuals, as well as engineering and manufacturing employers are ideally positioned to continue delivering world-class goods and components.
Dudley Advance will house specialist teaching spaces and will be packed full of cutting-edge, industry specific equipment for mechatronics, electrical engineering and engineering science, as well as traditional machine tool based engineering and state-of-the-art CNC.
"It's fantastic to see that training in traditional and new engineering skills have such a positive future in the Black Country," Pete Waterman explained, "Engineering is part of our heritage and a vital element of our economy at home and overseas. I'm delighted that Dudley Advance will be open next year to train and create the next generation of engineering experts and manufacturing specialists so we can continue to be competitive, and be proud of the talent in this region."
"The development and continued success of engineering and manufacturing companies is integral to the future prosperity of the Black Country economy and we need to significantly improve the technical skill level of our existing and future workforce," explained Stuart Towe, Chairman of the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership.
"Simply put, we need young people and adults with skills in areas such as PLC programming, mechatronics, foundry skills, CAD and CNC programming, electronic design and hydraulic engineering. A workforce with these skills will allow us to compete in a global economy. We have begun to see the return of advanced manufacturing from overseas into the Black Country. This is a significant opportunity for us to improve the skills level of our workforce."
Dudley College has worked very closely with the LEP and a number of important engineering and manufacturing companies in the region in developing Dudley Advance. The result is a proposal with a curriculum which positively meets the needs of local employers. Employers look forward to working closely with the Centre for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Technology through the development of new apprenticeship opportunities, work placements and industrial updating of staff."
The latest addition to the Dudley Learning Quarter has the backing of educational partners, large employers and government funded bodies, all of which have been eager to pledge their support to this exciting new project.
City and Guilds, the international awarding body, which has more than 2 million learners working towards their qualifications each year, is sponsoring Dudley Advance as it recognised the importance of the new skills centre.
Richard Hickin, Head of UK Sales for City & Guilds explained, "At City & Guilds we're in business to inspire people to discover their talent, realise their career aspirations and encourage them to develop their skills to be the best they can possibly be. Dudley Advance will have a huge impact on the future careers of its learners and on the industry overall. We are really excited to be a key partner in delivering Dudley College's vision".
NEF: The Innovation Institute has a unique focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) related education. To recognise the excellence in teaching of science, engineering and technology, this professional body has awarded Dudley College membership to an elite network of STEM Assured Colleges. STEM Assured status required the college to foster a high level of consistency in the quality of STEM education and training and increase learners' interest in STEM subjects through visible employment prospects.
Achieving STEM Assured is an incredible feat as there are only 20 colleges in whole of the UK to have achieved this and whilst presenting the STEM Assured Award, Professor Sa'ad Medhat, CEO at NEF, said, "Today marks a double success for Dudley College. In addition to the opening of their new facility, we are delighted that Dudley College has gained STEM Assured status. This externally validated standard confirms to learners, employers and other stakeholders that Dudley College has a thriving capacity to deliver STEM based education and training which meets their needs and expectations.
"Like Dudley Advance, this achievement required a serious commitment from Dudley College's governors, leaders and staff to the standards embodied by STEM Assured. This will be manifested through the outcomes for learners and the sustained contribution the college has made, and will continue to make, to local economic growth.
"We wish Dudley College and all of its learners and partner organisations every success with their new facility and we very much look forward to being part of this exciting journey which they are making as a STEM Assured College."
A new partnership with Aston University was also announced on the day. Dudley College is working closely with this established university to provide prospective engineers with the chance to study a range of traditional and innovative courses through to post graduate level, in electrical engineering, engineering science, advanced manufacturing technology and production, hydraulic engineering, product design and CNC/CAD.
"The opportunity to work with Dudley College and its employer partners resonates with Aston University's vision and mission of employable graduates with a strong regional emphasis of widening participation and providing clear progression routes to higher level study."
Lowell Williams, Principal at Dudley College explained: "Dudley Advance is a very exciting and distinctive project and we are thrilled to celebrate the ground breaking for this fantastic facility. There has been a great deal of interest shown in the development by the Black Country LEP and, with the support of our partners who joined us today, we are confident that this further addition to the Dudley Learning Quarter will revive and regenerate the development of high value manufacturing and engineering skills for the region."
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THE TRUTH ABOUT TRANS FATS
TRANS FATS: DESTROYER OF HEALTH
Edward Lich - Nootdorp/Nederland - Pixabay
"The National Institutes of Health has funded over $100 million on three studies at Harvard University over the past 20 years ---- the results of which unequivocally prove that the risk of Cardiovascular Disease correlates to the consumption of Trans Fats [and not Saturated Fats]." From the Foreword to Judith Shaw's 2004 book called Trans Fats; The Hidden Killer in our Food. "We were told by the experts then [the 1950's and 1960's] that the epidemic proportions of Coronary Heart Disease could be halted if the country united against butter, red meat, and eggs. However, funding for the research that unequivocally seemed to 'prove' the connection between Heart Disease and diets high in saturated fats were companies such as Proctor & Gamble (Crisco), Wesson and Mazola (Vegetable Oil), and Fleishmann's (Margarine) --- the very food giants who stood to benefit most from their conclusions." Ibid. It is interesting to note that the campaign against Saturated Fats was not only supported by organizations like the American Heart Association, but by our government as well.
Although there have been hundreds (probably thousands) of studies on this topic over the past several decades, there is still lots of questionable information floating around on fats. One of the biggest misconceptions is that as far as your health is concerned, Trans Fats (a completely man made, artificial, substance), is essentially the same thing as Saturated Fat. I am going to show you that this is simply not the case. I am also going to show you that when it comes to dietary fats, Trans Fats, and not Saturated Fats are the chief destroyer of health. Buckle up and enjoy the ride.
As I said in the previous paragraph, Trans Fats are completely man made. They are a cheap substitute for the real thing. Vegetable Oils (corn oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, etc) that have been treated with chemical solvents used to bleach them white and deodorize them, are then "Hydrogenated" by forcing hydrogen atoms into them at high heat and pressure. Because the Hydrogenation is never "complete", it is usually referred to as "Partially Hydrogenated" (people with backgrounds in organic chemistry will understand this, but it is not critical for understanding how bad Trans Fats are). This means that officially the fat is not "Saturated" (even though it is a solid at room temperature).
In the late 1800's and early 1900's, German scientists developed a method of driving hydrogen atoms into vegetable oils (or sometimes into whale oil / fish oil) to convert them to a solid. The process of "Hydrogenation" spread to various parts of Europe until Procter & Gamble bought the US rights and set up a factory here in America. The name of their 1911 product? One that you likely grew up with ---- Crisco. Prior to this, people ate and cooked with lard, tallow, pork fat, and butter (or even bear "grease"). What is the common denominator here? They're all animal fats. Please note that obesity and heart disease were both extremely rare at this time.
As new sources of oils were found to hydrogenate (soybean oil was essentially a byproduct of animal feed until they started hydrogenating it), the hydrogenation industry literally exploded. Women were given free cookbooks from Proctor & Gamble that were full of recipes which relied on Crisco. Shortening was touted as "healthy" because it was made from "vegetables". And as the formulas were tweaked, it was discovered that Vegetable Shortening such as Crisco could actually produce foods that were thought by many to be superior in both taste and texture to those made with butter or lard. And no one could argue that Trans Fats provided foods with a longer shelf life --- something that the food manufacturers were quite interested in ---- particularly in the days before the Interstate Highway System and widespread refrigeration.
By the 1920's, animal fats were being largely phased out of the fledgling processed food industry as well as commercial bakeries. By the 1960's, Hydrogenated Vegetable oils had almost completely replaced animal fats across the board. If you are old enough to remember, much of this was due to the suggestion that animal fats were the cause of all sorts of health problems, including heart disease. You probably also remember that one of the selling points of these products was that they are made from healthy "Vegetables" (Vegetable Shortening).
Even though one of the most prestigious medical journals on the planet (The Lancet) suggested a relationship between hydrogenated oils and heart disease back in 1956, the information was largely buried / ignored, and life went on as usual. As people bought into the whole "unsaturated fats are healthy / saturated fats are unhealthy" myth (HERE), the hydrogenation industry exploded. However, by the late 1980's the tide was beginning to turn. Researchers were hollering for more funding for studies; and as the money and studies poured forth, the Trans Fat empire began to collapse, albeit slowly.
The earlier studies showed that as many as 20,000 Americans per year were dying as a direct result of dietary Trans Fats in the form of hydrogenated oils. By 1994, studies had upped that number to over 30,000 death per year. Twelve years later, a study in the The New England Journal of Medicine raised the number of estimated annual deaths directly due to Trans Fats nearly three times to over 100,000, saying that, "On a per-calorie basis, trans fats appear to increase the risk of Coronary Heart Disease more than any other macronutrient, conferring a substantially increased risk at low levels of consumption." I know what you're thinking; if Trans Fats are so bad, could someone please tell me why? It all has to do with the Cell Membrane.
CELL MEMBRANES / THE LIPID BI-LAYER
LadyofHats
Every single cell in your body (all 100 Trillion of them) are surrounded by Cell Membranes. In order to have good health, you must have properly functioning Cell Membranes. Cell membranes also give individual organs and tissues their unique shape and consistency. For Cell Membranes to function properly, you need to eat a diet loaded with good fats. You'll see why in a moment. Just remember that the kinds of fats and oils that you consume will dictate what sorts of fats and oils make up your cell membranes. I realize that purposely consuming any dietary fat is frowned upon by large numbers of supposed "experts", but without quality fats in your diet, serious illnesses will ensue. Some of the functions of Cell Membranes include.......
PROTECTING INDIVIDUAL CELLS FROM THEIR SURROUNDINGS: This is important for keeping bad things out of the cell and allowing good things to enter into the cells.
CELLULAR SIGNALING AND COMMUNICATION: The cell membranes not only transmit nerve-like messages via the fact that they are electrically charged (see below), the fluidity and mobility of the membrane has the ability to conduct / transmit messages. This should remind you of one of the properties of FASCIA.
IT IS AN ANCHOR SYSTEM FOR ALL SORTS OF STRUCTURES BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE CELL: This sort of goes hand in hand with the next bullet point. Cell Membranes provide cohesion so that groups of similar cells can group together into functional units, tissues, and even organs.
CELL MEMBRANES HELP GIVE INDIVIDUAL CELLS AND TISSUES THEIR UNIQUE SHAPE: Without Cell Membranes, each cell would effectively function like an amoeba. Some people I know would barely notice this. Trans Fats stiffen Cell Membranes and leave them less flexible and fluid. Although this sounds harmless enough, it is the basis of the disease process we will look at momentarily.
Cell Membranes are said to be "Selectively Permeable". In English, this means that the cells choose what they allow to enter into them or go out of them, in relationship to what their individual needs are. There are several methods of transporting things across the Cell Membrane. We will explore some of these related to disease processes when we specifically deal with the Cell Membrane in just a moment.
CELL MEMBRANES ALLOW WATER AND OXYGEN INTO THE CELL, WHILE LETTING CARBON DIOXIDE OUT: This process does not require energy.
THE CELL MEMBRANES HAVE CHANNELS MADE OF PROTEIN THAT ALLOW FOOD TO BE TRANSPORTED INTO THE CELL: The opposite is true as well. The cells expend energy to pump certain substances back and forth across the cell membrane. This also occurs in a different manner via processes of known as endocytosis (moving things into the cell) and exocytosis (moving things out of the cell) respectively. Instead of substances being pumped through channels, they are engulfed like something from the movie, "The Blob". Then the whole thing is moved across the cell membrane and the contents "spit out" where they need to be.
Consuming Trans Fats in the form of Partially Hydrogenated Oils is a veritable death sentence. Oh, don't get me wrong ---- it's not like they will kill you as soon as they hit your mouth. Instead, they'll do in a slower and more subtle fashion. It is now known that consuming these man made fats dramatically changes both the structure and the function of the Cell Membranes. This means that man made Trans Fats can kill you in a slow, painful manner (Diabetes) --- or all at once (Heart Attack). Follow along as I show you some things that just might save your life, while giving you a better quality of living in the process.
As you saw in the pictures above, Cell Membranes are composed of two layers of phospholipids that are positioned opposite each other. Their attracted-to-water (hydrophillic) tails face each other so that the water-repelling (hydrophobic) heads create a barrier-like outside edge of the cell. This allows the cell to block substances from entering the cell ----- unless the cell decides it needs to let them in. When it all works like it should, life is peachy. When it does not, health can go south in a hurry.
Trans Fats create what some experts refer to as "Stupid Cell Membranes". Allow me to explain. As more and more Trans Fats are incorporated into Cell Membranes, they lose both their flexibility and ability transmit and receive messages. After this, they begin to fail at being "Selectively Permeable". On one hand, they start letting things into the cells that should not be there, while preventing things from coming in that should be in the cell. On the other hand, they keep things inside the cell that should be let out (i.e. metabolic waste products) and let things out that should stay in.
One of the chief ways that this happens is that the specific fats and oils that make up the "lipid bilayer" (Cell Membrane) must be able to respond to their environment, and respond quickly --- almost instantaneously. One of the reasons your body can metabolically react like it does to things like hormones, neurotransmitters, inflammatory mediators, nutritional compounds, drugs, etc, is because of the fluidity of the Cell Membranes. Take away that fluidity and the body reacts in completely different ways. As you might imagine, the less flexible your Cell Membranes become, the more prone to diseases you are.
DISEASE PROCESSES
ASSOCIATED WITH TRANS FATS
"[Trans Fats have] no safe level of human consumption. [They have a] tolerable upper intake level of zero." From a 2002 report put out by the Institute of Medicine at the National Academy of Science.
Once you understand what Cell Membranes do, it becomes easy to understand some of the disease processes associated with Trans Fats and their effects on Cell Membranes. One of the first things you must understand about Trans Fats is that they cause massive amounts of INFLAMMATION. It is critical that you understand that Inflammation is the name given to a specific group of normal immune system that are being produced and released in too-large amounts. Inflammation is not local swelling ---- even though the two terms are frequently used synonymously.
Because Systemic Inflammation has been strongly associated with dozens of disease processes as well as dramatic increases in C-Reactive Protein (CRP), it is advised to learn what it is and how to avoid it. We know that Trans Fats are one of the major sources of Inflammations for most Americans. In fact, several governmental organizations have issued statements regarding the fact that there is no level of the Partially Hydrogenated (artificial / man made) Trans Fats that can be safely consumed in our diets.
HEART DISEASE / CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE: There have been dozens of studies linking dietary fat to Heart Disease. Be aware that while the evidence for a causal link between Trans Fats and Heart Disease is overwhelming, the evidence for a causal link between Saturated Fats and Heart Disease is not. We can see this in a blood test by watching for an increase in the ratio of bad cholesterol to good. Remember also that although Trans Fats contain no cholesterol themselves, they jack the ratio of the LDL (bad) to the HDL (good).
IMMUNE SYSTEM FUNCTION: Studies have shown that Trans Fats stimulate the part of the Immune System that deals with Inflammation. Look at the earlier link. How many diseases are associated with Inflammation? Too many to count. Interestingly enough, there is a growing body of researchers (see previous bullet point) who believe that high cholesterol has little to do with dietary cholesterol. Instead they believe that Cholesterol is the body's "patch" to fix the damage that occurs in arteries caused by ---- you guessed it ----- Inflammation.
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE: Although this one is also being linked to high blood sugar and HFCS, the Archives of Neurology tied it to Trans Fats in a study that was published almost 10 years ago to the day.
CANCER: The first studies on Trans Fats and cancer occurred back in the 1940's. Since then the consensus of the mainstream medical community is that there is either no link, or the link is minimal. However, there are numerous scientists and studies from around the world linking the two. Stop for a moment and think. It is only logical that impairing the integrity of the cell's guardian membrane would have consequences as far as cancer is concerned.
DIABETES: Stupid Cell Membranes have been shown by studies not to function optimally as far as allowing glucose in and out of the cells. Trans Fats have been shown to alter the effects of both Insulin and Insulin Receptors (Insulin Resistance); a precursor to / component of Type II Diabetes.
OBESITY: Trans Fats cause obesity ---- even in the absence of caloric excess. Like Cortisol, their intake is shown to cause most of the excess fat to be deposited in the abdominal area. Abdominal Obesity is associated with far more health issues than generalized weight gain.
LIVER FUNCTION: The Liver is your body's chemist. Trans Fats alter the way that your body metabolizes certain fats. Be aware that the most common cause of mild to moderately raised levels of liver enzymes is a fatty liver, and a fatty livers occur most commonly in people who are obese.
FEMALE INFERTILITY: Just a 2% increase in Dietary Trans Fats caused female infertility to skyrocket.
DEPRESSION: Studies have shown that Trans Fats lower brain levels of DHA. DHA is the two active components of PFGO. Note that dozens of scientific studies have linked low brain levels of DHA to Major Depressive Disorder (DEPRESSION).
For someone who is GLUTEN SENSITIVE, they will often feel better almost immediately after cutting wheat and wheat products out of their diet, the same cannot usually be said for Trans Fats. This has to do with the fact that once Trans Fats are incorporated into the Cell Membranes, they tend to stick around indefinitely. If you cut Trans Fats from your diet and dramatically increase the intake of healthy fats (including "clean / unprocessed" animal fats), it will take time for the Cell Membranes to regenerate themselves. How long, I'm not sure. But don't expect for all of these problems to go away overnight just because you changed your diet.
IS THERE SUCH A THING AS HEALTHY TRANS FATS?
Dr. Spencer Proctor, an Associate Professor at the University of Alberta and director of their Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases Laboratory, had some interesting things to say about naturally occurring Trans Fats. It turns out that these are not only not bad for you, they are actually quite good for you. Dr. Proctor and his team published a study in last September's issue of Advances in Nutrition outlining their findings. It seems that naturally occurring Trans Fats found in real meat and dairy products are dramatically different than the artificial Trans Fats that are the result of the hydrogenation process. Just be aware that these naturally occurring Trans Fats are not labeled any differently than the man made products.
TRANS FATS MAKE UP A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THESE COMMON FOODS
"Unlike butter, the manufactured hydrogenated vegetable fat in crackers, and cookies, precooked french fries, and pot pies, buns, muffins, salad dressings, chicken legs, and fish filets, ensured that the product that started out in New Jersey would still be fresh when it got to Washington state and for months and years to come. It would preserve foods shipped across the seas." Judith Shaw from Trans Fats; The Hidden Killer in our Foods.
Trans Fats seem to be everywhere. And if you'll stick around to the end, you'll see how the government has passed legislation that actually "hides" them in foods. When you look at a food label, don't just look at the "Nutrition Facts", make absolutely sure that you check the list of ingredients for Hydrogenated or Partially Hydrogenated Oils. The foods that you have to particularly watch out for include the following.....
Commercial French Fries
Commercial Peanut Butter
Almost Anything that is Commercially Battered and Fried (Fried Chicken)
Baked Goods, Including Pie Crusts, Donuts, Cake Mixes, Muffins, Pancake / Waffle Mixes, Cookies, Biscuits, Sweet Rolls, Crackers, Pretzels, etc
Many Breakfast Cereals
Vegetable Shortening, Cake Frosting
Non-Dairy Creamers & Fast Food Milk Shakes
Microwave or Movie Theater Popcorn, Potato Chips, Corn Chips
Fast Food / Snack Food / Candy Bars
Numerous Packaged or Processed Foods
How can we determine whether or not Trans Fats are present in a food or not? Although Trans Fats were required to be labeled as such by a federal law passed in 2006 (See Below), things are never as easy as they should be. Remember how we learned earlier that Trans Fats are made up of oils that have been "Hydrogenated"? It used to be that you simply looked for the numbers of grams of Partially Hydrogenated Fats on a food label. With the new law, all we need to do is look for the numbers of grams of Trans Fats --- sort of.
As unbelievable as it may sound to you (sarcasm is intended), when the government created the regulations to disclose the amount of Trans Fats to the general public via food labels, they created a loophole --- one that in many cases you could drive a Mack truck through. They said that as long as a food does not have at least .5 grams of Trans Fats per serving, it does not need to be labeled as containing Trans Fat. Think about it this way; many of the foods that contain copious amounts of Trans Fats also happen to be foods that come in very small serving sizes. Let me explain. A certain cookie may have .49 grams of Trans Fat per serving. But if a serving size is two small cookies, and the average person eats a dozen at a sitting, they are getting a serious jolt of Trans Fat ----- nearly 6 grams ---- even though the "Government Approved" food label tells you that these cookies contain 0 grams of Trans Fats. Make sure that you not only read the "Nutrition Facts" part of the label (below), but the "List of Ingredients" as well. Again, just look for the words Hydrogenated or Partially Hydrogenated.
HOW TO GET TRANS FATS OUT OF YOUR LIFE
As the use of Crisco hit critical mass in the 1950's, DR. ANCEL KEYS was publishing research on the link between dietary fat and Coronary Heart Disease. Although his studies were flawed, this ultimately led the American Heart Association to declare a state of emergency in the United States. It also led to the "Fat Free" craze of the late 80's and early 90's, which was really a massive increase in the consumption of processed starches, carbs, and sugar. Although we were told that since dietary fat was the thing that would make us fat, we could lose weight and maintain that weight by eating a starch & grain-based diet, the facts bore out something 180 degrees opposite. When we started eating "healthier" foods, Heart Disease went off the chart, DIABETES numbers exploded exponentially, and OBESITY grew to proportions that could only be considered out of control.
Since the early 1970s, for instance, Americans' average fat intake has dropped from over 40% of total calories to 34%; average serum cholesterol levels have dropped as well. But no compelling evidence suggests that these decreases have improved health. Although heart disease death rates have dropped--and public health officials insist low-fat diets are partly responsible--the incidence of heart disease does not seem to be declining, as would be expected if lower fat diets made a difference. This was the conclusion, for instance, of a 10-year study of heart disease mortality published in The New England Journal of Medicine in 1998, which suggested that death rates are declining largely because doctors are treating the disease more successfully. AHA statistics agree: Between 1979 and 1996, the number of medical procedures for heart disease increased from 1.2 million to 5.4 million a year. "I don't consider that this disease category has disappeared or anything close to it," says one AHA statistician. Food Researcher Gary Taubes from a 2003 internet article.
It is interesting to note that although heart disease, like obesity, has always been with us, the numbers began an ascent through the stratosphere starting in the early part of the 20th century. It is probably only coincidental that these problems and numerous others occur at the same time that both Trans Fats and processed foods were becoming both popular and affordable. Yeah right ----- coincidental.
And if you simply followed logic, you would have to assume that dramatically cutting back on fat and it's 9 calories per gram as opposed to 4 calories per gram for both carbs and protein, would solve the problem. Only it hasn't solved the problem. It's made it worse. This is because most doctors do not have as good of an understanding of the relationship between the Endocrine System and weight as they should have (HERE). And even though study after study is showing that animal fats (particularly fats from non-obese, clean animals) is not the pariah it was once thought to be, we are still bombarded by experts telling us to further cut down our intake of fat (Fuhrman, Pritikin, Ornish, McDougal, etc). Here are a few simple ways to get healthy fats into your system while avoiding the baddies.
IF IT CONTAINS HYDROGENATED OR PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED FATS, DON'T BUY IT OR PUT IT IN YOUR MOUTH: It's not rocket science folks. Learn to read labels as though your life depends on it ---- mainly because it does. Just look at the list I created for you and avoid those foods as well. When you eat Trans Fats, you are changing your Cell Membranes for the worse. Unfortunately, it takes far longer to change them back. A key fact you must understand about these artificial fats is that they have a half-life of about 50 days. This means that after 100 days, 25% of the Trans Fats in the Krispy Kreme you ate just over 3 months ago is still part of your cell membranes!
USE BUTTER INSTEAD OF MARGARINE: It never ceases to amaze me how many crappy spreads out there tout themselves as "Heart Healthy" when they know darn well that this is far from the case. For Pete's sake, use BUTTER!
USE COCONUT OIL TO COOK WITH & EVOO FOR SALAD DRESSINGS: Remember that it is possible to turn good fats into Trans Fats via heat. Don't believe the hooey that certain celebrity doctors are saying about Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Fuhrman says it's on the short list of "worst foods"). It is the best salad dressing base I have found. Stay away from crappy "VEGETABLE OILS".
EAT GOOD FATS FROM A WIDE VARIETY OF SOURCES: Nuts, wild fish, raw dairy (for those not sensitive), and even SATURATED FAT from "clean" meats are all fine to eat, and will provide you with quality fats to build healthy Cell Membranes with.
WHY ARE TRANS FATS INCORPORATED INTO VARIOUS FOODS IN THE FIRST PLACE?
Trans Fats are used in today's foods for several reasons. They are cheap to produce, they have an almost indefinite shelf life, and since they have no odor or flavor of their own, and they can be flavored any way the food manufacture chooses --- from butter to curry to smoke to chocolate. They also add a creamy or crisp texture to baked goods --- depending what is wanted ---- without crumbling or falling apart. But when the dust clears, it all boils down to money. Until consumers understand how darn bad these artificial fats are, the industry is going to continue using them (or things like them) simply because they are profitable. Teach yourself to read labels and stop eating foods that contain Hydrogenated or Partially Hydrogenated oils! Your life and health depend on it.
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Next on The Scoop: 8 Tips to Help You and Your Dog De-Stress During the Holidays
Get to Know the Schipperke: The Little Captain!
A popular theory about the origin of the Schipperke is that he was a ship dog, traveling between Brussels and Antwerp. What a cutie!
Caroline Coile | Dec 21st 2015
He looks like a little Tasmanian devil, but this devil is more of an angel. This is an energetic and fun-loving companion who deserves to be in more people’s homes.
More interesting things about the Schipperke
The Schipperke may be confused with the Pomeranian, but the Schipperke comes only in black, usually has no tail, and has a longer head and body. The coat is somewhat shorter, and the tail is usually docked, or if not, held fairly straight rather than curled over the back. He is also larger, usually ranging from 10 to 16 pounds.
The Schipperke originated in Belgium in the 1600s. Small, black, tailless dogs are mentioned in Belgium in the 1400s and 1500s, but not until 1690 is definite evidence of the breed found.
There are two theories about the origin of the Schipperke. The more popular is that he was a boat dog, traveling between Brussels and Antwerp, and that the breed’s name comes from the Flemish word for boat, schip. This suggests that the name means “little boatman.” The other is that he was a watchdog and ratter who came from the Belgian Shepherd, and that the name comes from the word for shepherd, scheper. Thus, “little shepherd.” In fact, a dog intermediate in size between the Schipperke and the Belgian Shepherd was once known in the region.
There’s also dispute as to whether the dog is a little spitz or a little Belgian Shepherd.
By the 19th century, the dog was so popular that it was virtually the only house dog in central Belgium, and was declared the national dog.
Belgian shoemakers organized competitions in which they adorned their Schips with specially made ornate brass collars.
The dog was initially of the working class, but in 1885 Queen Marie Henriette of Austria acquired a Schipperke she saw at a dog show. When other high-society people saw the queen with her Schip, they wanted one, too, and the dog became a status symbol.
The breed became so popular abroad, especially in England, that its numbers in Belgium were depleted by exports. In the 1880s, a group of fanciers banded together to replenish the breed, setting forth a standard of desirable points at the same time.
Schipperkes were used during World War II by the Belgian Resistance to deliver messages between resistance hideouts.
The first Schipperkes came to America in the late 1800s.
The breed became AKC recognized in 1904.
It is a member of the AKC Non-Sporting group.
The tail is traditionally docked in America, but is now usually left long in European countries.
The Schipperke has competed at the Westminster dog show since 1887, but has yet to win Best in Show, or even first in the Non-Sporting group.
The breed is the 105th most popular AKC breed, down from 93rd five years ago.
Nicknames include “Little Captain” and “Tasmanian Black Devil.”
The dog is not a media favorite, but the Schip appears in the 2004 movie Two Brothers.
Owners include Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, Robert Dole, Bo Derek, Arte Johnson, Tommy Lasorda, and John Basedow.
Interested in other breed profiles? Find dozens of them here.
Read recent breed profiles:
Get to Know the Pointer: A Hardworking Hunting Dog
Get to Know the Japanese Chin: Rare Gem of the East
Get to Know the Black and Tan Coonhound, a Southern Charmer
About the author: Caroline Coile is the author of 34 dog books, including the top-selling Barron’s Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds. She has written for various publications and is currently a columnist for AKC Family Dog. She shares her home with three naughty Salukis and one Jack Russell Terrier.
Posted in Breeds, Breed Profiles, Hunting Dogs, Dogs in History,
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CHIPS Articles: Marines observe GCSS-MC in use for the first time
Marines observe GCSS-MC in use for the first time
The Marine Corps' ongoing modernization effort is intended to transform logistics for all forward deployed Marines — especially those on the battlefield. The technology backbone of this effort is the Global Combat Supply Support Marine Corps (GCSS-MC) program, a portfolio of systems that supports the logistics elements of command and control, joint logistics interoperability and secure access to and visibility of logistics data for the Marine Corps. The GCSS-MC is just one of the programs under the Program Executive Office – Enterprise Information System (PEO EIS).
In late September 2007, maintenance and supply Marines experienced the first-ever live preview of GCSS-MC functional capabilities. The event, hosted by the program manager for GCSS-MC, in collaboration with system integrator Oracle Corp., showcased the application's setup, automated processes and manual procedures that will be used when GCSS-MC enters the go-live phase. This was the first time Marines could view and provide feedback on the centerpiece information technology solution of the Logistics Modernization initiative.
According to Rear Adm. Tim Flynn, program executive officer for enterprise information systems, "The GCSS-MC demonstration is the most recent example of our sharp focus on the needs of the warfighter. Through the dedicated efforts of the GCSS-MC program team, we are moving quickly from concept to reality, delivering the right place, right time capability to our Marines in the fight."
On the days of the demonstration to more than 100 key Corps end users and subject matter experts, Maj. Gen. Edward Usher III, deputy commandant, Installations and Logistics, opened the demonstration with comments that acknowledged the strong presence of staff NCOs, or senior noncommissioned officers, in the front row. He said, "GCSS-MC is being developed not for the back room but for the front end of the spear."
Scenarios used the program in real-time shown as it would operate in deployed and garrison environments. Demonstrations included requests for field maintenance with multiple items from different functional areas to illustrate how a service request is created and flows through the system and how different users will facilitate the process.
This scenario was demonstrated in connected and disconnected modes to simulate how deployed units (with no online connectivity) can still operate in a disconnected status until they can re-connect to a server and synchronize information.
"What we've demonstrated is an integrated supply and maintenance capability that has been publicized for over two years. This is a first look; there is still building, testing and a rollout set for next year," said Capt. Antonio Scoffield, team lead for the Marine GCSS-MC functional subject matter expert team.
A demonstration of the functionality for "mass transfer of an Installed Base item" showcased some of the capabilities of the Oracle Installed Base, an asset management application that provides item and instance management, configuration and life cycle management. This application will become the centralized repository of all of the Marine Corps table or equipment (T/E) assets.
In GCSS-MC, an "item" will relate to a particular National Item Identification Number (NIIN) and an "instance" will refer to a specific individual occasion of an item, a precise serial number, or in the future, the Item Unique Identification (IUID).
A unique capability of Installed Based that was demonstrated was the ability to transfer assets from one organization to another. The functionality of Installed Base has a wide range of applications, from a simple transfer of assets from one unit to another, such as a Unit Deployment Program (UDP) Turnover or a Relief in Place/Transfer of Authority (RIP/TOA), to the creation of a Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF), or the adding of attachments to an infantry battalion transforming it into a battalion landing team in support of Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) operations.
A scenario employing the Daily Business Intelligence (DBI) capability demonstrated some of the reporting and analytical tools that will be available to aid in delivering accurate, timely and actionable logistics management, inventory ordering and tracking throughout the Marine Corps Enterprise.
Overall, the event received a great deal of positive feedback for the system capabilities. Discussions among attendees focused on business processes and recommendations for policy changes that will be forwarded to Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC) for future consideration.
Many echoed the comments of Master Sgt. Robert Phillips from HQMC, Life Cycle Management, "Maintenance history is paramount to combat readiness."
Future demonstrations are being developed and dates will be released on the LogMod site. To view the briefing slides from the demonstration, visit the Log-Mod Web site at https://logmod.hqmc.usmc.mil/.
For more information about PEO EIS, go to http://enterprise.spawar.navy.mil.
TAGS: ITAM
Audience members at the GCSS-MC/LCM Block 1 demonstration watch the logistics and supply scenarios in real-time, providing critical feedback on the new system.
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New evidence about Shakespearean star actor, Richard Burbage
New Evidence about Richard Burbage.docx (31.84Kb)
Keenan, Siobhan
Richard Burbage was one of England’s first theatrical entrepreneurs and its first theatrical stars. As well as enjoying a professional acting career that spanned more than thirty years, Burbage was a theatre builder and owner. Following the example of his father, James Burbage, who co-founded one of London’s first permanent playhouses (The Theatre), Richard and his brother Cuthbert established the Globe Theatre (1599) and managed the Second Blackfriars Theatre (inherited from their father). However, today Richard Burbage is arguably best known for being the lead actor in Shakespeare’s acting company (the Lord Chamberlain's/King's Men) and as the man for whom Shakespeare created some of his most memorable leading roles, including Hamlet, Othello, and King Lear. Theatre historians have been able to establish some of the key facts about Burbage’s life but there are some gaps in the biographical picture drawn so far. One of these relates to the details of Burbage’s marriage. However, fresh investigation of the surviving marriage records from early modern London has led to a discovery which appears to solve the question of when and where Richard Burbage got married. This article documents this discovery and its implications for our knowledge of Burbage and his London connections.
This is a copy of the author's original version of the article. The article has been accepted for publication in 'Notes & Queries' (published by Oxford University Press).
Citation : Keenan, S. (2019) New Evidence about Shakespearean “Star” Actor, Richard Burbage. Notes & Queries,
https://www.dora.dmu.ac.uk/handle/2086/17864
Research Institute : Institute of English
School of Humanities [1628]
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An under-construction Statue of Unity; the statue has been built as a tribute to the ‘Iron Man of India’, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, at Sadhu Bet near Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat|File photo
Gujarat govt offers land near Statue of Unity for Meghalaya House
The 182-m statue, touted to be the world’s tallest, will be inaugurated by PM Modi on Oct 31
17 Oct, 2018 at 09:39 AM
Guwahati: The Gujarat government has reportedly offered Meghalaya free land near the world’s largest statue for the construction of Meghalaya House.
While speaking to the media, Gujarat health minister Kishor Kanani said, “We will provide land free of cost for the construction of Meghalaya house. However, the Meghalaya government needs to arrange its own funds to construct the house.”
As per Kanani, there are plans for construction of state bhawans of all states near the site of Statue of Unity, a monument that has been built as a tribute to the ‘Iron Man of India’, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, at Sadhu Bet near Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat. “This will be more convenient for tourists who wish to visit the world’s largest statue,” he added.
The 182-m statue, touted to be the world’s tallest, will be inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi on Oct 31.
Kanani has also invited Meghalaya governor Tathagata Roy and CM Conrad K Sangma to Gujarat during the unveiling of the statue.
meghalayaStatue of UnityGujarat
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No Charges for White Classmate Who Sodomized Disabled Black Teen With Coat Hanger
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A White man who pleaded guilty to assaulting a Black mentally disabled high school student with a coat hanger walked out of court Friday a free man.
The Washington Post reports that John R.K. Howard’s attorneys claimed that the victim fabricated stories of chronic abuse and harassment by members of the school’s football team.
The victim’s parents stormed out of the courtroom following the verdict, calling it unfair and appearing to be visibly shaken after the ordeal.
There is still a $10 million lawsuit open against the school over the Oct. 2015 attack. Even Deitrick, Idaho, Mayor Don Heiken told The Guardian that Howard “got a slap on the wrist.”
The victim, who grew up in Dietrich since being adopted at age 4 along with his siblings, made up nearly all of the town’s African-American population. By age 17, he was playing football at Dietrich High School, where his father taught science.
In court papers, Tim and Shelly McDaniel referred to Howard as the ringleader of their son’s tormentors. They also say that he was continuously tormented by Howard and other members of the team, routinely forced to sing racist songs and was harassed with racially insensitive language, the lawsuit claims. He was reportedly photographed naked at school and hurled racial slurs.
“It liks [sic] to pound you to the ground, and lock the door for your opportunities, and leave you helpless, without a sound,” the teen wrote about his high school experiences.
A criminal complaint alleges that one student offered him a hug in the locker room, a second shoved a wire hanger into his rectum and Howard kicked it in.
Since the incident, the teen’s adoptive parents say he has tried to commit suicide on multiple occasions.
Howard was 18 at the time of the attack. He faced a sentence of up to life in prison when he and his co-conspirators where charged with sexual assault last spring. The two others charged in the incident were not of legal age, so their cases are sealed.
By December, Howard struck a deal with the state and as a result, the sex charges were dropped. Instead, Howard pleaded guilty to injury to a child, with the possibility that his conviction might one day be erased after serving probation.
“It’s absolutely preposterous that this kid should walk away with apparently no punishment whatsoever,” Attorney R. Keith Roark, who is representing the victim’s family said.
A petition to remove Randy Stoker, the district judge presiding over Howard’s case, garnered more than 150,000 signatures. But it was Stoker’s courtroom that handed down Friday’s decision.
At the hearing, Stoker dismissed a complaint that the victim’s nickname was “fried chicken” at school. He railed against the “people from the east coast” who “have no idea what this case is about.”
“This is not a rape case,” he said.“If I thought you have committed this offense for racial purposes, you would go straight to the Idaho penitentiary,” the judge told Howard before sentencing him to probation.
The victim’s parents and family have left the small town since the 2015 incident. The victim currently lives in an assisted living facility.
In this article:bullying, Idaho, JK Howard, mental disability, Racism, sexual assault, white privilege
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This Neuroscientist Wants to Know Your Brain On Art—and How It Improves...
Learning Research
This Neuroscientist Wants to Know Your Brain On Art—and How It Improves Learning
By Sydney Johnson May 10, 2019
Jolygon/ Shutterstock
Research around the way humans learn is booming these days. Consider viral brain-based teaching trends and explorations of how the act of teaching shapes kids’ brains.
Mariale Hardiman, vice dean of academic affairs at the Johns Hopkins School of Education and and director of Johns Hopkins’ Neuro-Education Initiative.
But studying how the brain learns doesn’t necessarily mean memorizing proteins and brain chemistry. Sometimes it’s about empathy—or in the case of some of the latest research coming out of Johns Hopkins, it’s about understanding how art plays a role in learning.
One person who has closely watched, and even shaped, the coevolution of neurosciences with education is Mariale Hardiman, vice dean of academic affairs at the Johns Hopkins School of Education. The education professor is also the co-founder and director of Johns Hopkins’ Neuro-Education Initiative, a center that aims to bring together research on learning and neuroscience, teaching and education.
EdSurge sat down with Hardiman recently to learn about the Initiative’ recent findings around how injecting art into lessons across disciplines can boost memory and retention. (This conversation has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.)
EdSurge: I'd like to start with a bit of history about the program. What were you hoping to do with the program when it was first launched?
Hardiman: So it launched in 2007. The 90s was the decade of the brain. All these neuro fields were popping up—neuroaesthetics, neurolaw, looking at things like adolescent brain development. So much research came out in the popular media and it seemed that teachers were becoming interested. So I connected with people who run the Learning and the Brain conference and began to attend. And in my own doctoral work here at Johns Hopkins I became interested in looking at the research on neuro and cognitive sciences and what of that is relevant to educators. And how is this research informing how children learn and why should teachers be consumers this research.
(1) Hardiman worked in the Baltimore City Public Schools for more than 30 years before her role at Johns Hopkins. She was a principal at the time that she developing Brain-Targeted Teaching.
My first book was in 2003 (1*), and that book was all about connecting research with effective teaching. And in that book I launched what I called the Brain-Targeted Teaching model. At the time, our state test was based upon performance assessment, and learning the thinking skills framework. So based on that framework and other frameworks like Bloom's Taxonomy and multiple intelligences, I married those thinking skills frameworks with what I felt was really relevant from the neuro and cognitive sciences and created a teaching model to a translational model.
I came up with six areas that I called brain targets. When I was studying at Hopkins, my professor knew I was interested in this. What he said to me was, ‘Brain-based learning is the silliest thing I've ever heard,’ or ‘Where else would learning occur? We don't think with our feet.’
And I looked at him and I said, ‘Yes, brain-based learning is a silly way to describe it. However, while we know all learning is brain-based, we also know that all teaching does not result in learning.’ I don't use the term brain-based learning. I focus on teaching targeted to how the brain thinks and learns. And that's how I came up with the name Brain-Targeted Teaching. I've been doing talks like this for 10 or more years.
What does Brain-Targeted Teaching look like in practice?
(2) A simple breakdown of Brain-Targeted Teaching:
1) Climate
2) Environment
3) Design
4) Mastery
5) Application
6) Evaluating
There are six components (2). The first is the emotional connection to learning, which has just exploded in terms of the research. Some of that is on the effects of stress on learning, and then also the effects of positive emotions and personal connections to learning. Social-emotional learning programs have proliferated—the idea that schools can be protective factors for students who are in toxic stress situations. A lot of intervention has been developed, like mindfulness training, restorative practices, et cetera.
The second component is how the physical learning environment—like light, sound or too much noise—can impede learning.
The third target is looking at the brain’s propensity to use patterning and think holistically to design instruction. What are the standards that we want the children to know? How does that map into objectives? How are you going to evaluate it? And now let's start thinking through what activities we're going to do for mastery and for application.
The arts became a central part of this because I found that art teachers working with classroom teachers really helped them think through creative ways to plan those units.
(3) "Summer slide" is a term that refers to when students fall behind where they were academically over the summer months. Studies have shown that gaps in reading grow larger among low-income students over summer, while middle class students experienced gains between spring and fall.
Brain target four: What strategies are we using from the neuro and cognitive sciences to teach for mastery? And mastery means memory. You have to remember what you're learning or else you can't do anything like that. And we know that's a problem in education. Think about summer slide (3) right now. Many, especially vulnerable learners, seem to lose the most over the summer. I started looking at things like chunking, active retrieval, spacing and then, obviously, repetition.
As I thought about repetition, that's where the arts first started coming in. You don't want to teach something if you're going to repeat that content enough times that it sticks. You certainly don't want to keep teaching them the same way over and over again. That's going to be pretty darn boring for them. So how can the arts help to reinforce content, and then how can it help to teach it in the first place? And so we started embedding the arts into every Brain-Targeted Teaching learning unit.
Brain target five then is applying knowledge. When kids can demonstrate that they understand something, that they know something, you're done teaching when they can do something real with it. So what are the big-picture activities that you want the children to be able to do or apply in some way? That mirrors project-based learning.
Then six is evaluation, and lots of research around feedback and even student’s’ knowledge of when they're getting feedback and how that affects performance. Not assessing of knowledge but assessing for knowledge.
What areas of research is the center looking at right now?
We published two randomized controlled trials, one in 2014 and then the second one in 2019. Then we did a similar study where we randomized kids and wrote treatment and control units using the same science content and matching for duration of activities and dosage as tightly as possible.
While we know all learning is brain-based, we also know that all teaching does not result in learning.
Our research question was, Is teaching with arts integration the same as or better than traditional instruction? And the reason we said ‘same as,’ is that there are so many other benefits from the arts [that are] well documented, like student engagement, creative thinking and problem solving. So we were just testing memory [after] 10 weeks out, which is similar to the summer slide.
So every group of randomized kids got one unit with one condition, and then the reverse in a different content. So they may have had astronomy and arts integration for three weeks and then took a post-test and then went on to their second unit, which would have been in the opposite condition.
How was this being measured?
Very standardized. Just multiple choice. And interestingly, in both studies what we found was the real drivers of this are for students at the lower levels of achievement. In the second study, we broke students down into proficient and advanced, proficient and basic. Both times the kids at the lower levels of achievement really rocked it in terms of what they remembered in arts versus what they remembered in traditional instruction. For kids at the higher levels of achievement, there was no difference, really. So there was no harm done. But that makes sense because if you are an adept learner in the traditional style, then you don't need anything different to be an adept learner. You can learn the way your teacher teaches you. But if you have maybe a learning disability, you don't speak English as well as others or your achievement has not been the same, arts gives these children multiple ways to express what they know.
How do teachers respond to this? Have you ever run up against, say, a math teacher who doesn’t want to incorporate arts into their lessons?
(4) Hardiman told the New York Times that “arts integration should not replace arts education." She instead suggest a three-pronged approach: arts education, arts and cultural offerings, like museum visits, and then integrating the arts into teaching other subjects.
That's a really interesting question. In fact, it is another study we're doing because we gathered a lot of data from the teachers. We're now studying the student results compared to how the teachers said they liked teaching the units. But we haven't published that yet. I can just tell you anecdotally we did see a teacher who just said, ‘I really don't like to sing. I don't want to sing in front of my kids.’ So, you know, we tried to help her out. If this were to be instituted, you'd just have it on CD or on your phone and play the song. You don't have to sing. But our art activities were simple enough (4) that it did not require teachers to have a degree in the arts at all. And we did training, so we walk them through the arts activities, so that they could do that in our training before the study.
You mentioned how the ‘90s was sort of this boom of brain science research. How has the conversation and research around neuroscience and education changed over the last few decades?
(5) Hardiman believes teachers should know some neuroscience basics. Does that mean they need to know every protein and mechanism that occurs in the brain? "No," she says. "But do they need to know that for the children in front of them, their brains are continuing to grow... Teachers' belief systems, what we call efficacy beliefs, is mapped to student achievement tighter than almost any other construct."
There's so much more acceptance. So many more people are writing books and articles. And you know, when I first started in this field and my, when my book first came out in 2003, I will say that there were a lot of people, especially in the field of education, not even in cognitive science or psychology, brain science [that rejected the idea]. It was education professors (5) who didn't want to have anything to do with this.
Could asking teachers to use these techniques backfire?
I think one area that we should be cautious of is that there's a lot of research on the effects of toxic stress. And a lot of the research was done with children in poverty. So the idea that children in poverty do experience more toxic stress than children who do not grow up in poverty.
So what I would worry about is if someone said, “These kids’ brains are impaired [due to stress] [so] these children can't learn because they're in poverty, and their brains had been damaged.” What I always say with that is that the brain is plastic. And can schools be protective factors and reverse any effects of stress? And the answer is absolutely yes. And that's where we get into the strategies.
(6) Some education experts are more skeptical of SEL. Chester E. Finn, Jr., a fellow and president emeritus of the Thomas Fordham Institute, recently wrote: "We see a clear and present danger that SEL could go off the rails in any number of ways," if not implemented properly.
So I would never want to give them research without saying, Here's what you can do as a protective factor. That's also why the SEL [social emotional learning] (6) stuff is important because what we're learning is one of the most important protective factors for kids is a relationship with a caring adult in a school building.
What else are you paying attention to that's happening in this field right now?
(7) Federal funding for arts in education has experienced major cuts in the last decade, going from $40 million in 2010 to $26.9 million in 2018.
What I'm most excited about is could the arts be a driver of school reform instead of a victim? (7) Could the arts actually help to close the achievement gap?
Nobody knows quite how to close the achievement gap, and I think that the arts could be at least one answer. And that's what I want to do. I want to keep studying this and seeing whether or not we can have all students learn at high levels and just be excited about learning, and the arts do that.
*Footnotes can be viewed in the desktop version of this article.
Sydney Johnson (@sydneyfjohnson) is an assistant editor at EdSurge covering higher education. Reach her at sydney [at] edsurge [dot] com.
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Scott Disick "Still Insanely Jealous" of Kourtney Kardashian's Boyfriend Younes Bendjima
by Jess Cohen | Wed., Feb. 28, 2018 10:13 AM
Scott Disick didn't think Kourtney Kardashian would "become so serious" with her boyfriend, Younes Bendjima.
The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star first met the former boxer in October 2016 and they've been spending time together ever since. Over a year later, the couple is still going strong and Kourtney's ex isn't too pleased about it, according to a source.
"Scott is still insanely jealous of Younes," the insider tells E! News. "He just can't come to terms with the fact that Kourtney has found true happiness with someone else."
And even though Scott has been dating Sofia Richie for months now and is "happy" with her, he "can't deal with someone else having Kourtney."
Is Kourtney Kardashian Serious About Having More Kids? I've Been Thinking About Freezing My Eggs
Scott Disick/Instagram
"It makes things between them tense and unpredictable," the source adds. "Kourtney never knows when he is going to fly off the handle or go nuts about something. Scott just never thought it would last this long with Younes or become so serious. Nobody really did."
