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OUR FULLY RESTORED 13TH CENTURY WATERMILL
WATERMILL OPENING TIMES
STANWAY WATERMILL
Stanway Estate, established in the 8th century, is known to have had four watermills in 1291. They have been used over the centuries for fulling wool cloth, for paper production, for sawmilling, for electricity generation, to grind flour and to grind animal feed.
The mill in Church Stanway, now fully restored as a working flour mill, was recently re-opened by HRH The Prince of Wales. Its massive 24-foot overshot waterwheel, the 8th largest waterwheel in England, was made by local iron-masters James Savory of Tewkesbury ca.1850 and drives traditional cast-iron machinery and heavy French burr-quartz millstones, to produce stoneground Cotswold flour from wheat grown less than one mile from the mill on the Stanway Estate.
The Mill, situated 100 yards from Stanway House, is open to view at the same opening times as the house in June, July and August. Entrance tickets Adults £3, Children £2. Visitors may, during opening times, see the mill working, view the idyllic millpond, walk along the nearby Cotswold Way and buy a bag of wholemeal Cotswold flour.
Stanway Watermill is on the Stanway Estate which includes Stanway House, Gardens and Fountain. The mill is open to the public at the same times as Stanway House and a combined ticket can be purchased for all attractions.
June, July and August: Tuesdays and Thursdays 2.00 to 5.00pm.
All other months: Thursdays 10.00am to 12.00pm
Organised parties and schools welcome throughout the year. (Please ask about the special charges for such visits.)
PRICES (on public open days)
Adults £3.00, Children £2.00.
Because it is arranged on 3 floors with stairs but no lift, it is not suitable for wheelchairs.
No dogs allowed inside the mill, but there is plenty of space outside.
The mill is within 20 yards of the Cheltenham to Broadway section of the Cotswold Way National Trail.
HISTORY OF THE WATERMILL
In 1291 the Abbey of Tewkesbury was recorded as owning three corn mills and one fulling mill in the parish of Stanway, all powered by the stream rising in Lidcombe wood.
The watermill fell into disuse in the 1950’s, all the machinery except the waterwheel was ripped out, the pond was filled in, and the building was modified to accommodate a number of craft workshops.
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news - Divorce and Family - When is a financial agreement between a separating couple binding?
When is a financial agreement between a separating couple binding?
5 April 2017 | Divorce and Family
Nicola Hogg considers the recent Court of Appeal decision in the case of Briers v Briers [2017] EWCA Civ 15
Binding contractMrs Briers (W) issued financial remedy proceedings 11 years after she separated from Mr Briers (H), and eight years after H alleged they had reached a concluded agreement settling their financial affairs. The Court of Appeal found that the parties had not reached a concluded agreement, despite both acting on the agreement including the transfer of assets to one another. W could, therefore, bring further financial claims against H.
H and W married in 1984. They were both teachers at the time. In 1990, H ceased teaching to concentrate on a sportswear business he had set up. W assisted H with the business around her teaching commitments and caring for their three children. The parties separated in 2002, after which time W took no further part in the business.
There were protracted negotiations between 2003 and 2005 concerning the parties’ financial arrangements as a result of their separation. Decree Absolute was pronounced in 2005.
Although no financial order was made, the following events took place:
2006: H paid W a lump sum of £150,000
2007: H transferred his share of the matrimonial home to W
2008: W transferred her share in the sportswear business to H
In 2013, W applied to the court seeking a full determination of her financial claims following their divorce. Since 2005, H’s business (now in his sole name) had become very successful, leading to a sharp increase in his asset base.
H argued that an agreement had been reached in 2005 and that the above ‘provision’ represented a fair division of assets at that time.
The first instance judge found that there had not been a full and final settlement, as W had only accepted the deal on the basis that H had provided full and frank disclosure, which, it turned out, was not the case. Accordingly, H was ordered (i) to pay W a lump sum of £1.6m; and (ii) to transfer 25% of his pension policies and shares to her. This gave W 27 to 30% of the then existing assets, a reduction from 50% to reflect the delay in making her application.
H appealed to the Court of Appeal on a number of grounds, but his appeal was dismissed.
1. The ‘agreement’
The Court of Appeal held that there was no concluded agreement as H failed to provide disclosure, which W made conditional on agreeing the final settlement. W did not have all of the information material to her decision to enter into the agreement and she could not have obtained advice absent full disclosure.
2. Delay
When considering the delay, the judge must conduct an inquisitorial exercise – the explanation for and the effect of delay was an additional factor to consider. However, just because an application was delayed, it did not mean that the court’s discretion was curtailed. Furthermore, it was not accepted that a delayed application imposes a burden on the applicant to justify any distributive remedy, so that they receive nothing unless it can be justified.
3. Entitlement versus need
To achieve fairness, the court must consider entitlement and need. Even where there is no need, and entitlement has to be considered in the context of both marital acquest and post-separation accrual, the genesis of the growth of an asset may still be as a consequence of the fact that it was a matrimonial asset.
4. Date to value the assets
The Court of Appeal concluded that:
The parties had made equal contributions to the marriage before separation;
W had played an important role in the business during its infancy; and
The assessment of W’s contribution post-separation, as the primary carer of the children, as against H’s contribution to the business, was an appropriate analysis.
In terms of timing, it was held that it was correct for the judge to have taken the current value of the business and to have discounted W’s overall entitlement. This exercise involved an appropriate consideration of each party’s contributions both before and after separation. This approach was preferred to the one proposed by H, namely, using a historic valuation to achieve equality at the time and then applying the retail prices index to the sum due to W.
Lessons to be learnt
Toby Atkinson, partner in Stewarts’ Divorce and Family department says of the Court of Appeal decision:
“It is essential that any deal struck between a separating couple is formally recorded by a legal document, as otherwise parties’ claims remain open.
Delay in bringing a financial claim will not act as an automatic embargo, although it is a factor that the court will consider.
The case is also a timely reminder of the importance of providing full and frank disclosure for the purposes of ensuring an agreement will be binding on the parties.”
You can find further information regarding our expertise, experience and team on our Divorce and Family pages.
If you require assistance from our team, please contact us or alternatively request a call back from one of our lawyers by submitting this form.
Media contact: Lydia Buckingham, Senior Marketing Executive, +44 (0) 20 7822 8134, lbuckingham@stewartslaw.com
financial agreement
Nicola Hogg
Senior Associate, Divorce and Family
nhogg@stewartslaw.com
Toby Atkinson
Partner, Divorce and Family
tatkinson@stewartslaw.com
Wife in one of Britain’s largest-ever divorce cases succeeds in latest enforcement action against her former husband
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A Sister's Gift Saves Her Brothers
The Rankins’ bustling household includes four children: Camry, 15; Camren, 13; Camari, 11; and Camar, 6. With the mix of ages, squabbles and sibling rivalry would be the norm in most families. But not in this family. The Rankins have a deep, loving bond that makes parents Candace and Rodnik proud—even though the journey to build that bond was difficult and paved with sacrifices.
Two of their four children—Camren and Camar—were born with sickle cell disease, a chronic, unpredictable, and life-threatening disease. Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited disorder that causes red blood cells to become hard and sticky and form a crescent shape. Cold temperatures, stress or simple viruses can trigger severe symptoms such as infections and intense pain. Stroke is also a risk. Ultimately, the disease worsens over time and can affect all parts of the body. While it primarily affects African-Americans, any ethnicity or race can have SCD.
Following Camren and Camar’s diagnoses, the years blurred together with numerous hospital stays for the boys. Candace estimates the two brothers have been in the hospital at the same time at least 10 to 15 times.
“St. Louis Children’s Hospital has really helped our family,” Candace says. “They taught me about the disease, and gave me routines and a pain plan for my sons.”
The Sickle Cell Program at St. Louis Children’s Hospital is the largest program of its kind in Missouri. Monica Hulbert, MD, a Washington University pediatric hematologist-oncologist, is the director of the Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease Program at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.
“People with SCD can have many complications and need specialized care,” she says. “It matters to be at a center with the most experience. We assign a primary hematologist to each patient and develop strong relationships with families. I believe this helps us provide better care.”
Dr. Hulbert has been Camren and Camar’s doctor for the past seven years and has seen the family through many ups and downs.
“Camren and Camar had the same diagnosis, but different manifestations of the disease,” Dr. Hulbert explains. “Camren had more frequent pain, including one of the worst pain crises I had ever seen in a child, while Camar rarely had pain, but his testing showed he was at high risk of stroke.”
Both boys were getting sicker quickly. Dr. Hulbert determined they could be candidates for a bone marrow transplant to cure their sickle cell disease if one of their sisters was a match to donate bone marrow. In a family, each sibling without sickle cell disease has only a 25 percent chance of matching. She encouraged the family to be tested to see if anyone was a match. Amazingly, their sister Camari was an ideal match for both Camren and Camar.
The Rankins became the first family at St. Louis Children’s Hospital who had two children transplanted from the same sibling. Less than 10 percent of children with sickle cell disease will have a sibling match while the chances of a sibling match for more than one family member is around 3 percent.
However, Dr. Hulbert is careful to point out that most children won’t have a transplant because they don’t have a match. In addition, she explains, physicians and families have to balance the risk of transplant with the risk of not having a transplant.
“It’s a hard decision because transplant has more short-term risks, including a risk of dying from complications. Yet without a transplant, most people with sickle cell disease will only live until their 30s or 40s. The only cure for SCD right now is a bone marrow transplant.”
Dr. Hulbert says her colleague, Shalini Shenoy, MD, is an advocate in the field of transplant for sickle cell disease. “Because the sickle cell team and transplant team collaborate to optimize pre- and post-transplant care, we feel more confident offering transplants at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.”
Dr. Shenoy is a Washington University pediatric hematologist-oncologist and director of the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Bone Marrow Transplant Program. “Bone marrow transplant is curative but we have to be judicious in using it,” she says. “Patients need to understand the process and the pros and cons, and need to have both medical and social support structure in place, in addition to having a suitable donor. We provide families a lot of education and have had good success with transplants at St. Louis Children’s.”
Currently, Dr. Shenoy is conducting clinical trials related to transplant protocols with the goal of increasing the number of children with SCD who could safely receive bone marrow transplants.
Because Camren was the sickest, he was the first Rankins brother to have a transplant in July 2017. One year and a day later, Camar also had a bone marrow transplant—all thanks to their sister Camari who never hesitated to help her brothers.
Today, Camren is doing well and is looking forward to playing in the snow this winter for the first time in his life. He hopes to become an architect when he grows up. Camar is back to being an energetic 6-year-old, but he won’t be ready to jump in the snow quite yet this winter since he just had his transplant in July 2018.
And Camari, the heroine in this story? Between ballet and violin lessons, she was recently honored through her school after being selected out of hundreds of other children for the “Do the Right Thing” award. In September 2018, she also received an award at the Sickle Cell Association’s Annual Sickle Cell Gala for being committed to the cause. In addition, Camari inspired her older sister, Camry, to join the bone marrow donor registry so she can one day help someone else.
Sickle Cell Bone Marrow Transplant Program Hematology Guardians for Physicians Guardians for Physicians Fall 2018
Sickle Cell Disease Program
Largest program in the region.
Bone Marrow Transplant Program
More than 500 autologous and allogeneic transplants since 1991.
Hematology Services
Advanced care for all pediatric blood disorders.
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Brandon suffered a stoke in 2018 at age 17. He was hospitalized for a month. Therapy helped him build back ...
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Major £1.5m plans revealed to refurbish Hanley Indoor Market (and the toilets will FINALLY get a makeover)
Footfall has fallen by 70 per cent over the last decade and 30 of the 130 stalls are vacant
Jack Furness
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Plans have been revealed for a major £1.5 million refurbishment of Hanley’s Indoor Market.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council is stumping up the cash to make the site underneath the intu Potteries shopping centre a more attractive place to visit.
It comes after footfall at the market has fallen by a staggering 70 per cent over the last decade with 30 of the 130 stalls currently empty.
However, despite the downturn the market brought in £900,000 for the authority in 2016/17 with a profit of £367,000.
The work, which will be carried out in 2018 and 2019, could include:
A ‘striking’ centralised entrance with a new sign and canopy;
Refurbishing the toilets and making them more accessible and secure;
Changing the layout to create new ‘destination’ zones;
Increasing the communal space and;
Replacing the lighting to make the market more welcoming.
News of the refurbishment was today welcomed by traders and shoppers.
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Norma Allmark, of Norma's Books, said: "It's absolutely super. We have fabulous shops in Hanley but the council does need to invest in the market.
"We were worried that the indoor market would become a car park so when this came up I was very happy.
"I have a lot of optimism and hope for the future now."
Norma Allmark, of Norma's Books, said she is now optimistic for the future of the Indoor Market
Kate Coxon, of HJ Warner Farm Produce, hopes the refurbishment will attract more customers.
She said: “It's about time we had some money put into the market, especially the toilets.
"I also think the bus route along Town Road should be put back in place because a lot of our customers are elderly and it's such a long way for them to walk from the bus station.
"Without this work I think the market would have gone within two years."
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John Lake, of Davies and Lake Footwear, agreed the investment was 'long overdue'.
He said: "I just hope it goes ahead. It will be good to see the plans and the ideas they have in mind.
"The frontage and toilets needs improving. The council also needs to try to get more traders into the market. There should be incentives for existing traders to make them stay.
"I can see this attracting more customers only if it's done in the right way."
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The investment – the single biggest since the facility opened three decades ago – will be discussed at a meeting of the cabinet next Tuesday.
Once approved, work will start on creating options and designs with traders being asked to take part in a consultation.
Hanley Indoor Market
Councillor Daniel Jellyman, cabinet member for regeneration, transport and heritage, said: “This is the biggest investment the market has seen since it opened in November 1987, and is a clear signal by the council of our commitment to the future of this important facility.
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“It’s no secret that footfall at the market has declined in recent years but this is about reversing that trend with much-needed investment and reinventing the market as a place where people want to visit and spend money, and where local businesses see an opportunity to grow and be successful.
“We value the variety and contribution of all our markets across the city and I’m looking forward to seeing these exciting plans for Hanley Indoor Market coming to life, and working closely with the traders to deliver the best refurbishment possible.”
intu Potteries
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What's really happening with China's overhaul of film and TV regulation?
By Liz Shackleton2018-03-23T03:01:00+00:00
Source: Wiki Commons
One of the hottest topics of conversation at this week’s Filmart, which wrapped in Hong Kong today, has been what is really happening with China’s wide-ranging restructure of film and TV regulation.
A series of announcements emanating from the recent session of China’s rubber-stamp parliament, the National People’s Congress (March 5-20), only served to heighten the chatter and speculation.
But in the last few days the picture has become much clearer. It was announced last week that the State Administration of Press, Publications, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT) would be dissolved and a new body for radio and TV would be established directly under the State Council (the cabinet of China’s Communist Party). There was no mention of what would be happening with the film industry, which has also been regulated by SAPPRFT for several years.
Then on Tuesday (March 20) it was announced that China is creating a new body for film, books, magazines and newspapers directly under the Party’s department of propaganda (sometimes translated as the department of publicity).
The announcement suggests that film is receiving special treatment because the Party regards it as having a greater impact on the hearts and minds of Chinese citizens than other forms of media content such as radio and TV. Indeed, a statement on China Film’s website refers to the “especially important role of cinema in propagating ideas and in cultural entertainment”.
The statement also said that the propaganda department’s responsibilities will include: “overseeing film production, distribution, exhibition and censorship; guiding and coordinating national and large-scale film events; overseeing international co-production, film import and export; as well as managing film-related international exchange programmes.”
The license or “dragon mark” (long biao) that currently accompanies all screenings of films licensed by SAPPRFT will disappear.
Propaganda machine
Meanwhile, the new body for other forms of media content, the State Administration of Radio and TV Affairs, will also be operating more firmly under Party control. So far there’s been no mention of content created specifically for the internet, but it will probably be regulated either by the new film body or the new administration for radio and TV.
The statement on China Film’s website outlined the duties of the new radio and TV administration as: “implementing the Party’s propaganda principles, formulating policies for radio and television management, supervising the implementation of these measures, examining content and quality, as well as taking charge of import, collection and management of radio and TV programmes.”
At the same time, China has also approved the creation of a new broadcaster, Voice Of China, which will be formed from a merger of existing state-owned organisations including China Central Television (CCTV), China Global Television Network (CGTV) and China Radio International (CRI).
The new broadcaster will effectively be a massive propaganda machine, with more than 70 bureaux and thousands of employees around the world, designed to boost China’s ‘soft power’ both at home and overseas. In a statement, the government said the Voice of China will “guide hot social issues, boost multimedia integration and development, strengthen international communication and tell good China stories.”
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Government restructure
While China watchers have been scrambling to make sense of the changes, there’s little doubt they’re part of a tightening of the regulatory framework that places media and entertainment more firmly under Party control.
In that sense, they’re part of a much bigger restructure, instigated by China’s president Xi Jinping and presented as a streamlining of existing government machinery, but which also brings down barriers between the Communist Party and the state.
Xi has repeatedly said that “the Party leads everything”, reversing China’s usual practice of leaving the state to handle policy-making and implementation. Following the restructure, the Party will also have more control over the economy, cyber-security and foreign affairs. China has also removed from its Constitution the provision that the president and vice president should not serve more than two consecutive terms.
Film industry impact
What all this means in practice for the film industry remains to be seen. Previously, regulation of film, home entertainment, TV and digital content was split between SAPPRFT, the Ministry of Culture and a few other agencies. The overlapping responsibilities sometimes resulted in confusion and often lead to a great deal of self-censorship. The changes should result in a more efficient system, but also one with more heavy-handed censorship of both local and foreign films.
As the New York Times described it today: “In effect, the thin partition that had separated the Communist Party from direct oversight of film production and imports of foreign films has been stripped away.”
Local producers say their main concern in the short-term is that the changes will slow down the film censorship process, until new systems are in place, holding up production schedules at a time when it’s already difficult to secure leading talent’s dates.
China watchers are speculating that we’ll see more movies in line with the Party’s messaging, such as recent mega-hits Wolf Warrior 2, which grossed $860m last year, and Chinese New Year release Operation Red Sea, still on release with a gross of $560m as of today. Also currently on release is patriotic documentary, Amazing China, touting China’s achievements in areas including science, technology and infrastructure, which has grossed $60m to date.
Party messaging also includes projects in line with China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which has been presented as an infrastructure-building project along the former Silk Road, but has raised fears of China ramping up political and economic influence around the world.
Also open to speculation is how all the changes will affect the ongoing talks between China and the US Trade Representative over the access of Hollywood films to the China market. Those negotiations could also be complicated by US president Donald Trump’s recent decision to impose tariffs on Chinese goods.
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x ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007
¨ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from to
Commission File Number 001-32686
VIACOM INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
DELAWARE 20-3515052
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number,
including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of Each Class
Name of Each Exchange on
Which Registered
Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value
Class B Common Stock, $0.001 par value
6.85% Senior Notes due 2055
Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
(Title Of Class)
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes x No ¨
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ¨ No x
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x No ¨
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of the registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
Large accelerated filer x Accelerated filer ¨ Non-accelerated filer ¨ Smaller reporting company ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ¨ No x
As of the close of business on June 30, 2007, the last business day for the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, there were 58,288,799 shares of the registrant’s Class A common stock, par value $0.001 per share, and 620,257,916 shares of its Class B common stock, par value $0.001 per share, outstanding. The aggregate market value of Class A common stock held by non-affiliates as of June 30, 2007 was approximately $476.6 million (based upon the closing price of $41.60 per share as reported by the New York Stock Exchange on June 29, 2007). The aggregate market value of Class B common stock held by non-affiliates as of June 30, 2007 was approximately $24.5 billion (based upon the closing price of $41.63 per share as reported by the New York Stock Exchange on June 29, 2007).
As of January 31, 2008, 57,373,044 shares of our Class A common stock and 583,508,627 shares of our Class B common stock were outstanding.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Portions of Viacom Inc.’s Notice of 2008 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and Proxy Statement to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Proxy Statement”) (Portion of Item 5) (Part III).
Item 1.
Item 1A.
Risk Factors.
Item 1B.
Unresolved Staff Comments.
Legal Proceedings.
Submission of Matters to Vote of Security Holders.
Market for Viacom Inc.’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities. 30
Selected Financial Data.
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
Changes in and Disagreements With Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.
Controls and Procedures.
Other Information.
Item 10.
Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance.
Executive Compensation.
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters. 120
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.
Principal Accounting Fees and Services.
Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules.
Item 1. Business.
Viacom is a leading global entertainment content company. We engage audiences on television, motion picture and digital platforms through many of the world’s best known entertainment brands. We operate through two reporting segments: Media Networks, which includes MTV Networks (“MTVN”) and BET Networks (“BETN”); and Filmed Entertainment. References in this document to “Viacom,” “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” mean Viacom Inc. and our consolidated subsidiaries through which our various businesses are conducted, unless the context requires otherwise.
Through a combination of original and acquired programming and other entertainment content, the Media Networks brands are focused on providing content that appeals to key demographics attractive to advertisers across multiple distribution platforms, including cable television, satellite, mobile and digital media assets.
MTV Networks reaches over 520 million households worldwide via its multiplatform properties, which include MTV: Music Television®, MTV2®, mtvU®, MTV Tr3s®, VH1®, VH1 Classic™, CMT®: Country Music Television™, Logo®, Harmonix®, Nickelodeon®, Nick at Nite®, Noggin®, The N™, Nicktoons®, Neopets®, COMEDY CENTRAL®, Spike TV® and TV Land®, among others. Operating in 160 countries and territories, MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its approximately 150 channels and 300 interactive digital media properties, which include online, broadband, mobile and interactive television services, and its robust consumer products business.
BET Networks is a leading provider of entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming targeted to the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches approximately 88 million domestic television households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and, beginning February 28, 2008, the United Kingdom. BET® is the preeminent African-American media brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com®; BET Digital Networks, comprised of BETJ™, BET Gospel® and BET Hip Hop®; and BET International, among other properties.
FILMED ENTERTAINMENT
The Filmed Entertainment segment produces, finances and distributes motion pictures and other entertainment content through its well-known group of brands. In 2007, Paramount was ranked the number one motion picture studio based on domestic box office revenues.
One of the original major motion picture studios, Paramount has been a leading producer and distributor of motion pictures since 1912 and has a library consisting of approximately 3,500 motion pictures and a small number of television programs. The filmed entertainment group releases motion pictures under the Paramount Pictures®, DreamWorks Pictures™, Paramount Vantage™, Paramount Classics™, MTV Films® and Nickelodeon Movies™ brands and distributes motion pictures and other entertainment content on DVD, digital and other platforms in the United States and internationally.
Our Media Networks segment derives revenues principally from advertising sales, affiliate fees and ancillary revenues. Revenues from the Filmed Entertainment segment are generated primarily from feature film production and distribution, including exhibition of motion pictures in theatrical release, sale of home entertainment product, and distribution to pay and basic cable television, broadcast television, syndicated television and digital media. Revenues from the Media Networks segment accounted for 60%, 64% and 71% of our revenues for 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively, and revenues from the Filmed Entertainment segment accounted for 41%, 37% and 31% of our revenues for those periods, respectively, with elimination of intercompany revenues being (1)%, (1)% and (2)%, respectively. We generated approximately 27% of our total revenues in 2007 from international operations, principally in Europe, 24% in 2006 and 22% in 2005. In 2007, our total international revenues were $3.68 billion, of which 63% was generated in Europe.
Key Transactions
The following describes some of our key acquisitions, dispositions, investments and strategic arrangements in 2007:
In December 2007, we entered into a new strategic alliance with Microsoft under which, among other things, Microsoft will license certain programs and motion pictures from us on a non-exclusive basis for use on Microsoft properties such as MSN and Xbox, provide us with its proprietary online advertising serving solution, Atlas AdManager, and purchase certain specified amounts and types of advertising from us.
In June 2007, we sold our non-controlling equity investment in MTV Russia for $191.1 million. We continue to derive revenues from MTV Russia through trademark and other license fees.
In August 2007, MTV Networks and RealNetworks, Inc. created Rhapsody America, a venture offering a single, integrated digital music experience that consumers can access via their PC, portable music device or mobile phone. We contributed a $230 million non-interest bearing note payable and certain assets related to MTVN’s URGE digital music service for a 49% stake in Rhapsody America. Through Rhapsody America, MTVN and RealNetworks also formed a long-term exclusive relationship with Verizon Wireless, which will allow consumers to access digital music on their Verizon mobile phones.
In November 2007, we and Network18 Fincap Limited (“Network18”), a leading Indian media and entertainment company, completed a 50/50 joint venture in India called Viacom 18 Media Private Limited (“Viacom 18”). Viacom 18 includes television, film and digital media content across numerous brands as well as consumer products to build India’s leading multi-platform entertainment company.
In July 2007, we completed the sale of Famous Music to Sony/ATV Music Publishing for $351.7 million. Famous Music is presented as a discontinued operation in the consolidated financial statements for all periods, including the elimination of Famous Music’s operating results from the Filmed Entertainment segment.
For additional information about these transactions and other acquisitions and dispositions, see Notes 4 and 20 to our consolidated financial statements.
Our Separation from CBS Corporation
On December 31, 2005, we became a stand-alone public company in connection with our separation from the former Viacom Inc. (“Former Viacom”), which is now known as CBS Corporation. In connection with the separation, each share of Former Viacom Class A common stock was converted into the right to receive 0.5 of a share of Viacom Class A common stock and 0.5 of a share of CBS Corporation Class A common stock. Similarly, each share of Former Viacom Class B common stock was converted into the right to receive 0.5 of a share of Viacom Class B common stock and 0.5 of a share of CBS Corporation Class B common stock.
We were organized as a Delaware corporation in 2005 and our principal offices are located at 1515 Broadway, New York, New York 10036. Our telephone number is (212) 258-6000 and our website is www.viacom.com. Information on our website is not intended to be incorporated into this annual report.
Viacom produces branded entertainment content for highly desirable demographics, which we seek to distribute through virtually every platform that our audiences use to consume entertainment. In addition to maintaining our connection with the fans of our content, we are focused on expanding and enhancing our brands through the creation of original hit programming and other content, including games, and the expansion of the experiences we offer through online and wireless platforms. We seek to increase our revenues by expanding our audiences and offering creative ways for advertisers, cable, satellite and mobile operators, and other interested parties to reach these audiences. Internationally, we are expanding our presence while focusing our resources in the regions and on the demographics that offer the greatest growth opportunities for our brands. In the motion picture business, we are focused on continuing to improve revenues, our market position and profitability through the continued development of franchise and branded films and the diversification of revenue streams, such as making library product available online. Companywide, we are committed to fostering a creative and diverse culture, which will enable us to continue to develop unique and cutting-edge content for our audiences and maintain our position as a market leader.
Through MTV Networks and BET Networks, our media networks businesses own and operate program services, websites and other digital media services in the United States and abroad. Our Media Networks segment generates revenues principally from three sources: (i) the sale of advertising time on our cable television networks and digital properties and services, (ii) the receipt of affiliate fees from cable television operators, direct-to-home or “DTH” satellite operators, mobile networks and other distributors and (iii) ancillary revenues, which include home entertainment sales of our programming, the licensing of our content to third parties, the licensing of our brands for consumer products, including video games, and the creation and distribution of video games and other interactive products. In 2007, revenues from advertising sales, affiliate fees and ancillary sales were 58%, 29% and 13%, respectively, of total revenues for the Media Networks segment.
For our program services, the advertising revenues generated by each program service depend on the number of households subscribing to the service, household and viewership demographics and ratings as determined by third party research companies such as Nielsen Media Research (“Nielsen”). Both MTV Networks and BET Networks target key audience demographics considered particularly attractive to advertisers, notably viewers in the 18-49 age range who are viewed as having significant spending power. In addition, our individual program services further target niche audience groups. For example, BET Networks provides programming targeted to African-American audiences, Nickelodeon and other MTVN Kids and Family Group channels target the younger demographics and the MTVN Entertainment group primarily exhibits programs targeted to adult and male viewers. The advertising industry has recently introduced commercial ratings, which measure audience size for a
commercial. Commercial ratings are currently measured on a “C3” basis, which means the number of viewers that watch the commercial live or via playback during the three days following the live broadcast. We are exploring various alternatives for the pricing, structure and volume of our advertising spots and commercial segments to reflect this new ratings methodology, which will largely be effective beginning in 2008. Our advertising revenues may also fluctuate due to the mix and availability of programming and entertainment content, the overall strength of the advertising market and seasonal variations, being typically highest in the fourth quarter.
In our digital operations, our online revenue has traditionally been derived from a combination of advertising and sponsorships, subscription services and e-commerce, and with our rapid extension of our brands and content to new distribution platforms, we are working toward new ways of monetizing our increased reach and functionality. Our Media Networks segment now operates approximately 300 interactive digital media properties around the world and during the fourth quarter of 2007, we averaged approximately 89 million unique visitors per month. Our on-air programming drives traffic to our digital properties and vice versa, effectively driving convergent advertising sales, which we believe will be increasingly important to our business. In addition, the virtual communities we have created, such as Nicktropolis, our virtual world for Nickelodeon, are beginning to yield revenues and we are continuing to grow and develop these worlds. MTV Networks also syndicates ad-supported long-form and short-form video content to select online video destinations which creates additional opportunities for audiences to interact with our content online, ultimately driving viewership back to our core channels and online properties.
Revenues from affiliate fees are negotiated with individual cable television operators, DTH satellite operators, mobile networks and other distributors, generally resulting in multi-year carriage agreements with set rate increases. The amount of the fee we receive is determined in part by the number of subscribers to, and success of the programming offered by, our program services. We are currently negotiating renewals of several long-term affiliation agreements, and are looking to build stronger and more expansive multi-media partnerships with the various distributors of our content that maximize the value of these relationships for our brands.
Our ancillary revenues are principally derived from sales of home entertainment products, consumer products licenses and video game sales. We have a dynamic, worldwide consumer products licensing business, which licenses popular characters such as those featured in SpongeBob SquarePants, The Backyardigans, Dora the Explorer, Neopets and South Park in connection with merchandising, video games and publishing worldwide. We generally are paid a royalty based upon a percentage of the licensee’s wholesale revenues, with an advance against future expected royalties. Licensing revenue may vary from period to period depending on the popularity of the property available for license in a particular period and the popularity of licensed products among consumers. In connection with our 2006 acquisition of Harmonix Music Systems, Inc., we expanded our operations to include the creation, marketing and publishing of video games and other interactive products. In November 2007, we launched Rock Band™, a new game that allows players to experience music from the world’s biggest rock artists as a virtual band using drum, bass/lead guitar and microphone peripherals. In addition, as a result of partnerships with major record labels and leading music publishers, Rock Band gamers can choose from and download songs spanning all genres of rock. As of December 31, 2007, over 1.1 million Rock Band bundles had been sold for the Xbox 360® and Sony’s PlayStation ®2 and PLAYSTATION®3 platforms since its launch on November 20, 2007, and we plan to continue to grow and enhance this franchise.
Our media networks properties have also forged a number of partnerships with other leaders in the digital world. In addition to our new strategic arrangement with Microsoft and the Rhapsody America venture with RealNetworks described above, we distribute video content through online syndication partners including AOL, Bebo, Comcast’s Fancast, Joost, MSN Dailymotion, GoFish, imeem, MeeVee and Veoh. We also have arrangements in place with download-to-own services, including Apple’s iTunes, Amazon, BitTorrent, Wal-Mart and Microsoft’s Xbox 360, to make various MTV, MTV2, VH1, CMT, Logo, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Nick at Nite, The N, Comedy Central, Spike TV, TV Land and BET programs available for purchase online. We have a multi-year deal with Yahoo! under which, among other things, Yahoo! is the exclusive provider of sponsored site
search and content match on certain of our websites. In addition, we have a multi-year strategic relationship with Social Project, Inc., which develops and operates our Flux social networking platform that launched in September 2007. Flux creates a seamless connection between our large brand and niche, vertical sites, as well as content and communities from all over the Internet, allowing our audiences to collect and share their favorite content from anywhere.
Viacom’s social responsibility commitment leverages the power of its brands and the strength of its audience relationships to encourage action on a variety of pro-social issues that are important to our partners, employees, audiences and shareholders alike. Our businesses fuel social change through programs like BET’s Rap-It-Up, CMT’s One Country, Comedy Central’s Address the Mess, MTV’s Think, Nickelodeon’s Let’s Just Play, Noggin’s Get Ready to Read, TV Land’s Family Table and Viacom’s commitment to the Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial in Washington D.C. In September 2007, The VH1 Save The Music Foundation celebrated 10 years of successfully restoring music education programs in public schools across the country. More information about our social responsibility initiatives is available on our website.
MTV Networks is generally comprised of four groups based on target audience, similarity of programming and other factors: the Music and Logo Group, the Kids and Family Group, the Entertainment Group and International. Information about each group and its key brands is discussed below. Unless otherwise indicated, the domestic television household numbers set forth below are according to Nielsen, the Internet user data is according to comScore Media Metrix (U.S. data only unless otherwise indicated) and the video stream data is based on internal tracking. International reach statistics are derived from internal data review coupled with external sources when available.
Music and Logo Group
The Music and Logo Group includes our music-oriented program services and digital properties, which generally provide youth-oriented programming targeting the 18-24 and 18-34 demographics, and Logo, our channel for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender audience. Some of our key brands in this group include:
MTV: Music Television
• MTV is a leading multimedia destination offering a diverse line-up of original programming, music videos, news and commentary and awards shows, among other programs. MTV’s programming covers everything from music, fashion, lifestyle and sports to attitudes, politics, news and trends. MTV was named the World’s Most Valuable Pure Media Brand for the eighth year in a row, according to The Interbrand/Business Week 2007 World’s Most Valuable Brands Report.
• Programming highlights in 2007 included A Shot At Love With Tila Tequila, The Hills, Life of Ryan, Making the Band, Run’s House, Human Giant, The MTV Video Music Awards and The MTV Movie Awards, among others. MTV operates numerous online destinations, communities and virtual worlds, delivers and creates content for its robust MTV mobile platform, has interests in home video, radio syndication, recorded music, publishing and consumer products, and has feature films distributed by Paramount under the MTV Films brand.
• MTV reached approximately 96 million domestic television households as of December 31, 2007. Worldwide, MTV can be seen in more than 520 million households in 160 countries and territories as of December 31, 2007 via its channels, branded program blocks on third party broadcasters and broadband services.
MTV Digital
• MTV.com is an ad-supported online/broadband service featuring entertainment and pop culture content, including music, music videos and performances, news and interviews, movies, video games, ringtones, and links to MTV shows and specials.
• In the fourth quarter of 2007, MTV.com averaged approximately 8 million monthly unique visitors and recorded nearly 200 million video streams.
• In 2007, MTV launched six new virtual worlds, including “Virtual Hills,” “Virtual Real World Sydney,” “The Virtual VMAs” and “Virtual Pimp My Ride,” with viewers spending more than 183 million minutes “in-world” over the year according to internal data. MTV also launched nine social-media portals such as RealWorldCasting.com, IAmOnTila.com, WannaBeMade.com and MySuperSweet16.com, which generated 75 million page views and nearly 6 million visits throughout the year according to internal data.
• MTV2 is a music-oriented network featuring music videos, long form music programs, exclusive access to interviews with bands and ground-breaking music before it hits mainstream, as well as a line-up of irreverent, lifestyle and cross-platform programming.
• Programming highlights in 2007 included Dew Circuit Breakout, Subterranean, Headbangers Ball and Sucker Free.
• MTV2 reached approximately 72 million domestic television households as of December 31, 2007.
• mtvU is an on-air, online, wireless and on campus network created by and for the college audience. Distributing its content via satellite 24 hours a day to over 750 campuses and through cable, mobile and other outlets, mtvU is the largest and most comprehensive multi-platform channel for college students.
• mtvU also owns and operates media/entertainment websites dedicated to matters of interest to college students and college communities, including www.mtvu.com, a network of college newspaper websites referred to as the College Media Network, as well as RateMyProfessors.com.
• This bi-cultural entertainment destination is rooted in the fusion of Latin and American music, cultures and languages. MTV Tr3s is now available in over 50% of domestic Hispanic television households. MTV Mobile also launched MTV Tr3s Mobile as a separate video channel across multiple carriers in March 2007.
• MTV Tr3s reached approximately 6.2 million Hispanic households and approximately 31.9 million domestic television households as of December 31, 2007.
• VH1’s variety of original and acquired programming primarily focuses on music, artists and pop culture.
• Programming highlights in 2007 included Rock of Love, The Salt-n-Pepa Show, I Love New York 2, Charm School and America’s Most Smartest Model, as well as cornerstone events such as the VH1 Hip Hop Honors and the VH1 Rock Honors.
• VH1 reached approximately 95 million domestic television households as of December 31, 2007.
VH1 Digital
• VH1 Digital, which includes VH1.com, VH1Classic.com, VH1 Mobile, VH1 Games and several targeted websites such as BestWeekEver.TV, brings users music and pop-culture content, live events and performances, exclusive celebrity interviews, news, original series, online games and extensive broadband video, including thousands of music videos.
• In the fourth quarter of 2007, VH1.com averaged approximately 4.5 million monthly unique visitors and recorded more than 67 million video streams.
CMT: Country Music Television and CMT.com
• CMT is the top-rated country music network in the United States, carrying original country-music related programming, specials, live concerts and events and music videos. CMT.com features the largest collection of country music videos online and is a recognized authority in country music, news, events and awards shows.
• Programming highlights in 2007 included the CMT Music Awards, CMT original film Dale, Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team, Trick My Truck, CMT Giants: Hank Williams Jr. and CMT Crossroads.
• CMT reached approximately 87 million domestic television households as of December 31, 2007. In the fourth quarter of 2007, CMT.com averaged approximately 2.2 million monthly unique visitors and recorded more than 27 million video streams.
• Logo features lesbian and gay-themed feature films, ongoing documentary series, newscasts tailored for the gay and lesbian community and original shows and specials. Logo’s family of websites, including LOGOonline.com, feature a large library of mainstream lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender-themed streaming video as well as original shows, podcasts, news, blogs and other entertainment that have made it a leading destination for this audience.
• Programming highlights for 2007 included The Big Gay Sketch Show, Rick & Steve: The Happiest Gay Couple in All the World, Exes & Ohs and The Visible Vote 08, a forum on gay and lesbian issues featuring six presidential candidates.
• Logo reached approximately 30 million domestic television households as of December 31, 2007 according to internal data.
• Acquired by MTVN in 2006, Harmonix is one of the world’s leading developers of music-based games, including critically acclaimed games such as Guitar Hero, Frequency, Amplitude and the Karaoke Revolution series. Harmonix’s latest game is Rock Band, which as of December 31, 2007 had sold over 1.1 million bundles since its launch on November 20, 2007.
• Targeting both core gamers (primarily men 15-30) as well as casual gamers (age and gender neutral), Harmonix’s creations have won numerous awards including Interactive Achievement Awards, Game Developer Choice Awards and BAFTA Awards. In 2007 alone, Rock Band won over 30 awards, including E3’s Game Critics Award for Best of Show, WIRED’s Game of the Year and USA Today’s Best Video Game for Teens, and was named one of TIME Magazine’s Best Games of 2007.
Other key properties of the Music and Logo Group include MTV Films, MTVN’s motion picture business, which released Blades of Glory with DreamWorks Pictures in 2007, Freedom Writers with Paramount in 2007 and How She Move with Paramount in 2008; MTV Games, a section of MTV.com for casual games and other game-related content; MHD: Music High-Definition; VH1 Classic; and VH1 Soul.
Kids and Family Group
The Kids and Family Group provides high-quality entertainment and educational programs, websites and broadband services targeted to kids ages 2-17 and families. Some of our key properties in this group include:
Nickelodeon and Nick at Nite
• Nickelodeon, now in its 28th year, has been the number one rated basic cable network for nearly 13 years according to Nielsen. Nickelodeon and Nick Jr., a programming block designed for two to five year olds, feature original programming during daytime hours created for kids ages two to 14. Nickelodeon produces and distributes television programming worldwide, has a dynamic consumer products business, is a leading developer of digital content for kids, and makes feature films under the Nickelodeon Movies brand. Programming highlights in 2007 include iCarly, SpongeBob SquarePants, Back at the Barnyard, Dora the Explorer, The Wonder Pets, The Kids’ Choice Awards and The Naked Brothers Band, and the original made-for-television movies Shredderman and Last Day of Summer.
• Nick at Nite airs during the evening hours and overnight and features classic sitcoms as well as family friendly original programming. Programming highlights in 2007 included hit sitcoms such as George Lopez, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Home Improvement.
• Nickelodeon and Nick at Nite reached approximately 96 million domestic television households as of December 31, 2007. Worldwide, Nickelodeon can be seen in approximately 230 million households in 149 territories as of December 31, 2007 via its channels, branded program blocks on third party broadcasters and broadband services.
Noggin and The N
• Noggin is a commercial-free, educational channel for preschoolers by day which transformed into The N, an advertising-supported network for teens, at night. Both brands operate websites with games, videos, educational and other content for their target audiences. As of January 1, 2008, Noggin and The N became separate, 24-hour channels.
• Noggin programming highlights in 2007 included a mix of original Noggin programming such as The Upside Down Show, Jack’s Big Music Show, Pinky Dinky Doo and Oobi as well as licensed Nick Jr. favorites such as Dora the Explorer, The Backyardigans, The Wonder Pets and Blue’s Clues. The N’s featured original and licensed programming included Degrassi: The Next Generation, Beyond the Break, South of Nowhere, The Best Years and About a Girl.
• Noggin and The N reached approximately 64 million domestic television households as of December 31, 2007.
Neopets.com
• Neopets is an online youth-focused virtual world that allows members to create and take care of virtual pets. It also offers games, auctions, trades and messaging.
• Neopets has approximately 44 million members, and in the fourth quarter of 2007, Neopets averaged approximately 3.5 million monthly unique visitors globally.
Nick.com, TurboNick and Nicktropolis
• Nick.com is the destination for all things Nickelodeon, including TurboNick and Nicktropolis. TurboNick is Nickelodeon’s broadband video platform. It features video streaming of content from Nickelodeon and Nick Jr., customized playlists, content in multiple languages and the ability to search the broad Nickelodeon content library. Nicktropolis is an online youth virtual community with games and videos powered by TurboNick and Nickelodeon-branded and original environments.
• Nick.com and NickJr.com averaged 7.9 million and 4.9 million monthly unique visitors in the fourth quarter of 2007, respectively. In 2007, TurboNick recorded more than 1 billion video streams.
Other Kids and Family Group properties include Nicktoons, which reached approximately 50 million domestic television households as of December 31, 2007; Quizilla, a website for teens to share quizzes, stories and other creative writing; Nick Jr. Video and The Click, which are the broadband services of Nick Jr. and The N, respectively; AddictingGames.com and Shockwave.com, which offer free and paid downloadable online games, together averaging 13.6 million monthly unique visitors in the fourth quarter of 2007; Nickelodeon Movies, Nickelodeon’s motion picture business which released The Spiderwick Chronicles in February 2008 with Paramount; and the websites ParentsConnect.com and GoCityKids.com, which provide information and discussion boards for parents on local events for kids, health and development, activities and resources, among other things. In addition, Nickelodeon has begun licensing its brand to hotels and other entertainment outlets.
The Entertainment Group produces and distributes programming and online content and games that generally target adult and male audiences. Some of our key properties in this group include:
• COMEDY CENTRAL is television’s only all-comedy network and is a consistent top 10-rated cable network among all adults ages 18-49 according to Nielsen. The network also offers original programming via a variety of websites including comedycentral.com, as well as other outlets such as iTunes and all major mobile carriers. COMEDY CENTRAL also has interests in home video, recorded comedy and a live comedy touring business.
• Programming highlights in 2007 included the Peabody® and Emmy®-winning series The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and South Park, The Sarah Silverman Program, The Colbert Report, Lil’ Bush, Mind of Mencia and RENO 911!.
• COMEDY CENTRAL reached approximately 95 million domestic television households as of December 31, 2007.
Comedycentral.com
• Comedycentral.com is a broadband video platform featuring behind-the-scenes footage, exclusive video clips, TV shows and series, games and comedy performances from COMEDY CENTRAL. Other COMEDY CENTRAL online properties include thedailyshow.com and Colbertnation.com, the official fan sites of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report, Jokes.com, the largest stand-up comedy library online, and Southparkstudios.com, a joint venture in which COMEDY CENTRAL owns a 51% interest, which is the official homepage of South Park and features the latest in South Park news and content.
• In the fourth quarter of 2007, COMEDY CENTRAL’s online properties averaged 3.4 million monthly unique visitors and recorded more than 56 million video streams.
Spike TV
• Spike TV targets men 18-34 and 18-49 by featuring a mix of original and acquired programming, specials, live events and movies.
• Programming highlights in 2007 included The Ultimate Fighter, MANswers, TNA Impact!, Spike TV’s Video Game Awards and Pros vs. Joes.
• Spike TV reached approximately 96 million domestic television households as of December 31, 2007.
SPIKE.com
• Spike.com is one of the leading video-entertainment destinations targeting men ages 18-34, with original and user-generated video and content, including short films, TV clips, music videos and action sports.
• In the fourth quarter of 2007, Spike.com averaged approximately 1.8 million monthly unique visitors and recorded more than 57 million video streams.
• TV Land offers a mix of classic TV shows, iconic movies and original programming, all designed to appeal to Baby Boomers, the first generation of Americans to grow up with television.
• Programming highlights in 2007 included new acquisitions like M*A*S*H and Designing Women, a month-long programming salute to Elvis Presley and the success of TV Land Myths & Legends, an original series that delves into some of pop culture’s most talked about mysteries.
• TV Land reached approximately 94 million domestic television households as of December 31, 2007.
Other Entertainment Group properties include AtomFilms.com, a broadband service for original short films and online video clips; AddictingClips.com, which houses entertaining original and user-generated video clips; and GameTrailers.com, which produces broadcast quality video content for video games.
MTV Networks International
Worldwide, MTV Networks’ operations reached over 520 million households in 160 countries as of December 31, 2007. MTVN International owns and operates, participates in as a joint venturer and/or licenses to third parties to operate over 120 program services, including extensions of our multimedia brands MTV, VH1 and Nickelodeon, and program services created specifically for international and/or non-English speaking audiences such as TMF (The Music Factory), Paramount Comedy, COMEDY CENTRAL Germany, Game One, The Box, VIVA and QOOB, among others. MTVN International also operates or licenses its brands for more than 130 online properties internationally. Most of the MTVN International program services are regionally customized for the particular viewers through the inclusion of local music, programming and on-air personalities, and use of the local language. MTV Networks’ operations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East represent its largest international presence.
We strategically pursue the development, license and acquisition of program services in international markets and engage in the syndication and distribution of consumer products. In November 2007, we established a joint venture in India, called Viacom 18, with Network18, a leading Indian media and entertainment company, by contributing MTVN’s India operations, with cash and other consideration contributed to the venture by Network18. Viacom 18 includes television, film and digital media content across numerous brands as well as consumer products and is expected to become India’s leading multi-platform entertainment company. The joint venture is planning to launch a new Hindi-language general entertainment channel in India in 2008 and is expected to launch additional niche channels and digital content in the future. Viacom 18 also has a motion picture studio which will produce, acquire and distribute Hindi-language films.
We are also focused on strategically expanding our international presence by ensuring that we have the appropriate forms of ownership interests in our properties worldwide. This involves concentrating our resources in the regions and on the demographics that offer the greatest growth opportunity for our brands, such as Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom and entering into licensing arrangements in other regions that can be best exploited by our partners. For example, we launched COMEDY CENTRAL Germany in 2007 as the only comedy network on free terrestrial television in the market. In the Middle East, we launched MTV Arabia through a long-term licensing partnership between MTVN International and TECOM Investments’ media unit, Arab Media Group. Nickelodeon Arabia is also set to launch in 2008 as part of that agreement. In Russia, we sold our non-controlling equity investment in MTV Russia but continue to derive revenues through trademark and other licenses.
BET NETWORKS
BET Networks owns and operates program services, including its flagship BET® channel and the BET Digital Networks—BETJ™ (formerly BET Jazz), BET Gospel® and BET Hip Hop® .
• BET Networks is the nation’s leading television network providing entertainment, music, news and public affairs programming targeted to the African-American audience. BET is a dominant consumer brand in the urban marketplace with a diverse group of branded businesses, including BET, BETJ, which is devoted primarily to jazz, R&B and neo-soul music, BET Gospel, which focuses on gospel music and spiritual programming, and BET Hip Hop, which features hip hop music programming and performances. BET is focused on expanding its slate of original programming and launched 10 new original series in 2007.
• Programming highlights on BET in 2007 included The BET Awards, The BET Hip Hop Awards, Celebration of Gospel, American Gangster, College Hill and Sunday Best.
• BET reached approximately 88 million domestic television households as of December 31, 2007. According to internal data, BETJ reached approximately 25 million domestic television households, and BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop reached 760,000 and 250,000 domestic television households, respectively.
• BET.com is a leading online destination for African-Americans and offers users content and interactive features for news, entertainment, community and other areas tailored to the unique interests and issues of African-Americans. BET.com also provides interactive entertainment content for BET Networks’ program services.
• In the fourth quarter of 2007, BET.com averaged approximately 3 million monthly unique visitors.
Other BET Networks properties include a broadband website, BET on Blast, which features music videos, news, interviews, third party licensed content and other content from BET’s cable networks, and BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games, social networking and other content for cellular phones and digital services such as video-on-demand and digital downloading. BET International is focused on expanding the distribution of BET original programming into international markets and on February 28, 2008, launched its BET channel in the United Kingdom.