But Kourtney is "very happy" and "in love" with Younes, the insider shares, adding, "Scott is hurt she chose someone else and it really bothers him. He can't control his emotions about it and lets it all out."
Kourtney and Scott, who have three kids together, called it quits in July 2015 after nine years together. Younes is Kourtney's first serious relationship since her split with Scott.
One insider told us in May 2017, "Scott doesn't like Kourtney dating Younes at all. He doesn't want to see photos of them or know about it. Kourtney has tried to give Scott a heads up that he might be seeing photos, but Scott can't stand seeing her with someone else, especially Younes."
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IXOLA / BACKGRID
On a November 2017 episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, Kourtney told Khloe Kardashian the story of how she met Younes the night before Kim Kardashian's terrifying robbery in Paris.
"Yeah, we like walked into a bar and Stephanie [Sheppard] was across from me and she kept going, 'This guy's cute over here,'" Kourtney recalled. "He was friends with our friends. He would walk in, say hi, shake hands with like our security or whatever, but like not say hi to us. And then I was like, 'Why do you hate us?' I was just drunk. Once I said that he literally like grabbed my hand and was like, 'It's five in the morning. We're leaving. And the next night Younes was like, 'Bring your ass here.'"
Kourtney went on to tell Khloe, "When we walked into that club was when we went to the bathroom and got the phone call about Kim. So then the party was over. And then he was like, 'I'm not leaving you guys,' and he like had to translate everything."
Keeping Up With the Kardashians returns fall 2019, only on E!
TAGS/ Scott Disick , Kourtney Kardashian , Younes Bendjima , Couples , Exclusives , Apple News , Top Stories
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Two luxury retirement apartments set to open in 2020
Two new luxury retirement apartments set to be built on Sewardstone Road, Waltham Abbey, by McCarthy and Stone
The luxury apartments will be built on Sewardstone Road, Waltham Abbey
Constructing for two brand-new luxury low-maintenance apartments for pensioners is set to take place this summer.
McCarthy and Stone, the UK’s leading developer and manager of retirement communities, made the announcement today that the properties will be on Sewardstone Road, Waltham Abbey.
Designed for residents aged 60 and over, the properties will consist of a one and a two-bedroom apartment which are expected to open in November 2020.
Simon Pendlebury, regional sales and marketing director for McCarthy and Stone North London, said: “Our forthcoming Waltham Abbey development has already attracted significant levels of early interest from local people who are interested in downsizing to a lower maintenance property, and have been attracted by its traditional market town location, as well as its extensive array of amenities and popular historical attractions.
“McCarthy and Stone is committed to designing flexible homes which reflect the character of the neighbourhood; while also allowing people to make the most of their retirement years and live as independently as possible, for as long as possible.”
All of the apartments will be fitted-out with a plush, modern kitchen with integrated appliances, panel heaters throughout, spacious and open-plan living areas, and stylish en-suite bathrooms.
New homeowners will also have a communal space including and club lounge to socialise with new neighbours overlooking the landscaped gardens to admire.
For more information about McCarthy and Stone and Retirement Living in Waltham Abbey, call 0800 201 4811 or visit www.mccarthyandstone.co.uk.
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Free: British Social History (1950-2010)
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A look at social changes in Britain in the years from 1950 to 2010. Lots of interesting reflections of what has disappeared from our lives and how attitudes have shifted. An enlightening read. Free on Kindle.
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Iron Blood & Sacrifice (The Sons of Beli Mawr)
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Iron Blood & Sacrifice is set in 55 & 54 BC, in Late Pre-Roman, Iron Age Britain, prior-to and including Julius Caesar’s exploratory forays in those years. History as we know is written by the victor and Julius Caesar’s history is a well-known Roman one. I hope these historically inspired novels will perhaps give the reader a taste of what ‘may have been’, the Brythonic perspective of the same tumultuous period in their history. $0.99 on Kindle.
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Spirit of Gettysburg: Soulmates Across Time
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Washington, D.C. psychic to the powerful elites Maureen McAlister flees a contemporary, shattered life into the ghostly, loving arms of Confederate soldier Major Clayton Fontaine Douglas, her former husband and one-true-soulmate. He is an unrepentant Rebel, a proud, brave officer in General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia.
Clayton is now a ghost stuck in time in her newly inherited Gettysburg, Pennsylvania estate. He is furious at God for the loss of his Country and her. Clayton is the only man she loves and trusts. He is dying again because of her. Maureen must change his fate and rewrite karma. She must try to save him…again. How?
Time travel back to their War Between the States lifetime together, persuade him to avoid Pickett’s Charge during the July, 1863 Battle of Gettysburg and prevent his death. Fail and they are eternally separated. Fail and he is doomed to perdition. She is scared, very, very scared. What if she fails him again? $9.98 on Kindle.
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In The Blood of the Greeks
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Forbidden love, heart racing suspense, an epic tale set in war-ravaged Greece.
Two women — one a German officer’s daughter, the other a young Greek woman filled with fury — race against time to help Jews escape a Greek town during World War II. They are moments from death if their clandestine operation is exposed. $0.99 on Kindle.
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Valley of the Kings: The 18th Dynasty
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In the year 1355 BCE, the land of Egypt was the superpower of the known world. King Tut’s father, Akenaten, the so-called ‘heretic pharaoh,’ and his wife, Queen Nefertiti, are on the verge of catapulting Egypt into a revolution that will forever divide its people and rip the most powerful empire on the earth from its foundation. $1.99 on Kindle.
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Sketches of a Black Cat: Story of a Night Flying WWII Pilot and Artist
Full Color. This coming-of-age story follows the exploits of a WWII Navy seaplane pilot who flew in huge planes painted entirely black becoming one of the first to fly night missions. From boxes of journals, photos, and artwork comes a true story filled with colorful descriptions of exotic locations, sea rescues, and the humor that was intrinsic to a Navy squadron’s daily life while at war in the South Pacific. $0.99 on Kindle.
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Liverpool Connection
October 15, 2017 By eReader Nation
Annie and her friend leave Ireland in 1926 in search of a better life in Liverpool. Only things do not turn out the way they had imagined. A family story about love and loss based upon true events. $2.99 on Kindle.
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The Man With Two Names
July 1, 2017 By eReader Nation
Quintus Sertorius was once Rome’s greatest hero, now he is her most dangerous enemy. He now tells his story from the beginning, from the treacherous Forum of Rome to the violent forests of Gaul. He recalls how he became friends and enemies of the most powerful men in Rome as he is forced to decide what risks he is willing to take, and what compromises he is willing to make, as he attempts to serve Rome and its people. $0.99 on Kindle.
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The Munich Girl
June 10, 2017 By Ereader Nation
Anna Dahlberg grew up eating dinner under her father’s war-trophy portrait of Eva Braun. Fifty years after the war, she discovers what he never did—that her mother and Hitler’s mistress were friends.The secret surfaces with a mysterious monogrammed handkerchief, and a man, Hannes Ritter, whose Third Reich family history is entwined with Anna’s.Plunged into the world of the “ordinary” Munich girl who was her mother’s confidante—and a tyrant’s lover—Anna finds her every belief about right and wrong challenged. With Hannes’s help, she retraces the path of two women who met as teenagers, shared a friendship that spanned the years that Eva Braun was Hitler’s mistress, yet never knew that the men they loved had opposing ambitions.Eva’s story reveals that she never joined the Nazi party, had Jewish friends, and was credited at the Nuremberg Trials with saving 35,000 Allied lives. As Anna’s journey leads back through the treacherous years in wartime Germany, it uncovers long-buried secrets and unknown reaches of her heart to reveal the enduring power of love in the legacies that always outlast war. $1.99 on Kindle.
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Free: Encounters of Fate
Encounters of Fate tells about encounters between young people and the romance that grows despite the wars and difficulties they experience. It relays a multi-faceted exploration of the Jewish experience through the horrors and the hope of the Holocaust and the post-war years in which there were still challenges to be met. The struggle against the British, the War of Independence, and the establishment of a new state are explored through personal tragedy mixed in with the political and social issues in this gripping read that will surprise as much as it satisfies. Free on Kindle.
The Fall of the Russian Empire
Teeming with unforgettable characters, The Fall of the Russian Empire reveals the brutal realities of Soviet life and the inspiring spirit it takes to endure and overcome a violent regime. $0.99 on Kindle.
The Sword Brothers
February 20, 2017 By eReader Nation
An exciting, fast-paced story set in the Baltic Crusade in the 13th century that revolves around Conrad Wolff, a boy who flees Germany to fight in the wars of the Sword Brothers against the pagans. $0.99 on Kindle.
The Black Hand of God
As a man floats down the Kongo river in the 18th century, his confused thoughts unfold to tell a story of greed, deception, and murder. A skull, some bones, and his recollections reveal the truth about one of Africa’s greatest heroines and how she shook the foundations of Catholicism in Africa. Since so many slaves came to America from this region, her story is crucial to understanding early African American Christianity. $0.99 on Kindle.
Free: Stop Them Now
For a time, the Nazi killing machine of World War 2 was effective at extinguishing the testimony of its evil deeds. Its ability to insulate information concerning its radical program of genocide is almost too much to fully comprehend. However, people like Szmul Zygielbojm punctured the Nazi veil of secrecy and managed to be champions for those who could not speak for themselves on an international stage. This is Szmul Zygielbojm’s story, recounted from eyewitness testimony. Free on Kindle.
The Trail Drivers of Texas
“Absolutely the best source there is on the cattle trail.” Walter Prescott Webb. J. Marvin Hunter’s The Trail Drivers of Texas is a brilliant collection of first hand accounts of men and women who lived on the trail and range in the Old West. In total there are over two hundred different accounts from Texans in the nineteenth century. From the humorous to the deadly, the thrilling to the everyday, each of these stories are remarkably individual, depicting a Texas before the advent of the railroad. $0.99 on Kindle.
We Were Soldiers Too
The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separates North and South Korea and is the most defended border in the world.Both sides have dug their heels in and fortified the DMZ with defensive positions, mines and booby traps, missiles, and soldiers as they remain vigilant for the recommencement of a war that never ended.
The North Koreans violate the armistice almost daily sending spies, marauders, hit squads, and ambush patrols into the southern controlled portion of the DMZ in their never-ending effort to destabilize South Korea and cause its collapse. These blatant violations has left a bloody trail of dead bodies that includes many American soldiers. This book takes the reader on a journey through the history of the Cold War and the defense of the DMZ from the perspective of nine American veterans, and eleven tours, in different capacities in South Korea from 1962 through 1991. $2.99 on Kindle.
The Other Side of the Stars
After the death of her parents, immigrant Gita finds herself in post WWII America with nothing but a few haunting childhood memories and an arranged marriage to Max. Despite her initial hesitations and his elusive nature, the awkward tension soon dissipates as they settle into life together.
But with the arrival of a stranger, Gita realizes she may know very little about the man she married. As her world seems to unravel and the missing pieces of her childhood fall into place, the lives of a Nazi, a young girl, and a prisoner at Auschwitz intertwine, revealing the beauty of what can happen when fate, hope, and resiliency collide. $0.99 on Kindle.
Atlantis Explained
March 2, 2016 By Editor
This book is a compilation of writings, which tell about the Atlantis civilization and the flood that destroyed it. Also, the conclusion leads to an explanation about why Europeans are white.
It seems that the destruction of Atlantis was the result of a natural disaster that dug a series of craters across North America; the craters are now called Carolina Bays. These craters might be the key to solving the mystery of what destroyed Atlantis and caused the Great Flood. $0.99 on Kindle.
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Jason Reitman Calls Edgar Wright's Scott Pilgrim 'Matrix for Love'
This right here is over-hyping at its finest, but I love it, and I'm glad it's spreading like wildfire across the web. While in London to premiere his film Up in the Air, director Jason Reitman met up with director Edgar Wright, who showed him 30 minutes of his new feature Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Its been rather quiet on the Scott Pilgrim font because Wright has finished shooting and is now currently in London working on post-production and editing together the film for release next year. But that didn't stop Reitman from writing some five tweets about what he say, calling it "a game changer for Edgar and the genre." Whoa!
Here are the five tweets from @JasonReitman:
"In London, @edgarwright showed me 30min of Scott Pilgrim. While sworn to secrecy (so much, surprised blood wasn't demanded) I will say this:"
"It is a game changer for Edgar and the genre. It moves the speed of light and carries more unadulterated joy than Ive seen in recent cinema."
"[Scott Pilgrim] does what everyone our age has been dreaming about: achieves the first all encompassing film of the joystick generation."
"I'm in awe of the sheer control in the filmmaking. It feels like a Matrix for love and how willing we are to fight for it."
"If I had a movie coming out next year, I wouldn't want to be anywhere near it. Hats off my friend. Can't get it out of my head."
Holy shit, did Reitman just compare Scott Pilgrim to The Matrix?! I wouldn't be surprised if that's actually dead on accurate. Considering Wright did completely reinvent the zombie genre with Shaun of the Dead, I wouldn't be surprised if he's on track to reinvent the teenage love / comic book genre with Scott Pilgrim. I love the comic books, they really are fantastic, but I've been wondering if Wright was able to capture all the brilliance of those on screen, and it sounds like he has. I love Reitman's reference of the joystick generation and everything he says. And he only saw 30 minutes of it - I can only assume the entire film is even better!
Edgar also responded to this: "I am very touched by @jasonreitman's lovely comments about Scott Pilgrim thus far. In unrelated news, Up in the Air ain't too shabby." No it's definitely not (I've seen it twice now). And I wouldn't be surprised if both Reitman and the film get Oscar nominations next year. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is currently scheduled for release sometime in 2010 (no date has been set). Now let's just hope Universal doesn't fuck up the marketing like they have for every other movie they've put out in the last year.
Find more posts: Hype, Movie News, Opinions
I hope it does live up to it's hype. He's a very original director and hope he doesn't lose site of his origins. I'm looking forward to this.
gplongwood on Oct 26, 2009
Can't wait for it... But I have a feeling it's gonna be the next hot topic craze. Watch these goth punk hipster wannabes rocking scott pilgrim clothing.
teyhtr on Oct 26, 2009
...This picture was destined to be great.
Zachy on Oct 26, 2009
it's not "teenage love" Scott Pilgrim is 23/24 years old in the comic. :O
Fc on Oct 26, 2009
over hyping? I thought Avatar did that.
xerxex on Oct 26, 2009
The current dates for both the film and SP6 are summer 2010. A whole 10 months away still.
Marcus on Oct 27, 2009
#4 yeah in the comic, but in this screen adaptation he is 14 I believe.
branden on Oct 27, 2009
Where did you read that he was 14 in the film?
Mike G on Oct 27, 2009
no way is he 14 in the film. wouldnt make any sense. then all the characters would have to be younger. and living with their parents
shredder on Oct 27, 2009
Exactly. And pretty much all the script reviews have mentioned these guys in their twenties.
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‘Greater Tuna’ co-creator Jaston Williams returns to San Antonio with more stories
Arts & Entertainment // Music & Stage
Deborah Martin June 18, 2019
Jaston Williams is returning to the Classic Theatre to share “Don’t Blame the Car,” a solo show in which he shares stories from his life.
Photo: Jerry lara /San Antonio Express-News
When actor and playwright Jaston Williams’ dad learned that his teenage son had been getting advice on how to drive a standard from his mother, he added some of his own.
“He told me to write down everything she had told me about driving a standard, take it out in the backyard and burn it,” said Williams, unleashing his infectious laugh.
Williams tells the story in “Don’t Blame the Car,” his latest offering at Classic Theatre.
Williams has paid regular visits to the theater over the past few summers. The relationship is strong enough that he and Kelly Hilliard Roush, Classic’s executive and artistic director, have a long-standing goal to find a way to include him in one of the theater’s other productions the first time their schedules jibe.
“The dream is to have him more than once a year,” said Hilliard Roush, who noted that his shows have brought a devoted following to the theater.
Williams’ fan base — some of it consisting of those who first discovered his work as co-creator and co-star with Joe Sears of the much-adored series of Texas-set satires that started with “Greater Tuna” — includes those who work at the theater.
‘Don’t Blame the Car’
When: Opens June 27. 8 p.m. June 27-28, 2 and 8 p.m. June 29 and 2 and 7 p.m. June 30.
Where: Classic Theatre, 1924 Fredericksburg Road.
Tickets: $25, classictheatre.org; 210-589-8450.
On ExpressNews.com: Classic’s ’19-’20 season kicks off with ‘Romeo and Juliet’
“We love having him here,” Hilliard Roush said. “We find him to be not only a consummate artist and professional, but funny and kind and someone who really fits in.
“He’s a classic. It’s been really great to trust that what he’s going to bring in is going to be something exciting and relevant to our community.”
“Don’t Blame the Car” weaves together accounts of his first experiences behind the wheel of his mother’s enormous Chrysler New Yorker at the age of 14 — “My first driver’s license said 4 foot 11, 82 pounds” — with tales from his travels and a tribute to his late brother.
Stories about his brother, who died two years ago, strike Williams as particularly timely in these days when many seem especially likely to make snap judgments about others.
“We’ve become so divided, and I’m as bad as anybody else,” he said. “I see somebody and I assume I know who they are by their footwear, what they drive, all of that. And I realize that’s so ridiculous. Living in a small town like I do, I’ve misjudged no small number of people just based on my own prejudice, and I’m trying to get over that.”
His brother Corky, he said, looked like a rough customer who would seem to have little in common with, say, a famed theater artist.
“You’d see him walking down the street in his cowboy hat and boots, little tiny cowboy,” he said. “He was trilingual — he spoke English, Spanish and Portuguese. He loved Shakespeare, he loved Dostoevsky, he spent many a winter locked up in a cabin in Canada with all of his books. He played the mandolin, he was an environmentalist. And there was so much more to him. Of course, it was hard to get to it because of his reputation.”
Williams recalled an episode in which a rancher friend of his brother’s had to go to court.
On ExpressNews.com: Jaston Williams chats about his early days in San Antonio
“He had gotten afoul of the Canadian government somehow and they were going to have a trial,” he said. “And the cattlemen were all upset, Corky was all upset and he said, ‘It was a kangaroo court. So I ordered me a kangaroo suit.’ He puts on his kangaroo suit first thing in the morning, gets in his pickup truck, drives to town and my niece said, you looked in the gallery and it’s cattleman, cattleman, cattleman, cattleman, kangaroo, cattleman.
“That’s how he was.”
Fans of Williams’ gifts as a storyteller will get to experience it in a different form soon. He has finished writing his first book, titled “The Fool and the Daylight Moon,” and is putting the finishing touches on a contract with a publisher.
“It’s a coming-of-age story in a small town, set in September of ’67 to September of ’68,” he said. “So it deals with all of the enormous changes that the country went through — the elections, the Tet Offensive (in Vietnam), Nixon, Bobby Kennedy.
“I was a junior in high school during that year, so I saw all of that from the perspective of people in a small town.”
He worked on the book for five years. Finishing it and having it begin the process of released it into the world has been bittersweet.
“It’s been real lonely because I lived with those characters for five years and had to say goodbye to them,” he said. “The first few weeks after finishing it, I thought, ‘What am I going to do with myself?’”
dlmartin@express-news.net | Twitter: @DeborahMartinEN
Deborah Martin is an arts writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | dlmartin@express-news.net | Twitter: @DeborahMartinEN
Follow Deborah on:
DeborahMartinEN
Deborah Martin is an arts writer who came to work for the San Antonio Express-News in 1999. She writes primarily about theater – she sees around 100 shows annually -- and helps oversee the paper’s coverage of the fine performing arts. Her first newspaper job was with the El Paso Herald-Post, where she worked as a general assignment reporter before becoming arts and entertainment editor. After the Herald-Post closed, she spent just over a year covering the arts for the Corpus Christi Caller-Times before coming to the Express-News. She has a degree in journalism from UT El Paso, and was a fellow in the NEA Arts Journalism Institute in Theater and Musical Theater at the University of Southern California in 2007.
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Legal action against the Kimba District Council regarding the community ballot on the National Radioactive Waste Management facility has been dismissed by the Federal Court. The Barngarla Determination Aboriginal Corporation (BDAC) argued the ballot contravened the Racial Discrimination Act by not including the Barngarla people. The ballot, originally planned for August to September 2018, was to be a non-binding survey of ratepayer support of a radioactive waste facility at two proposed locations within the Kimba district. The Barngarla people have been granted native title of land neighbouring both locations, but no members of the organisation resided within the council area as at June 30, 2018. The ballot has been held up by an injunction for about 10 months to allow the BDAC case to be heard. Justice Richard White dismissed the BDAC application on Friday morning, finding no contravention of the Racial Discrimination Act had been established. Kimba District Council mayor Dean Johnson said the council was "pleased" the decision was in its favour, and the council would now be conducting a full assessment with their legal team. While the proposed ballot would be facilitated by the council, Mr Johnson said it was ultimately a federal government process, and the council would be meeting with the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science to formulate a plan and decide whether the ballot would go ahead. The BDAC board said they respected the decision of the Federal Court but were in the process of reviewing the decision with their lawyers. They said while any decisions will only be made after full, informed legal advice, appealing the decision was not off the table. "At this stage it appears the legal issues are now very narrow and we consider that we will likely appeal the decision. "More generally we consider it sad that in the 21st century we are required to take legal action to allow us to have the right to vote on the major decision of the day." A spokesperson for the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science said consultation remained open for those wishing to make submissions regarding the site selection process. "We continue to encourage people both for and against the proposal to make their views known by making a submission," the spokesperson said. "Rest assured we are mindful of the need to reach a decision on the current nominations after proper consultation, and we thank the communities involved for their patience to date. "The Department will examine the decision in detail in the coming days, before advising the communities who voluntarily entered into the process, of the next steps."
https://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/rachel.mcdonald/e66713b3-4759-4524-a2c8-f31e51fd4a05.JPG/r10_235_4486_2764_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg
July 12 2019 - 10:38AM
Barngarla nuclear ballot case dismissed
Legal action against the Kimba District Council regarding the community ballot on the National Radioactive Waste Management facility has been dismissed by the Federal Court.
The Barngarla Determination Aboriginal Corporation (BDAC) argued the ballot contravened the Racial Discrimination Act by not including the Barngarla people.
The ballot, originally planned for August to September 2018, was to be a non-binding survey of ratepayer support of a radioactive waste facility at two proposed locations within the Kimba district.
The Barngarla people have been granted native title of land neighbouring both locations, but no members of the organisation resided within the council area as at June 30, 2018.
The ballot has been held up by an injunction for about 10 months to allow the BDAC case to be heard.
Justice Richard White dismissed the BDAC application on Friday morning, finding no contravention of the Racial Discrimination Act had been established.
Kimba District Council mayor Dean Johnson said the council was "pleased" the decision was in its favour, and the council would now be conducting a full assessment with their legal team.
While the proposed ballot would be facilitated by the council, Mr Johnson said it was ultimately a federal government process, and the council would be meeting with the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science to formulate a plan and decide whether the ballot would go ahead.
The BDAC board said they respected the decision of the Federal Court but were in the process of reviewing the decision with their lawyers.
They said while any decisions will only be made after full, informed legal advice, appealing the decision was not off the table.
"At this stage it appears the legal issues are now very narrow and we consider that we will likely appeal the decision.
"More generally we consider it sad that in the 21st century we are required to take legal action to allow us to have the right to vote on the major decision of the day."
A spokesperson for the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science said consultation remained open for those wishing to make submissions regarding the site selection process.
"We continue to encourage people both for and against the proposal to make their views known by making a submission," the spokesperson said.
"Rest assured we are mindful of the need to reach a decision on the current nominations after proper consultation, and we thank the communities involved for their patience to date.
"The Department will examine the decision in detail in the coming days, before advising the communities who voluntarily entered into the process, of the next steps."
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Extra funding could mean more teachers for Chifley College – Mt Druitt
Cathy Anderson
For Cathy Anderson, principal at NSW’s Chifley College – Mt Druitt campus, extra public school funding made available by the election of a Shorten Labor government would make a huge difference to her school’s teacher training and development programs, as well as to her school’s teacher numbers.
Chifley College – Mt Druitt campus, in Sydney’s south-west, stands to receive an extra $810,000 in funding as its share of Labor’s election commitment to invest an additional $3.3 billion into public schools in its first three years of government.
Ms Anderson said that Labor’s additional public school funding would make an immediate impact on her students by allowing her to boost coaching and training for her teachers.
“We have a lot of new teachers and we do reduce their loads by two periods per week to help them get on their feet, but it would be great to have the funding to give new teachers a half teaching load,” Ms Anderson said.
“I would use some of the extra public school funding to develop programs of in-service so that our teachers would develop their skills at the same time as they are teaching students.”
Ms Anderson said that her new teachers would benefit most from additional coaching in classroom management, particularly regarding the logistics and the management of students and the recording and interpretation of student results.
“If I could use the extra funding to have experienced teachers taken off class to actually deliver these programs, and to mentor and coach our newer teachers, that would be fantastic,” Ms Anderson said.
“In that first couple of years, if our new teachers could really hone their skills in classroom management then that sets them up for life, and it has a huge impact for all kids.”
Chifley College is a Year 7-10 Campus with about 500 students. Ms Anderson said teachers at her school identify more than 2000 differentiated learning strategies each term. She said that additional school funding would help provide smaller class sizes and teacher support.
“Obviously, smaller classes would help teacher and students,” Ms Anderson said. “There is more and more work that the teachers have to do before and after class on top of everything else – be it differentiated learning, the tracking of students, the monitoring of so many more things, yet their teaching loads are not reduced.”
“We have tried to make the classes a bit smaller, but if we were to get guaranteed extra funding, then that would be the ideal – that you would reduce the class size to be no more than 20 in each class.”
Ms Anderson said the most immediate benefit of Labor’s commitment to extra funding for public schools would be in more structured and individualised teaching for each student.
“At the moment we are doing a lot with teacher’s aides, but if we were able to not only have the teacher with an aide but also with another teacher in support then you would have much more structured learning,” Ms Anderson said.
“The extra funding would also mean we could do case management plans so that there is far less disruption in the class. By developing our teachers’ skills we are actually providing a far more informed approach for the students and obviously more individualised teaching for those kids.”
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Russia's President Vladimir Putin speaking at the the 23rd St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). Photo Credit: Kremlin.ru
SPIEF-2019 Gains Greater Importance In International Arena – Analysis
June 17, 2019 June 17, 2019 Eurasia Review 0 Comments
By Eurasia Review
The total price of official agreements signed during the 23rd St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), which was held under the slogan “Creating a Sustainable Development Agenda” on June 6–8, amounted to more than 3.1 trillion rubles (47.81 bln. dollars), which is significantly higher than in previous years, Advisor to the Russian President and Executive Secretary of the SPIEF Organizing Committee Anton Kobyakov said at the final press conference.
According to him, SPIEF-2019 brought together a record-breaking number of participants: over 19,000 people from 145 countries. The Forum was attended by over 3,500 Russian and foreign companies, over 570 foreign and over 1,800 Russian companies were represented on the executive level.
“Neither American nor European countries want to leave the Russian market and are highly unlikely to do so in the future. Trade wars that Washington wages combined with protectionist measures will only slow down the global economic growth. Against this background, I believe the European Union countries are starting to comprehend the mutual benefit of good neighbourly relations with Russia,” said Anton Kobyakov.
Speaking at the plenary session of the Forum, Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed that the current system of international economic relations is outdated and “is increasingly at odds with the rapidly emerging new economic reality.”
“Obviously, new agreements will be needed for drafting a more stable and fair development model. These agreements should not only be written clearly but should also be observed by all participants. […] What should be the subject of discussion in terms of regulating such agreements and such a common legal environment? Certainly not the imposition of a single and the only correct canon for all countries, but above all, the harmonisation of national economic interests, principles of teamwork, competition and cooperation between countries with their own individual development models, peculiarities and interests. The drafting of such principles should be carried out with maximum openness and in the most democratic manner,” the Russian leader said.
“It is on this foundation that the system of world trade should be adapted to current realities and the efficiency of the World Trade Organisation enhanced. Other international institutions should be filled with new meaning and content rather than broken. It is necessary to sincerely consider, rather than just talk about the requirements and interests of the developing nations, including those that are upgrading their industry, agriculture and social services. This is what equal conditions for development is all about,” Vladimir Putin added.
Commenting on the outcomes of SPIEF, Anton Friesen, Member of the foreign affairs committee and the committee on humanitarian assistance and human rights of the German Parliament, AfD MP, paid special attention to the list of participants of the event.
“The biggest delegation came from China, the second biggest from the US. This shows, that even the Americans, who propose hard sanctions on Russia over Nord Stream II, are eager to do business with Russia,” Anton Friesen told PenzaNews.
He also stressed that some German MPs, for example, of Saxonia, voiced opposition to the sanctions against Moscow.
“The German-Russian trade recovers slowly from the impact of Russian recession and sanctions. Last year, the trade volume has hit 60 milliards euro,” he explained.
“One of the main results from the German perspective is the signing of a new German-Russian modernisation agreement [declaration of intentions on a partnership for effectiveness], which is the continuation of a successful modernisation dialogue led by Germany and Russia between 2000 and 2008,” the German MP said.
In turn, Neil MacKinnon, Global Macro Strategist at VTB Capital, shared the view on the high popularity of the SPIEF as the Forum has reached a new level in its significance.
“The SPIEF is an important internationally-recognized forum for in-depth discussion of major economic and financial issues,” Neil MacKinnon commented briefly.
Meanwhile, Oleg Prozorov, Director General, the Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in the Russian Federation, said that an unprecedented number of members and experts of the BLCC Russia participated in SPIEF-2019.
“This year the Forum was visited by the vice-premiers of both states [Belgium and Luxembourg] who held meetings with their Russian colleagues. Our Chamber is an official regional partner of the Roscongress Foundation, which is the organizer of the Forum. This year SPIEF once again took the first place among business events of the Eurasian continent,” Oleg Prozorov said.
According to him, the most significant were the topics of trade and economic cooperation as well as interaction in the fields of energy, transport, and diamond processing.
“Cooperation in space, innovations, digital industry and corporate sphere is also promising. The Benelux countries are among the ten largest foreign trade partners of the Russian Federation, and Russia, in turn, continues to be the most important destination of direct investment. Companies from Belgium and Luxembourg are committed to mutually beneficial future-oriented cooperation,” Director General, BLCC Russia said.
“The main theme of the Forum was connected with sustainable development. In this trend, cooperation in the socially responsible economy and the use of green bonds, as a tool to attract investors, seem to us very important. We also support the know-how in the field of waste management and the use of technologies aimed at reducing the impact on the environment,” Oleg Prozorov added.
In turn, President of the Russian Investment Agency (RIA) Yuri Spiridonov shared the opinion that the SPIEF “is becoming one of the most significant international forums where tendencies of world’s economic and political development are formulated for many years ahead.”
“Vladimir Putin’s speech on the world economy in terms of the scale of strategic assessments and future forecasts takes on the same significance as his speech in Munich in 2007 [on the unipolarity of modern world politics, delivered at Security Conference],” Yuri Spiridonov said.
In his opinion, the SPIEF is important for the development of the Russian economy.
“This is not only about the contracts signed during the Forum. Disputes between economic leaders and businessmen about the ways and rates of economic development of the country at the event clearly showed that Russia is on the verge of institutional reforms,” the RIA President said.
Meanwhile, Hironori Fushita, Research Fellow at Japan Institute of International Affairs, said that contacts and discussions between Russian and Japanese businessmen continue to deepen.
“The Japan Association for Trade with Russia and the Newly Independent States (ROTOBO) and the All-Russian Public Organization Business Russia jointly held the next business roundtable and exchanged views on the possibilities and prospects for cooperation. Moreover, new Japanese companies representing small and medium businesses that work in completely different fields also participated in the work of SPIEF. Recently, these Japanese enterprises start more business in Russia, especially in the Far East. The most developed areas are the ones of tourism and trade. This, of course, is a very positive trend,” said the Japanese expert, stressing that the SPIEF is becoming a very important platform for those companies that want to find partners in Russia.
In his opinion, in recent years, the priorities and orientations of the Forum have been in a certain way transformed.
“Initially, during the SPIEF, Russia demonstrated foreign businessmen the most important results of reforms that improve the business climate in Russia, and the main purpose of the event was to attract new investors. This tradition continues today. Recently, however, due to changes around the political situation in the world, discussions have focused more on international politics,” Hironori Fushita explained.
“The most discussed result of the Forum in the Japanese media was the message of the Russian leader on solidarity between the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China, as well as criticism of the Russian president to the policy of the United States. At the end of the month, the next G20 summit will be held in Osaka, Japan, but during the preliminary ministerial meeting representatives of the G-20 countries could not reach agreement on a number of issues. Against this background, special attention should be paid to the speech of Vladimir Putin at the SPIEF, in which he once again spoke out against globalization and unilateralism,” the analyst concluded.
Source: https://penzanews.ru/en/analysis/66168-2019
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Public Release: 8-Jan-2014
Stanford researcher's work provides glimpse into health of most-extreme runners
Stanford University Medical Center
STANFORD, Calif. -- For some runners, a marathon is not enough.
Participation in so-called ultramarathons -- defined as any distance beyond the standard 26.2-mile marathon -- has grown exponentially in recent years. The number of runners who finished ultra-length races in North America increased from 15,500 in 1998 to 63,530 in 2012, according to UltraRunning Magazine. Despite its popularity, however, little is known about the health effects of this intense form of exercise.
To learn more about the health of ultrarunners, Eswar Krishnan, MD, assistant professor of medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine, teamed up with Martin Hoffman, MD, a professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at UC-Davis and an avid ultrarunner. In November 2011 they launched the Ultrarunners Longitudinal Tracking Study. Baseline findings of the study will be published Jan. 8 in PLOS ONE.
More than 1,200 ultrarunners answered a web-based questionnaire about the competitions they entered and their training regimens, general health and running-related injuries over the previous 12 months. The researchers plan to follow this cohort of runners for 20 years.
Krishnan, a clinical epidemiologist, believes that studying the effects of extreme exercise could have broader applicability. "It will help us to understand how much exercise is optimal, how much recreational activity is appropriate and beneficial, and if there is a reason not to push your body beyond a certain point," he said.
Not unexpectedly, baseline statistics indicate that ultrarunners are healthier than the overall U.S. population. During the previous year, study participants missed an average of just two days of work or school because of illness or injury, compared with four days for the general population. Most of their visits to health-care professionals, about 64 percent, were for exercise-related injuries, not for diseases that would indicate chronic deterioration.
More than three-quarters of the ultrarunners reported an exercise-related injury in the prior year, while 65 percent had lost at least one training day to injury. Comparing the profiles of injured runners with those who had avoided injury revealed an interesting trend: Injuries appeared to be more common in younger, less experienced runners.
"It's a bit like drivers. Young drivers are at higher risk of car crashes than older people. So similarly, people who have recently started running are much more likely to suffer injuries than veteran ultramarathoners," Krishnan said.
With the next questionnaire, to be sent in early 2014, Krishnan and Hoffman hope to investigate whether particular knowledge or adaptations help to protect more experienced runners from injury.
As in all runners, most injuries among study participants involved the knees and other parts of the lower extremities. Notably, just 3.7 percent of injured ultrarunners reported stress fractures, small cracks in bones that can arise from repeated application of force over time. Stress fractures may be less frequent in ultrarunners than in other runners; studies have shown they make up 5 to 16 percent of all injuries in runners.
However, stress fractures in the foot appear to be especially common in this group, accounting for 48 percent of all reported stress fractures. Hoffman and Krishnan speculate that running on uneven terrain may be the reason why.
Another striking, yet anticipated, finding was a high incidence of asthma and allergies. While only 7 to 8 percent of the overall U.S. population has each of these conditions, 11 percent of ultrarunners reported asthma, and 25 percent reported allergies. The study authors believe that allergies may develop simply as a response to spending more time outdoors, leading to more contact with pollen and other allergens. Krishnan expects that, as in marathon runners, most of the asthma in the study participants is related to allergies, but he plans to follow up on this in subsequent questionnaires.
Other valuable baseline findings from the study include statistics on hospitalizations after competitive ultramarathon events. Five percent of participants had been hospitalized after a competitive event in the past year, and more than half of these incidents were reportedly due to dehydration, electrolyte disturbance or heat exhaustion. About 20 percent were for fracture or dislocation injuries. Krishnan hopes these findings can help improve the education of runners and medical personnel about these dangers, but cautioned that falls during ultramarathons cannot be fully prevented.
The psychological profiles of ultrarunners are of particular interest to the researchers and will be a focus of the upcoming questionnaire. Krishnan and Hoffman are collaborating with several sports psychologists to study what drives these runners to such an extreme level of competition. "Understanding what motivates ultrarunners could be useful for encouraging others to meet minimum levels of exercise to enhance health," Hoffman said.
The study was supported by Veterans Affairs Northern California Health Care System and the Western States Endurance Run Foundation.
Information about Stanford's Department of Medicine, where Krishnan is based, is available at http://medicine.stanford.edu.
The Stanford University School of Medicine consistently ranks among the nation's top medical schools, integrating research, medical education, patient care and community service. For more news about the school, please visit http://mednews.stanford.edu. The medical school is part of Stanford Medicine, which includes Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. For information about all three, please visit http://stanfordmedicine.org/about/news.html.
Print media contact:
Bruce Goldman at (650) 725-2106 (goldmanb@stanford.edu)
Broadcast media contact:
Margarita Gallardo at (650) 723-7897 (mjgallardo@stanford.edu)
Bruce Goldman
goldmanb@stanford.edu
@StanfordMed
http://med.stanford.edu/news.html
Improving the odds of synthetic chemistry success UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
What counts for our climate: Carbon budgets untangled POTSDAM INSTITUTE FOR CLIMATE IMPACT RESEARCH (PIK)
Lifting the fog on carbon budgets INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR APPLIED SYSTEMS ANALYSIS
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Toxic waste: An international business which benefits the Eco-Mafia
In the region of Vesuvius, one of the most fertile areas of Italy, the Italian police are investigating a serious case of illegal waste trafficking run by organised crime. Casal di Principe, is a small village believed to be under the control of the Neapolitan mafia, the Camorra.
Behind the house of a mafia family, the environmental police uncovered a dump filled with toxic industrial sludge, including medical waste, asbestos and building materials. The groundwater in the area is also polluted. Police are continuing their search as information from the same source has led them to believe that boxes of lead from Germany could also be buried here. This could be an indication of an international trafficking ring.
The underground dumps prove that the trafficking of industrial waste by the Camorra in this region has been going on since the 1980s. This area, stretching between Naples and Caserta and including around fifty villages, is known as the “Land of Fires”. Residents are continually complaining about fires in the countryside. These are started by criminals to get rid of both urban and industrial waste. Only last year there were reports or more than 2500 fires.
According to an environmental agency, Lega Ambiente, for the last 20 years at least 410,000 trucks have crossed Italy depositing more than 10 million tons of industrial waste in these areas, and it could be many more.
In Calvi Risorta, an industrial area in the province of Caserta, the environmental police have discovered what they believe to be “the largest illegal dump in Europe” with over 2 million cubic metres of waste buried in an area of 25 hectares.
In this edition of Reporter, Margherita Sforza meets the people who face this environmental disaster on a daily basis.
Click on the video above to see her report.
Dirty business: mafia's toxic waste crimes spread across Europe
Andrea Camilleri: Author of Inspector Montalbano novels dies aged 93
Trafficking kingpin or mistaken identity? Verdict expected in Eritrean man’s trial
US politicsUSAnewsTechnologyEuropeScienceUrsula von der LeyenEU Commission
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Remembering the Rock Island Tractor
Classic Rock Island tractor is fond reminder of granddad’s pride and joy
Bill Vossler
| October 2010
The Rock Island G-2 15-25 has a distinctive appearance.
A side view of the Rock Island’s engine. "I've always enjoyed the nice sound of the 4-cylinder engine," Jim says, "and this one has a hand clutch, while my McCormick-Deering tractors are foot clutch."
Rear view of Jim's 1929 Rock Island G-2 15-25. The tractor has a Waukesha 4-cylinder 4-1/4- by 5-3/4-inch bore and stroke engine.
Jim particularly likes the wide fenders and enclosed platform of the 1929 Rock Island G-2 15-25.
Jim Schultz driving his 1929 Rock Island G-2 15-25 tractor in the Pioneer Days parade, Albany, Minn.
Photo courtesy Jim Schultz
Rock Island tractors are rare. This 1931 Model G, owned by Glen Haroldson, Hanley Falls, Minn., was shown at that city's Pioneer Power show.
Grandson Kevin Schultz at the wheel of Jim’s 1929 Rock Island G-2 15-25.
Jim got paint numbers for restoration of his 1929 Rock Island G-2 15-25 from another Rock Island collector.
Thirty-five years had passed since Jim Schultz last drove a Rock Island tractor. But when he heard a 1929 model was for sale, he jumped at the chance to buy it. "I grew up on a Rock Island," he explains. "My grandfather had horses for light field work and a 1928 Rock Island 18-35 for heavy field work. It could pull a 3-bottom plow and 10-foot tandem disk, and that's about all it was used for in the 1940s. I was 6 or 8 years old and I'd sit on the platform and hang onto the fender and ride along."
As a boy, he was occasionally allowed to drive the tractor. "Not by myself," he quickly admits. "My grandfather was usually with me, and by the time I was old enough to drive alone, he had gotten rid of the Rock Island in favor of a newer tractor on rubber. In 1947 he bought a Minneapolis-Moline and an H Farmall, so I was probably 10 years old when he got rid of the Rock Island. I was pretty young, sitting on it and going into the fields with him, plowing and discing."
Tracking a treasure
By the early 1970s, Jim had become interested in working on old gas engines. A few years later he began restoring antique tractors. His first projects included a McCormick-Deering 10-20, a WK-40 and a Farmall Regular. But he always had a yen for the Rock Island, because it held a slew of good memories for him. In 1982, when he heard about a 1929 Rock Island Model G-2 15-25 that might be for sale, he got excited.
"Word passed around that if you were interested in buying some old tractors, contact one of these two brothers from Montgomery, Minn.," Jim recalls. "Another guy and I went out to see what they had. Money was tighter in those days and you could hardly afford to buy any of these tractors, although the prices would be considered cheap today. Still, they weren't so cheap in those days."
The owners were reluctant to sell the Rock Island. "They had a bunch of other tractors that they wanted to sell first," Jim says. "I think this one was a draw to get people to come out and look at the tractors, so I had to wait a while to get it. But one of the brothers was moving to a nursing home, and he finally decided to sell it."
Restoring a classic
Jim's Rock Island was in decent mechanical condition, with the engine, transmission and rear end in good shape. "I had to do a little work on the front axle," he says, "and the fenders had a few wrinkles in them, so I took a hammer and straightened them out, then added Bondo to fill a couple of spots."
The radiator, though, was in bad shape. The core was leaking and it had been repaired several times. "Corners were already closed off on it," Jim says. "When I first got it, the engine would heat up pretty easy and fast. I knew I had to get it fixed." That work necessitated removal of the top and bottom tanks, which were bolted to the core and side panels. "The bolts were all rusty," he says, "so they'd break off when I tried to take it apart." He ended up taking the core to a radiator shop, where gaskets and other parts were fabricated.
Jim believes early restoration work (including decals) was later covered by a coat of paint. "It was painted dark blue and I knew that wasn't right," he says, "but I used it that way for a while, plowing with it at tractor shows in the fall and running it in daily parades at shows. I kept working on it, fixing an oil leak here or other little things there, and finally got it cleaned up the way I wanted. In the late 1980s I knew it was time to paint it the right colors."
An Iowa collector who'd restored a Rock Island shared paint numbers. The original tractor was light gray with red wheels striped in yellow, and the radiator and pulley were red. Jim cleaned the tractor and a neighbor did the painting. Decals were hard to come by and expensive. "It took a little while to get them," Jim says, "and I paid a little extra, but it was worth it." Those on the gas tank and each fender measure 3-1/2 by 30 inches. Smaller decals were used on the clutch lever and the canister that holds oil for the air cleaner.
Rare as hen's teethJim says there aren't many Rock Island tractors around. "I go to a lot of shows and only once in a while do I see one," he says. "I've seen one at Pioneer Days in Albany, Minn., at the threshing bee put on by the Butterfield (Minn.) Threshermen's Association and this fellow in Iowa has two of them."
Rock Island got its start in the tractor business via Heider Mfg. Co. Rock Island began selling Heider tractors in 1914 and bought the line in 1916. "Earlier models were called Rock Island-Heiders and had friction drives allowing seven different speeds," Jim says. "You moved the engine to get it to go." Slide a large drum forward and the tractor went forward – the further ahead, the faster it went. Slide the drum backward, and the tractor moved backward. Neutral was in the middle.
Today, the Rock Island is a crowd pleaser at shows, standing apart from more familiar tractors. "People stop and give it a look," Jim says. "They ask a lot of questions about when and where it was made, and who the manufacturer was. A lot of people have heard of Rock Island Plow Co., because they made a lot of horse machinery and got into tractors in later years."
The engine plate on Jim's Rock Island lists a manufacture date of April 1929. The tractor has a 4-cylinder Waukesha engine with 4-1/4- by 5-3/4-inch bore and stroke. Although earlier models' throttle and magneto handles were made of steel, Jim's Rock Island features brass handles. "I think they made a few little improvements from time to time as they went along," he says.
The Rock Island is a fond reminder of days gone by. "I grew up on a farm, and I've always been interested in old iron," Jim says. "It's fun to see what makes these tractors run, and it's thrilling when one of them first starts up for you. I just like the sound of those older, slow-running, lower rpm engines. My grandfather passed on when I was about 25. The only reason I bought this Rock Island is to bring back the good memories of those days with him. For that reason it's my favorite tractor." FC
For more information: Jim Schultz, 34043 316th St., LeSueur, MN 56058; (507) 665-2813.
Bill Vossler is a freelance writer and author of several books on antique farm tractors and toys. Contact him at Box 372, 400 Caroline Ln., Rockville, MN 56369; e-mail: bvossler@juno.com.
The Calf Path
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How data analysis is improving matchmoving
In filmmaking, complex techniques are driven by complex ambitions. This is particularly true of matchmoving, which allows computer generated imagery (CGI) to be inserted into live-action footage while keeping scale and motion correct.
Matchmoving has been born from a natural progression of filmmakers wanting animated characters to interact in live-action setting. From the likes of Pete’s Dragon and Who Framed Roger Rabbit? in the 1970s and ‘80s, the CGI matchmoving of today’s movies is now so commonplace that it almost goes unnoticed by audiences.
However, as any filmmaker will tell you, the process can be time consuming and fraught with frustration. What if there was a way to improve this through technology?
One man who has tried to do just that is Alastair Barber, whose work with DNEG and the University of Bath focused on improving the matchmoving process using data analysis and algorithms.
Room for improvement
One reason that matchmoving is so frustrating is because tracking camera placement within a scene is typically a manual process. Barber’s research suggests that matchmoving can take more than 5% of the total time spent on the entire visual effects (VFX) production pipeline. Even when using software designed to take up most of the grunt work, artists will be required to scale manually.
“I wanted to find a better way to track how the camera actually moves,” Barber told Foundry Trends. “I thought initially about getting hardware on set that could read what was happening, but a film set is a pretty hostile environment. You’ve got equipment moving at all times, and crews who don’t have time to faff about with tech they’ve never tested before.”
Clearly, an alternative method was required. Step forward DNEG, the 20-year-old London VFX and computer animation studio, responsible for Academy Award-winning work on Inception, Interstellar, Ex Machina and Blade Runner 2049.
“DNEG has been around for some time,” said Barber. “I was pretty sure the estimates on camera tracking it had collected over those years were fairly accurate, but when I started to dig deeper into it I realised how much data we really had to work with.”
Accelerating through algorithms
Creating algorithms using this vast data set has lead to drastic improvements in the matchmoving process, but first Barber had to work out what to feed in. “We had to pick apart things on set,” he explained. “What type of lens is on the camera, how fast the camera is moving, what’s going on in the scene - basically, anything we could measure.”
He also considered the needs of the VFX artists themselves. ‘Streamlining’ - the process of getting different types of software to talk to each other - was found to be in demand. “We wanted everything to be ready to go so that the artist could start working straight away,” said Barber. When an artist has easy access to detailed and relevant on-set data, Barber says the process takes place 20% faster.
The idea of using data sets to improve studio efficiency does not stop at matchmoving. Barber believes rotoscoping is the next part of the pipeline where improvements can be made. “It’s very similar to matchmoving,” he explained, “in the sense that you have a task that has to be repeated across all footage but will vary in terms of difficulty based on what’s in the picture. There’s a lot of potential for further applications based on data we already have.”
However, for wider adoption to take place, studios will have to convince clients to let them delve into their data. Barber is optimistic that this shouldn’t be too difficult. “A lot of this comes down to the relationship between client and studio. If a studio has good access to what is happening on set, it’s easier to explain what they need and why without causing alarm.”
With metadata on shots able to be stored with relative ease, there’s no reason why the VFX pipeline can’t be continuously improved using algorithms and workflows that can take advantage of this data. Data holds exciting possibilities for studios of all sizes to boost efficiency and save valuable time.
My real-time production philosophy: an interview with Asa Bailey
The Big Interview: Ben Grossmann, co-founder and CEO of Magnopus
Data aggregation in VFX: Impossible dream or untapped opportunity
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Tales From The Crypt Reboot Not Recruiting The Original Crypt Keeper Himself John Kassir? No Thanks
Keven Skinner News March 1, 2017 March 1, 2017 john kassir, M. Night Shyamalan, tales from the crypt, tnt 0 Comment
From TNT and M. Night Shyamalan (Split), comes the highly anticipated return of the cult classic horror anthology series (originally from HBO), Tales From The Crypt. There is no official release date at this time.
Tales from the Crypt is an American horror anthology television series that ran from June 10, 1989 to July 19, 1996, on the premium cable channel HBO for seven seasons with a total of 93 episodes. It was based on the EC Comics series of the same name and John Kassir was the voice of series host The Cryptkeeper, who would introduce various tales of terror, which featured an incredible cast of performers and directors such as Robert Zemeckis, Richard Donner, Joe Pesci, Brad Pitt, Demi Moore, Sandra Bullock, Steve Buscemi, Benicio Del Toro, Dan Aykroyd AND MANY, MANY more amazing artists.
I was ecstatic when I learned that my beloved Tales From The Crypt would be returning to air… Less so when they announced showrunner/producer M. Night Shyamalan… But since then he’s delivered with acclaimed films like The Visit and Split, both horror films that seem like a return to form. So I regained confidence in his vision to see this cult classic horror anthology returned to a brand new audience and be welcomed back by all of us fans who grew up adoring the original seven seasons on HBO.
Then the teaser trailer was released. It was intercut with Shyamalan talking about what makes the series great and compared it to “forbidden fruit” etc. The trailer even featured what sounded like John Kassir’s voice (he’s the original Crypt Keeper). Turns out – it wasn’t, or it was lifted without the man’s permission. Also – turns out Kassir hasn’t even been approached to return in the role — a role in which is he absolutely ESSENTIAL. The damn Crypt Keeper is THE FACE and THE VOICE of this series. In fact it’s the only familiar face you will see at the beginning and end of every stand-alone episode. Kassir’s voicework is legendary in this part and although sure, they could get somebody to mimic his style — but that’s blasphemous in my opinion.
no approach.. they seem to have lifted my voice for the sizzle reels they put out … hmmm
— John Kassir (@JohnKassir) March 1, 2017
Shyamalan said that he has someone in mind for the Crypt Keeper on his upcoming reboot for TNT, but we still don’t know what that means officially. Is it a new character? New actor? What is it?
Here’s my stance on the issue. If John Kassir does not return as the voice of the Crypt Keeper – I will not be watching the new series of Tales From The Crypt. Period. Kassir deserves that role – that is HIS character (even if it legally isn’t) and for fans of the original series, we should all be taking this position because it’s the right thing to do. Do the right thing Shyamalan and bring the original Crypt Keeper back.
I know..it did sound like my voice didn't it? Not sure if it is..otherwise, I'll be waiting for my check..lol!
— John Kassir (@JohnKassir) February 22, 2017
you go girl! Sadly, I'm not involved in this one.
The teaser for the new series below:
Tales From The Crypt Resurrected at TNT with M. Night Shyamalan
The Top 10 Horror TV Shows of All Time Including The Walking Dead & Stranger Things
Split: Folks, M. Night Shyamalan is Back [Review]
Despite its Cracks, Glass is a Satisfying Conclusion to the Unbreakable Trilogy (Review)
The Strain Season 3: How an Angry Child Helped Destroy New York & Potentially The World [Review]
Pacific Rim: Uprising Drops First Look at The New Big Bad Robotic Jaegers
← TOP 5 COMICS TO BUY – 03/01/17: RAT QUEENS, ATOLL & EXTREMITY
Savage Things #1: Justin Jordan’s Serial Killer Assassin Series is Jason Bourne Meets American Psycho [Review] →
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Bihar: Denied ticket from Nawada Lok Sabha seat, Giriraj Singh goes into a sulk
Patna: Firebrand BJP leader and union minister Giriraj Singh was on Monday apparently left sulking after the Nawada Lok Sabha seat, which he represents, went to NDA ally LJP. “Compulsions of seat-sharing may be there. But I wish to underscore that no other union minister from Bihar may have to give up his sitting seat,” the veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader told media persons here.
“This is despite the fact that I have worked so much to nurture my constituency,” Singh added. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) had on Sunday announced the list of candidates and their respective seats to be contested by its three constituents– the BJP, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) and Ram Vilas Paswan’s LJP.
As per the announcement the BJP and the JD(U) will contest 17 seats each and six seats were allotted to the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP). Asked whether he had expressed his wish to seek re-election from Nawada to state BJP president Nityanand Rai, Singh said: “I must have done so 200 times”.
“Five years is a long time and I have become attached to Nawada and its people. Rai had assured me that I would get a ticket from wherever I wanted. Why this (denial of ticket) happened is for him to answer,” Singh told reporters here. On reports that he might be asked to contest from Begusarai, the seat which he had wanted to fight in 2014, Singh replied with a hint of bitterness, “I was a party worker, am a party worker and shall always remain a party worker.”
Besides Giriraj Singh, the other union ministers from Bihar are Ashwini Kumar Choubey (Buxar), R K Singh (Ara), Ram Kripal Yadav (Pataliputra) and Radha Mohan Singh (Motihari). All these seats have been retained by the BJP and it is believed that the sitting MPs may be fielded again from their respective seats.
Interestingly, in the last general election Giriraj Singh had initially expressed his wish to contest from Begusarai, which is dominated by the Bhumihar caste to which he belongs. But the seat then went to Bhola Singh, a party-hopper who had been previously associated with the Communist Party of India (CPI), Congress and the Janata Dal.
Giriraj Singh was then given the ticket from Nawada, a less safe seat given its social profile which he won riding the Modi wave. The Nawada seat has gone to LJP this time in exchange for Munger, which has been given to the JD(U) reportedly at the insistence of Nitish Kumar who wanted it for close aide Rajiv Ranjan alias Lalan Singh.
Lalan Singh had represented Munger from 2009 to 2014 when he lost it to LJPs Veena Devi, who is the wife of mafia don-turned-politician Suraj Bhan Singh. With Begusarai lying vacant on account of the death of Bhola Singh, speculations are rife that Giriraj Singh may be fielded from there.
However, he is said to be wary of the possibility that former JNU students union president Kanhaiya Kumar may make his electoral debut on a CPI ticket from the seat. Belonging to the same caste as Giriraj Singh, Kanhaiya is likely to pose a tough challenge as Begusarai has been a stronghold of the CPI and has earned the epithet– ‘Moscow of Bihar’.
Moreover, being a Bhumihar himself, Kanhaiya may cut into votes of the dominant caste besides getting support from a cross-section of other social segments since it is being speculated that the Grand Alliance comprising Lalu Prasad’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the Congress and other smaller parties may support him.
Giriraj Singh
Nawada Lok Sabha seat
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Potsdam/Pershing
The Gasconade County Historical Society provides information on Potsdam/Pershing, Missouri along with a map to the location.
The village of Pershing was originally known as Potsdam. Several stories are told about the origin of the name; one is that the original settlers came from Potsdam, Germany, and it is said they named it for their home. Another version is that a man name Potts built a dam nearby, and it was named for that reason. Still another story is that when it came time to submit a name for a post office, Representative James "Champ" Clark was given the job of providing the name. He chose Potsdam in honor of the German city south of Berlin.
The town rests on a hilltop high above a horseshoe bend in the Gasconade River, in southwest Richland township. In the 1960s, German Americans began buying farmland along the lower Gasconade River, and in 1883, the German Reformed Zion Congregation was formed. Early services were held in members' homes and later a frame church was built on the bluff overlooking the river.
A school was begun in 1849, with 21 students. The teacher's salary was $32.00. By 1870, the district was maintaining a four-month school term, and the salary for the teacher was $40.00 per month. A new limestone building was erected in 1878. The enrollment in 1908 was 54 students who were taught by one teacher, C.M. Danuser.
In the 1880s, ferry service became available across the Gasconade. This continued until the 1920s. Fiegler's Ferry and Brown's Shanty Ferry each charged 50 cents per crossing. It was noted that this was a stiff rate to pay at that time.
Among the early buildings and businesses were the Modern Woodmen Lodge, a Blacksmith Shop, a general store, building contractor (who built homes for 25 cents a day), boarding house, a doctor and other farming-related businesses.
In 1914, many Americans looked to the German-Americans with suspicion. Families who had corresponded with their relatives in Germany no longer sent letters or packages. In 1916, Mrs. Lottie Workman and Mrs. Held gathered enough signatures on a petition to have the name of the Post Office changed. The name of Pershing was selected to honor Missouri-born General John J. "Blackjack" Pershing. The General was commander of the American Expeditionary Forces to be sent to Europe.
Today the village of Pershing is a quiet place, which has a restaurant in the renovated "John Deere" Implement Store, a rural church, and some homes that are owned by weekenders that like to be part of the peaceful countryside.
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New ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Images Unravel Story Mysteries
By eelyajekiM | @ | Wednesday, November 11th, 2015 at 6:15 pm
Though each and every new trailer and TV spot has delivered small pieces of new footage, we still know very little about Star Wars: The Force Awakens. So far everyone has made some sort of educated guess as to the actual plot of the film. Of course there are only a few outside of those who are close to the production who know that The Force Awakens is really about, and most of us will just have to wait until the film comes out to see how the start of the new trilogy unfolds. But as we impatiently wait those few weeks until the film’s release, a slew of new images have now popped up online, and they reveal some plot points, but it doesn’t quite spoil anything since none of the footage we have seen has managed to be spoilery.
That being said, with these new images comes some very revealing details about the characters themselves. And these details aren’t your average magazine puff pieces; they provide some insight into the characters, their motivations, and much more. Check all of that out below.
EW was the first to break the exclusive news as well as release the brand new images from the film. There will be some tiny spoilers ahead, so if you are reading this now and want to see The Force Awakens with a clean slate, I suggest you turn back now.
This is your last chance. To turn back.
Okay, here we go, you’ve been warned.
One of the most revealing aspects of EW’s latest piece is that Rey, has been abandoned by her family when she was a young age. This was hinted at during the trailer when a voiceover asked Rey who she was, to which she responded “I’m no one.” Nice exposition there. Here’s what Daisy Ridley had to say.
“She’s been alone for a long time. When something occurs when you’re 5, you know what went on but you don’t understand the reasoning. She’s hopeful for what lies ahead, whether that involves the past or not.”
So why hasn’t that abandonment driven her to the Dark Side? We’ll as we saw in that same trailer, you can see it in her eyes that she has dreams of leaving the planet Jakku, although at the time we didn’t know what she was dreaming about, and now we get a sense that she has dreams of meeting her real parents.
“Hope makes people good, a lot of the time,” Ridley says. “You hope for a brighter future, and resentment is outweighed.”
She then reveals that there is a common thread that connects Rey, Finn, and Kylo, and that thread is “they have been led to feel like they’re wanting.” According to the actress, Rey’s life on Jakku is monotonous, but says “the film, for Rey, is a journey of finding out that no one is no one.”
At one moment in the trailer and a teaser, we see that Finn (John Boyega) and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) exchange a glance before they head out to battle against the First Order, what sort of circumstances led to this is still unclear, and the nature of the relationship is unclear as well. But in one of the images below, we see that Finn has come a badly injured Poe’s rescue, which leads us to believe that maybe Finn wasn’t a stormtrooper, and that he infiltrated the first order, came across a captured Poe, and rescued him before he boarded a tie fighter and crash landed on Jakku, where he would eventually meet Rey.
But according to the actor, these stormtroopers aren’t just the surviving soldiers from the fallen Empire. And here is where it does get a tad bit confusing. When describing the history of the stormtroopers, Boyega says that they have been raised “childhood to serve this remnant of the scattered Imperial forces are fed propaganda about the heroes of the Rebellion.” According to him the First Order has taught him a lot about Luke Skywalker, and has painted the Jedi as a villain who destroyed the benevolent Empire. The site adds another detail about these soldiers saying “many have been conscripted and indoctrinated with hate and fear of what the Rebellion stood for.”
While we know that Adam Driver is the face to the villainous Kylo Ren, we don’t know much about him, or the knights of Ren, or why he is so fascinated by Darth Vader. We’ve seen small glimpses of him and his fellow knights of Ren in the last trailer, but producer Bryan Burk says they are and what they want will be a mystery answered by the movie. But the actor may have an explanation for his character’s motivation,
“When you break all of those things down, really it’s just because someone wasn’t loved enough or felt betrayed,” he says. “That’s what makes those movies so universal. I think they can get in your mind in big and sweeping ways.”
Some of the smaller things we learn about this film is that Gwendoline Christie’s armor of Captain Phasma was originally designed to be Kylo Ren’s armor. However, Abrams reveals that she isn’t in the film very much, but when you do see here, she takes command of the scene.
There’s more over at EW, where Ridley reveals what her staff weapon is, Abrams thoughts on the trolling boycott that went viral before the release of the latest trailer, and the design of the new ships and speeders seen in the film.
[Source: EW]
Topics: Movies, News, Photos, Sequels
Tags: Adam Driver, Andy Serkis, Anthony Daniels, Carrie Fisher, Daisy Ridley, Domhnall Gleeson, Gwendoline Christie, Harrison Ford, J.J. Abrams, John Boyega, Kenny Baker, Lupita Nyong'o, Mark Hamill, Max Von Sydow, Oscar Isaac, Peter Mayhew, Star Wars, Star Wars: The Force Awakens
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The History Of Zork
by Matt Barton [PC]
June 28, 2007 Page 5 of 6
What happens next is a rather dismal story indeed. Activision seemed uninterested in publishing text games, preferring instead to exploit the popularity of games like Zork in graphical adventure games, starting with Beyond Zork in 1987, a graphical game by Brian Moriarty (Wishbringer, Trinity, and later Loom).
Beyond Zork offered players a crude automap and several random and RPG elements to theoretically enhance the game’s re-playability. Re-playability is always an issue with most adventure games, since once the player figures out the puzzles and solves the game, there is little reason to play it through again—though in my experience, a few years is sufficient time to forget enough of the details to make it fun again (I compare it to re-reading a favorite novel).
Steve Meretzky (Planetfall, A Mind Forever Voyaging) got in on the act with Zork Zero, another graphically enhanced game published in 1988. Zork Zero is a prequel to the trilogy, and offers several nice features like in-game hints, menus, and an interactive map.
“Zork Zero is a very well documented and user friendly game. Overall, it is a worthy addition to the Zork series and is, by far, the best one to date. It is a lot better than many animated ones.” – Dave Arneson in Computer Gaming World, Jan. 1989.
“Beyond Zork contains so many innovative features that if it weren’t for the richness of the text, you might not recognize the product as having come from Infocom.” – James V. Trunzo in Compute!, Apr. 1988.
The graphically enhanced Zork Zero
The last game to published under the Infocom label was Return to Zork, a 1993 game released for PC and Macintosh (and later ported to several other platforms, including the Sega Saturn and the 3DO). Developed by Activision, Return to Zork is quite a different animal than the previous Zork games, even the graphically enhanced games described above. Return to Zork will no doubt remind most gamers of the far more popular Myst, which was released a few months afterwards. The parser is gone, replaced by a purely graphical interface that is surprisingly complex and multi-faceted.
The game also offers live action sequences, including performances by Robyn Lively. Contemporary reviewers seemed to mostly enjoy the game, though Zork aficionados were (and are) divided over whether to include the game as part of the Zork canon. Very few of the original characters show up in the game, and there will always be the issue of whether any graphical adventure game could truly compare to the great text-based classics.
“People accustomed to the speed and flexibility of a text-only parser are going to feel handcuffed.” – Jay Kee on Return to Zork, in Compute!, Sep. 1994.
Activision released two more Zork-themed graphical adventures: Zork Nemesis (1996) and Zork: Grand Inquisitor (1997), quietly dropping the name “Infocom.” Nemesis offers a much simplified graphical interface and a much darker atmosphere than previous games. Like Return to Zork, Nemesis was loaded with live action sequences—to the point that the game shipped on 3 CD-ROMs.
Most reviewers remark about the intense gore found in the game, including a puzzle requiring the player to chop the head off a corpse with a guillotine. Grand Inquisitor brought back much of the humor missing in Nemesis, and seemed to pay more homage to the series than the previous two games. Perhaps more significantly, Activision released Zork: The Undiscovered Underground, a text adventure by Marc Blank and Michael Berlyn. The Undiscovered Underground no doubt eased some of the bitterness that dyed-in-the-wool Zork fans felt towards Activision, who some viewed as merely exploiting the franchise to turn a quick buck.
Unfortunately, even a new text adventure was not enough to save Zork; Grand Inquisitor did not sell as many copies as Activision hoped. To date, there have been no more official Zork titles, though there have been several anthologies. GameTap also offers most of the games through its subscription service, but there are plenty of free (if not so legal) ways to play the earlier games online.
“Whether these games qualified as “exploiting” the brand, I guess I’d say so, but I don’t feel like Activision was sullying something pure and noble; we were exploiting the brand ourselves with games like Brian’s Beyond Zork and my Zork Zero.” – Steve Meretzky
“The major thing I would have done differently at that time would have been to try to involve the Infocom authors in the writing of the new Zorks, and to try to keep up the Infocom level of quality and polish; some of their efforts were pretty feeble.” – Dave Lebling
“When Activision was run by Bruce Davis (in the late 80's), I'm sure you couldn't find anyone at Infocom with anything good to say about them. But that's well in the past.” – Marc Blank
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Recent Graduate Earns Regional Student-Athlete Scholarship from NIAAA
Recent Gerstell Academy graduate, Max Friedman, has been selected by National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) for the Male Student-Athlete Scholarship Award for Section 2. Representing Maryland, Max competed with candidates from Delaware, DC, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia for the Section 2 award. Mr. Friedman’s application and essay were selected for this prestigious scholarship. Prior to the Section 2 award, Max garnered the state level scholarship award from the Maryland State Athletic Directors' Association (MSADA) chapter of the NIAAA. Max will receive the Section 2 Scholarship and a plaque from the NIAAA. Having now won at the state and regional levels, Max qualifies for the national scholarship award where he will compete with the seven other Sections in the country for another scholarship.
To qualify, an applicant must be a senior, achieve a minimum of a B+ average, rank in the top 25% of their class, and achieve a minimum ACT score of 24 or an SAT score of 1100. The athlete must have participated in two sports for at least two years (in each sport) and earn at least one varsity letter (in each). An applicant must complete an essay and application and receive a letter of recommendation from a high school athletic director.
Max has played four years of Varsity Soccer, three years of JV/Varsity Basketball and Varsity Baseball, and one year of Varsity Lacrosse. He served as JV Basketball captain and Varsity Soccer captain, and won the Baseball and Basketball Falcon Awards, and the Soccer Falcon Coaches' Leadership Award. He has been selected for the MIAA All-Conference team for Soccer and Baseball as well as the All-County Baseball team.
Max is a member of seven honor societies (Art, English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and Spanish). He has achieved President’s Honor Roll, First Academic Honors, and First Leadership Honors for all semesters of Upper School. He has achieved the Founder’s Summer Leadership Challenge Award for all four years of Upper School and received the Euler Mathematics Leadership Award, Upper School English Leadership Award, several National Spanish Exam Awards, and he was the top prize winner of the Spanish Honor Society Joseph Adams Senior Scholarship. Max also has served as the Vice President of the Class of 2019, Honor Council Representative, Editor of the Roaring Run Review, and is a member of the Chess Club, Community Action Group, Japanese, Physics, and Theatre Clubs.
Max exemplifies our Leadership Principles and Attributes and embodies the Gerstell Academy Mission. We are proud of him on all counts and congratulate him on this recognition!
Max Friedman receiving the MSADA Award.
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Tribune Obituaries
Obituaries | November 15, 2004
Perrla Soto
Delbert M. Miller, 83, of Greeley died Saturday, Nov. 13, at Kenton Manor in Greeley.
He was born June 15, 1921, in Mingo, Kan., to Orin and Lottie (Marshall) Miller.
On Dec. 24, 1945, he married Pat Thomas in California.
Mr. Miller attended Antelope, a country school for eight years. He attended high school in Oakley, Kan., then graduated from high school in Colby, Kan., in 1939. He began working for the gas company in Colby, and continued in Oakley for two years, then Scottsbluff, then to Greeley in 1955, where he was service supervisor for the Greeley Gas Company for 28 years.
He raised miniature horses and was a member of the Miniature Horse Association.
Survivors are a son, David L. Miller of Greeley; two brothers, W.O. Miller of Selden, Kan., Don G. Miller of Glenwood Springs; two sisters, Beth Ilene Winfrey of Micanopy, Fla., and Velma Dorene Jacobs of Aurora; two grandchildren, Matthew J. Miller and Angela K. Duncan, both of Greeley; and four great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Pat, in 2002; a son, Del L. Miller, in 1976; and a brother, William M. Miller.
Graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Linn Grove Cemetery, Greeley.
Memorial gifts may be made to the Building Fund at Greeley Christian Church, 3451 23rd Ave., Evans, CO 80620.
Northern Colorado Crematory, Greeley, is in charge of arrangements.
Martha “Martie” Wolfe, 59, of Ault, formerly of Greeley, died Sunday, Nov. 7, at her home after a five- month battle with cancer.
She was born Oct. 31, 1945, in Nampa, Idaho, to Joseph C. and Doris I. (Davies) Harden. She lived in Idaho and South Dakota before her family moved to eastern Colorado.
On May 25, 1966, she married Donald G. Wolfe in Fort Morgan. They lived in Fort Morgan, Germany, Yuma and Sterling before moving to Greeley in the early 1970s. They had two sons and divorced in August 1982.
Ms. Wolfe was a licensed cosmetologist and hair stylist in Greeley and Windsor for a number of years. She then was self-employed providing residential cleaning. She joined the custodial staff at University of Northern Colorado until she decided to reopen and expand her cleaning business.
Ms. Wolfe was a compassionate and giving person who was always thinking of others. She lived her life on her own terms and did the things she enjoyed: bargain shopping at thrift stores, garage sales and craft sales, crafts, growing various flowers and plants, and time with her pets. She was always on the lookout for any item that family and friends could or might need, especially if it involved children or pets.
Survivors are a son, Kahlen Wolfe of Ault; her mother, Doris Harden of Brush; two brothers, Delmar Harden of Sterling and Clinton Harden of Brush; and a sister, Twyla Rosenfield of Brush.
She was preceded in death by her father; a son, Jason Wolfe; and a sister, Norma Baker.
A celebration of life service with a buffet will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Greeley Assembly of God, 601 21st Ave., Greeley.
Contributions may be made to the Martha Wolfe Memorial Fund in care of Bank of Colorado, 3640 W. 10th Street, Greeley, CO 80634.
Antonio V. Villanueva, 55, of Greeley died Saturday, Nov. 13, at North Colorado Medical Center Hospice in Greeley.
He was born Jan. 16, 1949, in Devine, Texas, to Nicho Villanueva and Calletana ValEnciano.
He liked cars and belonged to the Car Club of America, the National Rifle Association, the National Hot Rod Association and Gaming Roosters International. He enjoyed playing pool, fishing, hunting and the outdoors. He liked the Lord, people, all living things and had a lot of friends.
Survivors are a sister, Lola Rizo of Devine, Texas; five brothers, Tom Davey of Denver, Joe Villanueva and Jesus Villanueva, both of Greeley, Arturo Villanueva of Bakersville, Calif., and Fred Villanueva of Pleasanton, Texas.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Santiaga Villanueva; his parents; and Margarito Villanueva.
Services will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Stoddard Funeral Home. Graveside service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in Linn Grove Cemetery, Greeley. Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Wednesday at Stoddard Funeral Home.
Memorial gifts may be made to the American Diabetes Association in care of Stoddard.
Condolences may be sent to the family at http://www.mem.com
Benny Serna, 48, of Fort Lupton died Friday, Nov. 12, in Denver.
He was born May 22, 1956, in Greeley to Albert and Josie (Martinez) Serna.
On Nov. 3, 1979, he married Susan C. Rios.
He had resided in Fort Lupton since 1979. Mr. Serna worked for Continental Oil in Commerce City and for various construction companies doing concrete work.
He was a member of St. Williams Catholic Church in Fort Lupton and a longtime member of the Metro Wrestling League of Fort Lupton. He helped with coaching and fund-raising for the organizations. He helped on the wrestling team that won the 40th Annual Tulsa Wrestling Championship. He was very involved with his children and their lives. He volunteered at church. He loved to work and touched the lives of many children through baseball and other recreation department activities.
Survivors are his father, Albert Serna of Commerce City; his wife, Susan Serna of Fort Lupton; a son, Jose Serna of Fort Lupton; two daughters, Vanessa Serna, Marissa Serna, both of Fort Lupton; a brother, Gregory Serna of Commerce City; two sisters, Delma Sisneros of Westminster, Florence Serna-Kocis of Huntington Beach, Calif.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Josie, in 2002; and a sister, Marie Montez, in 1998.
Visitation will be from 3-5 p.m. Thursday at Tabor Funeral Home. Rosary will be at 7 p.m. Thursday at St. Williams Catholic Church in Fort Lupton. Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Williams. Interment will be in Elmwood Cemetery, Brighton.
Contributions can be made to the St. Williams Stained-glass Window Fund, 1025 Fulton Ave., Fort Lupton, CO 80621. Tabor Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Obituary for Karmen Penfold
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McDermott & Chiyoda Introduce Feed Gas to Train 1 at Cameron LNG
Source: www.gulfoilandgas.com 4/15/2019, Location: North America
McDermott International, Inc. and its joint venture partner, Chiyoda International Corporation, a U.S.-based wholly-owned subsidiary of Chiyoda Corporation, Japan, announced that Train 1 of the Cameron LNG project in Hackberry, La., has reached the final commissioning stage. This includes the introduction of pipeline feed gas into Train 1 of the liquefaction export facility, the precursor for the production of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
"We are extremely proud of the Cameron LNG project team for this achievement and their remarkable safety performance," said Mark Coscio, McDermott's Senior Vice President for North, Central and South America. "Their accomplishment is more than just a project milestone; it is an impressive feat of engineering and construction. Once Train 1 is fully operational, it will have the capacity to produce 4 million tonnes of LNG per year."
Since the initial award in 2014, McDermott and Chiyoda have provided the engineering, procurement and construction for the Cameron LNG project. The project includes three liquefaction trains with a projected export of 12 million tonnes per annum of LNG, or approximately 1.7 billion cubic feet per day.
Cameron LNG is jointly owned by affiliates of Sempra LNG LLC, Total, Mitsui & Co. Ltd. and Japan LNG Investment, LLC, a company jointly owned by Mitsubishi Corporation and Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK).
LNG Processing News in United States >>
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McDermott Announces Agreement with Cameron LNG
United States >> 7/5/2019 - McDermott International, Inc. (MDR) announced it and its joint venture member Chiyoda have reached an agreement with Cameron LNG related to the constr...
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Disability Law Remains Uncertain as the Anniversary of the ADAAA Regulations Approaches
Posted on March 7, 2012 in HR Insights for Health Care
Written by: Jennifer H. Gonzalez
As we approach the one-year anniversary of the ADAAA regulations, we have caught only a glimpse of the true effect of these legal changes.
We have seen a string of multi-million dollar settlements from the EEOC involving class disability claims, culminating in Verizon’s payout of $20 million for an allegedly “illegal” and “inflexible” no-fault attendance policy that had the unfortunate effect of counting disability-related absences for disciplinary occurrences. The facts of this settlement were most concerning for employers, many of whom had (and some who continue to have) similar policies. The EEOC remains focused on leave and attendance policies, emphasizing the need for flexibility to allow for additional leave time even after already generous policy limits have been exhausted. Prior EEOC Guidance indicates:
An employer may NOT apply a “no-fault” leave policy, under which employees are automatically terminated after they have been on leave for a certain period of time, to an employee with a disability who needs leave beyond the set period.
If an employee with a disability needs additional unpaid leave as a reasonable accommodation, the employer must modify its “no-fault” leave policy to provide the employee with the additional leave (unless there is another effective accommodation OR the additional leave would cause an undue hardship).
While publicity around EEOC settlements appears to have slowed over the past few months, the EEOC recently announced its Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2012-2016, which continues to highlight the Commission’s focus on attacking discriminatory policies and what it deems “systemic” discrimination.
We are starting to see judicial decisions applying the ADAAA, which painfully remind employers of the ADAAA’s edict that the definition of “disability” is to be construed “in favor of broad coverage,” and the question of whether an employee’s impairment is a disability under the ADA “should not demand extensive analysis.” For example, the bridge worker with acrophobia, who was unable to work at heights over 20-25 feet. The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the employer’s argument that working above 25 feet was an essential function of the bridge worker’s job and reversed the district court’s grant of summary judgment for the employer, allowing the claims to proceed to a jury trial. In its decision, the Court noted, “The ADA does not give employers unfettered discretion to decide what is reasonable. The law requires an employer to rethink its preferred practices or established methods of operation. Employers must, at a minimum, consider possible modifications of jobs, processes, or tasks so as to allow an employee with a disability to work, even where established practices or methods seem to be the most efficient or serve otherwise legitimate purposes in the workplace.” Miller v. Illinois Dep’t of Transportation (7th Cir. 2011)
Human Resources Professionals responsible for administration of leaves must also remember that FMLA issues can prompt an ADA analysis. For example, even if an employee has not worked enough hours to qualify for FMLA leave, he or she may qualify for time off from work (either in a block of time or on an intermittent basis) as a reasonable accommodation under the ADA.
The one thing of which employers can be certain in the face of this legal uncertainty (absurdity?) is that revision of existing reasonable accommodation, leave of absence, and no-fault attendance policies should not be taken lightly. At a minimum, employers should be reviewing existing policies and procedures to build in flexibility, to ensure an individualized inquiry for each and every situation involving an employee with a disability. As the focus on reasonable accommodation continues, remember that there are no set formulas concerning disability or reasonable accommodation, and in many instances making an exception to a standard policy or practice may be considered reasonable.
If you have questions or would like further information, please contact Jennifer H. Gonzalez at jgonzalez@hallrender.com or 248.457.7840
or Stephen W. Lyman at slyman@hallrender.com or 317.977.1422.
Stephen W. Lyman
Jennifer H. Gonzalez
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The Art of Medicine: Snuff Boxes
Hiram Health
Hiram Health Blog
Students who participated in a one-hour course called Art and Medicine, taught by Art Professor Lisa Safford, devoted their time looking at and contextualizing the salient medical data from works of art through all of Western history in a thematic survey. Students explored a wealth of imagery – devoted to anatomy, illness, disability, addiction, hospitals, physicians, nursing, healing, birth and death – as it evolved over the span of Western history from the age of the Egyptians some five millennia ago to the era of modern germ pathology and antisepsis in the late 19th century, and Freudian psychoanalysis of the early 20th. This particular paper prompt was to write about a medical-related feature found in a work of art from the Cleveland Museum of Art.
By: Anthony Casey ‘17
In times of great industrial and technological advancement in Europe, inevitable social change occurred. Naturally, the newly rich and affluent looked to take part in high-class social activities. Since new and exciting discoveries were frequently being made in these times, those who could afford it were keen to own pieces of the latest fashion and trends. One popular centerpiece of social activity lasted for centuries: snuff.
Snuff is a type of finely ground smokeless tobacco that is insufflated into the nasal cavity, and produces an instant nicotine rush while leaving a lasting scent of the tobacco, often flavored (Harrison). Apart from just the snuff, the container it was carried in was used by owners as a tool to impress others while keeping their product fresh. The craftsman of the specific snuff box in the Cleveland Museum of Art, Pierre-Andre Montauban, used tortoiseshell. (CMA). Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries in Europe, the snuff box was perhaps the major personal possession of the upper class. While snuff boxes are personal items, the true value of these containers lies in the ability to reflect the owner’s status and taste in social situations.
Ground tobacco as snuff was first used by the indigenous people of Brazil, who had no plan or motive to popularize the product. They simply desired to produce the snuff by their own means for local use. Using wooden tools, these indigenous people would mash and grind tobacco leaves until the final product of snuff was formed. Snuff is traditionally taken by placing a pinch on the back of one’s hand, and gently sniffing the finely crushed tobacco leaves. The most popular method of insufflation, though, is taking a pinch of snuff and inhaling directly from between one’s pointer finger and thumb.
Snuff made its way to Europe in the late 15th century, following the return of Columbus’ second voyage from the Greater and Lesser Antilles in 1493. The use of snuff quickly became popular in Spain, as the people realized its trade value. In the early 16th century, manufacturing industries of snuff had been developed. At first, independent production mills dispersed throughout Spain were the main sources of snuff. Due to instant and prolonged success in selling and trading snuff, a large industrial building called the Royal Tobacco Factory was built. This marked Europe’s first industrial tobacco factory and Spain’s second largest building at the time.
By 1650, snuff use had spread throughout Europe. England, Scotland, and Ireland became familiarized after France and the Netherlands. Snuff use in England has been traced back to the return of King Charles II from exile in France, who brought snuff back with him. The popularization of snuff in England, around the time of the Great Plague of London, was due to its reputation as a powerful prophylactic. Shortly after, virtually all of Europe had been introduced to snuff, as well as Japan, China and Africa. At the time, users of snuff were entirely unaware of the risks associated with snuff use. Users fully welcomed the fact that they were not at risk of dangers from smoking, and many believed snuff had key antiseptic and relieving properties.
Despite prevention efforts, snuff had become the favored tobacco product among the elite by the 18th century. This is partially due to the desire of being seen as separate from or above the common populace, which generally smoked tobacco as snuff was quite costly. Many considered snuff to be more refined than smoking as well. Some notable former snuff users include Pope Benedict XIII, who repealed Pope Urban VIII’s smoking ban, Marie Antoinette, Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III, who devoted an entire room at Windsor Castle to her snuff stock, and Napoleon Bonaparte, who is documented to have sniffed an average of seven pounds of snuff per month!
At the height of snuff’s use among the elite of Europe, it was practically mandatory for wealthy people to indulge in the various accessories that accompany snuff use. This was a particularly important accessory in the eyes of the wealthy. Having a container for one’s snuff was more than just a fashion statement, though, as prolonged exposure to air causes snuff to dry out and lose its quality. Obtaining the most elegant of snuff boxes was a goal that was feasible for many members of royalty, and peers would try and outdo each other when purchasing their snuff boxes. Snuff boxes are always handmade. The materials used to make snuff boxes varied from basic materials such as horn, to boxes made from precious metals with intricate designs or mosaics, much like the piece by Pierre-Andre Montauban in the Cleveland Museum. Snuff boxes were not only purchased, but often given as gifts. Gifted snuff boxes were usually ornamented with stones as precious as diamonds and emeralds.
The snuff box from France in the Cleveland Museum of Art, crafted by Pierre-Andre Montauban, is dated circa 1810-1820. He used gold-mounted tortoiseshell, agate and enamel while crafting this box, which actually ended up being a gift. France is known for producing the most intricately designed snuff boxes. Its dimensions tell us that this was a pocket snuff box. Although there are very many snuff boxes still in existence today, it does not take away from the rarity. Each box is unique, from the materials used, construction technique, and the mosaic or message.
The use of snuff is considered one of the longest lasting cultural trends in history. Eventually, strong advertisement on behalf of the convenience of filter cigarettes influenced the slow diminishing use of snuff. However, the magnitude of what the snuff taking populace once was shows that snuff, at its peak of attractiveness, took many entire countries by storm without heavy pushing of the product. Many snuff boxes are still around today, preserved in museums because of how carefully crafted these pieces are. I think this provides us with an understanding of how truly massive snuff use once was.
Antique Snuff Boxes (2013). Retrieved from http://regnas.com/snuff/antique-snuff-boxes/
CMA, Snuff Box, c. 1810-1820. (2013). Retrieved from www.clevelandart.org/art/2009.66?collection_search_query=snuff
Harrison, D.F.N. (1964). Snuff: Its Use and Abuse. The British Medical Journal, Vol.2, No. 5425, pp. 1649-1651
The History of Snuff (2013). Retrieved from http://regnas.com/snuff/history/
Sapundzhiev, N., Werner, J.A. (2003). Nasal snuff: historical review and health related aspects. The Journal of Laryngology & Otology.Vol. 117, pp. 686-691
Snuffbox. (2013). Retrieved from http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O156587/snuffbox-montauban-pierre-andre/
Posted January 26, 2016 10:11pm by Brittany Jackson
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Hyeon-Ju Rho
The Inner Journey of Leadership: On Authenticity, Love and the Gifts of Failure
In December 2011, I became the executive director of a civil rights organization I’d long admired. My two-and-a-half years there knocked me flat on my face. When I left, all I wanted was to get as far away from the experience as possible, preferably under a rock.
It was the best thing that could have happened to me. Failure gave me what no amount of success ever could have — courage to let go of safety and the freedom to be honest with myself.
Ultimately, it opened the door to an inward journey I’d been avoiding for years. I now believe this kind of inward searching is essential not only to our individual capacity to live whole and integrated lives, but also to our collective capacity to spark heart-level transformation in the world.
I’m sharing the story of my journey here because in more than two decades of social justice and leadership work, I never got how critical this was. In the midst of urgent problems and all that had to be done, courageous inward reflection felt like a luxury — a personal matter that I could tend to when the fires had been put out.
Now I can’t imagine how we — individually and collectively — can continue without it.
Leadership only magnifies what we bring with us. In my case, I’d spent much of my life learning how to be anyone but myself.
The lessons started early. My family immigrated to the United States right before I started first grade, to a southern city with few other Asians or immigrants. I still remember that raw feeling of being unguarded, as all children are, and understanding that whatever I was, wasn’t going to bring me the things I longed for: acceptance, friendship, the warm security of knowing I was OK. Children adapt quickly, and I absorbed the tools I needed to be normal, to protect myself from ridicule and to get along. These included a new language, new cultural references and different ways of speaking and of holding myself.
No one ever asked me the question, “Who are you?” And I never thought to ask this question of myself. The frame I grew up with was about survival: “I am someone who works hard in order to succeed, and success will bring me and my family security.” I also accepted without question that the rules for whether and how I would succeed were all external to me. Power was outside — in mainstream culture, in school and other institutions, and in other people.
I would love to say that exposure in college to ideas of racial equality and social justice freed me of all this. It did, on one level. It gave me a positive alternative to the narrative of racial inferiority I’d grown up with, and gave me permission to replace shame with righteous anger.
But it didn’t fundamentally change my sense of truth and validation as something outside myself. The progressive social justice communities I was a part of in college had their own rules and norms, and I wanted as much as ever to belong. I never felt secure enough to question, “What in all of this is true for me? What does this sound like in my own voice?” In other words, I replaced one external narrative with another, albeit more empowering, one.
And I could convince myself I’d found what I should aspire to because it was noble. The Quaker leader Parker Palmer calls this “a life spent imitating heroes instead of listening to [your] own heart.” My life imitating heroes took me to public interest law and to leadership positions in legal advocacy nonprofits. Engaging the world through law never resonated with me, and neither did policy advocacy. I experienced these spheres as sterile, foreign, and distant.
What had always moved me was deep connection at an individual level, and the mystery of the human experience. And yet, I soldiered on, convinced that even if it felt like I was wearing borrowed clothing, I just needed to try harder to make myself fit them.
Falling Apart
If someone had constructed a situation to bring all of this tumbling down, they couldn’t have created a better scenario than the executive director position I walked into.
My sense of worthiness depended on other people’s validation, and this was the one thing the job was designed not to provide. The organization had a reputation for being tough on executive directors. Its culture included a skepticism of authority that contributed to fearless advocacy outside the organization, and an uneasy relationship with positions of power within the organization. Layered on top of this was a deep internal conflict that defined my tenure. The board had approved an organizational change that many staff viewed as compromising the group’s core identity. In the months before I started, staff mobilized to oppose it. I thought we could find common ground; it never happened. The constant conflict, unhappiness and disapproval would have been hard on anyone; for me it was devastating.
As a leader, I’d always relied on a kind of disembodied skillfulness to get through things — shut down the emotions and push through what needs to be done. It was enough to make me a good administrator, but the organization needed more than that. As it navigated identity change and internal conflicts, it needed someone who could convene honest and courageous conversations and create space for genuine connection and healing. It needed a leader who could lead at the level of the heart. I felt the need for this but was too disconnected from my own heart to know how to respond.
I participated in leadership development programs that urged us to dig deep, but I experienced them as additional forums in which I needed to perform. It wasn’t that I didn’t hear the call to authenticity, or that it didn’t resonate with me. It was more that I’d never chosen my inner voice over external expectations. More than that, I suppressed my voice when they conflicted. It seemed impossible to explore, in a real way, what that would look like now in a context where the stakes felt so high.
All of this felt like failure, which my fears told me made me unworthy of respect and ultimately of love. And this kept me running and striving as if something existential, my very survival, was at stake.
In 2014, my husband took a job that required us to move to a new city. As painful as my job was, it was hard to leave. Looking back, I can see I was still chasing the external validation that would have enabled me to feel that I had done a good job, that I was OK.
When I let the striving go, I was exhausted. Mostly, I just wanted to hide. But I finally felt bad enough that I knew something fundamental had to change. For the first time in my life, I gave myself permission to just be, without expectations; to think and feel freely; and to take risks in order to find my own truth.
I’d been so scared of walking into the unknown and letting go of the external anchors of my identity — a respected job, professional achievements and other people’s approval. My leadership experience revealed these to be false refuges.
The more I explored what needed to change, the more I realized it was simply this: to live courageously and with integrity by being authentically and fearlessly myself.
I had no idea what this would mean in practical terms and took things as they came. I accepted that I didn’t enjoy the law and never had, so I left it. I read and listened to anything that made me feel engaged and alive. In conversations with people, I stopped trying to be polished, neatly packaged or anything else that I wasn’t. I started writing for myself again as a way to get acquainted with my own voice. I brushed the dust off of dreams I’d once had: to be a Jesuit Priest (yes, a priest), a teacher of literature, a therapist or a coach.
This discovery process was joyful at times, but mostly it was deeply uncomfortable. It’s hard to deviate from old patterns. It’s also hard to invest in ourselves, especially for those of us who’ve grown up learning to focus on other people’s needs. And it’s hard to claim space for inward exploration, especially in our culture of doing and achievement.
But as Joseph Campbell has said, when we live from our hearts, “the universe will open doors where there were only walls.” In the midst of this exploring, an organization I’d worked with earlier in my career called out of the blue and asked if I would coach a new leader. This enabled me to try on a new identity, and it wasn’t long afterward that I signed up for a coach training program.
At the training, I experienced something I’d given up on feeling in professional life. Simply put, I made sense. The things I’d always been drawn to but had suppressed in my prior work — intuition and emotion as forms of knowing, vulnerability as an expression of radical love, focusing on people rather than policies or institutions — all had a place here. Shortly thereafter I started my own coaching practice, supporting people to live and lead from inner authenticity and integrity.
The profession I’ve chosen is less important than the realization that it’s possible to be at home in our lives and in our work. These days I’m experiencing the pleasures of working from authentic self. I used to depend on imitating others, following outside formulas that left me exhausted. Now my contribution is generated from within and feels flexible and generative. I used to think I wasn’t creative. I now find inspiration and surprise in the creative process. The ideas come when they are needed. And there is the peace of knowing I am contributing the best of what I have to give.
Choosing Love Over Fear
Living from authentic self has opened the door to something else that was missing from my leadership experience — love.
The thing that fueled me instead was fear. When I look back on the moments that make me wince, fear is what they all have in common: shying away from hard decisions and conversations, instilling a feeling among staff that their work was never good enough, acting out of competition rather than solidarity and generosity. It’s painful even now to write these things down.
The opposite of fear, I’m learning, is not fearlessness. It’s love.
What I’m talking about is connection to each other and to our common humanity, a radical openness where we see the beauty in others and also allow ourselves to be seen. Here, we know there is something more real than security, achievement or success. What emerges instead is a courage that is willing to do anything, risk anything, for the truth of who each of us can be as individuals and who we can be together.
Authentic self is the opening to love, because although love takes us radically beyond ourselves, it starts from within. When I stopped running from myself, I was finally able to give myself the things I’d been seeking from others — acceptance, understanding and ultimately love.
And this opens the door to bravery. Love fuels the desire to give, and it also provides the shelter that makes courageous giving possible. You know that on the other side, whether it’s success or failure, you will still be here: precious, whole and worthy of love.
We want more boldness from our leaders. We want to see more out-of-the-box thinking and disruptive creativity. We want to see transformation, not just at the level of policy, but also at the level of millions of individual hearts.
I’m taking a stand that all of this is possible, but only if we take seriously the kind of courageous inner lives that are needed to spark and fuel the changes we’re desperate for.
We’re so practiced at looking outside ourselves for answers — the latest best practices; the models for how we should structure our campaigns and meetings; the expert analysis of what messaging works or doesn’t. There’s valuable information here, but too often it takes the place of simply being with the people right in front of us, of speaking honestly from what is in our hearts, of bringing something true into the world rather than something designed to have a certain impact.
What we all want, what we’re all fighting for, is the experience of our full humanity. We structure our battles against the institutionalized ways in which our humanity is taken away from us — racism, sexism, homophobia, poverty — and we act as if the humanity part will take care of itself once the structural barriers are removed. My years engaged in social justice work gave me righteous anger and language to demand respect, but it wasn’t until I went deep inside that I found love and a path to embracing my own full humanity.
We’ve all heard the call to “be the change you want to see in the world.” I’d always understood this as a call to action. What I see now is a much more demanding call to inner transformation as the ground for transformation in the world.
The world needs so much right now, but it all comes down to whether our hearts are open — to love someone we’ve learned to demonize, to feel our connection to the earth, to risk seeing our fates as intertwined. Hearts respond only to other hearts. The only power we have to engender love is our own love. If we thought we could hold ourselves safely apart while working for social change, we were mistaken. The best of what we have to give is right here, waiting for our courage to claim it.
Newer PostThe Path to Our True Selves: A Letter for the Journey
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August 17, 2016 11:32pm PT by Lesley Goldberg
Amy Schumer Says Her Show Isn't Canceled
Courtesy of Comedy Central
The comic posted a cryptic tweet about the status of 'Inside Amy Schumer' on Wednesday but a day later clarified that it's simply on hiatus for the "foreseeable future."
Amy Schumer says her Comedy Central show hasn't been canceled.
The actress-comedian tweeted a message late Wednesday suggesting she was walking away from her Peabody- and Emmy-winning Comedy Central sketch show, Inside Amy Schumer, which was renewed in January for a fifth season to air in 2017.
"We aren't making the show anymore," Schumer wrote on her Twitter page following a flap in which she condemned friend and comedian Kurt Metzger over his comments about sexual assault. Metzger is credited as being a writer on Inside Amy Schumer, though Schumer posted multiple times that "he is not a writer on my show."
"I didn't fire Kurt. He isn't a writer for my show because we aren't making the show anymore. There are no writers for it," Schumer wrote late Wednesday. Moments later she retweeted a fan who wrote "we'll miss your show."
However, on Thursday morning, she clarified her comments, indicating the show is simply on hiatus while she tours to promote her newly released first book.
#InsideAmySchumer is not cancelled. @ComedyCentral has provided us with a wonderful home and we couldn't be happier there. I am just touring
— Amy Schumer (@amyschumer) August 18, 2016
Doing Standup and focusing on writing more for the next year at least. We are slated for a season 5 but not in the foreseeable future.
I'm grateful @ComedyCentral is giving me this time to work on other projects. Now please grab my book #TheGirlWithTheLowerBackTattoo for now
Viacom-owned Comedy Central in January renewed the sketch series for a fifth season that was poised to return in 2017. Season four ended in June with little fanfare. The network hasn't commented on Schumer's tweets.