Media Networks Competition
MTV Networks and BET Networks compete for advertising revenue with other cable and broadcast television networks, online and mobile outlets, radio programming and print media. MTV Networks generally competes with other widely distributed cable networks such as TBS, TNT, Discovery, ESPN, SciFi, FX, Lifetime and USA Network, the broadcast television networks and digital properties such as MySpace.com and YouTube.com. Each
programming service also competes for its target audiences with competitors’ programming services that target the same audience. For example, Nickelodeon and its related properties compete for younger viewers with several of The Walt Disney Company’s properties. Similarly, BET Networks competes with African-American oriented shows on cable and broadcast networks including TV One and online properties such as Blackplanet.com and AOL Blackvoices. We also compete with other cable networks for affiliate fees derived from distribution agreements with cable television operators, DTH satellite operators and other distributors. Our networks also compete with other content producers for actors, writers, producers and other creative talent and for new show ideas and the acquisition of popular programming.
The Filmed Entertainment segment produces, finances and distributes motion pictures under the Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, MTV Films and Nickelodeon Movies brands. In general, motion pictures produced or acquired for distribution by the filmed entertainment group are exhibited theatrically in the U.S. and internationally, followed by their release on DVDs, video-on-demand, pay and free cable television, broadcast television and syndicated television (the “distribution windows”), and, in some cases, licensing to airlines, hotels, schools and universities.
Our Filmed Entertainment segment generates revenues principally from: (i) the theatrical release of motion pictures in domestic and international markets, (ii) home entertainment, which includes sales of DVDs and other products relating to the motion pictures as well as other programming and (iii) license fees paid worldwide by third parties for exhibition rights on various media. The Filmed Entertainment segment also generates ancillary revenues from providing production services to third parties, primarily at Paramount’s studio lot, consumer products licensing, and distribution of its content through new online and mobile platforms.
In choosing films to produce, the filmed entertainment group aims to create a carefully balanced film slate that represents a variety of genres, styles, and levels of investment—with the goal of creating entertainment for both niche audiences and worldwide appeal. Each motion picture is a separate and distinct product with its profitability dependent upon many factors, among which public response and cost are of fundamental importance. Revenues from motion picture theatrical releases tend to be cyclical with increases during the summer months, around holidays and in the fourth quarter. Competition from other motion pictures released around the same time and/or for audience leisure time generally may affect theatrical revenues. The theatrical success of a motion picture is a significant factor in determining the revenues it is likely to generate in home entertainment product sales and licensing fees during the various other distribution windows. The costs associated with producing, marketing and distributing a motion picture can be significant, and can also cause our results to vary depending on the timing of a motion picture’s release. In some instances, we enter into film financing arrangements in connection with a particular film which we believe may improve our investment returns and reduce our economic risk on a particular film.
Paramount’s digital entertainment group is pursuing increased distribution of motion pictures through new online and mobile platforms, including offering certain titles for sale and rent on iTunes and offering more mobile content. This group is also beginning to develop and produce feature length movies that will be released initially on non-theatrical platforms, such as Jackass 2.5 (in conjunction with MTV Films) in 2007, which is the first feature-length film initially released on a digital platform followed by release two weeks later on DVD.
Paramount’s licensing programs include consumer products, themed restaurants, live stage plays, film clip licensing and theme parks. Revenues are typically derived from royalties based on the licensee’s revenues, with an advance against future expected royalties, and may vary based on the popularity of the brand or licensed product with consumers.
FEATURE FILM PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION
• Theatrical Production and Distribution. Paramount is one of the original major motion picture studios. The filmed entertainment group produces, finances and distributes feature films under its well-known brands Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, MTV Films and Nickelodeon Movies. In 2007, the filmed entertainment group, alone or in partnership with others, theatrically released in domestic and/or international markets Transformers, Blades of Glory, Norbit, Beowulf, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, The Kite Runner, There Will Be Blood and No Country for Old Men, among others, receiving 26 Academy Award nominations and winning 7 Academy Awards. In 2008, its slate is currently expected to include Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Iron Man, The Love Guru, Cloverfield and The Spiderwick Chronicles, among others.
• Paramount has an extensive library consisting of approximately 1,100 motion picture titles produced by Paramount and acquired rights to approximately 2,400 additional motion pictures and a small number of television programs. The library includes several Oscar winners such as Titanic, Braveheart, Forrest Gump and An Inconvenient Truth, as well as several successful franchises, such as 2007’s Transformers (a sequel to which is expected in 2009), Indiana Jones, The Godfather, Mission: Impossible and Star Trek.
• Home Entertainment and Digital Distribution. Paramount distributes theatrical motion pictures, library product and non-theatrical releases on DVD as well as on various digital platforms. Key releases in 2007 included Shrek the Third (DreamWorks Animation), Transformers, Charlotte’s Web, Flushed Away (DreamWorks Animation), Shooter, Dreamgirls and Blades of Glory. Paramount also distributes Nickelodeon, MTV, BET and PBS programs on DVD.
• Distribution Arrangements. Paramount distributes animated motion pictures produced by DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (“DreamWorks Animation”), a separate publicly held company. Under the agreements with DreamWorks Animation, Paramount is responsible for the theatrical distribution and home video fulfillment of these motion pictures, for which it receives a distribution fee out of revenues it collects with respect to each film. In 2007, films distributed under these agreements included Shrek the Third and Bee Movie and in 2008, Paramount will distribute Kung Fu Panda and Madagascar 2. Paramount and its international affiliates also have the exclusive distribution rights to previously released DreamWorks live-action films, which are now owned by DW Funding, a separate company in which we hold a minority equity interest. The distribution rights are held for a five-year period, which is renewable under certain circumstances. Paramount also has a distribution arrangement with Marvel, under which it will distribute Iron Man in 2008.
Domestic and International Distribution
In domestic markets, Paramount performs its own marketing and distribution services. Paramount’s feature films initially theatrically released in the United States on or after January 1, 1998 have been exhibited in U.S. premium subscription television exclusively on the program services of Showtime Networks, which is owned by
CBS Corporation, for certain windows. This agreement applies to films theatrically released through December 2007, and we are exploring various alternatives for the distribution of 2008 and future films in the pay television window. DreamWorks L.L.C. (“DreamWorks”) has a separate, similar arrangement with Home Box Office covering a specified number of DreamWorks and DreamWorks Animation feature films, which is currently expected to include films theatrically released through 2013. We also distribute Paramount and DreamWorks films domestically in the other distribution windows such as DVD, video-on-demand, basic cable and broadcast television and on various digital platforms.
Through 2006, Paramount, through its international affiliates, generally distributed its motion pictures for theatrical release outside the United States and Canada through United International Pictures (“UIP”), a company that we and an affiliate of Universal Studios, Inc. (“Universal”) own jointly. In January 2007, Paramount and Universal began theatrical self-distribution in 15 key countries that were separated from UIP’s distribution business, with each party taking over the UIP operating entity in designated countries. Paramount and Universal each have the option to continue a transitional distribution arrangement with the other party in the respective countries for up to two years. Effective January 1, 2008, both Paramount and Universal exited UIP Japan, and Paramount has set up its own distribution operation in Japan. The UIP joint venture continues to operate in certain other territories. These self-distribution activities represent a significant expansion of Paramount’s international presence, and it intends to continue to expand internationally through increased direct distribution and acquisition of local content.
Key Agreements
In connection with our acquisition of DreamWorks in January 2006, Paramount, DreamWorks and certain of their international affiliates entered into a seven-year agreement with DreamWorks Animation for certain exclusive distribution rights to and home video fulfillment services for the animated films produced by DreamWorks Animation. The output term of the agreement expires on the later of the delivery of thirteen qualified animated motion pictures and December 31, 2012, subject to earlier termination under certain limited circumstances.
In connection with our sale of a controlling interest in DW Funding, the owner of the DreamWorks live-action film library, in May 2006, Paramount and its international affiliates retained the exclusive distribution rights to previously released DreamWorks films for a five-year period, which is renewable under certain circumstances. We retained a minority equity interest in DW Funding.
Filmed Entertainment Competition
Our motion picture brands compete for audiences with the other major studios such as Disney, Fox, Sony Pictures, Universal and Warner Bros., as well as independent film producers, in the production and distribution of motion pictures and other entertainment content. Our competitive position primarily depends on the number and quality of the films produced, their distribution and marketing success, and public response. We also compete to obtain creative talent, including actors, directors and writers, and scripts for motion pictures, all of which are essential to our success. Our motion picture brands also compete with these studios and other producers of entertainment content for distribution of their products through the various distribution windows and on digital platforms.
Our businesses are subject to and affected by regulations of U.S. federal, state and local governmental authorities, and our international operations are subject to laws and regulations of local countries and pan-national bodies such as the European Union. The rules, regulations, policies and procedures affecting these businesses are constantly subject to change. The descriptions which follow are summaries and should be read in conjunction with the texts of the relevant statutes, rules and regulations. The descriptions do not purport to describe all present and proposed statutes, rules and regulations affecting our businesses.
We are fundamentally a content company and the protection of our brands and entertainment content, and the laws affecting our intellectual property, are of significant importance to us. See the section entitled “Intellectual Property” below for more information on our brands.
Copyright Law and Content
In the United States, under current law, the copyright term for authored works is the life of the author plus 70 years. For works-made-for-hire, the copyright term is the shorter of 95 years from first publication or 120 years from creation. Some advocacy groups have urged the courts or Congress to reduce the protections afforded rights holders under the copyright laws, including the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, as amended. We are strongly opposed to this position, which we believe gives insufficient weight to the importance of incentives to promote investment in creative works and the need to protect rights holders from the increased risks of piracy in the digital environment.
Unauthorized reproduction, distribution or display of copyrighted material over the Internet or through other methods of distribution, such as through websites that allow the viewing, sharing and/or downloading of entertainment content by either ignoring or interfering with the content’s security features and copyrighted status, interferes with the market for copyrighted works and disrupts our ability to exploit our content. In addition, piracy of motion pictures through unauthorized distribution on DVDs and other platforms continues to present challenges for our industry. We are actively engaged in enforcement and other activities to protect our intellectual property, including monitoring notable online destinations that distribute our content, and participating in various industry-wide enforcement initiatives, education and public relations programs and legislative activity on a worldwide basis. One promising area of enforcement activity is to work with network operators, such as internet service providers, to automatically detect piracy within their networks. However, the FCC has initiated a formal rulemaking proceeding which may lead to regulatory limitations on the ability of U.S. network operators to implement such systems. While many legal protections exist in this area, the law continues to evolve and we are increasingly expending resources to appropriately protect our content.
Online Music Royalties
MTV Networks and BET Networks currently obtain content for their online properties from their respective cable channels, record labels, music publishers, independent producers and artists. MTV Networks and BET Networks also obtain certain rights to some of their website content, such as performance rights of song composers and rights to non-interactive digital transmission of recordings, pursuant to licenses from performing rights organizations such as ASCAP and BMI and through statutory compulsory licenses established by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, as amended. The royalties payable for the compulsory licenses are established periodically by Copyright Arbitration Royalty Panels and are largely outside our control.
Programming Distribution
Some policymakers maintain that cable television operators should be required by law to offer programming to subscribers on a network-by-network, or “à la carte,” basis or provide specific program tiers such as those providing only family appropriate programming. In 2004, the FCC’s Media Bureau released a report which concluded that à la carte regulation would tend to decrease programming diversity and would not be in consumers’ best interests; however, it released a subsequent report in 2006 that found that à la carte regulation might benefit some consumers. Legislation was introduced and defeated by the Senate in 2006 that would effectively require cable television operators to offer all programming on an à la carte basis. Nevertheless, the Chairman of the FCC remains focused on the issue. The FCC is also reviewing whether companies that own multiple cable networks should be required to enter into affiliation agreements with cable television operators
and other distributors on an “unbundled” or network-by-network basis. The unbundling or tiering of our program services by cable television operators or other distributors, including a decision not to include some or all of our networks in a tier, or a requirement that we enter into affiliation agreements on a network-by-network basis, could reduce distribution of certain of our program services, perhaps significantly. It could also lead to reduced viewership on some or all of our networks and increased marketing expenses, negatively affecting our revenues from advertising and affiliate fees and our results of operations.
Federal legislation and FCC rules limit the amount and content of commercial matter that may be shown on cable channels during programming designed for children 12 years of age and younger. On January 2, 2007, new FCC rules regarding children’s advertising became effective. These rules revise the definition of time-limited “commercial matter” in children’s programming so that promotional announcements for age-appropriate programming on the same channel, or other educational/informational programming on any channel, do not count as commercial time; retain limits on the display of website addresses during children’s program material and relax certain restrictions on host selling via websites; extend children’s programming obligations to digital television multicast stations; and restore the case-by-case approach for determining whether a preempted children’s program can continue to count as a “core” children’s program.
In November 2006, the UK Office of Communications (OFCOM) issued restrictions on the television advertising of food and drink products to children. The restrictions include scheduling restrictions on ads for foods and drinks high in fat, salt and sugar in and around children’s programming (children aged four to nine); an expansion of the definition of “children” (beginning January 1, 2008) to include persons aged four to fifteen, which affects our non-children oriented channels; application to all OFCOM-licensed channels regardless of the country in which their target audience is located; and bans on celebrity and licensed character ads for certain products targeted at primary school children. Implementation of the measures commenced in March 2007 and is being phased-in until the end of 2008 for dedicated children’s channels whose ability to replace lost revenues from food and drink advertisers is harder to achieve. OFCOM is actively monitoring the impact of the restrictions.
Various other laws and regulations intended to protect the interests of children are applicable to our businesses, including measures designed to protect the privacy of minors online.
Some policymakers support the extension of indecency rules applicable to over-the-air television broadcasters to cover cable and satellite programming. If such an extension occurred and was not found to be unconstitutional, our content could be subject to additional regulation.
Under the Pence Amendment to the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, record keeping and on-screen notice requirements that previously applied only to depictions of actual sexual conduct were extended to also cover certain displays and simulated depictions which could be present in mainstream entertainment. A safe harbor provision provides an exemption for producers who maintain identifying information for other purposes such as immigration law requirements.
Program Access
Under the Communications Act, vertically integrated cable programmers are generally prohibited from offering different prices, terms or conditions to competing multichannel video programming distributors unless the differential is justified by certain permissible factors set forth in the FCC’s regulations. The FCC’s “program access” rules also limit the ability of a vertically integrated cable programmer to enter into exclusive distribution arrangements with cable television operators. A cable programmer is considered to be vertically integrated if it owns or is owned by a cable television operator in whole or in part under the FCC’s program access attribution rules. Cable television operators for this purpose may include telephone companies that provide video
programming directly to subscribers. Our wholly owned program services are not currently subject to the program access rules. Our flexibility to negotiate the most favorable terms available for our content and our ability to offer cable television operators exclusive programming could be adversely affected if we were to become subject to the program access rules.
We create, own and distribute intellectual property worldwide. It is our practice to protect our motion picture, television and online product, brands, characters, publications and other original and acquired works, ancillary goods and services. The following brands, logos, trade names, trademarks and related trademark families are among those strongly identified with the product lines they represent and are significant assets of ours: Viacom®, MTV Networks®, MTV: Music Television®, VH1®, CMT®: Country Music Television™, Logo®, Nickelodeon®, Nick at Nite®, Nick Jr.®, Noggin®, Neopets®, COMEDY CENTRAL®, Spike TV®, TV Land®, iFILM®, MTVN International™, TMF™, VIVA™, BET Networks™, BET®, BETJ™, BET.com®, BET Mobile®, Paramount Pictures® and other domestic and international program services and digital properties. We also license the DreamWorks® trademarks and logos from DreamWorks Animation. As a result, domestic and foreign laws and enforcement efforts protecting intellectual property rights are important to us, and we actively enforce our intellectual property rights against infringements.
EMPLOYEES AND LABOR MATTERS
At December 31, 2007, we employed approximately 10,800 full-time and part-time employees worldwide. We also had approximately 2,300 freelance employees on our payroll as of December 31, 2007, and use many other freelance and temporary employees in the ordinary course of our business. In 2008, we intend to convert some of the freelance positions to full-time employee positions.
We engage the services of writers, directors, actors and other talent, trade employees and others who are subject to collective bargaining agreements. We recently concluded new three-year agreements with the Writers Guild of America and the Directors Guild of America. The agreement with the Screen Actors Guild expires on June 30, 2008. We have not begun negotiations with the Screen Actors Guild. A labor dispute with the Screen Actors Guild could shut down production of feature films and programs made for television. Such a labor dispute may disrupt our operations and reduce our revenues, and we may not be able to negotiate favorable terms for a renewal.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION ABOUT SEGMENTS AND FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC OPERATIONS
Financial and other information by reporting segment and geographic area as of December 31, 2007 and 2006 and for the three years ended December 31, 2007 is set forth in Note 19 to our consolidated financial statements.
AVAILABLE INFORMATION
We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy and information statements, and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to such reports filed with or furnished to the SEC pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, will be available free of charge on our website at www.viacom.com (under “investor relations”) as soon as reasonably practicable after such reports are filed with the SEC. These documents are also available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
On June 29, 2007, we submitted to the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) the Annual CEO Certification required by Section 303A.12(a) of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual. We have also filed with this annual report the certifications required under Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 as Exhibits 31.1 and 31.2.
This annual report on Form 10-K, including “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition,” contains both historical and forward-looking statements. All statements which are not statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts, but rather reflect our current expectations concerning future results and events. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of statements that include phrases such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “foresee,” “likely,” “will” or other similar words or phrases. Similarly, statements that describe our objectives, plans or goals are or may be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be different from any future results, performance and achievements expressed or implied by these statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors are discussed in “Item 1A. Risk Factors” below. Other risks, or updates to the risks discussed below, may be described from time to time in our news releases and other filings made under the securities laws, including our reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K. There may be additional risks, uncertainties and factors that we do not currently view as material or that are not necessarily known. The forward-looking statements included in this document are made only as of the date of this document and, under Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act, we do not have any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
Item 1A. Risk Factors.
A wide range of risks may affect our business and financial results, now and in the future. We consider the risks described below to be the most significant. There may be other currently unknown or unpredictable economic, business, competitive, regulatory or other factors that could have material adverse effects on our future results.
Risks Related to our Business
Our Success is Dependent upon Audience Acceptance of our Programming, Motion Pictures and Other Entertainment Content which is Difficult to Predict
The production and distribution of programming, motion pictures and other entertainment content are inherently risky businesses because the revenues we derive from various sources depend primarily on our content’s acceptance by the public, which is difficult to predict. Audience tastes change frequently and it is a challenge to anticipate what offerings will be successful at a certain point in time. The success of our programming, motion pictures and other content also depends upon the quality and acceptance of competing programs, motion pictures and other offerings available or released into the marketplace at or near the same time. Other factors, including the availability of alternative forms of entertainment and leisure time activities, general economic conditions, piracy, digital and on-demand distribution and growing competition for consumer discretionary spending, the level of which may be decreasing due to the economic landscape, may also affect the audience for our content.
In our Media Networks business, our advertising revenues typically are reflective of a program’s ratings, with higher ratings generally generating higher advertising revenues. In 2007, some of our program services, including MTV, BET and Nickelodeon, experienced ratings fluctuations or declines. Those trends could continue at those or other networks and reduce the amount of advertising revenue the affected networks receive. Low audience ratings could also negatively affect the affiliate fees we receive and/or limit a network’s distribution potential. In addition, the advertising industry has recently begun to change the way it measures ratings, moving from audience ratings, which measure audience size for a program, to commercial ratings, which measure audience size for a commercial. Commercial ratings are currently measured on a “C3” basis, which means the number of viewers that watch the commercial live or via playback during the three days following the live broadcast. This is a different way of measuring viewership, and if we are unable to successfully adapt the pricing, structure and volume of our advertising spots to this new methodology, or if viewers change channels or fast forward during commercials, our advertising revenues could decline.
In our Filmed Entertainment business, the theatrical success of a motion picture affects not only the theatrical revenues we receive but also those from other distribution channels, such as DVD sales, television licenses and sales of licensed consumer products. In addition, because the timing of recognition of certain motion picture expenses is based on estimates of future revenues, such costs may be accelerated if the motion picture does not perform as expected, thereby affecting our results of operations. A poor theatrical performance may also negatively affect our negotiating strength with theater chains, distributors and retailers, resulting in less desirable product promotion.
Consequently, public acceptance of our programming, motion pictures and other entertainment content is core to our business and has the ability to affect all of our revenue streams. A reduction in the popularity of our content could have a significant, adverse effect on our revenues.
We Must Respond to and Capitalize on Rapid Changes in Consumer Behavior resulting from New Technologies and Distribution Platforms in Order to Remain Competitive and Exploit New Opportunities
Technology in the online and mobile arenas continues to evolve rapidly. We must adapt to changing consumer behavior driven by technological advances such as video-on-demand, increased mobility of content and a desire for more short form, user-generated and interactive content. Changing consumer behavior may impact our traditional distribution methods, for example, by reducing viewership of our programming, the demand for DVD
product or pay television subscriptions and/or the desire to see motion pictures in theaters. We have recently seen an industry-wide decline in domestic DVD sales, and it is uncertain if such decline will continue. In addition, consumers are increasingly viewing content from handheld or portable devices, and watching it on a time- delayed basis. We must continue to adapt our content to these viewership habits. Technologies which enable users to fast-forward or skip advertisements may affect the attractiveness of our offerings to advertisers and could therefore adversely affect our revenues. If we cannot adapt to the changing lifestyles and preferences of our target audiences and capitalize on technological advances with favorable business models, there could be a negative effect on our business.
Increased Costs for Programming, Motion Pictures and Other Content May Adversely Affect Our Profits
In our Media Networks segment, we have historically produced a significant amount of original programming and intend to continue to increase our investment in this area. We also acquire programming, such as motion pictures and television series, from other television production companies and studios and pay a license fee in connection with the acquired rights. Our investments in original and acquired programming increase our expenses, and may not be recouped when the program is broadcast or distributed, therefore leading to decreased profitability.
The Filmed Entertainment segment’s core business involves the production, marketing and distribution of motion pictures, the costs of which have been increasing. We also release certain “tentpole” motion pictures that generally have higher costs than the other films released during the year. Therefore, a “tentpole” film’s underperformance theatrically can significantly affect our revenues and profitability, and negatively affect the revenues we receive from other distribution platforms.
An increase in other licensing costs could also affect our profits. For example, we license music and music videos for exhibition on our cable networks, websites and other content outlets from record companies in exchange for cash or advertising time or for promotional consideration only. We have entered into global music video licensing agreements with the major record companies and major music publishers and into global or regional license agreements with certain independent record companies. We also license various other music rights from record companies, music publishers, performing rights societies and others. There can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain license renewals or additional license agreements or, if so, on favorable terms.
Our Revenues, Expenses and Operating Results May Vary Based on the Timing, Mix, Number and Availability of Our Programming and Motion Pictures
Our revenues and operating results fluctuate due to the timing, mix, number and availability of our theatrical motion picture and home entertainment releases, programming, and license periods for our entertainment content. For example, results may increase or decrease during a particular period due to differences in the number of films released compared to the corresponding period the prior year, or due to the timing of a major event such as an awards show falling in two different quarters year over year. Our operating results also fluctuate due to the timing of the recognition of production and print and advertising expenses, which are typically largely incurred prior to the release of programs, motion pictures and home entertainment product, with the recognition of related revenues in later periods. In addition, the success of our individual mix of titles may vary period over period, causing our operating results to fluctuate.
Our business also has experienced and is expected to continue to experience some seasonality due to, among other things, seasonal advertising patterns and seasonal influences on audiences’ viewing habits and attendance. Typically, our revenue from advertising increases in the fourth quarter due to the holiday season and revenue from motion pictures increases in the summer, around holidays and in the fourth quarter. The effects of these variances make it difficult to estimate future operating results based on the results of any specific quarter.
Piracy of Our Entertainment Content, Including Digital Piracy and Other Unauthorized Exhibitions of Our Content, May Decrease Revenue Received from Our Programming and Motion Pictures and Adversely Affect Our Business and Profitability
The success of our business depends in part on our ability to maintain the intellectual property rights to our entertainment content. We are fundamentally a content company and piracy of our brands, motion pictures and DVDs, programming, digital content and other intellectual property has the potential to significantly affect us. Piracy is particularly prevalent in many parts of the world that lack effective enforcement of copyright and technical protective measures similar to existing law in the United States. However, piracy is also a challenge domestically, and the interpretation of copyright laws as applied to our content remains in flux. Piracy and other unauthorized uses of content are made easier by technological advances allowing the conversion of motion pictures, programming and other content into digital formats, which facilitates the creation, transmission and sharing of high quality unauthorized copies. Unauthorized reproduction, distribution or display of our content over the Internet or through other methods of distribution, such as through websites that allow the viewing, sharing and/or downloading of entertainment content by either ignoring or interfering with the content’s security features and copyrighted status is a threat to our ability to protect our creative works and to recoup or profit from the expense incurred to create such works. Unauthorized use of our entertainment content may have an adverse effect on our business because it reduces the revenue that we potentially could receive from the legitimate sale and distribution of our content. We are actively engaged in enforcement and other activities to protect our intellectual property, and we are increasingly expending resources in connection with these efforts. These efforts to prevent the unauthorized use of our content may affect our profitability, and may not be successful in reducing piracy.
The Loss of Affiliation Agreements Could Cause Our Revenues to Decline in Any Given Period or in Specific Markets
We are dependent upon our affiliation agreements with cable television operators, DTH satellite operators and other distributors for the distribution of our program services. We have agreements in place with the major distributors, some of which are currently being renegotiated, and others of which expire over the next several years and we expect to renegotiate on a rolling basis. There can be no assurance that these affiliation agreements will be renewed in the future on terms, including pricing, acceptable to us. The loss of a significant number of these arrangements or the loss of carriage on the most widely available programming tiers could reduce the distribution of our program services and decrease the potential audience for our programs, which could adversely affect advertising and affiliate fee revenues. In addition, further consolidation among cable and DTH satellite operators and increased vertical integration of such distributors into the cable or broadcast television businesses could adversely affect our ability to negotiate favorable terms for distribution of our program services.
The Loss of Key Talent Could Disrupt Our Business and Adversely Affect Our Revenues
Our business depends upon the continued efforts, abilities and expertise of our corporate and divisional executive teams and entertainment personalities. We employ or contract with several entertainment personalities with loyal audiences and also produce motion pictures with highly regarded directors, actors and other talent. These individuals are important to achieving audience endorsement of our programs, motion pictures and other content. There can be no assurance that these individuals will remain with us or will retain their current appeal. If we fail to retain these individuals or if our entertainment personalities lose their current appeal, our revenues could be adversely affected.
The Failure or Destruction of Satellites and Facilities that We Depend Upon to Distribute Our Programming Could Adversely Affect Our Business and Results of Operations
We use satellite systems to transmit our program services to cable television operators and other distributors worldwide. The distribution facilities include uplinks, communications satellites and downlinks. Notwithstanding
back-up and redundant systems, transmissions may be disrupted as a result of local disasters that impair on-ground uplinks or downlinks, or as a result of an impairment of a satellite. Currently, there are a limited number of communications satellites available for the transmission of programming. If a disruption occurs, we may not be able to secure alternate distribution facilities in a timely manner. Failure to do so could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
Our Obligations Related to Guarantees and Litigation Could Adversely Impact Our Financial Condition
We have both recorded and potential liabilities and costs related to discontinued operations and former businesses, including, among other things, potential liabilities to landlords if Blockbuster Inc. should default on certain store leases or if Famous Players Inc. should default on certain theater leases. In connection with the sale of the DreamWorks live-action film library to DW Funding in 2006, we are subject to a put option obligation at the then current fair value of DW Funding, commencing nine months prior to the fifth anniversary of the sale. We also have a corresponding call option exercisable at fair value. To the extent the current fair value at the option closing date is insufficient to repay certain indebtedness, including any unpaid interest, of DW Funding guaranteed by us, we would be required to pay the difference. In addition, we are involved in pending and threatened litigation from time to time. We cannot assure you that our reserves are sufficient to cover these liabilities in their entirety or any one of these liabilities when it becomes due or at what point any of these or new liabilities may affect us. Therefore, there can be no assurance that these liabilities will not have an adverse effect on our financial condition.
Risks Related to our Industry
Changes in Advertising Markets Could Cause Our Revenues and Operating Results to Decline Significantly in Any Given Period or in Specific Markets
We derive substantial revenues from the sale of advertising on a variety of platforms. A decline in advertising expenditures could significantly adversely affect our revenues and operating results in any given period. Declines can be caused by the economic prospects of specific advertisers or industries, or the economy in general, including the possibility of a recession. Prospective advertisers could alter their spending priorities based on these or other factors. Economic uncertainty can also be caused by disasters, acts of terrorism, political uncertainty or hostilities and could lead to a reduction in advertising expenditures.
In addition, advertising revenues may be affected by increasing competition for the leisure time of audiences, including shifts in spending toward online outlets and away from more traditional media, or toward new ways of purchasing advertising, such as through advertising exchanges. For example, we and other cable network owners may provide advertising inventory on our networks to cable television operators, DTH satellite operators and other intermediaries who resell that inventory in competition with us. These types of sales are becoming more common and intermediaries are bundling this inventory with inventory in other media and aggregating it with detailed data regarding viewers, which could be more attractive to advertisers than our offerings. In addition, many of these intermediaries are much larger companies than we are and may be able to use that scale to create volume and pricing advantages.
Advertising expenditures by companies in certain sectors of the economy, including children’s toys, electronics, video games and other entertainment sectors, represent a sizeable portion of our advertising revenues. Any political, economic, social or technological change may result in a reduction of these sectors’ advertising expenditures. For example, Federal legislators and regulators could impose additional limitations on advertising to children in an effort to combat childhood obesity and unhealthy eating or for other reasons. Any reduction in advertising expenditures could have an adverse effect on our revenues and results of operations.
Our Businesses Operate in Highly Competitive Industries
Participants in the cable networks, digital and motion picture industries depend primarily upon the sale of advertising, receipt of affiliate fees and revenues generated by the exhibition and distribution of motion pictures on various media. Competition for viewers, advertising and distribution is intense and comes from broadcast television, specialty cable networks, online and mobile properties, movie studios and independent film producers and distributors, local, regional and national newspapers, video gaming sites and other media that compete for audiences. In particular, online websites and search engines have seen significant advertising growth, a portion of which is derived from traditional cable network advertisers. In addition, our competitors include market participants with interests in multiple media businesses which are often vertically integrated. Our ability to compete successfully depends on a number of factors, including our ability to provide high quality and popular entertainment content, adapt to new technologies and distribution platforms and achieve widespread distribution. Distribution capacity may become increasingly limited as broadcasters transition to digital formats, especially if “must carry” regulations are extended to channels beyond the broadcaster’s primary channel. More television options increase competition for viewers, and competitors targeting programming to narrowly defined audiences may gain an advantage over us for television advertising and subscription revenues. There can be no assurance that we will be able to compete successfully in the future against existing or potential competitors, or that competition will not have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.
Requirements that Cable Television Operators Offer Programming on an à la Carte or Tiered Basis May Decrease the Distribution of Program Services and Affect Our Results of Operations
Certain policymakers maintain that cable television operators should be required to offer programming to subscribers on a network-by-network, or à la carte, basis or to provide programming tiers designed specifically for certain audiences, such as family tiers. In response, certain cable television operators and other distributors have introduced tiers to their customers that may or may not include some or all of our networks. Legislation was introduced and defeated by the Senate in 2006 that would effectively require cable television operators to offer all programming on an à la carte basis, but there continues to be focus on the issue. The FCC is also reviewing whether companies that own cable networks should be required to enter into affiliation agreements with cable television operators and other distributors on an “unbundled” or network-by-network basis. The unbundling or tiering of our program services by cable television operators or other distributors, including a decision not to include some or all of our networks in a tier, or a requirement that we enter into affiliation agreements on a network-by-network basis, could reduce distribution of certain of our program services, perhaps significantly. It could also lead to reduced viewership on some or all of our networks and increased marketing expenses, negatively affecting our revenues from advertising and affiliate fees and our results of operations.
Changes in U.S. or Foreign Communications Laws or Other Regulations May Have an Adverse Effect on Our Business
The multichannel video programming and distribution industries in the United States are highly regulated by U.S. federal laws and regulations issued and administered by various federal agencies, including the FCC. Our program services and online properties are subject to a variety of laws and regulations, including those relating to issues such as content regulation, user privacy and data protection and consumer protection, among others. For example, various laws and regulations are intended to protect the interests of children, including limits on the amount and content of commercial material that may be shown, restrictions on children’s advertising and measures designed to protect the privacy of minors.
In addition, the U.S. Congress and the FCC currently have under consideration, and may in the future adopt, new laws, regulations and policies regarding a wide variety of matters that could, directly or indirectly, affect the operations and ownership of our U.S. media properties. For example, some policymakers support the extension of indecency rules applicable to over-the-air broadcasters to cover cable and satellite programming. Other domestic and international regulators, including OFCOM in the United Kingdom, support additional limitations on advertising to children. Copyright and piracy issues may also become the subject of regulatory action in
addition to the judicial action we are currently seeing. Our business could be affected, potentially materially, by any such new laws, regulations and policies. We could incur substantial costs to comply with new laws and regulations or substantial penalties or other liabilities if we fail to comply. We could also be required to change or limit certain of our business practices. Similarly, changes in regulations imposed by governments in other jurisdictions in which we, or entities in which we have an interest, operate could adversely affect our business, results of operations and ability to expand these operations beyond their current scope.
We Could Be Adversely Affected by Strikes and Other Union Activity
We and our suppliers engage the services of writers, directors, actors and other talent, trade employees and others who are subject to collective bargaining agreements. In the fourth quarter of 2007, the members of the Writer’s Guild of America went on strike, and a new agreement was not approved until February 2008. The Directors Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild collective bargaining agreements expire in 2008, and while an agreement has been reached with the Directors Guild, negotiations with the Screen Actors Guild have not yet commenced. Any extended work stoppage could affect our ability to produce new motion pictures and programs, in which case we would air repeat, acquired reality or other content that does not require union labor. Such a labor dispute may disrupt our operations and reduce our revenues, and we may not be able to negotiate favorable terms for a renewal, which could increase our costs.
Political and Economic Risks Associated with Our Businesses Could Harm Our Financial Condition
Our businesses operate and have customers worldwide, and we are focused on expanding our international operations in key markets, some of which are emerging markets. Inherent risks of doing business in international markets include, among other risks, changes in the economic environment, export restrictions, currency exchange controls and/or fluctuations, tariffs and other trade barriers and longer payment cycles. We may incur substantial expense as a result of the imposition of new restrictions or changes in the existing economic environment in the regions where we do business. Acts of terrorism or other hostilities, or other future financial, political, economic or other uncertainties, could lead to a reduction in advertising and other revenue, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.
Risks Related to our Separation from CBS Corporation
Our Business and Other Businesses Which Are Controlled By Sumner Redstone, Including CBS Corporation, Are and Will Continue to Be Attributable to Each Other for Certain Regulatory Purposes
So long as we and CBS Corporation are under common control, each company’s businesses, as well as the businesses of any other commonly controlled company, such as National Amusements, Inc. (“NAI”), NAIRI, Inc. and Midway Games, Inc., which is also controlled by Mr. Redstone, may be attributable to the other companies for purposes of U.S. and non-U.S. antitrust rules and regulations, certain rules and regulations of the FCC, and certain rules regarding political campaign contributions in the United States, among others. The businesses of each company may continue to be attributable to the other companies for FCC purposes even after the companies cease to be commonly controlled, if the companies share common officers, directors, or attributable stockholders. As a result, the businesses and conduct of any of these other companies may have the effect of limiting the activities or strategic business alternatives available to us.
The Separation Agreement Between CBS Corporation and Us Prohibits Us from Engaging in Certain Types of Businesses
Under the terms of the Separation Agreement, we generally agreed that we will not own or acquire certain interests in specified types of media companies if such ownership would cause CBS Corporation to be in violation of U.S. federal laws limiting the ownership of broadcast licenses or if it would limit CBS Corporation’s ability under these laws to acquire television or radio stations or television networks. Additionally, we may not make acquisitions, enter into agreements or accept or agree to any condition that purports to bind CBS
Corporation or subjects CBS Corporation to restrictions it is not otherwise subject to by legal order without CBS Corporation’s consent. We and CBS Corporation have agreed that prior to the earliest of (1) the fourth anniversary of the separation (December 31, 2009), (2) the date on which none of Mr. Redstone, NAI, NAIRI or any of their successors, assigns or transferees are deemed to have interests in both CBS Corporation and Viacom that are attributable under applicable U.S. federal laws and (3) the date on which the other company ceases to own the video programming vendors that it owns as of the separation, neither of us will own or acquire an interest in a cable television operator if such ownership would subject the other company to U.S. federal laws regulating contractual relationships between video programming vendors and video programming distributors that the other company is not then subject to. These restrictions could limit the strategic business alternatives available to us.
We Rely on CBS Corporation’s Performance under Various Agreements
In connection with the separation, we entered into various agreements, including the Separation Agreement, Tax Matters Agreement, and certain related party arrangements pursuant to which we provide services and products to CBS Corporation after the separation. The Separation Agreement sets forth the distribution of assets, liabilities, rights and obligations between us and CBS Corporation pursuant to the separation, and includes indemnification obligations for such liabilities and obligations. In addition, pursuant to the Tax Matters Agreement, certain income tax liabilities and related responsibilities are allocated between, and indemnification obligations have been assumed by, each of us and CBS Corporation. Each company will rely on the other company to satisfy its performance and payment obligations under these agreements. Certain of the liabilities to be assumed or indemnified by us or CBS Corporation under these agreements are legal or contractual liabilities of the other company. If CBS Corporation were to breach or be unable to satisfy its material obligations under these agreements, including a failure to satisfy its indemnification obligations, we could suffer operational difficulties or significant losses.
Our Historical Financial Information May Not Be Indicative of Our Results as a Separate Company
The historical financial information presented in this Form 10-K relating to 2005 prior to our separation from CBS Corporation is presented on a carve-out basis and may not necessarily reflect what our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows would have been had we been operating as a stand-alone entity during the periods presented or what our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows will be in the future. As a result, historical financial information should not be relied upon as being indicative of our future results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Risks Related to our Control Structure
NAI, Through Its Voting Control of Viacom, is in a Position to Control Actions that Require Stockholder Approval and May Have Interests that are Different than Yours
NAI, through its beneficial ownership of our Class A common stock, has voting control of Viacom. Sumner M. Redstone, the controlling stockholder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NAI, serves as our Executive Chairman and Founder, and Shari Redstone, the President and a director of NAI, serves as the non-executive Vice Chair of our Board of Directors. In addition, Philippe Dauman, our President and Chief Executive Officer, and George Abrams are directors of both NAI and Viacom. NAI is in a position to control the outcome of corporate actions that require stockholder approval, including the election of directors and transactions involving a change of control. The interests of NAI may not be the same as yours and you will be unable to affect the outcome of our corporate actions for so long as NAI retains voting control.
Certain Members of Management, Directors and Stockholders May Face Actual or Potential Conflicts of Interest
Certain members of our management team and directors own both our common stock and CBS Corporation common stock, and both Viacom and CBS Corporation are controlled by NAI. Mr. Redstone, the controlling
stockholder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NAI, serves as our Executive Chairman and Founder and the Executive Chairman and Founder of CBS Corporation. Ms. Redstone, the President and a director of NAI, serves as non-executive Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of both Viacom and CBS Corporation. Ms. Redstone also serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of Midway Games, which is also controlled by NAI. Mr. Dauman, our President and Chief Executive Officer, and Mr. Abrams are directors of both NAI and Viacom, and Frederic Salerno is a director of both Viacom and CBS Corporation.
The NAI ownership structure and the common directors could create, or appear to create, potential conflicts of interest when the management, directors and controlling stockholder of the commonly controlled entities face decisions that could have different implications for each of us. For example, potential conflicts of interest could arise in connection with the resolution of any dispute between Viacom and CBS Corporation regarding the terms of the agreements governing the separation and the relationship between Viacom and CBS Corporation thereafter. Potential conflicts of interest, or the appearance thereof, could also arise when we and CBS Corporation enter into any commercial arrangements with each other in the future, despite review by our directors not affiliated with CBS Corporation. Mr. Redstone, Ms. Redstone and Mr. Salerno may also face conflicts of interest with regard to the allocation of time between us and CBS Corporation.
Our certificate of incorporation and the CBS Corporation certificate of incorporation both contain provisions related to corporate opportunities that may be of interest to us and to CBS Corporation. Our certificate of incorporation provides that in the event that a director, officer or controlling stockholder of ours who is also a director, officer or controlling stockholder of CBS Corporation acquires knowledge of a potential corporate opportunity for both Viacom and CBS Corporation, such director, officer or controlling stockholder may present such opportunity to us or CBS Corporation or both, as such director, officer or controlling stockholder deems appropriate in his or her sole discretion, and that by doing so such person will have satisfied his or her fiduciary duties to us and our stockholders. In addition, our certificate of incorporation provides that we renounce any interest in any such opportunity presented to CBS Corporation and, similarly, that CBS Corporation renounce any interest in any such opportunity presented to us. These provisions create the possibility that a corporate opportunity of one company may be used for the benefit of the other company.
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments.
Item 2. Properties.
Our world headquarters is located at 1515 Broadway, New York, New York, where we rent approximately 1.4 million square feet for executive offices and certain of our operating divisions. The lease for the majority of the space runs to 2010, with four renewal options based on market rates at the time of renewal for five years each thereafter. We have also entered into long-term lease agreements for approximately 278,000 square feet of office space at 1540 Broadway, New York, New York and approximately 400,000 square feet of office space at 345 Hudson Street, New York, New York and expect to commence occupancy of each of such locations in mid-2008. We also occupy the following major facilities for certain of MTV Networks businesses: (a) approximately 310,000 square feet of leased office space at 1633 Broadway, New York, New York, through 2010, and (b) approximately 225,000 square feet of office space at three facilities on 26th Street in Santa Monica, California, under leases which expire between 2011 and 2016.
BET’s headquarters at One BET Plaza in Washington, D.C. contains approximately 228,000 square feet of office and studio space, the majority of which is leased through 2013 and the balance of which is owned.
Paramount owns the Paramount Pictures studio at 5555 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, California, located on approximately 62 acres.
We also own and lease office, studio and warehouse space, broadcast, antenna and satellite transmission facilities throughout the United States and several other countries around the world for our businesses. We consider our properties adequate for our present needs.
Item 3. Legal Proceedings.
Litigation is inherently uncertain and always difficult to predict. However, based on our understanding and evaluation of the relevant facts and circumstances, we believe that the legal matters described below and other litigation to which we are a party are not likely, in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position or cash flows.
Pending Litigation
In March 2007, we filed a complaint in the Federal Court for the Southern District of New York against Google Inc. (“Google”) and its wholly owned subsidiary YouTube, alleging that Google and YouTube violated and continue to violate our copyrights. We are seeking both damages and injunctive relief, and the lawsuit is currently in discovery.
Former Viacom, NAI, Blockbuster and we, and certain of their and our respective present and former officers and directors, are currently defendants in an ERISA action in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas relating to the 2004 split-off of Blockbuster from Former Viacom pursuant to an exchange offer. A consolidated securities action in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas and a state law action in the Court of Chancery of Delaware arising from the same facts were dismissed in September 2007 and February 2008, respectively. The plaintiff in the latter action have filed a notice of appeal. The plaintiff in the ERISA action alleges that the defendants in that case breached fiduciary obligations to the Blockbuster Investment Plan by continuing to offer to plan participants Blockbuster stock from and after November 2003 and by offering to Plan participants the opportunity to exchange their shares of Former Viacom common stock for the shares of Blockbuster common stock. On September 24, 2007, defendants’ motion to dismiss the ERISA action was granted in part and denied in part, and in November, the plaintiff filed an amended complaint, which the defendants moved to dismiss in January. Blockbuster has agreed to indemnify Former Viacom and its employees, officers and directors with respect to any liabilities arising out of any material untrue statements and omissions in those portions of the 2004 Prospectus-Offer to Exchange relating to the split-off that were provided by Blockbuster, and we have agreed to indemnify CBS Corporation for any losses arising from these lawsuits. We believe that the plaintiffs’ positions in these litigations are without merit and intend to continue to vigorously defend ourselves.
In September 2007, Brantley, et al. v. NBC Universal, Inc., et al., was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against us and several other program content providers on behalf of a purported nationwide class of cable and satellite subscribers. The plaintiffs also sued several major cable and satellite program distributors, alleging against all defendants violations of Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Antitrust Act. The complaint alleges that the programmer defendants conspired to sell and/or license programming on a “bundled” basis to the distributor defendants, who in turn offer programming to their customers in bundles, rather than on a channel by channel (or “à la carte”) basis. Plaintiffs seek, among other things, treble monetary damages in an unspecified amount and an injunction to compel the offering of channels to subscribers on an “à la carte” basis. In December 2007, all of the defendants moved to dismiss the amended complaint, and we intend to vigorously defend this lawsuit.
Concluded Litigation
On July 13, 2005, two identical shareholder derivative lawsuits were filed against Former Viacom relating to the compensation of Sumner Redstone, Tom Freston and Leslie Moonves, each of whom was an executive officer of Former Viacom. On November 27, 2007, the judge in the case approved a final settlement, the costs of which were immaterial and have been evenly shared with CBS Corporation.
Item 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.
OUR EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
The following table sets forth the name, age and position of each person who served as a Viacom executive officer as of January 31, 2008.
Sumner M. Redstone
84 Executive Chairman of the Board and Founder
James W. Barge
52 Executive Vice President, Tax and Treasury
Philippe P. Dauman
53 President and Chief Executive Officer; Director
Thomas E. Dooley
51 Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Financial Officer; Director
Carl D. Folta
50 Executive Vice President, Corporate Communications
Michael D. Fricklas
47 Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
DeDe Lea
43 Executive Vice President, Government Relations
Jacques Tortoroli
50 Senior Vice President, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer
Denise White
53 Executive Vice President, Human Resources and Administration
Information about each person who serves as an executive officer of our company is set forth below.
Sumner M. Redstone Mr. Redstone is our Founder and has served as the Executive Chairman of our Board of Directors since January 1, 2006. He also serves as Executive Chairman of the Board of CBS Corporation. He was Chief Executive Officer of Former Viacom from 1996 to 2005 and Chairman of the Board of Former Viacom since 1986. He has been Chairman of the Board of National Amusements, Inc., our controlling stockholder, since 1986, its Chief Executive Officer since 1967 and also served as its President from 1967 through 1999. Mr. Redstone served as the first Chairman of the Board of the National Association of Theatre Owners and is currently a member of its Executive Committee. He has been a frequent lecturer at universities, including Harvard Law School, Boston University Law School and Brandeis University. Mr. Redstone graduated from Harvard University in 1944 and received an LL.B. from Harvard University School of Law in 1947. Upon graduation, he served as law secretary with the U.S. Court of Appeals and then as a special assistant to the U.S. Attorney General. Mr. Redstone served in the Military Intelligence Division during World War II. While a student at Harvard, he was selected to join a special intelligence group whose mission was to break Japan’s high-level military and diplomatic codes. Mr. Redstone received, among other honors, two commendations from the Military Intelligence Division in recognition of his service, contribution and devotion to duty, and the Army Commendation Award.
James W. Barge Mr. Barge joined the Company on January 22, 2008 as Executive Vice President, Tax and Treasury, and will assume the additional role of Controller on March 10, 2008, succeeding Jacques Tortoroli. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Barge served as Senior Vice President, Controller and principal accounting officer of Time Warner Inc. since mid-2002. He previously held various financial positions with Time Warner Inc. since first joining the company in 1995. Mr. Barge is a member of the Board of Directors of Scholastic Corporation.
Philippe P. Dauman Mr. Dauman has been our President and Chief Executive Officer since September 5, 2006 and joined our Board of Directors as of January 1, 2006, having previously served as a director of Former Viacom since 1987. Prior to joining Viacom, he was Co-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DND Capital Partners, L.L.C., a private equity firm specializing in media and telecommunications investments that he co-founded with Mr. Dooley, from May 2000 until September 2006. Prior to that, Mr. Dauman held
several positions at Former Viacom, which he first joined in 1993, including Deputy Chairman, member of its Executive Committee and Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary. Mr. Dauman is also a director of National Amusements, Inc. and of Lafarge S.A.
Mr. Dooley has been our Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer since September 5, 2006, our Chief Financial Officer since January 1, 2007 and joined our Board as of January 1, 2006. Prior to joining Viacom, he was Co-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DND Capital Partners, L.L.C., a private equity firm specializing in media and telecommunications investments that he co-founded with Mr. Dauman, from May 2000 until September 2006. Before that, Mr. Dooley held various corporate and divisional positions at Former Viacom, which he first joined in 1980, including Deputy Chairman, member of its Executive Committee, and Executive Vice President, Finance, Corporate Development and Communications. Mr. Dooley is a member of the Board of Directors of Sapphire Industrials Corp.
Mr. Folta has been our Executive Vice President, Corporate Communications since November 2006. Prior to that, he had served as Executive Vice President, Office of the Chairman since January 1, 2006. Previously, he was Executive Vice President, Corporate Relations of Former Viacom since November 2004, served as Senior Vice President, Corporate Relations from November 1994 to November 2004, and as Vice President, Corporate Relations from April 1994 to November 1994. Mr. Folta held various communications positions at Paramount Communications Inc. from 1984 to 1994.
Mr. Fricklas has been our Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary since January 1, 2006. Prior to that, he was Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Former Viacom since May 2000 and Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary from October 1998 to May 2000. He first joined Former Viacom in July 1993, serving as Vice President and Deputy General Counsel and assuming the title of Senior Vice President in July 1994.
Ms. Lea has been our Executive Vice President, Government Relations since January 1, 2006. Previously, she was Executive Vice President, Government Relations of Former Viacom since September 2005. Prior to that, she served as Vice President of Government Affairs at Belo Corp. from 2004 to 2005 and as Vice President, Government Affairs of Former Viacom from 1997 to 2004.
Mr. Tortoroli has been our Senior Vice President, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer since January 1, 2006 and will remain in that position until March 10, 2008. On January 1, 2008, he also became Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of MTVN. Mr. Tortoroli previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Infinity Broadcasting from 2002 to 2005. From 2002 to 2004, Mr. Tortoroli was also Chief Financial Officer of Westwood One, a public company in which Infinity had an investment. Prior to that, Mr. Tortoroli was Chief Financial Officer of Scient, Inc. from 2001 to 2002 and held several financial roles at Young & Rubicam, Inc. from 1998 to 2001, including Chief Financial Officer, Senior Vice President of Finance and Controller, and Chief Financial Officer of Y&R Advertising. Previously, Mr. Tortoroli spent 12 years with PepsiCo, Inc., including financial roles in PepsiCo, Inc. and Pepsi-Cola International.
Ms. White has been our Executive Vice President, Human Resources and Administration since October 1, 2007. Previously, she was General Manager at Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices Division, having first joined Microsoft in 1990. Prior to Microsoft, Ms. White was a human resources leader with Pan American World Airways and owned a human resources consulting firm.
Item 5. Market for Viacom Inc.’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.
Our voting Class A common stock and non-voting Class B common stock are listed and traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols “VIA” and “VIA.B”, respectively. Our common stock began trading on the NYSE on January 3, 2006 at an opening price of $40.00 for our Class A common stock and $41.12 for our Class B common stock.
The table below shows, for the periods indicated, the high and low daily close prices per share of our Class A and Class B common stock as reported in Thomson Financial markets services.
Class A common stock – 2007
Class B common stock – 2007
We do not currently anticipate paying dividends on our Class A common stock or Class B common stock. The declaration and payment of dividends to holders of our common stock will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors and will depend upon many factors, including our financial condition, earnings, legal requirements and other factors as our Board of Directors deems relevant.
As of January 31, 2008, there were approximately 2,000 record holders of our Class A common stock and 33,000 record holders of our Class B common stock.
Performance Graph
The following graph compares the cumulative total stockholder return on our Class A common stock and our Class B common stock with the cumulative total return of the companies listed in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Stock Index and a peer group of companies comprised of Time Warner Inc., The Walt Disney Company, News Corporation, The E.W. Scripps Company, Discovery Holding Company and CBS Corporation.
The performance graph assumes $100 invested on January 1, 2006 in each of our Class A common stock, Class B common stock, the S&P 500 Index and the stock of the peer group companies identified below, including reinvestment of dividends, for each calendar quarter through the calendar year ended December 31, 2007.
Total Cumulative Stockholder Return
for the Four-Quarter Periods Ended December 31, 2007 and 2006
1/1/2006 3/31/2006 6/30/2006 9/30/2006 12/31/2006 3/31/2007 6/30/2007 9/30/2007 12/31/2007
Class A Common
100.00 96.90 89.88 93.25 102.53 102.65 104.00 97.38 109.95
Class B Common
100.00 94.29 87.10 90.35 99.71 99.90 101.17 94.70 106.73
100.00 103.73 101.76 107.01 113.62 113.82 120.43 122.31 117.63
100.00 99.26 103.58 109.08 119.55 117.69 122.49 121.44 114.15
From January 2006 until June 22, 2007, we repurchased shares of our Class B common stock under a $3.0 billion stock repurchase program. In connection with the program, we entered into an agreement with National Amusements Inc. (“NAI”) and NAIRI (the “NAIRI Agreement”) pursuant to which we agreed to buy from NAI and NAIRI a number of shares of our Class B common stock each month such that the ownership percentage of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock (considered as a single class) held by NAI and/or NAIRI would not increase as a result of our purchase of shares under the program. On May 30, 2007, we announced that our Board of Directors had approved a new stock repurchase program under which we are authorized to acquire up to an additional $4.0 billion of Viacom Class A and Class B common stock. The independent members of the Board of Directors also approved NAI and NAIRI’s continued participation in the new program on substantially the same terms as those on which it participated in the previous program and the NAIRI Agreement was amended accordingly. We commenced repurchases under the $4.0 billion stock repurchase program on June 22, 2007.
The following table provides information about our purchases of equity securities under our $4.0 billion stock repurchase program and the NAIRI Agreement during the quarter ended December 31, 2007:
Repurchased Average Price
Paid per Share Remaining
Under Program
(thousands) (dollars) (millions)
As of September 30, 2007
22,772.9 $ 40.00 $ 3,088.3
Month ended October 31, 2007:
3,899.0 39.88 2,932.8
NAIRI
503.5 39.66 2,912.9
Month ended November 30, 2007:
Month ended December 31, 2007:
Total as of December 31, 2007
Equity Compensation Plan Information
Information required by this item is contained in the Proxy Statement for our 2008 Annual Meeting of Stockholders under the heading “Equity Compensation Plan Information,” which information is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 6. Selected Financial Data.
The selected Consolidated Statement of Earnings data for the three years ended December 31, 2007 and the Consolidated Balance Sheet data at December 31, 2007 and 2006 should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and related “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition” and other financial information presented elsewhere in this annual report. The selected Consolidated Statement of Earnings data for the years ended December 31, 2004 and 2003 and the Consolidated Balance Sheet data at December 31, 2005, 2004 and 2003 have been derived from audited financial statements not included herein.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF EARNINGS DATA
(in millions, except earnings per share amounts)
Year Ended December 31,(1)
2007 2006 2005(2) 2004(2) 2003(2)
$ 13,423.1 $ 11,361.1 $ 9,519.5 $ 8,051.1 $ 7,232.3
$ 2,935.7 $ 2,766.6 $ 2,358.7 $ 2,272.3 $ 1,992.1
Net earnings from continuing operations
Net earnings from continuing operations per common share:
$ 2.42 $ 2.19 $ 1.73 $ 1.84 $ 1.52
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET DATA
December 31,(1)
$ 22,904.1 $ 21,796.7 $ 19,115.6 $ 18,440.8 $ 22,304.4
$ 7,942.8 $ 7,312.7 $ 5,405.0 $ — $ —
Total stockholders’ equity
$ 7,111.2 $ 7,166.2 $ 7,787.9 $ 13,465.2 $ 15,815.7
(1) Discontinued operations for 2007 principally relate to the sale of Famous Music. In 2005, the Former Viacom sold Famous Players Inc., a Canadian-based theater chain, and in 2004 completed the exchange offer for the split-off of Blockbuster Inc. Famous Music, Famous Players and Blockbuster Inc. have been presented as discontinued operations for all periods presented.
(2) The selected Consolidated Statement of Earnings data for the years ended December 31, 2005, 2004 and 2003 and the Consolidated Balance Sheet data at December 31, 2005, 2004 and 2003 are presented on a carve-out basis and reflect the results of operations and financial position of our businesses when they were a part of Former Viacom. The consolidated financial information as of and for the years ended December 31, 2005, 2004 and 2003 may not necessarily reflect what our results of operations and financial position would have been had we been a separate, stand-alone company. For example, the indebtedness of Former Viacom, other than capital lease obligations, was not assumed by us; therefore, debt service cost is not reflected in the Consolidated Statement of Earnings data for these periods. The Consolidated Statement of Earnings data includes allocations of Former Viacom corporate expenses and Paramount corporate overhead including accounting, treasury, tax, legal, human resources, information systems and other services, as well as depreciation and amortization on allocated costs, to reflect the utilization of such shared services and assets by us. Management believes the methodologies used to allocate charges for the services described above are reasonable. The assets and liabilities of Former Viacom assigned to us pursuant to the terms of the separation are accounted for at the historical book values of such assets and liabilities.
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition.
Management’s discussion and analysis of results of operations and financial condition is provided as a supplement to and should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes to enhance the understanding of our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. References in this document to “Viacom,” “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” mean Viacom Inc. and our consolidated subsidiaries through which our various businesses are conducted, unless the context requires otherwise. Certain amounts have been reclassified to conform to the 2007 presentation.
Significant components of the management’s discussion and analysis of results of operations and financial condition section include:
• Overview. The overview section provides a summary of Viacom and our reportable business segments and the principal factors affecting our results of operations. In addition, we provide a brief discussion of our separation from the former Viacom Inc. (“Former Viacom”) and of our basis of presentation for our financial results, including comparability of prior period carve-out financial statements and presentation of discontinued operations.
• Consolidated Results of Operations. The consolidated results of operations section provides an analysis of our results on a consolidated basis for the three years ended December 31, 2007.
• Segment Results of Operations. The segment results of operations section provides an analysis of our results on a reportable operating segment basis for the three years ended December 31, 2007.
• Liquidity and Capital Resources. The liquidity and capital resources section provides a discussion of our cash flows for the three years ended December 31, 2007 and of our outstanding debt and commitments existing at December 31, 2007.
• Market Risk. We are principally exposed to market risk related to foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates. The market risk section discusses how we manage exposure to these and other market risks.
• Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates. The critical accounting policies section provides detail with respect to accounting policies that are considered by management to require significant judgment and use of estimates and that could have a significant impact on our financial statements.
• Recent Pronouncements. The recent pronouncements section provides a discussion of recently issued accounting pronouncements yet to be adopted, including a discussion of the impact or potential impact of such standards on our financial statements when applicable.
• Other Matters. The other matters section provides a discussion of legal matters, related party transactions and provisions of the various separation related agreements still relevant as of December 31, 2007.
Management’s Discussion and Analysis
of Results of Operations and Financial Condition
We are a leading global entertainment content company. We engage audiences on television, motion picture and digital platforms through many of the world’s best known entertainment brands, including MTV®, VH1®, CMT®, Logo®, Harmonix®, Nickelodeon®, Noggin®, Nick at Nite®, AddictingGames™, Neopets®, COMEDY CENTRAL®, Spike TV®, TV Land®, AtomFilms®, Gametrailers™, BET®, Paramount Pictures®, DreamWorks Pictures™ and Paramount Vantage™.
On December 31, 2005, we became a stand-alone public company in connection with our separation from Former Viacom, which is now known as CBS Corporation. See “The Separation from CBS Corporation” section below for more information. References in this document to CBS Corporation mean CBS Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless the context requires otherwise.
We manage our operations through two reporting segments: Media Networks, which includes MTV Networks (“MTVN”) and BET Networks (“BETN”), and Filmed Entertainment.
Through a combination of original and acquired programming and other entertainment content, the Media Networks brands are focused on providing content that appeals to key demographics attractive to advertisers across multiple distribution platforms, including cable television, satellite, mobile and digital media assets. Our leading program services reach over 520 million households worldwide, operating in more than 160 countries and territories. We have approximately 150 channels and 300 interactive digital media properties, which include online, broadband, mobile and interactive television services, and operate a robust consumer products business. MTVN is a major producer of mobile video content for major carriers and mobile virtual network operators in the United States and internationally, and MTVN and BETN content is also available for download to own through deals with third parties such as AOL, Amazon, Apple and Microsoft.
We continue to invest organically and through select acquisitions and investments in digital media and other assets that are attractive to the demographics we serve. For example, in 2007, MTV Networks and Real Networks, Inc. created Rhapsody America, a venture that provides subscription-based digital music services, among other services. We contributed a $230 million non-interest bearing note payable and certain assets related to MTVN’s URGE digital music service for a 49% stake in Rhapsody America. Internationally, we are expanding our presence while focusing our resources in the regions and on the demographics that offer the greatest growth opportunities for our brands. In India, we established a joint venture (“Viacom 18”) with Network18 Fincap Limited (“Network18”), a leading entertainment and media company in India, through the contribution of our existing MTV Networks’ India operations to the venture, with cash and other consideration contributed to the venture by Network18. In the Russian market, we sold our non-controlling equity investment in MTV Russia.
The Media Networks segment is focused on expanding and enhancing our brands through the creation of original hit programming and other content, including games, and the expansion of the experiences we offer through online and wireless platforms. We seek to increase our revenues by expanding our audiences and offering creative ways for advertisers, cable, satellite and mobile operators and other interested parties to reach these audiences.
Our Media Networks segment generates revenues principally from three sources: (i) the sale of advertising time on our cable television networks and digital properties and services, (ii) the receipt of affiliate fees from cable
television operators, direct-to-home or “DTH” satellite operators, mobile networks and other distributors and (iii) ancillary revenues, which include home entertainment sales of our programming, the licensing of our content to third parties, the licensing of our brands for consumer products, including video games, and the creation and distribution of video games and other interactive products. We derive revenues from our home entertainment products and video games, such as Rock Band and Guitar Hero and our consumer products business that licenses popular characters such as those featured in SpongeBob SquarePants, The Backyardigans, Dora the Explorer, Neopets and South Park to consumer product companies.
Our content is designed to target key audience demographics and the popularity of our programming creates a powerful reason for advertisers to purchase commercial time on our cable television networks and digital properties and services. The advertising industry has recently introduced commercial ratings which measure audience size for a commercial. Commercial ratings are currently measured on a “C3” basis, which means the number of viewers that watch the commercial live or via playback during the three days following the live broadcast. We are exploring various alternatives for the pricing, structure and volume of our advertising spots and commercial segments to reflect this new ratings methodology, which will largely be effective beginning in 2008.
Audience ratings also create demand on the part of cable television operators, direct-to-home or “DTH” satellite operators, mobile networks and other distributors to deliver our content to their customers, which allows us to obtain multi-year affiliation deals that provide us with a reasonably stable source of affiliate fee revenues. We are currently negotiating renewals of several long-term affiliation agreements, and are looking to build stronger and more expansive multi-media partnerships with the various distributors of our content that maximize the value of these relationships for our brands.
Media Networks segment revenue growth depends on the continued increase of advertising revenues and affiliate fees which we expect will be driven by the popularity of our programming and other entertainment content and, in part, by the increased availability of our content on new distribution platforms and our ability to monetize our multiplatform presence. In addition, our advertising revenues may fluctuate due to the mix and availability of programming and entertainment content, the overall strength of the advertising market and seasonal variations, being typically highest in the fourth quarter. Growth also depends on the continued demand for our properties to generate license fees, including for use by licensees in their commercial products sold at retail.
We incur production costs in connection with creating original content for our networks. These costs are comprised of expenses associated with retaining creative talent including actors, writers and producers, as well as marketing and distribution costs that drive awareness and make our content available for distribution to consumers directly. We also incur costs to acquire content such as television series from production companies.
The Filmed Entertainment segment produces, finances and distributes motion pictures under the Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, MTV Films and Nickelodeon Movies brands. Paramount’s library consists of approximately 3,500 motion pictures and a small number of television programs. In general, motion pictures produced or acquired for distribution by the Filmed Entertainment segment are exhibited theatrically in the U.S. and internationally, followed by their release on DVDs, videos-on-demand, pay and free cable television, broadcast television and syndicated television (the “distribution windows”), and, in some cases, licensing to airlines, hotels, schools and universities.
During 2007, Transformers was released under the DreamWorks and Paramount labels and Shrek the Third, a DreamWorks Animation production, was distributed by Paramount. We also released There Will Be Blood and
No Country for Old Men under the Paramount Vantage label, and DreamWorks titles such as Norbit, Disturbia and Blades of Glory, which was released in association with MTV Films. Films released under the Paramount label included Beowulf and Freedom Writers, which was released in association with MTV Films.
On January 31, 2006, we completed the acquisition of DreamWorks L.L.C. (“DreamWorks”) a leading producer of live-action motion pictures and television programming. In connection with the acquisition, we acquired certain exclusive distribution rights to and home video fulfillment services for the animated feature films produced by DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (“DreamWorks Animation” and collectively, the “DWA agreements”) and also acquired a live-action film library (the “live-action library”) consisting of 59 films released through September 16, 2005. In May 2006, we sold a controlling interest in DW Funding LLC (“DW Funding”), the entity which owns the live-action library, and entered into an agreement for the exclusive worldwide distribution rights to the library for a five-year period, which is renewable under certain circumstances. Separately, we also have a distribution arrangement with Marvel under which the first release will be Iron Man in 2008.
In domestic markets, we perform our own marketing and distribution services. Through 2006, through our international affiliates, we generally distributed our motion pictures for theatrical release outside the United States and Canada through United International Pictures (“UIP”), a company that we and an affiliate of Universal Studios, Inc. (“Universal”) own jointly. In January 2007, Paramount and Universal began theatrical self-distribution in 15 key countries that were separated from UIP’s distribution business, with each party taking over the UIP operating entity in designated countries. Paramount and Universal each have the option to continue a transitional distribution arrangement with the other party in the respective countries for up to two years. Effective January 1, 2008, both Paramount and Universal exited UIP Japan, and Paramount has set up its own distribution operation in Japan. The UIP joint venture continues to operate in certain other territories. These self-distribution activities represent a significant expansion of Paramount’s international presence, and we intend to continue to expand internationally through increased direct distribution and acquisition of local content.
The Filmed Entertainment segment is also focused on continuing to improve our market position and profitability through the continued development of franchise and branded films, and the diversification of revenue streams, such as making library product available online. We intend to grow Filmed Entertainment segment revenues by continuing to capitalize on our Paramount, DreamWorks, and Paramount Vantage labels and on our various media networks’ brands. Developing synergies across our brands permits us to leverage the core MTVN and BETN audiences.
Our Filmed Entertainment segment generates revenues principally from: (i) the theatrical release of motion pictures in domestic and international markets, (ii) home entertainment, which includes sales of DVDs and other products relating to the motion pictures as well as other programming and (iii) license fees paid worldwide by third parties for exhibition rights on various media. Ancillary revenues are principally derived from studio income, consumer products licensing and distribution of our content through new online and mobile platforms. Our Filmed Entertainment segment results of operations substantially depend on the number and quality of films produced, their distribution and marketing success and public response, as well as our ability to obtain creative talent and scripts for motion pictures. Revenues from motion picture theatrical releases tend to be cyclical with increases during the summer months, around holidays and in the fourth quarter. The theatrical success of a motion picture is also a significant factor in determining the revenues it is likely to generate in home entertainment product sales and licensing fees during the various other distribution windows.
We incur marketing costs before and throughout the theatrical release of a film and, to a lesser extent, other exhibition windows. Such costs are incurred to generate public interest in our films and are expensed as incurred; therefore, we typically incur losses with respect to a particular film prior to and during the film’s theatrical
exhibition. In addition, for films we distribute on behalf of DreamWorks Animation or similar distribution arrangements, we expense print and advertising costs as incurred and typically recover such costs following the release. Therefore, the results of the Filmed Entertainment segment can be volatile as films work their way through the various distribution windows, generally incurring losses in the pre-release and theatrical windows before moving to profitability in subsequent distribution windows such as home video and television.
Production costs are capitalized as incurred and amortized over the flow of ultimate revenues. We have entered into film financing arrangements under which third parties participate in the financing of the production costs of a film in exchange for a partial copyright interest. We believe such arrangements may improve our investment returns and reduce our economic risk on a particular film.
The Separation from CBS Corporation
On December 31, 2005, we became a stand-alone public company in connection with our separation from CBS Corporation. In connection with the separation, each share of Former Viacom Class A common stock was converted into the right to receive 0.5 of a share of Viacom Class A common stock and 0.5 of a share of CBS Corporation Class A common stock. Similarly, each share of Former Viacom Class B common stock was converted into the right to receive 0.5 of a share of Viacom Class B common stock and 0.5 of a share of CBS Corporation Class B common stock. Holders of Viacom Class A and Class B common stock received cash in lieu of fractional shares.
In connection with the separation, we and CBS Corporation entered into the Separation Agreement as well as certain other agreements to govern the terms of the separation and certain of the ongoing relationships between CBS Corporation and us after the separation. These agreements include a Transition Services Agreement and a Tax Matters Agreement. These related party arrangements are more fully described below and in the notes to the consolidated financial statements.
The Separation Agreement provided that we were responsible for the first $195.0 million in costs directly related to the separation with amounts incurred in excess of $195.0 million being split equally between us and CBS Corporation. Included as a component of Selling, general and administrative expenses in our Consolidated Statement of Earnings is $163.5 million of transaction costs for the year ended December 31, 2005. Such amounts principally included severance amounts, expenditures on information systems and investment banking and other professional fees.
Special Dividend to Former Viacom
In accordance with the terms of the Separation Agreement, in December 2005 we paid a preliminary special dividend to Former Viacom of $5.40 billion which was subject to adjustments for, among other items, actual Former Viacom debt as of the date of the separation and actual CBS Corporation cash flow for 2005, compared to estimates used to calculate the preliminary special dividend. In 2006 and 2007 we made further payments of $206.1 million and $170.0 million, respectively, to CBS Corporation in final resolution of the adjustments.
Basis of Presentation
The consolidated financial statements as of and for the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006 reflect our actual results of operations, financial position and cash flows. The consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2005 are presented on a carve-out basis and reflect the results of operations, financial position and cash flows of our businesses when they were a part of Former Viacom. The consolidated financial results for 2005 may not necessarily reflect what our results of operations, financial position and cash flows would have been had we been a separate, stand-alone company during the period. For example, the indebtedness of Former Viacom, other than capital lease obligations, was not assumed by us; therefore, debt service cost is not reflected in our Consolidated Statement of Earnings for the period ended December 31, 2005.
The Consolidated Statement of Earnings for the year ended December 31, 2005 includes allocations of Former Viacom corporate expenses and Paramount corporate overhead including accounting, treasury, tax, legal, human resources, information systems and other services, as well as depreciation and amortization on allocated costs, to reflect our utilization of such shared services and assets. Total corporate costs allocated to us, excluding separation costs described above, were $162.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2005 and were primarily included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Earnings. Management believes the methodologies used to allocate charges for the services described above are reasonable.
The assets and liabilities of Former Viacom assigned to us pursuant to the terms of the Separation Agreement are accounted for at the historical book values of such assets and liabilities. As noted previously, the indebtedness of Former Viacom, other than certain capital lease obligations, was not transferred to us. Prior to the separation, Former Viacom centrally managed the cash flows generated from our various businesses.
Discontinued operations for 2007 principally relate to the sale of Famous Music. Famous Music and Famous Players, a Canadian-based theater chain sold in 2005, have been reported as discontinued operations for all periods presented. Also included in discontinued operations is the release of tax reserves resulting from audit settlements related to discontinued businesses, including Blockbuster Inc., which was split off from Former Viacom in 2004.
CONSOLIDATED RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Our summary consolidated results of operations are presented below for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005. The year ended December 31, 2005 is presented on a carve-out basis.
Year Ended December 31, Better/(Worse)
(in millions) 2007 2006 2005 2007 v.
2006 2006 v.
$ 13,423.1 $ 11,361.1 $ 9,519.5 18 % 19 %
7,430.7 5,963.2 4,669.5 (25 ) (28 )
Selling, general and administrative
2,664.1 2,266.1 2,235.2 (18 ) (1 )
392.6 365.2 256.1 (8 ) (43 )
10,487.4 8,594.5 7,160.8 (22 ) (20 )
2,935.7 2,766.6 2,358.7 6 17
Interest expense, net
(464.1 ) (442.2 ) (18.1 ) (5 ) NM
Gain on sale of equity investment
151.0 — — NM —
Other items, net
(43.4 ) (14.0 ) (28.5 ) NM 51
Earnings from continuing operations
2,579.2 2,310.4 2,312.1 12 NM
(929.0 ) (736.9 ) (1,018.1 ) (26 ) 28
Equity in earnings of affiliated companies, net of tax
0.2 7.3 9.4 (97 ) (22 )
Minority interest, net of tax
(20.2 ) (14.0 ) (3.8 ) (44 ) NM
Discontinued operations, net of tax
207.9 25.3 (42.7 ) NM NM
Net earnings
$ 1,838.1 $ 1,592.1 $ 1,256.9 15 % 27 %
NM = not meaningful
Revenues for the year ended December 31, 2007 increased $2.06 billion, or 18%, to $13.42 billion. Media Networks segment revenues increased $860.5 million, or 12%, to $8.10 billion. Net acquisitions (defined as acquisitions net of dispositions) in our Media Networks segment contributed net incremental revenues of $91.5 million. A detailed description of the 2006 and 2007 transactions included in net acquisitions is contained in the Media Networks segment section. Filmed Entertainment segment revenues increased $1.20 billion, or 28%, to $5.48 billion, including $100.5 million in incremental revenues for the month of January 2007 from the acquisition of DreamWorks, which closed on January 31, 2006.
Revenues for the year ended December 31, 2006 increased $1.84 billion, or 19%, to $11.36 billion compared to 2005. Media Networks segment revenues increased $483.1 million, or 7%, to $7.24 billion. Acquisitions completed by the Media Networks segment in 2006 contributed $125.3 million to revenues. Filmed Entertainment segment revenues increased $1.37 billion, or 47%, to $4.27 billion compared to 2005. The acquisition of DreamWorks and related distribution activities for DreamWorks Animation and the live-action library contributed $1.36 billion to 2006 revenues, accounting for the significant increase in revenues as compared to 2005.
Additional factors contributing to revenue growth are discussed in greater detail within the section Segment Results of Operations.
The following tables present our revenues by component in both total dollar values and as a percentage of total revenues:
Revenues by Component
2007 2006 2005 2007 v.
$ 4,598.1 $ 4,272.1 $ 3,997.5 8 % 7 %
5,205.6 4,052.1 2,873.4 28 41
Affiliate fees
1,280.2 987.0 808.8 30 22
Total revenues by component
Percentage of Revenues by Component Year Ended December 31,
34 % 38 % 42 %
100 % 100 % 100 %
We generated 27% of our total consolidated revenues from international markets in 2007 as compared to 24% and 22% in 2006 and 2005, respectively. International net acquisitions by the Media Networks segment contributed $5.0 million and $77.4 million of incremental revenue during 2007 and 2006, respectively, principally in Europe. Our principal international businesses are in Europe, of which the United Kingdom and Germany accounted for approximately 49%, 54%, and 64% of total European revenues for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively.
Year Ended December 31, Percent of Total
Revenues by Geographic Area
$ 9,743.2 $ 8,641.3 $ 7,415.6 73 % 76 % 78 %
2,319.4 1,700.3 1,243.7 17 15 13
1,360.5 1,019.5 860.2 10 9 9
Total revenues by geographic area
$ 13,423.1 $ 11,361.1 $ 9,519.5 100 % 100 % 100 %
Expenses and Operating Income
Operating expenses for the year ended December 31, 2007 increased $1.47 billion, or 25%, to $7.43 billion. For the year ended December 31, 2006, operating expenses increased $1.29 billion, or 28%, compared to 2005.
Production and programming expenditures increased 17%, or $675.6 million, for the year ended December 31, 2007, to $4.57 billion principally driven by increased film amortization in our Filmed Entertainment segment. The increase in feature film amortization was primarily attributable to the release of Shrek the Third and Transformers and the number and timing of other theatrical releases. Programming costs, the largest operating expense of our Media Networks segment, also increased, primarily as a result of continued investment in original and acquired programming.
Production and programming expenditures increased 23%, or $735.7 million, for the year ended December 31, 2006, to $3.90 billion principally driven by increased film amortization in our Filmed Entertainment segment and an increase in total program amortization in our Media Networks segment. The increase in film amortization is due to the amount, timing and mix of film releases, which was driven in part by the acquisition of DreamWorks partially offset by the 2005 charge of $31.6 million for abandonment of certain projects in development.
Distribution expenses increased $827.1 million, or 45%, for the year ended December 31, 2007, to $2.66 billion, primarily due to higher print and advertising expenditures in our Filmed Entertainment segment reflecting the increased number of theatrical and home entertainment releases during the year, including Shrek the Third and Transformers, and timing of those releases. In addition, a full year of operating activity from DreamWorks and the related distribution activities for DreamWorks Animation and DW Funding added to distribution expenses for the period. For films we distribute on behalf of DreamWorks Animation and DW Funding, we expense print and advertising costs as incurred and typically recover such costs following the theatrical release. Increased distribution expenses in our Media Networks segment reflect costs associated with the release of Rock Band and increased home entertainment distribution costs.
Distribution expenses increased $539.6 million, or 42%, for the year ended December 31, 2006, to $1.83 billion, reflecting higher print and advertising expenditures in our Filmed Entertainment segment as a result of the number and timing of our theatrical releases and the commencement of distribution activities for DreamWorks Animation and live-action film library productions.
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
Selling, general and administrative expenses were up 18%, or $398.0 million, for the year ended December 31, 2007 compared with the year ended December 31, 2006, primarily due to higher employee compensation expense, including cash and equity-based incentive compensation, the full year impact of net acquisitions, the impact of foreign exchange, increased legal fees and bad debt expenses, and costs associated with new business
initiatives. Incremental restructuring charges of $62.8 million related to restructuring actions at MTVN were substantially offset by the impact of the $73.3 million net compensation charge taken in 2006 in connection with executive management changes.
Selling, general and administrative expenses were up 1%, or $30.9 million, for the year ended December 31, 2006 compared with the year ended December 31, 2005. This increase was due to incremental equity-based compensation expense of $52.0 million, as a result of the adoption of a new accounting standard on equity compensation on a modified prospective basis and net charges associated with executive management changes of $73.3 million, including $11.5 million of equity-based compensation related to the resignation of the former President and Chief Executive Officer and former Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, partially offset by an amendment to the employment agreement with our Executive Chairman and Founder. Additionally, selling, general and administrative expenses increased in 2006 compared to 2005 primarily due to the consolidation of entities previously accounted for as equity investments. These increases were partially offset by nonrecurring 2005 separation related charges of $163.5 million and severance expenses of $70.5 million, incurred principally during the fourth quarter of 2005.
Depreciation and amortization expense increased $27.4 million, or 8%, for the year ended December 31, 2007 principally as a result of an increase in depreciation on current-year fixed asset additions. Additionally, we experienced an increase in intangible asset amortization expense resulting from a full year of amortization on 2006 acquisitions, particularly DreamWorks by the Filmed Entertainment segment.
Depreciation and amortization expense increased $109.1 million, or 43%, for the year ended December 31, 2006 compared with 2005, principally as the result of increased intangible asset amortization expense resulting from 2006 acquisitions in both segments including DreamWorks intangible asset amortization of $43.5 million, 2006 digital media acquisitions of $16.3 million and higher full year amortization related to 2005 acquisitions.
Each component of expense is discussed in greater detail within the section Segment Results of Operations.
Operating income increased 6%, or $169.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2007 to $2.94 billion. Media Networks operating income increased 5% or $143.6 million with the 12% increase in revenues partially offset by a 17% growth in expenses, principally compensation-related costs, including restructuring charges of $77.5 million in 2007 versus $14.7 million in 2006, programming costs and costs associated with Rock Band. Filmed Entertainment operating income decreased by $28.4 million, or 22%, principally due to higher distribution-related costs, principally print and advertising, and higher feature film amortization related to a greater number of film releases during the year, as well as costs associated with new business initiatives. The increase in Filmed Entertainment expenses was partially offset by increased revenues on certain 2007 releases, in particular Transformers and Shrek the Third, and revenues from prior year releases. Corporate expenses declined $50.2 million largely due to the net compensation charge of $73.3 million recorded in 2006, partially offset by increased equity compensation and legal expenses.
Operating income increased 17%, or $407.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2006 to $2.77 billion compared with 2005. The Media Networks segment operating income increased 11% or $294.2 million, principally as a result of increased revenues and lower variable compensation and severance expenses. Filmed Entertainment segment operating income increased $69.5 million principally due to increased profitability of the 2006 film slate compared to the 2005 slate, additional third party distribution arrangements, lower development costs as well as $31.6 million in charges related to the abandonment of certain projects in development taken in 2005. Corporate expenses declined $38.6 million as increases related to executive management changes, as previously discussed, and general overhead increases were more than offset by the reduction in separation costs.
Interest expense, net includes costs related to our senior notes and debentures, credit facilities, note payable, commercial paper, capital lease obligations and amounts associated with our derivative financial instruments. For 2007, interest expense, net increased $21.9 million from the prior year due to an increase in interest rates reflecting the impact of the fixed-rate debt issuances during 2006 and 2007, which more than offset the decrease in average debt outstanding. See the Liquidity and Capital Resources section for additional information on our outstanding indebtedness. The decrease in average debt outstanding resulted principally from the use of cash flow provided by operations and proceeds received from dispositions during 2007 of $555.2 million to repay indebtedness.
For the year ended December 31, 2006, interest expense, net increased $424.1 million as compared to 2005 principally due to higher average debt outstanding and higher interest rates in 2006. The higher average debt outstanding primarily is a result of the timing related to funding the special dividend payments to CBS Corporation made in connection with the separation, the purchase of DreamWorks, the various acquisitions of our Media Networks segment and the purchase of common stock under our stock repurchase program.
In 2007, we sold our non-controlling investment in MTV Russia for $191.1 million and recognized a pre-tax gain on the sale of $151.0 million.
Other items, net for the year ended December 31, 2007 reflected net expenses of $43.4 million principally arising from losses on securitization programs as well as a $36.0 million impairment charge related to the bankruptcy filing of Amp’d Mobile, partially offset by foreign exchange gains.
For 2006, other items, net reflected a loss of $14.0 million which was a $14.5 million, or 51%, improvement over 2005. This improvement was principally a result of increased transactional foreign exchange gains partially offset by increased losses on securitization programs.
For 2007, we recorded income tax expense of $929.0 million on pretax earnings of $2.58 billion resulting in an effective tax rate of 36.0% compared to 31.9% in 2006. The increase in our effective tax rate over the year ended December 31, 2006 is principally due to $15.0 million, or 0.6 percentage points of discrete tax benefits recognized in 2007 versus $141.8 million, or 6.1 percentage points, in 2006. The discrete tax benefits in both years were principally the result of audit settlements. Excluding the impact of the discrete tax benefits, the reduction in the effective tax rate is principally due to incremental tax benefits associated with qualified production activities, a higher mix of international profits in markets where income is taxed at rates lower than the U.S. statutory rate and lower state taxes.
For the year ended December 31, 2006, we recorded income tax expense of $736.9 million on pretax earnings of $2.31 billion resulting in an effective tax rate of 31.9%, inclusive of the discrete tax benefits. Our effective tax rate in 2005 was 44.0% principally reflecting the effect of non-deductible separation related expenses included in the total separation costs of $163.5 million.
Equity in earnings of affiliated companies, net of tax was $0.2 million and $7.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively. In the third quarter of 2007, we began recognizing our share of the losses from Rhapsody America.
Equity in earnings of affiliated companies, net of tax declined $2.1 million in 2006 as compared to December 31, 2005 as increased equity earnings generally attributable to our Media Network affiliates was offset principally by the impact of consolidating Nick UK which was previously accounted for on the equity basis of accounting prior to the acquisition of an incremental ownership interest in June 2006 which allows us to control the entity.
Minority interest expense, net of tax, which represents ownership held by third parties of certain consolidated entities, was $20.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2007 as compared to $14.0 million and $3.8 million in 2006 and 2005, respectively. The increase in expense is primarily attributable to the consolidation of Nick UK and MTV Japan, as well as normal operating increases.
Earnings from discontinued operations for the year ended December 31, 2007 principally reflect a gain recorded in connection with the sale of Famous Music. Famous Music and Famous Players, a Canadian-based theater chain disposed of in 2005, have been reported as discontinued operations in the consolidated financial statements for all periods presented. For the year ended December 31, 2006, discontinued operations include the release of tax reserves resulting from audit settlements related to discontinued businesses, including Blockbuster Inc. which was split off from Former Viacom in 2004.
SEGMENT RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following table presents segment revenues, expenses and operating income for the three years ended December 31, 2007. Operating income is used as the measurement of segment operating performance. Transactions between reportable segments are accounted for as third-party arrangements for the purposes of presenting reportable segment results of operations. Typical intersegment transactions include the purchase of advertising by the Filmed Entertainment segment on Media Networks segment properties and the purchase of the Filmed Entertainment segment’s feature films exhibition rights by the Media Networks segment. The elimination of such intercompany transactions from the consolidated results of operations is included within Eliminations in the table below. Certain amounts in 2005 and 2006 have been reclassified to conform to the 2007 presentation.
(in millions) 2007 2006 2005
2007 v.
$ 8,101.4 $ 7,240.9 $ 6,757.8 12 % 7 %
(153.9 ) (153.6 ) (143.5 ) NM (7 )
$ 5,053.5 $ 4,336.6 $ 4,147.7 (17 )% (5 )%
Total segment expenses
219.7 269.9 308.5 19 13
(157.9 ) (153.9 ) (138.2 ) 3 11
$ 10,487.4 $ 8,594.5 $ 7,160.8 (22 )% (20 )%
$ 3,047.9 $ 2,904.3 $ 2,610.1 5 % 11 %
103.5 131.9 62.4 (22 ) NM
Total segment operating income
Corporate expenses
(219.7 ) (269.9 ) (308.5 ) 19 13
4.0 0.3 (5.3 ) NM NM
Total operating income
Worldwide revenues increased $860.5 million, or 12%, in 2007 to $8.10 billion, led by an 8% increase in advertising revenues. Affiliate fees and ancillary revenues were up 14% and 27%, respectively. Net acquisitions, as further discussed below, contributed $91.5 million to revenue growth.
1,071.9 844.8 848.6 27 NM
1,248.7 1,058.4 968.2 18 9
During 2007, we invested $14.5 million in acquisitions, none of which had a significant impact on 2007 operating results.
We made several acquisitions during 2006 that contributed to segment revenues and operating income in 2007, including Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. (“Harmonix”), the developer of Guitar Hero and Rock Band and other music gaming titles, in October 2006, and Atom Entertainment, Inc., which owned a portfolio of online destinations for casual games, short films and animation, in September 2006. Additional acquisitions completed during 2006 included Quizilla, LLC, Y2M: Youth Media & Marketing, Xfire, Inc. and Caballero Television.
During 2006, we also acquired controlling interests in entities previously accounted for under the equity method of accounting. In November 2006, we completed the acquisition of the remaining 50% interest in MTV Poland. In September 2006, we acquired the remaining 63.8% interest in MTV Japan. In August 2006, we acquired the remaining 58% interest of BET Interactive, the owner of BET.com. In June 2006, we acquired an additional 10% interest in Nick UK. Previously, Nick UK was a fifty-fifty joint venture with BSkyB. The results of these entities have been consolidated since the closing date of the transactions (the “international consolidations”).
Further, in the fourth quarter of 2006 we disposed of an international production operation.
The transactions discussed above (the “net acquisitions”) impact the comparability of our results over the periods presented and contributed $91.5 million of net revenue growth in 2007. Therefore, the impact of net acquisitions is referenced throughout the discussion. Net acquisition impact represents amounts included in reported results for which the acquired or disposed entity was not also consolidated in the comparable period.
Worldwide advertising revenues were up 8% to $4.69 billion for the year ended December 31, 2007. Net acquisitions contributed 1% percentage point of reported growth. Domestic advertising revenues increased 6% versus 2006 driven by Spike TV, VH1, MTV, COMEDY CENTRAL and digital properties. International advertising revenues increased 23% primarily due to the full year impact of the 2006 acquisitions of controlling interests in Nick UK, MTV Japan and MTV Poland. In addition, international revenues benefited from strong European performance, driven by monetization of ratings strength, and foreign currency benefits, which contributed 9 percentage points of international growth, partially offset by declines in Southeast Asia due to the licensing of certain previously owned and operated channels.
Worldwide advertising revenues were up 7% to $4.35 billion in 2006, with domestic revenue up 7% and international revenue up 8% versus 2005. Domestic growth was driven by COMEDY CENTRAL, Spike TV, BET, Nickelodeon and digital media. The 7% year-over-year increase was a deceleration in the rate of domestic advertising revenue growth as compared to 2005 and substantially reflects a weaker audience rating performance across our domestic channels. Rating performance is a key driver in our ability to grow advertising revenues. International advertising revenues were up in Europe driven by the consolidation of Nick UK beginning in June, while acquisitions in total contributed $75.4 million to advertising revenues for the year ended December 31, 2006.
Worldwide affiliate fees increased 14% to $2.34 billion for the year ended December 31, 2007. The full year impact of international consolidations contributed 2 percentage points of total reported growth. Domestic affiliate fees grew 11% principally as a result of higher rates. International affiliate fees increased 30% driven principally by the consolidation of Nick UK, MTV Japan and MTV Poland, foreign exchange benefits of 8 percentage points, new channel launches and subscriber growth in certain European markets.
Worldwide affiliate fees increased 11% to $2.05 billion in 2006, with domestic fees up 9% and international fees up 24% versus 2005. Acquisitions contributed $33.4 million to 2006 revenues, primarily in Europe and Japan. Rate increases, principally at MTV and Nickelodeon as well as subscriber increases at various channels including MTV2, VH1 Pure Country, Logo and Tempo and several Nickelodeon channels including Noggin, Nick Too and Nick Games & Sports drove the year-over-year growth. International revenue growth was driven by channel launches in France and by subscriber growth in Latin America among other markets.
Worldwide ancillary revenues increased 27% for the year ended December 31, 2007 to $1.07 billion. Domestic ancillary revenues for the year were up 42% driven by sales of the Rock Band video game released in the fourth quarter of 2007, royalties earned on video games, including the Guitar Hero series, higher digital revenues and increased television license fees. These increases were partially offset by lower home video revenues due to a lower number of video releases. In 2006, home video revenues benefited from the release of Chappelle’s Show: The Lost Episodes. International ancillary revenues decreased 4% during the year principally due to the fourth quarter 2006 disposition of an international production operation partially offset by higher consumer products licensing and the contribution of the international consolidations. Foreign exchange contributed 3 percentage points of international growth.
Worldwide ancillary revenues were essentially flat in 2006 at $844.8 million as compared to 2005. Increases in consumer products licensing fees, primarily for Dora the Explorer, were largely offset by lower home entertainment revenues impacted by the mix and number of home video releases, and unfavorable comparison to Chappelle’s Show: Season 2 released in 2005. Syndication fees also declined slightly due to lower South Park syndication fees in 2006. Domestic revenues remained flat while international revenues declined slightly. Acquisitions, principally Harmonix and Atom Entertainment, contributed $16.5 million to total ancillary revenue in 2006.
Media Networks segment expenses consist of operating expenses, selling, general and administrative expenses and depreciation and amortization. Operating expenses are comprised of costs related to original and acquired programming, including programming amortization, expenses associated with the distribution of home entertainment products, including video games, and consumer products licensing and participation fees. Selling, general and administrative expenses consist primarily of employee compensation, marketing, professional service fees and facility and occupancy costs. Depreciation and amortization expenses reflect depreciation on fixed assets, including transponders financed under capital leases, and amortization of finite-lived intangible assets.
2,014.8 1,609.1 1,607.3 (25 ) NM
For the year ended December 31, 2007, total operating expenses increased $305.1 million due primarily to an increase in distribution expenses, including costs related to Rock Band, which was released in the fourth quarter of 2007 and increased production and programming costs, principally programming amortization. The increase in programming amortization reflects both acquired programming, particularly on Spike TV and Nick at Nite, and original programming, particularly on MTV.
In 2006, operating expenses increased $147.9 million compared with 2005, as production costs including programming and distribution expenses increased in line with revenue growth. Program and production costs increased 8%, driven principally by original programming for several shows including The Colbert Report, The Daily Show and Making the Band. In addition, BET began increasing its investment in original programming in 2006. Amortization of acquired programming increased across most channels in line with revenue increases, particularly COMEDY CENTRAL, Nick Digital and Nick at Nite. Increases in consumer products related costs were in line with revenue increases and reflected higher participation costs. Operating expenses increased in international markets, reflecting the impact of entity consolidations and higher program and production costs.
For the year ended December 31, 2007, selling, general and administrative expenses increased $405.7 million to $2.01 billion primarily due to increased employee compensation costs, including incentive compensation, incremental restructuring charges of $62.8 million, the impact of foreign exchange, higher facilities costs, the full year impact of net acquisitions, increases in legal expenses and bad debt expenses and the impact of the 2006 gain resulting from the sale of distribution rights in Europe.
In 2006, selling, general and administrative expenses increased $1.8 million as compared with 2005. Compensation expenses in 2006 reflect incremental stock based compensation costs of $20.1 million resulting from the adoption of a new accounting standard. Selling, general and administrative costs also increased in 2006 related to acquisitions including acquiring controlling interest in entities previously accounted for as equity investments. These increases were offset by lower severance and variable compensation expenses and $27.3 million from sales of certain distribution rights in two European markets in 2006.
Depreciation and amortization increased $6.1 million and $39.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively, principally due to the amortization of intangibles associated with 2006 acquisitions. The increase in 2006 was also due to increased depreciation related to additional transponders utilized by MTV Europe.
Operating income grew 5% to $3.05 billion for the year ended December 31, 2007 compared to the prior year due to a 12% increase in revenues partially offset by a 17% increase in expenses, including restructuring charges of $77.5 million in 2007 versus $14.7 million in 2006. Net acquisitions contributed $11.0 million to operating income, primarily due to the acquisition of Harmonix and the consolidation of Nick UK partially offset by the disposition of an international production operation in 2006.
Operating income increased 11%, or $294.2 million, as compared with 2005, to $2.90 billion in 2006, as a result of incremental revenues of $483.1 million partially offset by higher operating expenses and incremental depreciation and amortization. Net acquisitions contributed $13.6 million to operating income, principally due to the consolidation of Nick UK.
The results of operations of our Filmed Entertainment segment are subject to fluctuations due to various factors, including the public’s response to our theatrical films and DVD releases, the number, timing and availability of releases and the amount and timing of print and advertising spending for films. In addition, the January 31, 2006 acquisition of DreamWorks and the commencement of distribution activities for DreamWorks Animation and live-action library films impact the comparability of our results over the periods presented.
Worldwide revenues increased $1.20 billion, or 28% in 2007 to $5.48 billion. The increase in 2007 is primarily due to the number and mix of releases, including the performance of Transformers and Shrek the Third, both released in 2007. The remaining increase is driven by the acquisition of DreamWorks and the related DWA agreements, contributing incremental revenues of $100.5 million in January 2007. In 2006, the DreamWorks acquisition contributed revenues of $1.36 billion, accounting for almost all of the segment’s revenue growth compared to 2005. Results of operations for DreamWorks have been included in the Filmed Entertainment segment beginning February 1, 2006.
Television license fees
1,294.3 1,121.4 650.8 15 72
221.8 170.4 55.2 30 NM
Worldwide theatrical revenues for the year ended December 31, 2007 increased $600.1 million, or 69%, to $1.47 billion. We released twenty-six films during 2007 compared to nineteen films in 2006. Domestic revenues increased $271.3 million primarily due to the number and mix of theatrical releases, particularly the performance of Transformers released in 2007 compared to Mission: Impossible III in 2006. Distribution of DreamWorks Animation’s Shrek the Third and Bee Movie contributed incremental revenues of $117.7 million compared to Over the Hedge and Flushed Away distributed in 2006. International revenues increased $328.8 million due principally to our release of Transformers and distribution of Shrek the Third which contributed a combined $197.3 million of incremental revenues over 2006 releases Mission: Impossible III and Over the Hedge.
Worldwide theatrical revenues increased $222.4 million in 2006 as compared with 2005, with our distribution of DreamWorks Animation films contributing $296.1 million and other theatrical revenues declining $73.7 million. Domestic revenues increased $76.7 million, of which $142.2 million was attributable to DreamWorks and DreamWorks Animation films, offset by a decline in other theatrical revenues, principally due to the performance of Mission: Impossible III released in 2006 compared to War of the Worlds in 2005. In international markets, theatrical revenues increased $145.7 million, with $153.9 million due to our distribution of DreamWorks Animation films, including Over the Hedge and Flushed Away, as well as Munich which was released in 2005.
The table below lists theatrical releases by title, by year, sorted by release date, for the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006.
First Quarter Releases
Freedom Writers (Jan) Last Holiday (Jan)
Norbit (Feb) Neil Young Heart of Gold (Feb)
Reno 911: Miami (Feb) Failure to Launch (Mar)
Black Snake Moan (Mar) Ask the Dust (Mar)
Zodiac (Mar) She’s the Man (Mar)
Shooter (Mar)
Blades of Glory (Mar)
Second Quarter Releases
Disturbia (Apr) Mission: Impossible III (May)
Year of the Dog (Apr) An Inconvenient Truth (May)
Next (Apr) Nacho Libre (Jun)
A Mighty Heart (Jun)
Third Quarter Releases
Transformers (Jul) Barnyard (Aug)
Arctic Tale (Jul) World Trade Center (Aug)
Hot Rod (Aug) Last Kiss (Sep)
Stardust (Aug) jackass: number two (Sep)
Into the Wild (Sep)
Fourth Quarter Releases
The Heartbreak Kid (Oct) Flags of Our Fathers (Oct)
Things We Lost in the Fire (Oct) Babel (Oct)
Beowulf (Nov) Charlotte’s Web (Dec)
Margot at the Wedding (Nov) Dreamgirls (Dec)
Kite Runner (Dec) Perfume (Dec)
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Dec)
There Will Be Blood (Dec)
No Country for Old Men (Dec)
DreamWorks Animation Releases
Shrek the Third (May) Over the Hedge (May)
Bee Movie (Nov) Flushed Away (Nov)
Worldwide home entertainment revenues for the year ended December 31, 2007 increased $377.4 million, or 18%, to $2.49 billion. Domestic home entertainment revenues increased $65.7 million to $1.47 billion due primarily to higher revenues on current year releases, including Transformers and DreamWorks Animation’s Shrek the Third, as well as a year-over-year increase in titles released, partially offset by lower revenues generated from prior year releases and catalog revenues. International home entertainment revenues increased $311.7 million to $1.02 billion, also reflecting the performance of Transformers and Shrek the Third and higher revenues from prior year releases, including Flushed Away and World Trade Center.
Worldwide home entertainment revenues increased 36%, or $560.4 million, in 2006 as compared with 2005, with DreamWorks and the related DWA agreements contributing $579.7 million, offset by a slight decline in other titles. Domestic home entertainment revenues increased $441.3 million, or 46%, with DreamWorks and the related DWA agreements contributing $379.5 million. Our 2006 domestic releases and DreamWorks Animation’s Over the Hedge generated higher revenues than our 2005 domestic releases. International home entertainment revenues increased $119.1 million, with DreamWorks and the related DWA agreements contributing $200.2 million partially offset by a decline in other titles resulting from the timing and mix of available titles.