What Inside Amy lacks in linear viewers — the season-four finale registered just 491,000 same-day viewers — it makes up for in viral magnitude. In offering an early renewal for season five, Comedy Central noted that its third run grew more than 200 percent in total video streams — a six-fold increase year-over-year — with more than 83 million videos streamed.
The in-demand writer-actress recently published her first book —The Girl With the Lower Back Tattoo — a collection of comedic and revealing essays about her life. The book followed her breakout success with feature Trainwreck, which she wrote and starred in. Her work on the movie earned her a WGA Award for best screenplay as well as a Golden Globe nomination for best actress in a comedy or musical motion picture.
Keeping Schumer on the Comedy Central roster had been a top priority in January at the time of the show's early renewal. The cabler famously offered Schumer the Daily Show hosting gig after Jon Stewart announced he would be departing.
Earlier this week, Comedy Central said it was canceling Larry Wilmore's The Daily Show companion The Nightly Show. Comedy Central president Kent Alterman singled out that show's lack of linear and multiplatform viewership in making the decision. He told THR that a search is under way to find a replacement for Wilmore's 11:30 p.m. slot and revealed that he would look both internally at Comedy Central's roster of talent as well as outside the network. New episodes of Chris Hardwick's @Midnight will fill the slot until a replacement show has been worked out.
Aug. 18, 7:50 a.m. Updated with Schumer's tweets saying that the show isn't canceled.
Comedy Central Inside Amy Schumer
Lesley Goldberg
Lesley.Goldberg@THR.com Snoodit
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The Project The Centre
Staying at the Centre for World Peace and Health
The Centre for World Peace and Health hosts a retreat and course programme during the summer season, April to October. Anyone willing to abide by the Five Golden Rules is welcome to stay in the Centre for retreats and holiday breaks during this time.
Winter is retreat time on Holy Isle and the Centre is closed for guests except for the Christmas Retreat, the New Year's Retreat and the 10-week Winter Retreat. Check out our course programme for more information on booking for these retreats.
When staying at the Centre, you are free to spend your day in any way you wish, though most courses and retreats have their own individual daily programme.
Meals are at set times of the day, and there is also the opportunity to join the resident volunteers in their daily meditation schedule. Volunteer workshops are held at the beginning and end of the main season and provide a wonderful, informal way for guests to be part of island life. Individuals who would like to volunteer for a while in the kitchen, housekeeping, maintenance, garden or landscape conservation are always much appreciated.
The Centre provides accommodation for around 60 people in a range of rooms including singles, twins and dormitories. Altogether there are 19 single rooms, 8 twin rooms and 3 dormitories (which can each accommodate 8 people). Each of the rooms is fully furnished, has central heating and a small wash basin. The dining room, with its quarry tile floor and open fireplace, provides a warm rustic place for social gatherings, while the peaceful space of the library will be for quiet contemplation.
For tariffs, please go to the Visiting section.
The Peace Hall
Since its opening, the Peace Hall has hosted many courses, workshops and conferences each year between April and October. The Peace Hall is big enough to seat a hundred people, but is also designed to function beautifully as a spacious room for a vast diversity of workshops. It has inspiring acoustics, and under-floor and overhead heating. Natural light streams in from two sides and from the high pyramidal ceiling.
Courses held in the Peace Hall have included Buddhist teachings, meditation and mindfulness retreats, Christian and interfaith retreats, yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong, Japanese Sword, craniosacral therapy, voice workshops, lucid dreaming retreats, dance and massage. We have been privileged to welcomeTibetan Buddhist teachers including Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche, Ringu Tulku Rinpoche, Tsoknyi Rinpoche and Lama Yeshe Rinpoche, drawing students from all over the world.
In 2003 Lama Yeshe hosted an interfaith gathering organised by the Scottish Inter Faith Council. It was attended by leaders from all the major faiths in Scotland, including Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Bahaiis, Sikhs and Buddhists. In the summer of 2006 the Peace Hall was transformed into the decor of a ten day long Tibetan Buddhist ceremony called a Drupchen. Led by Dulmo Choje Rinpoche, a group of twenty Lamas and monks from Tibet and India, together with the Samye Ling monks and nuns and many lay people from a variety of spiritual backgrounds, participated in this unique event. This powerful practice was dedicated to removing obstacles to world peace and transforming negative energy into positive energy.
Read about hiring the Centre for courses and retreats.
Right from the start, Holy Isle Project has been run entirely on volunteer commitment. The planting of trees, dry stone walling, building works, gardening, organising courses, running the Centre, cooking and cleaning... all are done by volunteers. This is quite unusual even within the charity sector, where usually at least a few people "at the top" are paid and thereby offer a greater guarantee that the work will be done.
Since the Centre first opened its doors, the number of volunteers working during the season has grown to about 20, while during the winter there are usually no more than a dozen volunteers. Most are here for a few months but, to some, Holy Isle becomes home for a longer period of time.
Most people who volunteer on the island feel that they have benefited greatly from the experience. Some give up highly paid work to be on the island as a volunteer, purely because they want to give their services, time, and energy to the project. As one volunteer put it: "I can't think of a better motivation for hard work than world peace and health!"
OPEN DAY 2 JUNE 2019
Dharma Courses by Donation
Holy Isle on Facebook
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Transition to Multipolar World: Only Barrier to Washington’s Domination
By Federico Pieraccini
Global Research, May 28, 2016
Russia Insider 26 May 2016
Theme: Global Economy, US NATO War Agenda
The decline of US influence in key regions around the world, such as the Middle East, the Persian Gulf, North Africa and Europe, directly results from the so-called phenomenon of imperial over-stretch.
The most tangible consequences are Washington’s reduced ability to predict and react in focal areas of the world. The constant need to subdue and control each aspect of life has ended up alienating the involvement and importance of the US role in these regions. For the moment, it is important to focus on where Washington continues to demonstrate considerable influence and strategic skills, it is still able to influence the course of events.
Contrary to what happens in the rest of the world, Southeast Asia and South America find themselves increasingly drawn into the sphere of American influence. Attributing these developments to an attitude or a precise Washington tactic would be a mistake. One of the major defects expressed by US foreign policy can be traced back to a lack of strategic planning. More likely we are looking at different phenomena depending on the location, be it Asia or South America. The rise of China as a major Asian superpower has completely different effects than the more dramatic collapse of the weak South American economies of Brazil, Venezuela and Argentina. Yet both regions suffer from the so-called effects of modern hybrid wars.
The 21st century’s conflicts do not necessarily require the use of firearms or armed assaults on a legitimate government. Hybrid warfare is a theme of frightening actuality today. It is a new way for the US to impose its specific weight without a constant need to be nurtured and supported as a military operation. It is the ideal tactic to stretch their financial and cultural tentacles where military force would be ineffective or unenforceable. The most striking example is the combination of the dollar in trade with the international sanctions and the general slowdown in emerging economies. Many economists have correlated a slowdown in growth of emerging countries with factors such as interest rates decided by the FED, collapse of oil prices and the more general consequences of the economic crisis of 2008.
The only antidote functioning seems to be the relatively new strategy of de-dollarizing economies to reduce the effects of western financial aggression. It is not just a matter of diversification but rather of having strategic monetary reserves not limited to dollars.
A matter of survival.
A country that operates solely in dollars, in an international system dominated by financial institutions loyal to Washington, is a country exposed to a considerable number of vulnerabilities. It is no surprise that in a certain context this interwoven relationship can become a flaw to be exploited for the benefit of Washington, as we have seen recently in Argentina and Venezuela with the victory of Macri and the bourgeois right.
In Asia, the situation is very different given such combination of factors as the growing Chinese influence in the region (Silk Road Economic Belt and Maritime Silk Road) and the decline in emerging economies. In recent times, this has required a rebalancing of power in the region. Translated, this means that if up to a decade ago, many Asian countries were seeking an exclusive cooperation with Beijing, today they also turn towards Washington to develop a balance in their relations with the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is the typical geopolitical dance based on ambiguity. Washington dreams of a strategic realignment of many Asian countries at Beijing’s expense, while smaller regional players utilize Washington and the TPP as a bargaining chip against the PRC in order to obtain better conditions. All these events are intrinsic to the very concept of a multipolar world. Countries like Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia have reached unexplored levels of integration and dependence on the Chinese locomotive.
Although Beijing has an attitude anything but imperialist, it remains in a position of strength derived from being the dominant regional player in Asia. Balancing the power in the region means forcibly engaging the only global actor able to compete with China, the United States. The most striking case is India, decisive core of a future multipolar world. New Delhi has instinctively increased cooperation and development with Washington, reinvigorating old criticisms that have always seen it as a US trojan horse for BRICS and then the SCO. Leaving excessive alarmism aside, we must take note that modern methods of hybrid warfare (financial) have devastating effects on multipolar development, and that much has to be done to neutralize this threat.
Multipolar approach to currency.
The need for a genuine transition from the current unipolar currency (US dollar), too easily manipulated by Western financial institutions, is becoming increasingly manifest and pressing. To further substantiate these claims, we can see the actions pursued by the three leaders in the multipolar arena: Tehran, Moscow and Beijing. Diversifying into gold rather than US government securities has two concrete and immediate effects. First, one is avoiding the enormous public debt financing, which allows Washington to spend for wars and chaos in the world. Second, one is creating an alternative to the dollar as world currency (gold-backed Yuan). The moves of the Chinese-Russian-Iranian triad are an effective countermove to the hybrid financial-cultural war the West is waging.
The eurasian powers cannot fight conventional or nuclear wars but have all the unconventional means to halt growing US influence. De-dollarization, diversifying into gold, gradually abandoning US Treasuries, increasing trade in alternative currencies, expanding the basket of currencies in the IMF, encouraging the creation of new international bodies (ASEAN, BRICS, etc) – all are armed carriers directed against American hegemony. It is mainly thanks to these strategies designed around a table and planned by mutual agreement that other crucial locations of the globe slowly start to flow from a unipolar to a multipolar vision of cooperation.
Historical allies of Washington
We can not unite the evolution of the situation in Europe with the drift that has taken the Middle East, North Africa and even the Persian Gulf. Yet as they may seem diametrically opposed situations, they remain in truth united by a common factor, namely the diminishing role of the United States. Some Washington-centered analysts continue to consider these events as a conscious strategic choice of the United States: the pivot to Asia rather than ensuring the European Atlantic security framework; American energy independence thanks to shale gas rather than being involved in the Middle East and needing to defend and assist regional allies (Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Turkey). But the reality is totally different and much less favorable to the United States. The pivot to Asia is a fictitious doctrine invented by the Obama administration to justify the continued loss of influence of Washington in Europe and the Middle East.
There is no rebalancing of American forces in Asia but rather local actors that, in a multipolar dimension, prefer to have good relations with China together with the United States, thereby not precluding possible alternatives. Washington insists on painting this scenario as a geopolitical shift of the Asian region to the east. The reality is quite different, and the enormous problems in reaching an agreement on the TPP is a clear demonstration of this. In contrast, the consequences of this fictitious strategic reorganization of Washington’s foreign policy have resulted in a more than real earthquake in the important foreign relations between Washington and decades-old allies. From Egypt to Saudi Arabia, through to Turkey and the European Union – all have suffered the consequences of ineffective American foreign policy. Analysts in the Eurasian sphere make the same mistake of their American colleagues in saying that one often has the impression that the United States has deliberately decided to lessen commitment in these regions, resulting in a rapid deterioration of relations with allies. Such an argument would not differ much from those in the West suggesting that there is a rebalancing of power eastwards.
They are both wrong and based on a fundamental mistake, namely the presumption that the United States consciously dictates its own agenda. Nothing could be more wrong. Once again, it is the multipolar integration between people and nations that removes Washington as the unipolar fulcrum, thereby reducing its influence. It is cooperation between Iran, Russia and China (who drag with them dozens of other nations) that creates the right antibodies to resist hybrid financial wars and also discourage attempts of direct military aggression.
Discouraging does not always prevent aggression.
The initial aggression against Ukraine and Syria could be the last concrete attempts to influence the regions of the Middle East, North Africa and Europe with hybrid warfare techniques (color revolutions, Arab spring) to keep Washington’s influence active. The European situation, for example, is the perfect representation of the crock pot between two iron pots (USA and Russia). In the long run, this obvious existential vulnerability, which began with the Georgian war and culminated with the events in Kiev, opened a breach in the intellectual thinking of the old continent, causing unexpected victories of political movements with anti-systemic agendas. It is the first sign of a larger awakening that will inevitably lead to the reevaluation and reprioritization of their own interests compared to a normal, self-defeating and complete devotion to the US cause.
Witty analysts in 2014 predicted with prescience that in the medium term, the crisis caused by the coup in Kiev would resonate in the minds of the European oligarchy as an alarm bell: no one is indispensable. In North Africa, the Middle East and the Persian Gulf, the situation has been even more dramatic, with the complete failure of the hybrid war called Arab Spring color revolution. The different synergies achieved by the combined Moscow-Beijing-Tehran axis has allowed assaulted nations like Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen and Egypt to look back and take refuge in the newborn multipolar world, countering the aggression of Washington in a more or less effective way. Other than pivoting towards Asia and becoming energy-independent, the United States has ended its unipolar moment and begin to suffer the consequences of a relentless multipolar world increasingly willing to integrate. Thus the reaction of US allies such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Israel and Turkey, who are aware of the true strategy of Washington (chaos at all costs, in the absence of the strategic planning that’s missing) should not come as a surprise.
These countries try to advance their own interests at any cost, regardless of the consequences and the opinion of Washington. It remains to be emphasized that the deadlock in the Middle East especially is a direct consequence of the action of multipolar forces that neutralized any direct intervention of regional actors in the context of Iraq, Syria or Yemen. The consequent and recent nervousness in Ankara, Riyadh, Doha and Tel Aviv is a reaction to a total inability to change events in the region, to deeply influence the political framework and to achieve a greater involvement of the United States. The cards to play are no longer there, and what remains is a situation that inevitably tends towards the worst for Washington’s former allies. Just as Europe is experiencing an existential threat as a result of the disasters arising in the Middle East and in Eastern Europe, Turkey, Israel, Qatar and Saudi Arabia are faced with the need to rebalance their geopolitical structure, adapting to a new multipolar world.
Change to survive.
The challenge for Doha, Tel Aviv, Ankara and Riyadh is to change and adapt without drowning in American machinations of color revolutions and Arab Springs. Let us remember the paradox that these four nations face: they are at the most and the most vulnerable to an economic attack, basically being totally locked into the Western financial system. Even more importantly, they are also the last tool that Washington has to condition and influence events in the region. With this in mind, it is easier to understand why from Turkey to Saudi Arabia there are alarming situations, fully suited for the usual pattern of Washington’s hybrid warfare. Turkish generals want closer cooperation with Iran; the Saudis would like to start to trade in Yuan with China; Doha would like to cooperate with Tehran in the gas industry; and Israel is coordinating in many ways with Moscow. These aspects are suppressed, hidden, concealed and denied by the same actors, but they are nonetheless real, tangible and often a source of tension with Washington. Yet again humanity is placed in a precarious position as the world transitions and proceeds inexorably towards the new multipolar world.
The original source of this article is Russia Insider
Copyright © Federico Pieraccini, Russia Insider, 2016
Articles by: Federico Pieraccini
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The Creator of Netflix’s I Think You Should Leave Loves It as Much as You Do
Tim Robinson, the man behind the year’s wildest sketch series, talks SNL, social embarrassment, and, of course, mud pies.
Tom Philip
Courtesy of Netflix
It’s only been a couple of weeks, but I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson has already staked a claim as one of Netflix’s most original and well-received gambits. The six-part sketch series features some of the boldest and most creative comedy we’ve seen in years, thanks to the sensibilities of creator/star Robinson himself, as well as co-writers Zach Kanin and John Solomon, not to mention the guys behind The Lonely Island, who produced this beautiful monstrosity.
Each sketch in I Think You Should Leave adheres to its own batshit logic, sometimes twisting conceits and changing directions completely out of left field to occasionally deliver scenes that feel less like comedy bits, and more like warped, relentless Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf scenarios. In the first episode, the televised finals of the “Baby of the Year” competition devolve into bloodthirsty chaos. In another, an aged-up Will Forte attempts to get revenge on the baby who kept him awake on a seven-hour transatlantic flight thirty years ago… by tracking down the man the baby became and crying nonstop on his flight.
GQ sat down with Robinson to discuss the sudden unexpected cultural phenomenon of I Think You Should Leave. Often the manic driving force of his sketches, the 37-year-old in person is a quiet, gentle speaker who is just as amused by and invested in the stories the show tells as his fans are. Over the course of an hour, we explored the psychology behind avoiding embarrassment at all costs (even if it means embarrassing yourself further), his too-short stint on SNL, and the many subtle narrative turns of a seven-minute sketch entitled “Honk If You’re Horny,” which ends with an original song performed by Robinson at his mother’s funeral. It’s a whole thing.
GQ: I think I devoured the entire thing in maybe a day. The episodes are just short enough that you can almost watch it like a movie if you want to.
Tim Robinson: Right, right. When you start putting sketches back to back some of it can feel exhausting, so we decided to just keep cutting them down. Then when we got to that length, everything flowed way better.
Netflix can be a double-edged sword. You have a lot of creative control, but you're also competing for attention from people who are just gonna load up season 3 of The Office for the 14th time. How do you make sure that it's gonna get seen?
Akiva [Schaffer], from Lonely Island, who produced and directed it, he's really good at that, so he talked to them. Coming from Comedy Central, where my last show was, was a world of difference because it's streaming as opposed to cable which people are moving away from.
Right, you don't have to build in ad breaks or anything like that. In a lot of reviews for this show, one of the things that kept coming up is its constant examining of awkward social situations. Was there an overarching philosophy going into this show, or was it really just what makes you laugh, and sometimes it really is just someone at a party being awful?
The latter. Zach [Kanin] and I just found ourselves writing a lot of scenes like that, where the person is refusing to admit they've done something wrong, or lying, and will do anything to cover that up. So it became the theme of the whole show because we kept gravitating towards writing those scenes.
You had some experience with Netflix in your The Characters episode. I'm sure that was almost a prototype for them.
Yeah, they knew my sensibility from that.
That's a pretty wild sensibility for them to go all in on for six episodes.
[Laughs.] Right?! You're absolutely right. I was happy but also shocked they did it, and they were so supportive of the sensibility.
Netflix is cagey about viewership numbers. I don't know if they share any of that information with you—
They don't.
But in terms of creative control, they seem to be happy to let you go it your own way, or let you fall on your own sword.
Right. That's only to benefit the artists. You're right, then you can fall on your own sword if it doesn't go well, but when you get over-noted at some places you have some sort of resentment towards the network or the executives, whereas it's better Netflix lets people go and do their own thing.
Did you ever feel over-noted at Detroiters? Because that felt like very much your voice, too.
There would be more notes, for sure.
When I worked at a comedy website, the head sketch writer at the time would tell us, “If you can tell a story in five minutes, then tell it in three.” That's not your philosophy here. I'm thinking specifically of the “Honk if You're Horny” sketch, which, ending maybe 2 minutes in it would make a perfectly serviceable 2009 YouTube sketch, but you keep bringing it forward. Conner [O'Malley] and you both get somber character moments, and then you end with a song. It's fucking wild.
The scene changes two times, into different genres almost, yeah. With "Honk if You're Horny," or "Gift Receipt," when we first wrote it, it was pretty quick, it was just that one turn, but it felt too slight. With Akiva's help, we kept building on those characters, like: why'd he put the honk if you're horny car sticker on in the first place. Also, you have Conner; you definitely wanna hear more about Conner's character.
You wanna hear about how his stomach hurts.
He's so horny his stomach hurts.
I don't think that's a real thing.
That was what Akiva said too, he's like, "Why does his stomach hurt?" I said, "'Cause he's so horny."
I'm still really laughing because Conner makes me laugh so hard. Even if you go look at those takes, we had to pick takes of me where I'm not laughing because Conner really... It's just impossible because I find him so funny that my friends will always send me screenshots of myself because you can see me laughing at Conner. He just makes me laugh.
Obviously, you're in the show more than anyone else but as a general rule are you the one breaking more often than not?
Yeah, that's true. For sure. Will Forte on the plane was really hard because he's right in my face and he's so in that character. The Heidecker one, Tim is so funny as that record store guy. Conner obviously, the Cecily one, where she's just intensely screaming at me.
I think the only negative review I saw says a flaw of the show is that it's not following certain established rules of comedy. Do you even think there's such a thing?
No. I don't think so at all. I don't have much more to say about it. If people are staying to what's taught to you it gets boring, and no one wants to watch that. When you're first starting, for sure. Keep to the rules, but those aren't real.
When you have the opportunity and the space to heighten by seven instead of three, why wouldn't you?
Absolutely. One sketch starts off as one thing, and can be turned into a completely new thing. Like the “Laser Spine” one. It starts off as a commercial; it turns into a scene where it's just two guys arguing over who got ripped off, and whether I'm a star.
Would you wanna do another season I Think You Should Leave, or would it look different? Would it be a different title, would it be a different format?
Again, that's a great question, and I don't have an answer yet. I need to clear my head and figure it out. Obviously, there are other factors besides myself with Zach, and the Lonely Island guys, and stuff. And Netflix, obviously. Everyone's busy. Even if Netflix asked for season two specifically, I'd have to think about it.
I really loved Detroiters. Were you disappointed not to get a third season?
Terribly. Terribly. It was a dream, I got to do it with Sam [Richardson], my best friend in the whole world, and it was a dream, in the city we started doing comedy in together, in the city we met in together, so yeah, I was certainly disappointed. I still am.
I'm sure it was important to you to shoot in and pay tribute to a city that's probably the most misunderstood in America right now. Sometimes regarded as a joke in itself.
That reputation is changing. It really was really really fun. My kids are sad because we got to go back to Detroit every summer, they got to be with their cousins. It was almost like a vacation. All my family's there, my wife's family's still there too, in the suburbs.
You met your wife in Detroit?
In high school, yeah.
That's a long time. How long have you guys been together?
Together? Wow. 20-plus years. Long time!. She's the best. She's an electrical engineer for Chrysler. She still works out of metro Detroit.
You were on SNL for a year before moving backstage as a writer. How did that feel?
I was disappointed at first. I do think that if I would have stayed in the cast over time I would have gotten comfortable and been able to do okay. I do think that when I became a writer, I felt more comfortable. I really felt it helped me a lot, where I gained a lot more confidence. In the end, I feel like it worked out really well. I loved my time as a writer. My time as a cast member was scary and sad, and was not fun. Not a fun year.
It's not like there's an atmosphere, I think I was just trying to figure it out. I really wanted to do a good job and I was putting a lot of pressure on myself. It was just scary, to go on live TV was scary. I have a lot of anxiety so it was tough. I moved my family, I had kids, moved them from Chicago to here. It was just a scary time. Once I got comfortable as a writer I really fell in love with the place.
On I Think You Should Leave there's some weird internal continuity to some of these episodes. The first episode, in three different sketches you used the term "mud pie." Then it's never talked about again.
The fact that mudpie ended up in the same episode was not on purpose. We knew we wanted to say mud pie a few times, but in this world, people just say mud pie, but the fact that they're back to back was not on purpose. Those sketches just happened to end up in the same episode.
Then there's Sam Richardson in “Baby of The Year,” and Vanessa Bayer, in the first episode, who both—
They say chode. Little tuna can. Another coincidence.
One of my favorite visual gags is the guy accidentally dressed as a hot dog. That whole sketch is good as well.
Another bad guy.
Another really bad guy. What do you think: Was his intention to crash his car and steal the suits, or did he seize the opportunity?
Oh, seized the opportunity, for sure. Thought that maybe he won everybody over. Also, we have three people in the show talk about people being addicted to their phones. Heidecker says it in the jazz one, then the guy who gets humped by the dog, I love that as an excuse to behave terribly, as if that's not worse.
Do you think the way that you write, and going back to these social situations, that you explore the worst possible thing that could happen to someone? Is that a way of dealing with certain anxieties that you have?
Probably. I haven't thought about it very deeply, but it's probably something, yeah. But it's not like I'm those horrible people.
Shoving your friend into a china cabinet because he's concerned about a hit and run.
Because I told him a lie! It fascinates me that there's this instinct to blame something else when you're embarrassed or caught. This literally just happened: I knocked over a glass of water and was like, "I feel like this table, what the heck is wrong with this table? I feel like it's a little too short or something." It's just a little self-protection, it's an instinct.
It's like the most blown-up version of tripping on the street and looking back at what it was.
Oh my god, this makes me laugh so much: I once saw this young woman fall in a bar in Chicago, and she got up and she's like, "These dang Sketcher Shape-ups!" [Laughs.]
Blame it on the Sketcher Shape-ups, sue Sketcher. It just cuts to a court trial. She's still wearing the sneakers.
I like that TV seems to be moving to shorter episodes again. I remember in 2013 when Netflix got Arrested Development and some of those episodes were 50 minutes long. Now we've got half hour dramas again, which hasn't really been a thing for the last 10 years. It's nice to see brevity coming back. You're not just padding things out anymore.
As a TV watcher, it's so nice to just watch things in little short bursts.
It's insane we used to willingly watch, like, 24 episodes of House a year, which were all an hour long. What do you watch in your downtime?
I watch a lot of old Twilight Zones, I watched all the Alfred Hitchcock mysteries. Saturday mornings, or at night when I'm trying to go to bed, I'll watch Hitchcock mysteries and stuff. I know that's pretty boring, but it feels comfortable. It's called Alfred Hitchcock Presents. They're just a half hour, it's like the Twilight Zone anthology but it's just mysteries. It's a lot of poisoning, a lot of people getting poisoned. In those days you couldn't just show somebody getting stabbed 100 times. They poisoned their tea.
Right, back then you could buy poison or one loud gun.
[Laughs.] Those were your options!
I'm wondering, would you have been happy to stay on Detroiters long as they'd have you? Like your version of Always Sunny.
I don't know. That's a really good question. I do feel like I get anxiety, and anxious to do something new. I'll tell you this though, after that second season of Detroiters I was like, "I could do this for a while." It was real fun, I could've done that for longer.I don't know how long, but I could've done it for longer.
But it's never nice to not be able to dictate when you get to end it, I guess.
Right, yeah. You summed it up. You want to get to decide the ending.
Related Stories for GQNetflixQ&ASNLEntertainmentComedyTV
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Zoo’s company, three’s a crowd!
London Zoo has found itself in the employment tribunal as reported in the Daily Telegraph earlier this month. No the Meekats are not claiming that they have made protected disclosures, nor are the llamas attempting secondary picketing. However the two keepers of both these sets of animals became embroiled in a fight at a staff Christmas party in December last year. The fight allegedly resulted in one of the keepers hitting the other with a glass and slicing her cheek. The fight was allegedly over the amorous attention of a third (male) keeper of animals (also responsible for llamas and the children’s animal adventure area) in what has been dubbed “a ménagerie à trois”!
One of the love rivals was dismissed and the other was given a final written warning. The dismissed keeper, who was also called to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ court facing charges of assault, brought a claim for unfair dismissal. She also brought a claim for disability discrimination alleging that her attention deficit disorder and dyspraxia were not taken into account and that reasonable adjustments were not made by her employer.
We understand that the tribunal has reserved its judgment, but the case shows how employers and companies sometimes find themselves drawn into situations which have nothing to do with the business but in which they need to make sure that they are acting consistently and fairly. You do not need to treat everyone in the same way but you need to be able to show that you have taken into account where employees do have known disabilities. You must also have a rational and objective explanation for differences in treatment between staff. In this case the zoo’s HR director said there was a clear distinction in the seriousness of each of the employee’s actions and therefore their ultimate culpability.
HR practitioners should beware of these issues as we move into this year’s Christmas party season.
You never know what you might see if you go to the zoo!
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Review: Falling for Her Enemy (Still Harbor #2) by Victoria James
She’s falling for the one man who could destroy everything…
Alex McAllister always dreamed of a life filled with the laughter and love of a family, but being abandoned at a young age left her wary of letting anyone in. Now that she’s settled in Still Harbor, Alex struggles between keeping her distance and the magnetic pull of the handsome stranger who claims he’s the biological father of her adopted daughter.
Hayden Brooks never wanted to be a father. Long hours spent building his family’s real estate empire suits him just fine. But when he discovers an ex put the baby he unknowingly fathered up for adoption, his world crumbles. He tracks the child to Still Harbor with the intention of bringing her home—and comes face to face with his daughter’s stunning adoptive mother.
The paternity test is in. And Hayden’s about to make the most shocking decision of his life, just in time for Christmas…
Interesting and quite romantic! This is a story about a man who finds out that he might have fathered a child he knows nothing about and a woman who realises that her adoptive daughter might have a father she couldn't possibly keep her away from. It is quite emotional time for both Alex and Hayden.
Hayden works at a bakery which she plans to buy as soon as she can save enough funds. She has a daughter whom she loves a lot. Then she finds out that she might not get the bakery she has always wanted and in addition to that there is a chance that she will lose her daughter too. Because Alex is rich and successful and she cannot possibly win if it came down to custody fight.
Alex only wants to know the truth. If he has a daughter then he plans to bring her home. No matter what he is willing to make his daughter's life as easy as possible. What he doesn't expect is to fall in love with her adoptive mother or liking Still Harbor to think about staying there...
The story flows smoothly, there are some amazingly romantic scenes and some exciting ones. I loved all the characters. Its definitely a four stars read!
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Clifford Geertz: Work and Legacy
Early in his career, Geertz critiqued the scientific models widely used in the social sciences. He rejected the causal determinism that so often passed for explanation and instead embraced hermeneutics. He argued that culture is made up of the meanings people find to make sense of their lives and to guide their actions. Interpretive social science is an attempt to engage those meanings.
Randall Hagadorn
Clifford Geertz
Unlike other anthropological scholars, Geertz did not focus on so-called primitive groups. Rather, he studied complex, syncretic societies in Indonesia (Java, Bali, Celebes, Sumatra) and in Morocco. One of Geertz’s best-known essays, “Deep Play: Notes on the Balinese Cockfight,” which appeared in his 1973 book, The Interpretation of Cultures, was a wide-ranging interpretation of how the people of Bali saw themselves in relation to violence, social status, morality, and belief (Schudel, 2006).
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, anthropology was torn apart by questions about its colonial past and the possibility of objective knowledge in the human sciences. “For the next fifteen years or so,” Geertz wrote, “proposals for new directions in anthropological theory and method appeared almost by the month, the one more clamorous than the next. I contributed to the merriment with ‘interpretive anthropology,’ an extension of my concern with the systems of meaning, beliefs, values, world views, forms of feeling, styles of thought, in terms of which particular peoples construct their existence.”
Geertz’s work of the late 1960s and 70s addressed the great failure of universal theories to account for human behavior. Instead he sought alternative approaches. To do this, he proposed that the social sciences be pursued more like an ongoing seminar: the point would be to improve everyone’s mutual understanding. “I think in general there is a belief that the social sciences are a machine that produces answers for politicians to listen to,” says sociologist Wolf Lepenies, former director of the Wissenschaftskolleg in Berlin. “Instead, they should be seen as a process. Cliff was a pathbreaker in that regard” (Berreby, 1995).
Geertz’s many books include: The Religion of Java (Free Press, 1960); Peddlers and Princes: Social Development and Economic Change in Two Indonesian Towns (University of Chicago Press, 1963); Islam Observed: Religious Development in Morocco and Indonesia (Yale University Press, 1968); Agricultural Involution: The Processes of Ecological Change in Indonesia (University of California Press, 1963); The Interpretation of Cultures: Selected Essays (Basic Books, 1973); Negara: The Theatre State in Nineteenth Century Bali (Princeton University Press, 1980); Local Knowledge: Further Essays in Interpretive Anthropology (Basic Books, 1983); Works and Lives: The Anthropologist as Author (Stanford University Press, 1988); After the Fact: Two Countries, Four Decades, One Anthropologist (Harvard University Press, 1995); and Available Light: Anthropological Reflections on Philosophical Topics (Princeton University Press, 2000). At the time of his death, Geertz was returning to the general question of ethnic diversity and its implications in the modern world.
Geertz’s deeply reflective and expressive writings provided profound and cogent insights on the scope of culture, the nature of anthropology and on the understanding of the social sciences in general. Noting that human beings are “symbolizing, conceptualizing, meaning-seeking animals,” Geertz acknowledged and explored the innate need of humanity to “make sense out of experience, to give it form and order.” In Works and Lives: The Anthropologist as Author (1988), Geertz stated, “The next necessary thing…is neither the construction of a universal Esperanto-like culture…nor the invention of some vast technology of human management. It is to enlarge the possibility of intelligible discourse between people quite different from one another in interest, outlook, wealth, and power, and yet contained in a world where tumbled as they are into endless connection, it is increasingly difficult to get out of each other’s way.”
In an article called “Blurred Genres,” Geertz set forth his vision. “Interpretive explanation—and it is a form of explanation, not just exalted glossography—trains its attention on what institutions, actions, images, utterances, events, customs, all the usual objects of social-scientific interest, mean to those whose institutions, actions, customs, and so on they are. As a result, it issues not in laws like Boyle’s, or forces like Volta’s, or mechanisms like Darwin’s, but in constructions like Burckhardt’s, Weber’s, or Freud’s: systematic unpackings of the conceptual world in which condottiere, Calvinists, or paranoids live.” (“Blurred Genres: The Refiguration of Social Thought,” in his Local Knowledge, 1983).
In May 2000, Geertz was honored for his work at “Cultures, Sociétiés, et Territoires: Hommage à Clifford Geertz,” a conference held in Sefrou, Morocco, where he began field research in 1963 that continued into the late 1980s. It was particularly gratifying, commented Geertz at the time, because “Anthropologists are not always welcomed back to the site of their field studies” (Geertz, “Cultures, Sociétés, et Territoires: Hommage à Clifford Geertz,” 2000).
William Sewell, Clifford Geertz, and Laura Engelstein (1997) in a panel on political theory for a conference, “Twenty-Five Years: Social Science and Social Change,” celebrating the anniversary of the establishment of the School of Social Science
Geertz’s influence is summed up by anthropologist Sherry Ortner, in the introduction to The Fate of ‘Culture’: Geertz and Beyond: “Clifford Geertz is one of the foremost figures in the reconfiguration of the boundary between the social sciences and the humanities for the second half of the twentieth century. Drawing on his own background in philosophy and literary studies, Geertz both revived and transformed the anthropological concept of culture in such a way as to make evident its relevance to a range of humanistic disciplines. At the same time, in insisting that human social life is a matter of meaningful activity only very imperfectly studied through the objectifying methods of (certain kinds of) science, he constructed an important alternative to the then-ascendant scientism of the social sciences, an alternative that continues to grow in influence in virtually every social science discipline to this day. As a result of all this—making visible the shared ways of thinking between anthropology and the humanities, on the one hand, and offering the social sciences a powerful alternative to the seemingly irresistible juggernaut of (certain kinds of) science on the other—Geertz’s work in turn had the effect of radically repositioning the field of anthropology itself, moving it from a rather exotic and specialized corner of intellectual life to a much more central location.”
Through appointments of faculty whose work embodied the interpretive turn and through formal seminars and informal exchanges among Members, critical work in the social sciences (including history) spread across the disciplines and across the globe. The publications of faculty in the School and of former Members established alternative approaches to prevailing positivist orthodoxies in the disciplines. The work of the Institute’s School of Social Science became known for its originality and critique.
Under Geertz’s leadership, the School of Social Science became a place where scholars could study contentious social problems. Peter Goddard, Professor in the School of Natural Sciences and former Director of the Institute remarked, “Clifford Geertz was one of the major intellectual figures of the twentieth century whose presence at the Institute played a crucial role in its development and in determining its present shape. He remained a vital force, contributing to the life of the Institute right up to his death.”
“Cliff was the founder of the School of Social Science and its continuing inspiration,” stated Joan Wallach Scott, Harold F. Linder Professor in the School of Social Science at the Institute. “His influence on generations of scholars was powerful and lasting. He changed the direction of thinking in many fields by pointing to the importance and complexity of culture and the need for its interpretation.”
In his 1995 memoir, After the Fact: Two Countries, Four Decades, One Anthropologist, Geertz meditated on his field work and academic career, concluding that the quest for understanding amid such various people, over such a diversity of times is “an excellent way, interesting, dismaying, useful and amusing, to expend a life.”
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Iggy Azalea Thanks Her Lady Parts For GQ Australia's Woman Of The Year Award
By Maria Vultaggio @mariamzzarella
11/16/16 AT 12:50 PM
"Beg For It" rapper Iggy Azalea thanked her genitals when she won GQ Australia's Woman of the Year award. Above, she is pictured at the Maxim Hot 100 Party at the Hollywood Palladium July 30, 2016 in Los Angeles. Photo: Getty Images
“Beg For It” rapper Iggy Azalea was crowned GQ Australia’s Woman of the Year Tuesday and she’s proud of her new title. Since everyone gave funny acceptance speech, she thanked her lower lady parts for the award.
“This is amazing to me, I’ve got the best vagina in the world. How do you say no to that ... you don’t,” she said during her acceptance speech Tuesday. “I didn’t know everybody was going to have such hilarious speeches and I didn’t prepare anything foolishly. Thank you GQ for this award. I have won a lot of awards over the last few years but this one means the absolute most to me because I can finally say I have an award winning vagina.”
She continued to elaborate about her genitals to GQ backstage. “I'm excited [about my award]. I like to call it 'Vagina of the Year' though. I don't know why it cracks me up, I just think it's funny to reduce myself down to a vagina sometimes. 'Vagina of the Year' is a big achievement, number one Australian p----,” she said. “People won't get the joke, but it's funny because [in the media] women are reduced to vaginas. Some days I'm a vagina, others I'm a human.”
Even though Azalea, 26, was born in Australia, she moved to Miami in 2006 when she was 16 years old. Now, the Aussie rapper calls Los Angeles home. “I don’t know why people got so offended as it’s not my home,” the blonde rapper said about leaving Oz Tuesday. “I don’t miss Australia. Emigrating when you’re a kid is a defining moment of your life.”
Azalea, who is rumored to be dating rapper French Montana, was criticized after posed next to a bejeweled elephant on Instagram last week. Some accused her of animal cruelty. The rapper didn’t respond to her naysayers. French Montana, on the other hand, said he loves animals Wednesday.
#GQMOTY
A photo posted by Iggy Azalea (@thenewclassic) on Nov 16, 2016 at 4:30am PST
Follow me on Twitter @mariamzzarella
Nick Young Welcomes Second Baby
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Cite Article Cite Article
Olsen, Megan M., Kyle I. Harrington and Hava T. Siegelmann. "Conspecific Emotional Cooperation Biases Population Dynamics: A Cellular Automata Approach." IJNCR 1.3 (2010): 51-65. Web. 17 Jul. 2019. doi:10.4018/jncr.2010070104
Olsen, M. M., Harrington, K. I., & Siegelmann, H. T. (2010). Conspecific Emotional Cooperation Biases Population Dynamics: A Cellular Automata Approach. International Journal of Natural Computing Research (IJNCR), 1(3), 51-65. doi:10.4018/jncr.2010070104
Olsen, Megan M., Kyle I. Harrington and Hava T. Siegelmann. "Conspecific Emotional Cooperation Biases Population Dynamics: A Cellular Automata Approach," International Journal of Natural Computing Research (IJNCR) 1 (2010): 3, accessed (July 17, 2019), doi:10.4018/jncr.2010070104
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Conspecific Emotional Cooperation Biases Population Dynamics: A Cellular Automata Approach
Megan M. Olsen (University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA), Kyle I. Harrington (Brandeis University, USA) and Hava T. Siegelmann (University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA)
Source Title: International Journal of Natural Computing Research (IJNCR) 1(3)
DOI: 10.4018/jncr.2010070104
In this paper, the authors evaluate the benefit of emotions in population dynamics and evolution. The authors enhance cellular automata (CA) simulating the interactions of competing populations with emotionally inspired rules in communication, interpretation, and action. While CAs have been investigated in studies of population dynamics due to their ability to capture spatial interactions, emotion-like interactions have yet to be considered. Our cellular stochastic system describes interacting foxes that feed on rabbits that feed on carrots. Emotions enable foxes and rabbits to improve their decisions and share their experiences with neighboring conspecifics. To improve the system’s biological relevance, it includes inter-species disease transmission, and emotions encode data pertaining to both survival and epidemic reduction. Results indicate that emotions increase adaptability, help control disease, and improve survival for the species that utilizes them. Simulations support the hypothesis that the acquisition of emotion may be an evolutionary result of competitive species interactions.
Article Preview
Population dynamics study the development of either a single or multiple interacting species. In ecology, computational models are used to study the evolution within populations of plants and animals, such as which trees will survive in a forest over many hundreds of years, or what ratio of species is sustainable. A major topic of population dynamics is the cycling of predator and prey populations. Predator-prey dynamics relate to a wide variety of ecological situations, from microbial phagocytosis to lions and gazelles. Most often predator-prey systems are built to describe animal species, with at least one species as prey and one as predator; however, they are not limited to describing only two species. The Lotka-Volterra (Lotka, 1925) equations are based on the classic logistic equation, and commonly used to model this type of mutual interaction. However, it has been argued that these equations are not sufficient for truly modeling natural phenomena, as the expected fluctuations in species numbers are not sustained properly (Lehman, 1997).
Cellular Automata (CA) offer a popular mechanism to analyze population dynamics as they directly represent spatial interactions between entities (Hogeweg, 1988). CA allow the creation of rules for determining how an entity will interact with its neighbors. The most popular version of a self-regenerating cellular automaton is the Game of Life, developed by Conway (Gardner, 1970). In the Game of Life cells are created or removed for the next time step based on the number of neighbors the cell has in the current time step. Although the rules can be completely defined in a single sentence, the dynamics are complex enough that they are still not completely understood. This ability of CA to give rise to complex dynamics via simple rules enhances its desirability for modeling complex phenomena, assuming that the appropriate simple rules can be designed. Thus, in population dynamics models, entities can explicitly exist on a grid and interact with specific neighbors. The system not only knows how many of each species is in the system, but to what extent they are mixed. The world can either be viewed as a torus with periodic boundary conditions or a bounded box that may or may not be square. A torus is beneficial for analysis and computation as all cells have the same number of neighbors. However, in many ways a bounded region is more realistic, as the ecosystem of a set of species will not extend completely around the world but instead exist in some localized area.
We increase the realism of evolutionary dynamics models in CA by introducing intra-species disease transmission and emotion-inspired rules for our predator and prey (foxes and rabbits). Real populations in nature are subject to epidemic diseases, a number of which can cross species. Such diseases have significant effects at the level of individual behavior and population dynamics. Evidence suggests that a primary contributor to the evolution of the emotion disgust is protection from the risk of disease (Curtis, 2004). We explore the relationship between disease transmission and emotional response. The development of emotions in higher animals has been conjectured to originate for purposes of survival in basic scenarios such as predator-prey (Blanchard, 2003; Löw, 2008), and thus emotionally-inspired rules are a natural extension to the traditional CA framework. Although they have been suggested previously for CA (Adamatzky, 2003), we are unaware of any work utilizing emotions in the context of predator-prey dynamics modeled within a CA framework.
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Chloë Sevigny To Play An Irish Transsexual Assassin In New Miniseries
Jun 7, 2011 7:22 am
Not many actresses would be able to recover from doing “that scene” in Vincent Gallo‘s “The Brown Bunny,” but then again, Chloë Sevigny has hardly played by anyone’s rules. She broke out in the controversial “Kids” and from there has amassed an impressive CV working with directors like Lars von Trier (“Dogville,” “Manderlay“), David Fincher (“Zodiac“), Woody Allen (“Melinda & Melinda“), Whit Stillman (“The Last Days Of Disco“), Jim Jarmusch (“Broken Flowers“) and Harmony Korine (“Gummo,” “Julien Donkey-Boy“). And oh yeah, there was that Oscar nomination for “Boys Don’t Cry” as well. She’s also come on the radar of mainstream America with her role in the HBO series “Big Love.” However, her next role might be her most memorable one to date.
In an interview with BlackBook, the actress reveals….well, we’ll let her explain the miniseries she’s about to do. “It’s a British production for Sky Atlantic, and I’m playing a pre-op male-to-female tranny assassin. It’s very realistic. It’s being created by a lot of the people who were involved in the original ‘Skins,’ so it’s going to be very edgy.” If that isn’t enough, the part will require her to speak in an Irish brogue as well.
Update: Deadline reveals that the show is titled “Hit And Miss” and will have a six episode arc. Written by Sean Conway and set to be directed by Hettie Macdolany, the story revolves around a transgender hit man who suddenly finds out that in the previous life, she has fathered several children. It will start filming this summer. Aside from that, details are scarce. No word on what it’s called or even when it will start production, but Between this and the “Lizzie Borden” series she’s doing for HBO, Sevigny is going to have a lock on a couple of the most interesting female characters to hit the small screen in quite some time. Also, the role just sounds too fucking bonkers not to pay attention to.
Sevigny can currently be seen in “Mr. Nice” and has the indie flick “The Wait” in the wings, presumably for a fall festival premiere.
This Article is related to: Uncategorized and tagged Actresses, Chloë Sevigny
'Hustlers' Trailer: Jennifer Lopez Teams Up With Cardi B and Lizzo for True-Life Stripper Crime Drama
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Universal Looks In The Mirror And Decides To Go Ahead With A ‘Snow White & The Huntsman’ Sequel
Universal Looks In The Mirror And Decides To Go Ahead With A 'Snow White & The Huntsman' Sequel
Jun 7, 2012 10:57 pm
Say it with us now: Franchise! That Universal has their fingers crossed to get multiple movies out of “Snow White & The Huntsman” is absolutely no surprise, and it looks like they’re getting their wish.
In fact, it was a year ago that producer Joe Roth first brought up the idea of a trilogy saying, “This story will end, but there will be questions remaining for these three characters.” Then this spring, Universal COO Ron Meyer teased, “while the upcoming ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’ film doesn’t appear to lend itself to a sequel, Universal thinks it can do more movies based on the character of the Huntsman if it is successful.” A couple of weeks later, word broke that the studio was already engaging director Rupert Sanders to return with David Koepp to write the screenplay. And while there was a brief moment of hesitation before the film opened, once it collected $118 million worldwide in its first weekend, Universal breathed a sigh of relief that they didn’t have another “Battleship” on their hands.
So onward with the sequel! Deadline reports that a sequel is on fast track, and with the principal actors all having options in their contract to return, the only question now is if Sanders will be back to helm the film. He isn’t obliged to do it, and although he recently revealed he’s got a couple of projects brewing—a movie about the history of the DEA and a sci-fi take on “The Battle Of Algiers“—perhaps he could work out some kind of one-for-them, one-for-me deal with Universal. Also, he’s in a good place to negotiate too, and could also get a helluva payday for the gig.
The only determining fact on if “Snow White & The Huntsman 2” gets made is what kind of legs the movie has. The movie cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $170 million (not counting P&A), so it’s not quite out of the woods yet, but is off to a great start. If it can keep its head above water in the competitive next few weeks, it looks like Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth and Sam Clafin will be back for more fairy tale adventures.
This Article is related to: News and tagged Chris Hemsworth, Kristen Stewart, Sam Claflin, Snow White and the Huntsman, Universal
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Excellent turnover for Q1 2010
Infotel’s good positioning explains +26.5% increase in activity and points towards a good year in 2010
Bagnolet, 5 May 2010
In €M, at 31 March Q1 2010 Q1 2009 Δ Q1.2010 / Q1.2009
Turnover Services: 26.1 20.6 +26.5%
Turnover Software: 1.7 1.5 +12.7%
Total Turnover 27.8 22.2 +25.6%
STRONG GROWTH IN ACTIVITY, ON A LIKE-FOR-LIKE BASIS AND WITH THE ACQUISITION OF ADDAX
The strong activity registered in the first quarter of 2010 showed an acceleration in the growth observed at the end of 2009: turnover grew 25.6%, € 27.8 M on the Group’s new basis (acquisition of Addax at start of January 2010) and 19.5%, € 26.5 M on a like-for-like basis.
Services (93.8% turnover) benefited from growth in the service desks, which demonstrated their perfect adaptation to demand of the market, and in all sectors (Banking, Insurance, Pensions, Aeronautics, Automobile, Services, etc.) both in Paris and in the other regions. Turnover was € 26.1 M with a growth of 26.5% (+20.3% on a like-for-like basis). The incorporation of Addax has made good progress and has enabled Infotel to strengthen its presence in south east France. Harwell Management has also participated in this dynamic start of the year.