Worldwide television license fees for the year ended December 31, 2007 increased $172.9 million, or 15%, to $1.29 billion. The DreamWorks acquisition contributed $30.9 million of incremental revenue in January 2007. The remaining increase is primarily attributable to an increase in international syndicated license fees and networks license fees, partially offset by a decline in pay television revenues. These fluctuations were due to the timing and mix of products available.
Worldwide television license fees increased $470.6 million in 2006 as compared with 2005, with DreamWorks and the related DWA agreements contributing $469.1 million. Domestically, television license fees increased $231.0 million, with $244.4 million from DreamWorks and the related DWA agreements. International television license fees increased $239.6 million, of which $224.8 million was attributable to DreamWorks and the related DWA agreements.
Ancillary revenues for the year ended December 31, 2007 increased $51.4 million, or 30%, to $221.8 million primarily due to higher licensing and merchandising revenues, principally related to Transformers, and higher digital revenues. For the year ended December 31, 2006, ancillary revenues increased $115.2 million to $170.4 million as compared with 2005, principally due to higher studio rental income and licensing and merchandising revenues.
Filmed Entertainment segment expenses consist of operating expenses, selling, general and administrative expenses and depreciation and amortization. Operating expenses principally include the amortization of production costs of our released feature films, print and advertising expenses and other distribution costs. Selling, general and administrative expenses include employee compensation costs, facility and occupancy costs, professional service fees and other overhead costs. Depreciation and amortization expense includes depreciation of fixed assets and amortization of acquired intangibles, including acquired distribution rights, principally associated with the DreamWorks acquisition.
$ 4,826.0 $ 3,659.6 $ 2,556.4 (32 )% (43 )%
Selling, general & administration
447.2 399.9 266.3 (12 ) (50 )
98.9 82.4 20.1 (20 ) NM
5,372.1 4,141.9 2,842.8 (30 )% (46 )%
$ 103.5 $ 131.9 $ 62.4 (22 )% NM
Year–over-year operating expenses are impacted by the timing, number and mix of film releases during a particular year. For the year ended December 31, 2007, operating expenses increased $1.17 billion or 32% to $4.83 billion. The increase principally reflects higher distribution-related costs of $653.8 million primarily due to print and advertising costs, and higher feature film amortization expense of $517.7 million, primarily attributable to the release of Shrek the Third and Transformers, as well as the increased number of theatrical releases during the year and timing of those releases.
In 2006, operating expenses increased $1.10 billion as compared with 2005, with DreamWorks and related distribution activities contributing $1.35 billion of the increase offset by a year-over-year decrease in exhibition costs. Incremental film amortization expense contributed $570.1 million as compared to 2005, primarily due to DreamWorks and the related DWA agreements, as well as mix and number of other titles released in 2006. Distribution costs increased $492.5 million as compared to 2005 primarily as a result of increased print and advertising costs, driven by the number and timing of releases and DreamWorks and the related DWA agreements. In 2005, operating expenses also included a $31.6 million charge related to the abandonment of development projects started by prior management.
Selling, general & administrative expenses increased $47.3 million in 2007 primarily attributable to costs associated with new business initiatives. In 2006, selling, general & administrative costs increased $133.6 million as compared with 2005, primarily due to the integration of DreamWorks, partially offset by lower severance charges. Selling, general & administrative costs in 2005 also included severance charges of $22.6 million incurred to adjust Paramount’s overhead structure upon the separation from CBS Corporation.
Depreciation and Amortization Expense
Depreciation and amortization increased by $16.5 million and $62.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively. The increase in 2007 resulted from a full year of amortization attributable to the acquisition of DreamWorks and higher depreciation of fixed assets. The increase in 2006 principally resulted from amortization attributable to the acquisition of DreamWorks.
Operating income decreased by $28.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2007 principally due to higher distribution-related costs, principally print and advertising and higher feature film amortization related to a greater number of film releases during the year, as well as costs associated with new business initiatives. The increase in expenses in 2007 was partially offset by increased revenues on certain 2007 releases, in particular Transformers and Shrek the Third, and revenues from prior year releases. For 2006, operating income increased $69.5 million over 2005 as result of improved film performance and the mix and timing of films in theatrical, home entertainment and television markets. In addition, 2005 included a $31.6 million charge related to the abandonment of development projects started by prior management and severance costs of $22.6 million incurred to adjust Paramount’s overhead structure as a result of the separation from CBS Corporation.
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
Sources and Uses of Cash
Our primary source of liquidity is cash provided through the operations of our businesses. These cash flows from operations, together with our access to the capital markets, provide us with adequate resources to fund our ongoing operations including investment in programming and film productions, distribution-related costs, capital expenditures, investment in new projects, including digital media, share repurchases and acquisitions.
Our principal uses of cash include the creation of new content, acquisitions of third party content, ongoing investments in our businesses, acquisitions of businesses, and share repurchases. We also use cash for interest and tax payments. We manage share repurchases and acquisitions with a goal of maintaining total debt levels within rating agency guidelines to maintain an investment grade credit rating. We may access external financing from time to time depending on our cash requirements, our assessments of current and anticipated market conditions and after-tax cost of capital.
Our access to capital markets can be impacted by factors outside our control. Additionally, our cost to borrow is affected by market conditions and short and long-term debt ratings assigned by independent rating agencies, which are based on our performance as measured by certain credit metrics such as interest coverage and leverage ratios. The table below summarizes our credit ratings as of December 31, 2007:
Long-
term Short-
term Outlook
Moody’s Investors Service
Baa3 P-3 Stable
BBB A-2 Stable
BBB F-2 Stable
We believe that our investment grade credit rating will provide us with adequate access to capital markets given our expected cash needs. Our bank facilities are subject to one principal financial covenant, interest coverage, which we met on December 31, 2007.
From time to time, we enter into film financing arrangements that involve the sale of a partial copyright interest in a film to third-party investors. Since the investors have the risks and rewards of ownership proportionate to their ownership in the film, we record the amounts received for the sale of copyright interest as a reduction of the cost of the film and related cash flows are reflected in net cash flow from operating activities.
Cash and cash equivalents increased by $214.4 million and $344.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006. The change in cash and cash equivalents was attributable to the following:
Cash Flows Year Ended December 31,
Net cash flow from operating activities
$ 1,776.2 $ 2,269.9 $ 1,635.9
Net cash flow from (used in) investing activities
248.5 (932.9 ) (165.1 )
Net cash flow used in financing activities
(1,831.4 ) (1,012.8 ) (1,251.2 )
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents
21.1 20.5 (8.5 )
Increase in cash and cash equivalents
$ 214.4 $ 344.7 $ 211.1
Operating Activities
Cash provided by operating activities of $1.78 billion for the year ended December 31, 2007 decreased $493.7 million versus 2006. The net decrease was principally due to a decrease in cash flows from receivables, primarily attributable to the $500 million increase in our securitization facilities in 2006, higher investment in original and acquired programming, and an increase of $185.9 million in cash taxes paid, including taxes on gains of disposed operations, partially offset by increased net earnings from continuing operations.
The Media Networks segment consistently generates a significant percentage of our cash flow from operating activities. Advertising time is generally purchased by large media buying agencies and our affiliate fees are principally earned from cable television operators with significant capital resources. We have payment terms of generally ninety days or less and our current days sales outstanding for the Media Networks segment, calculated as accounts receivable divided by net revenues, multiplied by 360, was 56.9 days for 2007, an improvement of 2.7 days as compared to 2006. We continue our focus on lowering our days sales outstanding. The Filmed Entertainment segment’s operational results and ability to generate cash flow from operations substantially depend on the number of films in development and production, the level and timing of print and advertising costs and the public’s response to our theatrical film and home entertainment film releases.
Cash provided by operating activities of $2.27 billion for the year ended December 31, 2006 increased $634.0 million versus 2005. The increase was principally attributable to improved cash flow from operations for each business segment, including new and increased capacity under our securitization facilities of $500.0 million and reduction in cash taxes paid of $322.6 million, partially offset by higher interest payments of $413.4 million compared to 2005.
Investing Activities
Cash provided by investing activities was $248.5 million in 2007 compared with cash used in investing activities of $932.9 million in 2006. In 2007, we sold Famous Music for $351.7 million and our non-controlling interest in MTV Russia for $191.1 million. These amounts were offset by increased investments in equity affiliates of $46.8 million and higher capital expenditures of $28.4 million. In the future, we expect cash outflows related to our current equity investments will include payments made under a $205 million funding commitment to Viacom 18 and earn-out payments on our Harmonix acquisition.
In general, our segments require relatively low levels of capital expenditures in relation to our net cash flow generated annually from operations which contributes to our ability to generate cash flow for future investment in our content and business operations, which we expect to be able to maintain over time.
Cash used for investing activities in 2006 of $932.9 million increased $767.8 million as compared to 2005. The significant increase is principally attributable to cash utilized for acquisitions, net of cash acquired, of $1.42 billion, including DreamWorks by our Filmed Entertainment segment and several acquisitions in digital media and similar properties including Harmonix, Atom Entertainment and Xfire by our Media Networks segment. We also acquired the additional interest in Nick UK and the remaining interest not previously owned of MTV Japan. Capital expenditures also increased $15.7 million. Sources of cash from investing activities principally included the proceeds from the sale of the live-action library in May 2006 of $675.3 million.
Financing Activities
Cash used in 2007 for financing activities was $1.83 billion, including $2.13 billion of share repurchases. During 2007, we raised fixed rate debt of $744.6 million through the issuance of Senior Notes and Debentures and borrowed $750.0 million of bank debt under our revolving credit facility. These proceeds were used to repay $1.04 billion of commercial paper. Additionally, in 2007, we paid a final amount of $170.0 million related to the special dividend to CBS Corporation.
Cash used for 2006 financing activities was $1.01 billion as compared to $1.25 billion for 2005. In 2006, we received proceeds of $6.16 billion from the issuance of senior notes and debentures with various durations, $1.09 billion of commercial paper that was principally utilized to pay down revolving credit facilities entered into as a result of the special dividend of $5.40 billion paid to CBS Corporation in December 2005; acquisitions, principally of DreamWorks; and $2.35 billion of share repurchases. In 2006, we paid an additional $206.1 million to CBS Corporation related to the special dividend and accrued an additional $170.0 million which was paid in the first quarter of 2007. We also paid down $659.5 million of acquired notes and preferred interest, principally acquired as part of the DreamWorks acquisition.
In the normal course of our business, we provide and receive indemnities that are intended to allocate certain risks associated with business transactions. Similarly, we may remain contingently liable for various obligations of a business that has been divested in the event that a third party does not live up to its obligations under an indemnification obligation. Further, we may from time to time agree to pay additional consideration to the sellers of a business depending on the performance of the business during a period following the closing.
We guarantee debt on certain of our investments, including principal and interest, of approximately $230.0 million at December 31, 2007 and have accrued a liability of $54.1 million in respect of such exposures. Our guarantees principally relate to our investment in DW Funding LLC (“DW Funding”), as more fully described in Note 4 to our consolidated financial statements, where Viacom is subject to a put option obligation at the then current fair value of DW Funding, commencing in August 2010, nine months prior to the fifth anniversary of the sale. Viacom also has a corresponding call option exercisable at fair value. To the extent the current fair value at the option closing date is insufficient to repay certain indebtedness, including any unpaid interest, of DW Funding guaranteed by us, we would be required to pay the difference.
At December 31, 2007, our aggregate guarantee related to lease commitments of divested businesses, primarily Blockbuster and Famous Players, was $1.34 billion with a recorded liability of $244.6 million. Certain Blockbuster leases contain renewal options that can extend the primary lease term and remain covered by the guarantees. Blockbuster’s indemnification obligations are secured by a $150 million letter of credit. Blockbuster has agreed to indemnify Former Viacom with respect to any amount paid under these guarantees. Further, in the third quarter of 2005, Former Viacom sold Famous Players, an operator of movie theaters in Canada. Former
Viacom may incur liabilities associated with Famous Players theater leases and Famous Players has agreed to indemnify Former Viacom with respect to any amount paid. In connection with the separation, we agreed to indemnify Former Viacom with respect to these obligations.
Finally, we have indemnification obligations with respect to letters of credit and surety bonds primarily used as security against our non-performance in the normal course of business. The outstanding letters of credit and surety bonds at December 31, 2007 were $189.6 million and are not recorded on the balance sheet.
Contingent Consideration on Acquisitions
In October 2006, we acquired Harmonix, the developer of Guitar Hero and Rock Band and other music gaming titles, for initial cash consideration of $175.0 million. To the extent financial results exceed specific contractual targets against a defined gross profit metric through 2008, former Harmonix shareholders will be eligible for incremental earn-out payments with respect to the years ended December 31, 2007 and December 31, 2008. At December 31, 2007, a liability of $208.7 million has been recorded in Other liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheet for the expected earn-out payment. We expect to have a final payment with respect to the year ended December 31, 2008 done in 2009.
Capital Resources
Capital Structure and Financing Obligations
At December 31, 2007, total financing obligations were $8.25 billion, an increase of $598.2 million from $7.65 billion at December 31, 2006.
(in millions) 2007 2006
Senior notes and debentures
$ 6,967.0 $ 6,219.1
Note payable
169.9 —
55.9 1,093.6
Obligations under capital leases
Total financing obligations
In October 2007, we sold $500 million aggregate principal amount of 6.125% senior notes due 2017 at a price equal to 99.286% of the principal amount and $250 million aggregate principal amount of 6.750% Senior Debentures due 2037 at a price equal to 99.275% of the principal amount. The total discount on the sale of these instruments was $5.4 million. We used the total cash proceeds, net of discount and offering expenses, of $739.5 million to repay amounts outstanding under our revolving credit facility and our commercial paper program.
In April 2006, we sold $4.75 billion in aggregate principal amount of 5.75% Senior Notes due 2011, 6.25% Senior Notes due 2016 and 6.875% Senior Debentures due 2036. In addition, in June 2006, we sold $750.0 million in Floating Rate Senior Notes, due 2009, that bear interest at a per annum rate equal to the three-month London Interbank Offer Rate (“LIBOR”) plus 0.35%, to be reset quarterly. In December 2006, we sold $750.0 million of 6.85% senior notes due 2055. In accordance with the terms of our term loan agreement in place at the time of the offering, we utilized the net proceeds from the offerings to repay in full amounts outstanding under such facility and used the remainder to pay a portion of the amounts outstanding under our commercial paper program.
In connection with the April 2006 debt offering, we entered into a $2.35 billion notional amount of variable to fixed interest rate swaps to hedge the variability of cash flows attributable to changes in the benchmark interest rate. In the second quarter of 2006, we terminated the swaps, resulting in cash proceeds to us of approximately $88.0 million that we principally recorded as a component of other comprehensive income, net of tax. Such proceeds recorded in other comprehensive income will be recognized as a reduction of interest expense, net over the life of the senior notes and debentures. See the discussion under Interest Rate Risk below for further detail of interest rate hedges we entered into.
In 2007, we contributed a $230 million non-interest bearing note payable ($190.0 million discounted at a rate of 5.8% with quarterly principal payments fully amortizing in 2013) and certain assets related to MTVN’s URGE digital music service for a 49% stake in Rhapsody America LLC, a newly formed venture with RealNetworks, Inc.
At December 31, 2007 and 2006, we had a single $3.25 billion revolving facility due December 2010. The primary purpose of the facility is to fund short term liquidity needs and to support commercial paper borrowings. Borrowing rates under the revolving facility are determined at the time of each borrowing and are based generally on the LIBOR plus a margin based on our senior unsecured credit rating. A facility fee is paid based on the total amount of the commitments. In addition, we may borrow in certain foreign currencies up to specified limits under the revolving facility.
The credit facility contains typical covenants for an investment grade company, with the only financial covenant being a minimum interest coverage ratio. At December 31, 2007, we were in compliance with all covenants under the credit facility.
At December 31, 2007 and 2006, the outstanding commercial paper had a weighted average interest rate of 5.95% and 5.62%, respectively. At December 31, 2007, the average remaining life was less than 30 days. The commercial paper is classified as a non-current financing obligation as we have the intent and ability through utilization of our $3.25 billion revolving facility due December 2010 to refinance such obligations as long-term.
Our scheduled maturities of long-term debt at face value, excluding capital leases, outstanding at December 31, 2007 were as follows:
(in millions) 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013-
$ 105.0 $ 815.0 $ 840.9 $ 1,500.0 $ — $ 4,750.0
We anticipate that future debt maturities will be funded with cash and cash equivalents, cash flows from operating activities and future access to capital markets. There can be no assurance that we will be able to access capital markets on terms and conditions that will be acceptable to us. There are no provisions in any of our material financing agreements that would cause an acceleration of the obligation in the event of a downgrade in our debt ratings.
Interest expense on debt borrowings was $453.7 million and $425.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively. The increase in interest expense for 2007 reflects the impact of fixed rate debt issuances during 2007 and 2006, which more than offsets the decrease in average debt outstanding.
Securitization Facilities
We securitize certain receivables because the highly liquid and efficient market for securitization of certain assets has been a source of lower cost funding compared to our other borrowings and diversifies our obligations among different markets and investors. We have been able to realize cost efficiencies under these arrangements since the assets securing the financing are generally held by a legally separate, wholly owned, bankruptcy-remote special purpose entity (“SPE”) that provides investors with direct security in the assets.
In general, we sell, on a revolving nonrecourse basis, a percentage ownership interest in certain of our accounts receivable (the “Pooled Receivables”), which are short term in nature, through SPEs to third-party conduits sponsored by financial institutions. As consideration for Pooled Receivables sold through the securitization facilities, we receive cash and retained interests. The retained interests are included in Receivables on the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. The retained interests may become uncollectible. In addition, we are the servicer of the receivables on behalf of the SPEs, for which we are paid a fee. Such servicing fee has not been material to any period presented. The terms of the revolving securitization arrangements require that the Pooled Receivables meet certain performance ratios. At December 31, 2007 and 2006, we were in compliance with the required ratios under the receivable securitization programs. During 2006, we increased our total capacity under the facilities by $500.0 million to $950.0 million and utilized the proceeds to pay down outstanding commercial paper.
Stock Repurchase Program
From January 2006 until June 22, 2007, we repurchased shares of our Class B Common Stock under a $3.0 billion stock repurchase program. In connection with the program, we entered into the NAIRI Agreement pursuant to which we agreed to buy from NAI and NAIRI a number of shares of our Class B Common Stock each month such that the ownership percentage of our Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock (considered as a single class) held by NAI and/or NAIRI would not increase as a result of our purchase of shares under the program. For 2007, through completion of the program, 13.7 million shares were repurchased in the open market under the program for an aggregate purchase price of $580.0 million. An additional 1.8 million shares were purchased in 2007 under this program in accordance with the NAIRI Agreement for an aggregate purchase price of $75.0 million.
On May 30, 2007, we announced that our Board of Directors had approved a new stock repurchase program under which we are authorized to acquire up to an additional $4.0 billion of Viacom Class A and Class B common stock. The independent members of the Board also approved NAI and NAIRI’s continued participation in the new program on substantially the same terms as those on which it participated in the previous program and the NAIRI Agreement was amended accordingly. We commenced repurchases under the $4.0 billion stock repurchase program on June 22, 2007. For the year ended December 31, 2007, 30.0 million shares were repurchased in the open market under the new program for an aggregate purchase price of $1.21 billion. In addition, 2.8 million shares were purchased during 2007 from the 401(k) plans sponsored by CBS Corporation at an aggregate price of $120.0 million. An additional 4.2 million shares were purchased under the NAIRI Agreement for an aggregate purchase price of $170.8 million. Through February 27, 2008, we have acquired an additional 6.2 million shares at a weighted average price per share of $39.70 for an aggregate purchase price of $247.0 million, including shares purchased under the NAIRI Agreement.
In the aggregate, for the year ended December 31, 2007, we acquired 52.5 million shares at a weighted average price per share of $41.06 for an aggregate purchase price of $2.16 billion under both of the stock repurchase programs, including shares purchased under the NAIRI Agreement and from the 401(k) plans sponsored by CBS Corporation.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
Our off-balance sheet arrangements primarily consist of programming and talent commitments, operating lease arrangements and purchase obligations for goods and services.
At December 31, 2007, our significant contractual obligations, including payments due by period, were as follows:
(in millions) Total 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013-
Programming and talent commitments(1)
$ 1,782.9 $ 398.3 $ 290.1 $ 252.7 $ 234.5 $ 176.6 $ 430.7
Operating leases(2)
$ 1,078.0 $ 171.1 $ 169.8 $ 123.3 $ 91.1 $ 85.7 $ 437.0
Purchase obligations(3)
$ 646.2 $ 386.1 $ 174.3 $ 78.7 $ 5.7 $ 1.4 $ —
Balance Sheet Arrangements
Capital lease obligations(4)
$ 367.2 $ 99.0 $ 82.0 $ 49.9 $ 32.2 $ 26.9 $ 77.2
$ 8,010.9 $ 105.0 $ 815.0 $ 840.9 $ 1,500.0 $ — $ 4,750.0
Interest payments
$ 7,876.2 $ 442.6 $ 422.5 $ 402.5 $ 356.1 $ 312.9 $ 5,939.6
Contingent consideration for acquisitions
$ 208.7 $ 208.7 $ — $ — $ — $ — $ —
Other long-term obligations(5)
$ 2,832.0 $ 2,050.0 $ 304.1 $ 236.1 $ 153.4 $ 71.4 $ 17.0
(1) Programming and talent commitments primarily include $1.44 billion relating to cable programming and feature film production and acquisitions and $341.1 million for talent contracts.
(2) Includes long-term non-cancelable operating lease commitments for retail and office space and equipment, transponders, studio facilities and vehicles.
(3) Purchase obligations include agreements to purchase goods or services that are enforceable and legally binding and that specify all significant terms, including open purchase orders.
(4) Includes capital leases for satellite transponders.
(5) Other long-term obligations consist of participations, residuals and programming obligations.
Note: Not included in the amounts above are payments which may result from our unfunded defined benefit pension and other postretirement benefits of $233.3 million, unrecognized tax benefits of $436.2 million, including interest and penalties, $205 million of funding commitments to joint ventures and interest payments to be made under our credit facility, which expires in 2010. The amount and timing of payments with respect to these items are subject to a number of uncertainties such that we are unable to make sufficiently reliable estimations of future payments. We do expect to make contributions of $44 million in 2008 towards our pension and other postretirement benefits.
We are exposed to market risk related to foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates. We use or expect to use derivative financial instruments to modify exposure to risks from fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates. In accordance with our policy, we do not use derivative instruments unless there is an underlying exposure, and we do not hold or enter into financial instruments for speculative trading purposes.
Foreign Exchange Risk
We conduct business in various countries outside the United States, resulting in exposure to movements in foreign exchange rates when translating from the foreign local currency to the U.S. dollar. In order to hedge anticipated cash flows and foreign currency balances in such currencies as the British Pound, the Australian Dollar, the Japanese Yen, the Canadian Dollar and the Euro, foreign currency forward contracts are used. Additionally, we designate forward contracts used to hedge future production costs as cash flow hedges, and designate certain forward contracts as a hedge of the foreign currency exposure of a net investment in a foreign operation. The change in fair value of the non-designated contracts is included in current period earnings as part of other items, net. We manage the use of foreign exchange derivatives centrally. At December 31, 2007, the notional value of all foreign exchange contracts was $126.6 million, of which $26.3 million related to the
hedging of future production costs. The remaining $100.3 million represented economic hedges of underlying foreign currency balances, expected foreign currency net cash flows and investment hedges. At December 31, 2006, the notional value of all foreign exchange contracts was $253.0 million, of which $1.6 million related to the hedging of future production costs. The remaining $251.4 million represented economic hedges of underlying foreign currency balances and expected foreign currency net cash flows and investment hedges.
Interest Rate Risk
A portion of our interest expense is exposed to movements in short-term rates. Interest rate hedges may be used to modify this exposure. During 2007 and 2006, we entered into $350.0 million and $2.35 billion, respectively, notional amount of interest rate hedges to reduce the variability of cash flows attributable to changes in the benchmark interest rate of future debt issuances. We terminated these hedges during the same years resulting in net cash proceeds to us of approximately $1.4 million and $88.0 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2007 and 2006, there were no interest rate hedges outstanding.
We have variable-rate debt that had an outstanding balance of $1.56 billion as of December 31, 2007. Based on our variable-rate obligations outstanding at December 31, 2007, a 1% increase or decrease in the level of interest rates would, respectively, increase or decrease our annual interest expense and related cash payments by approximately $15.6 million. Such potential increases or decreases are based on certain simplifying assumptions, including a constant level of variable-rate debt for all maturities and an immediate, across-the-board increase or decrease in the level of interest rates with no other subsequent changes for the remainder of the period. Conversely, since most of our cash balance of $920.2 million is invested in variable-rate interest earning assets, we would also earn more (less) interest income due to such an increase (decrease) in interest rates.
We continually monitor our positions with, and credit quality of, the financial institutions which are counterparties to our financial instruments. We are exposed to credit loss in the event of nonperformance by the counterparties to the agreements. However, we do not anticipate nonperformance by the counterparties.
CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES
The preparation of our financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates, judgments and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates, which are based on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances. The result of these evaluations forms the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities and the reported amount of expenses that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions. An appreciation of our critical accounting policies, those that are considered by management to require significant judgment and use of estimates and that could have a significant impact on our financial statements, is necessary to understand our financial results. Unless otherwise noted, we applied our critical accounting policies and estimation methods consistently in all material respects and for all periods presented, and have discussed such policies with our Audit Committee.
Film Accounting
Revenue we earn in connection with the exhibition of feature films by our Filmed Entertainment segment is recognized in accordance with Statement of Position No. 00-2, Accounting by Producers or Distributors of Films
(“SOP 00-2”). Our Filmed Entertainment segment principally earns revenue from the exhibition of feature film content based upon theatrical exhibition, home entertainment and various television markets (e.g., network, pay, syndication, basic cable). We recognize revenue from theatrical distribution of motion pictures upon exhibition. We recognize revenue from home entertainment product sales, net of anticipated returns, upon the later of delivery or the date that these products are made widely available for sale by retailers. We recognize revenue from the licensing of feature films and original programming for exhibition in television markets upon availability for airing by the licensee. We recognize revenue for video-on-demand and similar pay-per-view arrangements as the feature films are exhibited based on end-customer purchases as reported by the distributor.
Original Production and Film Costs
We capitalize original production and feature film costs, on a title-specific basis, as Inventory in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. We use an individual-forecast-computation method to amortize the costs over the applicable title’s life cycle based upon the ratio of current period and total gross revenues (“ultimate revenues”) for each title. We expense print and advertising costs as they are incurred and expense manufacturing costs, such as DVD manufacturing costs, on a unit-specific basis when we recognize the related revenue.
In accordance with SOP 00-2, our estimate of ultimate revenues for feature films includes revenues from all sources that will be earned within ten years from the date of a film’s initial domestic theatrical release. For acquired film libraries, our estimate of ultimate revenues is for a period within 20 years from the date of acquisition. Prior to the release of feature films and throughout its life, we estimate the ultimate revenues based on the historical performance of similar content, as well as incorporating factors of the content itself, including, but not limited to, the expected number of theaters and markets in which the original content will be released, the genre of the original content and the past box office performance of the lead actors and actresses. We believe the most sensitive factor affecting our estimate of ultimate revenues for feature films is domestic theatrical exhibition, as subsequent markets have historically exhibited a high correlation to domestic theatrical performance.
The estimate of ultimate revenues impacts the timing of film cost amortization. Upon a film’s initial domestic theatrical release and performance, we update our estimate of ultimate revenues based on actual results. If our original content is not received favorably, we may reduce our estimate of ultimate revenues, thereby accelerating the amortization of capitalized film costs. In addition, we use the individual-film-forecast computation method to determine whether or not film costs are impaired. If we believe that the release of our content has not been favorably received, then we would assess whether the fair value of such content is less than the unamortized portion of its capitalized costs and, if need be, recognize an impairment charge for the amount by which the unamortized capitalized costs exceed the fair value.
We had $1.89 billion and $1.77 billion of film costs capitalized as of December 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively, and $1.30 billion and $1.17 billion, respectively, of capitalized original programming costs.
Acquired Programming Rights
The accounting for acquired program rights is addressed by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) in Statement No. 63, Financial Reporting by Broadcasters (“FAS 63”). Under the provisions of FAS 63, a licensee reports an asset and liability for the rights acquired and obligations incurred at the commencement of the licensing period when the cost of the programming is known or reasonably determinable, the program material has been accepted by the licensee and the programming is available for airing. We record the transaction using the gross liability provision. The asset is amortized to operating expenses over the estimated periods revenues are generated, commencing upon the first airing. Determining factors used in estimating the useful life of programming includes the expected number of future airings, which may differ from the contracted number of
airings, the length of the license period and expected future revenues to be generated from the programming. An impairment charge may be necessary if our estimates of useful life of the programming are reduced or if programming is abandoned. As of December 31, 2007 and 2006, we had acquired programming rights of $1.42 billion and $1.30 billion, respectively.
Gross versus Net Revenue Recognition
We earn and recognize revenues where we act as distributor on behalf of third-parties. In such cases, determining whether revenue should be reported on a gross or net basis is based on management’s assessment of whether we act as the principal or agent in the transaction. To the extent we act as the principal in a transaction, we report revenues on a gross basis. In concluding on whether or not we act as principal, we follow the guidance set forth by the Emerging Issues Task Force (“EITF”) in EITF Issue No. 99-19, Reporting Revenue Gross as a Principal versus Net as an Agent (“EITF 99-19”). The determination of whether we act as a principal or an agent in a transaction involves judgment and is based on an evaluation of whether we have the substantial risks and rewards of ownership under the terms of an arrangement.
Currently, our most significant arrangements are the DWA agreements and the DW Funding distribution agreement. Under the terms of these agreements, we are generally responsible for all out-of-pocket costs, primarily comprised of distribution and marketing costs. For the provision of distribution services, we are entitled to retain a fee expressed as a percentage of gross receipts, and recoup expended distribution and marketing costs on a film-by-film basis prior to any participation payments to DreamWorks Animation and DW Funding. We also have a similar arrangement with Marvel. As primary obligor, revenue and related distribution and marketing costs for these arrangements are presented on a gross basis in accordance with EITF 99-19.
Sales Returns and Uncollectible Accounts
Revenue allowances are recorded to adjust amounts originally invoiced to the estimated net realizable value in accordance with revenue recognition guidance set forth in FASB Statement No. 48, Revenue Recognition When Right of Return Exists. Upon the sale of home entertainment product, we record a reduction of revenue for the impact of estimated customer future returns, rebates and other incentives (“estimated returns”). In determining estimated returns, we analyze historical return activity, current economic trends and changes in customer demand and acceptance of our products. Based on this information, we reserve a percentage of each dollar of product revenue when we provide a customer with the right of return.
Our estimate of future returns affects reported revenue and operating income. If we underestimate the impact of future returns in a particular period, then we may record less revenue in later periods when returns exceed the estimated amounts. If we overestimate the impact of future returns in a particular period, then we may record additional revenue in later periods when returns are less than estimated. An incremental change of 1% in our estimated sales returns for home entertainment and consumer products revenue would have a $32.0 million impact on our total revenue. Our sales return allowance totaled $706.2 million and $562.7 million at December 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively.
We also continually evaluate accounts receivable and establish judgments as to their ultimate collectibility. Judgment and estimates involved include an analysis of specific risks on a customer-by-customer basis for larger accounts and an analysis of actual historical write-off experience in conjunction with the length of time the receivables are past due. Using this information, management reserves an amount that is estimated to be uncollectible. An incremental change of 1% in our allowance for uncollectible accounts for trade accounts receivables would have a $27.2 million impact on our operating results. Our allowance for uncollectible accounts totaled $101.9 million and $142.9 million at December 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively.
As a global entertainment content company, we are subject to income taxes in the United States and foreign jurisdictions where we have operations. Significant judgment is required in determining our annual provision for income taxes and evaluating our income tax positions. Our tax rates are affected by many factors, including our global mix of earnings, legislation, acquisitions, dispositions, as well as the tax characteristics of our income. Our income tax returns are routinely audited and settlements of issues raised in these audits sometimes affect our tax provisions.
During 2007 and 2006, we reached settlement of certain matters with the Internal Revenue Service. As a result, our 2007 and 2006 provision for income taxes includes $15.0 million and $141.8 million of net discrete tax benefits principally related to these settlements.
Fair Value Measurements
The performance of fair value measurements is an integral part of the preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Fair value is defined as the exchange price in an orderly transaction between market participants to sell an asset or transfer a liability in the principal market for such asset or liability. Selection of the appropriate valuation technique, as well as determination of assumptions and estimates for each technique requires significant judgment. Although we believe that the inputs used in our valuation techniques are reasonable, a change in one or more of the inputs could result in an increase or decrease in the fair value of certain assets and certain liabilities. Either instance would have an impact on both our Consolidated Balance Sheet and Consolidated Statement of Earnings.
Provided below are those instances where the determination of fair value could have the most significant impact on our financial condition or results of operations:
Business Combinations. During 2007 and 2006, we paid and/or assumed debt obligations of approximately $14.5 million and $2.07 billion in total consideration, net of cash acquired, for the purchase of whole, controlling interest or specific assets of several entities. The determination of fair value and associated lives for each asset and liability has a direct impact on our results of operations.
Goodwill and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets. On an annual basis the test for goodwill impairment is performed using a two-step process. The first step is to identify a potential impairment by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount. Our reporting units are consistent with our operating segments. The estimates of fair value of a reporting unit are determined based on a discounted cash flow analysis. A discounted cash flow analysis requires us to make various judgmental assumptions, including assumptions about future cash flows, growth rates and discount rates. The assumptions about future cash flows and growth rates are based on the budget and long-term business plans of each operating segment. Discount rate assumptions are based on an assessment of the risk inherent in the future cash flows of the respective reporting units. If necessary, the second step of the goodwill impairment test compares the implied fair value of the reporting unit’s goodwill with the carrying amount of that goodwill. The implied fair value of goodwill is determined in the same manner as the amount of goodwill recognized in a business combination.
In addition, we currently have two trademarks that we consider to have an indefinite life. The impairment test for indefinite-lived intangible assets consists of a comparison of the fair value of the intangible asset with its carrying value. The estimates of fair value of trademarks are determined using a discounted cash flow valuation methodology commonly referred to as the “relief from royalty” methodology. Significant
assumptions inherent in the “relief from royalty” methodology employed include estimates of appropriate marketplace royalty rates and discount rates.
Our impairment analysis, which is performed annually during the fourth quarter, did not result in an impairment charge for goodwill or indefinite lived intangible assets in the years presented.
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets. In determining whether finite-lived intangible assets (e.g., customer lists, film libraries) are impaired, the accounting rules do not provide for an annual impairment test. Instead, they require that a triggering event occur before testing an asset for impairment. Once a triggering event has occurred, the impairment test employed is based on whether the intent is to hold the asset for continued use or to hold the asset for sale. If the intent is to hold the asset for continued use, first a comparison of undiscounted future cash flows against the carrying value of the asset is performed. If the carrying value exceeds the undiscounted cash flows, the asset would be written down to the discounted fair value. If the intent is to hold the asset for sale, to the extent the carrying value is greater than the asset’s value, an impairment loss is recognized for the difference.
Significant judgments in this area involve determining whether a triggering event has occurred and the determination of the cash flows for the assets involved and the discount rate to be applied in determining fair value. There was no impairment of finite-lived intangible assets in the years presented.
RECENT PRONOUNCEMENTS
Statement No. 141 (R)
In December 2007, FASB issued Statement No. 141 (R), Business Combinations—revised (“FAS 141 (R)”). FAS 141 (R) provides additional guidance and standards for the acquisition method of accounting to be used for all business combinations. FAS 141 (R) will be effective for all business combinations consummated beginning January 1, 2009.
Statement No. 160
In December 2007, FASB issued Statement No. 160, Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Financial Statements—an amendment of ARB No. 51 (“FAS 160”). FAS 160 establishes and provides accounting and reporting standards for the noncontrolling interest in a subsidiary and for the deconsolidation of a subsidiary. FAS 160 will be effective for us beginning January 1, 2009. We are currently assessing the potential effect of FAS 160 on the financial statements.
In September 2006, the FASB finalized Statement No. 157 Fair Value Measurements (“FAS 157”). FAS 157 establishes a framework for measuring fair value, clarifies the definition of fair value, and expands disclosures about the use of fair value measurements; however, it does not require any new fair value measurements. The provisions of FAS 157 will be applied prospectively beginning January 1, 2008 for all financial assets and financial liabilities recognized or disclosed in the financial statements at fair value. The adoption of these provisions of the Statement are not expected to have a material impact on the financial statements. For all non-financial assets and non-financial liabilities that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a nonrecurring basis, the effective date of FAS 157 has been delayed until January 1, 2009. We are currently assessing the potential effect of these provisions of the Statement on the financial statements.
Litigation is inherently uncertain and always difficult to predict. However, based on our understanding and evaluation of the relevant facts and circumstances, we believe the legal matters described below and other litigation to which we are a party are not likely, in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position or cash flows.
Former Viacom, NAI, Blockbuster and we, and certain of their and our respective present and former officers and directors, are currently defendants in an ERISA action in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas relating to the 2004 split-off of Blockbuster from Former Viacom pursuant to an exchange offer. A consolidated securities action in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas and a state law action in the Court of Chancery of Delaware arising from the same facts were dismissed in September 2007 and February 2008, respectively. The plaintiff in the latter action have filed a notice of appeal. The plaintiff in the ERISA action alleges that the defendants in that case breached fiduciary obligations to the Blockbuster Investment Plan by continuing to offer to plan participants Blockbuster stock from and after November 2003 and by offering to Plan participants the opportunity to exchange their shares of Former Viacom common stock for the shares of Blockbuster common stock. In September 2007, defendants’ motion to dismiss the ERISA action was granted in part and denied in part, and in November, the plaintiff filed an amended complaint, which the defendants moved to dismiss in January. Blockbuster has agreed to indemnify Former Viacom and its employees, officers and directors with respect to any liabilities arising out of any material untrue statements and omissions in those portions of the 2004 Prospectus-Offer to Exchange relating to the split-off that were provided by Blockbuster, and we have agreed to indemnify CBS Corporation for any losses arising from these lawsuits. We believe that the plaintiffs’ positions in these litigations are without merit and intend to continue to vigorously defend ourselves.
In September 2007, Brantley, et al. v. NBC Universal, Inc., et al., was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against us and several other program content providers on behalf of a purported nationwide class of cable and satellite subscribers. The plaintiffs also sued several major cable and satellite program distributors, alleging against all defendants violations of Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Antitrust Act. The complaint alleges that the programmer defendants conspired to sell and/or license programming on a “bundled” basis to the distributor defendants, who in turn offer programming to their customers in bundles, rather than in a channel by channel (or “à la carte”) basis. Plaintiffs seek, among other things, treble monetary damages in an unspecified amount and in injunction to compel the offering of channels to subscribers on an “à la carte” basis. In December 2007, all of the defendants moved to dismiss the amended complaint, and we intend to vigorously defend this lawsuit.
NAI, through NAIRI, Inc., is the controlling stockholder of both Viacom and CBS Corporation and NAI also controls Midway Games. Sumner M. Redstone, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and controlling shareholder of NAI, is the Executive Chairman of the Board and Founder of Viacom and CBS Corporation. In addition, Shari Redstone, who is Sumner Redstone’s daughter, is the Vice Chair of the Board of Viacom and CBS Corporation, is President and a director of NAI and is Chairman of Midway. Philippe Dauman, our President and Chief Executive Officer, and George Abrams, one of our directors, serve on the boards of both NAI and Viacom. Fred Salerno, one of our directors, serves on the board of both Viacom and CBS Corporation.
NAI licenses films in the ordinary course of business for its motion picture theaters from all major studios including Paramount. During the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, NAI made payments to Paramount in connection with these licenses in the aggregate amounts of approximately $36.5 million, $13.4 million and $14.6 million, respectively.
NAI and Mr. Redstone owned in the aggregate approximately 87% and 88% of the common stock of Midway Games Inc. (“Midway”) as of December 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively. Midway places advertisements on several of Viacom’s cable networks from time to time. During the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, Midway made payments to MTVN of approximately $2.9 million, $4.1 million and $5.9 million, respectively. We believe that these transactions were no more or less favorable to the subsidiaries than they would have obtained from unrelated parties. We may continue to enter into these and other business transactions with Midway in the future.
In connection with our stock repurchase programs, in 2007 and 2006, respectively, we purchased 6.0 million and 6.9 million shares under the NAIRI Agreement for aggregate purchase prices of $245.8 million and $269.5 million, respectively.
In September 2005, Cinemas International Corporation N.V., a joint venture between Former Viacom and Vivendi Universal, agreed to sell its Brazilian movie operations to NAI for approximately $27.5 million in a transaction that closed in October 2005. The sale was discussed with multiple potential purchasers and negotiated on terms we believe are no more or less favorable than those that might have been negotiated with an unaffiliated party.
In the normal course of business, we are involved in other related party transactions that have not been material in any of the periods presented.
For information on NAI’s participation in our stock repurchase program, see section on Capital Resources—Stock Repurchase Program.
Viacom and CBS Corporation Related Party Transactions
In the normal course of business, we are involved in transactions with companies owned by or affiliated with CBS Corporation that results in the recognition of revenue by Viacom. Paramount licenses motion picture products to CBS Corporation. Paramount distributes certain television products for a fee on behalf of CBS Corporation’s television production group in the home entertainment market. Paramount also recognizes revenue related to the lease of studio space to CBS Corporation. Our media networks recognize advertising revenues for media spending placed by various subsidiaries of CBS Corporation.
Through our media networks, we purchase television programming from CBS Corporation. The cost of these purchases is initially recorded as acquired program rights inventory and amortized over the estimated period that revenues will be generated. We place advertisements with various subsidiaries of CBS Corporation.
Transactions with CBS Corporation, through the normal course of business, are settled in cash. The following table summarizes the transactions with CBS Corporation as included in our consolidated financial statements:
Year Ended December 31,
Consolidated Statements of Earnings
$ (4.6 ) $ (2.6 ) $ (1.8 )
$ 86.7 $ 95.5
Total due from CBS Corporation
$ 2.9 $ 3.0
Participants’ share, residuals and royalties payable
Programming rights, current
98.1 152.6
Liabilities held for sale
— 4.4
Total due to CBS Corporation
In accordance with the terms of the Separation Agreement, in December 2005 we paid a preliminary special dividend to Former Viacom of $5.40 billion which was subject to adjustments for, among other items, actual Former Viacom debt as of the date of the separation and actual CBS Corporation cash flow for 2005, compared to estimates used to calculate the preliminary special dividend. In 2006 and 2007, we made further payments of $206.1 million and $170.0 million, respectively, to CBS Corporation in final resolution of the adjustments.
401(k) Plan Transactions
Following the separation, some participants in the Viacom 401(k) Plan continued to be invested in CBS Corporation Class A and Class B common stock. On June 29, 2007, we entered into an agreement with CBS Corporation for CBS Corporation to purchase the shares of CBS Corporation Class A and Class B common stock from the Viacom 401(k) Plan, and in July, those shares were sold to CBS Corporation for total proceeds of $29.8 million.
Similarly, some participants in the 401(k) plans sponsored by CBS Corporation continued to be invested in Viacom Class A and Class B common stock following the separation. On June 29, 2007, we entered into an agreement with CBS Corporation for us to purchase the shares of Viacom Class A and Class B common stock from the CBS-sponsored 401(k) plans, and in July, those shares were purchased for an aggregate amount of $120.0 million.
In connection with the separation, we entered into a Separation Agreement with CBS Corporation that identified assets to be transferred, liabilities to be assumed and obligations of each company following the separation,
including indemnification obligations for such liabilities. We also entered into a Transition Services Agreement and a Tax Matters Agreement with CBS Corporation. Such arrangements are further described below.
For information on the shares repurchased from the 401(k) plans sponsored by CBS Corporation, see section on Capital Resources—Stock Repurchase Program.
The Separation Agreement contains the key provisions required to effect the separation of Former Viacom into Viacom and CBS Corporation. The Separation Agreement identified assets transferred, liabilities assumed and contracts assigned to us by CBS Corporation and to CBS Corporation by us in the separation, and described when and how these transfers, assumptions and assignments were to occur. The Separation Agreement also sets forth certain agreements between us and CBS Corporation with respect to the period following the separation date. Former Viacom and Viacom executed the Separation Agreement in December 2005.
Indemnification Obligations. Pursuant to the Separation Agreement, each company indemnified the other company and the other company’s officers, directors and employees for any losses arising out of its failure to perform or discharge any of the liabilities it assumed pursuant to the Separation Agreement, its businesses as conducted as of the date of the separation and its breaches of shared contracts.
Legal Matters. In general, under the Separation Agreement, Viacom assumed the liability for, and control of, all pending and threatened legal matters related to its own business or assumed liabilities and will indemnify the other party for any liability arising out of or resulting from such assumed legal matters. Liability for, and control of, future litigation claims against Viacom for events that took place prior to, on or after the date of the separation generally will be assumed by the company operating the business to which the claim relates or, in the case of businesses which were sold or discontinued prior to the date of the separation, or for other matters agreed to be indemnified, the company which has assumed the liabilities. Viacom agreed to cooperate in defending any claims against both of Viacom and CBS Corporation for events that took place prior to, on, or after the date of the separation.
Employee Matters. The Separation Agreement allocated liabilities and responsibilities relating to employee compensation and benefit plans and programs and other related matters in connection with the separation, including the treatment of certain outstanding annual and long-term incentive awards, existing deferred compensation obligations and certain retirement and welfare benefit obligations. In general, the Separation Agreement provides that, following the separation, Viacom is responsible for all employment and benefit- related obligations and liabilities related to current employees who work for Viacom immediately following the separation, Former Viacom employees who most recently worked for other businesses and operations that became part of Viacom immediately following the separation, Former Viacom employees who most recently worked for certain other businesses and operations that were sold or discontinued prior to the separation, and certain other former employees of Former Viacom as set forth in the Separation Agreement (and, in each case, their dependents and beneficiaries). Liability for benefit-related obligations and liabilities of former employees of Former Viacom who most recently worked for the Former Viacom corporate office or the Paramount Pictures corporate office (other than those who accepted a post-separation position with CBS Corporation or Viacom) and certain Former Viacom corporate office employees who will remain employed by CBS Corporation and provide transition services following the separation is shared equally by Viacom and CBS Corporation.
Effective as of the separation, employees of Viacom, other than overlapping employees, do not participate in Former Viacom’s employee benefit plans and Viacom established its own employee benefit plans that are
substantially similar to the plans sponsored by Former Viacom prior to the separation. The Separation Agreement provided for the transfer of assets and liabilities, as applicable, relating to the pre-separation participation of Viacom employees and certain Former Viacom employees (as set forth in the Separation Agreement) in various Former Viacom retirement, welfare, incentive compensation and employee benefit plans from such plans to the applicable new plans established by Viacom.
Limitations on Certain Acquisitions. Subject to limited exceptions, the Separation Agreement provides that none of Viacom, any subsidiary of Viacom or any person that is controlled by Viacom after the separation will own or acquire an interest in a radio or television broadcast station, television broadcast network or daily newspaper, if such ownership or acquisition would (i) cause CBS Corporation, any subsidiary of CBS Corporation or any entity controlled by CBS Corporation after the date of the separation to be in violation of U.S. federal laws limiting the ownership or control of radio broadcast stations, television broadcast stations, television broadcast networks or (ii) limit in any manner at any time under such laws CBS Corporation’s ability to acquire additional interests in a radio or television broadcast station and/or television broadcast network. These restrictions will terminate when none of Mr. Redstone, NAI, NAIRI or any of their successors, assigns or transferees are deemed to have interests in both CBS Corporation and Viacom that are attributable under applicable U.S. federal laws.
The Separation Agreement also provides that neither Viacom, any subsidiary of Viacom or any person controlled by Viacom nor CBS Corporation, any subsidiary of CBS Corporation or any person controlled by CBS Corporation will acquire any asset, enter into any agreement or accept or agree to any condition that purports to bind, or subjects to a legal order, the other company, its subsidiaries or any person it controls without such other party’s written consent.
In addition, neither Viacom, any subsidiary of Viacom or any person controlled by Viacom nor CBS Corporation, or subsidiary of CBS Corporation or any person controlled by CBS Corporation will own or acquire an interest in a cable television operator if such ownership would subject the other company to any U.S. federal laws regulating contractual relationships between video programming vendors and video programming distributors to which it is not then subject. These restrictions will terminate for each company on the earliest of (1) the fourth anniversary of the separation, (2) the date on which none of Mr. Redstone, NAI, NAIRI or any of their successors, assigns or transferees are deemed to have interests in both CBS Corporation and Viacom that are attributable under applicable U.S. federal laws and (3) the date on which the other company ceases to own the video programming vendors that it owns as of the separation.
Tax Matters Agreement
The following description of the principal provisions of the Tax Matters Agreement between Former Viacom and us is qualified by reference to the text of the Tax Matters Agreement, a form of which was filed as an exhibit to this annual report.
The Tax Matters Agreement sets forth Viacom’s responsibilities with respect to, among other things, liabilities for federal, state, local and foreign income taxes for periods before and including the merger, the preparation and filing of income tax returns for such periods, disputes with taxing authorities regarding income taxes for such periods and indemnification for income taxes that would become due if the merger were taxable. Viacom will generally be responsible for federal, state and local, and foreign income taxes for periods before the merger relating to Viacom’s respective businesses. Income tax liabilities relating to discontinued operations and previously disposed businesses have been allocated in accordance with the principles applicable under the Separation Agreement for liabilities relating to those operations and businesses. Other income tax liabilities,
including items that do not specifically relate to either business, will be shared equally. Viacom and CBS Corporation will generally be jointly responsible for managing any dispute relating to income taxes for which both parties may be responsible. The Tax Matters Agreement also provides that, depending on the event, Viacom may have to indemnify CBS Corporation, or CBS Corporation may have to indemnify Viacom, for some or all of the taxes resulting from the transactions related to the merger and the distribution of Viacom common stock if the merger and distribution do not qualify as tax-free under Sections 355 and 368 of the Code.
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk.
Disclosures on our market risk are included in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition—Market Risk.”
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
Index to financial statements and supplementary data:
Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Consolidated Statements of Earnings for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2007 and 2006
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2007,
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity and Comprehensive Income for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)
Schedule II – Valuation and Qualifying Accounts
Management has prepared and is responsible for our consolidated financial statements and related notes. Management is also responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with the authorizations of management and directors of the Company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements prepared for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risks that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies and procedures may deteriorate.
Under the supervision and with the participation of management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, we conducted an assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting based on the framework in Internal Control – Integrated Framework as issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Based on this assessment, management determined that as of December 31, 2007, Viacom maintained effective internal control over financial reporting.
The assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2007 has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report included herein.
By: /S/ PHILIPPE P. DAUMAN
President and
By: /S/ THOMAS E. DOOLEY
Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative
Officer and Chief Financial Officer
By: /S/ JACQUES TORTOROLI
Senior Vice President, Controller and
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of Viacom Inc.
In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements listed in the index appearing under Item 8 present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Viacom Inc. and its subsidiaries (the “Company”) at December 31, 2007 and 2006, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2007 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. In addition, in our opinion, the financial statement schedule listed in the index appearing under Item 8 presents fairly, in all material respects, the information set forth therein when read in conjunction with the related consolidated financial statements. Also in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2007, based on criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). The Company’s management is responsible for these financial statements and financial statement schedule, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting appearing under Item 8. Our responsibility is to express opinions on these financial statements, on the financial statement schedule, and on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audits, which were integrated audits in 2007 and 2006. We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audits of the financial statements included examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audits also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.
As discussed in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements, during the year ended December 31, 2007, the Company changed the manner in which it accounts for uncertain tax positions. Additionally, as also discussed in Note 1, during the year ended December 31, 2006, the Company changed the manner in which it accounts for share-based compensation and the manner in which it accounts for defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans.
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers
(in millions, except earnings per share amounts) 2007 2006 2005
$ 13,423.1 $ 11,361.1 $ 9,519.5
7,430.7 5,963.2 4,669.5
10,487.4 8,594.5 7,160.8
(464.1 ) (442.2 ) (18.1 )
151.0 — —
(43.4 ) (14.0 ) (28.5 )
(929.0 ) (736.9 ) (1,018.1 )
(20.2 ) (14.0 ) (3.8 )
207.9 25.3 (42.7 )
Earnings per share, continuing operations
$ 2.42 $ 2.19 $ 1.73
Earnings (loss) per share, discontinued operations
$ 0.31 $ 0.04 $ (0.06 )
Net earnings per share
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
(in millions, except par value) 2007 2006
Receivables (includes retained interests in securitizations – see Note 9)
Deferred tax assets, net
Prepaid and other assets
Assets held for sale
— 36.2
Property and equipment, net
11,375.4 11,137.0
Intangibles, net
$ 22,904.1 $ 21,796.7
Program rights obligations
Deferred revenue
Financing obligations
Participants’ share, residual and royalties payable
Deferred tax liabilities, net
Minority interests
Commitments and contingencies (Note 17)
Class A Common Stock, par value $0.001, 375.0 authorized; 57.4 and 59.7 outstanding, respectively
Class B Common Stock, par value $0.001, 5,000.0 authorized; 587.4 and 633.5 outstanding, respectively
Treasury stock
(4,502.4 ) (2,345.1 )
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity
(in millions) Year Ended December 31,
(207.9 ) (25.3 ) 42.7
Reconciling items:
Provision for deferred taxes
33.2 152.5 25.7
Feature film and program amortization
— 500.0 —
Stock based compensation
(151.0 ) — —
Impairment of cost investment
36.0 — —
Equity in affiliates and minority interest, net
20.0 6.7 (5.6 )
Distributions from affiliated companies
Operating assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions:
(367.3 ) (17.1 ) (97.3 )
Inventory, program rights and participations
(34.8 ) (514.1 ) 277.1
37.9 (25.4 ) (7.4 )
Other, net
119.5 167.5 (84.5 )
Discontinued operations, net
8.8 27.8 (39.9 )
Net cash used in business combinations
(14.5 ) (1,415.5 ) (356.1 )
Business dispositions
(237.1 ) (208.7 ) (193.0 )
Investments in and advances to equity affiliates and other, net
(55.1 ) (8.3 ) (14.5 )
361.1 (1.0 ) (5.7 )
Net cash flow from/(used in) investing activities
Borrowings from banks
750.0 2,911.0 5,401.5
Repayments to banks
— (8,316.0 ) —
Senior notes and debentures, net of discount
744.6 6,162.7 —
(1,037.7 ) 1,093.6 —
Repayment of notes payable and preferred interest
(25.0 ) (659.5 ) —
Proceeds from cash flow hedge
1.4 88.0 —
Net receipts/(contributions) with CBS Corporation
— 253.6 (1,182.9 )
Payment of capital lease obligations
Purchase of treasury stock
(2,133.5 ) (2,318.3 ) —
Exercise of stock options and other, net
— — (0.3 )
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
(in millions) Common
(shares) Common
Stock/
Paid-in
Capital Common
Held in
(shares) Treasury
Stock Retained
Earnings Accumulated
Income/(Loss) Total
Balance at December 31, 2004
751.6 $ 13,465.2 — $ — $ — $ — $ 13,465.2
— 1,256.9 — — — — 1,256.9
Translation adjustments
— — — — — (47.2 ) (47.2 )
Unrealized loss on securities
— — — — — (0.2 ) (0.2 )
Minimum pension adjustment
— — — — — 9.3 9.3
— 356.1 — — — — 356.1
— (391.1 ) — — — — (391.1 )
— (5,400.0 ) — — — — (5,400.0 )
Net contributions to CBS Corp.
Balance at December 31, 2005(1)
751.6 7,838.1 — — — (50.2 ) 7,787.9
— — — — 1,592.1 — 1,592.1
— — — — — 71.9 71.9
Unrealized gain on securities
Compensation expense
— 87.1 — — — — 87.1
Exercise of stock options, and other
1.9 45.1 — — — — 45.1
— — (60.3 ) (2,345.1 ) — — (2,345.1 )
Adoption of FAS 158
Adoption of SAB No. 108
— 4.6 — — — — 4.6
753.5 7,873.1 (60.3 ) (2,345.1 ) 1,592.1 46.1 7,166.2
Defined benefit pension plans
4.1 110.3 — — — — 110.3
Adoption of FIN 48
— — — — (23.1 ) — (23.1 )
757.6 $ 8,080.0 (112.8 ) $ (4,502.4 ) $ 3,407.1 $ 126.5 $ 7,111.2
(1) In connection with the separation from CBS Corporation, the Company issued 65.7 million shares of Class A common stock with par value of $0.001 and 685.9 million shares of Class B common stock with par value of $0.001. Stockholders’ equity amounts prior to the separation were classified as Invested Capital.
NOTE 1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION
Description of Business
Viacom Inc. including its consolidated subsidiaries (“Viacom” or the “Company”) is a leading global entertainment content company. Viacom engages audiences on television, motion picture and digital platforms through many of the world’s best known entertainment brands. Viacom operates through two reporting segments: Media Networks, which includes MTV Networks (“MTVN”) and BET Networks (“BETN”); and Filmed Entertainment. Through a combination of original and acquired programming and other entertainment content, the Media Networks brands are focused on providing content that appeals to key demographics attractive to advertisers across multiple distribution platforms, including cable television program services and digital media assets. The Filmed Entertainment segment produces, finances and distributes motion pictures under the Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, MTV Films and Nickelodeon Movies brands.
On December 31, 2005, the Company became a stand-alone public entity in connection with the separation from the former Viacom Inc. (“Former Viacom”), which is now known as CBS Corporation. References in these financial statements to CBS Corporation mean CBS Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless the context requires otherwise. Prior to the separation, the Company was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Former Viacom, with its business comprising the “Cable Networks” and “Entertainment” segments of Former Viacom. In connection with the merger and the separation, each share of Former Viacom Class A common stock was converted into the right to receive 0.5 of a share of Viacom Class A common stock and 0.5 of a share of CBS Corporation Class A common stock. Similarly, each share of Former Viacom Class B common stock was converted into the right to receive 0.5 of a share of Viacom Class B common stock and 0.5 of a share of CBS Corporation Class B common stock. Holders of Viacom Class A and Class B common stock received cash in lieu of fractional shares.
Accounting Changes
Interpretation No. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes
In July 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) released Interpretation No. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes—An Interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109 (“FIN 48”). FIN 48 clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in the Company’s financial statements in accordance with FASB Statement No. 109, Accounting for Income Taxes. FIN 48 also prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement model for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken, or expected to be taken, in a tax return and provides guidance on derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure and transition.
The Company adopted the provisions of FIN 48 on January 1, 2007. As a result of the implementation, the Company recognized a $9.2 million increase in unrecognized income tax benefits, primarily related to state income tax matters, along with $13.9 million of related potential interest and penalties. The items were recorded as Other liabilities—noncurrent with a corresponding reduction to Retained earnings. For additional information refer to Note 15.
Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 108
In September 2006, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) staff issued Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 108, Considering the Effect of Prior Year Misstatement when Quantifying Misstatements in Current Year Financial Statements (“SAB 108”). Prior to the Company’s application of the guidance in SAB 108, the Company used the roll-over method for quantifying financial statement misstatements. The roll-over method focuses primarily on the impact of a misstatement on the income statement, including the reversing effect of prior year misstatements.
SAB 108 permits companies to initially apply its provisions either by (i) restating prior financial statements as if the provisions had always been applied or (ii) recording the cumulative effect of initially applying SAB 108 as
adjustments to the carrying value of assets and liabilities as of January 1, 2006 with an offsetting adjustment recorded to the opening balance of stockholders’ equity. The Company elected to record the effects of applying SAB 108 using the cumulative effect transition method. The following table summarizes the effects up to January 1, 2006 of applying the guidance in SAB 108:
at January 1,
2006 Origination Period of Misstatement(1)
Year ended December 31, 2003 and
Media Networks(2)
$ 32.0 $ (16.6 ) $ (1.8 ) $ 50.4
Filmed Entertainment(3)
(59.0 ) (10.8 ) (21.2 ) (27.0 )
(Increase)/decrease in operating income
(27.0 ) (27.4 ) (23.0 ) 23.4
(Increase)/decrease in net earnings
$ — $ (16.7 ) $ (14.0 ) $ 26.1
Increase to stockholders’ equity
$ (4.6 )
(1) The Company quantified these errors under the roll-over method and concluded that they were immaterial, individually and in the aggregate.
(2) The adjustment for Media Networks is in respect of ratings guarantees provided to advertisers on the Company’s media networks and amounts accrued for marketing cost in excess of actual cost incurred. Prior to 2006, the Company’s policy was to record a liability for amounts due to advertisers only for amounts in excess of a de minimus threshold. The cumulative pre-tax impact for this item is the correction of a $47.8 million overstatement of revenue and a corresponding understatement of deferred revenue. Partially offsetting the operating impact of the revenue adjustment described above, is the correction of a $15.8 million cumulative overstatement of operating expenses and a corresponding overstatement of accrued marketing expenses.
(3) The Filmed Entertainment pre-tax adjustment represents amounts accrued for marketing and manufacturing costs in excess of actual costs incurred. The cumulative impact of the adjustment was a correction of an overstatement of operating expenses of $59 million with a corresponding overstatement of accrued marketing expenses of $33 million and a $26 million understatement of inventory for product previously sold.
In September 2006, the FASB issued Statement No. 158, Employers Accounting for Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans—an amendment of FASB Statements No. 87, 88, 106 and 132(R) (“FAS 158”), effective December 31, 2006. FAS 158 requires the recognition of the funded status of a defined benefit postretirement plan (other than a multiemployer plan) as an asset or liability in the financial position and to recognize changes in that funded status in the year in which the changes occur through other comprehensive income. Upon adoption, the Company recorded a pre-tax reduction to Accumulated other comprehensive income of $64.5 million ($39.3 million after tax) representing the difference between the funded status of the plans based on the projected benefit obligation and the amounts recorded on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2006. For additional information regarding the adoption of FAS 158, please refer to Note 13.
Statement No. 123(R) and SAB No. 107
The Company adopted FASB Statement No. 123 (revised 2004), Share-Based Payment (“FAS 123(R)”) and SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 107 (“SAB 107”) as of January 1, 2006. FAS 123(R) requires a company to measure the cost of employee services received in exchange for an award of equity instruments based on the grant-date fair value of the award. The fair value received is recognized in earnings over the period during which an employee is required to provide service. FAS 123(R) also amends FASB Statement No. 95, Statement of Cash Flows, to require that excess tax benefits, as defined, realized from the exercise of stock options be reported as a financing cash inflow rather than as a reduction of taxes paid in cash flow from operations. Upon adoption of SFAS 123(R), the Company elected the long-form method for calculating the historical pool of windfall tax benefits. As allowed by the standard, the Company chose to exclude the impact of pro forma deferred tax assets on partially and fully vested awards at adoption date for purposes of calculating assumed proceeds under the treasury stock method for diluted earnings per share.
In adopting FAS 123(R), the Company elected the modified prospective application method. As such, periods prior to January 1, 2006 are presented in accordance with the disclosure only provisions of FASB Statement 123, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation (“FAS 123”), the standard prior to FAS 123(R). The following table reflects the effect on Net earnings if the Company had applied the fair value recognition provisions of FAS 123 to stock based employee compensation in the year ended December 31, 2005. The pro forma effects may not be representative of future stock compensation expense since the estimated fair value of stock options on the date of grant is amortized to expense over the vesting period and the vesting of certain options was accelerated on March 8, 2005:
Year Ended
Stock option expense, net of tax
(140.3 )
Pro forma net earnings
Basic and diluted earnings per common share:
For additional information regarding SFAS 123(R), please refer to Note 12.
Components of the Company are assessed for discontinued operation classification when they have been disposed of or are held for sale in accordance with FASB Statement No. 144, Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets. In July 2007, the Company completed the sale of Famous Music. In July 2005, Former Viacom sold Famous Players, a Canadian-based theater chain. Famous Music and Famous Players have been presented as discontinued operations for all periods presented. The year ended December 31, 2006 also includes the release of tax reserves resulting from audit settlements in respect of Blockbuster Inc. (“Blockbuster”), which was split off from Former Viacom in 2004. See Note 20 for additional information.
Separation from Former Viacom
As a result of the separation from Former Viacom, the consolidated financial statements for the year ending December 31, 2005 are presented on a carve-out basis. Accordingly, the assets and liabilities of Viacom assigned to the Company in the separation have been accounted for at the historical book values carried by Former Viacom prior to the separation. Indebtedness, other than certain capital lease obligations, was not transferred to Viacom and remained at CBS Corporation. Accordingly, debt service cost is not reflected in the Consolidated Statement of Earnings for the year ended December 31, 2005.
For the year ended December 31, 2005, the Consolidated Statement of Stockholders’ Equity reflects the invested capital balances of Former Viacom which includes the accumulated earnings as well as receivables/payables due to/from CBS Corporation resulting from cash transfers and intercompany activity.
In connection with the separation from CBS Corporation in 2005, the Company was responsible for the first $195.0 million in direct transaction costs with amounts incurred in excess of $195.0 million being split equally between the Company and CBS Corporation. The Consolidated Statement of Earnings for the year ended December 31, 2005 includes allocations of Former Viacom corporate expenses and Paramount corporate overhead of $162.0 million and transaction costs related to the separation of $163.5 million, which are primarily included within selling, general and administrative costs. The allocations are generally meant to reflect the
utilization of shared corporate facilities, people and services of Former Viacom by the Company. Management believes the methodologies used to allocate charges for the services described above are reasonable. The transaction costs principally included severance amounts, expenditures on information systems and investment banking and other professional fees.
The historical carve-out consolidated financial statements may not necessarily reflect what the Company’s earnings, financial position and cash flows would have been if the Company had been a separate stand-alone entity for periods prior to and including December 31, 2005.
In accordance with the terms of the Separation Agreement, in December 2005, the Company paid a preliminary special dividend to Former Viacom of $5.40 billion in December 2005 which was subject to adjustments for, among other items, actual Former Viacom debt as of the date of the separation and actual CBS Corporation cash flow for 2005, compared to estimates used to calculate the preliminary special dividend. In 2006 and 2007, the Company made further payments of $206.1 million and $170.0 million, respectively, to CBS Corporation in final resolution of the adjustments.
NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Principles of Consolidation
The consolidated financial statements of the Company include the accounts of Viacom Inc., its subsidiaries and variable interest entities (VIEs), as defined in FASB Interpretation (“FIN”) No. 46 (as revised), Variable Interest Entities (“FIN 46(R)”), where the Company is considered the primary beneficiary, after elimination of intercompany accounts and transactions. Disclosure regarding the Company’s participation in VIEs is included in Note 4 and Note 17. Investments in business entities in which the Company lacks control but does have the ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies are accounted for using the equity method. The Company’s proportionate share of income or loss is recorded, after tax, in Equity in earnings of affiliated companies, net of tax. Related party transactions between the Company and CBS Corporation have not been eliminated.
The Company recognizes revenue when it is realized or realizable and earned. The Company considers revenue realized or realizable and earned when it has persuasive evidence of an arrangement, delivery has occurred, the sales price is fixed and determinable, and collectibility is reasonably assured.
Advertising revenue earned by the Media Networks segment is recognized, net of agency commissions, when the advertisement is aired and the contracted audience rating is met. Should the advertisement fail to meet the contracted audience rating, the Company establishes a liability referred to as an audience deficiency unit liability. The liability is typically relieved when the audience rating is met, typically through the provision of additional air time for the advertiser.
Affiliate fees recognized by the Media Networks segment received from cable television operators, direct-to-home satellite operators and other distributors are recognized as earned when the service has been provided. Licensing associated with consumer products is typically recognized utilizing contractual royalty rates applied to sales amounts reported by licensees.
Revenue in connection with the exhibition of feature films by the Filmed Entertainment segment is accounted for in accordance with Statement of Position (“SOP”) No. 00-2, Accounting by Producers or Distributors of Films (“SOP 00-2”). Revenue is recognized from theatrical distribution of motion pictures upon exhibition.
For home entertainment product sold by the Filmed Entertainment and Media Networks segments, revenue is recognized on the later of the shipment or the date that those products are made widely available for sale by retailers. Revenue from the licensing of feature films and original programming for exhibition in television markets is recognized upon availability for telecasting by the licensee. Revenue for video-on-demand and similar pay-per-view arrangements are recognized as the feature films are exhibited based on end-customer purchases as reported by the distributor.
The Company records a provision for sales returns and allowances at the time of sale based upon an estimate of future returns of product by analyzing a combination of historical returns, current economic trends, projections of consumer demand for the product and point-of-sale data available from certain retailers.
Inventories related to theatrical and cable content (which include direct production costs, theatrical production overhead and acquisition costs) are stated at the lower of amortized cost or net realizable value. Inventories are amortized and estimated liabilities for residuals and participations are accrued for an individual product based on the proportion that current estimated revenues bear to the estimated remaining total lifetime revenues. These estimates are periodically reviewed and adjustments, if any, will result in changes to inventory amortization rates, estimated accruals for residuals and participations or possibly the recognition of an impairment charge to operating income. The Company has entered into film financing arrangements that involve the sale of a partial copyright interest in a film. Amounts received under these arrangements are deducted from the film’s cost.
The cost of theatrical development projects is amortized over a three-year period unless they are abandoned earlier, in which case these projects are written down to their estimated net realizable value in the period the decision to abandon the project is determined.
The Company acquires rights to programming and produces programming to exhibit on its media networks which is also included as a component of inventory. The costs incurred in acquiring and producing programs are capitalized and amortized over the license period or projected useful life of the programming. Program rights and related costs and obligations are recorded when the license period has begun, and when the program is accepted and available for airing.
Merchandising and other inventories are valued at the lower of cost or market value. Cost is determined using the average cost method.
The Company earns and recognizes revenues as a distributor on behalf of third parties. In such cases, determining whether revenue should be reported on a gross or net basis is based on management’s assessment of whether the Company acts as the principal or agent in the transaction. To the extent the Company acts as the principal in a transaction, revenues are reported on a gross basis. In concluding on whether or not the Company acts as principal, the guidance set forth by the Emerging Issues Task Force (“EITF”) in EITF Issue No. 99-19, Reporting Revenue Gross as a Principal versus Net as an Agent (“EITF 99-19”) is followed. The determination is based on an evaluation on which party has the substantial risks and rewards of ownership under the terms of an arrangement.
The Company’s most significant arrangements are in connection with certain exclusive distribution rights to and home video fulfillment services for the animated feature films produced by DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (“DreamWorks Animation” and collectively, the “DWA agreements”) and the distribution agreement with DW Funding LLC (“DW Funding”). Under the terms of these agreements, the Company is generally responsible for
all out-of-pocket costs, primarily comprised of distribution and marketing costs. For the provision of distribution services, the Company retains a fee based upon a percentage of gross receipts and recovers expended distribution and marketing costs on a film-by-film basis prior to any participation payments to DreamWorks Animation or DW Funding. As primary obligor, revenue and related distribution and marketing costs for these arrangements are presented on a gross basis in accordance with EITF 99-19.
The Company expenses advertising costs, including advertising costs for feature films, as incurred in accordance with SOP 93-7 Reporting Advertising Costs and SOP 00-2. The Company incurred total advertising expenses of $1.63 billion in 2007, $1.20 billion in 2006 and $888.0 million in 2005.
Business Combinations and Intangible Assets Including Goodwill
The Company accounts for business combinations using the purchase method of accounting and accordingly, the assets and liabilities of the acquired entities are recorded at their estimated fair value at the date of acquisition.
Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of net assets acquired, including the amount assigned to identifiable intangible assets. The Company does not amortize the goodwill balance. The primary drivers that generate goodwill are the value of synergies, generally revenue synergies, between the acquired entities and the Company and the acquired assembled workforce. Identifiable intangible assets with finite lives are amortized over their estimated useful lives, which range from 5 to 15 years.
Amortizable intangible assets are tested for impairment based on undiscounted cash flows upon the occurrence of certain triggering events and, if impaired, written down to fair value based on either discounted cash flows or appraised values. No impairment of intangible assets has been identified during any of the periods presented. Goodwill and indefinite lived intangible assets are tested annually for impairment, or sooner when circumstances indicate impairment may exist, using a fair value approach at the reporting unit level. A reporting unit is the operating segment, or a business which is one level below that operating segment. The Company’s reporting units are consistent with its operating segments. No impairment of goodwill or indefinite lived intangible assets has been identified during the periods presented.
Comprehensive income includes net earnings, foreign currency translation adjustments, pension adjustments, unrealized gains or losses on certain derivative financial instruments, and unrealized gains and losses on certain investments in equity securities.
Earnings per Common Share
Basic earnings per common share excludes potentially dilutive securities and is computed by dividing net earnings by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Basic earnings per share for the year ended December 31, 2005 was computed by dividing net earnings by the number of shares of common stock issued and outstanding at the date of the separation as if such shares were outstanding as of January 1, 2005.
The determination of diluted earnings per common share includes the potential dilutive effect of stock options, restricted share units and performance share units based upon the application of the treasury stock method. Diluted earnings per common share for the year ended December 31, 2005 is equal to basic earnings per share as no dilutive securities were outstanding for such period.
The following table sets forth the computation of the common shares outstanding utilized in determining basic and diluted earnings per common share:
Common Shares Outstanding Year Ended
Weighted average common shares outstanding, basic
Dilutive effect of stock options
1.0 0.9 —
Dilutive effect of restricted & performance share units
Weighted average common shares outstanding, dilutive
In the aggregate, total stock options and share units for Class B common stock of 39.1 million and 41.9 million were excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per common share for the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively, because their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive.
The Company accounts for income taxes as required by FASB Statement No. 109, Accounting for Income Taxes (“FAS 109”) and related interpretations. Accordingly, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled.
Uncertain tax positions are recorded based on a cumulative probability assessment if it is more likely than not – a more than 50 percent chance – that the tax position will be sustained upon examination by the appropriate tax authority with full knowledge of all information. Amounts recorded for uncertain tax positions are periodically assessed, including the evaluation of new facts and circumstances, to ensure sustainability of the position. Interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions are included in income tax expense. Liabilities for uncertain tax positions are classified in the Consolidated Balance Sheets based on when they are expected to be paid.
Prior to 2007, income tax contingencies were determined using an asset recognition model for which the initial valuation was based on an evaluation of tax positions under applicable tax law and the likelihood of prevailing based on these positions. Tax positions considered probable of being sustained on audit based solely on the technical merits of the position were recorded as a benefit. Under the asset recognition model, if the initial assessment failed to result in the recognition of a tax benefit, the position was monitored and subsequently recognized as a tax benefit if there were changes in tax law or analogous case law, including advice from counsel, that sufficiently raised the likelihood of prevailing on the technical merits of the position to probable; if there was a completion of an audit resulting in a settlement of that tax year with the appropriate agency; or if the statute of limitations expired.
For federal income tax purposes for the year ended December 31, 2005 and prior, the Company filed a consolidated tax return with CBS Corporation. Pursuant to the Tax Matters Agreement with CBS Corporation (the “Tax Matters Agreement” which is further described in Note 16), the Company determined its federal tax liability principally on a separate company basis and paid any liability to CBS Corporation. State tax returns for the years ended December 31, 2005 and prior are filed on an individual company basis except for certain states where they were filed on a combined basis with CBS Corporation. Pursuant to the Tax Matters Agreement, the Company determined its state tax liability for those combined states on a separate company basis and paid such tax to CBS Corporation.
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits
The Company and certain of its subsidiaries have defined benefit pension plans covering a majority of domestic employees and, to a lesser extent, international employees. Pension and other postretirement benefits are based on formulas that reflect the employees’ years of service and compensation during their employment period and participation in the plans. The expense recognized by the Company is determined using certain assumptions, including the expected long-term rate of return, discount rate and rate of compensation increases, among others. In accordance with FAS 158, the Company recognizes the funded status of its defined benefit postretirement plans (other than a multiemployer plan) as an asset or liability in the Consolidated Balance Sheets and recognizes changes in the funded status in the year in which the changes occur through other comprehensive income.
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment is stated at cost. Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method. Leasehold improvements are amortized using the straight-line method over the shorter of their useful lives or the life of the lease. Costs associated with repairs and maintenance of property are expensed as incurred.
The Company measures the cost of employee services received in exchange for an award of equity instruments based on the grant-date fair value of the award. The fair value received is recognized in earnings over the period during which an employee is required to provide service. In accordance with FAS 123(R), the Company utilizes the long-form method for calculating the historical pool of windfall tax benefits and excludes the impact of pro-forma deferred tax assets on partially and fully vested awards at adoption date for purposes of calculating assumed proceeds under the treasury stock method for diluted earnings per share.
Securitizations
The Company sells to investors on a revolving non-recourse basis a percentage ownership interest in certain accounts receivable through wholly-owned special purpose entities. The receivable securitization programs are accounted for as sales in accordance with FASB Statement No. 140, Accounting for Transfers and Servicing of Financial Assets and Extinguishment of Liabilities. The Company retains interests in the trade accounts receivable that have not been sold to investors, and these retained interests are included in the Consolidated Balance Sheets under the caption Receivables. The retained interests in the receivables are shown at amounts expected to be collected by the Company, and such carrying value approximates the fair value of the Company’s retained interests.
Viacom is compensated for its services in the collection and administration of the securitized receivables. No servicing asset or liability has been recorded because the fees received for servicing the receivables approximates the related costs. Losses on the sale of receivables represent the financial cost of funding under the securitization programs and are included in Other items, net.
The Company’s investments primarily consist of investments in affiliates and other investments. Investments in affiliates, over which the Company has a significant influence, but not a controlling interest, are accounted for using the equity method. Other investments in equity securities are carried at fair value, to the extent readily determinable, with unrealized gains and losses recorded in other comprehensive income, and at cost where fair value is not readily determinable. The Company monitors its investments for impairment at least annually and makes appropriate reductions in carrying values if the Company determines that an impairment charge is required based on qualitative and quantitative information. The Company’s investments are included in Other assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
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Scotland is now seen as one of the major tech hubs
In the race to build Scotland’s credentials as a breeding ground for unicorns – tech start-ups that reach a $1 billion valuation – Colin Adams is a key player.
As well as being director of commercialisation at The University of Edinburgh’s School of Informatics – the largest single computer science and informatics research group in Europe, and the best in the UK – he is director of Informatics Ventures, a Scotland-wide programme to foster entrepreneurship in early stage businesses and develop strong relationships between industry and academia.
“Scotland is starting to get noticed now as one of the major tech hubs,” Mr Adams said. “Everyone who thinks of the UK tends to think of London, just because of the sheer scale of it. But the message is now getting out that Scotland has done more tech deals than anywhere else in the UK outside London – and the deals are getting bigger because companies are raising more money.”
Informatics Ventures helps rising tech stars raise funding through its annual Engage, Invest, Exploit (EIE) event, which has grown into the largest investor showcase of its kind since it was launched in 2008. This year 60 early stage Scottish companies will pitch for investment of between £100,000 to £2 million at the 2016 event in Edinburgh’s Assembly Rooms on 12 May. Around 1,000 people are expected to attend, including UK and international corporate venturers, venture capitalists, business angel syndicates and high net worth individuals. Informatics Ventures also runs EIE London in November for 12 companies seeking ‘A round’ funding – typically the company's first significant round of venture capital financing – to scale and grow their businesses.
Past EIE participants have raised over £150m in early stage funding and gone on to become some of Scotland’s most successful start-ups of recent times. They include mobile shopping app Mallzee, biofuels specialist Celtic Renewables and app developer Kotikan – which developed the flagship app for Skyscanner, the Edinburgh-based travel search group and $1bn Scottish unicorn. FanDuel, the fantasy sports company that is Scotland’s other $1bn unicorn, also pitched at EIE in 2010 and has since raised $361m.
Since last year’s EIE, around half of the companies pitching have secured funding, with an average investment of £560,000.
Ones to watch include University of Edinburgh spin-out Parkure, which is using genetically engineered fruit flies to help find a cure for Parkinson’s disease; TVSquared, which provides detailed insights into the effectiveness of TV advertising campaigns, and voice distortion specialist Krotos.
Born in Linlithgow, Mr Adams was inspired by a good maths teacher and NASA’s moon landings to study science. In his first year at the University of Edinburgh’s newly-formed computer science department, he was one of only four students in his class.
“We were in a privileged group, being allowed to punch our programs on cards, drop them off at a desk in the department and get the results back 24 hours later – this was a luxury and very fast response.”
Computers back then filled whole air-conditioned rooms and cost around £1m, Mr Adams added.
He is in no doubt that Scotland’s technology credentials today are more than a match for other tech hubs including London’s so-called ‘Silicon Roundabout’ in Shoreditch.
“One of the big advantages we have up here is that the lifestyle you can have per pound is so much better,” he said. “We have a reasonable cost of living and cost of housing. There are decent schools and a great cultural environment. And there’s a critical mass of positive companies doing interesting things, which means it’s easier to hire people into Scotland than it used to be. If anything, we need to sell that more to the poor people in Shoreditch with their one-hour commutes and very expensive houses.”
Are you looking for a new software career opportunity? Scotland has a lot to offer, with a growing technology sector and a range of major international companies and ambitious homegrown companies that you can work for.
Find out how you can grow your software career in Scotland
University of Edinburgh School of Informatics
Discover Edinburgh and the East of Scotland
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In Trägerschaft des Berliner Missionswerks |
Talitha Kumi
Deutsche Ev.-Luth. Schule in Beit Jala/Palästina
School & Kindergarten
Girls’ Boarding School
The Community College
Our school is characterized by diversity. We want every individual in our school community to feel welcomed and accepted. All Talitha Kumi students receive individually tailored support according to their capabilities and needs, allowing them to develop their full potential and talent.
Talitha Kumi is committed to the principles of inclusivity, and all our students, whether with or without a disability, live and learn together side by side. But we believe that inclusivity also means people from various religions and cultures, girls and boys alike, being treated and valued equally – those who perform well academically alongside those who need a little extra help with their learning.
In comparison with other countries, Palestine has a relatively high proportion of people with disabilities. They are frequently forced to the margins of society, while disability largely remains a taboo subject for the Palestinian public and the government. State support and aid for people with disabilities is utterly inadequate, and there are very few institutions and schools in the country that can accept them and provide them with the help they need.
Students with physical disabilities – who might be blind, or wheelchair users, for instance – are fully integrated into the girls’ boarding school and the school classes. The school already has a number of facilities that enhance mobility, such as an elevator and accessible bathrooms. All new buildings and refurbishment projects are barrier-free, such as the renovation in 2014 of the guest house, which is also used by the boarding school students and for examinations.
People of Different Religions and Cultures
Christian and Muslim students learn together at Talitha Kumi; only the religion lessons are taught separately. However, even here the idea of togetherness is promoted through “encounter sessions” where students can find out more about the other religion. Jointly celebrating Palestinian and German festivals and cultural events similarly fosters an acceptance of difference and peaceful cooperation. Christian and Muslim students gather at the start of every school day for an assembly which is led not only by teachers but also by students, forming an integral component of school life.
Palestinians and Germans share the leadership of the school and other key roles evenly, ensuring a fair balance of interests. There is also an equal division of tasks among class teachers. All important school materials are printed and published in two languages.
First established in Jerusalem as a home for Arab girls in 1851, Talitha Kumi also has a long tradition as a girls’ school. Its introduction of communal lessons for girls and boys in 1980 was a pioneering move in Palestine, a place where even today it is not self-evident that girls and boys will learn together. We view promoting equal rights and opportunities for both sexes in an overwhelmingly patriarchal society as an ongoing task.
Students with Additional Needs
Quite a few of our students have considerable special educational needs. Some learn at a slower pace, while others experience difficulty learning their native language Arabic, or with reading and writing. This might be because they have grown up in a problematic environment (such as a refugee camp), or, as is frequently the case, as a result of trauma brought about by the Israeli occupation.
Providing individual support for students who come from backgrounds that are not conducive to learning is just as important to us as helping those with exceptional capabilities. For the former we offer extra classes in Arabic and math. Bright students can take the German International Abitur, and we also award scholarships and encourage those with particular talents to participate in competitions for schools.
One aspect of our inclusivity concept is social adjustment: children from poor families can apply for a reduction in school fees. This is particularly important for larger Palestinian families. Currently around 100 children are eligible for a reduction in school fees of up to 100 percent.
In March 2014 a working group called Working Inclusively was set up. The minutes of the working group document its activities and give a precise overview of the current progress in planning and implementing our inclusivity concept. Training sessions and workshops for our teachers and nursery staff enable them to understand inclusivity and integrate it into their everyday work in a sensitive manner.
Fall 2015 saw the launch of a project in cooperation with a German speech therapy training institution, whose students absolve internships at Talitha Kumi supervised by their own trainers. While at the school the trainers conduct skill enhancement sessions on inclusivity for our teachers. We also plan to set up a therapeutic learning room equipped with special materials and a therapeutic exercise room suitable for various levels of physical activity.
With its Community College, a vocational school for the hotel and restaurant industry, Talitha Kumi has succeeded in setting up a particularly inclusive educational form. At the college we can offer young people who did not achieve their high-school leaving certificate, or whose results were poor, an opportunity to gain vocational qualifications.
The Educational Centre of Talitha Kumi is located in Beit Jala close to Bethlehem. The school provides classes at all educational levels, from first grade to high school level. Our complex also includes a kindergarten, a vocational training centre preparing trainees for work in the hotel business, a boarding school for girls, as well as a big guest house. Ten kilometers south of Jerusalem, Talitha Kumi was built on a small hill and is surrounded by woods. The school gets its name from the Aramaic language and means „Get up, girl!“ (Mark 5:21-24). This word spoken by Jesus has been our mandate and commission ever since the school was founded in 1851. It is the oldest Protestant school on Palestinian territory. Our guiding principle is the message of peace as proclaimed in the Gospel. Girls and boys in Palestine grow up in a continually stressful environment full of tension and political conflict. Within this context, Talitha Kumi wants to provide a safe place for learning and development.
Talitha Kumi School
Via Israel
Talitha Kumi allgemein: info@talithakumi.org
Schulleitung: director@talithakumi.org
talithakumi.org ist die offizielle Webseite des Schulträgers von Talitha Kumi, des Berliner Missionswerks. Die offizielle Webseite der Schule hat die URL talithakumi.ps.
Remittee: Berliner Missionswerk
Evangelische Bank
Copyright © 2020 Berliner Missionswerk
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TalkCampus
2018 ® TalkLife
TalkLife Limited | 09104043 HQ | 1 Victoria Street, Bristol, BS1 6AA
What is TalkLife?
We understand Life can be incredibly tough. It can suck, it can feel lonely, and let’s admit it: that’s tough to say out loud. We all know that, and maybe, sometimes, we’ve just been made to feel a little afraid to say it. If you’re wondering how to deal with loneliness, TalkLife is here for you. We’re here for everyone and anyone who just needs someone to talk to. Who just needs someone to listen. Because, hey, we all do.
We build global peer support communities that offer safe and engaging places for people to get mental health support anytime and anywhere.
We started TalkLife in 2013 with the aim of making sure that no one need battle with their mental health alone. It’s not easy to reach out for help when you’re struggling and long waiting times, high costs and stigma make it harder still. We wanted to create a place for people to instantly see that they weren’t alone and connect with other like-minded people across the globe who could help them through both the ups and downs of life.
TalkLife is home to a global team of passionate clinicians, engineers, researchers and designers. Together we build intelligent peer support platforms that combine the power of machine learning with social connection. Together with researchers at Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Microsoft Research we have developed unique classifiers to better understand and predict self-harm. Our world first platforms use this machine learning and human in the loop computing to be able to offer users assistance and services, specific to their individual circumstances, in real time.
For Individuals TalkLife is the world’s largest global peer support network for mental health providing support for anyone battling with the ups and downs of life.
For Universities & Colleges Mental health support for your entire student body. TalkCampus is the leading global peer support network built specifically for student mental health with real-time instant escalation and integration with student services.
TalkLife and TalkCampus are mental health apps that offer a way to get instant support right now. Communities that are there when you need it and for as long as you need it; millions of other people just like you.
Anonymous, safe spaces where people feel able to share.
No waiting times, no stigma, no judgement. Just instant, ongoing support.
Based on peer support and social connection, both clinically evidenced to make a real difference to mental health.
Intuitive, familiar and engaging using the best elements of social networking.
Download via App Store or Google Play and access anytime, anywhere.
Clinically governed with world class real-time safeguarding and moderation
You’re never alone here. At TalkLife, we’re here for the moments when you just need a friend, no matter where they are. We’re here when you’re looking for someone who just understands you and what you’re going through (because someone always does). Sure, life is full of highs and lows. But it’s full of highs and lows for each and every one of us. So why do we always try to go it alone? At TalkLife, we’ve created a place where we can all work through life together. Because everything is better together. Everything. Peanut butter and jelly have proven this for like, at LEAST eight decades now.
So get on TalkLife and talk to people going through the exact same struggles you are – it’s peer support built around you. We know that sometimes it’s sort of hard to talk about certain things with family or even friends. This is a safe place where you can talk about anything: mental health, depression, self harm, eating disorders, a bad breakup or a relationship, school or work…it doesn’t matter. If you want to talk about it, someone else, does too. No judgments. No bullying. Just people who get you. Download TalkLife, the free online peer to peer support network today and make right now and everything after it a little bit better. Let’s talk and figure this life thing out together.
TalkLife Logo
TalkLife Web
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Govt. opposed to North-East merger - Peiris
[TamilNet, Friday, 08 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Prof. G.L. Peiris said "we do not support the complete merger of the north and eastern provinces. We have clearly stated in the draft proposal our view regarding this", speaking at the weekly press meeting yesterday.
"The UNP had said that they will submit their alternative proposals before May 18. We will discuss these with them when they submit them", Prof. Peiris said further.
"Proposals regarding land, devolution, the form of government, Police powers have not been put forward", said Prof. Peiris.
He also said that the UNP had said that they would submit their proposals within three months. Seven months have gone by. However we cannot force them to submit their proposals" he said.
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=1452
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bbc.com Go back Open original
BBC websites blocked in China
8 - 10 minutes
The BBC's web services are all currently blocked in China, following a decision by the corporation to change the website's format.
It has altered all of its addresses from beginning "HTTP" to "HTTPS", which is widely considered to be a more secure connection but is routinely blocked in China.
In a statement, the BBC recommended the use of either a virtual private network (VPN) or the Psiphon app.
Both of these can circumvent the block.
Why HTTPS?
In a recent blog post, James Donohue, principal software engineer in BBC News, explained why the website had made the transition and why BBC pages now had a green padlock next to the address on the top left hand side.
"In a climate of anxiety around fake news, it's vital that users are able to determine that articles have not been tampered with and that their browsing history is private to them," he wrote.
"HTTPS achieves both of these as it makes it far more difficult for ISPs [internet service providers] to track which articles and videos you're looking at or selectively suppress individual pieces of content.
"We've seen cases outside the UK, with some of our World Service sites where foreign governments have tried to do this."
VPNs in China
Media captionExplained: What is a VPN service?
Many people use VPNs in China despite government crackdowns and bans on unlicensed networks.
VPNs disguise the location of a device, meaning that it can access online content that may be banned in the region where it physically is.
The BBC said that its audience in China had not had official access to its online content for about a week.
"We regret this loss of service," said a representative.
"We continue to work with local service providers so that specific BBC content can be made directly available to our audience in China.
"The last time BBC services were blocked to this extent in China was in 2014 and we call on all parties to observe the UN Declaration of Human Rights, article 19."
Article 19 states that everybody has the right to freedom of opinion and expression and the right to receive and impart information.
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Predators fans mostly complimentary of PK Subban after he's traded to New Jersey
PK Subban was a polarizing figure in his three seasons in Nashville.
Predators fans mostly complimentary of PK Subban after he's traded to New Jersey PK Subban was a polarizing figure in his three seasons in Nashville. Check out this story on Tennessean.com: https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/nhl/predators/2019/06/22/pk-subban-trade-reaction-predators-fans-mostly-sad-see-subban-leave-nashville/1535625001/
Nicklaus Gray, Nashville Tennessean Published 12:48 p.m. CT June 22, 2019 | Updated 1:03 p.m. CT June 22, 2019
PK Subban during his Nashville Predators years
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) warms up before the divisional semifinal game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, April 13, 2019. George Walker IV / Tennessean.com
Dallas Stars left wing Roope Hintz (24) and Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) mix it up during the first period of the divisional semifinal game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, April 13, 2019. George Walker IV / Tennessean.com
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) scores on Dallas Stars goaltender Ben Bishop (30) during the third period of the divisional semifinal game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday, April 10, 2019. George Walker IV / Tennessean.com
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) celebrates his goal during the third period of the divisional semifinal game against the Dallas Stars at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday, April 10, 2019. Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com
Mar 5, 2019; Nashville, TN, USA; Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) talks with referee Wes McCauley (4) after he was tripped by McCauley on a play during the second period against the Minnesota Wild at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports Christopher Hanewinckel, Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODA
Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) passes the puck past Kings defenseman Drew Doughty (8) last he falls to the ice during the third period at Bridgestone Arena Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019 in Nashville, Tenn. George Walker IV / Tennessean.com
Detroit Red Wings center Luke Glendening (41) is defended by Nashville Predators' P.K. Subban (76) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. Mark Humphrey, AP
Jan 23, 2019; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) reacts with Vegas Golden Knights center Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (41) at the end of a play during the second period at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports Stephen R. Sylvanie, Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Nashville Predators defenceman P.K. Subban (76) celebrates his goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs as teammate Matt Irwin looks on during second-period NHL hockey game action in Toronto, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. Nathan Denette, AP
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) congratulates goaltender Juuse Saros (74) after the Predators defeated the New York Islanders 5-2 in an NHL hockey game Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. Mark Humphrey, / AP
Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) attacks the goal past Oilers left wing Jujhar Khaira (16) during the first period at Bridgestone Arena Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. George Walker IV / The Tennessean
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) poses for a photo with a fan on the Gold Walk before the home opener at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018. George Walker IV / The Tennessean
Nashville Predators' P.K. Subban (76) celebrates with Mattias Ekholm (14) after scoring a goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers on Thursday, Oct. 4, 2018, in New York. The Predators won 3-2. Frank Franklin II / AP
P.K. Subban eyes the champagne level in his cocktails during the Nashville Food & Wine Festival Friday Throwdown between Predators and Titans. Autumn Allison
P.K. Subban and Lindsey Vonn on the cover of Sports Illustrated. @SINow
P. K. Subban and Lindsey Vonn on the red carpet at the 2018 CMT Awards Wednesday, June 6, 2018, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. George Walker IV / tennessean.com
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) and Winnipeg Jets center Mathieu Perreault (85) battle along the boards during the second period of Game 7 of the second round NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bridgestone Arena, Thursday, May 10, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. George Walker IV / Tennessean.com
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) loses his balance in front of the team's goal during the first period of Game 7 of the second round NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bridgestone Arena, Thursday, May 10, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. George Walker IV / Tennessean.com
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) is checked into the boards by Winnipeg Jets left wing Nikolaj Ehlers (27) in the second period in game six of the second round of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell MTS Centre. Terrence Lee / USA TODAY Sports
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) celebrates his goal with left wing Filip Forsberg (9) during the second period of Game 4 in the second round NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Series at Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Thursday, May 3, 2018. Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) questions linesman Michel Cormier (76) why he was called for a penalty against the Winnipeg Jets during the third period of Game 3 in the second-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Tuesday, May 1, 2018. Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com
Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) and Jets center Mark Scheifele (55) tussle along the boards during the second period in Game 2 of the second round NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bridgestone Arena Sunday, April 29, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. George Walker IV / Tennessean.com
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban is greeted by fans as the team arrives Monday, April 23, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn., after defeating the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. Mark Zaleski/For the Tennessean
Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog (92) and Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) tussle on the ice during the second period of game 6 in the first round NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Pepsi Center, Sunday, April 22, 2018, in Denver, Colo. Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) battles Colorado Avalanche center Carl Soderberg (34) along the boards during the second period of game 4 in the first round NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Pepsi Center, Wednesday, April 18, 2018, in Denver, Colo. Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) tussles with Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) and left wing Gabriel Landeskog (92) during the second period of game 3 of the first round NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Pepsi Center, Monday, April 16, 2018, in Denver, Colo. Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com
Mar 16, 2018: Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) calls out in the second period against the Colorado Avalanche at the Pepsi Center. Ron Chenoy / USA TODAY Sports
Referees work to separate Jets left wing Nikolaj Ehlers (27) and Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) as they fight on the ice during the third period at Bridgestone Arena Tuesday, March 13, 2018 in Nashville, Tenn. George Walker IV / Tennessean.com
Detroit Red Wings left wing Tyler Bertuzzi (59) hitsNashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) in the second period at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018. Lacy Atkins, Lacy Atkins / The Tennessean
Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) and Flames center Mikael Backlund (11) get into a scuffle during the second period at Bridgestone Arena Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018 in Nashville, Tenn. George Walker IV / Tennessean.com
Predators left wing Filip Forsberg (9) is congratulated by defenseman P.K. Subban (76) after Forsberg scored on a penalty shot during an overtime period to win over the Blues 4 to 3 at Bridgestone Arena Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018 in Nashville, Tenn. George Walker IV / Tennessean.com
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) reacts after scoring in the second period at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018. Lacy Atkins / The Tennessean
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) collides with Arizona Coyotes center Christian Dvorak (18) during the second period at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018. Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) shoots the puck against the Vegas Golden Knights on Jan. 2, 2018. Kirby Lee / USA TODAY Sports
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) celebrates is third period score as the Nashville Predators play the Minnesota Wild at Bridgestone Arena Saturday Dec. 30, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn Larry McCormack / The Tennessean
Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba (24) jumps over Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) during the first period at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Dec. 30, 2017. Josie Norris / Tennessean.com
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban signs a shirt for Hunters Lane High School student Brendon King, 15, during a Blueline Buddies dinner at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017. Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) falls on Colorado Avalanche right wing Nail Yakupov (64), of Russia, during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn. Mark Zaleski / AP
Cade Ellenburg walks with P.K. Subban during the Predators' Gold Walk on Lower Broadway Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017 in Nashville, Tenn. . George Walker IV / The Tennessean
PK Subban signs Patti McIntyre's cast Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017, at an event for season ticket holders at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. George Walker IV / The Tennessean
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) is slow to get up after mixing it up with the Penguins during the first period of game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final at Bridgestone Arena Sunday, June 11, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn. Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com
Penguins beat Predators, 6-0 Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby and Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban mix it up on a play in the first period of Game 5 on June 8 in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) and Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) mix it up on a play they both got penalties during the first period of game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final at PPG Paints Arena Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Pittsburgh, Pa. George Walker IV / Tennessean.co
Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) and Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) mix it up on a play they both got penalties during the first period of game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final at PPG Paints Arena Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Pittsburgh, Pa. George Walker IV / Tennessean.co
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) fights with Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (71) during the third period of game 2 in the Stanley Cup Final at PPG Paints Arena Wednesday, May 31, 2017, in Pittsburgh, Pa. George Walker IV / Tennessean.com
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) and Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (71) collide during the second period of game 2 in the Stanley Cup Final at PPG Paints Arena Wednesday, May 31, 2017, in Pittsburgh, Pa. Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) is checked out by a trainer during the first period of game 2 in the Stanley Cup Final at PPG Paints Arena Wednesday, May 31, 2017, in Pittsburgh, Pa. George Walker IV / Tennessean.com
Fans cheer as P.K. Subban arrives at the Nashville International Airport in Nashville , Tenn., Saturday, May 27, 2017. Josie Norris, Josie Norris / The Tennessean
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) breaks his stick during the second period of game 6 of the Western Conference finals at Bridgestone Arena Monday, May 22, 2017 in Nashville, Tenn. George Walker IV / The Tennessean
Anaheim Ducks center Rickard Rakell (67) sends Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) flying during the third period of game 2 of the Western Conference finals at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., Sunday, May 14, 2017. Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com
Fans reach out to Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) as he leaves the ice before game 2 of the Western Conference finals at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., Sunday, May 14, 2017. Robert Hanashiro / USA TODAYNashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76)
Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) and his teammates shake hands after beating the Blues in the second round Sunday, May 7, 2017. George Walker IV / The Tennessean
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) is held down by St. Louis Blues right wing Vladimir Tarasenko (91) during the second period in game 6 of the second round NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bridgestone Arena Sunday, May 7, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn. George Walker IV / The Tennessean
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) and St. Louis Blues left wing Magnus Paajarvi (56) battle for the puck along the boards during the second period in game 4 of the second round NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bridgestone Arena Tuesday, May 2, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn. George Walker IV / The Tennessean
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) and St. Louis Blues left wing Jaden Schwartz (17) battle during the second period in game 4 of the second round NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bridgestone Arena Tuesday, May 2, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn. George Walker IV / The Tennessean
Fan Robert Poteete shakes hands with Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) as the team enters the ice before the start of game 2 of the second round NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Scottrade Center Friday, April 28, 2017, in St. Louis, Mo. George Walker IV / The Tennessean
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) handles the puck defended by Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson (4) and defenseman Duncan Keith (2) in the first period of game two in the first-round NHL playoff series at the United Center, Saturday, April 15, 2017, in Chicago, Ill. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean
Boston's Noel Acciari (55) and Nashville's P.K. Subban (76) battle for the puck during the second period on March 28, 2017. Michael Dwyer, AP
Nashville right wing Viktor Arvidsson (38) celebrates with defenseman P.K. Subban (76) after scoring the game-winning goal in overtime against Washington on March 16, 2017. Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Nashville Predators' P.K. Subban salutes fans of his former team prior to facing the Montreal Canadiens in an NHL hockey game, Thursday, March 2, 2017 in Montreal. Paul Chiasson, AP
Nashville Predators' P.K. Subban signs a split jersey, worn by Pierre-Luc Cantin, showing his present and former team, the Nashville Predators and Montreal Canadiens, during a ceremony March 1, 2017 in Montreal. Subban received the Governor General Meritorious Service Decoration. Paul Chiasson / The Canadian Pre
Nashville Predators right wing Craig Smith, left, celebrates scoring a goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets with teammate defenseman P.K. Subban during a game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Jan. 26, 2017. Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com
Nov 17, 2016; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) is tripped by Ottawa Senators left wing Matt Puempel (26) in the second period at the Canadian Tire Centre. Marc DesRosiers / USA TODAY Sports
Blues right wing Vladimir Tarasenko (91) and Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) mix it up in the second period as the Predators play against the St. Louis Blues Thursday Nov. 10, 2016, in Nashville, Tenn. Larry McCormack / tennessean.com
Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog collides with Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban during the second period on Nov. 1, 2016. David Zalubowski, AP
The Predators' P.K. Subban hypes up the crowd at the Titans game on Oct. 23, 2016. Jason Wolf / The Tennessean
Predators defenseman P.K. Subban watches the Titans' pregame before the game against the Colts at Nissan Stadium Sunday, Oct. 23, 2016, in Nashville, Tenn. George Walker IV / The Tennessean
Oct 21, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Red Wings left wing Justin Abdelkader (8) grabs Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) during the third period at Joe Louis Arena. Detroit won 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports Rick Osentoski, Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) was player of the game in his first regular season game as a Predator at Bridgestone Arena Friday, Oct. 14, 2016, in Nashville, Tenn. George Walker IV / The Tennessean
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) celebrates his first goal as a Predator in the home opener against the Blackhawks at Bridgestone Arena Friday, Oct. 14, 2016, in Nashville, Tenn. George Walker IV / The Tennessean
Predators celebrate with Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) after his first goal against the Blackhawks at Bridgestone Arena Friday, Oct. 14, 2016, in Nashville, Tenn. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) heads onto the ice for warmups before the home opener against the Blackhawks at Bridgestone Arena Friday, Oct. 14, 2016, in Nashville, Tenn. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean
Cari Wilson, left, takes a selfie with Predators defenseman P.K. Subban, middle, and Doug Trovinger, right, Oct. 14, 2016. Ariana Sawyer / The Tennessean
P.K. Subban plays wheelchair basketball with ABLE Youth athletes at Lighthouse Christian School, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2016, in Antioch, Tenn. As part of the Predators' community service day, P.K. Subban and Mike Ribeiro played wheelchair basketball with ABLE Youth athletes. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean
P.K. Subban plays wheelchair basketball with ABLE Youth athletes including Joseph Martin, left, 8, and Zion Redington, right, 10, at Lighthouse Christian School, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2016, in Antioch, Tenn. As part of the Predators' community service day, P.K. Subban and Mike Ribeiro played wheelchair basketball with ABLE Youth athletes. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean
New Predator defenseman P.K. Subban poses for pictures in Bridgestone Arena July 18, 2016 in Nashville, Tenn. Samuel M. Simpkins/ The Tennesse
New Predators defenseman P.K. Subban arrived in Nashville Sunday, July 17, and will be introduced at Bridgestone Arena on Monday. Nashville Predators
The defenseman's persona is "probably the biggest" that the Predators have ever had, GM David Poile says. Mark Humphrey / AP
PK Subban was a polarizing figure among the Predators fan base in his three seasons in Nashville.