Software (6.2% turnover) saw intense commercial and technical activity with the launch of the new software TAO2 (computer aided-testing) and the multiplication of prospect efforts for the database software and in the dematerialisation market with Arcsys. Furthermore, the division had a good performance in software sales by IBM in the last quarter of 2009, which translates into a high level of royalties.
FORECAST: CONFIDENCE FOR 2010
The marketing conditions enable Infotel to be optimistic for 2010 and to exceed € 100 M during the year. The group has new opportunities for development, both in terms of geographical location and sectors, in order to strengthen its position. The inter-contract rate is at its lowest, and Infotel has rolled out its recruitment plan designed to accompany recovery in 2010 (more than 220 new jobs as opposed to 130 in 2009). Infotel continues to look after the training of its teams, where excellence is a core element in its conquest strategy. The acquisition of Addax finalised at the end of January will contribute to the Group’s performance in 2010.
The payment of a dividend of € 2 per share for 2009 will be submitted to vote at the Shareholders’ Meeting on 26 May 2010.
Publication of half-year turnover 2010: 29 July 2010 (after trading)
Listed on Compartment C of Euronext Paris since January 1999 (ISIN code FR0000071797), Infotel is an expert in database management and web applications. At the cutting edge of technology innovation, Infotel develops its expertise in two complementary divisions: IT services and high-tech software publishing. As part of its “Ambitions 2012” plan, Infotel has set itself two major goals: perform almost all service provision from its service desks, and become a front-line player in dematerialisation. In 2009, Infotel had a turnover of € 89.2 M.
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JEFF YUREK SAYS CHANGES ARE NEEDED SO ABUSE BY STAFF DOESN’T GO UNDETECTED AS IT DID FOR A YEAR AT THE MOUNT HOPE CENTRE FOR LONG TERM CARE
By John Miner, The London Free Press
Progressive Conservative health critic Jeff Yurek is calling for a hard look at Ontario’s long term care home inspection system after reports showed abuse at a London facility stretched over a year.
The Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care was inspected by the Health Ministry in 2014 after a nurse, Susan Muzylowsky, was suspended for misconduct involving the verbal, physical and sexual abuse of patients.
The home, run by St. Joseph’s Health Care, was cleared by the Health Ministry of violations, but it didn’t end there.
The College of Nurses of Ontario conducted its own investigation over two years and earlier this year disciplined Muzylowsky, who admitted to professional misconduct and abuse against 19 residents.
The ministry ordered a re-inspection of Mount Hope and on Wednesday released reports that detailed repeated abuse of patients by the nurse, ranging from withholding prescribed medication to demeaning patients and touching them in a sexual manner without consent.
Mount Hope was found by the ministry to have failed to protect its residents from sexual abuse, failed to protect residents from neglect, and failed to ensure staff were aware of their mandatory responsibility to report misconduct to the home’s leadership and the ministry.
Yurek said it’s clear there’s a problem when an initial inspection didn’t find any problems, but a re-inspection detailed numerous violations of regulations.
“The government needs to take a better look at their inspection policy,” he said Thursday.
The reports released Wednesday indicated that front-line care workers had repeatedly reported the physical and sexual abuse to the nurses in charge during their shift, but the home’s administration or the ministry wasn’t alerted.
One care worker said she was afraid nothing would be done if she went to senior management and that she would still have to report to the nurse involved in the abuse, a report said.
The situation continued for about 12 months until some staff went directly to Mount Hope management with evidence and Muzylowsky was immediately suspended and later fired.
The Health Ministry should consider measures that would protect long term care workers so they feel comfortable reporting possible abuse to inspectors, Yurek said.
“I’m hopeful going forward that there is proper procedures and policies in place so this sort of situation doesn’t occur again,” he said. “I feel terrible for the residents and their families for what they had to undergo.”
On Thursday, the Health Ministry said in an emailed statement that it continues to closely monitor the situation at Mount Hope and is conducting a resident quality inspection. The ministry also is following up on previously issued orders.
“Further actions and/or sanctions will be identified if continued serious non-compliance presents. Resident risk and operational risk continue to be the primary drivers in inspection decisions,” the ministry statement said.
Jane Meadus of the Toronto-based Advocacy Centre for the Elderly agreed the inspection system needs an overhaul.
One of the problems with the current system is that it employs inspectors, often former nurses, who report just what they see, not investigators who can find out what is actually happening, she said.
“I do think we need a more investigative process,” Meadus said, possibly hiring former police officers to look into serious allegations of abuse.
In looking at the Mount Hope reports, she said it was clear the home failed to meet its legal obligations to report misconduct to the ministry.
Those who see abuse in a home, including visitors, are legally obligated to report it to the ministry. Most people might not be aware of that requirement, but staff at a long term care home certainly should, Meadus said.
Given the length of time over which the abuse took place, Meadus said the Health Ministry should consider going beyond issuing a corrective order and fine the home.
“At some point you really have to think when are we going to see some fines in a case like this that was so egregious.”
Dr. Gillian Kernaghan, president of St. Joseph’s, said the corporation has worked with staff to make sure they understand they’re obligated to report inappropriate behaviour.
She also apologized for the verbal and physical abuse Mount Hope residents suffered in 2014.
A report on Ontario’s inspection system by the Auditor General last year found the ministry was slow in responding to complaints, putting residents at risk.
In one case cited by the auditor, the ministry received a complaint of physical abuse of a resident at a home in May 2014, but didn’t carry out an inspection until February 2015. The ministry’s explanation was that the inspection was delayed because of lack of resources.
On Thursday the ministry said it evaluates risk and conducts an immediate inspection if information is received that there is serious harm or risk of serious harm to a resident.
“The ministry takes the issue of resident abuse, neglect or improper care very seriously,” the statement said.
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Crystal clear: creating hyper-transparent property markets
"In today's globalized world, transparency is increasingly being recognized as the enemy of corruption and opaque markets and secrecy are harder to justify. "
As investors seek more assurances about the real estate projects they inject multi-million dollar sums into, the world’s most transparent territories are responding by embarking on the road to ‘hyper-transparency’.
The issue of transparency is going to play a major role in the allocation of an avalanche of global commercial investment into real estate over the next decade. With total sums at stake predicted to rise from US$700 billion to over $1 trillion a year by the mid 2020s, according to JLL, countries and cities which meet investor demands on transparency will be best placed to attract these capital flows.
At the moment, bond and equity markets are far more transparent than the real estate sector: bond- and share-holders can, for instance, check changing valuations on a real time basis while the property market has traditionally operated through quarterly updates. Jeremy Kelly, Director of Global Research Programmes at JLL, says that the drive for transparency is pushing change here: “There is an expectation among investors that real estate will have the same level of transparency as other types of investment.”
Four markets – the UK, the U.S., Australia and Canada – have the potential to pull ahead of others, forming themselves into a new ‘hyper-transparent’ group, according to the JLL 2016 Global Real Estate Transparency Index. This benchmark shows the four markets leading a ranking of 109. Overall, two-thirds of these economies have taken steps forward on transparency since 2014 – but the progress of the top four is qualitatively different. As well as improving on basic transparency issues – such as the functioning of markets and the regulatory infrastructure – the four are bringing creativity to bear in helping investors gain a highly nuanced understanding of local real estate markets.
UK and U.S. in the lead
The UK and U.S. markets are particularly advanced in terms of this kind of innovation, according to Kelly. He thinks that these two countries and Australia are close to qualifying as ‘hyper transparent’ markets. At the moment he describes them as ‘highly transparent’. It is also quite likely that Canada will reach the same bar in a couple of years. “And France may surprise us,” he adds.
So what are these innovations? In the UK, the IPD (Investment Property Databank) Monthly Property Index, gives data on capital and income returns for retail, office and industry. Monthly – as opposed to quarterly or annual – data helps makes the market more liquid. In the U.S., the development of daily pricing for real estate investment funds is giving new insights into the sector. Property performance information can be sliced and diced in greater detail down to individual cities, property types, and even to postal zip codes in the U.S., according to the Index report. Detailed performance analysis has recently become widespread in the U.S., showing how particular decisions and market weightings by investment managers have affected returns.
Since sovereign wealth and pension funds are beginning to increase their real estate quotas there is huge potential to attract investment for those sectors that meet the demanding standards of these elite investors through market data and performance benchmarking, the enactment of new legislation, the introduction of higher ethical standards and the wider adoption of ‘green building’ regulations and tools.
Norway sets aim on transparency
Norway’s US$835 billion Government Pension Fund, for instance, had no real estate in its portfolio up until 2010 and is now more than half way towards reaching a new goal of allocating 5 percent of assets to tangible property. Transparency is highlighted, along with ‘responsibility’, as a guidig issue in its scheme guidelines to establish trust with its clients.
Similarly, Iron Mountain, the U.S.-based multinational storage company recently told the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts that transparency is “the currency of the realm” regarding sustainability. “There really is no substitute for it,” said corporate responsibility director Kevin Hagen. And Allianz Global Investors is supporting a United Nations campaign to “enhance transparency on ESG [environmental, social and governance] information across global markets”.
All countries stand to learn from others in the transparency movement. On sustainability, for instance, a sub-sector of transparency, France, Canada, New Zealand and Australia lead on measuring the maintenance costs and overall financial performance of buildings.
And wide ranging reforms are needed in the wake of the Panama Papers scandal, which highlighted the concealment of ownership of assets. “The world is looking to the UK and U.S. to take steps to improve on disclosure of beneficial ownership,” Kelly says.
Some countries will always make faster progress than others. “Openness is a cultural issue,” says Kelly. “Some countries are more open to ideas of opening up data.” But the G8’s Open Data Charter shows how much kudos is now associated with transparency which in turn can bring economic benefits. Open data is a “catalyst for innovation in the private sector, supporting the creation of new markets, businesses, and jobs”, it sets out.
In times of economic uncertainty, countries may be tempted to firefight and to neglect issues of openness. Such a move could be a big mistake. In today’s globalized world, transparency is increasingly being recognized as the enemy of corruption and opaque markets and secrecy are harder to justify.
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How workation retreats are blending work and relaxation
As the boundaries between business and leisure continue to dissolve, secluded retreats are turning their attention to a new set of customers.
Settling in with a laptop beneath a shady tree, connecting with colleagues around a fire pit, or sampling a local craft beer at the bar…this is work, but not in the traditional sense.
Digital nomads, entrepreneurs and forward-thinking corporate teams are leaving the bustle of the city behind to immerse themselves in nature in the name of creativity and productivity. While some resorts and country hotels are updating their offerings to cater to this emerging clientele, new properties are also appearing geared solely towards the nascent demand.
Sometimes referred to as workation retreats, the venues share a number of characteristics, including a relaxed rural or semi-urban location with hotel style sleeping facilities, coworking space and a range of activities from cooking classes to business skills workshops to encourage interaction with fellow guests.
“This trend can be seen as part of the evolution of real estate as a whole, incorporating elements of hospitality such as high-quality accommodation and guest service while offering unique experiences,” says Lauro Ferroni, JLL’s Global Head of Hotels & Hospitality Research. “The human element is also really important, bringing people together both in coworking spaces but allowing for relaxation to help build relationships.”
For many guests, the communal approach such as shared mealtimes and spacious coworking facilities to rival those found in any city, is a huge part of the appeal, offering the benefits of collaboration and networking.
Connecting with the surrounding area—and each other
A growing number of these retreats are springing up across Europe and the U.S. Just outside of Berlin, Coconat Workation Retreat occupies a former country hotel and takes inspiration from the local co-living movement, offering accommodation and coworking space about an hour’s drive or train ride from the city center.
Similarly, Wolfhouse offers co-living for teams in a luxurious ocean-side estate on Tenerife. Nectar is a converted farmhouse in a natural park outside of Barcelona offering co-living and coworking for both individuals and groups.
Across the Atlantic, in the mountains of Utah, an ambitious project is taking shape. Powder Mountain is a planned public town of 500 houses conceived to host artists, entrepreneurs and thought leaders in a year-round roster of events and activities, from outdoor pursuits to brainstorming sessions.
While work remains very much on the agenda at these retreats, taking time out from a normal routine comes with its own benefits – whether for freelancers or office colleagues. A number of scientific studies have shown that spending time in nature boosts productivity, creativity and memory, as well as decreasing stress levels. “A rural setting allows people to disconnect from their day-to-day work,” says Ferroni. “This environment can help spark ideas and improve work product.”
And a natural location is not the sole attraction. “It’s not just about getting people away from the office but also engaged in different activities that teach new skills or fine tune existing ones,” says Ferroni. “A great view is always welcome, but the places that get the most attention are those that offer something unique which ultimately gets people to push themselves or helps them think in a different way.”
Activities can encourage team-building and communication, but not all are created equal: cultural context is important. “People want experiences and many are prepared to try something new, but these experiences have to be relevant and authentic,” says Ferroni. However, providing a range of options is almost as important as what’s on offer—so guests can decide for themselves what they want to do and when. “It’s not just about having everyone in the same place at same time, but giving people control and a sense of autonomy,” says Ferroni.
Making a workation retreat work
For purpose-created workation retreats and hotels eyeing the new market, location is a key consideration. “These retreats either need to be well connected to urban centers, or leverage their remoteness as a unique selling point,” says Ferroni. At luxurious ranches in Wyoming and Montana, for example, the hard-to-reach setting is part of the allure.
Thanks to their rural locations, the seasonal aspects of such retreats can present a challenge. “This can also become an opportunity, however, as businesses may want to send their teams off-season, and many digital nomads travel year-round,” says Ferroni.
Strong digital connections are also a must. “Workers want to spend time in nature, but they don’t want to be isolated from what’s going on in the wider world,” says Ferroni. And it’s not just a case of build it and they will come; the new breed of workation retreats may be in their early stages, but it’s essential to build their brand and market their services to their target audience in the urban workforce and digital nomad communities.
But get it right and there’s potential for these workation retreats to flourish, Ferroni believes. “It’s a trend that’s on the rise, not just on the physical asset side but also in terms of service and experience,” he concludes. “As technology develops, we’ll become increasingly dynamic and mobile in the way we work, and we can, in turn, expect the workation retreat concept to diversify and enter the mainstream.”
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McAlpine welcomes Business Minister’s letter to Young’s over future of Annan site
MSP Joan McAlpine has welcomed Business Minister Paul Wheelhouse’s letter to Young’s about the proposed closure of the Pinneys plant.
Mr Wheelhouse has written to the Chief Executive of Young’s Seafood Ltd to express concern over the potential implications of the proposal, and to put in writing the Scottish Government’s commitment to work with Young’s in exploring any viable options to protect employment in Annan.
The Scottish Government has committed to working with the company through the statutory consultation process on its proposals to explore alternative approaches.
Commenting, Ms McAlpine said:
“I am pleased that the Minister has re-iterated his commitment to leave no stone unturned in order to save jobs in Annan.
“It is disappointing that Young’s did not engage with Scottish Enterprise at an earlier stage, but we are where we are, and the priority must be to maintain some production at the site and retain as many of the jobs as possible.
“As Mr Wheelhouse has highlighted, while the commercial environment might be challenging, Young’s has an obligation to consider the profound impact such a decision will have on the families affected by this announcement.”
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Weird Suffolk: The sisters which haunt Ipswich's Tourist Information Centre
Stacia Briggs and Siofra Connor
Is St Stephen's church haunted by sister spirits? Picture: PAUL GEATER
They are the eerie organists compelled to visit the place where they last played together, sisters bound for eternity to a church in Ipswich no longer used for worship but instead a place that celebrates the glory of the town.
Along St Stephen’s Lane is a church that bear’s the saint’s name, built in the 15th century it stood alongside a clutch of churches in the centre of town which, as congregation numbers dwindled, was declared redundant in 1975 after hundreds of years of loyal service to the community.
Forlornly standing under the shadow of a redundant factory, it may well have been almost entirely unloved if it wasn’t for two members of the flock who kept returning – the ghosts of two elderly ladies, said to be sisters, have been spotted at the place where the organ once stood.
The ghostly pair return, legend has it, to the place where they once led the congregation in worshipful song and the church which they once proudly helped to maintain: after its closure, it is said that after they died, the sisters would come back to the place where they felt most at home.
Today, St Stephen’s is busy once again, this time the base for Ipswich’s Tourist Information Centre – staff at the centre said that while they had heard about the ladies, nicknamed ‘the organists’, they had not personally seen them.
The last reported sighting of the sisters was when the church was being converted for its new use – perhaps they save their visits for evensong.
For more Weird Suffolk stories click here.
Weird Suffolk
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Trump’s pullout from Paris climate accords blasted by Jewish groups
President Donald Trump arriving in the Rose Garden of the White House to announce his decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate agreement, June 1, 2017. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
(JTA) — President Donald Trump on Thursday said he will withdraw the United States from the landmark 2015 global agreement to fight climate change, earning statements of dismay from critics, including Jewish groups who regard the pullout as a diplomatic and environmental disaster.
Speaking Thursday at ceremony in the White House Rose Garden, Trump said the so-called Paris accords, signed by every country except for Syria and Nicaragua, place “draconian” financial and economic burdens on American businesses and taxpayers and give other countries a trade advantage over the United States.
“As someone who cares deeply about our environment, I cannot in good conscience support a deal which punishes the United States,” he said. “The Paris accord is very unfair at the highest level to the United States.”
Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, issued a statement on behalf of the Reform movement saying the announcement was “an abdication of responsibility to address global climate change and is both physically dangerous and morally reprehensible.
“The decision disregards vitally important environmental efforts to protect both our planet and the population, with consequences that will reverberate for generations,” wrote Pesner. “Reneging on the agreement diminishes U.S. leadership and undermines longstanding alliances, placing an undue burden on other nations to address climate change.”
American Jewish World Service, which advocates for people in developing nations, said such countries would bear the brunt of the severe storms, flooding, droughts and famine that a scientific consensus regards as the already apparent signs of the effects of man-made global warming.
“The longer the U.S. denies climate change and fails to take responsibility for its outsized contribution to global warming, the greater the risk posed to the entire world, especially the poorest people on Earth,” said Robert Bank, president and CEO of AJWS, in a statement.
Added Bank: “We stand proudly as Jews who cherish the Earth to object in the strongest terms to the President’s shortsighted and damaging decision. As American Jews, we will continue to raise our voices in solidarity with the people worldwide who have done the least to cause global warming but who suffer the most.”
Following Trump’s announcement of the pullout, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that his foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, would be donating $15 million to the United Nation’s Climate Secretariat, which aids implementation of the Paris accords. The donation replaces the money the United States would have contributed.
Bloomberg, the world’s 10th richest person, serves as the U.N Secretary General’s special envoy for cities and climate change. In that capacity, he is coordinating climate efforts among local governments, including an American group of 30 mayors, three governors, more than 80 university presidents and more than 100 businesses that will submit an independent pledge to be included in the Paris accords, according to the New York Times.
Vatican officials also signaled their dismay with Trump’s decision. The Catholic church strongly supported the climate accords. Last month, the Union for Reform Judaism, AJWS and the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life joined 20 other religious groups in urging Trump to adhere to the agreement, which was reached in 2015 and signed in 2016.
The 195 countries that signed the Paris Agreement pledged to adopt nonbinding plans to curb greenhouse gas emissions.
Republicans largely applauded Trump’s decision to pull out of the accords, although reports indicated that there was opposition among some of his closest advisers, including Gary D. Cohn, the director of the National Economic Council; Ivanka Trump, the president’s daughter and unpaid adviser, and Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson.
Neither Ivanka Trump nor her husband attended the announcement ceremony, which fell on the second day of the Jewish holiday of Shavuot. Both are observant Jews.
Anti-Semitic fliers in Massachusetts declare Holocaust ‘fake news’
By Penny Schwartz July 16, 2019 5:04 pm
Top Trump officials headline conference focusing on the ‘new anti-Semitism’
Orthodox newspaper’s editor called African religions ‘primitive’ and gay rights movement ‘evil’
By Josefin Dolsten July 15, 2019 6:28 pm
How Jews have reacted to Trump’s tweet targeting some Democratic congresswomen
Trump cites Israel in defending his call for Democratic congresswomen to ‘go back’ to their countries
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The Frame and its History
32.000 years ago, made with black pigment and red ochre, it shows mammoths, horses, lions, buffaloes and rhinos. These are the first painted ‘works of art’, found in the caves of Chauvet in France. All over the world we find examples of mural paintings on mountains and in caves, but the Greek myth tells us that the art of painting first saw the light in Delphi.
Man started to paint his primitive geometric and figurative art on the walls of a cave and later on he used the walls of temples, churches and finally movable objects. In the Middle Ages the favorite surfaces for the painter were wooden panels, on which he painted with tempera on a gold leaf background, mainly to ornate the altars in the new Cathedrals, which rose in this era in all inhabited centers. With time the use of linen became more in use, easier to handle and less instable than the wooden panel, besides the obvious difference in weight.With the arrival of smaller sized paintings, carried out on mobile panels, we see that the frame comes in use, not only because of the need to strengthen the edges and to hide the thickness of the panel, but also to create a closing band consisting of one or more wooden strips applied directly on to the panel, sometimes supported by an external strip of wood placed across the painting.
We could say that frames could be considered as various shaped windows, through which the spectator observe nature or a world created by the artist. Until the 16th century architectonical structures formed the basic repertoire of frame design, but then painting using an easel came in use and the subjects became more profane. It is then that the frame began to gain more freedom and creativity in the decorative elements, which were, however, still based on the old ones until the end of the 18th century, as a transition from the window idea towards greater autonomy, and became a purely decorative function.
As has often been the case in figurative arts of all times, the Italian frame, as the painting itself, gained importance in the art world in the 14th and 15th century, often being imitated at least until the French style, the famous ‘Louis XIV’ became en vogue in the 17th century.
From the Polyptych to the Altarpiece
The creation of the triptych and the polyptych altarpieces was inspired by the architectural elements of the place of worship for which they were designed; the division in three or more parts, recalled the layout of the church that they were to decorate, the highest panel corresponding with the central nave and the lower panels with the aisles. This way they integrated harmoniously in the space, since the design of the frame was also based on the interior of the church and the design of its sculptural elements, like its pulpit and altars.
A fundamental step in the design of the frame as an independent structure is without doubt represented by Gentile da Fabriano’s Adoration of the Magi, in 1423: for the first time a self-supporting and separate receptacle is constructed. During the first half of the 15th century painting was transformed by innovative techniques and the study of the perspective.
With the study of increasingly larger spaces to contain a single scene, the horizontal dimension became more important and the vertical impulse of the gothic style was abandoned and, according to new standards, the form becomes square or rectangular.We are in Florence during the Renaissance; it is here that, as always, rules for new fashions and styles were written, and it is here that a new penchant for single square or rectangle panels is born, also known as altarpieces, sometimes including decorated altar steps and pillars, as a contraposition to the polyptych. The transition from the gothic polyptych to the renaissance altarpiece was actually more gradual. First of all the wooden frame was mounted after painting instead of before. During the first quarter of the 15th century the rectangular panels became more popular and important thanks to the possibility to better organize the perspective in the space. The painted architectural elements started to get the upper hand over the frame work and at the same time the relationship between the painting and the surrounding architecture became closer. In this sense, a milestone was the altarpiece of the Annunciation Bartolini Salimbeni by Lorenzo Monaco (1420-1425), where the scene was included as an integral part of the frescoes of the chapel, repeating the proportions and the color schemes of the mural scenes.
A particularly innovative altarpiece was the Annunciation Martelli by Filippo Lippi (1440 ca) which abandoned all gothic elements like the gables and pinnacles in favor of a strict geometric pattern that was in total harmony of Brunelleschi’s architecture of the church of San Lorenzo which the altarpiece was commissioned for. Beato Angelico took it even further in the Altarpiece for San Marco (1438-1443), when he repeated the design of the church choir by Michelozzo in the architecture for the Maria’s throne.
The Tabernacle shaped frame derived from the imitation of the façade of a building, consisting of a base, at the end of which two columns or two pilasters rise, which could be grooved or decorated with plant motives, to support the architrave.
“Ab assuetis non fit passio“, goes an old saying: “you don’t notice the normal“; and in fact we are used to seeing the tabernacle placed at the centre of the altar, but it was not always in that position and today, after the Vatican Council II, the tabernacle is often moved to a chapel outside of the central hall of the church, or at least away from the main altar.
From the 6th century onwards the uniqueness of altars in churches is certain; later the number of altars increased, but absolute respect continued for the ‘dominica’ table which excludes everything not related to the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice. Towards the end of the 9th century relics were being placed permanently on the altar as a new significant element. Soon other elements were added, so many actually, that at the beginning of the 10th century an important document, originally from Gallicia, known in the world as Admonitio Synodalis became general law for all the churches in the Western world, stating that on the altar ‘only urns of Saints (capsae), the Gospels and the pyx with the Body of the Lord for the sick are allowed, everything else should be stored in a convenient place’.
The Tabernacle crosses many eras, but has to wait until the 16th century to find permanent placement on the main altar and, even later, be placed on the centre of the table as the last phase in the historical development of the altar.
In his treaty on the art of painting Leon Battista Alberti illustrates the principle that characterizes his activity as a painter: a square, as large as the artist wishes, which represents a window through which to observe what is to be painted. It is a revolution which replaces the static concept of the gothic frame that copies the façade of the church it decorates and is the arrival of the renaissance frame: an architectural structure inserted in the wall – a perimeter that defines a window which frames the space and accentuates the depth of the painting.
The Tuscan Frame
It is not a coincidence that Tuscany is still home to 50% of the masterpieces of the 16th century: it is here that the frame and framed art had the most diversified development.
Moreover, already in the 13th century there are examples of a flat frame directly fixed to the edges of big paintings with gold leaf background, for example the famous altarpieces by Cimabue, Giotto and Duccio di Boninsegna – sober frames that share the same gold effect as the painting itself. In the 14th century the Tabernacle shape of the frame is invented, first in Tuscany and later spread all over Europe. In this century the frames become autonomous structural elements, rich in carvings and fretwork, decorated with twisted columns with capitals and shelves as crowning. The frames of the polyptychs had the closet ties with contemporary architecture, especially with the aedichule and niches in the walls of churches and buildings.
This structure is in use until the end of the 15th century imitating the various evolutions in gothic architecture and the formal shift that the renaissance frame underwent is still linked to that of the architectonical style established in Florence by Filippo Brunelleschi. According to the concept of Renaissance vision, the single pictorial composition takes the place of the division into compartments; the wooden structure that surrounds the painting no longer consists of pointed arches and Gothic decorations, but rather of linear entablature supported by columns and classical decorations.
Many of the polyptychs of the previous century were dismembered and adjusted in new frames. The most simple and common box frame, still in use today, appears in the second half of the 15th century with the birth of not only religious, but rather profane painting, especially portrait painting, works for which the sumptuous carpentry that was used for the altarpieces was no longer necessary. This structure consists of a rectangular frame with moldings on the edges: one on the inside (called ‘alla battuta’) that serves to hold the painting, and one on the outside (called ‘al profilo’) that only serves a decorative purpose. It is a model that has remained the same since then, only varying in minor details and decorations, according to changing taste and fashion.
During the 15th century there was dramatic increase of frames in Tuscany, with the creation of new autonomous models and original designs that became an example. Even today, the majority of frame designs still existing come from this region. A typical example of the rich inventiveness of the craftsmen of this era is the birth of the so called ‘Tondo’, the round frame, that appears around the second half of the 15th century. It is a model that derives from the examples in glazed terracotta by Luca della Robbia, richly decorated with festoons of fruit and flowers carved in high relief, or simple ‘baccelature’ or even architectural elements that are placed at the edge of a central repeating braid, always in a protruding fashion. Another typical example is the tabernacle-frame of simple architectonical structure that hosts paintings and reliefs in terracotta. The use of the ‘Tondo’ continues all through the 16th century although its decoration becomes more dynamic and plastic as we can see in the exquisite example of the ‘Tondo Doni’ by Michelangelo at the Galleria degli Uffizi in Florence. During the second half of this century we see the arrival of the richly engraved chestnut frame with fantasy motifs, while the wood is kept natural, only illuminated by gold at the more prominent elements. Here the influence of the venetian ‘Sansovina’ frame is evident. Its name derives from the originally Florentine architect and sculpture, Jacopo Tatti, nicknamed ‘Sansovino’, who moved to Venice in 1527. It is a frame with a strong pattern of shapes, in contrast with the earlier models it was inspired by the decorations in wood or stucco on the ceilings of the churches and the Doge’s Palace in Venice. The typical characteristics of the Sansovino frame are the robust whirls and ribbons evolving towards the centre and the edges.
Between the 17th and 18th centuries a new model, known as the Salvator Rosa or Maratta, was introduced which is still one of the best known and appreciated shapes. The name derives from the Neapolitan painter Salvator Rosa, who preferred to make the frames of all his paintings personally. The profile consisting of alternating deep and reverse ‘cavetto’ , often enriched by one or more carved orders with motifs of ovuli, ribbons or leaves became popular in Lazio and Campania. The frames manufactured in Lazio stand out for their elegant intaglio with shining gilt; whereas in Naples the finishing touch was done with silver ‘alla mecca’ or ‘mistura’. The bicolor effect of wood-and-gold is obtained by using dark brown argilla as a primer in the stucco.
During the 17th century sumptuous frames were made in the craftmen’s workshops of the Grand Dukes. These new frames were created for the masterpieces of the collections at the Uffizi and the Palazzo Pitti. These models are characterized by their large carvings ‘a cartelle e baccelatture’, with various decorations, especially plants. Other examples of the Grand Ducal craftsmanship are ebony frames with ‘guilloché’ work and 09’oo multicolor stone inlay. Other examples are ebony frames with gilt bronze applications. During the 18th century the workshops manufactured frames with passepartout, either engraved or plain in hard wood with bronze applications.
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East Africa Embassy Bombing Defendant Contests Miranda Waiver
by Phil Hirschkorn
In the last scheduled pre-trial hearing for alleged al-Qaeda operative known as Anas al-Libi, the defendant took the witness stand on Wednesday to contest the United States government’s claim that he knowingly and voluntarily waived his right to remain silent during his first hours in FBI custody.
Al-Libi, a 50-year-old Libyan whose legal name is Nazi Abdul al-Ruqai, testified before U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in an evidentiary hearing tightly focused on the moments following al-Libi’s transfer on October 12, 2013, from military to civilian custody.
Given the situation, “I couldn’t concentrate on anything,” al-Libi told the court through an Arabic translator. When asked by his attorney, Bernard Kleinman, why he signed the papers waving his Miranda rights and paving the way for an FBI interview, al-Libi said, “You have no choice but to sign it.”
Al-Libi and his co-defendant, Khaled al Fawwaz, are among 26 defendants, including now-dead al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and his fugitive successor Ayman al-Zawahiri, listed in the al-Qaeda terror conspiracy indictment brought by the U.S. government after the 1998 truck bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania that killed 224 people, including 12 Americans. A 2001 trial already sent four defendants to life imprisonment for that attack.
Prosecutors have portrayed al-Libi, al Fawazz, and a third defendant, Adel Abdel Bary, as key members of al-Qaeda’s UK cell in the 1990s. Abdel Bary pleaded guilty last month and faces sentencing in January. Jury selection in the al-Libi and al Fawwaz trial begins Nov. 3.
Al-Libi’s transfer into the hands of the FBI and federal prosecutors for the Southern District of New York followed a week in CIA custody aboard an American warship, the USS San Antonio, in the Mediterranean Sea. Al-Libi was brought to the ship after U.S. special operations forces famously snatched him from a Tripoli street as he was returning home from a mosque on Oct. 5, 2013. During his week aboard the San Antonio, Al-Libi endured “countless hours of aggressive interrogation,” along with sleep deprivation and isolation in a cold room with no furniture, according to the motion to suppress al-Libi’s post-arrest statements filed by Kleinman.
Al-Libi — who has been treated for hepatitis C and liver cirrhosis, and went on hunger strike while in CIA custody — lay blindfolded and handcuffed in a hospital gurney as he was flown from the ship by helicopter to Aviano Air Base, Italy. From there, he was taken on a seven-hour flight aboard a U.S. Air Force plane to Stewart Air National Guard Base roughly an hour north of New York City. Al-Libi told the court today that, at first, he did not know where the plane was headed.
“I thought it was Guantanamo,” he testified.
NYPD detective turned SDNY investigator George Corey described the airborne interrogation he conducted with FBI Special Agent Philip Swabsin and the assistance of an Arabic translator. Corey sat on a crate two feet away from and facing al-Libi, who sat reclining in an aisle seat.
“I told him at this point he was under arrest, and I was taking him to New York,” said Corey in response to questioning by Assistant US Attorney Adam Fee. No threats, no yelling, no brandishing of weapons; a conversation between men, he said.
Today’s appearance marks the third time this year Corey testified about an airborne interrogation of an important terrorism suspect. He played the same role in the prosecutions of one-time al Qaeda propagandist Suleiman Abu Ghaith and radical imam Mustafa Kamel Mustafa, better known as Abu Hamza.
Corey emphasized that his interrogation of al-Libi was free from CIA influence or involvement, saying that in the days before al-Libi’s capture and transfer, he and Swabsin blocked work emails from certain senders, stopped logging onto a classified computer network, and didn’t go to their regular offices to avoid learning anything about the CIA interrogation of al-Libi.
“This is a new interview, and that whatever he said previously has nothing to do with what we will discuss here,” Corey testified he told al-Libi. “He asked if we were taking him to a military court or criminal court.”
Although al-Libi was tired and “upset with the way he was captured. . . . He was responsive,” said Corey. “He was listening.”
Crucially, it was clear that, based on his answers, al-Libi understood the questions he was asked by the interrogators, Corey testified. When it came to the Miranda rights waiver signed by al-Libi, translator Nehad Abusuneima read it out loud aboard the plane, in Arabic, according to Corey.
Previous statements “will not be useable against you in a U.S. court,” states the English version of the waiver. “Anything you say now can be used against you in court.”
Al-Libi initialed each paragraph, writing “NR” 13 times on the Arabic version, including next to the statements: “I am willing to make a statement and answer questions” and “I do not want a lawyer at this time.”
Then he signed his full name at the bottom of the form. The airborne questioning would go on for an hour, then a break, until the flight landed, and al-Libi was admitted under a pseudonym to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, NY. Corey and Swabsin visited him the next day.
“He was happy to see us, it appeared,” Corey testified. “He had [sic] thanked us for treating him with dignity and respect.” However, al-Libi told the law enforcement officials he wanted an attorney and to stop talking, Corey said, adding that he never spoke to the defendant again.
When al-Libi was called to the stand today, he walked haltingly, wearing the standard issue navy blue uniform of the Manhattan Correctional Center. Fifteen years after he was indicted, he looks as if someone pasted a salt-and-pepper beard and mustache on his old FBI Most Wanted photo.
Al-Libi, a college-educated computer engineer who lived in England for several years, asserted to Judge Kaplan that he told Corey and Swabsin on the plane that he wanted an attorney. “But they continued,” he said.
Swabsin, a 17 year FBI veteran, did not testify at today’s hearing. He assisted the prosecution of Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani who was convicted in a 2010 jury trial for his role in the East Africa embassy bombings. Ghailani is serving a life sentence imposed by Judge Kaplan.
We’ll have to wait until the trial to see the substance of Swabsin’s report on his airborne interrogation of al-Libi, unless Judge Kaplan decides to suppress the defendant’s statements.
An earlier version of this post spelled al-Libi’s legal name, Nazi Abdul al-Raghie.
Al Qaeda,
Phil Hirschkorn
Fellow at the Center on National Security at Fordham Law School and New York-Based Journalist covering Al Qaeda and terrorism trials for 15 years
July 3, 2019 by Tess Bridgeman and Ryan Goodman
Asking the Right Question on Iran, Al-Qaeda and the AUMF
June 21, 2019 by Joshua Geltzer, Ryan Goodman and Luke Hartig
June 21, 2019 by Brian Egan and Tess Bridgeman
Reflecting on the Civilian Casualty Executive Order: What Was Lost and What Can Now Be Gained
March 12, 2019 by Larry Lewis
About that Trial Balloon on Using 9/11 AUMF to Authorize Strikes on Iran
February 21, 2019 by Steve Vladeck and Tess Bridgeman
Avoiding the Next Yemen: Applying Hard Lessons for Security Partnerships
February 6, 2019 by Daniel R. Mahanty and Melissa Dalton
George H.W. Bush’s Persian Gulf War: Victory, With Tragedy
December 7, 2018 by Patrick Eddington
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Blacking Up
Hip-Hop's Remix of Race And Identity
Hip-Hop was created by urban youth of color more than 30 years ago amid racial oppression and economic marginalization. It has moved beyond that specific community and embraced by young people worldwide, elevating it to a global youth culture.
The ambitious and hard-hitting documentary BLACKING UP looks at the popularity of hip-hop among America's white youth. It asks whether white identification is rooted in admiration and a desire to transcend race or if it is merely a new chapter in the long continuum of stereotyping, mimicry and cultural appropriation? Does it reflect a new face of racial understanding in white America or does it reinforce an ugly history?
Winner of the American Library Association's 2011 Notable Videos for Adults Award
A much needed anecdote to much of the unsophisticated analysis of youth culture that floods our airways and our newspapers. 'Blacking Up' wrestles with the ambiguity and the consequence of cultural borrowing. - Lonnie Bunch , National Museum of African American History & Culture
Robert Clift
Documentaries > Media & Popular Culture
Media & Communications > Media Studies
The Arts > Music
Hip Hop - Beyond Beats and Rhymes
Media Education Foundation
Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats & Rhymes provides a riveting examination of manhood, sexism, and homophobia in hip-hop culture. Director Byron Hurt, former star college quarterback, long-time hip-hop fan, and gender violence prevention educator, conceived the documentary as a "loving critique" of a number of disturbing trends in the world of rap…
Personally Speaking - Stuart Hall's Work in Cultural Studies
Stuart Hall is a foundational figure in the influential interdisciplinary field known as cultural studies. In this stimulating and eloquent four-hour interview, conducted by the literary journalist Maya Jaggi and directed by Mike Dibb, Hall reflects on his life and career, talking personally and in depth about the trajectory of…
Through a Lens Darkly - Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People
The first documentary to explore the role of photography in shaping the identity, aspirations and social emergence of African Americans from slavery to the present, THROUGH A LENS DARKLY probes the recesses of American history by discovering images that have been suppressed, forgotten and lost. Bringing to light the hidden…
Blacks And Jews - The Psychology of Victimization and Media Exploration
Scholars and critics probe the history and psychology of victimization shared between Blacks and Jews and their exploitation by the media. The faultline between Blacks and Jews is one of the most visible symbols of America's racial divide. This film, made collaboratively by Jewish and Black filmmakers, goes behind the…
The Black Press: Soldiers Without Swords
THE BLACK PRESS: SOLDIERS WITHOUT SWORDS is the first film to chronicle the history of the Black press, including its central role in the construction of modern African American identity. It recounts the largely forgotten stories of generations of Black journalists who risked life and livelihood so African Americans could…
Nobody Knows My Name - Women and Hip Hop
This is a story of women who are connected by their love for hip-hop music. Despite the fact that these talented female artists exist within a culture that revolves around self-expression, the subjects of Rachel Raimist's documentary must struggle to be heard. Through the candid study of these women, NOBODY…
Newspaper of Record - The Pittsburgh Courier: An African American Newspaper
Ken Love
The Pittsburgh Courier was the leading Black newspaper of the last century. No mere journal of African American life, the Courier was a muckraking crusader in the vanguard of the civil rights movement. Its fourteen national editions had a peak circulation of over three hundred fifty thousand. With accounts from…
I am a Man - Black Masculinity in America
This award-winning documentary links everyday black men from various socioeconomic backgrounds with some of Black America's most progressive academics, social critics and authors to provide an engaging, candid dialogue on black masculine identity in American culture. Featuring interviews with bell hooks, Michael Eric Dyson, John Henrick Clarke, Dr. Alvin Poussaint,…
bell hooks - Cultural Criticism & Transformation
bell hooks is one of America's most accessible public intellectuals. In this two-part video, extensively illustrated with many of the images under analysis, she makes a compelling argument for the transformative power of cultural criticism. In Part One, bell hooks discusses the theoretical foundations and positions that inform her work…
Stretch and Bobbito - Hip-Hop Radio That Changed Lives
SABOTEUR MEDIA
During the 1990s, Stretch and Bobbito introduced the world to an unsigned Nas, Biggie, Wu-Tang, and Big Pun as well as an unknown Jay-Z, Eminem, and the Fugees. The total record sales for all the artists that premiered on their radio show exceed 300 million. The late night program had…
Denying Brazil - Race and Racism on Brazilian Television
ArtMattan Films
A documentary film about the taboos, stereotypes, and struggles of Black actors in Brazilian television "soaps." Based on his own memories and on a sturdy body of research evidence, the director analyzes race relations in Brazilian soap operas, calling attention to their likely influence on Black people's identity-forming processes.
Mickey Mouse Monopoly - Disney, Childhood & Corporate Power
Part of the Series: MEF Debt & Consumerism Collection
The Disney Company's massive success in the 20th century is based on creating an image of innocence, magic and fun. Its animated films in particular are almost universally lauded as wholesome family entertainment, enjoying massive popularity among children and endorsement from parents and teachers. Mickey Mouse Monopoly takes a close…
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Woman at 1,000 Degrees by Halgrimur Helgason
Herbjorg Maria Bjornsson is an 80 year old woman living out her final days in a garage in Reykjavik Iceland. Her days consist of pills, vitamins and seducing younger men over the internet. It would be easy for her to be bitter especially since she has been cheated out of her money and is hardly ever visited by her sons and their families but she remains tough and tells us her story of survival during World War II. Her mother was never really there for her and her dad decided that Hitler made sense leaving them in Denmark while her enlisted. Herbjorg's experiences during the war started with her being left at a train station in Germany by her dad who had to get back to the war, told to wait for her mom who never came. Years of fending for herself and being taken advantage of by everyone made her tough as nails and she traveled to several countries before coming home to Iceland. The story is told journal style and it is a bit jumpy but that could be because it is a translation. Her story will bring tears to the hardest of hearts.
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Kat Sommers
London-based pop culture and comedy writer
Conjuring
November 17, 2013 Kat
Interesting blog post by Charles Thomson. I would go further and say at some point in the mid-90s the narrative around Michael Jackson changed, and he could do no right. People who had never listened to his later albums denounced them as flops. People who never read beyond the headlines called him a paedophile, and called me a crazy fan for thinking otherwise. It was this backdrop that fuelled the crazy fandom of those days, which in many ways was more zealous and committed than in his heyday. Who was responsible? I hesitate to call it "the media", as who are they really, and whose demand are they responding to but our own? Besides, it gets uncomfortably close to a conspiracy theory.
I think collectively we decided it was over, and initiated a bizarre ritual that required a few crazies (hello) to witness him until the very end. The kind of thing Charles describes happened on a daily basis when I was a fan, and eventually it wore me down and I gave up. I avoided any news about him, because despite knowing it would be 90% untrue, I also knew it would be compelling, grotesque and difficult to disbelieve. Belief is funny like that. It doesn't replace knowledge, just sits alongside it, and works on your greatest fear.
When it was all over and the pesky real person at the centre of it all was finally dead and buried, everyone could call themselves fans and play zombie dress-up. As Lady Gaga recently said, the world killed him.
So why did we do it? It would be simple to say it was the first allegations of child abuse, which surfaced in August 1993, but I suspect they were a symptom rather than the cause. Stories citing him as the "self-proclaimed" King of Pop had been circulating for a while, his over-the-top plastic surgeries were the focus of cruel and subsequently-proved to be fabricated photo close-ups. There was the odd behaviour, once so beloved, and the changing colour of his skin, which, frustratingly, he found difficult to address (possibly, as his autopsy confirmed, because it was due to a skin disease that is often debilitating to its sufferers). There was his supposed lack of musical success: 1991's Dangerous "only" sold 20 million. A radical departure from the Quincy Jones produced pop of his heyday, it is, in my opinion, his most interesting album artistically. Imagine what he might have produced if we'd let him.
But something more important was at work, and I believe it was the tragic trajectory that is at the heart of every narrative. Fly too close to the sun, and your wings will get burnt. Anyone with a success must suffer the backlash. The good die young, blah blah blah.
It's easy to blame his eccentricities, but they are what made him the most famous person on the planet. Eventually they set in motion a narrative that inspired fanaticism and ignominy in equal part, and eventually required an early death.
Okay, end nutcase missive. Back to the book. Can you tell I'm having trouble with chapter three?
In michael jackson, pop culture Tags charles thomson, michael jackson, story
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Home | Latest at the Library | New Tech Access Hotline Connects Public to Local Resources
New Tech Access Hotline Connects Public to Local Resources
Friday, May 4, 2018 3:11 pm
Where can someone purchase a home computer for as low as $60, get tips on using a smartphone, learn to use internet search engines, or find help filling out online applications for jobs, healthcare, and social services?
The answer starts with simply making a phone call.
In conjunction with National Digital Inclusion Week, May 7-11, 2018, the Kansas City Public Library is leading the launch of a new Tech Access hotline in partnership with the Digital Inclusion Coalition.
Residents can call the hotline number, 816-701-3606, Monday through Friday May 7-11 from 10 a.m. to noon. Digital Inclusion Coalition volunteers can provide guidance on technical resources across the Kansas City area, helping callers, for example, to find low-cost home internet service, low-cost or free refurbished devices, instructional classes, or one-on-one training.
After this week, people can call the number, leave a message, and a volunteer will call them back.
The hotline is not designed for tech support. Rather, it’s to help Kansas Citians who may not be online or who are connected and are looking to advance their computer skills.
Wendy Pearson, the Library’s coordinator for education and career advancement, says the goal is to connect people to resources. “Whatever a caller needs, the hotline will direct that person to the resources available in their neighborhoods and communities,” she says.
Several of those resources are organizations and agencies that are part of the Kansas City Digital Inclusion Coalition. The Library is a leading member of the coalition. Other high-profile members include the City of Kansas City, Missouri; the Unified Government of Kansas City, Kansas, and Wyandotte County; Connecting for Good; Literacy KC; and Kansas City Public Schools.
Pearson says the hotline represents the first time that coalition members are working together with a common goal of directing callers to organizations in the coalition.
“Several agencies, including the Library, offer training and appointments for one-on-one coaching and digital literacy,” she says. “But this is the first time that we’re going to be directly referring people to each other’s organizations to make sure callers get the resources they need.”
Says Carrie Coogan, the Library’s deputy director for public affairs and community engagement, “The big challenge of the digital divide is that people are not online, so how are they going to go to websites to find out how to get help. That’s why this hotline exists. It’s a phone number to call to find out where to get equipment, coaching, classes, and other resources, all close to where they live.”
After-hours callers to the hotline can leave a message. Calls will be returned within two business days.
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Bigger Picture Emerges Late to Win Dixiana Elkhorn
LEXINGTON, KY (April 20, 2019) – Three Diamonds Farm’s Bigger Picture rallied four wide in deep stretch to collar Red Knight and favored Zulu Alpha to post a half-length victory in the 34th running of the $250,000 Dixiana Elkhorn (G2) for 4-year-olds and up before a Saturday afternoon crowd of 17,256.
Trained by Mike Maker and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, Bigger Picture covered the 1½ miles on a yielding turf course in 2:32.00. The victory was the third in the race for Maker, who won with Dark Cove in 2013 and Da Big Hoss in 2016.
Final Copy led the field of 10 through fractions of :24.45, :50.31, 1:16.36 and 1:41.85 as Bigger Picture saved ground while running in midpack. On the far turn, Red Knight, Zulu Alpha and Tiz a Slam moved at the leader as Bigger Picture waited behind horses.
In the stretch, Final Copy dropped out of contention as did Tiz a Slam, leaving a two-way duel until just inside the sixteenth pole, when Bigger Picture emerged on the scene to draw clear in the final yards.
The victory was worth $150,000 and increased Bigger Picture’s earnings to $1,646,635 with a record of 40-13-7-5. It was his sixth graded stakes victory.
Bigger Picture is an 8-year-old Kentucky-bred gelded son of Badge of Silver out of the Honour and Glory mare Glory Dancer.
Bigger Picture returned $16.60, $7.60 and $4. Red Knight, ridden by Luis Saez, returned $6.60 and $4.20, with Zulu Alpha finishing another half-length back in third under Jose Ortiz and paying $2.40 to show.
It was another half-length back to Tiz a Slam, who was followed in order by Vettori Kin (BRZ), Canessar (FR), Hunter O’Riley, Final Copy, Leitone (CHI) and Soglio.