Subban's overall production made him beloved by some fans (remember, Subban was third in the Norris Trophy voting as the top defenseman of the year in 2017-18). Others were not a fan of Subban's inconsistent play through some points of his time with the Predators along with his high salary (of more than $9 million) at age 30.
But when Subban was traded in a virtual cap dump for two young defensemen and two second-round picks Saturday, the reaction was mostly of disappointment in seeing the defenseman shipped off.
The Predators made the trade to clear up money to go after a top forward in free agency, GM David Poile said in a team release.
Still, most were sad to see Subban, who may have been the brightest star in the history of Nashville professional sports, shipped off to New Jersey.
pic.twitter.com/OGV0y2d7GB
— Tyler Thompson (@MrsTylerKSR) June 22, 2019
I’m not a sports exec but I’m a serious sports fan and a diehard Tennessean so my opinion on matters like this should rank right under the level of facts so here’s a Factoid for everyone - Trading PK was not a good decision.
— Ashlee Davis (@DavisAJ007) June 22, 2019
I genuinely do not get the outrage in trading a guy who has regressed and is taking up the most salary on the team. He’s flashy and was a great ambassador, but this is about winning and sustaining that success. Good move imo.
— Caring (@FeelsLike98) June 22, 2019
Heaven forbid a Nashville pro team has a superstar. Can’t have that.
— Wes Williamson (@wesw32) June 22, 2019
pic.twitter.com/Z2zvz4JZnv
— Casey Wayne (@CaseyWayne22) June 22, 2019
Damn. Thank you @PKSubban1, Nashville loved every second of the show.
— Steven Godfrey (@38Godfrey) June 22, 2019
No way around that. It’s a straight salary dump, but Subban brought so much charisma and visibility to the Preds. I cannot find a way to like this.
— Robby Aces (@RobbyAces) June 22, 2019
Subban should get absolutely nothing but love from Preds fans, was a class act here and a great player.
— Buff Totoro (@Deimos75) June 22, 2019
Estes: If Titans can do this to Ravens, they can do it to anybody
Titans 28, Ravens 12: Five observations as Tennessee advances to AFC title game
Titans report card: A++ for Vrabel
Social reaction: Titans' road win over Ravens has Twitter abuzz
Ravens safety stiff-armed, turned around by Henry on long run
Titans' Sharpe trolls Ravens at postgame press conference
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New Jersey’s Overkill have been blasting fast and loud for more than 30 years. The thrash pioneers released their 16th studio album, The Electric Age, last year, and are showing no signs of mellowing with age. When you buy an Overkill album, you know exactly what you’re getting: full-on thrash with class. But even better is the live experience. Currently on tour as part of the Dark Roots Of Thrash package with Testament, Flotsam And Jetsam and 4ARM, they invade New York City once again on Valentine’s Day. We caught up with Overkill mainman Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth on his tour bus way out west to discuss The Electric Age, Dark Roots Of Thrash tour, and more. The transcription is below:
Hello, Blitz. How’s the tour going?
We’re in Tempe, AZ. Third night of the tour. Things are going quite well. It’s nice to get out of the cold Northeast during February.
Even though Overkill and Testament were on Megaforce Records together in the ‘80s, you hadn’t played a lot of shows together, right?
I just had this conversation with Chuck [Billy, vocalist] from Testament. We only did a short run back in ‘87 where both bands hooked up for about a week. We’ve never been on any of the same shows since that time, not even festivals.
The tour hits NYC on Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day, which is interesting because you and your wife own a shop called Chocolaterie (chocolaterie-nj.com). Was that intentional so you can try and cash in?
(Laughs) I always gotta plug it. I think I’m going to give some chocolates away through WDHA with tickets on the metal show there and I think Eddie Trunk is going to give away a few boxes, too. But yes, I do import chocolates with my wife. We’re located up in Nyack, NY. I got involved in this through my wife’s interest for it, she’s a European girl. Things have changed. It’s no longer Hershey’s for me.
The production on The Electric Age is brutally heavy. Who’s responsible for it?
It’s produced by the band. We do all of our work since 2004 down at [bassist] D.D. Verni’s studio. He’s down in the Red Bank area. When the studio’s in the family, the clock is not running. We can come in with ideas anytime we want. One of the things I’m most proud about with this record is its production. I think it’s a record that sounds loud at three.
Did anyone in the band have problems due to Hurricane Sandy?
D.D.’s a half-mile from the beach. His town was pretty devastated. He’s on the west side of Route 35. He’s okay, his town wasn’t. Derek [Tailer, guitarist] is down in Neptune. He’s okay, but his town wasn’t. I’m up in northwest NJ, and the extent of our damage was power outages. My area was out for about 10 days. I was only out for two but had a lot of fallen trees.
Getting back to the recording of your latest album, I read that you did tracking in between tours. Do you think that’s reason it’s so heavy and live sounding?
I think so. We’d get the drums finished, then shoot over to Europe and do three shows. Then you come back and you’re adding guitars. Your last experience prior to recording has been on the stage. You can’t feign that type of energy. I think that when we do live shows in between tracking that it really seems to translate over to tape.
You and D.D. write most of the material?
It starts with D.D. and ends with me.
You seem to be selling more concert tickets now and to younger fans of the new thrash bands.
Yeah, no doubt. We’re selling more tickets because we’re incorporating younger people into this. On a tour like this, you get to see what was then and what is now at the same time. I think that’s where that interest comes from and therefore, selling more tickets. It’s cool. Plus it’s a great kick in the ass to the older guys. It works out to our advantage for motivation.
The first time I saw Overkill at L’Amour in Brooklyn in 1984, you definitely raised the bar on what I expected from bands on stage, especially in terms of volume.
We are an aptly named band. There’s always been a high quality of presentation. We were like the house band at L’Amour. We’d bring in all of our production and, let’s say, more power than was necessary. It was great to start with excess, not work our way up to it.
One of the loudest things I’ve ever experienced was an explosion you guys let off on stage that was just terrifying.
It scared the shit out of us, too. I remember this explosion. We had a guy working for us who loved doing “the bombs.” He had done it before in other places but this time he over packed it with gunpowder. If I remember correctly, it took a few minutes to get the P.A. back on because it was just so loud that it blanked out all the mics.
Younger bands today can’t afford triple stacks and explosions like that.
You’re not kidding. Things have changed. We were kids back then. Kids playing with gunpowder.
How’s your hearing?
What? (Laughs) As loud as this band has always been, it’s much louder out front. I have some low and high-end loss, but the amount of shows I’ve done is in excess of 5,000. I should be deaf but I’m not and I suppose that’s because of where I’ve stood on the stage all these years, with the drums at my back and away from the audible death zone. I think I have more damage overall from individual shows I’ve attended out in front. Before we got into a band, we were fans of this. I would never go to a show and stand on the side of the stage and watch it. I wanted to see Motörhead from the front of the stage, or Metallica or Armored Saint. I think that’s where my hearing loss comes from, being a fan.
Most venues today have decibel limits.
Depends where. It varies from state to state and country to country. When we go to Switzerland, I think it can only go to 102 dB at the board, and that’s low. That’s not a lot at all.
Overkill recently played its first metal cruise. How was that? Do you have plans to do more of those?
It was about a year ago. It was one of those situations that I was never attracted to; I never wanted to do a cruise. But once you got out there, how can you not get with it? I remember getting to my room and looking at the schedule of bands playing—Exciter, Venom. I really enjoyed it. The only downside is that it’s so vacation like, and I like a little bit of tension before a show. I like to have that nervous energy. You don’t get that sitting in the sun and drinking Foster’s.
So it’s a bit more civilized than a German metal fest in the summertime?
Yup. Very different. You know what the cool thing about it is? It was very social. You’re hanging out with people that paid to be on the cruise. Some bands lock themselves away but that’s never been our ride. We’ve always been Jersey guys; “Hey, how ya doin’?” Shaking hands, hanging out. It was a blast. I really had a good time.
I was re-watching the Get Thrashed documentary that you’re in while getting ready for this interview. Recently there’s been a lot of books documenting the origins of this kind of metal. How do you feel about that?
It’s really cool that there’s interest at such a high level. There’s still value in this music in 2013. Again, younger people are being incorporated into it. They have an interest not only in the music but to know what it was like to be on the streets. And to know how it was like to promote yourself pre-internet. I mean, we’re talking about taking out ads in The Aquarian for our own shows.
Venom came to New York [in April 1983] and we had a gig somewhere the following week on Staten Island. We were dying to see Venom but we worked for two hours before the show putting fliers under all the windshield wipers around The Paramount Theatre. That was the way you did it.
Speaking of explosions, didn’t Venom blow a hole in the stage of The Paramount at that show from their pyro?
Right in the first song. They had to stop the show, go back off, then come out again.
Overkill played a few years ago in NYC with Accept. What was it like seeing Mark Tornillo of TT Quick singing with them?
We’d done shows prior to that with Accept, but not in the U.S. We were in Europe and they were on some of the same festivals. When he came walking out of the dressing room, he went, “Blitz, what’s going on?” I went over and put my arm around him and said, “Nothing makes me prouder than a Jersey guy in a band I always loved.” I love Mark’s voice. He fits that band perfectly.
Have you ever thought of collaborating with another band or artist?
That’s a good question. I never really thought of that. Motörhead would be great to do it with, or at least Lemmy. I had an opportunity in 2007 to do a duet with him in Berlin. That was mind-blowing for me. I was so nervous before I got out there. He asked me to sing the song “Overkill” with them. I wrote the first word of each verse on my forearm so I wouldn’t screw up. I knew if I got the first word I’d be fine. I was nervous but I had actually performed the song a ton of times, so it wasn’t like a big issue. I looked down at my forearm as the song started and the first words out of his mouth are, as loud as it was up there, right in my ear, “Cheat notes.” It was really a great experience. He’d have to be the one because I love his whole rock ‘n’ roll vibe. So let’s say Motörhead and Lemmy. I would love to do that.
Overkill will play at The Trocadero, in Philly, on Feb. 13, NYC’s Best Buy Theater on Feb. 14, and The Paramount, in Huntington, NY, on Feb. 15. For more information, go to wreckingcrew.com.
bobby blitz ellsworthchris macdermottmotorheadoverkillthe electric age
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OVERKILL Frontman: 'We Are An Aptly Named Band' • Metal4ALL.com February 14, 2013
[…] MacDermott of The Aquarian Weekly recently conducted an interview with vocalist Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth of New Jersey […]
OVERKILL Frontman: 'We Are An Aptly Named Band' February 14, 2013
gg February 14, 2013
Electric age is a great record. Jesus Lords-drummer THE KRUDDZ
OVERKILL Frontman: ‘We Are An Aptly Named Band’ « Rss « May 20, 2013
[…] Named Band’ Posted on February 14, 2013 at 01:45 by MetalMaster Chris MacDermott of The Aquarian Weekly recently conducted an talk with vocalist Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth of New Jersey trounce […]
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EMILY TANNER-McLEAN
Emily Tanner-McLean (b. 1983) is an artist whose work explores the transformative potential of liminal, discordant spaces. Her practice encompasses video art and immersive installations that examine the interconnectivity of seeming paradoxes: beauty and terror, natural and manmade, creation and destruction. A child of the MTV generation, Emily came of age at a time when media’s grip on culture and politics exponentially tightened, spurring her interest in media’s generative capacity to promote new, conscious-building ways of thinking. For many years, Emily worked on park development projects in New York and Seattle where she developed her interest in the varied and often contradictory ways people perceive landscapes, a subject which greatly informs her artwork. Emily received a Bachelor’s degree in Studio Art (2005) and a Master’s in Public Administration (2013) from New York University.
New York University, Bachelor of Studio Arts, 2005
New York University, Master of Public Administration, 2013
For Those Who Have Seen the Elephant, May 2020, Inscape Arts and Cultural Center, Seattle WA
Rose/rose/rose/rose, January 18 - February 16, 2020, The Vestibule, Seattle
Follow Me Through Four Levels, November 2018, goCstudio, Seattle WA
Tree, a group exhibition curated by studio e gallery, June 2019, Vashon Center for the Arts, Vashon WA
Lungs/Limbs, January - February 2019, The Vatican at studio e gallery, Seattle WA
Peace By Piece, August 2005, Old Bank of Japan at Hiroshima Branch, Hiroshima, Japan
Peace By Piece, May 2005, Desbrosses Gallery, New York NY
Centrum Foundation Artist-in-Resident, Fall 2019, Fort Worden, Port Townsend WA
Inscape Artist-in-Resident, February - May 2020, Inscape Arts and Cultural Center, Seattle, WA
NYU Alumni Representative and Visiting Artist at the 60th Anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan, August 2005
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Tearfund Ireland’s history is steeped in a movement of Evangelical Christians in the UK and Ireland who had a conviction of faith to respond to the millions of people suffering across the world due to extreme poverty, injustice, natural disasters and suffering in the late 1960s. The media coverage of the Biafra famine in the late-1960s impressed upon Christians living in the United Kingdom and Ireland the need to support the Evangelical Alliance in sending funds to those faced with desperate poverty and suffering. The Evangelical Alliance Relief Fund had emerged in 1968, with members convicted and determined to merge Christian compassion with practical action, birthing the organisation, Tearfund.
In 2000, The Evangelical Alliance in Ireland, Irish supporters and volunteers, Tearfund and other Christian networks brought Tearfund to a new era in Ireland and Tearfund Ireland was established as a separate organisation. Overseen by a Board of Directors, Tearfund Ireland became operational in 2008.
Since then, Tearfund Ireland has grown from strength to strength and has sought to develop its own distinctiveness, strategic priorities, programme experience and expertise in the field to complement and add value.
Tearfund Ireland continues to work closely with Tearfund in the UK through implementing joint programmes overseas, sharing resources, shared learning, expertise and experience.
Decades of Devotion
Sheila MacDougald of Grosvenor Road Baptist Church Dublin, is a ‘stalwart supporter’ of Tearfund Ireland and was tireless in communicating its vision across Irish churches for nearly 50 years. Sheila served on the board of Tearfund UK and spoke at churches around the Republic from Dundalk to Cork and from Sligo to Wexford in her trusty black Morris Minor.
Sheila was part of Tearfund Ireland launching as an Irish, independent charity in 2008 and served as a Director for the first years to ensure a smooth transition and strong presence as an Irish-run organisation.
Sheila says it has always been a privilege to serve Tearfund.
"Tearfund has made my life: I have gotten back much more than I ever gave."
Sheila MacDougald
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« Believing Spin From the Critics
The Mac-with-Touchscreen Argument Revisited »
Newsletter Issue #912: The 4K TV Revolution: Full Stop!
You may not recall this, but HDTV was actually demonstrated in the U.S. in the late 1980s. After the standard became official, it took a while for broadcast stations to begin to adopt the technology. The first was WRAL-TV, a CBS affiliate in Raleigh, North Carolina, which began transmitting digital HD on July 23, 1996. But it took until November, 1998 for HDTV sets to go on sale.
It must have seemed strange for a TV station to be offering a technology that benefited nobody, except manufacturers and professionals, for 28 months. Over the next decade, TV sets offering 720p and, later, 1080i and 1080p resolution, blanketed the country. They got cheaper and cheaper until you could buy a decent set with a huge flat screen for only a few hundred dollars. But the original HD sets were CRT and they were very expensive.
Once HDTV was ever-present in people’s homes, and many people had more than one set with high-definition capability, manufacturers had to find ways to persuade you to buy new sets. But a well-designed TV can easily survive for eight or 10 years before requiring major repairs, meaning a long replacement cycle. A standard definition CRT set that I bought around 1994 lasted 20 years before it was put out to pasture.
<a href="https://www.technightowl.com/2017/05/newsletter-issue-912-the-4k-tv-revolution-full-stop/" >Newsletter Issue #912: The 4K TV Revolution: Full Stop!</a>
Newsletter Issue #841: Ultra HD TV: The Future is Still the… This weekend, while doing the family grocery shopping at a nearby Walmart Supercenter, I happened to notice racks and racks of Ultra HD/4K TV sets. A…
Newsletter Issue #887: Are You Ready for 4K TV? After fits and starts, it is starting to appear as if the long-awaited 4K TV revolution may be coming to pass, to the delight of TV…
The Death of the TV Antenna and Tuner? While reading over recent press releases from Vizio about new versions of their Ultra HD HDR Home Theater Displays, I caught something, a significant fact that…
4K TV — Do We Care? After high definition TV took over, and most everyone who cared bought new sets, what could the TV makers due for an encore? If you think…
Newsletter Issue #810: The Possibilities of 4K and Cord… It’s fair to say that the TV makers are confronting a dilemma. Picture quality continues to improve, and prices for standard sets with 1080p screen resolutions…
This article was posted on Monday, May 22nd, 2017 at 12:00 AM and is filed under News and tagged with: 1080i, 1080p, 4K, 720p, CRT, digital HD, Hd, HDTV, WRAL-TV.
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Google gets into 'data privacy' hot water
By Dan Grabham 2007-10-03T23:00:00.275Z
DoubleClick buy could mean 'violation of data privacy'
Google's purchase of DoubleClick could land it in hot water
Google's proposed purchase of online ad giant DoubleClick would lead to "a massive violation of data privacy rights", says a German data protection expert.
As reported by web legal experts Out-law.com, the Data Protection Commissioner of the German state of Shleswig-Holstein Thilo Weichert has sent his views to Europe's Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes saying that the $3.1 billion merger would result in the "fundamental provisions of the European Data Protection Directive [being] violated."
Weichert's views rely on the assumption "that in the event of a takeover of DoubleClick the databases of that company will be integrated into those of Google" he said.
"Such an approach contradicts fundamental data privacy principles of the European Union: limited specific use, transparency, the right to object, the protection of sensitive data and the right to having data deleted," he wrote in the letter.
Kroes is the Commissioner that has also been involved in high-profile spats with Microsoft and Intel. This latest problem for Google is the latest in a long line of issues being flagged up as the biggest provider of search aims to take over the leading web advertising agency.
According to Out-law.com, Google appeared before a US Senate hearing last week "to argue that the deal would not create an internet advertising monopoly."
India vs Australia live stream: how to watch ODI cricket series 2020 from anywhere
Can we stop with these non-gaming gaming laptops?
The Witcher on Netflix now has an interactive map, and it's amazing
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Home News India
Government demolishes Kerala skyscrapers over environmental violations
Authorities in southern Indian state of Kerala have demolished two luxury lakeside apartment complexes that were built in violation of environmental rules.
Residents of the high-rises in the state of Kerala watched as their homes and investments imploded in seconds. The Supreme Court ordered the demolition last year, after a committee found that they were built in breach of rules protecting coastal areas.
Two more skyscrapers were set to be razed on Sunday.
In total, some 343 flats – home to about 2,000 people – were expected to be destroyed over the weekend in what has been described as one of India’s largest demolition drives involving residential buildings.
The H2O Holy Faith complex, containing 90 flats, was the first to be brought down on Saturday. It took just seconds for the 19-floor building to be destroyed in a controlled implosion.
The twin towers of Alfa Serene were next.
Resident Shamshudeen Karunagapally said his wife and children could not watch the buildings go down as it was “too painful for them to see their dreams shatter before their eyes”. “We are suffering without any fault,” he told AFP news agency.
The Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority (KCZMA), which was created to prevent degradation of coastal and marine areas, says permission for the buildings to be constructed was given by local officials without its approval.
The KCZMA said the location of the apartment complexes, in the municipality of Maradu, was a critically vulnerable area where no new construction was allowed.
After they were built, bankers, executives and affluent retirees were among those who bought up the luxury apartments. One bank executive told the BBC last year that he had spent what would now amount to $70,000 (£55,000) to purchase a 2,140 sq ft (198 sq m) flat in Alfa Serene in 2006.
One of his neighbours sold his apartment last year for $176,000, he said.
But in May, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of KCZMA and ordered the demolition of the buildings, although officials had never sought it.
The court said builders were in breach of construction rules and called illegal construction in the area a “colossal loss” to the environment.
It also referred to the devastating floods in Kerala in 2018 and said they were the result of “the entire environment being degraded and coastal zones being illegally occupied”.
Following the top court ruling, some residents initially refused to leave. But officials cut water and electricity supplies to the buildings, leaving them with no choice but to go.
The state government has been ordered to pay “interim compensation” of about $35,000 (£27,000) to affected residents, according to local media reports.
Source:BBC
Two sports personnel to be prosecuted in Kuwait
WhatsApp not working due to a major outage
No salary hike for armed forces, security personnel
Postal crisis continues as mail piles up
DWC celebrates Africa Day
Sadu House keen on introducing traditional weaving art to world
India urging Iran to release Indians held on seized British tanker
India suffers hottest decade on record
Indian students in Kuwait warned about unauthorized colleges
India tops remittances in 2018 with $79 billion inflow
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https://www.trumbulltimes.com/news/community/article/Columbus-Day-Parade-festivities-kick-off-13930634.php
Columbus Day Parade festivities kick off
Published 10:39 am EDT, Monday, October 2, 2017
The 109th Columbus Day Parade, a Street Festa and two free Marine Band Concerts will highlight three days of celebrating the Italian culture and heritage beginning Sunday, Oct. 8.
The parade kicks off at 1 p.m. on Sunday in Bridgeport’s North End, starting at the corner of Wayne Street and Jewett Avenue and proceeding south on Wayne Street to Madison Avenue, finishing at Micalizzi’s Italian Ices and Ice Cream Shop. Richard Iannucci, this year’s parade chairman helped to organize more than 75 units that comprise the Parade roster.
The parade includes the Quantico Marine Corps Band, the Pyramid Shriner Clowns, the Chester Fife and Drum, the Fairfield Gaelic Pipes and Drums, an Italian marching band direct from Brooklyn, New York, an Italian dance troupe, more than six floats, including a replica of the Santa Maria with Christopher Columbus at the helm. The 2nd Company Governor’s Horse Guard, the Shelton Combined High School and Intermediate Bands and Guard as well as the Shriners driving the Parade route in their miniature motorcycles and cars.
Shelton Mayor Mark A. Lauretti, this year’s Grand Marshal pointed out that the parade continues to grow each year. “We owe a great deal to Rich Iannucci and his team who put a lot of effort into bringing the Parade together,” Lauretti said.
From 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m. on the day of the Parade, at Micalizzi’s Italian Ices and Ice Cream Shop, 712 Madison Avenue (at end of the Parade), the Columbus Street Festa will take place featuring music, Italian food and treats, activities for children such as face painting, walk around magicians, jugglers and more.“We have a great Festa in store for the entire family —including a cannoli eating contest. So join us for lots of fun,” Jay Piccirillo, Festa Chairman said.
For the 28th year, the Columbus Day festivities will feature two Free Marine Band Concerts. This year, the Quantico Marine Corps Band will perform on Friday, Oct. 6, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m., at the Klein Memorial Auditorium, Bridgeport. There is free parking at the Klein. The concerts are free, but due to limited seating tickets are required. Tickets are available at Lupe’s Drug Store, 3129 Main Street, Bridgeport, 203-374-0600. Concert goers are asked to bring nonperishable items to the Klein (night of the concerts) for distribution to veterans in need from the greater Bridgeport community.
“We’re very excited about coming back to Bridgeport this year,” MSGT David J. Wilson, the Band Master said. “We enjoy bringing the Band on tour to take part in Bridgeport’s Columbus Day Celebration. The citizens are fantastic and we always play to a packed auditorium. The Klein is such a unique venue — a very special opportunity for the Band and Concert goers alike.”
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Current Affairs March 2019 - International
1 - India & Bolivia Sign 8 MoUs In Various Fields Including Culture, Mining, Space
President Ram Nath Kovind has been conferred with the highest State honor of Bolivia, “Condor de Los Andes en el Grado de Gran Collar” during his visit to Bolivia. President of Bolivia Evo Morales awarded him the Honour at a function held in Santa Cruz.
On the second day of President’s three-day visit to Bolivia, India and Bolivia signed eight MoUs in the fields of culture, Visa waiver arrangement for diplomats, exchange between diplomatic academies, mining, space, traditional medicine, establishment of Centre of Excellence in IT and Bi-Oceanic Railway project.
Bolivia’s capital city is Sucre. Its currency is Bolivian boliviano.
2 - World’s Largest E-waste Recycling Hub Opened at The Dubai Industrial Park
The world’s largest e-waste recycling plant has been opened in Dubai Industrial Park, Dubai by ‘Enviroserve’ company with a total cost of $5 million. It will recycle Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), IT asset disposition (ITAD), refrigerant gas and specialized waste.
The processing capacity of this recycling hub is 100,000 tonnes of total integrated waste (per year), of which 39,000 tonnes is e-waste. The project is supported by the Swiss Government Export Finance Agency.
3 - New Zealand Bans Assault Weapons
New Zealand has imposed an immediate ban on assault weapons following the Christchurch massacre that claimed the lives of 50 mosque-goers.
Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern announced assault rifles and military-style semi-automatic weapons would be banned with immediate effect, making a pledge to ensure that nothing like Christchurch massacre ever occurs in the Pacific nation again.
The capital city of New Zealand is Wellington and its Currency is New Zealand dollar.
4 - First Ever High-Level Dialogue on Indo-Pacific Cooperation (HLD-IPC) Held in Jakarta
The Government of Indonesia has hosted the first ever High-Level Dialogue on Indo-Pacific Cooperation (HLD-IPC) in its capital city Jakarta.
The theme of the HLD was 'Towards a Peaceful, Prosperous, and Inclusive Region'.
The objective behind this meet was to urge all participating governments to talk openly about their plans for increasing cooperation and for building trust in the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean region.
5 - Kazakhstan Renames its Capital Astana to Nursultan
Kazakhstan has renamed its capital Astana to Nursultan to honor outgoing leader Nursultan Nazarbayev.
Mr. Nazarbayev, 78, served nearly 30 years as president of the nation. The change was announced after Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was sworn in as president, promising to seek his predecessor's opinion on key decisions.
6 - First BRICS Sherpa Meeting Under Presidency Of Brazil Held In Curitiba
The first BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) Sherpa meeting held in Curitiba, Brazil under the Presidency of Brazil.
The Indian delegation was led by Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs T S Tirumurti.
7 - External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Begins 2-Day Visit to the Maldives
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj left to the Maldives on a two-day visit. She is accompanied by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale and other officials.
During her visit, Mrs Swaraj will call on the President of Maldives Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Parliament Speaker Qasim Ibrahim and meet with her Maldivian counterpart Abdullah Shahid.
8 - Cyclone Idai Hits Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe
Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi have been hit by a vicious cyclone 'IDAI' that has killed nearly 150 people, left hundreds more missing and stranded tens of thousands who are cut off from roads and telephones in mainly poor, rural areas.
Cyclone Idai has affected more than 1.5 million people in the three southern African countries, according to the UN and government officials.
Hardest hit is Mozambique’s central port city of Beira where the airport is closed, electricity is out and many homes have been destroyed.
9 - Vice President's Visit To Paraguay And Costa Rica: Complete Highlights
The Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu visited the Republic of Paraguay and the Republic of Costa Rica.
In Paraguay, the Vice President met with the President of the Republic of Paraguay, Mr. Mario Abdo Benítez, the Vice President, Mr. Hugo Velázquez, and the President of the National Congress (Senate), Mr. Silvio Ovelar. He also addressed the India-Paraguay business forum and interacted with the Indian Diaspora in Paraguay.
In Costa Rica, the visit of Vice President to the Republic of Costa Rica was the first ever high-level visit from India to the nation. The Vice President met the President of Costa Rica, Mr. Carlos Alvarado Quesada and held Delegation level talks with him which was followed by a joint press statement.
10 - US Officially Closes Jerusalem Consulate
The United States has officially shuttered its consulate in Jerusalem, downgrading the status of its main diplomatic mission to the Palestinians by folding it into the U.S. Embassy to Israel.
The U.S. State Department stated that the decision was driven to increase the efficiency and effectiveness in diplomatic engagements.
11 - 116-Year-Old Japanese Woman Honoured as World's Oldest Person Alive by Guinness World Records
A 116-year-old Japanese woman who loves playing the board game Othello is being honored as the world's oldest living person by Guinness World Records.
Tanaka was born January 2, 1903, the seventh among eight children. The previous oldest living person was another Japanese woman, Chiyo Miyako, who died in July at age 117.
12 - U.S. and South Korea End Military Exercises 'Foal Eagle 2019' and 'Key Resolve'
The United States and South Korea decided to call off their joint exercise “Foal Eagle” and “Key Resolve” and instead bifurcate them into smaller exercises.
This is being done to ease tensions with North Korea. “Key Resolve” will be replaced by “Dongmaeng” which is also known as alliance in English, Foal Eagle drills will be replaced by a smaller battalion-sized exercise.
This decision has been made after there was a failure to reach an agreement on denuclearisation during the summit in Hanoi, Vietnam between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
13 - China slashes its GDP target to 6-6.5% amid slowdown
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has expressed concern that the country will face a graver and more complicated environment to development, amid an ongoing trade war with the US and continued economic slowdown.
The world’s second-largest economy has slashed its GDP target to 6.00 to 6.50 percent this year.
14 - Bilateral joint exercise between India, Oman to begin from 12th March
The third edition of the bilateral joint exercise between India and Oman, Al Nagah 2019 will begin from 12th of this month (March) at Jabel Al Akhdar Mountains in Oman.
It will continue till 25th of March. In the exercise, both the armies will exchange expertise and experience in tactics, weapon handling and firing.
15 - Kylie Jenner becomes world’s youngest self-made billionaire
Kylie Jenner was named the youngest self-made billionaire of all time by Forbes magazine, thanks to the booming cosmetics company she founded three years ago.
Jenner, 21, the half-sister of reality television stars Kim, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian, made it onto the annual Forbes list of billionaires after debuting her Kylie Cosmetics online in 2015 with $29 lip kits containing matching lipstick and lip liner.
16 - Venezuela orders German ambassador to leave
The Venezuelan government has announced to expel German ambassador Daniel Kriener from the country. President Nicolas Maduro’s embattled government has declared the German ambassador persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country within 48 hours.
17 - NASA astronauts to carry out first all-female spacewalk
Just in time for International Women’s Day, NASA announced that it will be conducting the first-ever, all-female spacewalk.
Astronauts Christina Koch and Anne McClain will exit the International Space Station on March 29, 35 years after the first woman performed a spacewalk. They’ll be guided from the ground by flight director Mary Lawrence, and flight controllers Jackie Kagey and Kristen Facciol.
18 - Malaysia joins International Criminal Court
Malaysia has become a member of the International Criminal Court. The ICC is the world’s only permanent war crimes court and aims to prosecute the worst abuses when national courts are unable or unwilling. Malaysia becomes the 124th member of the court since its establishment in 2002.
But the tribunal in The Hague has come under fire over high-profile acquittals, while Burundi became the first country to quit the court in 2017 and the Philippines has announced its intention to withdraw.
19 - President Kovind Embarks on State Visit to Croatia, Bolivia and Chile
President Ram Nath Kovind embarked on a state visit to Croatia, Bolivia and Chile to hold talks with the leaders of these countries and strengthen ties in trade, investment and renewable energy.
India will be conducting separate bilateral forums with Croatia, Bolivia and Chile during President Kovind's visit to these countries. President Kovind will first visit Croatia in what would be the first visit by an Indian president to the European country.
20 - Oman Signs Agreement Allowing United States Military To Use Its Ports
Oman has signed an agreement with the United States of America that allow American ships and warplanes to take advantage of his ports and airports.
The agreement will allow the US forces to take advantage of the facilities offered at some of the Sultanate’s ports and airports during visits of the US military vessels and aircraft.
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HomeVikingsSeason 6 Episode 1
Vikings - Season 6 Episode 1
It’s six months after the battle of Kattegat and Bjorn is now King. But as he struggles with the responsibilities of kingship, he finds he can’t rely on his mother, Lagertha - as she has other plans. But can Lagertha lead a quieter life and leave her days as a shield-maiden behind? Ivar falls into the hands of the Kievan Rus and, in their ruthless and unpredictable ruler, Prince Oleg, he may finally have met his match.
Vikings was broadcast on SBS ONE at Wednesday 11 December 2019, 11:30.
Views75 x
Expiration dateExpired
Rating4.3 of 5 (3 votes)
Season 6 Episode 6 - Death And The Serpent
Season 6 Episode 5 - The Key
Season 6 Episode 4 - All The Prisoners
Season 6 Episode 3 - Ghosts, Gods And Running Dogs
Season 6 Episode 2 - The Prophet
Season 5 Episode 20 - Ragnarok
Season 5 Episode 19 - What Happens In The Cave
Season 5 Episode 18 - Baldur
Vikings is an English-spoken Canadian historial drama series about the Norsemen of Early Medieval Scandinavia, and their raiding and trading at the beginning of the Viking age in the first century. More specifically, the series focuses on Ragnar Lothbrok (played by Australian actor Travis Fimmel), a young farmer who out of discontent with his leaders rises through the social ranks to eventually become a Scandinavian king. The story of Vikings is loosely based on the legendary tales of Ragner Lothbrok himself as described in several historical accounts and Norse folk tales. The series is mainly recorded in Ireland, with some scenes being filmed in parts of Norway, for the Canadian channel History.
Vikings catch up
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This file is not currently available to purchase on Tradebit
Sold by music on Tradebit
MP3 Passamezzo Moderno - From Venice to Vienna in the 17th Century
In the early 17th century Venice was a hotbed of experimentation in musical composition, and when Venetian style met Viennese music, an exciting new idiom evolved.
15 MP3 Songs in this album (67:25) !
Related styles: CLASSICAL: Baroque, CLASSICAL: Chamber Music
People who are interested in Jordi Savall should consider this download.
Passamezzo Moderno, founded in 2005, is committed to providing their audiences the highest caliber performances on period instruments in historically authentic style. It performs the music of three centuries, from 1530 to 1830, and specializes in the virtuoso instrumental music of the 17th century. Members are David Granger, dulcian and bassoon, Andrew Fouts, violin and viola, Jonathan Davis, harpsichord and organ, and Edwin Huizinga, violin.
https://www.tradebit.com
From Venice to Vienna in the 17th Century
From Venice
Venice was always distinguished from the other great Italian cities due to her economic ties to the east and the booming commerce pursued through international shipping. At the beginning of the 17th century, she was already past her political zenith, but Venice was still home to a powerful oligarchy that enjoyed considerable wealth. Musicians from throughout Italy and Europe came to Venice to find employment sustaining the display of Venetian magnificence in music. The musicians in the latter half of 16th century Venice developed a style that was recognizable for its spectacular approach, divided choirs, and virtuosic writing for the voice, now known as the “Venetian School.� In the early 17th century, Venice became a hotbed of experimentation in instrumental composition, as well as a center of opera, publishing, and other musical activity. Most of the musicians of this century worked for at least some time in Venice, primarily at the basilica of St. Mark’s. All of the collections from which these pieces are taken were published in Venice, whose presses played a central role in the diffusion of printed music throughout the century. Works by authors from all over Italy and Europe were published there. This immense amount of musical productivity emanated from Venice to influence the whole of Europe.
To Vienna
The Venetian style was strongly felt in Imperial lands, where Archduke Ferdinand of Graz, Austria, placed his court ensemble under the direction of Italian composers and maestri di cappella at the end of the 16th century. When he became Emperor Ferdinand II in 1619, he transferred his then entirely Italian ensemble to the Hapsburg residence in Vienna. Antonio Bertali was third in the line of Italian maestri di cappella. Giovanni Battista Buonamente was the Imperial chamber musician and composer in the Vienna Hofkapelle. Massimilano Neri dedicated his sonata collection (apparently composed for Vienna) of 1651 to Emperor Ferdinand III, who eventually raised Neri to the nobility. Thus the Imperial musical establishment was dominated by Italian musicians and styles, and Venetian styles met Viennese music, and evolved into a new idiom.
Instrumental music forms
In the early 17th century, instrumental music, following a radical change in Italian vocal music, expanded as never before. The first great master of the new style of vocal music, Claudio Monteverdi, maestro di cappella at St. Mark’s, has found a solid place in our concert halls, but the instrumental repertoire of that time remains relatively unknown to today’s audiences. Monteverdi, though prolific, left no independent instrumental music. Instrumental music played a secondary role in the written culture of church polyphonists, but it was nevertheless essential on many occasions, from the Mass to civic ceremonies.
The Sinfonia
The sinfonia is a short, instrumental work used to introduce other works in entertainments or theatrical productions. It was used in both secular and religious settings.
The Canzona
The emergence of truly idiomatic music for instrumental ensemble began with the canzona da sonare (“song to be played�), modeled on the chanson (the French song). The addition of the basso continuo (a system of notating bass parts with figures to indicate which chords to play) to the 16th century canzona allowed for solo and duo sections to alternate with tutti passages, eventually leading to canzonas for fewer than four instruments. Canzonas were generally a conservative form with only occasional changes in meter, although many later canzonas are similar to the new sonata form.
The Sonata
The sonata takes elements of the traditional multi-voiced Venetian canzona, includes virtuoso solo writing and concertante exchanges between players, and creates an extended work for fewer musicians. Sonata means “something played.� The early sonatas are in one continuous “movement.� Although different sections of a sonata clearly require different tempos, tempo marks are generally absent in the earlier works, and did not become standard until after 1650.
The Chaconne
Popular dance music has always been brought into the world of art music. The chaconne was a lewd and riotous dance that came to Italy from Spain. The development of the basso continuo increased the importance of dance genres such as the chaconne that rely on a repetitive ground bass. The chaconne became one of the most popular and important of these genres. A chaconne’s syncopated bass line is typically eight –measures long.
Instrumental music based on vocal music
Creating new works from familiar songs is the basis of much of music of the Renaissance, and this practice continued in the 17th century. The Ruggiero may have begun as a simple chord progression used for singing poetry. The name refers to Ariosto’s Orlando furioso, which was probably sung to its tune. Rossi’s sonata uses the Ruggiero ground bass eight times. La Monica was a popular song, the complaint of a young girl forced to become a nun. Marini’s sonata consists of several variations of the song’s harmonic progression, although the tune itself is never used.
The Composers
Pier Francesco Cavalli was born Francesco Caletti-Bruni in Crema. He took the name Cavalli in homage to his benefactor, Federico Cavalli, who took him to Venice in 1617. Cavalli began his career at St. Mark’s as cantor, became second and then first organist, finally becoming maestro di cappella in 1668. Cavalli was a true disciple of Monteverdi, writing for both church and theatre. Monteverdi made eloquent use of the descending fourth, usually a bass line for a lament, as does Cavalli in his Sonata à 3 from Musiche sacre.
Salomone Rossi “Hebreo� was born in Mantua and spent his life working for the Gonzaga family. We know that he worked in close collaboration with Monteverdi for several years, but his compositions remain on a fairly basic level, unlike those who worked with Monteverdi at St. Mark’s. Very little is know about Rossi, probably because he was Jewish, and even the respect in which he was held as a composer did not eliminate all of the obstacles for a Jewish musician functioning in a musical culture dominated by Italian Catholicism.
Though his parents were Italian, Francesco Turini was born and lived the early part of his life in Prague. A child prodigy, he was appointed court organist at the age of 12, later traveling to Rome and Venice to study. He served as a private organist in Venice before becoming organist at Brescia’s Cathedral. His only instrumental works are included in his first collection of madrigals.
Giovanni Antonio Bertoli was possibly born in Brescia. His book of nine solo sonatas for bassoon and continuo was dedicated to the cathedral organist of Brescia, Francesco Turini, who may have been Bertoli’s teacher or co-performer. It is the oldest know collection devoted exclusively to solo sonatas, a distinction made all the more extraordinary by the fact that the collection is for a bass instrument. Bertoli--who must have been a bassoonist of considerable standing himself-- composed the sonatas at the suggestion of violinist Antonio Bertali.
Biagio Marini, born in Brescia, was one the most famous violinists of the time, first appearing in records at the age of 15 at St. Mark’s. He returned to Brescia, in 1620, traveled to Parma, Neuburg, Germany, and Milan, finally returning to Venice in 1653.
Little is known about Giovanni Battista Fontana except what we find in the introduction to his posthumously published collection of sonatas. He was evidently a violin virtuoso who worked in Brescia, Venice, Rome, and Padua. Fontana took the sonata forward, allowing each instrument an individual voice, notably freeing the bassoon from its previous continuo role. His sonatas represent some of the earliest instrumental experiments with the new basso continuo style and contribute to the rise of the violin as the leading instrument of the later seventeenth century.
Marco Uccellini was one of the principal movers of violin technique in the middle of the 17th century. He was maestro di cappella to the royal courts of Modena and Parma, but published his collections in Venice.
Tarquinio Merula was born in Cremona, and after brief tenures in Bergamo and as court organist in Warsaw, settled in Venice. While in Venice, Merula further developed the instrumental sonata, giving it greater structural order and clearer thematic coherence. He eventually returned to his hometown as the cathedral’s maestro di cappella.
Born in Mantua, Giovanni Battista Buonamente was probably a student of Monteverdi there. He was a violinist and was in the service of Vincenzo di Gonzaga. In 1622, Eleonora di Gonzaga married Emperor Ferdinand II. Buonamente accompanied Eleonora to Vienna and soon became chamber musician to the Hapsburg emperor. He returned to Italy to settle in Assisi at the Basilica di San Francesco, the highest honor for a composer in the Franciscan Order. Buonamente composed seven books of instrumental works, but only the last four have survived. In the Sonata “Cavaletto Zoppo� (“limping horse�), he creates a vivid musical description in a strict and elegant formal framework.
Massimilinao Neri was born in Brescia. He became organist at St. Mark’s in 1644, directly after Monteverdi’s death. He traveled to Vienna for Ferdinand III’s wedding, but spent the rest of his career in Bonn, Germany.
Antonio Bertali was born and trained in Verona, but spent most of his career at the imperial court in Vienna, first as a court violinist, then assuming the position of Hofkapellmeister in 1649. Although his sonatas presage the importance of the violin in sonatas in the future, Bertali is most often recognized as the first composer to produce Italian operas for non-Italian audiences.
Dario Castello published in Venice two volumes of “Sonate concertate,� and nearly all our knowledge of Castello’s life comes from the title pages and dedications to these volumes. He was a member of the Venetian Doge’s six-member piffari (wind-players) and a musician at St. Mark’s. His first volume is the first printed collection ever to be devoted entirely to instrumental works, while his second is the first ever to consist entirely of sonatas. Castello was a pioneer of musical notation, being one of the first to include clear tempo markings, bar lines throughout, and indications to use the harpsichord instead of the organ as a continuo instrument. It is clear that Castello’s style was influential, particularly judging by the numerous editions of his works and their presence in collections throughout Europe. Castello dedicated his second volume to Emperor Ferdinand II.
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Windborn / Champions - reduced from $39.95
WINDBORN - A JOURNEY INTO FLIGHT
Have you ever dreamed of flying, soaring high above land, free as a bird? Teenager Lucy Wills did, and this is her story. With her father Gavin as her guide and instructor, Lucy makes her first nervous flights through to her long-dreamed-of first solo as a glider pilot.
We also join Lucy, her father and uncle as they attempt an historic flight, which begins at New Zealand?s highest peak, Mount Cook, and ends in rugged and spectacular Fiordland. It is a journey that is not only dangerous and challenging but also one of great beauty.
CHAMPIONS OF THE WAVE
Omarama, New Zealand, is one of the best gliding locations in the world. Here a unique weather condition forms, known as "The Wave", attracting glider pilots from around the world who come to challenge this famous and thrilling phenomenon, in the World Gliding Championships.
With cameras mounted inside and outside the gliders, we take viewers with these pilots as they soar over the Southern Alps at speeds up to 300 kilometres per hour. The battle is on to determine who will become the Champions of the Wave.
NTSC & PAL compatible
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Waves of cuttlefish wash up on shore in Chile
admin • February 13, 2019 • 1788
Dead cuttlefish on the shore and tourists and locals in Bahia Inglesia, Chile on February 10, 2019 | Reuters
Thousands of cuttlefish have mysteriously washed up on shore in Chile’s Bahia Inglesa, amidst pollution fears in this coastal area that is one of the country’s main tourist hotspots.
Locals say such an incident has not happened before, and environmental authorities are investigating and have warned locals not to eat the fish.
There are fears that the waves of dead fish could damage the region’s fishing industry, a major driver of the local economy.
Bahia Inglesa is a popular summer destination for Chile, with thousands attracted to the area’s pristine beaches. — Reuters
TAGS chile, cuttlefish, pollution
Duterte supports Chile’s decision to cancel APEC hosting
Marje Pelayo • November 3, 2019
BANGKOK, Thailand — President Rodrigo Duterte expressed support for Chile’s decision to cancel its hosting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit set for November 16 to 17.
“The Office of the President therefore expresses the country’s support for Chile as it made the hard decision of cancelling its hosting of the AELM, taking into consideration the interest and concerns of the Chilean people, as its country endured massive street protests that was propelled by a civil disobedience campaign over metro transit hikes,” Malacañang in a statement through Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said on Friday (November 1).
Due to the ongoing public unrest, the Chilean government earlier pulled out as host of the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting.
Duterte earlier confirmed his intention to attend the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting which was supposed to bring together heads of governments to discuss trade relations and investments within the region.
Panelo said Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. and Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez were supposed to join the President in Chile to meet with their counterparts during this years’ final meetings of APEC Senior Officials, APEC Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministers and Leaders.
Panelo emphasized the Philippines’ trade and commercial relations with APEC economies which, according to the official, accounts for 84% of the total trade of the Philippines worldwide, 82% total exports worldwide, and 85% of its total imports and 64% of foreign direct investment into the Philippines, and 83% of tourist arrivals.
“It is also worth noting that 56% of Filipinos abroad call the APEC region their home, and our overseas Filipino workers in this region account for the 57% of the total annual remittances the we receive in the country. As such, there are 33 Philippine Government agencies engaged in the APEC process,” Panelo said.
“The Palace thanks Chile, which is currently the home to approximately 800 Filipinos, mostly women, for its hard work in advocating for inclusive and sustainable growth in the region, such as by prioritizing women empowerment and promoting micro, small, and medium scale enterprises,” he added.
The Philippine government also expressed its continued support in ensuring that the two countries’ citizens enjoy the benefits of deeper regional economic integration.
TAGS APEC, APEC Leaders Meetings, chile
DFA urges Filipinos in Chile to stay indoors amid violent protests
Robie de Guzman • October 23, 2019
Hundreds of protesters participate in a demonstration at the central Plaza Italia, in Santiago, Chile, 22 October 2019. EPA-EFE/ALBERTO VALDES
MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday urged Filipinos in Chile to remain indoors amid ongoing violent protests against the government there.
“Filipinos are advised to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel to affected areas, specifically in central Santiago and areas around submetro and bus stations,” the DFA said in a statement.
The advisory issued on Wednesday was a reiteration of the one issued by the Philippine Embassy in Santiago for Filipinos to take necessary precautions in view of the declaration of a State of Emergency in Grand Santiago on Oct. 19 which has since been extended to Chucabuco, Puente Alto, San Bernardo, Concepcion, Valparaiso, Iquique, Maipu, and other provinces.
The department said there are around 800 Filipino workers in Chile, which has been plagued with violent protests over a hike in public transport and other issues on economic equality this month.
“The State of Emergency is said to last for 15 days. No Filipino has been reported affected from the ongoing protests, according to Ambassador to Chile Ma. Teresita C. Daza,” the DFA said.
The DFA assured that its Embassy will continue to monitor developments of the State of Emergency in Santiago, and provide advisory on the peace and security situation in Chile, when necessary.
Filipinos in need of assistance in Chile may contact the Embassy Hotline number at +56-94-272-0320.
TAGS chile, Department of foreign affairs
No Filipinos hurt in Magnitude 6.8 Chile quake last Sunday – DFA
Robie de Guzman • October 2, 2019
MANILA, Philippines – No Filipinos were hurt in the magnitude 6.8 earthquake that struck off the coast of Chile on Sunday, Sept. 29, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Wednesday.
“Ambassador to Chile Ma. Teresita C. Daza confirmed that no Filipino was directly affected by the earthquake, following a monitoring activity it has conducted with leaders and coordinators of Filipino communities to ascertain the safety and welfare of overseas Filipinos in Chile,” the DFA said in a statement.
There are around 860 Filipino migrants in Chile, the DFA said.
The department assured the Philippine Embassy will continue to monitor the situation in the area and is ready to provide assistance when necessary.
TAGS chile, Department of foreign affairs, magnitude 6.8 earthquake
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Faith-Based Healing Exemptions: Illegal and Immoral
Members of the National Atheist Party have noticed a trend in the string of faith-based healing child neglect cases spanning the past 30 years that disturbs them deeply. Though federal law has determined that, “The right to practice religion freely does not include liberty to expose the community or the child [321 U.S. 158, 167] to communicable disease or the latter to ill health or death,” as delivered by Justice Rutledge in the Supreme Court case Prince v. Massachusetts, 321 U.S. 158 (1944); {1} many states still include laws that provide some partial immunity and/or consideration when ruling based upon clauses established under the guise of religious freedom. It is the opinion of the National Atheist Party that child neglect, fatal or not, should never be tolerated under any circumstances, and that the act is exponentially more abhorrent when any form of freedom of religious expression defense is used – it is not a matter of religious freedom, it is unadulterated child abuse.
The Hickmans knew the baby was born early but believed he would survive. When he turned blue, gasped for breath and lost consciousness, the Hickmans prayed but did not attempt to get medical help.
Conspicuously absent from these cases have been conspiracy and accessory charges. An individual may be held as liable as the perpetrator of any crime when they have encouraged, aided, or planned the crime with the individual that carries it out; it is the opinion of all rational human beings that this should hold especially true when the crime involves child neglect/abuse. However, the leaders of faith healing churches who encouraged the parents that committed these crimes have escaped unscathed; as have other members of their congregations that prayed over the severely ill child, and were aware that medical treatment had not and would not be sought. The National Atheist Party considers this to be an atrocity, considering how quickly an accessory to even misdemeanor crimes is charged by our current legal system.
Parents who choose prayer in lieu of desperately needed medical attention are regrettably prevalent even in our modern society. In 1998, a research study by Seth M. Asser, MD, and Rita Swan, PhD was published in Pediatrics that reached the conclusion: “One hundred forty fatalities were from conditions for which survival rates with medical care would have exceeded 90%. Eighteen more had expected survival rates of >50%. All but 3 of the remainder would likely have had some benefit from clinical help” from the years 1975-1995 {2}. There is no accurate statistic currently available for the amount of children who have suffered extreme mental and physical anguish due to this practice, though it is reasonable to assume that it is many more than the one hundred forty documented fatalities.
It is the firm belief of the National Atheist Party that no law should allow any individual to use religion as an excuse for a deed that claimed the lives of seven children per year on average for twenty consecutive years, we also believe that an individual shall be deemed to be complicit in the death of such a child should they fail to report an instance of such illegal neglect and could face charges of conspiracy to murder, manslaughter and child abuse.
Charles Knoll
Public Relations Staff Writer
{1}- Legal Information Institute. Cornell University Law School. Web.
{2}- Seth M. Asser, MD, Rita Swan, PhD. Pediatrics. American Academy of Pediatrics. 1998. Web.
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Chancellor's Office Menu
History of Leadership
In Chancellor's Office
Meet the Chancellor
Chancellor's Staff
Mayo Clinic Research Agreement
@ChancellorJim
Serving the students
For more than a century, UW-Eau Claire has maintained an unwavering commitment to excellence in higher education. Under the guidance of a series of extraordinary leaders, generations of students have passed through the hallways of this top-ranked public university and emerged with the education and experience to change the world.
Brian L. Levin-Stankevich: 2006-2012
Brian Levin-Stankevich served as UW-Eau Claire chancellor from 2006 to 2012, during which time he promoted the growth of the campus and the improvement of the university's programs despite large reductions in state support.
The Levin-Stankevich years saw the first major new construction on campus in more than 30 years. A new W.R. Davies Student Center replaced the first student center that had been built in 1959. Construction began on a new classroom building, eventually named Centennial Hall, on the site of the old Campus School. During these years there also were renovations to the student recreation center, a restoration of the auditorium in historic Schofield Hall, and participation by the university in a public-private partnership to renovate and expand Hobbs Ice Center. A subsidiary of the UW-Eau Claire Foundation also purchased the former St. Bede Monastery south of Eau Claire, and the university planned to relocate the Children's Center there.
Levin-Stankevich also led the adoption of the Blugold Commitment program, through which students agreed to pay additional differential tuition to fund new faculty positions, provide additional financial aid, create programs that provide education beyond the traditional classroom setting, increase the four-year graduation rate and lower class size.
When Levin-Stankevich left UW-Eau Claire to head Westminster College in Utah, Student Body President Phil Rynish said, "The chancellor has been a great leader for us during the budget cut turmoil we've been going through."
Donald J. Mash: 1998-2005
Donald Mash served as UW-Eau Claire chancellor from 1998 to 2005. He focused his work as chancellor on positioning the university for continued success in the new millennium.
Under Mash's leadership, the university for the first time embarked on a major fundraising campaign. The campaign eventually raised nearly $54 million for student scholarships and program enhancement. To better serve community needs, Mash consolidated the outreach and continuing education programs of the separate colleges within the university and relocated them into more accessible space on Water Street. He also directed the preparation of a campus facilities master plan, which identified the physical needs of the university for several decades into the future. Influenced by his background in student affairs administration, Mash tried to meet regularly with students, both formally and informally. He maintained student support for the differential tuition program, which provided needed financing for the academic programs that made UW-Eau Claire distinctive.
Mash left UW-Eau Claire to become executive senior vice president of the University of Wisconsin System. "It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as chancellor at UW-Eau Claire," he said. "It is an incredible campus with terrific people."
Larry G. Schnack: 1984-1998
After 19 years of teaching and administrative work at UW-Eau Claire, Larry Schnack served as chancellor from 1984 to 1998. His tenure was a period of stability with respect to enrollment and the university facilities, which provided Schnack with the time to focus his attention on improving academic programs.
In 1994 a redefined baccalaureate program strengthened general education. It emphasized study-abroad opportunities; promoted faculty-student collaborative research; encouraged the creation of capstone courses in the student's major; and initiated a service-learning requirement through which students would apply what they had learned in their courses to non-profit programs in the community. New majors were added in biochemistry/molecular biology and American Indian studies. During Schnack's years as chancellor, the test scores and high-school-rank-in-class percentiles of entering freshmen rose. The university's enhanced academic reputation was reflected by its repeated high placing in the U.S. News & World Report's rankings of Midwestern regional universities —high rankings that have continued to the present day.
Chancellor Schnack also sought closer ties between the university and the Eau Claire community. In particular, he worked to make the university's resources more widely available by his membership on the Eau Claire Area Development Committee.
At the time of his retirement, the UW System Board of Regents emphasized his successes in "building an academic curriculum that has received national recognition" and his "significant contributions to regional economic development and the quality of life in the Eau Claire region."
M. Emily Hannah: 1981-1984
UW-Eau Claire's fourth chancellor, Emily Hannah, was the first woman to head a UW System institution. She also was the first UW-Eau Claire chancellor to not have a background in public school administration.
During her tenure, from 1981 to 1984, Hannah was responsible for several important initiatives. She encouraged greater faculty engagement with research and scholarship. Following the recommendations of a task force headed by Chancellor Emeritus Leonard Haas, she promoted international education through more study-abroad programs and increased the numbers of international exchange students attending UW-Eau Claire. She greatly enlarged and strengthened the university's Honors Program, and she was an advocate for a greater presence of women on the faculty and women's issues in the curriculum.
Leonard C. Haas: 1959-1971, 1973-1980
Leonard Haas led what is now the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire as president and chancellor from 1959 to 1971 and again from 1973 to 1980. (From 1971 to 1973 he was executive vice-president of the University of Wisconsin System.) UW-Eau Claire's enrollment, physical plant and reputation grew enormously during his years of leadership.
During Haas' tenure the university grew from five to 25 buildings and from 1,700 to nearly 11,000 students. The proportion of students coming from outside the Eau Claire area, and even from outside Wisconsin, increased greatly. Bachelor's degree programs in nursing and business were initiated. Acknowledgment of their high quality came from the college's membership and recognition of excellence in 30 honor societies and accreditations. At the suggestion of his mentor, Professor Laura Sutherland, he adopted "Excellence" as the university's motto.
In 1986, the university's fine arts center was dedicated to Haas and his wife Dorellen in recognition of their support for and enjoyment of the arts.
William R. Davies: 1941-1959
William R. Davies served as the second president of what was then called the Eau Claire State Teachers College from 1941 to 1959. The college's campus and curriculum were greatly enlarged and transformed during his tenure.
The enrollment of Eau Claire State Teachers College increased from about 700 to about 1,700 during Davies' years as president. Like the other Wisconsin teachers colleges, Eau Claire became a State College in 1951. The curriculum expanded to include liberal arts subjects, and planning began to add nursing and business programs.
Davies emphasized to students the importance of learning outside of the classroom. He advocated for internationalizing the college by bringing in international exchange students and faculty and initiating travel-study programs for Eau Claire students. Nationally known speakers came to campus to lecture in The Forum Series, which Davies also saw as a way to involve the community more closely with the college.
After a decade of effort, Davies secured the construction of a second building on the Eau Claire campus. The Brewer Hall/Zorn Arena/Kjer Theatre/Campus School complex opened in 1952. Two dormitories and a student center were completed later in the decade, making Eau Claire State much more of a residential campus.
Having announced his intention to retire, Davies died on Dec. 10, 1959. The first UW-Eau Claire student center, the W.R. Davies University Center, was built in 1959 and named in his honor. The original student center was razed and a new facility, completed in 2012, again was named named W.R. Davies Student Center in honor of this former chancellor.
Harvey A. Schofield: 1916-1940
Harvey A. Schofield was the first president of what was then called the State Normal School at Eau Claire. He led the school through its critical first 25 years.
As president, Schofield had almost no support staff and almost single-handedly managed school affairs. He successfully marshaled community support and political influence in Madison to head off attempts in the legislature to close the school in 1923, 1928 and 1937. He encouraged the designation of Wisconsin normal schools as teachers colleges in 1927 and oversaw the adoption of a new curriculum that awarded bachelor's degrees to students who completed a four-year program. The American Association of Teachers Colleges gave full accreditation to Eau Claire State in 1927.
Ill-health forced Schofield to step down as president at the end of 1940. After his death in August 1941, the regents memorialized him as "a fine leader and friend — a man of administrative ability and sound counsel." Old Main, the original campus building, was renamed Schofield Hall in his honor.
chancellor@uwec.edu
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Counselling and Service
In(2)TU Berlin
Einführungsveranstaltungen
Erstsemestereinführung - Organisation
Studium und Praktika im Ausland
Abschlussarbeitenbörse
VABENE Feier
Berlin – City of Science
Knowledge and education are the most important resources of modern Berlin. Historically, the city has had an unparalleled academic and research-intensive climate at its disposal, and has the biggest and most dense research clusters in Germany. The quality of this scientific location, as both the representatives of the universities and research institutes as well as companies in Berlin agree, is a distinct advantage for large firms and niche providers alike.
With its four universities, eight Fachhochschulen (universities of applied sciences), three art schools and 18 private universities, Berlin offers one of the most creative, lively and varied university landscapes in Europe. Around 15 percent of the students come from other countries; in addition there are numerous cooperative agreements with partner universities around the world. The Berlin universities and research institutes are tightly connected with commercial firms in Berlin, especially small and medium-sized ones. The City for Science, Economy and Media Berlin-Adlershof, the BioTech Campus Berlin-Buch and around 20 other inner city technology parks and start-up centers offer the best conditions for the development of new ideas and for transforming these ideas into innovative products and processes. With its special offers, an international start-up center targets above all founders of internationally expanding companies and young innovative companies from all around the world.
For these reasons, Berlin belongs to the largest and most diverse scientific regions in Europe. At the Berlin universities, as well as at over 60 research institutes in the city and in the surrounding region, around 200,000 people from all around the world are teaching, researching, working and studying. Berlin invests around 1.5 billion euro each year in its universities.
The plan called "Knowledge paves Berlin's future", developed in 2008 by the Berlin federal state government, promotes the city's state-of-the-art research facilities, including the Technical University, and gives them substantial, lasting support, both financially and structurally, through the Einstein Foundation of Berlin. The universities, the research institutes and the federal state have joint their forces in order to increase the international competitiveness of the city and to heighten the worldwide visibility of science in Berlin. For this reason, Berlin is on the best path to becoming one of the most attractive locations for science and research in the world.
Germany’s university databank
Studying in Berlin & Brandenburg (Graduate Programs)
Additional overview on Graduate Programs
Berlin’s economy
The city’s assets
Sites of "Study in Berlin"
Study in Berlin
Academic Profile of the TUB
Campus Impressions
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The Real Story Behind the 1966 Aberfan Disaster, Depicted in The Crown Season 3
By Emma Specter
Warning: This story contains spoilers for season three of The Crown.
If you’re all caught up on The Crown, you might have been somewhat shaken by the third episode of season three. Titled “Aberfan,” the episode gives the viewer a look inside the catastrophic collapse that devastated the community of Aberfan, South Wales, in 1966. The disaster is depicted in detail on The Crown, with the show providing a look at normal life in Aberfan to underscore the severity of the collapse’s effect on the town.
Younger viewers might not know that the tragedy was very real; its effects are still being felt by Aberfan survivors, some of whom still suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. If the Aberfan episode of The Crown’s third season moved you, here is the true story about the real-life disaster.
What led to the disaster in Aberfan?
A colliery spoil tip, or a pile of waste material removed during mining, was overlaid atop a natural spring on a mountain slope in Aberfan. Heavy rain led the buildup of water in the tip to turn into a slurry and slide downhill, with fatal consequences.
The slurry caused by the spoil tip’s collapse engulfed the nearby Pantglas Junior School, and the resulting death toll was high; 116 children—half the village’s children, in total—and 28 adults were killed, and an additional six adults and 29 children were injured. “Civil defense teams, miners, policemen, firemen and other volunteers toiled desperately, sometimes tearing at the coal rubble with their bare hands, to extricate the children,” reported the New York Times.
Rescue workers search for victims of the Aberfan disaster, in South Wales, 1966.Photo: Getty Images
Who was responsible for the catastrophe?
There are several possible answers to this question, but the tip was the official responsibility of the National Coal Board. An official inquiry chaired by Lord Justice Edmund Davies criticized the NCB and its chair, Lord Robens, for not being transparent about their knowledge of the presence of water springs on the hillside, but there was no official censure regarding the landslide. However, the disaster was seen as symptomatic of the monarchy not being sufficiently invested in Wales.
Did Queen Elizabeth II really fail to respond?
Not quite—as pictured on The Crown, the queen sent a message of support to the victims—but she didn’t actually visit Aberfan until eight days after the disaster, sending Prince Philip in her place shortly after the collapse occurred. As seen on The Crown, the queen was criticized for not visiting the site of the tragedy earlier, and these criticisms appeared to stay with her; in 2002 it was reported that the queen had told her former private secretary that not visiting Aberfan immediately after the disaster was “her biggest regret.”
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From the Editor, Spring 2013
Craig Biddle February 20, 2013 In The Objective Standard, Spring 2013
Welcome to the Spring 2013 issue of The Objective Standard.
This issue begins our seventh year of publication, so let me begin by thanking all of our subscribers and donors for making TOS possible. Without your business and support, we simply couldn’t do what we do. From all of us at TOS: Thank you! With your continued support, we will not only deliver many more years of top-notch philosophic journalism; we will also continue expanding our output and reach in myriad ways—including videos, media appearances, conferences, books, and debates—all focusing, as TOS always does, on fundamentals.
Speaking of debates and fundamentals, on February 8, 2013, Christian apologist Dinesh D’Souza and Objectivist philosopher Andrew Bernstein met at the University of Texas–Austin to debate the question “Christianity: Good or Bad for Mankind?” (The event was co-hosted by The Objective Standard and the University of Texas Objectivism Society, and paid for by TOS.) This subject is so important—Christianity is by far the most influential philosophy today, and Objectivism is the only philosophy that holds the requirements of human life as the standard of moral value—and the debate was so rich that we decided to publish the complete transcript in this issue of the journal (see p. 40). Although a video of the debate is available on TOS’s YouTube channel, the written transcript enables people to better scrutinize and more easily quote the ideas presented. If you haven’t seen the video, I encourage you to watch it and share it with your friends. But by all means read the transcript. It is enlightening and occasionally jaw-dropping.
I’d like to extend special thanks to graphic artist Bosch Fawstin for his cover illustration of the debaters along with their respective philosophic mentors, Jesus and Ayn Rand. Thank you, Bosch!
In “The End of Central Banking, Part I,” Richard M. Salsman argues, via a mountain of evidence, that the ultimate purpose of central banking is not to “correct market failures” or “prevent financial crises” or the like, but to finance fiscally profligate governments and welfare states. Whereas Part I discusses the “end” of central banking in terms of its purpose, Part II, which will be published in the Summer issue of the journal, discusses the “end” of central banking in terms of its termination. You’ll want to share both parts of this essay with your conservative and libertarian friends, and, especially, with any free-market economists you know.
In “Why ‘Big Government’ is Not the Problem,” Eric Daniels surveys various problems inherent in focusing on the non-essential characteristic of government’s size rather than on the truly essential characteristic of whether and to what extent government protects or violates individual rights. This is another article to share with conservative and libertarian friends, and anyone else who believes that the problem with the government is its bigness.
In his interview with TOS (conducted by Ari Armstrong), Robert G. Natelson, author of The Original Constitution: What It Actually Said and Meant, discusses (among other things) state-driven amendments to restrain federal spending, the processes of proposing and passing or rejecting such amendments, the safeguards in place for preventing a “runaway convention” that might fundamentally alter the U.S. Constitution, and the “original intent” theory of constitutional interpretation.
Movies reviewed in this issue are: Zero Dark Thirty, directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Mark Boal (reviewed by Andrew Bernstein); FrackNation, written and directed by Phelim McAleer, Ann McElhinney, and Magdalena Segieda (reviewed by Earl Parson); and Jiro Dreams of Sushi, directed by David Gelb (reviewed by Daniel Wahl).
Books reviewed are: Beyond Politics: The Roots of Government Failure, by Randy T. Simmons (reviewed by Ari Armstrong); The Little Book of Talent: 52 Tips for Improving Your Skills, by Daniel Coyle (reviewed by Daniel Wahl); and The Island at the Center of the World, by Russell Shorto (reviewed by Joseph Kellard).
In addition to reading our quarterly journal, be sure to visit TOS Blog, the source for daily commentary from an Objectivist perspective. And if you’ve not yet joined TOS on Facebook and Twitter, join us today for a steady stream of interesting links and intellectually stimulating conversation. See you there! —Craig Biddle
Help The Objective Standard Defend Your Values
Video: Christianity: Good or Bad for Mankind? — Dinesh D’Souza vs. Andrew Bernstein
DEBATE: Dinesh D’Souza vs. Andrew Bernstein—Christianity: Good or Bad for Mankind?
Thank-Yous and Apologies regarding the D’Souza-Bernstein Debate
About Craig Biddle
Craig Biddle is editor of The Objective Standard and author of Loving Life: The Morality of Self-Interest and the Facts that Support It; Understanding Rational Egoism; and the forthcoming Forbidden Fruit for Teens: Moral Truths Your Parents, Preachers, and Teachers Don’t Want You to Know. His book in progress is “Thinking in Principles.” Biddle also serves on the board of directors of the Prometheus Foundation.
View all posts by Craig Biddle →
Cheers to Bipartisan Support for Repealing the Medical-Device Tax
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Queerness, Cyborgs, and Cephalopods: An Interview with Franny Choi
By Spencer Quong
Franny Choi isn’t done thinking about cyborgs. When we met two weeks before the release of her latest collection Soft Science, she told me she was still discovering AI ideas she wished she could have addressed in her poems. Reckoning with the mythology of a “finished product,” Choi is coming to terms with having a book that is both out in the world and still in progress. The process isn’t easy: as one of Choi’s cyborgs says, questioning reality makes her feel “a / little insecure / a little embarrassed haha.” But to be insecure, or still in progress, should never be mistaken for being incomplete.
Soft Science asks what it means to live as a queer Asian American femme, someone “made a technology for other people’s desire.” How do we distinguish between the constructed pieces that have been imposed on us versus the parts of our identity that we’ve chosen? Are they always distinct? The voice of Soft Science is often corrupting: Choi inhabits colonized language and uses it to her own ends. In the poem “The Cyborg Wants To Make Sure She heard You Right,” Choi runs negative comments directed at her on Twitter back and forth through Google Translate until the language is transformed into something new. By repurposing language, Choi offers up a record of what is happening to our bodies and minds under whiteness and capitalism, and the beginnings of a way forward.
Choi is the co-host of the podcast VS, a member of the Dark Noise Collective, and will begin teaching this fall at Williams College. Soft Science is Choi’s second full-length collection, following Floating, Brilliant, Gone and her chapbook, Death by Sex Machine. Her poem, “Amid Rising Tensions on the Korean Peninsula” also features in our spring issue.
How did Soft Science begin?
The book came out of writing a series of poems that were inspired by and in the voice of a character from the film Ex Machina, Kyoko. When I watched that film, I had a particular combination of emotional responses that provoked a desire to write. A mix of love, confusion, and outrage. I started writing to try to understand what I was feeling about her, and then quickly realized that the poems were speaking to other poems about my own experience as an Asian American woman—as a queer Asian American woman—about moving through the world in a body that had been made an object of desire, fantasy, and power. Living as a soft, fleshy objectified human of the world.
Right. Living as a soft, fleshy person but also a person that contains metal?
Yes, as a person who’s been made a technology for other people’s desires in a particularly visible way. We all have intimate relationships with machines—that’s part of the definition of being a human, the ability to use tools, right? But I think it’s foregrounded for different groups of people in different ways.
There’s a poem in your chapbook that begins: “Have you ever wanted a new body?” On the one hand, that’s a thought that could be really destructive for a queer person—a voice that says, Have you ever wanted a straight body? Or a cis body? But then there’s also a really beautiful way to read that question: Can we be shapeshifters? Both deeply felt and fluid?
In “Bad Daughter,” the protagonist of the poem “kept showing / up in new clothes, new names; then leaving.” Is there both excitement and dread to shapeshifting?
The first time I was really able to envision femininity as a kind of power was while watching Paris is Burning in college, encountering the world of drag for the first time. The knowledge that my femmeness was something I could put on and take off, something I could play with and shapeshift into, made me feel so in control of it, and made me feel powerful for choosing it. The ability to alter our images and to play with the way that we present our bodies is a fundamental queer and femme superpower. The book dives into that and says, if we continue down that line of thought, then what other possibilities are opened up?
How did writing the poems for Soft Science shift your understanding of your identities?
Blurring the confines of my own identity is a way of embodying a kind of queerness. I started to think about my affinity for certain images, like the cyborg and the squid, the cephalopods. There are a lot of cephalopods in this book and I keep writing about them—because octopuses will inherit the earth. My affinity for certain images was a way of taking up the incoherence of my gender identity. It’s weird—we think that we understand ourselves and then use that understanding to write poems about our bodies, but it’s just as common in my experience to have written poems about my body for five years and then be like, Oh, that’s who I am?
Is that daunting? The uncertainty, the endless discovery—it’s exciting, I’d think. But does it get tiring or difficult?
I guess it’s a little scary, but it’s mostly exciting. I think of that poem you mentioned that begins “Have you ever wanted a new body?” There’s a lot of freedom in imagining that you can escape the confines of the body that you were handed. It’s an exercise in imagining, in feeling free.
Though sometimes I do wonder if it’s a cop-out to say, I’m not a woman, I’m a squid. Since it’s not exactly true, even if it does help me think about how I identify.
Why do you think of it as a cop-out?
I don’t know—I guess I’m in an active process of questioning my gender identity, and it feels like a way to disavow cis privilege sometimes, and to turn away from that privilege instead of reckoning with it. But I think maybe the questioning also has to be part of that process of reckoning.
I remember in one episode of VS, your podcast with Danez Smith, you spoke about looking for a definition of Korean poetics. You were reckoning with a similar tension between your distance and intimacy to Korean-ness and the Korean peninsula. Could you talk about writing from such a position?
It’s a weird thing to want to write for my people, to put my communities at the center of my artistic process, and also to know that on some level I’m writing for an American audience. To not really understand how Korean readers might take me or interpret my work. And there’s also the kind of sneaky, shitty feeling that you’re explaining what it means to be Korean to people who aren’t. It’s unsettling. I think of myself as a Korean American poet, I know that I am, but I don’t have a really solid understanding of contemporary Korean poetry except for a few folks in translation.
I think it’s easy in all of that to feel like a fraud. But people of a diaspora—who are on the margins between two different worlds—are often made to feel like frauds for anything we don’t understand about either world. Any distance that I might have from the poetry of Korea is also a distance that other people like me will relate to. I hope so, at least. That’s also part of our history. If there’s an identity of Koreans in the diaspora then distance to the homeland is part of it.
I think that’s an idea that the cyborg embodies, too. It resists strict categorization. It might be both machine and human. You can be both Korean and have ways in which you are unfamiliar with Korea.
You’re also reminding me of lines from the first poem in the collection: “some of us are born in orbit / so learn / to commune with miles of darkness.” Some of us are born into missing, stolen or erased histories—be they queer or Korean histories. But your poetry seems to find a way to revel in the silences, or to continue to seek answers despite the “darkness.”
Poetry helps me to have a conversation with history. It’s hard for me to understand the past as a series of events. Poetry allows me to understand history by embodying it from my own subjective position and to track the ways that those imprints of the past show up in my sentences.
What you said about the silences in history is really interesting and exciting. If we engage with history as a conversation, then those silences are actually necessary in order to have that conversation, right? If somebody is just speaking for an hour, that’s not a conversation, that’s a podcast.
There has to be space. Space is an unknowing for us to engage with. There has to be room for questions. Silence is not just a space to mark a death, it’s also an opportunity to reveal. So I hope that building silence into the poem, whether that’s a literal caesura on the page or a word that’s redacted or if it’s just the things that are unsaid in other ways, allows the poem some room to breathe and allows the reader a space to interact with it. A little alcove in the poem so you can sit inside it and not just look at it from afar.
Right. Your poems really do call the reader to participate. I’m thinking also of the reoccurrence of words like mouth and bones and skin. At times, the language terrifies me because it’s draws attention to these really vulnerable parts of our bodies. But the attention is also wonderful. I’m reading and thinking, I’m so aware that I have hands and mouth and skin!
That is a great thing. I’ve succeeded if people read my book and think, Oh my god, I have hands and skin.
What compels you about the language of the body?
I mean having a body is such a fucking trip, you know? The other day I was talking to Danez Smith, and they were like, Ugh I hate having a body, I wish I could just be a presence—which I totally sometimes relate to. But also, the body—our materiality—is the only way that we know how to exist in the world.
I’m always drawn to the language of the body because that language, which I was born into, has completely determined how I’ve been allowed to imagine myself. The first time I ever made a chapbook of my poems—printed at a FedEx and stapled together—I called it Women Only Write Body Poems, which is a joke that I still find funny. But for better or for worse, it’s a job that women who write have always found themselves doing.
But despite some of the poems in the book, I don’t actually think that the total transcendence of our material forms is what I’m after, because that also seems like a way of checking out of the whole problem. I think that I want to learn how to live in a dynamic and fruitful and sexy relationship with the body.
When you talked about it as a job—who is that labor for?
I think it’s a labor to remind myself that I have a body, but to everybody else, my body walks into the room before I do. Or before whatever I consider the rest of me. People see me as a 5’3” Asian woman before they know anything about what I call myself in my poems—usually. Given that this image of myself precedes me, what do I do with that body that’s walked into the room, that’s walked into the room of people’s minds? I think that question is an interesting one. It could be a trap, but it could also be a chance to play.
What does it feel like to read your poems out loud?
I don’t think anyone’s ever asked me that before. I love reading my work aloud. That’s part of my writing process, anyway. I’m always thinking about what they sound like as they’re read in front of a group of people. I love what happens to a poem when it enters a room of people. I love learning about a poem in the air.
Slam has taught me what kinds of poems are immediately accessible and exciting to people—and I love reading those poems. But I also really love reading work that I think no one outside of my own brain will understand, or get anything out of. I love seeing what happens, and those times that it does do something besides confuse and alienate people are exciting. I like being surprised by my own work. In the process of writing, of course, but also in the process of reading it out loud.
Elsewhere, you’ve spoken about using form as a means to reveal, rather than obscure. Can you say more about that idea?
I think it’s sort of magic, right? To take an image that we think we’re already familiar with, and to rearrange it on a language level in order to show something new about it.
I think when we play with form what we’re engaging with is the technology of the poem. And so when I play with form, what I’m doing is saying that I’m a coauthor of this text along with the machine of poetry—the mechanics of the lyric—in order to produce this thing. The mechanics of the poem and I are collaborating in order to make something new with language that didn’t belong to either of us to begin with. I’m still in the process of figuring out what a cyborg poetics is, but that feels like a clue to me.
Were you surprised by anything in the process of writing this collection?
I think I’m still in the process of learning about the book. I’m not done thinking about cyborg identity. I’m not done thinking about machines. I’m not done thinking about machines that think. I don’t know what to do with the fact that I’m not done thinking about them, but I think I that it’s okay not to be done thinking about something when the ostensible final product is in the world.
When I finished the draft and sent it in, the next week people kept sending me articles, saying, Have you heard about this robot? Have you heard about this new weird thing about AI? And I just kept thinking, Oh no, I didn’t get it all. But I think there’s something beautiful about a book that’s learning how to think about itself. I hope that it’s okay for it to still be trying to figure itself out.
For an individual poem, how do you know when to set it aside?
I think a poem is finished when I know what every line is doing in it. Even if I don’t know what every line means, I know that every word has a job. And sometimes that job is just to sing or to reverberate. Or to be confusing.
I also know that a poem is done when anything I try to do to it makes it worse. Sometimes it feels like a poem’s not done and so I keep trying to hack at it but everything I do deadens it. I have to think, this poem might feel incomplete but that’s where it needs to live.
Read Franny Choi’s poem, “Amid Rising Tensions on the Korean Peninsula” in our spring 2019 issue.
Spencer Quong is a writer from the Yukon Territory, Canada. He currently lives and works in New York.
That Ole Boy Shoots Purty Good
M.F.A. vs Donleavy
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Blog | 8 March 2019
How River CEO built a marketing agency with an 80% female workforce
This is how Nicki Murphy, River CEO, bucked the industry trend to build an agency with a female workforce at its core.
Nicki Murphy
It was 1994, the Chinese Year of the Dog, the year Kurt Cobain died, The Lion King and Forrest Gump were released in cinemas, and John Major was Prime Minister. But it was the launch of a little start-up contract publisher that made it significant for me. It was the year I launched River Publishing – with just two employees and one computer. Oh, and no clients! Year of the Dog or not, it wasn’t an auspicious start.
Before 1994, I had been working in sales and marketing at P&G, on its fast-track graduate programme. The role, which came with a company car, big salary and loads of perks, was about to become a memory, though – all given up to start my new life from scratch as a business owner.
With my partner Jane at my side, I got stuck in to the first big job, which was finding clients. The hard work would pay off and we soon bagged our first one – global tech giant IBM, quickly followed by Mercury Asset Management. All of a sudden, we were off.
Jane was a financial journalist, while I could plan marketing strategies and publish magazines. Pretty soon we made waves in the market by winning a succession of clients, the biggest of which was supermarket Asda.
An agency run by two women was pretty unheard of in those days, and we attracted some interest as a result, which we used to our advantage. We weren’t afraid to be daring with our marketing activities, either. In fact, we launched the company with a stunt designed to grab attention.
We dressed up an actor as the Milk Tray Man, all in black with rope slung over his shoulder, and sent him to deliver our business cards, together with a box of chocolates, to CEOs all over the UK. One of these was Archie Norman, CEO of Asda at the time, who loved the approach. Overnight, he became our newest and biggest client.
Fast-forward 25 years and River has been transformed. We still publish magazines for some amazing brands, as well as magazines on the newsstand in the UK and overseas, but much of our work is now in video and social media.
As a team of 104, and with an 80% female workforce, it’s no surprise that most of the brands we work for target women. Among the 22 brands are long-standing clients to whom we continue to deliver amazing creative work and results – Superdrug (17 years), Holland & Barrett (24 years), Co-op (14 years) and WW, formally Weight Watchers (12 years).
These days we are channel-agnostic content creators. Our skill base, though, remains the same as in 1994 – smart, talented journalists and designers who understand what consumers want to engage with. We’re also now accompanied by digital natives, videographers and social media strategists. In a nutshell, we create ROI through the creation of brand stories that engage consumers and prompt them to do something – usually buy a product.
I’m proud of my agency. Its success is all down to my amazing, talented colleagues – some of whom have been here almost from the beginning – and to River’s clients, who have given us great brands to work with over the years.
Thanks, one and all.
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Blog | 9 October 2014
Inspiring Interview: EContent magazine editor, Theresa Cramer
A 10-year veteran of the publishing industry with a background encompassing newspapers and books, EContent magazine editor Theresa Cramer talks to River about content marketing, the future of Facebook, and the Internet of Things …
How did you get into content marketing?
At EContent magazine I cover the digital content industry from every angle. In this day and age, that means talking a lot about content marketing. But we look at it from a more holistic perspective—not just from the content creation side. When it comes to content marketing traditional publishers, journalists, and advertisers are all impacted and I try to take all of those perspectives into consideration at EContent.
What do you think are the key mistakes that publishers make on Twitter?
Publishers need to think of Twitter as a place to build an audience and a reputation as the go-to-source for content, and that doesn’t always mean just publishing links to your own content. Publishers need to understand what their readers are looking for and give it to them, and on Twitter that sometimes means posting a story, infographic, etc. from different sources. That can seem counterintuitive when you want to drive traffic back to your site, but it’s an important part of participating in social media.
Do you think Facebook is part of the past, present, or future of marketing?
Facebook’s reach is massive. It isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Even as marketers fret that teens are fleeing Facebook for other sites and apps, the people with real money – their parents and grandparents – are still there, and are engaged.
Which brands or campaigns do you think have done/continue to do content marketing well?
Red Bull, CocaCola, John Deere – they all do content marketing well, but one of my favourite examples is Subaru’s Drive magazine. This isn’t a new example. In fact it’s quite old, but Subaru sends out a quarterly magazine to owners of its cars. You almost never see a car on the cover. Instead you see stories about extreme sports or the farm-to-table movement. Subaru understands the kinds of people who buy its cars, what they’re interested in, and it reaches them with great content – that only occasionally mentions cars.
What do you think is the next step for the Internet of Things and how will it continue to impact the way in which brands market their products?
The Internet of Things is one of the most exciting areas of digital content. There’s a lot of hoopla around tools like Google Glass, but I think the real growth potential is in making the tools we already use more efficient. Apple’s HomeKit is a big stride toward automating homes in a way that, until now, hasn’t totally made sense. But I think marketers need to be careful not to rush into this space. It won’t make sense for everyone, and you don’t want to alienate your customers by annoying them in their homes.
To what extent do you think native advertising should be highlighted to consumers as advertising?
It should always be made clear that advertising is advertising. Research shows that consumers value this kind of content, as long as it is done well and the source is transparent.
How do you think content marketing has made brand promotion better?
The wonderful thing about content marketing it that, done correctly, it’s about the audience and not the brand. I think the lasting legacy of content marketing will be a world where marketing focuses more on providing value and less on brand awareness or promotion. Yes, it’s good business but it’s also good for consumers.
Do you think there is still a place for print in the future of content marketing?
Yes. All marketing should be multi-channel, and print is still a big channel. In fact, my Subaru example is a print example. Advertisers and publishers are going to have to adjust to a world in which display ads are no longer the norm, and creating custom content across all channels is the focus.
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Radio's Bell is sound example for entrepreneurs....from USA Today
from Steve Strauss at USA Today:
Q: "Hey Art Bell! This is Stan from San Dimas. First time caller, long time listener. Anyway, I wanted to tell you about the time when I was driving home from work and was abducted by aliens . . . . "
A: No, I am not Art Bell, and yes, I made that up. But if you ever listened to Art Bell's old radio show, Coast to Coast AM, you know that this would be a tame call for that one-of-a-kind show.
Like millions of other people (at one time, there were more than 500 stations carrying the show and 15 million listeners), I used to love listening to Art Bell. The mix of Art's voice, tempo, and smarts combined with great guests, unusual topics, and interesting callers made for too many late nights.
Sadly, Art retired in 2010, Coast to Coast has never been the same, and except for a brief return on Sirius/XM two years ago, he hasn't been on the airwaves. Nevertheless, at 70, Art Bell is coming back, only this time I am happy to report, he's ditched his corporate gig and instead is going to do it on his terms, his way.
Starting July 20, Art returns to the airwaves on his new show, Midnight in the Desert, streaming live over the Internet using the TuneIn app and on the Dark Matter Digital Network; a network he has created with his longtime friend and webmaster Keith Rowland. Here's how he put it to me recently:
"If there's anything I learned it's that I want to do this myself. I had the most fun in my life before my old show was purchased by Clear Channel. Winging it, trying new things -- it was a blast. That's what we are going to be doing with the new show. Lots of new and fun things."
Art started out on terrestrial radio in the '80s with a single station in Las Vegas and grew that into a large syndicate by the mid-90s with his mix of unusual topics and high entertainment. Not surprisingly, a courter came-a-calling and he eventually sold the show to the Clear Channel Network, staying on doing the show for a few more years.
But, like many of us, Art learned the hard way that corporate life was not for him. He went into semi-retirement in 2003 and fully retired in 2010. In 2013 he teamed up with Sirius/XM, but for various reasons that gig only lasted six weeks. But, as he says, "radio is not a job, it's a way of life. You can't really ever leave it."
And so, knowing that he had a two-year hiatus, Art and Keith began to plan for his return again, only this time he was going to be completely in charge of the process and do the show they way he's envisioned it for some time: live streaming and free over the Internet, with a truly worldwide reach and audience.
"This is going to be great," he says. And it sure sounds like it. He had spent the last few months building a brand new studio with state-of-the-art equipment. "The sound quality is going to be excellent." Keith also has new facilities that are going to make the streaming top-notch as well.
You know your new endeavor is on the right track when things start to break your way. That's what's happening for Art right now:
■ Music played an important part in his old show – "it sets the mood" – and he needed it to again. But the cost to stream mainstream music is not inexpensive. Suddenly, an affordable solution presented itself. Problem solved.
■ While he planned on having it available only online, to date 20 terrestrial radio stations have already signed on to carry the show. The catch? They have to agree to carry only six minutes of commercials an hour. "Why is that a requirement?" I asked. "Because I want content and more content!" he bellowed happily in that unmistakable voice.
"I'm doing this to have fun. This thing is taking off and I don't know where it will take me, but it's going to be a blast. I'm excited about being able to do what I want."
Spoken like a true entrepreneur.
Today's tip: Looking for a good business book? Let me recommend Jim Blasingame's latest (and Axiom award winner), The Age of the Customer. In it, Blasingame, host of the Small Business Advocate radio show, explains how we are leaving the age-old age of the seller and entering into a paradigm-shifting new era, the era of the customer.
The rules have changed and The Age of the Customer helps you navigate this new world. Great stuff. Steve says check it out.
Steve Strauss, @Steve Strauss on Twitter, is a lawyer specializing in small business and entrepreneurship and has been writing for USATODAY.com for 20 years. E-mail: sstrauss@mrallbiz.com. Website: TheSelfEmployed.
from Chloelouise...San Diego......
Here is the other thing....Art always makes it sound soooo easy....the show is easy listening and perfect for the night. He has and had the good sense not to make the show political and not to yell at the guest. Like any other personality that makes everything sound extremely interesting and smooth, Art is gifted annd super talented at running a radio show. I love politics but I can't take an extremely one-sided political agenda coupled with how can I always try to make more money in the night. At one point when I was listening to Art's old show I realized it wasn't just the show --it was Art Bell. He makes every guest seem as if they have the most important information we can't live without--but he does it in the most relaxed way. Good luck to Art Bell and his new show.......cl--the ronnie republlic radio round-up
Art Bell Sets July 20th For Launch Of Streaming Show 'Midnight In The Desert'
Looking For Love In All the Wrong Dimensions? Try 'Paranormal Date'!
Chemtrails Exposed: Peter A. Kirby on Coast to Coast AM with George Noory
Lisa Garr: Becoming Aware
Can't Wait To Hear Art Bell
What's Up in Wichita with Abandoned Houses, Lack of Grocery Stores, Health Care and Birth Control.......
Google is Great at Blocking Spam
Larry Hancock Talks about his New Book: Shadow Warfare on NPR Radio Today
Joan Hamburg: The Best New Radio Show--WABC 77 New York
Dear President Obama: You Have Done A Very Good Job.......
Posted by Chloelouise at 10:47 AM No comments: Links to this post
Labels: Art Bell, Assassination of John F. Kennedy, Chemtrail conspiracy theory, coast to coast am, George Noory
Radio's Bell is sound example for entrepreneurs......
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Tax planning following the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
By Tyler J. Schuelke, CPA/PFS, and Peter J. Melcher, J.D., LL.M.
Significant Event Planning (Marriage, Divorce, Family Additions, Death, etc.)
Editor: Theodore J. Sarenski, CPA/PFS
The legislation known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), P.L. 115-97, made sweeping changes to the tax law, reducing the C corporation top income tax rate from 35% to 21%, creating a 20% tax deduction for qualified business income under new Sec. 199A, limiting the state and local tax (SALT) deduction to $10,000, increasing the standard deduction to $12,000 for single taxpayers and $24,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly, doubling the estate tax applicable exclusion amount, eliminating the ability to recharacterize Roth IRA conversions, expanding the scope of Sec. 529 education plans, further limiting interest deductions, and doubling the Sec. 179 expensing amount. This column discusses some of the planning implications of these changes.
Entity choice: C corp. vs. passthrough entity
While the TCJA improved the tax consequences for both C corporations and the owners of passthrough entities, the improvements for C corporations were more substantial. Thus, C corporations are somewhat more favorable relative to passthrough entities following passage of the TCJA. The tax rate on operating income dropped by 40% for C corporations (35% to 21%), but only by 25.25% (39.6% to 29.6%) for passthrough entities that fully qualify for the 20% Sec. 199A deduction (top individual rate of 37% × 80% of income). This means that the initial tax on C corporation income may now be significantly lower for C corporations than for S corporations (21% vs. 29.6%). In addition, the TCJA limits the SALT deduction to $10,000 for individuals but imposes no limit on the deduction for C corporations. Finally, the new C corporation rate is permanent, while the 20% Sec. 199A deduction sunsets at the end of 2025.
The overall tax paid on passthrough entities will generally continue to be lower, however, because of the second level of tax on C corporation owners when the income is distributed or the stock is sold. Dividends are generally taxed at 23.8% for affluent shareholders who are subject to the net investment income tax, and the same 23.8% rate applies to sales of C corporation stock. This almost doubles the effective tax rate on C corporation income: [0.21 + (0.79 × 0.238)] = 0.21 + 0.18802 = 39.802%.
However, two factors may increase the effective rate of tax for S corporations or decrease the effective tax rate for C corporations. There are important limitations on the Sec. 199A deduction, so it might not help some passthrough businesses very much. Some will lack the W-2 wages or basis in property necessary to gain a significant benefit from the new deduction. This might substantially increase the rate of tax paid on passthrough income, perhaps to as high as the top individual rate of 37%.
In addition, C corporations may be able to mitigate the effects of the second level of tax. First, the second level of tax is not payable until the income is distributed as a dividend or until the stock is sold. If shareholders do not need the dividends, there could be substantial tax deferral. Second, the second level of tax might never be paid at all. If dividends are not paid and the shareholder dies while owning the stock, the heirs will receive a step-up in basis, eliminating the increase in the stock's value due to the retained earnings. Third, C corporations can pay shareholder-employees deductible wages, fringe benefits, and deferred compensation instead of dividends. Thus, comparing the effective tax rates for C corporations and passthrough entities will require a detailed analysis of the facts of each case.
SALT deduction and incomplete gift nongrantor (ING) trusts
Taxpayers who live in high-tax states like New York and California have long created trusts in other states that do not tax trust income to eliminate their state income tax exposure. The most popular states for these trusts are Nevada, where the trusts are referred to as NINGs (Nevada incomplete gift nongrantor trusts), and Delaware, where they are referred to as DINGs (Delaware incomplete gift nongrantor trusts). These trusts have always been capable of creating dramatic tax savings over time or perhaps on a sale of a highly appreciated asset, but the savings will be substantially greater following enactment of the $10,000 limit on the SALT deduction, as illustrated in the following examples.
Example 1: In 2017, Taxpayer T has $250,000 of annual income from an investment portfolio. T is in an effective 40.8% federal tax bracket (39.6% + 1.2% phaseout of itemized deductions for high-income taxpayers). T lives in a state with a 10% state income tax rate and can deduct 100% of the state tax paid. If T does no planning, he will pay $25,000 in state income tax each year (0.1 × $250,000). Before the TJCA, T was able to deduct the full $25,000 on his federal income tax return, reducing his federal income tax by $10,200 (0.408 × $25,000). As a result, the state income tax had a net cost of $14,800 to T ($25,000 — $10,200). T could save this $14,800 each year by transferring the portfolio to a trust in a state that does not tax trust income. If T could reinvest the annual tax savings with an 8% annual return, the savings would grow to $677,277 after 20 years.
The TCJA limits the SALT deduction to $10,000. This means that the tax savings from an ING trust will now be even greater.
Example 2: Assume that T's tax rate did not change under the TCJA and the facts are the same as in Example 1, except that T is filing a return for 2018 and can now deduct only $10,000 of state income tax. T will again pay $25,000 in state tax, but his SALT deduction will be limited to $10,000. This will reduce T's federal income tax by only $4,080 (0.408 × $10,000), making the net cost of the state tax $20,920 per year. If an 8% return is again assumed, the savings would now grow to $957,340 after 20 years. Thus, the new $10,000 limitation on the SALT deduction makes a powerful tax planning strategy even better.