Today, Keeneland recognized pioneering female jockey Patti Barton and the 50th anniversary of her first win, which came May 30, 1969 at Pikes Peak Meadows in Colorado. Among the first women to be licensed as jockeys, Barton is the first female rider to win 1,000 races.
Barton, who competed mostly in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky and Illinois, won 1,202 races from 10,199 mounts during her career that continued until 1984. She scored one victory at Keeneland, which came during the 1981 Fall Meet.
Her three children – Leah, Donna and Jerry – all rode races. Donna – now a well-known TV analyst – won 1,083 races from 1987-1998.
Keeneland is closed tomorrow, Easter Sunday, but will resume racing Wednesday with an eight-race program that begins at 1:05 p.m. ET.
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Las Vegas business owner helps empower mothers with jobs
Hires freelancers, coaches women
Posted: 11:20 PM, May 23, 2018
By: Mahsa Saeidi
A Las Vegas business owner is helping to empower mothers by providing them with freelance work and career advice.
"People think that they've got to put their job first and I don't believe that," said Ginger L. Allen. Allen is the CEO of Your Marketing Liaison. She started her company five years ago.
Right now, she has eight mothers on the payroll as freelancers.
"I'm giving them enough work and I'm also coaching them on how to build their business," she said.
Allen says education and networking are key.
"To get to be a successful business person or an influencer," she said, "you have to fail many times and get back up."
Mom Marcella Nelson is one of the women who works for Allen. The photographer has a 6-month-old daughter named Sophia.
"I really feel like I'm blessed to do what I really love," she said.
Nelson is working to establish her business photographing newborns. She says success is all about time management.
"You will find time to be with your family, for yourself, and for your business," she said.
Allen says she is hiring. For more information, you can visit her website .
Allen shared two different Facebook groups for networking. The first is called Network of Women Business Owners . The second is called Women's Entrepreneur Network .
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Canada’s final five UNESCO World Heritage Sites stamps: What’s on them?
Canada’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites souvenir sheet includes perforated stamps with moisture-activated gum.
A 10-stamp booklet of Canada’s new UNESCO World Heritage Sites definitive stamps.
One of two new definitive stamps adapted from larger $1.20 UNESCO World Heritage Site commemoratives issued in 2016, this permanent-rate stamp depicts Labrador’s Red Bay Whaling Station, where Basque fishermen from Europe hunted and rendered whales from 1530 to 1600.
The most recent UNESCO World Heritage site in Canada, Mistaken Point at the southeastern edge of Newfoundland is home to the world’s oldest identified communities of large fossils, dating back 580 million years.
Located at the northernmost tip of Newfoundland, L’Anse aux Meadows is the remnant of an 11th-century Viking settlement, dating from the earliest known European presence in North America.
Founded by French explorer Samuel de Champlain in 1608, the Historic District of Old Quebec City is a rare surviving example of a fortified colonial town of New France. It is probably the best-known of the UNESCO World Heritage sites featured on the five Canadian definitives issued Jan. 16.
The last stamp in Canada’s UNESCO World Heritage sites saga is this permanent-rate definitive version of the revised and corrected stamp design introduced for Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alberta. The revised stamp was issued Aug. 21, 2015, to replace an earlier $1.20 commemorative with an incorrect image that had been issued July 3 and was swiftly withdrawn.
“UNESCO, World Heritage in Canada” and “Canada 150” logos, as well as the Canadian flag, are all visible under ultraviolet light in the tagged margins above each stamp in this enlargement of a booklet photographed under ultraviolet light.
By Fred Baumann
On Jan. 16, Canada Post issued the final installment in its series of stamps depicting UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Canada. The set includes five “P” permanent domestic letter-rate stamps (currently 85¢) in die-cut 10- and 30-stamp self-adhesive booklets and a five-stamp perforated and moisture-activated souvenir sheet.
These World Heritage sites, of which Canada has 18, are designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to single them out for preservation as places of outstanding cultural, natural and historic importance.
Newly depicted on this year’s issue are the celebrated Historic District of Old Quebec City, Quebec; and two sites in Newfoundland, L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site and Mistaken Point.
As was the case with the UNESCO Heritage Sites stamps issued by Canada Jan. 11, 2016, the new set sees the return of two previously used large $1.20 commemorative designs downsized for definitive use at the permanent rate.
These depict the Red Bay Basque Whaling Station in Labrador and the revised and corrected stamp design for Dinosaur Provincial Park in Alberta. The latter (Scott 2857-2858) was issued Aug. 21, 2015, to replace the $1.20 Dinosaur Provincial Park stamp with an incorrectly identified image that had been issued July 3 (2844, 2847a) and swiftly withdrawn.
Hoodoo Snafu: Canada to scrap and replace $1.20 Dinosaur Park in UNESCO Heritage Site issue: One of five new stamps celebrating UNESCO World Heritage Sites was found to have the wrong image.
Whereas the original UNESCO Historic Sites stamps in 2014 were released in a larger commemorative size with room for descriptions of the sites in white lettering across the bottom of the stamps,
UNESCO sites stamps issued as definitives last year and now in January 2017 have no such luxury.
Instead, they use microprinting that can be hard to see even under a magnifier to name the historic sites shown, in both of Canada’s official languages. It’s not a perfect solution, but it may make you glad to have a magnifying glass.
The Historic District of Old Quebec City is familiar to the throngs of tourists who have visited the heart of Canada’s oldest provincial capital, founded by French explorer Samuel de Champlain in 1608. It is a rare surviving example of a fortified colonial town of New France.
Situated at the tip of Newfoundland’s Great Northern Peninsula, L’Anse aux Meadows is an archaeological site that held the remnants of an 11th-century Viking settlement of timber-framed turf buildings similar to those from contemporaneous sites in Norse Greenland and Iceland, clear evidence of the earliest European presence in North America.
Located at the extreme southeastern corner of the island, Mistaken Point was dedicated in 2016 as Canada’s newest UNESCO World Heritage Site, named for the hazards of navigation that have claimed more than 50 ships over the centuries.
Its significance, however, dates back some 580 million years, as its rugged coast displays the world’s oldest identified communities of large fossils, the first such sizable, complex organisms known on Earth.
Beginning in 1530, Basque sailors at the Red Bay Whaling Station spent summers hunting bowhead and right whales that once teemed in the Strait of Belle Isle between Labrador and Newfoundland. The extensive site was a base for coastal hunting, butchering, rendering of whale fat by heating and storage of valuable whale oil, which was shipped to Europe.
A larger $1.20 commemorative version of this stamp was issued July 3, 2015, (Scott 2847), paying the basic Canadian letter-rate to the United States.
Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1979, Dinosaur Provisional Park “contains some of the most important fossil discoveries ever made from the ‘Age of Reptiles’, in particular about 35 species of dinosaur, dating back some 75 million years,” according to UNESCO.
10 of Canada Post’s most outstanding stamps of the last 10 years: Fred Baumann highlights one Canadian issue for each year of the past decade that is outstanding in one way or another — stamps that merit a look back.
As definitives, the booklet versions of these stamps have no fixed print runs. All are printed in four-color offset lithography by Canadian Bank Note.
“UNESCO, World Heritage in Canada” and “Canada 150” logos, as well as the Canadian flag, are all visible under ultraviolet light in the tagged margin above each stamp.
The 10-stamp booklet, Canada Post order number 111231, contains two of each stamp design, while the 30-stamp booklet, 111232, contains six of each.
The stamps also were produced in a five-stamp souvenir sheet, order number 411231145, of which 100,000 were printed. The souvenir sheet measures 130 millimeters by 71mm, and the stamps are 24mm by 20mm.
Also available are 8,000 souvenir sheet official first-day covers canceled in Trepassey, Newfoundland, a fishing port near Mistaken Point, 411231144, price $5.25, and five prepaid international-rate picture postal cards, selling for $2.50 each.
Lara Minja, of Lime Design based in Victoria, British Columbia, created the stamp designs.
As on the first UNESCO World Heritage Sites stamps issued by Canada in 2014, these booklet stamps are self-adhesive and die-cut to simulate perforations, and the souvenir sheets have moisture-activated gum and conventional perforations.
These stamps and related items are available here. Stamps and FDCs are available by mail order from Canada Post Customer Service, Box 90022, 2701 Riverside Drive, Ottawa, ON K1V 1J8 Canada; or by telephone from the United States or Canada at 800-565-4362, and from other countries at 902-863-6550.
Canada’s stamps and stamp products also are available from many new-issue stamp dealers, and from Canada Post’s agent in the United States: Interpost, Box 420, Hewlett, NY 11557.
Oct 7, 2016, 5 AM
Breaking down Canada’s newest NHL stamps
Jan 8, 2017, 9 AM
Canada Post recently began a trial of computer-vended stamp labels
Canada hides sesquicentennial references in its Year of the Rooster stamps
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Home Columns Religion Partners in Mission in Liberia Impressed By Scholarship Results
Partners in Mission in Liberia Impressed By Scholarship Results
Rev. Abeoseh M. Flemister, Director of PIMIL and leader of the mission trip to Liberia along with Jerrilynn Kaiser, Board member of PIMIL Council and sponsor of two PIMIL students
The Partners-in-Ministry-in-Liberia (PIMIL), a United States-based organization, says it is impressed with the level of impact and result from its scholarship program in the country. Rev. Abeoseh M. Flemister, Director of PIMIL and leader of the mission trip to Liberia, said the purpose of their visit was to build a relationship with the 156 voluntarily sponsored scholarship students in the country and explain what the program entails.
“The delegation is very impressed with what they have seen, and interestingly, every member of this dedication has individual sponsors. Churches have sponsors as well,” Madam Flemister told the Daily Observer in an exclusive interview when she and her delegation visited the newspaper’s Paynesville premises. Rev. Flemister said the delegation also brought in a huge consignment of school supplies, to help children as part of its support for their education.
“We visited four places, including Monrovia, Robertsport, and Gbarnga. We also had workshops in every place visited, to allow the people to get an understanding of the ministry, what it is about and what is expected of those who are being helped. She said PIMIL currently has pending files of requests from parents who are desirous of being part of the initiative, but said it was difficult to promise everyone to be part of the program considering it is the result of voluntary sponsorship.
Madam Flemister said the support is considered as a scholarship assistance, because supporting a child to go to school was a bit challenging for anyone, considering her experience in Liberia. Since the founding, she said, the scholarship program has been opened to all God’s children and not from a particular school or church in Liberia. The initiative is about nation building, she added.
Some members of the delegation in picture during the interview at the Daily Observer in Monrovia
According to her, beneficiaries of the PIMIL are basically selected by the local priests in Liberia who usually sent contacts on the needs of a child or children, while others apply using the official website of PIMIL. During the Ebola Virus outbreak in Liberia, she said, “it was a priest who contacted the organization, calling for support to enable children to go to school and also provide other support needs.
“We offer basic education from primary to high school and also provide one year scholarship to university for those who graduate from high school. This is intended to allow them get their bearing, footing of where they want to go in terms of becoming a lawyer, nurse, teacher or accountant, among others. Some sponsors move beyond,” she said.
During our visit to beneficiaries of the scholarships, Madam Flemister said, “The students or beneficiaries were urged to continue their studies and will not be forgotten. We will continue the support, because we want them to be empowered.” According to her, those who have individual sponsorship are very fortunate, because many of the sponsors will decide to continue with the program beyond the one year at university.
To address Liberia’s weak or messy education system, Madam Flemister said library remains the tool for ongoing and sustaining education, noting that it will address the country’s “weak or messy” education problem. “We visited the Episcopal Elementary School in Robertsport and not a single book was on the shelf; and teachers even complained that people take away whatever books we get. So we need security to protect these books when provided,” she said.
Madam Flemister said there are future plans by PIMIL to invest in a library in the country, considering the importance to improving student’s knowledge and performance. PIMIL is collaborating to ensure the establishment of some libraries. Madam Flemister recalled that the Ministry started over 20 years ago in different stages during the civil crisis, which led to the death of over 250,000 Liberians, including her only brother.
“From my sad experience,” she said, “I began telling my story and sharing it with friends in the USA, and one of our members indicated that the death of my brother became a seed of this ministry and for the first time, I was able to connect in a very powerful and intimate way to the history of Liberia. This is an outreach program that is intended to provide scholarship assistance for children, including economically challenged children as the result of the civil war and others.
When something bad happened to you, you have two choices: either to go and continue in the way of the past or to make something come good after that bad experience,” Madam Flemister said. “We choose to go the right ways, because of what was happening. Many young people were conscripted in the war, called child soldiers. We know the level of injustice that was inflicted on Liberia and the level of devastation that we are still recovering from as a nation and people.
According to her, when the Ebola virus hit Liberia in 2014, “PIMIL got the news with people calling for support. We heard parents saying that their children were dying, so the Ministry continued to expand and reach out to people on how to alleviate poverty. As we moved telling the story about Liberia, different churches began to support the organization, to ensure that more children benefited. Many of our friends and partners asked to come see the children who are benefiting from the program,” she said.
According to her, the trip has been in the pipeline since 2009 and has today come to reality, with everyone celebrating the results coming from the children and the money and support in other areas so far. Jerrilynn Kaiser, Board member of PIMIL Council and sponsor of two PIMIL students, said she was pleased with the impact of the program and will continue to support Liberian students. “I am going back with a lot more understanding of the needs of the children and the country.
Mr. Mohammed Ahmad and Mrs Lubna Ahmad from the Islamic Society in Columbus Ohio at the Daily Observer during the interview
It’s one thing to be told and seeing is another thing. This increases my desire to help,” she said. Madeleine Trichel, PIMIL supporter from Trinity Episcopal Church, Columbus , Ohio, who is a Sunday School Teacher, said her church supports five students “through our Sunday school children. “The children collect money one time in a month from the congregation and give to PIMIL for scholarships. We supported five students. We also sent money for a Christmas party for children.
We also sent money for solar power for 12 students in order to do their home work,” she noted. According to her, she was delighted in meeting the five children, including their parents, during her visit in the country and will deliver a good message about them upon her return to the US. Interestingly, “The children are so eager to learn. Some want to be lawyer, nurse, an agriculturist, priest, and social justice among others. We will support them through this basic education plus one year in higher education,” she said.
According to her, she was able to identify some of the challenges facing the children, and remains more committed to supporting them, adding: “I will work with my congregation to raise money and help with more children.” Also speaking, Mrs. Lubna Ahmad said, “We have a common goal of PIMIL because we believe that this is an interfaith project and calls for the need to serve humanity irrespective of religious differences.
We believe in the goal of PIMIL, which is to educate and fulfill the essential needs of those in education.” Mrs. Ahmad said she and her husband have already made a plan to sponsor three children, because of our great impression garnered from the children and their parents.
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vijaya May 7, 2018 at 2:36 am
i am greatly impressed,absolutely incredible ,thank you
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Peter Curran (Y.N.Mator - 2017 Independent Candidate) on “Tone Down, Calm the Storm”
James McGill on Boakai, Weah Meet Ahead of June 7 Protest
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Joseph Vallo - Overview
Joseph Vallo
joseph.vallo@lockelord.com
Joe Vallo concentrates his practice on securities arbitration and mediation as well as securities litigation. He has wide-ranging experience in retail brokerage compliance in domestic and international markets.
Prior to going into private practice, Joe was Senior Vice President and Senior Litigation Counsel for Wachovia Securities, LLC, now known as Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, where he supervised its major litigations and arbitrations. Previously, he served as the senior vice president and director of compliance for TD Waterhouse Group, Inc. and the divisional compliance director at Salomon Smith Barney, Inc. where he was also the director of International Private Client Group Compliance.
Board of Directors, Latinos Salud
All Types News Articles News Release
Joe Vallo’s Arrival to Locke Lord as Partner in West Palm Beach Profiled in Law360
Articles June 12, 2018
Seasoned Securities Arbitration and Litigation Lawyer Joseph Vallo Joins Locke Lord as Partner in West Palm Beach
News Release June 6, 2018
Banking & Financial Institutions Litigation
J.D., New York Law School, 1984
B.A., Political Science, State University of New York at Cortland, 1979
Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
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Summary of the 2019 MCC AGM
Posted: 2 May 2019
M.C.C. held its 232nd Annual General Meeting at Lord’s on Wednesday 1st May.
Sangakkara set to become President
The meeting opened with the announcement of former Sri Lanka international Kumar Sangakkara as the next President of M.C.C.
A current member of M.C.C.’s World Cricket committee, Sangakkara has made both a Test and an ODI century at Lord’s, both in 2014. When his one-year term of office begins on 1st October 2019, he will become the first non-British President.
First female Chairman of Cricket
The appointment of former England international Claire Taylor as the Club’s first female Chairman of Cricket was one of a number of further changes approved by Members.
Taylor, who has been a Member since 2003, is currently serving as an elected member of the Main Committee and had a six-year stint chairing the Women’s Cricket sub-committee.
She holds the ODI batting record at Lord’s, 156 not out made against India Women in 2006. Her Honours Boards profile can be read below.
£52m redevelopment given green light
Members voted to approve the redevelopment of the Compton and Edrich stands at Lord’s, which are situated at the Nursery End, opposite the Grade II*-listed Pavilion.
The designs for the new stands, drawn up by WilkinsonEyre Architects (twice winners of the RIBA Stirling Prize), received widespread acclaim since their unveiling in the summer of 2018. The project is the largest, most complex and, at £52m, the most expensive, ever undertaken by M.C.C. and work is set to commence on site in late August, after the Specsavers Test Match between England and Australia.
Internal Code of Conduct introduced
Members voted overwhelmingly to approve the inclusion of an internal Code of Conduct (see below), highlighting the Club’s stance that poor behaviour will not be tolerated.
Whilst disciplinary procedures were already included in the Club’s Rules, it was felt that a Code of Conduct, defining in more detail the behaviour expected of MCC Members, is both timely and necessary, reflecting the increasingly diverse profile of the Membership and the current positive period of change for M.C.C.
Members’ Code of Conduct
Cricket owes much of its appeal and enjoyment to the fact that it should be played not only according to the Laws, but also within the Spirit of Cricket. Respect is central to the Spirit of Cricket. Cricket is an exciting game that encourages leadership, friendship and teamwork, which brings together people from different nationalities, cultures and religions.
In the same way, M.C.C. expects that Members respect and support each other, the Club, Lord’s and all who visit or work there. Any conduct demonstrating a failure to show respect, including abusive, discriminatory or inappropriate behaviour or language, will be considered a breach of the Rules of the Club and render a Member liable to expulsion or suspension from the Club as provided by Rule 6 of the Rules of the Club.
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Muller appointed as dean of LSSU’s College of Innovation and Solutions
December 11, 2018 /in LSSU News /by John Shibley
Lake Superior State University has appointed Dr. Kimberly Muller to full dean of the university’s College of Innovation and Solutions, comprised of LSSU’s School of Engineering & Technology, the School of Mathematics & Computer Science, and the Lukenda School of Business. Muller has been fulfilling the role as interim since last July.
LSSU president, Dr. Rodney Hanley said “Dr. Muller is a stellar choice to serve as our dean of the College of Innovation and Solutions. I have observed her strong dedication and creativity in many areas, and her leadership has elevated her college to the next level of achievement.”
LSSU provost and vice president for academic affairs, Lynn Gillette said, “Dr. Muller has been an outstanding faculty member for many years. Over the past few months, she has excelled in her role as interim dean. She is widely respected across campus, and she knows how to work with faculty to get things done. We are delighted to appoint her as dean of the College of Innovation and Solutions.”
Muller started at LSSU as an assistant professor of mathematics in 2004, receiving tenure and a promotion to associate professor in Aug. 2009 with elevation to full professor in 2016. Prior to serving as interim dean, she served as the chair of the School of Mathematics and Computer Science for three years. She received a bachelor’s degree in math from Hardin-Simmons University, along with a masters and doctorate – both in math – from the University of North Texas.
Dr. Kimberly Muller
“I have enjoyed working with the three Schools over the last four months,” said Muller. “The new leadership, under President Hanley and Provost Gillette, has been extremely supportive. The faculty members are committed to student success and our students are doing some incredible work.”
The three schools under her new mandate have recently accumulated some pretty impressive laurels.
Students in the Lukenda School of Business, she pointed out, scored far above the national average on the ETS Major Field Test: the 98th percentile in accounting and the 93rd percentile in international issues.
“In mathematics, 100% of our majors taking the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification have passed in the last six years,” said Muller. “In computer science and computer networking, our students complete sophomore and senior projects that serve our community, experiences that have helped land outstanding jobs all over the country, including places like Google, Ford, IBM and Aerotek/TARDEC.”
LSSU engineering students complete senior design projects for industrial partners and have 100% job placement after graduation, she added.
“Engineering graduates are helping to fill the talent gap in Michigan,” said Muller. “We also have an exciting new program in robotics and new professional certificate programs in e-marketing and international business. I’m very proud to lead this group and I am excited about the future at LSSU.”
Muller is also very involved in the Sault Ste. Marie community. She serves on the advisory board for the Eastern Upper Peninsula Economic Development Center. She has served on advisory and planning committees, respectively, for the Eastern Upper Peninsula (EUP) Intermediate School District and the EUP Math Teachers’ Circle. She has lead professional development workshops for teachers in the Upper Peninsula and in the Northern Lower Peninsula.
In the past, Muller has volunteered at Lincoln Elementary School and been a task force committee member for SOAR, an organization that addresses the needs of the LGBTQ youth and young adults in Sault Ste. Marie.
https://www.lssu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/LSSUKimberlyMullerStudio7045.jpg 3600 2400 John Shibley /wp-content/uploads/2016/01/headerlogo_white-300x80.png John Shibley2018-12-11 08:58:382018-12-11 09:13:07Muller appointed as dean of LSSU’s College of Innovation and Solutions
Help Clean Up Ashmun CreekJuly 12, 2019 - 9:00 am
30th Annual Lake State Golf ClassicJuly 11, 2019 - 1:18 pm
United Way Honors LSSUJune 17, 2019 - 11:02 am
March 2000 – July 2017
LSSU students to present senior research results Nov. 30-Dec.1 Nomination season winds down for 44th annual Banished Word List
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Luxoft announces corporate presence at CEBIT 2007
London & New York & Moscow, February 20, 2007 - Luxoft, one of Russia’s leading providers of IT outsourcing services to companies such as IBM, Dell, Deutsche Bank, T-Mobile and others, today announced its presence at CeBIT, the world’s largest trade fair showcasing digital IT and telecommunications solutions for businesses and consumers. CeBIT takes place in Hannover, Germany on the 15th to 21st March 2007.
As one of Russia’s major players on the global IT stage, Luxoft’s presence at the show dovetails with the fact that Russia is one of the major sponsors at this year’s trade fair. The crux of Russia’s support of CeBIT is the German-Russian IT Summit, which will be opened by President Vladimir Putin and Chancellor Angela Merckel. Luxoft’s CEO, Dmitry Loschinin, will also have a speaking platform at this event, addressing the gathering on Russian/German cooperation in IT markets.
At CeBIT, Luxoft will be exhibiting in hall No 4 and at stand C54. At the stand, Luxoft will demonstrate seven areas of expertise, including: CRM; document management; PLM; 3D gaming; publishing; embedded systems; and LUXproject, an integrated, Web-based solution for supporting and driving the creation and maintenance of software by distributed development teams. In addition, Luxoft will also host educational seminars at the stand to highlight its expertise in CRM, document management and embedded systems.
Dmitry Loschinin comments: "CeBIT is an important venue for Russian companies this year as it allows us to address rapidly growing interest from European customers to utilize Russian IT services. In just the past year, Luxoft's European customer base has doubled. We see it as a very positive indicator of growing European market share and look forward to further expanding it."
"Luxoft has made a significant mark on the industry since its founding and sets the global standard for complex IT outsourcing (ITO)," Loschinin continues. "We have just been recognized as the global number one product engineering vendor in the Black Book of Outsourcing and also just earned the "Best Employer of Russia/Leaders in the Russian Economy" award.
Loschinin further explains that Luxoft has a top quality work force, consistently high employee retention rate at an industry remarkable 94 percent, domain expertise that is second to none and client engagement model that brings clarity, engineering discipline and predictability to outsourcing processes from the very beginning. Loschinin states that "Luxoft is representative of Russian IT business at its best and we look forward to demonstrating our strengths as a company at CeBIT."
Luxoft, founded in 2000, is a global software developer and IT services exporter with operations in the US, Canada, UK, Ukraine and Russia. Luxoft has the world’s largest delivery capabilities in Russia and CIS.
Luxoft provides a full range of custom software development services and enjoys long-term relationships with clients including some of the best-known global business leaders, such as Boeing, Deutsche Bank, IBM and Dell. Luxoft also works closely with many mid-size growth companies and independent software vendors (ISVs).
Luxoft’s software development processes meet the highest quality standards, and the company was the first in Europe to achieve Level 5 CMMI quality certification. Luxoft runs research and offshore Russian development centers in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Dubna and Omsk as well as centres in Kiev and Odessa, Ukraine and Vancouver, Canada.
Luxoft has been named the world’s number one IT Outsourcing Product Engineering vendor in the 2006 Black Book of Outsourcing. The company won the National Outsourcing Association’s “Financial Outsourcing Project of the Year 2006” award for its work with Deutsche Bank. Luxoft has recently been acknowledged by BusinessWeek as the top emerging outsourcing provider in Russia and Eastern Europe. Luxoft was the only IT company to be recognized with a Russia’s Best Employer 2006 awards given by the Russian Chamber of Commerce and other leading Russian employment and business agencies.
Luxoft media contacts
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Apple Music, Apple Books, Apple Podcasts, and iTunes Gain New 'Best of 2018' Sections
Tuesday December 4, 2018 5:24 AM PST by Mitchel Broussard
This week, Apple shared a new press release that highlighted the best music, movies, television shows, podcasts, and books of 2018. With the announcement, Apple has now rolled out new sections in each service that highlight these pieces of media under an all-new "Best of 2018" category.
Throughout 2018 we’ve been celebrating the creativity of app developers, musicians, writers and storytellers across the Apple community. As the year draws to a close, we’re thrilled to highlight some of our favorites — and yours. https://t.co/7PWIMiEOdg
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) December 4, 2018
You can check out all of the new Best of 2018 collections in the Browse tabs of Apple Music and Apple Podcasts, and the Book Store tab of Apple Books. On iTunes, the section can be found by scrolling down a bit, underneath the New and Noteworthy category.
Starting with Apple Music, the central Browse tab has a few new cards today that celebrate the Artist of the Year (Drake), Album of the Year (Kacey Musgraves' "Golden Hour"), Song of the Year (Cardi B's "I Like It"), and Breakthrough Artist of the Year (Juice WRLD). Apple also accumulates all of this into a centralized Best of 2018 hub that breaks down each artist and album with text by Apple Music's editors.
This area also includes the new Best of 2018 Playlist, which Apple explains was created by dozens of Apple Music editors from all over the world and includes 100 of the best tracks of the year, across genres. There are also Top 100 playlists for the United States and Global, a full list of the top 100 most-streamed albums of the year, a look back at 2018's Up Next artists, and a Beats 1 Radio year-in-review special.
On iTunes, Apple has a Best of 2018 list with all of the movies and TV shows that dominated the year. Films include Black Panther (Movie of the Year), Annihilation, Crazy Rich Asians, Eighth Grade, Green Book, Hereditary, Incredibles 2, A Star is Born, and Won't You Be My Neighbor?
TV shows include Killing Eve, The Americans, Atlanta, Barry, The Expanse, The Good Fight, The Good Place, The Handmaid's Tale, Pose, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Over in Apple Books, Apple highlights An American Marriage, The Library Book, Educated, The Witch Elm, Light It Up, Too Wilde to Wed, When Life Gives You Lululemons, Spinning Silver, There There, and Harbor Me as the best reads of 2018.
The Audiobooks tab also has a Best of 2018 section, including An American Marriage, 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, Something in the Water, Long Road to Mercy, Becoming, Dare to Lead, Girl, Wash Your Face, Rebound, Calypso, and The Great Alone.
On the Browse tab of Apple Podcasts, a similar Best of 2018 collection can be found. For the best Podcasts of the year, Apple's Podcasts editors chose In the Dark, Caliphate, The Dream, Slow Burn, Dr. Death, Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, Bubble, Wolverine: The Long Night, 99% Invisible, Serial, Bundyville, This American Life, Revisionist History, and A Very Fatal Murder.
Apple also highlighted the Most Downloaded Shows of 2018 and Most Downloaded New Shows of 2018 in this section, including Podcasts like The Daily, Pod Save America, and Conspiracy Theories.
You can also check out the best iOS and macOS apps of the year, which we shared in a post last night. Some of the notable apps picked by Apple include Procreate Pocket, Gorogoa, Pixelmator Pro, and Alto's Odyssey.
Tags: Podcasts, Apple Music Guide, Apple Books
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More Beats 1 details emerge: Elton John, Dr. Dre, and Pharrell get their own shows
Apple enlists famous artists to help Beats 1 capture listeners.
By Caitlin McGarry
Staff Writer, Macworld | PT
Apple Music’s Beats 1 just might turn out to be the global radio station you never knew you wanted, but can’t live without.
The Internet radio station will be curated and hosted by three well-known DJs and broadcast around the world 24 hours a day. Apple has also enlisted famous artists to host shows on Beats 1. Elton John, Dr. Dre, Drake, Pharrell Williams, St. Vincent, and Jaden Smith are among the musicians signed to curate blocks on the station at launch. Beats 1 will also feature celebrity interviews, beginning with Eminem on launch week. (Strange choice—I would’ve gone with Taylor Swift, who just announced that her bestselling album 1989 will stream at Apple Music's launch.)
Beats 1 starts broadcasting at 8 a.m. Pacific on Tuesday, June 30, Apple Music Senior Director Ian Rogers tweeted Thursday.
[ Further reading: The best over-the-air TV antennas for cord cutters ]
New details about the service were revealed in a New York Times profile of radio personality Zane Lowe, the Los Angeles-based voice of Beats 1, who Apple poached from Britain’s BBC Radio 1. Lowe certainly has chops, and is known for predicting the meteoric rise of artists like Adele and Ed Sheeran, but bringing live radio to an app has never been done before in this way. Do people even want human-curated soundtracks anymore?
“The whole thing could be a total, abject disaster,” Lowe told the Times.
The newspaper notes that 243 million people still listen to terrestrial radio in the U.S. each week. SiriusXM, the satellite radio service that is most comparable to Beats 1, has 28 million subscribers. Pandora has 80 million monthly active users. People obviously love the mindlessness of letting a DJ (or an algorithm) pick which tracks to play. Apple has an advantage over its radio rivals: Beats 1 comes packaged with Apple Music, which offers on-demand streaming. Terrestrial radio, SiriusXM, and Pandora don’t have that. Apple Music will also come preinstalled on iPhones as part of iOS 8.4., making it immediately and easily accessible.
Why this matters: With the going rate for streaming services pegged at $9.99 a month, Apple has to differentiate Apple Music with features instead of price. Beats 1 is a gamble, one that didn’t sound so appealing at first, but as new details emerge, the station has potential to be a huge selling point—or a complete flop. How will Apple measure its success? Lowe said if Beats 1 helps a new artist break out and become a global sensation, even if the service doesn’t last, it will have been worth it.
Caitlin McGarry is Macworld's Staff Writer. She covers Apple news, health and fitness technology, and anything wearable.
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Sally Field on Falling for a Man Half Her Age in 'Hello, My Name Is Doris'
Sally Field, in “Hello, My Name Is Doris”
Sally Field on Developing Her ‘Intricate’ Character in ‘Hello, My Name Is Doris’
Funny and quirky, “Hello, My Name Is Doris” stars Sally Field as a socially awkward 60-something office worker who falls for a colleague half her age. Though a broad comedy, the movie calls on Field to make believable a woman who could easily tumble into caricature and stereotype.
“She was a very intricate character to develop and hold on to,” Field, 69, tells Made in Hollywood. “It’s important that she be a real person with real problems that you feel all the time.”
Explaining that there’s “a lot of Doris in all of us,” Field adds, “Every part of our life, every stage of our life, we’re challenged to change and move into new territory, where we’re young and we don’t know what we’re doing, and we’re awkward and we’re new.”
Max Greenfield and Sally Field Have ‘Chemistry’ in ‘Hello, My Name Is Doris’
Max Greenfield, 35, who plays John Fremont, the object of Doris’ affection, says, “I think it’s a really sweet story about two people who are kind of looking for a connection in life and don’t have one at a specific time, and meet each other and are kind of, you know, find something interesting and sweet about the other.”
Greenfield’s character finds comfort in his much older coworker, as he has trouble connecting with anybody else. “[He] found this really safe, trusting home with her, and loved it and found somebody who got him, and vice versa,” he explains. “And I think that’s what added to the chemistry of these two characters.”
The Michael Showalter-directed film, which also stars Beth Behrs and Peter Gallagher, arrives in theaters on Friday. — Dahvi Shira.
Watch the Made in Hollywood interview with Sally Field and Max Greenfield for “Hello, My Name Is Doris” below:
Sally Field Falls In Love With A Much Younger Co-Worker in ‘Hello, My Name is Doris’
Garry Shandling Dead at 66: See His Last Appearance
Sally Field Knocks Her 'Amazing Spider-Man' Character Aunt May
Weekend Preview: 'Hello, My Name Is Doris,' '10 Cloverfield Lane' and More
Zoe Kravitz and Miles Teller Talk 'Allegiant' Stunts
Christian Bale Talks Working Without a Script on 'Knight of Cups'
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Why Woody Harrelson Goes Ape Over Andy Serkis
Andy Serkis and Woody Harrelson from War for the Planet of the Apes
No more monkey business.f In “War for the Planet of the Apes,” Woody Harrelson‘s ruthless Colonel will stop at nothing.
“The Colonel is a guy who believes, maybe rightly or wrongly, the only way that humanity will survive is that if the apes don’t. So he is an enemy of the apes,” Harrelson tells Made in Hollywood reporter Patrik Stinson. “That really sets up this whole contest between Caesar and the colonel and his soldiers.”
And what a contest it is. Taking place three years after “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” Caesar (Andy Serkis) and his apes clash with an army of humans led by the The Colonel, forcing Caesar to wrestle with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind.
“An event happens at the beginning of the movie that sends him off,” explains Serkis. “He suffers a personal loss, and sends him off on a trajectory of hate and rage and revenge.”
War of the Planet of the Apes – Starring Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson
It’s a performance that had Harrelson blown away.
“There’s times I would do a scene with him and I’d be like: What he does is so deep,” the actor says. “It’s the depth of feeling that really connects to an audience. And he goes deep.”
What Movies Are Out: Power Rangers, CHIPS, Wilson
'The Hunger Games - Mockingjay Part 2' IMAX Poster Debuts
New 'Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2' Trailer Reveals Monsters and Traps
Jennifer Lawrence Debuts New 'Hunger Games' Poster
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Campaign for an Independent Britain
At election time we know that politicians are not on oath to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. They put their cases as favourably as they can but they are not entitled deliberately to misinform. You would expect a lawyer and former Crown Law Officer to be aware of this. Dominic Grieve, the former Attorney General appears either to have no regard for truth or to be remarkably ignorant of the law even though he is a practising barrister.
The Guardian reports him saying that 2 million UK citizens working in Europe would become illegal immigrants overnight if Britain were to leave the EU. This is a massive untruth. People who have acquired rights of residence will still have those rights even if the EU treaties cease. They are known as “acquired rights”, “executed rights” or “vested rights”. They are so firmly established that they have acquired the status of “customary law” which means that they stand as a fundamental principle of international law, not needing a specific treaty to confirm them. There is even a parliamentary briefing note about it . So Mr. Grieve has no excuse.
Unfortunately Mr Grieve stands in a long line of deceivers concerning the EU, starting with the late Sir Edward Heath who assured everybody in 1971 that joining it involved “no essential loss of sovereignty”. Years later on television he admitted that he knew all about the project for the Euro currency and for a United States of Europe at the time he said this.
Even that enthusiastic Europhile Lord Hattersley half admitted the truth deficit on a Radio 4 programme (3 Feb 2000) . “Not only was it wrong for us to deal superficially with what Europe involved, but we’ve paid the price for it ever since, because every time there is a crisis in Europe, people say, with some justification, “Well we would not have been part of this if we’d really known the implication””. Mr Grieve’s scaremongering about the effects of a British exit from the EU is plainly a crude attempt to stir up FUD (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt) among the expatriate community in a manner completely unsupported by the facts. UK citizens who have been resident in an EU member state will have the right to continue as residents, after the UK leaves the EU.
Edward Spalton
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Blackout Month
Why My Relationships Never Make It to “I Love You”
Jenna Birch
After my last relationship ended, I had a revelation: Despite feeling love for my partner and — I think, anyway — showing love, I could not say, “I love you.” Not when he flew across the country for my birthday, nor when we talked under the starlight at an AirBnB in the middle of a Redwood forest. I couldn’t say it when he laid his head on my chest the last night of my week-long stay in California, nor when he actually listened to me after a serious discussion we had about relationship needs.
When I try to unpack my hesitation, I find only a tangled web of not-quite-right theories. Was it because he didn’t say it first? I don’t think I subscribe to any rules around that, gendered or otherwise. Did I think he didn’t care? No, he was emotive and affirming, and I felt safe. Did I not really love him? That doesn’t feel like it either; I believe love is often felt before it’s said. But then why didn’t I say it?
The simplest answer, I’m afraid to admit, is that I’m nervous about what comes after. There’s something about saying those three little words that marks a transition in your relationship; once you say it once, you’re expected to keep saying it. You usually don’t break up with someone you just started to love; you can’t back away from that word. Usually, saying “I love you” means you’re all in. Or so I think it should, in an ideal world.
I asked Karla Ivankovich, PhD, a clinical counselor at OnePatient Global Health, to explore this subject with me. She agreed there are probably a few factors contributing to my verbal block, like a fear of rejection, for instance, even if I did feel “safe” in my relationship. “There is such profound concern with being fiercely independent today, and saying ‘I love you’ makes you vulnerable,” she says.
I’ve only expressed love one time. My first boyfriend told me he was falling in love with me, and a few weeks later, we exchanged the words for real. The next day, he broke up with me. We ultimately did get back together — he said he ended things out of fear and I believed him — but I hated that I hadn’t seen his reaction coming. I pride myself on that. If I can predict outcomes, I can save myself pain.
There’s a part of me that thinks I’m always searching for signs someone will leave before they actually do. Signs they’ll get scared and bow out. “Longevity has always been the hallmark of successful relationships, and many still hope [for] that,” Ivankovich says. “But modern relationships are difficult to traverse. Each person, while interested in being a couple, is still extremely independent. They fear the ‘me’ becoming a ‘we.’”
I don’t personally fear becoming a “we,” but I do fear the other person will not want it as much as I do. I often fall in love with men who are similar to me: ambitious, passionate, focused on careers and goals that have high potential to pull us apart. I typically start forecasting the future after only a few months, or even weeks. And while I’ve often seen friends use the word “love” very quickly in relationships, I can’t fathom myself doing that. Instead, “love” feels like a word I need to protect — in part because I believe it’s more than a feeling; it’s a choice that needs to be made consistently.
I may have felt love for him, and he may have felt love for me, but perhaps I didn’t believe the verb would carry on past the noun.
When I think of the last few guys I’ve dated, the consistency wasn’t always there. Take my recent ex, for example, who would frequently forget about scheduled phone calls or prioritize me differently than I would have hoped. I may have felt love for him, and he may have felt love for me, but perhaps I didn’t believe the verb would carry on past the noun.
Historically, I’ve been pretty commitment-shy in romantic relationships, not because I fear it, but probably because I take it very seriously. Committing to love another person isn’t always pleasant, is often self-sacrificing, and I want to feel that both my partner and I are mutually ready for that.
After I share all this with Ivankovich, she wonders if I’m sabotaging my relationships before they have a chance to advance by way of sharing vulnerable feelings like love, and expectations like commitment. “Are you saying that a man has to love you the way you want him to love you or you feel as if you can’t commit?… If you don’t say [“I love you”], and you think you know the outcome before you get there, your relationship fails anyway. If you do say it, and you guys talk more openly about the future, you have a shot of making it work.”
It made me wonder: What would happen if I lived within my relationships more, without trying to forecast their outcomes? What would happen if I gave my partners a shot at changing the narrative, or catching up to my feelings and what they represent for me? When I consider what might have happened with my recent ex had I shared my feelings and he didn’t return them, the possible outcomes aren’t as bad as I feared. In fact, his response might have proven to be valuable information. The words might have even shattered walls. I guess I’ll never know.
Ultimately, I believe in taking risks for love; I advocate for it in my writing. While sometimes old habits of self-protection die hard, there is likely less to lose than I fear when I instinctively hold back those words. Maybe next time, I’ll just let ‘em fly.
Illustration by Maria Jia Ling Pitt.
Journalist, dating coach and author of The Love Gap.
Get more Postmodern Love ?
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En/football/barcelona
Aguero: Messi will stay at Barcelona and I will stay at Manchester City
LaLiga - BarcelonaThe Argentine clears up his future
Charly Siffredi
Adapted by Justin Sherman
Argentine FA blasted for manual on how to seduce Russian women
Argentine FA issue public apology on Russian women seduction guide
Sergio Aguero is training with the Argentina national team ahead of the World Cup in Russia, but that did not stop the striker from clearing up his future in regards to his club career or from predicting what will happen with Lionel Messi.
After arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, Aguero has returned to play well and is in good spirits.
Manchester City went on to win the Premier League in historic fashion this season and the vibe around the club has been extremely positive.
In a television interview with TyC Sports, the City striker talked about the possibility of playing with his best friend Messi at Barcelona.
"Sincerely, before there was that possibility," explained Aguero.
"It is now a question of age for both him and for me.
"He is going to stay at Barcelona, where he's playing well, and I'll do so at City."
Aguero has been participating in double sessions with Jorge Sampaoli's Albiceleste side and appears to be in good physical condition, despite suffering the injury to his knee in March that forced him into the operating room.
"If I did not get the procedure done, I would've missed the World Cup," he added.
"It's the first time in five years that I can flex my left knee well, without it hurting."
Aguero will hope to feel extra fit at the World Cup in Russia, as he chases his first senior international title.
© Mayo 2018 Unidad Editorial Información Deportiva, S.L.U. Todos los derechos reservados.
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Woman Who Worked At Essex County Sheriff’s Office Charged With Having Sex With Inmates In Salem Superior Court
July 18, 2011 | by Stephen Neyman, P.C.
The Salem News reports that Patricia Papa, a former employee of the Sheriff’s Department for Essex County Massachusetts has been charged with having sexual relations with an inmate. Papa worked at the Lawrence Correctional Alternative Center, commonly known as the farm. The allegations focus on a one month period covering most of March of this year. The case is being prosecuted in the Essex County Superior Court in Salem.
http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=sessexterminal&L=2&L0=Home&L1=Facilities&sid=Sessex&b=terminalcontent&f=lawrence_cac&csid=Sessex
It appears that the statute under which Papa is being prosecuted is Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 268 Section 21A. That statute makes it a crime for any corrections officer or anyone employed by a correctional institution to engage in sexual relations with an inmate. A conviction for this offense can result in a fine of up to ten thousand dollars and a five year state prison sentence. Consent is not a defense to these charges. So, how can Papa defend against these allegations? Obviously a lot depends on the evidence against her. Did someone see her engaged in sexual activities with the inmate? Were the acts caught on security and surveillance videos? Or was it the inmate himself who made the accusations? You would think that if this were happening that Papa would avoid such actions in view of any electronic monitoring equipment. As an employee of the sheriff’s office she would arguably know that such devices existed and the location where the cameras were operating from. Eyewitness testimony in cases like this one are often suspect as well. Keep in mind, these people are convicted criminals sentenced to a period of incarceration. Their credibility is suspect. Jurors have difficulty believing the testimony of someone who is serving a jail sentence. The first thing that goes through a juror’s mind when listening to an incarcerated person’s testimony is “what is in this for this guy? Why is he testifying for the prosecution?” There almost always has to be substantial corroboration for jurors to convict someone based on an inmate’s testimony. None was mentioned in this article. Rather, simply bare allegations that Papa had sexual relations with an inmate.
I can recall a case like this one many years ago where proof against the defendant was an easy task for the district attorney. The defendant was a woman, correctional officer at a state prison. She had a relationship with an inmate at a much more secure facility that the Lawrence Farm. She got pregnant and had the inmate’s child. She was terminated. In Papa’s case there is no indication that the prosecutor’s case is that clear cut.
Attorney Stephen Neyman has defended all types of accused, including law enforcement officials. Cases like this one are serious and deserve and need the immediate attention of an Experienced Massachusetts Criminal Defense Attorney. You can call our office anytime. Our number is 617-263-6800. You can also contact us online. We return all calls promptly. Protect yourself. Hire a Massachusetts Criminal Lawyer now.
Posted in: Miscellaneous Crimes and Sex Crimes
Updated: February 6, 2014 4:38 pm
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Cannabis and Your Immigration Status – Risks for Non-Canadians
On October 17, 2018, recreational use of cannabis (marijuana) became legal in Canada. The Cannabis Act came into force then, and now governs usage, cultivation, possession and trafficking in cannabis.
It is very important to understand that only cannabis purchased or cultivated legally per the rules and restrictions found in the Act is considered legal. Any cannabis purchased outside of a properly regulated store (or online store), or grown at home without following the proper restrictions, is still considered “illicit” cannabis which is illegal. Having too much legal cannabis or growing too much cannabis is also an offence. Possessing this cannabis can cause serious problems for one’s immigration status if someone is not a citizen of Canada, especially for a worker, student or visitor. Edible cannabis products are still not legal in Canada right now and would be considered “illicit”.
Before legalization, simple possession of small amounts of cannabis was dealt with as a summary offence only under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. If a foreign national (worker, student or visitor) was charged with possession of a small amount of cannabis, they would generally not be considered “inadmissible” to Canada for “criminality” and they would not be subject to removal proceedings for this offence (unless there were two convictions not arising out of the same incident). This is because prior to legalization the offence was designated as a summary offence only (this does not apply to larger amounts over 30g). Since legalization, personal possession of cannabis (possession of legal cannabis over the limit or ilicit cannabis) is now classified as a hybrid offence, which puts foreign nationals at serious risk, as under immigration legislation, a hybrid offence is considered an “indictable” offence such that it can attract immigration consequences. Foreign nationals (workers, students or visitors) would likely be subject to removal from Canada for a conviction for possession under the Cannabis Act, and they would not have a right to appeal that removal. It is important to remember this legislation is not retroactive, meaning if someone was convicted before legalization, the previous legislation would apply to them.
In the United States, at the federal level all possession of cannabis is still considered “illicit”. This means that if a Canada Border Services Agency (“CBSA”) officer asks a person trying to enter Canada from the U.S.A. whether they possessed cannabis or purchased cannabis before, and the person answers “yes”, they could be considered to have “committed an offence outside of Canada that is an offence where it was committed and that, if committed in Canada, would constitute an indictable offence (possession of illicit cannabis)” (section 36(2)(c) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act). This applies even if someone has tried cannabis in a state where it was legalized (confusing, I know). This provision can also apply to similar admissions for things done in other countries. It is very important to never lie or mislead the government when these questions are asked, as CBSA has wide powers to search your belongings or electronic devices, or investigate further.
When it comes to the unauthorized distribution or sale of cannabis (less than 3kg), under the Cannabis Act, permanent residents (as well as foreign nationals) can now be found inadmissible and subject to removal from Canada, regardless of the actual sentence received. Prior to legalization, unauthorized distribution and unauthorized sale of cannabis (under 3 kg) would only have a maximum sentence of 5 years less a day, which would not make a permanent resident inadmissible unless they actually received more than 6 months in prison as a sentence. Now, the maximum sentence is 14 years and so permanent residents of Canada are at much higher risk (if an offence has a maximum sentence of 10 years or more, permanent residents can be subject to removal from Canada). Importing and exporting cannabis is also not permitted under the Cannabis Act and could result in removal for a foreign national or permanent resident.
Another aspect of the new Cannabis Act to understand are “ticketable offences”; offences that a police officer or peace officer could provide you a violation ticket for, similar to a driving offence. Under the Cannabis Act, officers are provided the discretion to write a ticket for many offences (rather than arresting and charging someone at the police station). Section 52 of the Cannabis Act says that the payment of a ticket is the same as a guilty plea to an offence, but a person would receive an “absolute discharge”, meaning for immigration purposes this would not be considered a conviction. However, if a person contests the ticket and loses, or fails to pay the ticket, then a conviction is entered against them. This conviction could then possibly lead to the process where CBSA finds a person to be inadmissible to Canada, and removal proceedings may begin. As this legislation is so new, we do not yet know exactly how these will be dealt with by immigration authorities, but it is something to be aware of and seek legal advice right away if you are ever given a ticket, before the deadline for payment.
A conviction resulting from failing to pay a ticket, or unsuccessfully contesting a ticket also means that on any future immigration-related applications to travel to Canada or other countries, or applications for an eTA (electronic travel authorization), a person must admit that they have a conviction for an offence on their record, otherwise they could be considered to have misrepresented to the government. A finding of misrepresentation can lead to removal from Canada, and a 5-year bar from the country.
McCuaig Desrochers LLP, a general practice law firm with Edmonton’s largest group of immigration lawyers (www.mccuaig.com). This article first appeared in the April 2018 edition of the Millwoods Mosaic – the Multicultural Voice of Southeast Edmonton and is intended to provide general information only and should not to be relied on as legal advice or opinion. We invite you to contact one of the members of our experienced immigration group for assistance.
Filed Under: Immigration & Citizenship
← Congratulations Student Legal Services of Edmonton!
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European Union’s repeated false promises worn out Iran’s patience
July 9, 2019 Purvesh JainNews
Over a year ago the President of the United States Donald Trump formally pulled the U.S. out of the nuclear deal which was struck between Iran & the world powers in July 2015.
The decision of Trump faced a lot of backlash from other signatories of the deal mainly Russia, China, The European Union, France, the United Kingdom, and Germany.
Earlier this year, Germany, France, and Britain (also famous as the E3) launched an Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges (INSTEX) which was solely meant to facilitate the legitimate trade between Iran and European economic operators in order to convince Iran to stay in the nuclear deal of 2015.
Soon after the announcement of Europe, hailing the idea, on the 20th of March, Governor of the Central Bank of Iran ‘Abdul Naser Hemmati’ made an announcement regarding registration of a mechanism which was pretty similar to that of the INSTEX in Iran, known as the Special Trade and Finance Institute (STFI).
The main reason behind the establishment of STFI was to ease INSTEX implementation and at the time, the government of Iran announced that Iran has no problem with getting the financial instrument of Europe operational any time that Europeans decided to make INSTEX operational.
Since then onwards, numerous rounds of talks had been held & hours and hours of negotiation and discussions were done on the subject. Europe claimed several times that “the mechanism will be operational in a little while”, but so far the European Union claims have been no more than a bunch of empty promises.
The repeated false promise of the Europeans eventually worn the patience of Iran thin, so that on this Sunday, an official announcement was made by Iran that it will be taking the second step in the reduction of its commitment to the JCPOA, as the deadline set by Tehran for the Europeans to protect Tehran against the United States’ sanctions ended on 7th of July.
‘Abdul Naser Hemmati’, Britain, Donald Trump, European Union, France, Germany, Governor, INSTEX, Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges, JCPOA, the United Kingdom
National Historic Places Day: Celebration of Penticton’s landmarks
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Tag: pecan cookies
meet in your kitchen | London: Clair Ptak’s Pecan Caramel Sandwich Cookies
Walking down one of east London’s quiet roads lined with cute brick houses on a Sunday morning was more than pleasing, but knowing that I would enter the private kitchen of one of the most acclaimed baking goddesses of the hour piqued my excitement. I flew to London to meet Claire Ptak from California who followed the love of her life to live in Hackney and start a baking business ten years ago. She learned her profession in Berkeley, at Alice Waters’ legendary Chez Panisse, before she left California for Europe and opened a sweet stall at Broadway Market in London. Her baked goods were well received from the start, the long lines leading to her mobile shop got longer and longer every Saturday. Claire had to turn her cozy London kitchen into a busy bakery to keep up with the production, two days of hard work from the early morning until late at night before the weekly market day was her weekend routine for years. The huge demand for her utterly delicious cookies, cupcakes, pies and cakes called for a change and Violet Bakery was born. She opened a cafe in 2010 on the same street where she lives with her husband, and today it seems like this is the place that everybody is talking about when it comes to the best sweets – not only in London.
Claire works with only the best ingredients, often organic, and she respects the seasons. Something she learned as a child through her parents. Growing up in a village, an hour outside San Francisco, she picked fruit from the trees and bushes in their garden when they were ripe and foraged for mushrooms and wild berries when they were in season. Her mother used to bake so many pies with her that little Claire mastered the perfect crust and fruit fillings at a young age.
Claire has a confidence, intuition and calmness in the kitchen that impressed me as soon as she took out the baking sheets for her amazing pecan shortbread and salted caramel sandwich cookies – Alfajores, the most addictive sandwich cookies ever. She works instinctively and uses her years of experience and, as a creative mind, she takes it onto the next level. It’s not a surprise that she has already written several cookbooks, as well as her own column for The Guardian and works as a food stylist for established authors, such as Jamie Oliver and Yotam Ottolenghi. And she has one of the best cookbook collections I’ve seen in a long time!
Here’s the link to Claire’s fantastic new book – a baking bible – the Violet Bakery Cookbook!
Claire Ptak’s Alfajores – Pecan shortbread and salted caramel sandwich cookies
Makes about 12 sandwich cookies.
For the cookies
unsalted butter, softened, 250g / 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons
icing sugar 100g / 1 cup
salt 1/8 teaspoon
plain flour 300g / 2 1/3 cups
rum 1 tablespoon
pecans, finely chopped, 70g / 2 1/2 ounces
Icing sugar for dredging
For the caramel filling
double cream 150g / 5 1/4 ounces
vanilla bean, scraped, 1/2
water 4 tablespoons
caster sugar 250g / 1 1/4 cups
golden syrup 2 tablespoons
fleur du sel 1/4 teaspoon
unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 65g / 1/4 cup plus 1/2 tablespoon
Cream together the butter, sugar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the flour and mix just to combine. Add the rum and pecans and just until it all comes together.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C convection setting) / 350°F (325°F convection setting). Line two baking sheets with parchment.
On a lightly floured surface, roll your cookie dough out to about 3mm / 1/8″ thickness. Use a 60-70mm / 2 1/2-3″ round cutter (or a drinking glass will work too) and cut as many rounds as you can. You can re-roll to get a total about 12 sandwiches (24 individual rounds).
Bake until it just starts to colour. They should move out of their spot when nudged.
Sift over them with icing sugar whilst still warm and let them cool completely. Meanwhile, make the caramel.
In a heavy saucepan, measure the cream and vanilla. In another large saucepan put your water, sugar and golden syrup. Have the other ingredients measured out and ready to go. Begin by heating the cream. Keep an eye on this as it can scorch quite easily. Meanwhile start heating the water, sugar and golden syrup, all the while keeping an eye on the cream. As soon as the cream starts to bubble, turn it off. Do not stir the sugar pot, but you can swirl it if need be. Once it starts to colour, give it a few swirls. You want the sugar to turn golden brown and then almost black. A swisp of smoke will start to rise out and then you know it is done. Take the caramel off the heat and immediately whisk in the vanilla cream. Don’t worry about the pod at this point as it will continue to infuse flavour. Stir in the lemon juice, salt and butter until smooth. Allow the caramel to cool before using it in the cookies. Once the caramel is cool to the touch, it can be used. Caramel will also keeps well for up to two weeks in the fridge and three months in the freezer.
To assemble the sandwiches, turn 12 of the cookies upside-down and place a heaped tablespoon on caramel on top. Sandwich together with a second cookie. Sift over with a thick layer of icing sugar and devour! Will keep for two weeks in a cookie tin.
In 2010, you opened Violet bakery and café In Hackney, east London. What moved you to take this step?
I had been baking from home for 5 years but there was a moment when it had kind of taken over our home, so we decided to look for a location. Originally, I actually didn’t want to have a café, I just wanted to have my stall and have that kind of nice creative expression of what I like to cook and bake, and then do my styling and writing. I was very happy with that but there was something, I don’t know, the baked goods were so well received that it seemed crazy not to have a brick and mortar. I thought I could grow it a bit, get help, and hire good people, and I could still do the other stuff I wanted to do. Originally this was just going to be like a production kitchen for more markets but then the whole neighborhood was knocking on the door while we were fixing it up saying “this is so great, you’re opening here!”, so we thought “let’s do that”, it kind of came organically.
How did working as a pastry chef at Alice Water’s Chez Panisse in Berkeley influence your creative work as a baker?
I was really inspired by how much they place value in the ingredients and the quality of the ingredients. That is kind of everything about what she does, it’s really about eating things at the perfect moment and that could be like a day difference. So we were going to have something on the menu and we’d think “no, actually, those pears need another day to ripen”, so we’d change the menu and do it tomorrow. And that kind of detail is so incredible when you’re working in a restaurant because, so much of the time, in restaurants, it’s just like “that’s what we’re doing, make it work, turn it out!”. And there it was “we’ll make something else and it has to be exquisite”. Every single day everything changed. You’d have a guideline of what you’re going to do but then, if things weren’t right that day, you’d change it to make it as good as it could be. So in terms of my aesthetic, because that’s so integral to how I also cook, it’s pretty natural because I think it’s really about highlighting and emphasizing the ingredients but then making them feel professional but not mass-produced. If everything looks super homemade it’s not special enough, it’s nice to have something that’s a bit of a stretch, so you’d think “I wish I could make it look that nice at home!” – it’s about giving it a little extra lift and still being natural.
Have you always been more into baking than cooking? What fascinates you about baking?
I started baking at home, with my mum and my grandmother, when she’d visit or we’d visit them. I always had an affinity for the sweet side of things but my father is also a great cook and so I’ve always cooked as well. And now, with the bakery, it’s been 10 years as a business, I’m drawn a lot more to the savory side of the kitchen. So we’ll see, I think my next book is going to have lot more savory in it.
What fascinates most people about baking, is that you can start and finish a project in an hour. I think there’s nobody who doesn’t love the way that feels. To take an hour and just bake something is such a nice feeling of accomplishment.
What is the hardest part about running a bakery and café?
It’s managing all the staff, even though I’m so lucky, I have such a wonderful crew of people, you still have fifteen personalities, sets of emotions, and lives that you have to work within and around. I very much want to create a space where people are happy to come to work and enjoy their work. Part of having an open kitchen was about that, I don’t want to hide all my cooks in the basement. When people come in and buy the cakes the cooks just made, they get to see the reactions and appreciation. That’s so much more fulfilling as a cook. But still, it’s so challenging. Maintaining that good working environment and being a good boss is way more challenging than I ever imagined.
You studied film theory and video art at Mills College in Oakland, California. Although you didn’t choose to work in this field, how did this experience influence your food business?
Mills is a women’s college, it’s a great place to be, and I loved studying video art and film theory there. I wanted to go into film making, I wanted to be a writer and director. So the writing has always been there, although I wanted to write film rather than cookbooks. Somehow I also did a lot of cooking when I was in university, I did a lot of films with food in them, and I would focus on that in my work. But I ended up working for an LA director for a year and I decided that I’d rather not do that. It was brutal work and the kitchen seems like a walk in the park compared. I think I wasn’t passionate enough about it, I was more passionate about food.
You grew up in California, in the San Francisco Bay Area, and now you live in London. What made you move?
I grew up an hour outside San Francisco, quite a rural village, so we were picking wild blackberries and foraging, food was really central, which was great. Then I went to live in San Francisco for university and I loved the urban life as well. I was really drawn into it and I suddenly saw this whole other life. I loved the sort of country background that I have but then I really loved being in the city. I thought “this city is a small city and I’d love to see a bigger city”. I met my husband in San Francisco who’s from the countryside in England and we both thought it would be so great to live in London. So we moved here. It’s very different but with starting my business and having a real California influence on my business, I managed to make my California life incorporate into my London life. I try to bring it all together and it worked out really well. I miss San Francisco and I visit it, and whenever I go back, I think “yes, let’s live here” but at the end of three weeks I want to go back to London.
In the 1960s, your parents moved to a community of intellectuals and artists, how did this lifestyle influence your relationship with food?
Automatically, growing up with the seasons, having a real strong connection to nature, both cultivated and wild, because we also did foraging too, for mushrooms and berries, seafood, my brother is a great diver, you’re already close to seasonal, organic, sustainable. All the stuff that everybody talks about and that’s trendy, in real life, it’s quite different. I realize, I’m very, very lucky to have grown up with that. I encourage that philosophy coming into mainstream but I would like it to be a bit more understood.
There’s the best farmers’ market in our (home) town because there are so many farmers and the weather is such that you can grow everything all year round. Just having that is pretty inspiring to cook when you have all that kind of raw ingredients around you. We had fruit trees and wild blackberries in our backyard, so my mum and I would make a pie because we had to get rid of the apples, and then, every year, you’d be so excited when the apples were falling outside. You had a real sense for when to do it and why to do it without having to have a theory behind it.
What are your favourite places to buy and enjoy food in London?
As a small business owner, I really value my local loyal customers who come to Violet for their morning coffee, and order cakes for special occasions. We feel so lucky to be part of a wonderful local community, and some of my favourite places in London are right on my doorstep! I regularly eat at Raw Duck, and love to browse J Glinert and Momosan Shop on Wilton Way when I’m passing by. If I’m meeting a friend for a drink after work, I love to go to Pinch on Greenwood Road.
Broadway Market will always be a special spot for me, as it’s where Violet began and still has a stall every Saturday. It’s a great place to pick up flowers, bread and organic produce for the bakery. I also love Chatsworth Market, which is where the wonderful London Borough of Jam – who suppliers our jam at Violet – is based. Spa Terminus is another seasoned favourite for beautiful ingredients from likeminded suppliers.
And for occasions, I always choose The River Cafe. The food is so special, it’s totally worth travelling across town for. When I’m in meetings in central London, I’ll often stop at Bao Bar, which is definitely one of the shining additions to west-central eating of 2015.
If you could choose one person to cook a meal for you, who and what would it be?
Richard Olney because he edited all these good cookbooks (the Time-Life book series), I would love to have met him. He was a great influence on Alice Waters and they were great friends, he was an American living in France. Olney cooked everything in a fire pit in the garden, anything that he would make, if it’s a little piece of lamb and some beans, that’s what I want. Or a salad, I would just love him to make me a green salad.
You’re going to have ten friends over for a spontaneous dinner, what will be on the table?
My husband doesn’t eat meat but he eats fish, so I love to just throw a fish over some potatoes, with some herbs, bake that, and make a salad.
What was your childhood’s culinary favourite and what is it now?
As a kid, pie, I was obsessed with fruit pies. As we had a lot of fruit growing, we’d make pies all the time. I got really into getting the pastry right and getting the fruit right. I’m really loving English fruit cake at the moment, I think it’s because of the season. It’s cold outside and the cake is warming. I’ve just been developing this recipe for my new column (for The Guardian) with dried figs and whiskey, it’s delish.
Do you prefer to cook on your own or together with others?
I love to cook with other good cooks, I can’t cook with people that don’t have the same level very well, it’s not fun. I prefer to cook with my fellow chefs, I love it.
Which meals do you prefer, improvised or planned?
I like a planned meal, but it will still have a simplicity to it. I like to be organized.
Which meal would you never cook again?
I had a really hard time making fried chicken a year ago. I couldn’t get the oil hot enough. I made a mistake of having a huge pot of oil because we had so many people, rather than just quickly frying it in less oil. And it was so frustrating, it tasted amazing but it was pale.
Thank you Claire!
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Anthony Weiner is a Scumbag Who Deserves a Second Chance
By Alison G. Vingiano
When it comes to politicians, citizens of the United States want somebody they can get a beer with. They want somebody they can trust, somebody who will not, let's say, sell weapons to fund Nicaraguan death troops. Historically, it seems that the American people have been trusting the wrong guys.
Former U.S. Representative Anthony Weiner might not seem reliable. In 2011, the man tweeted sexually suggestive pictures of himself to an adult woman and blamed it on a hacked Twitter account before admitting the truth and resigning. His actions were creepy and wrong. He betrayed the trust of his wife and the public, but Weiner deserves a second chance. Why? Because Weiner did not use tax-payers dollars to escape to Argentina, nor did he have affair with an intern, nor did he break into the DNC headquarters. He just did something that was ... gross.
Yesterday, despite a 49% disapproval rating, Weiner announced his mayoral run with a two minute video and an updated website.
Weiner has built his career off policies that are good for women. He has a strong pro-choice voting record: In 2003, he received an 100% rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America and in 2006 he received a 0% rating from the National Right to Life Committee.
Weiner was also critical of the 2009 Stupak-Pitts Amendment, arguing that it would prevent health insurers from offering abortion coverage whether or not an individual used federal funds to buy insurance. Watch his impassioned speech against the amendment below:
Besides his work for women's rights issues, Weiner is a longtime supporter of the middle class and of single-payer healthcare in New York. During his time in office he created the bi-partisan Congressional Middle Class Caucus, and advocated for a bill to expand Medicare to all Americans.
Yesterday Stuart Stevens, former chief strategist for Mitt Romney, wrote on the Daily Beast that Weiner was "a guy who regularly condescended to every member of Congress" among other scathing criticisms. In many ways, it's true: there are various videos of Weiner yelling at Republicans. In a political climate in which Democrats often yield to the demands of Republicans who refuse to negotiate, let alone to listen to the desires of 90% of their constituents, Weiner's passion for defending women and the middle class is one I would welcome.
The former representative's condescending attitude lacks the grace of Elizabeth Warren's, perhaps, but he does it in defense of good policies. Below, you can watch him going berserk when Republican Representative Peter King was trying to scuttle that day's vote on the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act.
You can also watch him annihilating a Republican on the House floor who read a hoax memo to argue against a healthcare bill:
New Yorkers elected former Representative Weiner to defend these policies; I am happy to see him fighting ferociously, if not tactfully, for his beliefs.
The hopeful mayoral candidate is flawed. People are rightfully angry with him for betraying the public's trust. Rather than ignoring his dark past, Weiner has confronted it: he and his wife discussed his mistakes in a lengthy New York Times Magazine article, and the former representative discusses it in his mayoral video released last night. New Yorkers who cannot see beyond Weiner's mishaps have other strong choices: both Christine Quinn and Scott Stringer are capable Democrats with promising Mayoral campaigns. But if we look beyond Weiner's stupid mistakes, we might find a man we can trust to defend pro-feminist, pro-middle class policies.
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CEO Alibaba and Telenor Officials Discuss Pathway to Digital Pakistan
by Zohaib Zahid
Xiaomi Redmi S2 and Redmi Note 5 Are Coming to...
by Samana Ali
Irfan Wahab, CEO Telenor Pakistan Elected as President of OICCI
| June 28, 2018 | June 28, 2018
by Zohaib Zahid | June 28, 2018 | June 28, 2018
Mr. Irfan Wahab Khan, CEO & President, Telenor Pakistan has been elected as the President of the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce & Industry (OICCI) with effect from July 1, 2018. His appointment came following a successful tenure of Mr Bruno Olierhoek, who resigned as the President of OICCI after taking a new position outside Pakistan.
Irfan Wahab Khan has over 20 years of leadership experience and has been engaged in the corporate sector since 1992 having worked for Orange, PTCL, T-Mobile, Ericsson, Telcordia Technologies and Ministry of IT and Telecom Pakistan prior to joining Telenor in 2004.
He has worked in various countries including United Kingdom, United States, The Philippines, Norway, and Bangkok. He is the first employee of Telenor Pakistan and served as the Executive Vice President of the Company until 2009 before moving to Telenor Group as Vice President Devices and Distribution.
He returned to Telenor Pakistan in 2013 as Chief Marketing Officer and assumed his current role as CEO in 2016
Irfan is also on the Board of Telenor Micro Finance Bank Limited. He has a wide cross-functional experience and has successfully led several business domains and turnarounds. He has also been involved with business diversification, building a start-up and digital ecosystems and successful implementation of global business strategies.
He is tech enthusiastic, digital evangelist, passionate about empowering Pakistan and strong believer of the potential of our youth.
Irfan graduated from the University of Engineering and Technology Lahore in Electrical Communication in 1992 and he did his Masters in Mobile and Personal Communications, University of Westminster London UK.
He also holds received qualification in Financial Management from Harvard Business School, USA, Marketing from London Business School and Management from INSEAD. He is life Alumni of INSEAD.
Commenting on his appointment as the President of OICCI, Irfan Wahab Khan said, “I am honored to have been elected as the President of OICCI and I am grateful for the trust and confidence that members have put in me.
“Pakistan has the potential to attract large investment due to its growing economy and demographic strength, and a number of large foreign investors have Pakistan on their radar but are somewhat hesitant in deciding on investing, mainly due to an element of uncertainty and confusion on policy implementation. With clear policies and their robust implementation, Pakistan can attract significant FDI,” he added.
Established in 1860, Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI), is the largest Chamber of Commerce in Pakistan based on economic contribution in the form of taxes and investment by its members and is the collective voice of top 200 foreign investors in Pakistan, including over 50 Fortune 500 companies, who contribute about one third of the total tax collection in the country and a significant portion of the GDP.
Coming from 35 countries and working in 14 key sectors of the economy, OICCI members are leaders not only in economic activities and investment but are also thought leaders in the transfer of technology and in CSR activities.
“OICCI Women” initiative launched in 2017 in partnership with UN Women is the landmark initiative of OICCI towards empowering women in the corporate sector in Pakistan.
press release, telenor
Honor 8C Pre-Booking Starts In Pakistan With A Gift Bundle
Tecno Camon i Sky2: First Budget Smartphone in Pakistan with 3 AI Cameras
Zong 4G Celebrates 10 Years of Excellence
TCL Launches Special Edition Zalmi TV for PSL 2019
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NATO Secretary General marks 50 years of UK submarine nuclear deterrent
21 May. 2019 -
Last updated: 21 May. 2019 17:34
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has praised the United Kingdom for maintaining a continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent for 50 years in a letter to Prime Minister Theresa May.
“In NATO, we appreciate this enormous commitment to our shared security by generations of Royal Navy submariners and their families, by scores of dedicated support personnel in the United Kingdom's Armed Forces and Civil Service, and by partners in industry”, the Secretary General underlined.
At least one Royal Navy submarine carrying nuclear missiles has been on undersea patrol at all times since April 1969. This mission, called Operation Relentless, is the longest sustained military operation ever undertaken by the UK. Mr. Stoltenberg stressed that NATO Allies face a highly complex international security environment. “Our goal is to maintain peace and security for all our nations and people”, he wrote. “The commitment the UK has made, and continues to make, is a vital contribution to NATO's overall deterrence effort, including against the most extreme potential threats. This helps protect all NATO Allies.”
In 1969, the UK began continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent patrols with four Resolution class boats. The mission is now provided by four Vanguard-class submarines based at Clyde Naval Base at Faslane in Scotland.
At the NATO Summit in 2018, all Allies reaffirmed that the fundamental purpose of NATO's nuclear capability is to preserve peace, prevent coercion, and deter aggression. Allies stressed that given the deteriorating security environment in Europe, a credible and united nuclear Alliance is essential. While the circumstances in which NATO might have to use nuclear weapons are extremely remote, NATO will remain a nuclear alliance as long as nuclear weapons exist. At the same time, NATO remains committed to creating the conditions for a world without nuclear weapons. Since the end of the Cold War, Allies have reduced their collective nuclear arsenal in Europe by around 90 percent.
NATO’s nuclear deterrence policy and forces
Letter from the Secretary General to Prime Minister Theresa May on the United Kingdom's Continuous At Sea Deterrence. PDF / 459.30 kb
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Heavy-Hearted Angels Win Their 1st Game After Skaggs' Death
The Angels decided to play a day after the postponement of the series opener against the Rangers
Published Jul 3, 2019 at 1:12 AM
Heavy-Hearted Angels Return to Field After Skaggs' Death
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/national-international/Heavy-Hearted-Angels-Return-to-Field-After-Skaggs-Death-512148332.html
With the memory of Tyler Skaggs weighing heavy on their hearts, the Los Angeles Angels took the field for their first game since the death of the much-loved 27-year-old pitcher who got to play for his favorite childhood team. (Published Tuesday, July 2, 2019)
Tyler Skaggs weighed heavy on the minds of Mike Trout and all of the Los Angeles Angels in their first game since the death of the much-loved 27-year-old pitcher.
"I can't explain it man. Lost a teammate, lost a friend, a brother. Just got to get through it," a visibly shaken Trout said after the Angels 9-4 win at Texas on Tuesday night.
"It's tough. My first at-bat, I get up there, all I do is think about him," added the All-Star center fielder, who was in the same Angels draft class as Skaggs in 2009. "Just a different feeling, just in shock, it's like walking around the hotel, you're just always thinking about him."
The Angels decided to play a day after the postponement of the series opener against the Rangers. Skaggs was found unresponsive in his hotel room in Texas on Monday. A cause of death has not been reported.
Before Angels starter Jose Suarez threw his first pitch in the bottom of the first inning, the left-hander appeared to write something in the dirt with his finger. He then touched the No. 45 painted on the back of the mound and tapped his heart.
Justin Bour pointed skyward after his two-run single in the sixth inning, when the Angels went ahead to stay with four runs to break a 3-3 tie. Kole Calhoun was more emphatic with his reaction when crossing home plate after his two-run homer in the eighth.
"No, it wasn't normal. And it felt like there was much more urgency to win," manager Brad Ausmus said. "It's been a rough 24 hours, and we haven't had a lot to smile about, so a win would give us something."
There was a moment of silence before the game, with the players followed their coaches lined up outside the dugout. Pitchers Andrew Heaney and Cam Bedrosian held Skaggs' No. 45 jersey.
"It was just kind of something unplanned. His jersey was hanging in his locker. We wanted to take him out there with us one more time," Heaney said. "He was definitely my best friend. There's probably about 100 other people out there that would say he was their best friend too. Because he treated everybody like that."
Trout and his teammates said Skaggs, who brought so much energy to the clubhouse, wouldn't have wanted them to take another day off.
"It's going to be tough these next couple of days, the rest of the season, the rest of our life, to lose our friend," Trout said.
"Today it was just different, and there's no playbook on how it's supposed to go today and you're supposed to act and react," Calhoun said. "But getting back to the game definitely is what he would have wanted. Today was a day that we leaned on each other like we really needed to do."
Bour hit the only pitch he faced after taking over the full count of All-Star second baseman Tommy La Stella, who fouled off a pitch that hit him squarely on his right shin. La Stella didn't put any pressure on his leg while helped off the field.
Public address announcer Chuck Morgan introduced the moment of silence by saying the Rangers offered their deepest sympathies and condolences to Skaggs' family, his teammates and the entire Angels organization.
The introductions of the starting lineups by Morgan before that were uncharacteristically subdued, and the Rangers ran to their positions for the start of the game quietly without any music playing in the stadium.
When Rangers batters were introduced, there was no walk-up music played. Also missing were the normal between-inning shenanigans and the fireworks that usually marked Texas homers — Delino DeShields went deep in the third inning.
Top Sports Photos: Wimbledon 2019, And More
Ray Tang/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
"There are no words to express our sadness today," Angels owner Arte Moreno said before the game.
Ausmus said the team gathered together a couple of times Monday at the team hotel about 20 miles from the ballpark. He wiped away tears when speaking about Skaggs before the game.
Asked about his message to his players, Ausmus said that was a "family conversation" that would remain between them.
General manager Billy Eppler described Skaggs as a teammate, a brother, a friend and most importantly a husband and a son who "brought joy to everybody around him."
Angels players wore a black encircled patch with No. 45 above the heart of their uniforms.
With the team out of town, fans went to Angel Stadium, where they left flowers, hats, baseballs, signs, photos and other memorabilia in a makeshift memorial mound.
The poignant display resembled the fan-created memorial for Nick Adenhart in 2009 after the rookie pitcher was killed by a drunk driver. That tribute stayed out front of the Big A through the summer.
Team president John Carpino said the Angels would pay tribute to Skaggs in much the same way they did Adenhart, who was killed after only his fourth major league game.
"The way we'll honor them both is just watching these guys play," Carpino said, referring to the players sitting to his left before the game. "As far as the stadium, just typical with a patch and all that, but honoring him so much more with our thoughts and our hearts is the most important thing."
Nesting Penguins Can't Resist Lure of New Zealand Sushi Shop
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N Engl J Med. 1997 Apr 3;336(14):973-9.
Inflammation, aspirin, and the risk of cardiovascular disease in apparently healthy men.
Ridker PM1, Cushman M, Stampfer MJ, Tracy RP, Hennekens CH.
Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02215-1204, USA.
Erratum in
N Engl J Med 1997 Jul 31;337(5):356.
Inflammation may be important in the pathogenesis of atherothrombosis. We studied whether inflammation increases the risk of a first thrombotic event and whether treatment with aspirin decreases the risk.
We measured plasma C-reactive protein, a marker for systemic inflammation, in 543 apparently healthy men participating in the Physicians' Health Study in whom myocardial infarction, stroke, or venous thrombosis subsequently developed, and in 543 study participants who did not report vascular disease during a follow-up period exceeding eight years. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive aspirin or placebo at the beginning of the trial.
Base-line plasma C-reactive protein concentrations were higher among men who went on to have myocardial infarction (1.51 vs. 1.13 mg per liter, P<0.001) or ischemic stroke (1.38 vs. 1.13 mg per liter, P=0.02), but not venous thrombosis (1.26 vs. 1.13 mg per liter, P=0.34), than among men without vascular events. The men in the quartile with the highest levels of C-reactive protein values had three times the risk of myocardial infarction (relative risk, 2.9; P<0.001) and two times the risk of ischemic stroke (relative risk, 1.9; P=0.02) of the men in the lowest quartile. Risks were stable over long periods, were not modified by smoking, and were independent of other lipid-related and non-lipid-related risk factors. The use of aspirin was associated with significant reductions in the risk of myocardial infarction (55.7 percent reduction, P=0.02) among men in the highest quartile but with only small, nonsignificant reductions among those in the lowest quartile (13.9 percent, P=0.77).
The base-line plasma concentration of C-reactive protein predicts the risk of future myocardial infarction and stroke. Moreover, the reduction associated with the use of aspirin in the risk of a first myocardial infarction appears to be directly related to the level of C-reactive protein, raising the possibility that antiinflammatory agents may have clinical benefits in preventing cardiovascular disease.
ACP J Club. 1997 Nov-Dec;127(3):81.
Inflammation, atherosclerosis, and ischemic events -- exploring the hidden side of the moon. [N Engl J Med. 1997]
Inflammation, aspirin, and the risk of cardiovascular disease. [N Engl J Med. 1997]
Inflammation, atherosclerosis, and coronary artery disease. [N Engl J Med. 2005]
10.1056/NEJM199704033361401
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/pharmacology
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/therapeutic use*
Aspirin/pharmacology
Aspirin/therapeutic use*
Brain Ischemia/etiology*
Brain Ischemia/immunology
Brain Ischemia/prevention & control
C-Reactive Protein/analysis*
C-Reactive Protein/drug effects
Inflammation/blood
Inflammation/complications*
Inflammation/drug therapy
Myocardial Infarction/etiology*
Myocardial Infarction/immunology
Myocardial Infarction/prevention & control
Thrombophlebitis/etiology
Thrombophlebitis/immunology
Thrombophlebitis/prevention & control
C-Reactive Protein
HL-26490/HL/NHLBI NIH HHS/United States
Heart Attack - MedlinePlus Health Information
ACETYLSALICYLIC ACID - Hazardous Substances Data Bank
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Prince plays ‘Let’s Go Crazy’ at Manchester Academy gig – watch
David Renshaw Feb 24, 2014 11:38 am GMT
Credit: Press
Singer played a two-and-a-half-hour set on Friday night (February 21)
Footage of Prince playing ‘Let’s Go Crazy’ in Manchester this weekend has been revealed online.
As previously reported on NME.COM, Prince played a two-and-a-half-hour set at Manchester’s Academy on Friday night (February 21) – wowing fans with a setlist comprising of new material as well as a wealth of classic hits from his back catalogue. Scroll up to watch ‘Let’s Go Crazy’ now,
The gig came as part of Prince’s whistle-stop visit to the UK, which previously had only involved gigs in London. However, there was a smattering of dissent in the ranks following Prince’s visit up north with fans taking to Twitter afterwards to complain when a second surprise performance was cancelled within hours of being announced.
Unlike the London dates of his Hit And Run tour, tickets for the gig were sold online in advance, and predictably disappeared within seconds. The remainder were made available on the door when it opened at 7.30pm – with diehard fans queuing from 10pm the day before to get in.
When the show began, the Academy announced a second gig, with Prince’s manager, Kiran Sharma, also tweeting “HELLO Manchester!!! Guess what…??? You can now start a que for the SECOND SHOW 2NITE!!! :),’, which generated a further queue outside the venue. However, the performance did not happen, and the 150 fans that turned up were let in to see an encore – that began with ‘Let’s Go Crazy’ (which Prince dedicated to the “new people coming in”) and culminated with ‘Bambi’ – for £35 instead of £70.
Details of future Prince live dates and how long he plans to stay in the UK have yet to be confirmed.
Lana Del Rey / Priscilla Presley Credit: Getty
Lana Del Rey reportedly wants to play Priscilla Presley in Elvis biopic
Meet Lil Miquela, the real life Ashley O
AC/DC in 1979 Credit: Getty
AC/DC return to social media to mark 40th anniversary of ‘Highway To Hell’
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Explore: Bulgaria
Bulgaria is changing and there are no longer any restricted areas to visiting yachts. It is not a common country for cruisers, though visitors have reported having a positive experience.
Once cleared in, there is no requirement to check in with any authorities at intermediate ports, except when clearing out again. Officials are reported to be very friendly and helpful.
The best port to clear in coming from Turkey is Tzarevo, and coming from Romania is Balchik. Yachts can also clear-in at Varna and Burgas. Burgas is a large commercial harbour with limited facilities for private yachts, Sozopol would be a better place to stop.
The Bay of Burgas, between Sveti Vlas and Sozopol, is a real cruising ground where it is possible to find relatively isolated anchorages.
Great progress has been made developing facilities for cruisers with full-service marinas in Sozopol and St. Vlas and finger pontoons in Balchik and Nesebar – all with water and electrical outlets and WiFi.
On January 1 2007, Bulgaria joined the European Union (EU).
See the Publications section for the latest cruising guides to the Black Sea.
Bulgaria is a relatively safe country for most travel and tourism.
On 30 December 2016, the Bulgarian authorities announced heightened security measures in all cities, winter ski resorts, and places where large gatherings are expected as a response to increased terrorist activity elsewhere in Europe.
Petty crime may be a problem and foreigners are often targeted. Be aware of pickpockets in city centres and tourist resorts especially in crowded areas like buses, trains and busy streets. There has been an increase in burglaries from hotel rooms in Sunny Beach. Keep valuables in a safe.
See the FCO Website for the most recent updates.
Last updated: November 2017.
The climate is similar to the Northern Mediterranean, with very hot summers, but colder winters. The prevailing winds of summer are northeast, although there is a daily alternation of land and sea breezes.
Weather Broadcasts from Varna Radio broadcast at 10:30, 16:30, 20:30 local time on VHF 26.
Istanbul Broadcasts at 10:00, 16:00, 22:00 local time on VHF 67 sometimes in English and always in Turkish.
The Turkish Meteorological Service provides a good 3-day forecast for the Black Seas Regions here.
Navtex out of Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey also covers the region.
For links to free global weather information, forecast services and extreme weather information see the Noonsite Weather Page.
Main Ports
Ports of Entry: Balchik, Burgas, Tzarevo, Varna
Other Ports: Nessebar, Sozopol, Sveti Vlas
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Don't Worry - Be Happy!
Missing Santa Changes Atmosphere
by Elvin Elf
Not Much Fun for Elves
Bernard Elf closed the email from Santa with a sigh. He turned to look at the group of Elves around him. "Well, you heard him, everybody. We have work to do."
"We're already working," said Twinkle Elf. "As hard as we can."
"And we're right on schedule, as far as I can tell," said Adamup Elf. "Our toy-to-child ratio is right were it should be."
Gizmo Elf, Santa's chief Toymaking Elf, looked over the printout from his great toymaking machine, "And the Appendapulator's Appendapulating as well as it's ever...well...Appendapulated."
"Santa asked me to check his sleigh already, and I fixed it," said Smitty Elf. "It's running straight and true. I suppose I could check it again..."
"Let's face it," said Louis Elf. "We're doing everything right. But it still doesn't feel right."
Just then Mrs. Claus came into the room with a tray of cookies, plus a salad for Jiller Elf, who prefers vegetables to sweets. "What's going on?" she asked. "You all look so gloomy! It's less than ten days 'til Christmas! Where's the Christmas Cheer?"
"I don't know, Mrs. Claus," said Jiller, picking at her lettuce.
"I do," said Santa's wife. "It's because Santa's not here, isn't it? That, and the fact that those poor reindeer were taken by that strange Flemspackle woman. Well, sitting here moping will do nothing to make the situation any better."
She made the Elves all stand up. "I'm sure many of you remember Abraham Lincoln?" she asked them.
"He was never on the naughty list!" said Twinkle Elf.
"Er...no, I don't think he was, Twinkle," said Mrs. Claus. "He was known for more than never being naughty. He was the sixteenth President of the United States. And one of his more famous sayings was this: 'People are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.'"
"What's that mean?" asked Gizmo.
"It means that if you want to be happy, you can choose to be happy, no matter what else is going on." said Bernard, smiling. "Mrs. Claus is right! Moping around isn't going to change anything, so why mope? It's almost Christmas! We're Elves! Let's be happy!"
The other elves cheered, and thanked Mrs. Claus for the words.
It's always important to remember this: even if you can't choose what's going on around you, you can still choose how you feel!
As the Elves were getting back to work, the door burst open, and Ali Elf burst through the door. "I know what Dolores Flemspackle is doing with the Reindeer!" she said, "And it's right here on this newpaper!"
What does that newspaper say? Keep reading this newspaper--The North Pole Times--to find out!
Peppermint Hot Chocolate
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Bigfoot hunter plans to launch $3 million startup to track mythical beast
By LEE MORAN
Tom Biscardi, who plans to sell stock in his Bigfoot Project Investments startup, hopes to get $3 million in the initial public offering. (Kimberly White/Reuters)
A Bigfoot hunter aims to raise $3 million from an initial public offering that he says he'll use to track down the mythical beast.
Carmine (Tom) Biscardi is planning to sell stocks in his Bigfoot Project Investments company so he can pay for expeditions to find the creature also known as a Sasquatch, reports the Wall Street Journal.
He also plans to spend the money making movies and DVDs about the animal.
"Capture the creature known as Bigfoot" is one of the company's goals, according to its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
But Wall Street doesn't seem entirely convinced by his project, which is being pursued with his partners under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act.
Investment expert Kathy Boyle, who is president of Chapin Hill Advisors, said only true believers would probably be interested in the venture.
Biscardi displays a photograph in 2008 of an alleged Bigfoot carcass found in Georgia. It turned out to be a hoax. (AFP/Getty Images)
"If you believed in Bigfoot, or you thought there really was a Bigfoot and you actually had some money to burn and wanted to play with this, then go for it," she added.
The Bigfoot community is similarly weary about the proposals from the man who has reported a number of sightings, but that have really panned out.
He held a press conference in Palo Alto, Calif., in 2008 to talk about his examination of a supposed Bigfoot carcass found by two men in Georgia.
But it turned out to be a gorilla costume stuffed with animal parts and a set of teeth, reports the Wall Street Journal.
No charges expected after 3-year-old Rochester boy dies after falling into Tim Hortons grease trap
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Movies|Sean Baker Talks ‘Tangerine,’ and Making a Movie With an iPhone
Sean Baker Talks ‘Tangerine,’ and Making a Movie With an iPhone
From left, Mickey O’Hagan, Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Radium Cheung and Sean Baker making “Tangerine,” directed by Mr. Baker and filmed with an iPhone.CreditCreditShih-Ching Tsou
By Mekado Murphy
When the comedy “Tangerine” had its premiere in January at the Sundance Film Festival, it was warmly embraced by critics. Manohla Dargis wrote in The New York Times that it was “beautifully directed.” And Justin Chang of Variety touted its “bracingly cinematic wide-screen look that takes on an almost radioactive glow.” So it might be surprising that it was shot with a device that many viewers had in their pockets during screenings: an Apple iPhone.
It’s not the first feature film shot entirely this way. The 2014 thriller “And Uneasy Lies the Mind” lays claim to that title, according to its website. But “Tangerine,” even ahead of its theatrical release on Friday, has become the most-discussed iPhone movie.
This film is set in Hollywood on Christmas Eve as two transgender prostitutes (Mya Taylor and Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) search for a cheating boyfriend. The film’s look is colorful, saturated and bold, encompassing the grandiosity of Los Angeles while also feeling intimate.
The director Sean Baker, who wrote the film with Chris Bergoch, and whose independent films center on atypical protagonists (like Ghanaian immigrants or Los Angeles porn stars), said the idea for “Tangerine” came from the Hollywood location. In an interview at The Times, his iPhone on the table in front of him, he explained: “It was the corner of Santa Monica and Highland, which is an unofficial red-light district. It’s half a mile from my home.”
The director Sean Baker in New York.CreditSara Krulwich/The New York Times
Camera quality has always been important to Mr. Baker. He shot his first film, “Four Letter Words” (2000), on 35-millimeter film. But his follow-up, “Take Out,” made on a very low budget, used standard-definition video. He wasn’t happy about the step back.
“I remember at that time,” he said, “Shih-Ching Tsou, who I co-directed ‘Take Out’ with, kept saying, ‘Can you just stop complaining about the fact that we’re shooting on standard-definition video? It’s about the content, it’s not about the camera.’ ”
But Mr. Baker was encouraged by the work of directors like Lars von Trier, a founder of the avant-garde, low-tech Dogme 95 movement, who used standard-definition video with natural lighting to make the feature “The Idiots.”
For his 2012 movie “Starlet,” Mr. Baker used a Sony digital camera with anamorphic wide-screen lenses that created a ’70s-style, sun-bleached California look. That film was made for $235,000. The budget for “Tangerine” was less than half that, so he had to find alternatives involving a smaller crew.
One inspiration was the 2012 Spike Lee film “Red Hook Summer,” in which a budding filmmaker shoots video with an iPad, and the audience sees some of that imagery. “Every time it cut to that footage from the iPad, I thought: ‘Now, this is interesting.’ It looked like high-definition Dogme 95,” Mr. Baker said.
He studied the video site Vimeo and a specific channel that focused on iPhone short films. “I was so impressed by what I saw,” he said. “I thought, ‘This holds up.’ ”
Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, left, and Mya Taylor in “Tangerine,” a movie shot entirely with iPhones.CreditMagnolia Pictures
Through that channel, he found a Kickstarter campaign for Moondog Labs, a company that makes an adapter that fits over the iPhone lens and helps filmmakers achieve a more cinematic feel. “It would let us shoot the way Sergio Leone would shoot westerns,” he said.
He reached out to the company to see if he could get its adapters, which were still in their prototype stage. He dropped the name of one of his executive producers, Mark Duplass. Moondog sent Mr. Baker three.
He combined the adapters with Filmic Pro, an inexpensive app with several useful tools.
“The separate ability to control white balance, focus and exposure were key fundamentals that enabled them to get good focus points in every shot,” said Neill Barham, the founder and chief executive of Filmic Pro, explaining how his app helped the “Tangerine” crew.
The filmmakers bought three iPhone 5s for the shoot, but used only two at a time, with Mr. Baker and his co-cinematographer, Radium Cheung, recording at different angles. They used a Steadicam hand-held support called the Smoothee for stabilized shots. To achieve some sweeping shots that may have required a dolly if used with a traditional camera, Mr. Baker rode his bicycle, one hand on the iPhone and the other on the handlebars. “It literally felt like I was 12 years old, shooting my VHS movies in New Jersey,” he said.
(In postproduction, film grain was added and the footage color-enhanced to give a saturated look.)
There were other benefits to using an iPhone. Nonprofessional actors like his leads usually need time to get used to a camera. But because everyone is familiar with an iPhone, the cast felt comfortable from the beginning.
So what does Apple think of the results? A spokesman declined to comment, but Mr. Baker said he received a free iPhone 6 Plus from the company after Sundance, and at a recent talk at an Apple store, the cast and producers were also given the devices. So the crew is now stocked up with equipment for another potential feature.
An article on Monday about the film “Tangerine,” which was shot on an iPhone, omitted a writer of the film. Besides Sean Baker, the director, Chris Bergoch also wrote it. The article also misspelled the name of the Steadicam hand-held support used to stabilize shots. It is the Smoothee, not Smoothie.
A version of this article appears in print on , Section C, Page 1 of the New York edition with the headline: Siri, Take a Video. The Talent’s Ready. . Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe
Sean Baker’s Offbeat Characters, in 3 Films at Lincoln Center
Broadening a Transgender Tale That Has Only Just Begun
Breakthrough Performances of the Summer Movies Season
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Travel|Place 14 of 52: Seattle, City of Glass
The 52 Places traveler
Place 14 of 52: Seattle, City of Glass
I didn’t expect glass to be the theme of my visit to Seattle — but I was captivated. Here are five ways to experience it.
Scenes from Seattle. Clockwise from top right: Guzmania sanguinea from Ecuador in Amazon’s The Spheres; Dale Chihuly’s “Sealife Tower” and “Mille Fiori” at Chihuly Garden and Glass; the exterior of The Spheres.CreditCreditJada Yuan/The New York Times
By Jada Yuan
Our columnist, Jada Yuan, is visiting each destination on our 52 Places to Go in 2018 list. This dispatch brings her to Seattle; it took the No. 44 spot on the list and the city is the 14th stop on Jada’s itinerary.
On a rainy Tuesday — his glassblowing day — Preston Singletary fired up the ovens of his studio near downtown Seattle, and over the course of two hours, turned a molten blob into a raven.
Two assistants worked wordlessly beside him, manning blowtorches and helping shape the hot glass with an array of tools. I sat on a bench, feeling like the 2,200-degree heat might melt my face off. The final result would come after many more hours of cooling and sandblasting: a noble bird covered in designs based on Mr. Singletary’s Tlingit tribal culture.
The Seattle-area native Dale Chihuly, who still lives in the city, may be the only glass artist most people know by name, but Mr. Singletary is a significant force in the field. Recently, he sold out a series of three 7-foot-tall cast glass “Family Story” totem poles (a different, far more laborious technique) for hundreds of thousands of dollars apiece. And his was the third glass studio I’d seen in Seattle in three days. I didn’t intend for glass to be such a theme throughout my visit to the city, but it was clear as, well, glass.
“For me, glass was basically a day job back in the day to support my music habit,” said Mr. Singletary, who also plays bass in a band, Khu.éex, that overlays traditional Tlingit vocals with experimental rock, with the aim of language preservation. He has also consulted with elders and historical drawings for his designs, and has worked with master Tlingit woodworkers.
This October, Mr. Singletary will debut an immersive exhibition of glass sculpture, video and sound at the Museum of Glass in nearby Tacoma. (It will also travel to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.) He’s been working on the concept, which is based on the Tlingit tale of Raven and the Box of Daylight, for four years.
He sees glass as a way of preserving his culture while also moving it forward. “The materials we use are becoming increasingly rare — cedar trees for dug out canoes and totem poles,” he said. “So new materials need to be employed to keep the stories and symbolism alive.”
I’ve known about Seattle’s culture of glass since I was a kid. My mother, Lucy Lyon, is a self-taught cast-glass figurative sculptor. Recently I asked her why she’s devoted her adult life, and my entire lifetime, to working with glass. She told me she tried other materials, like bronze and clay, and just couldn’t get inspired. “For me, a glass figure captures the light,” she said, “and holds it like a soul.”
In Seattle, I found myself equally captivated. Here are other ways to experience the city’s glass scene.
ALL THE CHIHULY
Beneath Seattle’s famed Space Needle, a Medusa’s head of hundreds of yellow, orange and red snakelike tendrils of blown glass sits atop a mound of Black Mondo grass from Japan. Together, they look like a Koosh ball perched on a shag rug — or maybe a curly-spiked sea anemone stuck to the head of someone with a terrible haircut.
That pairing is just a taste of the explosion of glass-amid-foliage on display at Chihuly Garden and Glass, a long-term exhibition celebrating Mr. Chihuly’s career that opened in 2012 and is one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions (admission, $26). The visual smorgasbord stretches over 1.5 acres, from galleries through a magnificent glass house with an 100-foot glass sculpture hanging from its ceiling, and into the outdoors, where, during my visit, a blue glass sphere was hiding in a bed of white and orange daffodils. Every hour, local artists give glassblowing demos out of hot shop an Airstream trailer.
Fans will notice echoes from Mr. Chihuly’s mad-scientist experiments of planting glass spears in Jerusalem’s Citadel, or floating glass balls down Venice’s canals. But this feels more personal than his other installations. Mr. Chihuly co-founded the Pilchuck Glass School an hour north of the city in Stanwood, Wash., where generations of artists have since gotten their training. And while recent years have brought a decline in health for the 76 year old, along with challenges to his legacy, it’s under his influence that Seattle has become the epicenter of where the vast majority of significant, museum-quality glass art is being made.
Changes are overhead, as well: The Space Needle is refurbishing its observation decks, with new glass and glass benches on the upper level (already open) and the world’s first and only rotating glass floor to open later this year on the lower level — all the better to see the colorful squiggles of glass below.
GLASS-THEMED GETAWAY
A 35-minute drive south to Tacoma’s Museum of Glass, where Mr. Singletary will have his exhibition, is critical to understanding the scope of the material in contemporary art. The highlight of my visit was a retrospective on the Japanese ceramist Akio Takamori, who in his later years created rough-hewed, blown-glass heads that looked as if they’d been sculpted from clay. There’s also a hot shop where visitors can view live demos, and an adorable program in which children draw designs that the museum’s artists bring to life. (My favorite was a hamburger cowboy by a 7 year old.)
Mr. Chihluy’s work is everywhere here, too; he’s from Tacoma and inspired the museum. A fountain filled with his undulating clear-glass shapes overlooks the waterfront just outside the museum’s front door. On the monumental Chihuly Glass Bridge, people can walk through a corridor of his glass. His sculptures even hang from the ceiling of the downtown train station.
CRYSTAL BALLS. BIG ONES.
The most arresting glass structure in the city, though, may well be the Amazon Spheres (technically titled Amazon’s The Spheres), three conjoined, bulbous conservatories filled with more than 40,000 plants from nearly 700 different species, that opened this January as part of the online behemoth’s downtown Seattle headquarters. Made up of 2,643 triangles and rhomboids, the Spheres’ reflective surface, which reflects off the surfaces of adjacent Amazon skyscrapers, has become an instantly recognizable part of Seattle’s architectural landscape. It’s also just a monumental feat of vision and money and will.
The idea of the Spheres, Ron Gagliardo, head horticulturalist, told me on a tour, was to create a kind of break room for Amazon employees to reconnect with nature in an urban jungle. “They can relax and refresh, maybe meet a colleague for lunch or coffee,” he said, “but in a place where they can feel differently and work differently and think differently.” When I visited, dozens of employees were taking meetings or typing away on laptops beneath tropical fauna.
Two Saturdays a month, with registration, members of the public can see the four-story plant wall, as well as Rubi, the ficus tree (49 years old and 49 feet tall) that had to be lowered in through the top of one of the spheres last June — a lady plant literally breaking a glass ceiling.
Early in my trip, friends took me to the Georgetown Art Attack, a night of open studios in a hip part of South Seattle that happens the second Saturday of every month. Our destination: the Rainier Glass Studio, which offered up free beers and a chance to watch three sets of glass blowers working simultaneously.
I gravitated toward Ryan Blythe, who had a coterie of assistants swirling around him, anticipating his every move. He’d been blowing glass for 26 years, he said, and was working powder into his glass to create stripes on what would become the tail of a squirrel-shaped bong. (A practical use for all this glass production in a city where recreational marijuana has been legalized; see also Uncle Ike’s Glass and Goods, next to the city’s controversial number one dispensary, Uncle Ike’s.)
We were hungry and Blythe had a ways to go, so we set off for the nearby Star Brass Works, a beautiful dive bar around the corner with a terrific $5 burger. When we went back to the studio, though, Mr. Blythe was gone and a young woman in roller skates named Mary Quinn was sweeping up.
Alas, the glass had cooled too quickly and the “badass squirrel bong,” she said, had shattered. “I’m not that sad. You learn a lot of stuff every time you mess something up.”
Jada Yuan is traveling to every place on this year’s 52 Places to Go list. For more coverage or to send Jada tips and suggestions, please follow her on Twitter at @jadabird and on Instagram at @alphajada.
Previous dispatches:
1: New Orleans
2: Chattanooga, Tenn.
3. Montgomery, Ala.
4. Disney Springs, Fla.
5. Trinidad and St. Lucia and San Juan, P.R.
6. Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica
7. Kuélap, Peru
8. Bogotá, Colombia
9. La Paz, Bolivia
10. Los Cabos, Mexico
11. Chile’s Route of Parks
12: Denver, Colo.
13: Rogue River, Ore.
Next dispatch: Branson, Mo.
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Alex Newman
Alex Newman is an American freelance writer and the president of Liberty Sentinel Media Inc., a small media consulting firm. He is currently living in Sweden and has spent most of his life in Latin America, Europe and Africa. He has a degree in foreign languages and speaks Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Italian and a little Swedish and Afrikaans. Newman also earned a degree in journalism from the University of Florida, with emphasis on economics and international relations.
Alabama bans UN Agenda 21
By Alex Newman
Alabama became the first state to adopt a tough law protecting private property and due process by prohibiting any government involvement with or participation in a controversial United Nations scheme known as Agenda 21. Activists from across the political spectrum celebrated the measure’s approval as a significant victory against the UN “sustainability” plot, expressing hope that similar sovereignty-preserving measures would be adopted in other states as the nationwide battle heats up.
The Alabama Senate Bill (SB) 477 legislation, known unofficially among some supporters as the “Due Process for Property Rights” Act, was approved unanimously by both the state House and Senate. After hesitating for a few days, late last month Republican Governor Robert Bentley finally signed into law the wildly popular measure — but only after heavy pressure from activists forced his hand.
Virtually no mention of the law was made in the establishment press. But analysts said the measure was likely the strongest protection against the UN scheme passed anywhere in America so far. The law, aimed at protecting private property rights, specifically prevents all state agencies and local governments in Alabama from participating in the global scheme in any way.
“The State of Alabama and all political subdivisions may not adopt or implement policy recommendations that deliberately or inadvertently infringe or restrict private property rights without due process, as may be required by policy recommendations originating in, or traceable to ‘Agenda 21,’ ” the law states, adding a brief background on the UN plan hatched at the 1992 “Earth Summit” in Rio de Janeiro.
The people of Alabama acting through their elected representatives — not UN bureaucrats — have the authority to develop the state’s environmental and development policies, the official synopsis of the law explains. Therefore, infringements on the property rights of citizens linked to “any other international law or ancillary plan of action that contravenes the Constitution of the United States or the Constitution of the State of Alabama” are also prohibited under the new measure.
Of course, as the law points out, the UN has enlisted a broad array of non-governmental and inter-governmental organizations in its effort to foist Agenda 21 on the world — most notably a Germany-based group called ICLEI, formerly known as the International Council of Local Environmental Initiatives. But the new measure takes direct aim at that problem, too: “the State of Alabama and all political subdivisions may not enter into any agreement, expend any sum of money, or receive funds contracting services, or giving financial aid to or from” any such entities, as defined in Agenda 21 documents.
“This bill, that would bar the state from taking over private property without due process, is intended to shelter Alabamians from the United Nations Agenda 21, a sustainable development initiative that some conservatives see as a precursor for the creation of a world government,”explained Alabama GOP Executive Director T.J. Maloney when announcing that it had been signed into law. The Republican National Committee (RNC) adopted a resolution earlier this year blasting the global scheme and urging policy makers to oppose it, and state parties have followed suit.
Public support for the Alabama law was overwhelming and bipartisan as citizens who had been terrorized by Agenda 21-linked schemes targeting their private property spoke out. But according to analysts and state Republican Party officials cited in press reports, Gov. Bentley was originally hesitant to sign the bill — almost certainly due to concerns over the potential loss of some federal funding.
The U.S. Senate, of course, has never formally ratified Agenda 21. But the executive branch — in conjunction with accomplices at the international, state, and local levels — has for two decades been quietly attempting to impose the plan on Americans by stealth, mostly using deceptive terms like “Smart Growth” and “Green.” And proponents of the global scheme consistently threaten that states seeking to protect citizens from the UN plot could end up losing some federal funds.
“Every time you take a dollar of federal money, there’s strings attached,” explained Ken Freeman, chairman of the Alabama-based group Alliance for Citizens Rights (ACR), an organization that fought hard to ensure that the Governor signed the bill into law. “We were originally walking soft on this issue, to tell you the truth, because when things were going our way, why change anything?”
But when Gov. Bentley did not immediately approve the bill, Freeman told a reporter, ACR turned the activism up a notch, urging citizens to contact the Governor’s office and express their support for the measure. The grassroots pressure paid off: Alabama became the first state to be officially shielded by law from UN-linked anti-property rights scheming.
“It seems that Agenda 21 does actually bring people together in communities — just not in the way the U.N. had hoped for,” remarked Justice Gilpin-Green in a column for the conservative site Townhall, citing Freeman and other instrumental supporters of the effort. “Hopefully other states can mirror Alabama’s determined nature in passing their anti-Agenda 21 legislation. It was citizen awareness and direct action that finally brought about the needed changes last week and that same awareness and action will be needed for the future of every other state.”
Legislative analysts said the bill, sponsored by GOP state Sen. Gerald Dial, was extremely well crafted: protecting citizens and individual rights from UN decrees in a simple, straightforward manner that Agenda 21 advocates would have a hard time criticizing. Liberty-minded organizations and lawmakers are already examining the measure for potential use as a model in other states currently struggling to expel the global scheme and its myriad tentacles.
“Alabama House Bill 618 [SB 477] is a large step towards protecting Alabamians against UN meddling. It protects the due process rights of Alabamians. It keeps Constitutional Law above International Law,” noted Jason Baker, a Montgomery-based conservative pundit with theExaminer. “Now state after state awakens to the threat it poses to freedom and sovereignty.”
Across America, Tea Party groups, liberty-minded Democrats, libertarians, and a broad coalition of activists have been turning up the heat on Agenda 21. Tennessee, for example, adopted a bipartisan state resolution slamming the UN scheme as an “insidious” and “socialist” plot that is completely at odds with American traditions of limited government, individual freedom, private property, and self-governance under the Constitution. Numerous other states are pursuing similar measures.
A bill similar to Alabama’s seeking a complete ban on Agenda 21 and unconstitutional UN “sustainability” efforts in Arizona was approved overwhelmingly in the state Senate. The legislation died in the state House even after clearing several hurdles, however, when the legislative session ended before a final vote could be taken. New Hampshire is reportedly working on a bill to ban Agenda 21 that sailed through the state House last month.
Meanwhile, local governments across America — under intense pressure from citizens and activist groups — are slowly awakening to what critics call the “dangers” of the UN scheme. Dozens of cities and counties have withdrawn from ICLEI in recent years, and as awareness continues to grow, that trend is expected to accelerate.
The UN, however, is doubling down on its controversial plan. In June, governments from all over the world will be meeting in Rio de Janeiro for the so-called “Conference on Sustainable Development” — known as Rio+20 for short. According to official documents released by the global body, the summit, headed by Chinese Communist Sha Zukang, will be seeking to dramatically transform human civilization under the guise of environmentalism.
Production, education, consumption, individual rights, and even people’s thoughts will all be targeted under the global plan to create a so-called “green economy,” the UN admitted. But with the tidal wave of opposition in America growing stronger every single day, analysts expect fierce U.S. opposition — if not from the Obama administration, at least from the increasingly outraged citizenry.
*This article was originally published at TheNewAmerican.com on June 4 and is republished here with permission.
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Our Stories: Rosemary Coldstream
Rosemary Coldstream’s husband thought her timing was seriously off. She had decided to make a change from a long career in fashion to landscape design at a time when the TV programme ‘Ground Force’ had brought garden design into popular consciousness and new landscape designers were popping up all over. Lovingly he told her, “You’ll never make it.”
Presumably he has since eaten his words as Rosemary has gone on to design award-winning gardens, including a delightful trade stand for the Chelsea Flower Show which featured a Morris Minor set in a lush 1950s picnic scene, as well as receiving a prestigious Society of Garden Designers’ award (‘the BAFTAs of garden design awards’). When not developing high end garden plans for a range of clients, Rosemary also writes and lectures on garden design.
Rosemary was born in Christchurch, but her family moved to Auckland when she was 12 and she had her secondary education at Selwyn College. After a stint at the New Zealand College of Fashion Design, she took up her first job in the wardrobe department of the Mercury Theatre. In 1985 she worked for Colin Cole’s couture fashion company in Parnell before becoming a pattern cutter for Miss Deb making high street fashion for young kiwi women.
After arriving in England in 1990, Rosemary had the obligatory stint behind a bar in a Carnaby Street pub before continuing her pattern of alternating between couture design and the high street. A job at a Maida Vale couturier saw her designing for clients ranging from Hasidic Jews to princesses of Bahrain. While her next position, as a pattern maker for Lagenes in Camden was all about working on fashion for Top Shop, Dorothy Perkins and Etam.
But Rosemary felt something was lacking. “I wasn’t being creative enough. Instead I was just churning out a version of someone else’s stuff and not achieving what I wanted to do.”
After marrying an Englishman and having her first daughter, Rosemary made couture wedding dresses and suits from home but a second daughter, and a move from London to St Albans prompted a change in career. In spite of her husband’s misgivings, she enrolled in a garden design course at further education college Capel Manor in Enfield and - hitting the ground running – set up her own company before she had even completed the course.
Starting as a freelancer, she began to network and build her own client base including a Russian oligarch who was taken with her work after seeing her stand at the Chelsea Flower Show.
In 2009 Rosemary became a Registered Member of the Society of Garden Designers, the professional association for UK garden designers. 2012 saw her creating the 1950s picnic style Chelsea Flower Show trade stand – which won her a Certificate of Merit – and in 2015 she won the Society of Garden Designers’ 2014 Pocket Garden Award for a wonderful river garden design (check out the photos on Rosemary’s website and do look out for the NZ native bird cushions).
While things were going well with Rosemary’s business, she had a real shock on the health front when she discovered she had ovarian cancer while working on a Chelsea Flower Show garden. Rosemary has since made a full recovery, but says that picking up her Design Excellence award from BALI, the British Association of Landscape Industries, while wearing a wig just after her fifth cycle of chemotherapy was a somewhat surreal experience. However she says that it was important for her to keep working during her treatment as a way of keeping her own sanity.
And what do her clients want? “A lot of my clients don’t want a garden that requires work. They want a peaceful space to be in which is a neat and tidy extension of their house. So I give them clipped hedging and a garden which is quite formal and non-naturalistic.
“People with country gardens often want something softer. I’ve moved to planting a mix of perennials and shrubs and I often use good New Zealand shrubs. Flaxes have had their moment but I use pittosporum and hebes which are a good replacement for box.”
Rosemary believes everyone should be growing plants, even if it’s just a few herbs in a window box as “it gives some meaning to life and so much pleasure.” Even with so much garden design in her life, she still has time to enjoy her own garden where her husband is allowed to do some mowing and pruning (“but only under my instruction”).
Currently Rosemary has three large projects coming to an end, including the refurbishing of a 12-acre garden, and she’s looking forward to creating another river garden, which will provide a number of ecological challenges. But she always has a soft spot for the Chelsea Flower Show: “It’s theatre for gardens and complete madness. You work from 8am to 8pm and there’s no rest but it is great fun. It’s very intense but there’s huge camaraderie” and would love to design a competitive garden next year or in 2019.
Further details can be found on Rosemary's website - rosemarycoldstream.com and she can be contacted via email - info@rosemarycoldstream.com.
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In Ocala, Youth Job Fair attracts hundreds of candidates
Joe Callahan @JoeOcalaNews
34 businesses look to hire part-time and full-time workers
Editor's note: This story has been revised to correct the name of CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion and to correct a quote from that agency's spokeswoman.
Hundreds of area high school seniors, many dressed in their best outfits and jackets, lined up Wednesday in an Ocala Hilton hallway waiting to be the first to attend the sixth annual Youth Job Fair.
The event, sponsored by the local School District and CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion, attracted 34 area businesses, which had representatives on hand to help young people find part-time and full-time employment.
The first hour of the event was solely for high school seniors. Mark Vianello, executive director of the district's Career and Technical Education department, said nearly 30 percent more high school seniors signed up when compared to the 2018 event, which was held last May.
Some 300 high school seniors signed up to attend the first hour before all other young people — up to age 24 — were allowed to enter the large conference room at 3:30 p.m.
Alana Akana, 18, will be graduating this year from North Marion High School. Akana plan to attend college and major in criminal justice. One day she hopes to get a job in law enforcement, specifically at the federal level, she said.
“I really need job experience,” Akana said.
Standing next to Akana was Kelly Moreno, a soon-to-be West Port High School graduate. She plans to one day be a pediatric nurse practitioner.
“I really need to get my name out there,” Moreno noted. “I want to see if I can find a (part-time) job in health care.”
The free event was exclusively for teens and young adults seeking full- or part-time employment for permanent, summer or temporary positions. Officials said 34 businesses attended in hopes of hiring one of the 400 or so young people who were expected to attend.
Laura Byrnes, the local CareerSource’s communications manager, said the job fair is a perfect partnership with CareerSource, the School District and the business community.
“This event showcases the businesses we have in Marion County,” she noted. “It really is more than a showcase because these businesses are here to hire people.”
According to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics, the summer of 2018 was the best job market for teenagers and young adults since the mid-1960s. And economists don’t expect that job market to decline this summer.
To put the job market in perspective, consider the first Youth Job Fair back in 2014, which was the tail end of a seven-year national recession that especially hurt the Marion County workforce.
At that 2014 event, more than 350 young adults dressed in suits and dresses waited in long lines in the summer heat in hopes of landing a job. Because of the recession, there were few jobs available and only five businesses attended.
The Marion County unemployment rate in 2014 was 7.3 percent, and there were more than 9,500 local residents who were unemployed in a job market that was still sputtering during the lengthy recession. Businesses were not expanding and available jobs were few and far between. Today, the unemployment rate is less than 3 percent and businesses are expanding.
E. Bentley Cox, branch manager for Acme Barricades, said the company recently moved its headquarters from near Tallahassee to Ocala.
Cox said the company, which installs and repairs guardrails, is looking for drivers who must be at least 21 years old. Cox said the second phase of the job fair was where he hoped to find employees.
Al Jones, AutoZone store manager and CareerSource CLM board member, said this is the time of year that AutoZone needs part-time employees. Jones said he was there to hire for the retail locations. But after about 30 minutes, he was given the OK to talk to young people about warehouse jobs in north Ocala.
“We are hoping to find candidates who will work for us and may decide to make a career with AutoZone, which has good pay and benefits,” Jones said. “Most young people don’t wake up and say I want to be a store manager.”
Joe Callahan be reached at 867-4113 or at joe.callahan@starbanner.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoeOcalaNews
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Three Cheers for 3-D
August 10, 2010 Michael Boileau
Is it safe to say that 3-D is the new poster child of indie hatred? It’s the thing to crap on at the moment. While I understand the restraint in embarrassing a new format in open arms (as I shrug in disappointment at my SACD and HD-DVD collection), I think we have yet to see its true potential.
“Avatar” was a real mixed blessing of a movie to introduce 3-D to the masses. James Cameron, historically speaking, was probably the right guy in many ways to invest in and deploy such a crazy new technology (see: “Aliens”, “The Abyss” and “Terminator 2”) even though he may not have been (okay—wasn’t) the right guy to pen the script.
With the exception of my kid cousins who saw “Avatar” in 2-D and LOVED it, I don’t know anyone who saw it in 3-D and was praising the script afterward. It was an experience movie, like the “Rocky Horror Picture Show” or “Gigli”—you see it to say you’ve seen it.
This really isn’t reading like a gushing endorsement for 3-D yet, I know. To understand why I’m so in favor of 3-D movies, though, you have to go to the core of why people see movies: to be entertained. And frankly, the movie industry needs a kick-in-the-ass quality-wise to stay relevant to a generation that can download any movie to their computer or portable media player, theater experience be damned. People forget, 3-D is one of the few big shifts in moviemaking, and is even a big step forward compared to other format lifespans.
When compared to the changes of music formats in the past 100 years: wax cylinder, vinyl record, 8-track, cassette, CD and digital file—the past 100 years of filmmaking has had a much slower pace of development: crappy slow frame-rate film, slightly better black-and-white film, color film, slightly better color film, bigger film and digital projection/3-D.
The point is that 3-D isn’t just a baby step for filmmaking—it’s a quantum leap. Give it some time, people!
Unfortunately, people don’t understand what the expectations for 3-D movies should be yet, either. Most people, for instance, are unaware that the best 3-D quality comes from movies shot from the beginning in 3-D. However, not all movies that go to the box office are shot natively that way; many are post-production conversions that come out abysmally, like “Clash of the Titans.”
A good 3-D movie can’t just be shot in 3-D either. It has to be conceptualized from the beginning that way. There’s a fine balance between 3-D movies with marginal depth to the end-credits animation of “Despicable Me” that breaks through the fourth wall. The purpose of 3-D is to add a sense of depth and create immersion in the film. Until movies start coming out without 3-D as the main selling point, people will always be watching the movie one step back, analyzing the 3-D first and the movie second.
The problem with using 3-D as a tool instead of the selling point is the cost. Three-D at the moment is an expensive technology to film in and is only available at the moment to the James Camerons of the world. Until we get good 3-D cameras in the hands of up-and-coming directors, cinematographers and directors of photography, we have yet to see the true potential of the medium. There are many ways for it to be creatively utilized that we haven’t even thought up yet; ways that don’t fatigue the eyes and don’t bore them either.
It doesn’t help the 3-D cause when directors and techies publically trash 3-D filmmaking. However, those critical of the medium need to remember that the people will ultimately determine its success or failure, and that publically bashing something on the cusp of its mass adoption will seem as ill-informed as someone like me lauding 3-D if it fails. The coin lands both ways.
So, while I do think 3-D is the best thing to happen to filmmaking in awhile, I’m also aware that it needs some more time to grow. Once the Wes Anderson, Quentin Tarantino, Francis Ford Copolla, [insert director in desired style] of 3-D come along, hopefully I can get the last laugh. For now, I’ll just have the first one.
Mike Boileau is a Fifth-Year Political Science and Cognitive Psychology Double Major and compulsive organizer. You can reach him at mboileau@uci.edu.
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Studying Computer Games Is No Waste
February 1, 2011 Jim White
“Most people have to work for a living; others get to play video games.” That is what United States Senator Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK) said about research at UC Irvine’s Center for Computer Games and Virtual Worlds in the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Science.
The Center for Computer Games and Virtual Worlds is truly interdisciplinary, as befits a research area having broad social impact, with faculty not just from the fields of informatics and computer science but also humanities, law, education, art and anthropology. So it would be fair to say they do a whole lot more than just play video games there.
But last December, Coburn published “Wastebook 2010: A Guide to Some of the Most Wasteful Government Spending of 2010” through his taxpayer-funded senatorial office. In it, he ranked as No. 6 (out of 100 government-funded projects) work by UCI Professor Bonnie Nardi, Senior Research Scientist Walt Scacchi and 21 other researchers, for which they received a three-year, $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation in 2008.
The first thing you should think when someone tells you that a federal education, art or science grant is “waste” is that that person has no idea what they are talking about. Each of those institutions depends on an extensive peer-review process to choose the best from among a vast number of grant proposals. There are proposals calling for far more money than is available in the budget, and the process is extremely competitive. To receive even a modest NSF grant is a mark of distinction, to be granted millions of dollars is an unmistakable sign of scientific merit.
The second thing to keep in mind is that Senator Coburn is not trying to change the grant-making decision process, apart from using political intimidation to apply some “chilling effect” over topics he dislikes. What he wants is for Congress to slash the budget of the NSF, National Endowment for the Arts, Department of Education, National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and every other non-military institution of the American government. The figure he cites in the introduction of his “wastebook” is the 40 percent reduction made in 1946. Those federal grants provide a major portion of UCI’s budget, particularly since research is such a big part of our mission here. One reason research is important to life at UCI is that 53 percent of those federal grants comes off the top to pay for “overhead” like our buildings and subsidized tuition.
Some have suggested that Senator Coburn, born in 1948, just does not “get it” when it comes to understanding how important computer games and virtual worlds are to the modern economy and the future of business innovation. That maybe he and his people are unaware that gross sales by the video game industry surpassed that of the movie industry in 2008. Perhaps they are unaware that Irvine is the home of more than 40 companies in the computer game business. The largest of those companies is Blizzard Entertainment, creator of “World of Warcraft,” which has 1,400 of its 6,000-strong global work force located here. Or that video game sales, unlike those in many other entertainment industries, have historically grown even during recessions.
Busy senator that he is, we would certainly be understanding if he did not know that UCI takes computer games so seriously that we just started offering a major in computer game science last fall. Of course he is not be the only person who has trouble grasping the nature of this culturally transformative new technology. The computer games major took 10 years of concerted effort to bring to fruition and encountered, and no doubt will continue to encounter, difficulties with perception by, and preconceived notions from, people who are not knowledgeable about the field. This is a process that so clearly echoes the establishment of film studies and film schools in the 20th century that one could get the impression that the statements have been copied and pasted with some of the names switched around.
The tough question here is what to do when you witness this kind of ignorant or deceptive attack, especially when it comes from a powerful person or group. I do not think trying to run around and correct all the falsehoods and omissions is worthwhile. Few people have the patience or inclination to listen, and besides, that would mean always being on the defensive. One thing that will help is to be alert and be prepared to think critically when presented with political messages. Every undergraduate here must satisfy the university writing requirement, which means you have learned something about rhetorical analysis Ń or you will. Use those skills! Even on texts where you do not know what to think. Perhaps especially on texts where you agree without having to think.
One last bit of advice. Think about what you do here at UCI and why it is important to you, your family and our community. Be prepared to share what that is with anyone who will listen and do so when the opportunity arises. If you do not think that your being here is worthwhile, then that is the real waste.
Jim White is a fourth-year information and computer science major. He can be reached at jpwhite@uci.edu.
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Free Consultation: 1.800.NY.NY.LAW Tap Here To Call Us
New York Probate and Estate Administration Lawyer Blog
Published By Stephen Bilkis & Associates, PLLC
Court Listens to Construction Proceeding Regarding Tax Returns
by Stephen Bilkis
The executors have instituted this construction proceeding, prior to the filing of Federal and New York estate tax returns, to determine the effect of a tax exoneration clause, paragraph second and request a reformation or interpretation of paragraph eleventh, which creates a pre 1969 residuary, multiple, split-income, charitable remainder trust so as to qualify it for a charitable deduction under U.S.Code, tit. 26, § 2055 as amended by the Tax Reform Act of 1969 (TRA).
The testator died on September 9, 1973, age 92, leaving a daughter, age 64, as his sole distributee, and a granddaughter and three great-grandsons. His will, executed on December 19, 1967 was admitted to probate and letters testamentary issued to petitioners on October 1, 1973.
Paragraph second of the will provides: I direct that all my funeral, administration expenses, just debts, and all estate and inheritance or succession taxes be paid as soon after my death as may be practicable. After several outright and in trust cash bequests to his daughter, granddaughter, great-grandsons and friends totalling $38,050, testator gave his residuary estate to his trustees in trust.
The income of any part which shall remain undisposed because of the death prior to the termination of the trust of the persons hereinabove named to receive the same shall be distributed ratably among the beneficiaries of the remaining parts in the proportion that their respective income interests bear to the aggregate of the income interests of all the remaining parts.
Upon the death of the testator’s daughter the trust remainder is payable in the same proportions as the excess income. Though the petition does not set forth the assets comprising the testator’s estate, petitioners’ attorney has informed the court that the assets and deductions for estate tax purposes
The residuary probate estate, after deducting the preresiduary outright and in trust bequests, but before estate taxes, is $845,580. Petitioners allege that the loss of the charitable deduction because the trust is not a charitable annuity trust under TRA would increase the estate tax by $163,000. It should be noted that prior to December 31, 1969, the estate would be entitled to a charitable deduction since the amounts payable to the charities could be readily determined.
Before proceeding with the construction of paragraphs second and eleventh of the will, the court is called upon to determine a question of jurisdiction, which appears to be of first impression.
Petitioners named and cited as interested parties, in addition to the charitable and noncharitable residuary legatees, the Attorney General of the State of New York (AG), the United States Treasury Department–Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the New York State Tax Commission (Commission). With the exception of the IRS all of the cited parties have duly filed notices of appearances.
The decedent’s daughter Mary Simms denies any consent to acceleration of the charities’ remainder interests and filed an answer opposing the relief requested by the petition.
Both the United States Department of Justice and the United States Attorney for the Eastern District filed written objections to the IRS being made a party. They contend that IRS is not a legal entity which can be sued; that if the real party in interest is the United States, it has not waived its sovereign immunity. Because of the opposition of the United States, the IRS cannot be deemed a party.
As a result of the answer, court personnel have had several conferences with the attorneys for all of the parties in an attempt to dispose of the issues amicably. The Commission’s attorney participated in such conferences. While the petitioners and all the residuary legatees have filed memoranda of law in support of their respective positions, neither the attorney for the Commission nor AG has submitted a memoranda of law. Following the submission of the proceeding for decision, the Commission moved for an order dismissing the proceeding as to it, or in the alternative, dropping it as a party.
In his supporting affidavit the attorney for the Commission alleges that the allowance of the charitable deduction is a matter for the IRS, which determination, under Article 26 of the Tax Law is binding upon the Commission in the absence of fraud or palpable error. Since the IRS is not a party to this proceeding and in any event would not be bound by any determination of this court under Commissioner v. Estate of Bosch, supra, the Commission contends that it should not be bound by this court’s determination, but only by the determination of the IRS.
As to the tax exoneration clause, the Commission admits that under SCPA 1420(4) all parties to the proceeding are bound by the decree of a court unless modified or reversed on appeal. Nevertheless, the Commission argues that an interpretation of the exoneration clause can affect the extent of the charitable deduction, if any, for estate tax purposes, which would not be binding upon the IRS under Bosch, supra, and likewise would not be binding upon the Commission.
No claim is made that the Commission is not a proper party to this proceeding, nor that the appearance by its attorney was in any way unauthorized or improper. Research by the court fails to reveal any reported case in which the Commission has sought relief similar to that requested here.
In the Estate of Ella M. Stalp a recent case involving a will construction under TRA similar to the instant case the court has been advised that the Commission was cited, appeared but did not file a brief or otherwise participate in the proceeding. Discussing the problems resulting from the judicial construction of the will under TRA and the estate tax implications of his determination, Surrogate Sobel said: In the light of local law, as discussed earlier in this decision, and without regard to present or future transitional provisions, this Court is satisfied that the Treasury will accept the ruling of this Court directing minor reformation of the trust in issue. The section 664 Regulations do not require a ruling of the State’s highest court in such circumstances
TRA as originally enacted provided for a saving or transitional period (IRC 2055(4)(B)(i)(ii)(iii); Reg. 3664–1(g)(1)(i)(ii)(iii)) which is inapplicable to testator, who, petitioners allege at all times was under no mental disability. In his learned analysis of the TRA as it affects charitable trusts under both the old and new law, Surrogate Sobel in the Stalp case, supra, called attention to the need for statutory relief by Congress. Prophetically, on October 26, 1974, Congress amended section 2055(e) of the IRC by the addition of subparagraph (3), Public Law 93–483, 93rd Congress, H.R. 12035, effective as to the estates of decedents dying after December 31, 1969.
This amendment permits estates of decedents dying after December 31, 1969, with wills executed prior to September 31, 1974, creating old law charitable remainder trusts, which do not qualify as a charitable remainder annuity or unitrust to qualify for a charitable deduction in the following language: if the governing instrument is amended or conformed on or before December 31, 1975, or, if later, on or before the 30th day after the date on which judicial proceedings begun on or before December 31, 1975, become final, so that the interest is in a trust which is a charitable remainder annuity trust, or a charitable remainder unitrust, or a pooled income fund, a deduction shall nevertheless be allowed.
In the case of wills of decedents which come within the purview of the 1974 amendment to IRC § 2055, it is obvious that they can only be amended or conformed by a local court such as this court. Any other interpretation of the new transitional amendment would render it meaningless. This has been the interpretation given by the courts to the original saving provisions contained in the TRA and the administrative provisions in income tax Regs. 1–664. The Legislature enacted EPTL 8–1.8 which the Practice Commentary in McKinney’s indicates was passed to conform New York law with the restrictions imposed upon charitable trusts by the TRA.
All of the above cited cases involved post TRA executed wills. The courts have uniformly permitted a construction or reformation of wills to enable estates to claim a charitable deduction pursuant to section 2055 IRC as amended by the Tax Reform Act of 1969. An appearance once served can only be withdrawn with the permission of the court. Accordingly, in light of the 1974 amendment to IRC § 2055 and in the exercise of its discretion, the motion of the State Tax Commission to dismiss the proceeding as to it, or in the alternative, to withdraw its appearance, is denied. Testator, by grouping the payment of taxes with the payment of debts, funeral and administration expenses in paragraph second, indicated an intent to pay estate taxes on the gifts passing under his will as an expense of administration.
Accordingly, pursuant to the provisions of EPTL 2–1.8 estate taxes will be apportioned against non-testamentary gifts and the taxes attributable to gifts passing under the will are to be paid as an expense of administration to be deducted before division of the residuary estate. Lastly, the court is called upon to determine testator’s intent with regard to paragraph eleventh of his will so that, if it is at all possible, the estate will be entitled to a deduction for the gifts to charity.
That testator intended to benefit the three charitable remaindermen named in his will is obvious. As Surrogate Sobel stated in Matter of Stalp, supra, This court finds that Miss Stalp’s honest and straightforward charitable motive, one devoid of any purpose of tax avoidance has been frustrated by an unintended mistake in will draftsmanship, justifying the Court in allowing reformation of Article 32 of her will by minor judicial surgery as hereinafter directed.
The sum of $8,000 which decedent directed to be paid in quarterly instalments to his daughter for life, first from income and so much of the principal as may be necessary created an annuity.
The court has computed the present value of the annuity, based upon a female age 64, as of the date of the decedent’s death to be $79,318.42. After inquiry, the court has been informed that petitioners can purchase a similar commercial annuity from an insurance company for $86,811.93 without any refund, and with a refund feature for $91,463.40. Under the 1974 amendment to the TRA, the court will amend or conform the decedent’s will by the use of the doctrine of segregation as did Surrogate Sobel in the Stalp case, supra, so that the indefeasibly vested income and principal payable to the charities qualifies as a deduction under IRC § 2055.
Rather than create six separate trusts as requested by petitioners in their brief and accelerate payment of one-half of the residue to the charities, which is opposed by decedent’s daughter, the court will create four separate trusts as set forth below.
The residuary estate will be ascertained after deducting from the gross probate estate, debts, funeral, administration expenses, estate taxes, and the cash bequests, both outright and in trust pursuant to paragraphs third through tenth inclusive, from which a charitable annuity remainder trust of $80,000 will be created. Pursuant to EPTL 8–1.8 this trust will be held by the trustees pursuant to all the income and estate provisions of the Internal Revernue Code and regulations relating to charitable annuity trusts from which an annuity of $4,000 per annum (5% Of the principal), will be paid in quarterly instalments first from income and then from principal to the decedent’s daughter for life. The annual excess income, if any, and principal upon death to be paid to the three designated charities in accordance with the proportions designated in paragraph eleventh (a) 4, 5 and 6 of the decedent’s will.
A second private non-charitable remainder trust found of $80,000 is to be created to be held by the trustees from which an annuity of $4,000 per annum (5% Of the principal in quarterly instalments, is to be paid to the decendent’s daughter for life, first from income and then from principal, excess annual income and the principal upon her death to be paid to the persons designated in the proportions set forth in paragraph eleventh (a) 1, 2 and 3 of the provisions of the decedent’s will.
The balance of the residuary estate after the funding of the two $80,000 trust funds to be divided into two equal trusts both to be held during the life of the decedent’s daughter, one for the benefit of the charitable remaindermen and the other for the other noncharitable remaindermen pursuant to the provisions of subparagraph (b) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of paragraph eleventh of the decedent’s will. The charitable trust in accordance with the provisions of EPTL 8–1.8 shall be held by the trustees subject to all of the income and estate tax provisions of the IRC and regulations relating to charitable foundations.
Since the noncharitable income and remainder interests are not indefeasibly vested, the court cannot commute the annuity payable to the decedent’s daughter without affecting the rights of the noncharitable remaindermen who can only be ascertained upon the death of the annuitant.
The aggregate value of the charitable annuity and noncharitable trusts ($160,000) will fully assure the payment of the $8,000 annuity payable to the decedent’s daughter during her life.
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Updated: March 27, 2017 5:50 pm
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Court Decides Case Involving Promissory Estoppel
Petitioner Seeks Guardianship of Disabled Sister
Surrogate Court Decides Will Construction Case
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Cummings Funeral Service
Dino Arvan, 86, Watertown
WATERTOWN, NY — Dino Arvan, 86, of Alexandria Bay, passed away Friday, June 28, 2019, at St. Elizabeth Hospital, Utica.
Calling hours will be held at Cummings Funeral Service, Inc., Watertown on Monday, July 1, from 5 – 8 PM. The funeral mass will be held 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 2, at St. Vasilios Greek Orthodox Church with Rev. Philip Yanulis presiding. Burial will follow in Brookside Cemetery.
Born Nov. 23, 1932, in Thessaloniki, Greece, a son of Peter and Fotini Diamond Arvanitides, he attended school in Greece.
He emigrated to the US in 1952. On March 18, 1953 he entered the US Army. He received the Korean, United Nations and National Defense Service Medals and was honorably discharged on Jan. 7, 1955.
On April 11, 1963, he married Ann Gregor in Watertown.
Dino was the owner and operator of Arcade Shoe Repair, then Dino’s Shoe Service for 64 years.
He was a member of St. Vasilios Greek Orthodox Church and a former member and president of its Church Council. He is a member of both the American Legion Post 61 and VFW Post 1400. He resided in Watertown from 1952 until the couple moved to Alexandria Bay in 2016.
He enjoyed fishing, boating, and had a love of the St. Lawrence River. But his greatest love was for his family.
Dino is survived by his wife, Ann; five children, Nicholas W., Syracuse, Peter J. and wife Joan, Southport, NC, Thomas D. and wife Judy, Franklin, OH, Tina J. Northrop and husband Travis, Mechanicville, and Peter D. and wife Nancy, Southport, NC; 15 grandchildren and six great grandchildren with one on the way; sister, Ann Arvan, Syracuse; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.
A sister, Joyce Armatas, died in June 2017.
In lieu of flowers donations in his name may be made to St. Vasilios Greek Orthodox Church, 502 Franklin St., Watertown, NY 13601.
Online condolences to his family may be posted at www.cummingsfuneral.com.
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NHL, Jamison pursue Coyotes' purchase agreement
by Corey Masisak
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced Monday that the League has an understanding with a group headed by former San Jose Sharks CEO Greg Jamison to pursue a purchase agreement of the Phoenix Coyotes.
"We had a series of meetings [Monday] with Greg Jamison and the City of Glendale and basically the status of things is we have an understanding with Mr. Jamison that we are going to proceed with he and his group to reach a formal agreement with the purchase and sale of the Coyotes," Bettman said at Jobing.com Arena. "While Greg is working on that with us, he's also going to be simultaneously looking to conclude an agreement with the City of Glendale. If both things track as we hope they will in the not too distant future -- though I won't put a specific timeframe on it -- we will be in a position, subject to board approval and council approval, to have the sale of the Coyotes finalized and effectuated."
Jamison's group must formalize the purchase agreement with the League and gain approval from the Board of Governors, while also gaining approval on a lease agreement for Jobing.com Arena with the City of Glendale before the sale can be completed.
Bettman said he hopes the timeline "can be counted in weeks as opposed to months."
"With the group that Greg has assembled, he is comfortable the financial wherewithal is there and we'll continue to do our due diligence as we do with any franchise ownership transfer," Bettman said. "This has been an extremely complicated situation that had to be dealt with on a number of tracks and while we did a deal that could have proceeded about a year ago, interference by outside third parties made it impossible for that to proceed, so we had to start over again."
Jamison said the the principals of his ownership group will eventually be unveiled, but he didn't want that announcement to overshadow Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals at the arena Monday night.
The Coyotes were put into bankruptcy by an ownership group led by Jerry Moyes in May 2009, and the League purchased the team in October of that year.
Jamison joined the Sharks in 1993 after a stint as vice president of business operations with the Indiana Pacers of the NBA. Before that, he was the director of marketing for the NBA's Dallas Mavericks from 1980-87.
He served as the president and CEO of Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment after being promoted to the position in 1996. Jamison led a group of 11 investors in purchasing the Sharks from original owner George Gund in 2002. Jamison was the team's representative on the League's Board of Governors until October 2011 when he began to pursue purchasing the Coyotes.
"You have to have goals. You have to believe that things can get accomplished," Jamison said when asked why he believes his group will be able to make it work in Phoenix. "We firmly believe that we can continue on a path, a good path that has been started the last couple of years, and we want to build on that path. We want to continue to sell more tickets. We want to continue to sell suites as I alluded to earlier. We want to sell sponsorships. It is basically just good, hard work. It is exciting and this is a product we believe in. We want to thrive, continue to thrive here in Glendale. It really comes down to hard work, believing in a set of goals and executing them."
Added Bettman: "On the business side, I am confident that having a full-time owner focused on the business of the club can do much better than we've been able to do because we've been terribly hampered by the uncertainty of sponsors, season ticket holders, broadcasters -- there is only so much they're going to be prepared to do in the face of uncertainty. Giving the franchise the stability it needs and deserves we think will give Greg the ability to do the things he's been able to do in other places so well."
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Frank van Vree new director NIOD
Frank van Vree has started as the director of NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies. He succeeds interim director Wichert ten Have.
Frank van Vree
Frank van Vree (born in 1954) studied modern history and philosophy at the University of Groningen and obtained his PhD from Leiden University with his research on public opinion formation in the Netherlands between 1930 and 1939. He has worked at the University of Amsterdam since 1989, first as university lecturer/senior university lecturer in Cultural History and Media Studies, and since 2001 as professor of Media Studies specialising in Journalism. He has also been professor of Media History by special appointment at Erasmus University in Rotterdam (1998-2001) and a visiting scholar at New York University (2010-2011). Van Vree spent many years writing for Dutch national newspaper de Volkskrant and the independent Dutch weekly De Groene Amsterdammer. He has co-headed the research programme Dynamics of Memory. WWII Heritage &Memory in the Netherlands in an International Context. Among his publications are In the shadow of Auschwitz. The Netherlands and the Memory of World War II (1995) and Performing the Past. Memory, History, and Identity in Modern Europe (2010). Between 1 January 2012 and 1 September 2016, Van Vree has been Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Amsterdam. His five-year term would have ended in December 2016. His research background and administrative experience make Frank van Vree an excellent candidate for this high-profile position.
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Should U.S. provide reparations for descendants of slaves?
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., speaks at the New Hampshire Democratic Party's 60th Annual McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club Dinner in Manchester, N.H. Several Democratic presidential candidates are embracing reparations for the descendants of slaves (Associated Press)
By The Conversation
By John Torpey
Torpey is Presidential Professor of Sociology and History, Graduate Center, City University of New York
It’s a question being asked more frequently of Democrats running for the 2020 presidential nomination. Many have expressed varying degrees of support for reparations, giving the idea the greatest prominence it’s ever had among leading politicians.
Although the notion of compensating freed slaves has been around since at least the Civil War, providing reparations for their descendants has never really gained much traction in the United States, as I learned while researching my book “Making Whole What Has Been Smashed.”
Reparations are rare
Historically, the term “reparations” dealt primarily with the indemnification of states ravaged by war, such as those required of the Germans by the Versailles Treaty after World War I.
In the aftermath of World War II, however, the term began to acquire a broader meaning, extending to compensation for those injured by the actions of a state.
Still, such compensation has happened only rarely.
Germany paid Holocaust survivors US$927 million – or $8.84 billion today – in compensation as part of the 1952 Luxembourg Agreement, most of it going to the newly created state of Israel to defray the costs of resettlement.
Later, the U.S. offered “redress” to some 82,000 Japanese Americans who were incarcerated as “enemy aliens” during World War II. The 1988 Civil Liberties Act granted a presidential apology and $20,000 to each living person who had been detained based on the recommendations of a commission created by Congress in 1980 to examine the causes of the “internment.”
But this payback was intended to be very limited. During the debate, then-Sen. Ernest Hollings worried, “Where do we draw the line against reparations to the countless other groups of Americans who have suffered because of actions of the U.S. government?”
And the law explicitly says compensation would only be provided to victims still alive in order to preclude reparations claims by the descendants of black slaves and others.
‘40 acres and a mule’
Efforts to avoid establishing a precedent for reparations arose in part because former slaves and their descendants have long sought some sort of compensation for their suffering under slavery and segregation. These efforts have achieved little.
Perhaps the best-known measure intended to get blacks on their feet after the Civil War was General William Sherman’s promise of land and loaned mules to work it.
Yet after taking office in 1865, President Andrew Johnson rescinded efforts to distribute land to those who were freed. Scholar-activist W. E. B. Du Bois thus observed that “the vision of ‘forty acres and a mule’ … was destined in most cases to bitter disappointment.”
‘Freedom is not enough’
A century after the Civil War, however, President Lyndon Johnson hinted at the need for reparations when he pushed through civil rights legislation intended to make blacks full citizens.
During a speech at Howard University in 1965, he declared: “Freedom is not enough. … It is not enough just to open the gates of opportunity.”
Although Johnson didn’t call explicitly for reparations, he urged something more than just equal rights for blacks – something that would rectify the economic disadvantage blacks faced. The speech has often been seen as a harbinger of affirmative action.
Two years later, in the aftermath of urban riots in Newark, Detroit and elsewhere, Johnson created the Kerner Commission to investigate the causes and recommend remedies. The commission found that “white racism” was the basic cause of the racial unrest and proposed massive investment in black communities.
Although the report was a best-seller, Johnson found the conclusions politically distasteful and distanced himself from the commission.
Martin Luther King Jr. agreed with these critical assessments of black deprivation, but generally couched his appeals for addressing poverty in interracial terms. King did once indicate that he was coming to Washington “for a check,” but this was a rare aside.
The heart of King’s “Poor People’s Campaign,” his main focus toward the end of his life, was a universal basic income, not reparations.
But others would pick up the reparations baton. Black radical James Forman, for example, stormed Manhattan’s famously progressive Riverside Church in May 1969 to demand $500 million from “the white Christian churches and Jewish synagogues that are part and parcel of the capitalist system.” This and other demands formed the basis of the Black National Economic Conference’s “Black Manifesto.”
Calls for a commission
Little came of these efforts until decades later when then-Congressman John Conyers introduced the first bill on the issue in 1989.
It proposed a commission to “study and consider a national apology and proposal for reparations for the institution of slavery, its subsequent de jure and de facto racial and economic discrimination against African Americans, and the impact of these forces on living African Americans, [and] to make recommendations to the Congress on appropriate remedies.”
The Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act has been proposed in every legislature since and never garnered much support. Even during President Barack Obama’s tenure in the Oval Office, little changed, despite the appearance of author Ta-Nehisi Coates’ much-discussed 2014 plea for reparations.
Indeed, shortly before he left office, Obama told Coates that, as a political matter, reparations for black people was far less likely than a “progressive program for lifting up all people.”
Activists have called for reparations for slavery for years. AP Photo/Hillery Smith Garrison
Different this time?
Heading into 2020, some believe that the time for reparations may have come.
A driving force behind the persistence of reparations is just how stark the racial differences remain. Relative to whites, blacks tend to have lower educational attainment, rates of home ownership and life expectancy but higher rates of poverty, incarceration, unemployment and life-threatening diseases. The wealth gap between whites and blacks is very large, and wage inequality is likely making it worse.
But are all these disparities rooted in slavery and segregation? This is where a congressional inquiry, which may finally be politically palatable thanks to the growing embrace of the idea among prominent Democrats, would come in.
Success, which will require legislation, will depend on building bipartisan support for the inquiry. Accordingly, I believe it’s best to avoid talk of “reparations.” After all, most Americans oppose them and always have.
First, get the commission and let it determine the causes of racial inequalities and the form that remedies should take. As poverty is not an affliction of blacks alone, the U.S. must also address the poverty that affects many others as well.
If the commission is given the opportunity to explore the causes of and remedies for racial inequality, however, perhaps Americans can finally move toward rectifying the inequities that beset blacks as a result of their country’s history of slavery, segregation and discrimination.
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