It may also be possible to use ING trusts to avoid state capital gains tax on sales of assets with large built-in gains, but careful planning would be necessary to avoid step-transaction or substance-over-form arguments from the IRS.
Trust requirements
To achieve the desired results, INGs must be carefully structured. An ING must have the following characteristics:
The trust must be located in a state that does not tax trust income: Seven states (Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming) do not have an income tax so they do not tax trust income at all.
The trust cannot be subject to tax in the settlor's home state: Many states treat trusts as resident trusts if the grantor was a state resident when the trust was created regardless of where the trust is located. These include Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. ING trusts will not help taxpayers in these states because the trust income will be taxed by their home state.
The trust cannot be a grantor trust: If the trust is a grantor trust, the settlor will be treated as the owner of the trust (Sec. 671). As a result, all income will be added to the settlor's Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, and will be subject to tax in the settlor's home state.
The trustee must have the power to make discretionary distributions to the settlor: Taxpayers are typically not willing to make an outright transfer of their investment assets. They either want income distributions or the possibility of reacquiring principal if they need it, treating the ING as a rainy-day trust. Thus, the trustee must be given the power to make discretionary distributions to the settlor.
Transfers to the trust must be incomplete gifts: Finally, the settlor must retain enough control over the transferred assets to avoid making a completed gift that is subject to the gift tax.
Although a detailed discussion of the mechanics of an ING trust is beyond the scope of this column, IRS Letter Rulings 201652002, 201718004, and 201742006 could be used as a model.
Charitable deductions
The TCJA increased the limit for contributions to public charities and private operating foundations from 50% of adjusted gross income to 60%. This will not only enable taxpayers to increase charitable deductions for the current year, but will also free up more carryforward deductions from earlier years.
The TCJA also includes provisions that will reduce the tax benefits of charitable giving. Taxpayers can benefit from the charitable deduction only if their total itemized deductions exceed their standard deduction amount. The law's new standard deduction amounts ($24,000 for married filing jointly, $12,000 for single filers) are a high threshold for most taxpayers and are more difficult to reach with the $10,000 limitation on SALT deductions. Therefore, the increase in the standard deduction amounts will reduce or eliminate the tax benefit of charitable giving for many moderate-income taxpayers. In addition, the TCJA doubles the estate tax applicable exclusion amount to $11.18 million (for 2018). This will tend to reduce the estate and gift tax benefit of charitable giving for wealthy taxpayers. Finally, reducing income tax rates reduces the value of the charitable contribution deduction and any other deductions.
Taxpayers should consider bunching charitable deductions into some years and itemizing their deductions in those years and claiming the standard deduction in other years.
Example 3: Married taxpayers contribute $12,000 each year to their church and have $8,000 of other itemized deductions. If they claim the $24,000 standard deduction in each of the next three years, they will get total deductions of $72,000. However, if they claim the $24,000 standard deduction for years 1 and 2 then bunch three years' worth of charitable donations into year 3, the couple can claim a total of $92,000 of deductions over the three-year period ($24,000 in year 1, $24,000 in year 2, and $44,000 in year 3).
Increased estate tax exclusion amount and basis building
Historically, estate planners were more concerned about reducing estate tax than about reducing income tax for heirs. Since 2001, however, the number of taxable estates has declined dramatically as the applicable exclusion amount was gradually increased. This trend continued with the TCJA doubling the exclusion amount to $10 million (indexed for inflation) for 2018 through 2025. With this high exclusion amount, less than one estate in a thousand is expected to be taxable. Thus, for most estates, avoiding estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax is no longer an issue. Instead, estate planning will focus on ways to increase basis, particularly the stepped-up basis at death provided by Sec. 1014.
Basis-building strategies for nontaxable estates
Taxpayers who do not expect to have a taxable estate should consider the following strategies for building basis.
Minimizing lifetime gifts: If assets are transferred during life, heirs take a carryover basis from the donor. By contrast, if the assets are held until death, the heirs take the assets with a stepped-up basis. Thus, assuming that assets are increasing in value, dying with the assets is more favorable from an income tax perspective than transferring the assets during life. If a taxpayer wants heirs to have assets earlier, the taxpayer should consider making gifts of high-basis or slower-appreciating assets.
Retaining powers over transferred assets: A basis step-up is available not only for property owned at death but also for property transferred during life that is included in the gross estate under one of the estate tax string provisions (Secs. 2035-2038) (Sec. 1014(b)(9)). For example, transferred property is included in the gross estate under Sec. 2036 if the taxpayer transfers property but retains a right to income from the property. Transferring property and retaining one of these strings would enable the taxpayer to provide an immediate benefit to heirs without losing the basis step-up at death.
Making transfers to older relatives: Another way to minimize the income tax disadvantage of making lifetime transfers would be to transfer property to elderly relatives with relatively short life expectancies. The older relative would die with the property and bequeath it back to the donor with a stepped-up basis. Then the donor could gift the property to children with a basis equal to its fair market value. It is important to note, however, that if the older relative died within one year after receiving the property, a basis step-up would be denied under Sec. 1014(e).
Substitution power: One of the most popular powers used to create grantor trust status is the Sec. 675(4)(C) substitution power. This power enables the grantor to transfer high-basis assets or cash to a trust in exchange for low-basis assets. The settlor could then hold these low-basis assets until death and create a basis step-up for heirs.
Selection of assets to die with: Some assets are particularly favorable to own at death. For example, the maximum capital gains rate on a sale of collectibles is 28%, not the usual 20%, making a basis increase on these assets particularly favorable. Loss assets are especially unfavorable because the basis adjustment at death would wipe out the loss. Those assets should generally be sold during life to recognize a capital loss. Finally, income in respect of a decedent (IRD) assets, such as IRAs and qualified plans, are not good assets for basis building because they do not receive a basis step-up at death (Secs. 1014(c) and 691(a)(2)).
Sec. 529 plans
Under prior tax law, Sec. 529 plans were designed to offer a tax-advantaged savings tool for higher education costs. In addition to the earnings in the account being tax-free if used for higher education, over 30 states allow a form of deduction or credit from state income taxes for contributing to these accounts. The TCJA provisions for 529 plans have expanded the usefulness and planning opportunities available for families by allowing up to $10,000 in these plans to be used for elementary and high school costs annually at public, private, or religious institutions.
Contributions to 529 plans can be made by anyone, not only family members, and qualify for the $15,000 annual gift tax exclusion. Taxpayers can elect to contribute up to $75,000 in one year and treat the contribution as made ratably over a five-year period. This allows the full $75,000 to begin accumulating tax-free in year 1 until it is needed for education costs from kindergarten through college. If the growth exceeds needed costs for education, the account owner can transfer funds to another beneficiary to use for qualified expenses.
Additionally, the TCJA allows families to roll money from a 529 plan into an ABLE account (created by the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act of 2014, P.L. 113-295) for expenses associated with special-needs children. The ABLE account must be owned by the designated beneficiary of the 529 account or a member of that designated beneficiary's family. These rollovers are income tax and penalty free for rollovers from 2018 through 2025.
The TCJA made a drastic change to the planning opportunities provided by Roth conversions by eliminating taxpayers' ability to recharacterize their conversions. Under prior law, a taxpayer could convert a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA and had until Oct. 15 of the following year to see if the conversion had been successful. If not, the taxpayer could recharacterize the Roth conversion contribution as a contribution to a traditional IRA and avoid paying tax on the conversion. This rule allowed the taxpayer to recharacterize the Roth conversion and "retry" the strategy the following year. Roth conversions may still be advantageous, but an even more detailed analysis is required by tax professionals without the safety net of the recharacterization.
A number of tax provisions were affected by the TCJA that require CPAs to take an in-depth approach to planning for clients. These changes include the following:
Sec. 199A deduction
Sec. 199A generally provides a 20% deduction for the qualified business income (QBI) of passthrough entities (partnerships, S corporations, limited liability companies, and sole proprietorships). When a taxpayer's taxable income exceeds $157,500 for single taxpayers or $315,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly, however, the deduction is limited to (1) 50% of the W-2 wages paid by the entity or (2) 25% of W-2 wages plus 2.5% of the unadjusted basis of the entity's depreciable property. Thus, the key to Sec. 199A planning for real estate owners with taxable income above the threshold amounts is increasing the W-2 wage and unadjusted basis limitation amounts. The W-2 prong of the limitation can be increased by replacing independent contractors with employees because amounts paid to independent contractors do not count as W-2 wages. The unadjusted basis prong can be increased by purchasing equipment that is qualified property for purposes of Sec. 199A that they currently lease.
Interest expense deduction
The TCJA included a provision that limits the deduction of business interest expense (less business interest income and floor plan financing interest) to 30% of a business's "adjusted taxable income," tested on an entity-by-entity basis. Disallowed interest is carried forward indefinitely. Adjusted taxable income is computed without regard to any item of income, gain, deduction, or loss that is not properly allocable to a trade or business, business interest or business interest income, net-operating-loss (NOL) deductions, Sec. 199A deductions, and any depreciation, amortization, or depletion before 2022. A real property trade or business (as defined in Sec. 469(c)(7)(C)) can make an irrevocable election to be excluded from the interest limitation if it uses the alternative depreciation system (ADS) method of depreciation for any nonresidential real property, residential rental property, and qualified improvement property. A farming business can make the same election if it uses the ADS method of depreciation for modified accelerated cost recovery system property with a recovery period of 10 years or more.
Sec. 179 expensing
The new tax law increases the expensing limitation of Sec. 179 from $500,000 of property to $1,000,000. The provision also increases the phaseout limitation to begin when property placed in service during the tax year exceeds $2,500,000. The TCJA also expands the definition of qualified real property to include certain depreciable tangible personal property used predominantly to furnish lodging or in connection with the furnishing of lodging and certain improvements to nonresidential real property including roofs, HVAC systems, fire protection, and security systems.
Net operating losses
The TCJA amended Sec. 461 to include a subsection (l), which disallows the NOL of noncorporate taxpayers if the amount is over $250,000 ($500,000 in the case of a joint return). The threshold amount for disallowance will be adjusted for inflation in future years. The disallowed amount is carried forward as an NOL to the following tax year; there is no carryback provision.
Tyler J. Schuelke, CPA/PFS, MST, is a senior associate with Keebler & Associates LLP in Green Bay, Wis. He specializes in complex fiduciary and individual income tax compliance. Peter J. Melcher, J.D., LL.M., MBA, is a partner with Keebler & Associates. He is a frequent contributor to national tax journals. Theodore J. Sarenski, CPA/PFS, is chairman of the AICPA Advanced Personal Financial Planning Conference. He is also a past chairman of the AICPA Personal Financial Planning Executive Committee and a former member of the Tax Literacy Commission. For more information about this column, contact thetaxadviser@aicpa.org.
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Free transit for Grade 11 students
The Kingston Whig-Standard
More from The Kingston Whig-Standard
Published on: July 30, 2014 | Last Updated: July 30, 2014 8:17 AM EDT
A program that allows high school students to ride Kingston Transit for free has been expanded to include Grade 11 students starting September 1.
All Grade 9, 10 and 11 students in Kingston and Amherstview can ride Kingston Transit for free thanks to a partnership between Kingston city council, the Limestone District School Board and the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board.
"Continuing to provide free bus passes to high school students is a great opportunity for us to get more people using our expanded transit service," said Mayor Mark Gerretsen in a press release. "Through a partnership with our local school boards we are extending the program to even more students – last year we extended the program to Grade 10s, and this year I am thrilled to see Grade 11s included."
The pilot project started in the 2012/13 school year, allowing Grade Nine high school students in Kingston and Amherstview to ride the bus for free from September 1, 2012 to August 31, 2013. Last year, council extended it to include Grade 10 students.
"The Limestone District School Board is pleased to expand this successful and innovative partnership with the City of Kingston," said Board Chair Laurie French in the release. "This collaboration between the school boards and the City helps remove barriers for some students in accessing recreational programs, volunteer opportunities and part-time jobs, in addition to getting to and from school.
“Last year, more than 63,000 trips were taken by students in our community – trips that might not have been possible without the free transit passes."
In an effort to continue and expand the program, Gerretsen said he discussed options with city staff and representatives from both school boards. Both boards supported the extension of the program to include Grade 11 students this year, and are partnering with the city to share the costs.
"Continuing this partnership with the City of Kingston and the Limestone District School Board allows students to use public transit to get to and from school and also provides them with greater flexibility to travel to their many after school activities or part time jobs," said Tom Dall, chair of the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board in the release.
"Extending student access assists students now and will also benefit our city in the future. We are pleased that we are able to continue supporting this partnership in support of our students and our community."
For information on how students can get or renew their bus passes visit www.cityofkingston.ca/studentpass.
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I Found You: A Novel (Mass Market)
By Lisa Jewell
Out of stock, usually available in 1-5 days
A “good old-fashioned novel of psychological suspense, the kind that keeps you reading deep into the night” (The Globe and Mail) about a young bride, a lonely single mother, and a man who has lost his memory cross paths on a desolate and windswept English beach from the New York Times bestselling author of Then She Was Gone.
In the seaside town of Ridinghouse Bay, single mom Alice Lake discovers a man sitting on the beach outside her house. He has no name, no jacket, and no idea how he got there. Against her better judgment, she invites him inside.
Meanwhile, in a London suburb, newlywed Lily Monrose grows anxious when her husband fails to return home from work one night. Soon, she receives even worse and more confounding news: according to the police, the man she married never even existed.
Twenty-three years earlier, Gray and Kirsty Ross are teenagers on a summer holiday with their parents. The annual trip to Ridinghouse Bay is uneventful, until an enigmatic young man starts paying extra attention to Kirsty. Something about him makes Gray uncomfortable—and it’s not just because he’s a protective older brother.
What is the relationship between these three events? Who is the man on the beach? Where is Lily’s missing husband? And what ever happened to the man who made such a lasting and disturbing impression on Gray?
A delicious collision course of a novel, filled with the believable characters, stunning writing, and shocking twists and turns, I Found You is “infused with just enough intrigue to keep the pages turning. Readers of Liane Moriarty, Paula Hawkins, and Ruth Ware will love” (Library Journal, starred review).
Lisa Jewell is the internationally bestselling author of eighteen novels, including the New York Times bestseller Then She Was Gone, as well as I Found You, The Girls in the Garden, and The House We Grew Up In. In total, her novels have sold more than two million copies across the English-speaking world and her work has also been translated into sixteen languages so far. Lisa lives in London with her husband and their two daughters. Connect with her on Twitter @LisaJewellUK and on Facebook @LisaJewellOfficial.
Praise for I Found You:
“Lisa Jewell is a brilliant storyteller, creating suspenseful yet believable novels time and again. I Found You is no exception—filled with intriguing characters connected in startling ways. Quickly paced yet delicately nuanced, this novel is sure to appeal to fans of Big Little Lies and The Woman in Cabin 10.”
— Shelf Awareness (starred review)
"Jewell is a wonderful storyteller. Her characters are believable, her writing is strong and poetic, and her narrative is infused with just enough intrigue to keep the pages turning. Readers of Liane Moriarty, Paula Hawkins, and Ruth Ware will love."
— Library Journal (starred review)
“How [the] plots intersect and finally collide is one of the great thrills of reading Jewell’s book. She ratchets up the tension masterfully, and her writing is lively.”
— New York Times Book Review
“The structure keeps the suspense level high, and Jewell manages surprising revelations all the way up to the ending. The mix of women’s fiction and suspense—plus a no-nonsense 40-something heroine at the heart of the story—makes this a good fit for fans of Liane Moriarty.”
“Riveting…numerous twists avoid predictability, and the novel is well-paced as it weaves three narratives together. Dark and moody, this is a mystery with substance.”
"One word: wow! This latest offering from Jewell starts off strong and keeps readers riveted until the very last word…this book is ‘unreliable narrator’ at its best!"
— RT Book Reviews
"Jewell keeps the reader guessing."
— New York Post, Required Reading column
“Jewell is a genuinely original and skilled novelist with an impressive flair for deftly crafted narratives and surprising plot development.”
— Midwest Book Review
“There will be tendencies to compare this book to The Girl On The Train and its various imitators, but don’t be fooled: This is better than those. Jewell’s forte is the good old-fashioned novel of psychological suspense, the kind that keeps you reading deep into the night.”
— The Globe and Mail
"Crackling suspense...Among the year’s best domestic thrillers."
— Toronto Star
Publisher: Pocket Books
Kobo eBook (April 24th, 2017): $9.99
Paperback (March 6th, 2018): $16.99
Hardcover, Large Print (May 3rd, 2017): $33.99
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Telescope in Chile spots biggest ever black hole blast
European Southern Observatory’s (ESO) Very Large Telescope discovers a super huge quasar that may unlock mysteries of galaxy formation.
Wednesday 05 December, 2012 | Astronomy
Astronomers at the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Northern Chile’s Atacama Desert have found a quasar five times more powerful than any other observed to date. Recent theories concerning galaxy formation rely upon such supermassive quasars, though their existence had not been confirmed until now.
Quasars are huge emissions of mass and energy powered by black holes in the center of young galaxies. While black holes are in the business of sucking in materials, they can also jettison large amounts of energy and matter back out into space.
The existence of supermassive quasars has been put forth as an answer to several mysteries in cosmology, namely the direct link between the mass of a galaxy and its central black hole mass, and the reason for the low number of large galaxies in the universe.
“This is the first time that a quasar outflow has been measured to have the sort of very high energies that are predicted by theory,” said Nahum Arav, an astronomer from Virginia Tech and team leader of the study. “I’ve been looking for something like this for a decade, so it’s thrilling to finally find one of the monster outflows that have been predicted!”
The quasar, known as SDSS J1106+1939, is 11.5 billion light years away and has a power outflow about two trillion times that of our sun, or 100 times the power output of the entire Milky Way galaxy.
Astronomers in the study used an instrument attached to the VLT known as the X-shooter spectrograph which allowed them to split up the light emitted from the qauser and study properties of its materials. This included the velocity at which mass is streaming away from the quasar, which clocked in at 4970 miles per second (8000 km), or 2.6 percent the speed of light.
“We couldn’t have got the high-quality data to make this discovery without the VLT’s X-shooter spectrograph,” said astronomer Benoit Borguet, lead author of the new paper. “We were able to explore the region around the quasar in great detail for the first time.”
Chile’s ALMA gets up close and personal with black hole jets
Three supermassive black holes found lurking in one galaxy
The Biggest Telescope of the World will be Built in Chile
Scientists from Universidad de Chile solve mystery around Black Holes
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Home>Black Experience>NFL’s ‘Sons of Bitches’ Band Together to Defy Forced Obedience
Black ExperienceNationalSports
NFL’s ‘Sons of Bitches’ Band Together to Defy Forced Obedience
Moses Frenck, Special to The Informer via DiversityInc September 25, 2017
0 325 11 minutes read
Courtesy of Yusuf Abdullah
The response this weekend by NFL players and other professional athletes to President Trump’s attacks on their right to protest could best be summed up by a comment from a Twitter user going by the name of Frederick Douglass: “Sons of bitches join up with the nasty women and bad hombres and take back our country.”
Those “sons of bitches,” as referred to by Trump during a rally in Alabama on Friday, describe NFL players who kneel or sit during the national anthem prior to games, following the example of former San Francisco 49ers quarterbck Colin Kaepernick who began the protest last year to highlight injustices and police brutality against minorities, including Black men callously killed by police.
“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses Black people and people of color,” Kaepernick said in 2016. “To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”
But unlike the white supremacists and neo-Nazis who protested in Charlottesville and, according to the president, included some “very fine people,” any NFL player who dares protest is a “son of a bitch” who should be fired.
Beyond his statement, Trump later tweeted: “If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL, or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect our Great American Flag (or Country) and should stand for the National Anthem. If not, YOU’RE FIRED. Find something else to do!”
“I’m ok for being fired for what I believe in,” tweeted Green Bay Packers’ Martellus Bennett. “The idea of @realDonaldTrump thinking that suggesting firing me from football, confirms that he thinks that it’s all I can do as a Black man”
“What an emphatic response,” replied Denver Broncos’ Max Garcia. “Where was this passion in response to Charlottesville?”
Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy told radio station WKBW he “can’t stand and support something where our leader of this country is … acting like a jerk, angry and upset about NFL players protesting in a peaceful manner.”
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith questioned Trump’s motivations. “I don’t always feel comfortable talking about a lot of this stuff. We’re athletes, we’re playing football. But certainly I’d be lying if I said the comments didn’t upset me,” Smith said, according to the Kansas City Star. “It’s the same guy who couldn’t condemn violent neo-Nazis. And he’s condemning guys taking a knee during the anthem. The league’s not perfect. But … there are so many good things, great things that go on in this league. … It struck a chord a little bit to see guys get attacked for a peaceful protest.”
“There is inequality out there,” Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman told The Associated Press. “There isn’t liberty and justice for all, and I think guys for a while, at least a year now, have been protesting that by taking a knee, sitting down, putting up the fist … but their voices were watered down.”
“We will not stand for the injustice that has plagued people of color in this country,” the Seahawks players said in their statement. “Out of love for our country and in honor of the sacrifices made on our behalf, we unite to oppose those that would deny our most basic freedoms.”
Sunday’s first NFL game, between Jacksonville and Baltimore, was being played in London and by 9:30 am ET had the largest number of players to date kneeling during the anthem.
By the afternoon, more than 200 NFL players representing all 28 teams that played Sunday either sat or kneeled during the national anthem prior to their respective games.
The AP said its reporters and photographers counted the players kneeling or sitting at every game Sunday, estimating about one in eight players did not stand. Many others displayed some form of protest, including raising their fists or locking arms in solidarity. Last week, only six NFL players protested, the AP said.
Three teams chose to remain in their locker rooms during the Star Spangled Banner. Some of the protesting players were white, but the overwhelming majority were Black. According to the NFL, about 70 percent of the league’s players are Black.
“Me taking a knee doesn’t change the fact that I support our military, I’m a patriot and I love my country,” Buffalo Bills linebacker Lorenzo Alexander told the AP. “But I also recognize there are some social injustices in this country and today I wanted to take a knee in support of my brothers who have been doing it. … I just wanted to show them that I was with them today, especially in the backdrop of our president making the comments about our players, about their mothers. And then you put that in conjunction with how he tried to gray-area Nazism and KKK members as being fine people, I had to take a knee.”
“We stand with our brothers,” Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs said, according to the AP. “They have the right and we knelt with them today. To protest, non-violent protest, is as American as it gets, so we knelt with them today to let them know that we’re a unified front.”
In a statement, the Washington Redskins players said, “Football has always served as the great unifier, bringing people together to celebrate the values of courage, commitment and achievement.” Redskins tight-end Vernon Davis, told NBC News that, if invited, he would visit the White House and tell Trump: “We love the flag. Let’s focus on solutions rather than attack those protesting.”
Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Alejandro Villanueva, a former Army Ranger who did three tours in Afghanistan, stood in the tunnel with his hand over heart during the anthem while the rest of his team remained in the locker room. The Tennessee Titans and Seahawks were the other two teams to do so.
Player reactions ran the gamut from responding to Trump and calling for unity.
“More than ever we remain committed to advocacy 4 equality & social justice 4 all! @Eaglesfans Join us in locking arms 4 unity in our city!” tweeted Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins.
“I’ve been raised the right way. I know what’s right and what’s wrong. Ain’t nobody ever going to scare me. I don’t care if he’s the president or not. You ain’t my president,” New York Giants’ Olivier Vernon told AP.
“There’s nothing that we’re saying we disrespect our country,” added teammate Landon Collins. “It hurt me to take a knee. I was about to break down in tears. I love this country. But at the same time we respect each other, and we have a family over here, and we’re gonna fight for each other.”
“We felt like President Trump’s speech was an assault on our most cherished right, freedom of speech,” said Denver Broncos’ Von Miller.
Detroit Lions’ Eric Ebron said, “Does anyone tell Trump to stick to politics like they tell us to stick to sports?”
“Shaking my head in awe because Kaepernick is exercising his right as an American citizen to protest,” said Minnesota Vikings’ Bishop Sankey.
New England Patriots quarterback and Trump friend Tom Brady finally weighed in on Monday. “I certainly disagree with what [Trump] said. I thought it was just divisive … Like I said, I just want to support my teammates. I am never one to say, ‘Oh, that is wrong. That is right.’ I do believe in what I believe in. I believe in bringing people together and respect and love and trust. Those are the values that my parents instilled in me,” he told Boston’s WEEI radio.
Former NFL player and CNN Sports anchor Coy Wire said players’ actions are making a difference. “I talked to Michael Bennett, he is a Seahawks player, he’s been on the forefront of players kneeling during national anthem and taking a stand against racial and social injustice. He told me this was never about disrespecting the military, he said his own father served in the U.S. Navy,” Wire said on CNN. “It’s not easy to kneel during the anthem he said, but it’s effective, the whole purpose he said was to spark conversation and shed light on the issue of racial and social injustice in America. He feels although it may be unpopular for some, it is effective and the conversations are being had.”
“I think the fact that a number of guys were immediately responsive to what the president said in Alabama on Friday night, shows you that players weren’t going to back down,” former NFL wide receiver Donte Stallworth said on CNN. “But when you look at the whole reason why this thing started from the very beginning is to bring forth a lot of attention to a situation in police communities — or communities, policing, that needs to be addressed.”
Stallworth said players now “have been galvanized, they’ve been inspired to do more now that they feel that the president of the United States is trying to bully them into silence.”
Asked if he felt Trump’s attack against the NFL is racist, Stallworth said: “I don’t sling that word around lightly. But I do think that when you look at the president’s own actions, not what we think of white supremacy or not what we think of racism, but you look at his own actions, his lack of condemnation to white supremacists in Charlottesville and Nazis marching, screaming Jews will not replace us. … I don’t need to say whether he’s a white supremacist or a racist, because his own actions speak for themselves.”
For his part, Trump told reporters on Sunday his comments were not about race. “I’ve never said anything about race,” he said. “This has nothing to do with race or anything else. This has to do with respect for our country and respect for our flag.”
But for many, it was all about race.
“[Trump] has used these issues to stir up his base, always reminding them with a figurative wink and a tweet that he has not forgotten them, and to take a stand against efforts to promote social equality that he dismisses as silly political correctness,” wrote Julian Zelizer, Princeton University professor and author, in a column.
“All of this dog whistling has barely enough wiggle room for people to say this isn’t about race, but of course it is,” wrote TV personality and writer Touré in The Daily Beast. “Trump’s comment that all this isn’t about race is laughable — he’s deliberately urging the NFL’s owners and fans, who are predominantly white, to take action that would punish protesting NFL players, who are overwhelmingly black.
“He’s trying to silence black players on behalf of offended whites. He’s pushing racial buttons and taking sides. When he says it isn’t about race you just have to wonder if he knows he’s lying or if he’s not consciously aware of what he’s doing. Is he being dishonest or completely incompetent? I’m really not sure.”
Eric Matthews, former wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers, told CNN, “I look at it as a hit to the NFL players. … What you’re seeing today, the players are coming together, showing what Trump was talking about, it doesn’t have anything to do with that. These are football players but at the end of the day they’re American citizens first. … Kaepernick was taking a knee not against the NFL but because of what’s going on in our neighborhoods with the injustices in Black communities. And that I think kind of got missed, the whole reason. It’s not about Kaepernick trying to get a job. It’s about what he was standing for. And I think you’ll see that more.”
Ron Brownstein, senior editor at The Atlantic, said Sunday on CNN: “Saying this is about the national anthem is like saying Charlottesville was fundamentally about a statue of Robert E. Lee. It’s simply the venue in which the underlying issue is being fought out. And from the point of view of the president and the kind of language he has used literally from the first day when he came down the escalator in Trump Tower and talked about Mexicans who are rapists and criminals, it is not a coincidence that he is attacking a series of prominent African American athletes.
“This is a continuation of what we saw with David Duke, what we saw with Charlottesville, what we see in his comments about Black Lives Matter. He has appealed, from the beginning, to the elements of White America that are most uneasy about racial and demographic change. From the beginning, the president has drawn his most support from the voters who are most uneasy about those changes.”
David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker, on Saturday wrote that the president “is infinitely more offended by the sight of a black ballplayer quietly, peacefully protesting racism in the United States than he is by racism itself.” Remnick said Trump’s use of phrases such as “People like yourselves,” “Those people, ” and “Son of a bitch” “was the same sort of racial signalling that followed the Fascist and white-supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. It is no longer a matter of ‘dog whistling.’ This is a form of racial demagoguery broadcast at the volume of a klaxon.”
Meanwhile, beyond the NFL, Trump on Saturday morning rescinded a White House invitation to professional basketball star Steph Curry, whose Golden State Warriors were this year’s NBA champions. The Warriors later said in a statement they would not visit the White House and instead use the trip to Washington, D.C., to “celebrate equality, diversity and inclusion,” which they “embrace as an organization.”
“I don’t know, you know, why he feels he needs to target certain individuals rather than others,” Curry said on CNN. “I have an idea of why, but it’s kind of — just kind of beneath, I think, a leader of a country to go that route. It’s not what leaders do.”
Trump’s decision to revoke Curry’s invitation was likely due to Curry’s statement on Friday saying: “We don’t stand for basically what our president has said and the things that he hasn’t said and the right times that we won’t stand for it. And by acting, or not going, hopefully that will inspire some change when it comes to what we tolerate in this country and what is accepted and … what we turn a blind eye to.”
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr forcefully criticized Trump’s statements and stood up for NFL players. “No matter how many times a football player says, ‘I honor our military, but I’m protesting police brutality and racial inequality,’ it doesn’t matter,” Kerr said Saturday on ESPN. “Nationalists are saying, ‘You’re disrespecting our flag.’ Well, you know what else is disrespectful to our flag? Racism. And one’s way worse than the other.”
NBA star Lebron James also weighed in. “Obviously, we all know what happened with Charlottesville and the divide that that caused,” he said. “And now it’s even hitting more home for me now even more, because he’s now using sports as the platform to try to divide us.”
In Major League Baseball Saturday night Oakland A’s catcher Bruce Maxwell kneeled with his hand over his heart prior to the start of his game. The former Army Ranger said afterwards: “My hand over my heart symbolized the fact that I am and am forever an American citizen and more than grateful for being here. But my kneeling is getting the attention, because I’m kneeling for the people that don’t have a voice. And this goes beyond the Black community. This scope [is] beyond the Hispanic community because right now, we are having an indifference and racial divide in all types of people.”
“Our country has a rich history of athletes activism,” added CNN’s Wire. “I think these are significant times. You can go back to Tommy Smith, John Carlos, Jesse Owens, Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali, Kareem Abdul- Jabbar. And this feels like that, a momentous time in our country where athletes are using their voice, using their platform to try to create positive change where they think they can.”
DeMaurice Smith, executive director of the NFL Players Association, tweeted: “We will never back down. We can no longer afford to stick to sports.”
NFL owners contribute to Trump
Meanwhile, several NFL team owners have made financial contributions to Trump’s presidential campaign and/or his inaugural committee, according to published reports based on data from the Federal Election Commission:
Houston Texans owner Robert McNair: $2.4 million
New York Jets owner Woody Johnson: $1.105 million
Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder: $1.1 million
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft: $1 million
Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke: $1 million
Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan: $1 million
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones: $1 million
Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam: 400,000
Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner Edward Glazer: $305,400
charlottesville colin kaepernick donald trump NFL racism white supremacists
Moses Frenck, Special to The Informer via DiversityInc
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Developers get more time on Fisherman's Wharf
A development firm has been given two additional years to lay the groundwork for rehabilitating a dilapidated corner of Channel Islands Harbor without paying $50,000 in annual fees.
Developers get more time on Fisherman's Wharf A development firm has been given two additional years to lay the groundwork for rehabilitating a dilapidated corner of Channel Islands Harbor without paying $50,000 in annual fees. Check out this story on vcstar.com: https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/2017/12/31/harbor-developers-get-more-time-county-tries-break-stalemate/986297001/
Kathleen Wilson, kathleen.wilson@vcstar.com Published 2:30 p.m. PT Dec. 31, 2017
This is an artist's rendering of the proposed development at Fisherman's Wharf.(Photo: Contributed photo)
A slim majority of the Ventura County Board of Supervisors approved the extension for the redevelopment of Fisherman's Wharf in mid-December. The vote came after the initial term of a lease-option agreement between the county and developer Channel Islands Harbor Properties ended early that month.
The vote locks in the partnership until at least December 2019, providing more time for the developer to meet deadlines to qualify for a 65-year ground lease of the property. Additional extensions could keep the deal together until the end of 2022.
Harbor Director Lyn Krieger said she recommended the extension because it was the fair thing to do. Channel Islands Harbor Properties has no control over a dispute between the county and the city of Oxnard that has delayed the project with hundreds of apartments plus shops and restaurants for more than a year, she said.
"The problem is really the county's," she said. "Why are we still charging for the option, since there is nothing the developer can do about this or not?"
She also proposed and supervisors passed two-year extensions for exclusive negotiations with the same firm on three other parcels at the harbor. Krieger said they were contingent on progress at Fisherman's Wharf.
Critics said the extension limits the county's choices at a time when it would make more business sense to open the properties to alternative proposals.
"They actually put the county in a very bad position," said Rene Aiu, a representative of the Harbor and Beach Community Alliance. "It eliminates all alternatives for Fisherman's Wharf and the other parcels for two years."
The development company has proposed a project with about 400 apartments, 36,000 square feet of retail and commercial space, a park and a waterfront promenade. Obstacles still in the way include a compromise with balking Oxnard city officials and a sign-off from the California Coastal Commission.
Supervisors are also facing opposition from reportedly thousands of residents who have signed petitions to object to the size of the apartment building. The Harbor and Beach Community Alliance has hired experts to help defeat the project and plans a consensus-building exercise to develop alternatives.
Krieger estimated the firm has already invested $1.5 million to $2 million in the project.
In a letter to supervisors, Krieger said the dispute centered on which of the local governments had authority for issuing permits for projects at the county-owned property in Oxnard. The process for approving the project and use of the land is also at issue. The property is designated for fishing, recreational boating and visitor-serving uses in the city coastal plan, not the apartments that a county plan for the harbor would allow.
Channel Islands Harbor Properties is composed of developer Tom Tellefsen, apartment developer Geoff Palmer and vintage automobile collector Peter Mullin. Like developers before them, the firm says redevelopment of Fisherman's Wharf is not financially feasible without apartments.
Support on the Board of Supervisors has weakened but there are enough "yes" votes for a majority.
Supervisors Steve Bennett, Kelly Long and Peter Foy OK'd the extensions. Supervisor John Zaragoza, whose district contains the harbor, voted "no." Supervisor Linda Parks, who called for refinements to make the project acceptable to the city and community residents, abstained.
Zaragoza, reversing his earlier support of the project, said he was heeding his constituents' opposition and concerned over the continued delays.
The Oxnard supervisor has said he did not want to keep kicking the can down the road.
"Supposedly extending it gives more time for compromises and negotiations," he said. "However, we have been going at it for a couple of years and also the developer has been expending more money in the process."
The negotiations involve top managers for the city and county, lawyers and Jack Ainsworth, executive director of the Coastal Commission. The commission has so far declined to intervene, directing the county and city to work out the problem.
Zaragoza expressed frustration over the results of those talks.
"I believe right now we are not getting any place at all," he said. "It is my belief the city really does not want to play ball with us."
The parties are still meeting, though, and another session is expected to be held in January.
Krieger said headway is being made and that she expects to know whether the dispute is resolvable within 60 days.
Tellefsen said the developers are not walking away from the project. He says the extension was needed to deal with the delay that was never envisioned or reasonable.
"We are in it for the long haul," he said. "We're going to find a pathway to build this project."
Read or Share this story: https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/2017/12/31/harbor-developers-get-more-time-county-tries-break-stalemate/986297001/
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The fight against Trump is a battle for freedom
Every 75 years or so in our history, Americans have renewed their commitment to freedom.
The fight against Trump is a battle for freedom Every 75 years or so in our history, Americans have renewed their commitment to freedom. Check out this story on vcstar.com: http://www.vcstar.com/story/opinion/columnists/2018/07/07/fight-against-trump-battle-freedom/760442002/
Washington Post Writers Group Published 10:59 a.m. PT July 7, 2018
President Donald Trump speaks about taxes, Friday, June 29, 2018, during an event in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)(Photo: Jacquelyn Martin, AP)
Divide our history into thirds, and you can see, at regular intervals, a rededication to our founding doctrine. In 1789, the framers drafted the Bill of Rights. Seventy-four years later, at the turning point in the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln called for "a new birth of freedom" to honor those who died. Seventy-eight years after that, on the eve of U.S. entry into world war in 1941, Franklin D. Roosevelt declared the "four freedoms."
That was 77 years ago, and we are due for another renewal. Neither fascism nor civil war threatens us, but Americans are united in fear. Much of the country fears the loss of basic freedoms under President Trump: free speech, press and religion, due process and control over their bodies. Trump, meanwhile, foments fears among his followers of crime, gangs, immigrants and civil servants. And Americans of all beliefs fear they are losing the American Dream and its promise of economic mobility.
Trump's opponents are seemingly confused about how to respond in this election year. Do they appeal to whites or nonwhites, progressives or moderates, move to the left to rally the "base" or hew to the center to capture the swing voters? Should they make an economic argument or a social argument, target those concerned about jobs or those angry about the president?
These are false choices, though, because our salvation will be what it always has been. On the 242nd birthday of the United States, let's rededicate ourselves to freedom:
Freedom from Trump's constant attacks on women, immigrants, people of color, gay people and Muslims.
Freedom to work and live without discrimination, harassment and violence because of your gender, race or religion.
Freedom to get medical care when you or your children are sick.
Freedom to earn a living wage, to attend college or get job training, and to retire in security.
Freedom from a rigged economy in which the top 1 percent own more than the bottom 90 percent combined.
Freedom to marry whom you choose.
Freedom to make decisions about your own body.
Freedom to send your kids to school without fear for their safety.
Freedom to breathe clean air, to drink clean water, to live on a habitable planet.
Freedom to elect your leaders without the rich, or foreign governments, choosing them for you.
And freedom to speak, to protest and to publish without the threat of violence.
Not only do such ideas unify the left (far more than quibbling about, say, which form of universal health care is best or what exactly should be done with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement), but freedom appeals broadly to Americans regardless of politics. Ask us what it means to be American, and you will get one answer above all others: "to be free."
Conservatives long claimed ownership of it. (Remember Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and freedom fries?) But Trump has essentially ceded the freedom agenda to his opponents. One measure, using a database of his speeches, tweets and Q&As, finds that he has used the word "freedom" 72 times this year (often dismissively, as in "we need freedom of the press, but ..."). That's far less than he has used, say, "respect" (252), "strong" (502), "win" (306), "border" (617), "taxes" (158), "Democrat" (560), "kill" (159), "country" (1,288), "illegal" (127), "crime" (250) and "great" (2,826).
This isn't just a linguistic de-emphasis of freedom; Trump has made common cause with dictators and played down human rights abroad while starting a trade war with democratic allies. At home he has questioned due process for refugees, taken immigrant children from their parents, imposed a travel ban on several Muslim-majority nations and declared the media the enemy of the American people. He is now poised to shift the balance on the Supreme Court away from abortion rights and gay rights.
In a very real sense, the fight against Trump is a battle for freedom.
Rather than join Trump in the fear chamber, progressives and Democrats ought to respond with a variation of what FDR proposed for the world in a very different context in 1941, "freedom of speech and expression," "freedom of every person to worship God in his own way," "freedom from want" and — of new significance now — "freedom from fear."
"This nation has placed its destiny in the hands and heads and hearts of its millions of free men and women," Roosevelt said, "and its faith in freedom under the guidance of God."
This faith sustained America through those dark times. It will not fail us in our 243rd year.
Follow Dana Milbank on Twitter, @Milbank.
Read or Share this story: http://www.vcstar.com/story/opinion/columnists/2018/07/07/fight-against-trump-battle-freedom/760442002/
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Chris Stapleton Follows ‘Traveller’ With ‘From A Room: Volume 1’
Paul Sexton
Chris Stapleton will follow the remarkable success of his Grammy-winning 2015 breakthrough album Traveller with From A Room: Volume 1, to be released by Decca/Mercury Nashville on 5 May.
The new album, which will be followed by From A Room: Volume 2 later in the year, takes the inspiration for its name from RCA Studio A, the historic Nashville location where Stapleton made the record over the course of last winter. It will arrive two years to the day since the release of Traveller, which became the bestselling country album of 2016 and the fourth-highest selling of the year in any genre.
Produced, like its predecessor, by the in-demand, Grammy-winning Dave Cobb, it contains eight original songs and a version of ‘Last Thing I Needed, First Thing This Morning,’ written by Gary P. Nunn and Donna Sioux Farar, previously recorded by Willie Nelson on his Always On My Mind album of 1982. Nunn recorded his own version on his 1984 album on Campfire Records, Home With The Armadillo.
From A Room: Volume 1 also includes the lead single ‘Either Way’ — Stapleton’s version of the song he wrote for Lee Ann Womack’s 2008 album Call Me Crazy — and ‘Second One To Know.’ He premiered the latter song at the 52nd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, held at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on 2 April.
Alongside Stapleton’s vocals and guitar and Cobb’s acoustic guitar, it showcases Chris’ wife and fellow artist Morgane Stapleton on harmony vocals, longtime band members J.T. Cure on bass and Derek Mixon (drums) plus Mickey Raphael on harmonica, Robby Turner (pedal steel) and Mike Webb on keyboards.
Stapleton’s All-American Road Show will tour throughout 2017 and includes shows at The Forum in Los Angeles, Denver’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre and New York’s Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theatre. It will feature special guests Brothers Osborne, Lucie Silvas, Anderson East, Brent Cobb, Margo Price and Marty Stuart.
Click here to explore our Chris Stapleton Artist Page
Related Topics:Anderson EastBrent CobbBrothers OsborneChris StapletonCountryDave CobbLucie SilvasMargo PriceMarty StuartMorgane StapletonNew Releases
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Our Orthodox Faith & Sacraments
Upcoming Events & Services
PAST HISTORY - UP TO THE 15TH DECEMBER 2018 & CURRENT
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Australia of the Kyivan Patriarchate was an integral part of the Ukrainian Orthodox Kyivan Patriarchate under the protection (omophor) of His Holiness Patriarch of Kyiv and All Rus-Ukraine Filaret. Parishes exist in Sydney, Newcastle, Adelaide & Brisbane. The Supreme Authority of the Church is the Holy Synod, with its permanent President the Metropolitan of Kyiv himself.
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Kyivan Patriarchate up to the 15/12/2018 was The Pomisna (National/Autocephalous) Orthodox Church of Ukraine. It served the spiritual needs of all Orthodox christians throughout the world. It is now been absorbed into the new Orthodox Church of Ukraine with the new First Hierarch Metropolitan Epiphanios of Kyiv and All Ukraine (formerly Patriarchal Vicar-Metropolitan of Pereyeslav) elected on the united sobor of bishops 15/12/2018.
At this time The Ukrainian Orthodox Church - has approximately over 6000 parishes in Ukraine alone and over 30 Eparchies in the various regions of Ukraine. It also has parishes throughout Europe (Germany, Greece, Italy, France, Moldova etc.) the USA, Canada & Australia.
The Orthodox Church of Ukraine has functioning educational centers such as The Kyiv and Lviv Theological Academies, seminaries in Lutsk and Rivne, a Theological Institute in Ivano-Frankivsk, and an accredited Philosophical and Theological curriculum at The National University of Chernivtsi.
The Orthodox Church of Ukraine has the support of over 30 million faithful in Ukraine. (In comparison The Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine has the support of approximately 5 million faithful in Ukraine) In recent public news polls in Kyiv showed that over 77% of those asked were supporters of The Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kyivan Patriarchate now absorbed into The Orthodox Church of Ukraine and only 8% aligned themselves with The Moscow Patriarchate.
On the 11th October 2018, after a petition by the Kyiv Patriarchate and the UAOC forwarded by the President on behalf of the Parliament of Ukraine in April 2018 to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople uplifted the unjust anathema & excommunication/defrockment of Patriarch Philaret and Metropolitan Makarius, restoring them as canonical Hierarchs along with all the clergy and flock of both churches.
With the united bishops of the Kyiv Patriarchate and the UAOC and two bishops of the MP the United Sobor of bishops took place in the Historical Cathedral of St Sophia in Kyiv chaired by his Eminence Emmanuel of France (Ecumenical Patriarchate) on Saturday 15th December 2018. There with the Grace of the Holy Spirit, Metropolitan Epiphanios of the KP, was elected as the first new canonical Hierarch of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
On the 6th January 2019 (Theophany with the New Calendar), the Ecumenical Patriarchate handed the Tomos of Autocephaly to his Beatitude Epiphanios of Kyiv and all Ukraine in a joint Festive co-celebrative Historical Divine Liturgy.
The official Enthronement of His Beatitude Epiphanios of Kyiv & all Ukraine took place on the 3rd February 2019 at the Historical Cathedral of St Sofia in Kyiv.
© 2018 Ukrainian Orthodox Church Australia- Kyiv Patriarchate Proudly created with Wix.com
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Croatia Water Polo
Ratko Rudic returns to Croatian Water Polo Federation
By Pavle Mihajlovic
Photo: Sanjin Strukic/Pixsell
The most decorated coaches in the sport, Ratko Rudic, will return to Croatia and be a member of the Expert Council of the Croatian Water Polo Federation (HVS).
– After completing my work in Brazil, I returned to Croatia. As I felt that I should continue to participate in the work of HVS, I talked with its officials and agreed to get re-engaged. In an area, of course, to which I can contribute the most, and that is expert work. So we agreed that I should join the Expert Council, which made me very satisfied. I resume my work right where I started it when I came back from America in 2004 – said Rudic.
Rudic has won 64 trophies in total. During his coaching career, he coached five national teams: Yugoslavia (1984–1988), Italy (1990–2000), USA (2001–2004), Croatia (2005–2012), and Brazil (2013–2016), and won 36 medals at major events, 10 of which while coaching Croatia, making him the most successful water polo coach.
He won Olympic gold three times in a row – with Yugoslavia in 1984 and 1988, Italy in 1992, and Croatia in 2012. At the 1996 Olympics, he won the bronze with Italy. His list of successes includes world championships with Yugoslavia (1986), Italy (1994) and Croatia (2007).
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In Afghanistan, jailed Taliban await peace, their freedom
by: KATHY GANNON, Associated Press
Posted: Dec 30, 2019 / 12:17 AM CST / Updated: Dec 30, 2019 / 02:34 PM CST
In this Saturday, Dec. 14, 2019, photo, Maulvi Niaz Mohammad, 45, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press inside the Pul-e-Charkhi jail in Kabul, Afghanistan. Thousands of Taliban prisoners jailed as insurgents see a peace deal being hammered out in Qatar as their ticket to freedom. Prisoner release is a key pillar of any agreement the U.S. strikes with the Taliban to end Afghanistan’s 18-year war. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
PUL-E-CHARKHI, Afghanistan (AP) — Thousands of Taliban prisoners jailed in Afghanistan as insurgents see a peace deal being hammered out between the United States and the Taliban as their ticket to freedom.
They know a prisoner release is a key pillar of any agreement that brings an end to Afghanistan’s 18-year war, Washington’s longest military engagement.
A list of about 5,000 Taliban prisoners has been given to the Americans and their release has been written into the agreement under discussion, said a Taliban official familiar with the on-again, off-again talks taking place in Qatar. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. U.S. and Afghan government officials have said a prisoner release is part of the negotiation.
But some analysts say freeing prisoners could undermine peace in Afghanistan.
“There’s a need for Afghan and U.S. officials to do their due diligence on any Taliban prisoners they’re planning to release, in order to minimize the likelihood that they’ll set free jihadists that can do destabilizing things and undercut a fledgling peace process,” warned Michael Kugelman, deputy director of the Asia Program at the U.S.-based Wilson Center.
The Associated Press interviewed more than a dozen Taliban prisoners inside the notorious Pul-e-Charkhi prison on the eastern edge of the capital, Kabul. Several of them were nostalgic for the Taliban’s Afghanistan, ruled by the mighty hand of their previous leader, the reclusive Mullah Mohammed Omar,who died several years ago.
But they also insisted that they accept it would not be the same now and that, though they still wanted what they call Islamic rule, they no longer call for some of their strict edicts, like the ban on education and on girls and women working.
“We want women to be educated, become engineers, we want women to work in every department,” said one prisoner, Maulvi Niaz Mohammed, though he said the work must be “based on Islam.” He said young Afghans should not fear the Taliban, “it is they who will build our country and develop it.”
Taliban negotiators have taken a similar tone in the talks. But there is a deep distrust on both sides of the conflict and many in the public worry what will happen if the Taliban, who ruled for five years until they were toppled in the 2001 U.S.-led invasion, regain authority.
On Sunday, the Taliban ruling council agreed to a temporary cease-fire in Afghanistan, providing a window in which a peace agreement with the U.S. can be signed, Taliban officials said. They didn’t say when it would begin.
The Taliban have well-organized communication networks inside Afghan prisons that record the latest arrests, province by province, as well as who is sick and who has died. It all gets delivered to a prisoners’ commission, devoted to their release and headed by Mullah Nooruddin Turabi, who during the Taliban rule served as justice minister and the “virtue and vice” minister in charge of religious police.
During that time, he was widely feared. Turabi was known to personally enforce the movement’s dictates, snatching music tapes from taxi drivers disobeying a ban on music and television, and stalking offices and businesses to search for violators who trimmed their beard or missed one of the five daily calls to prayer. Once in 1996, just days after the Taliban took control of Kabul from warring mujahedeen groups, when the AP was interviewing a Taliban fighter, Turabi slapped the hulking, 6-foot-tall fighter in the face for talking with a foreign woman journalist.
Built in the 1970s to house 5,000 prisoners, Pul-e-Charkhi now has 10,500 prisoners, according to the warden, Akhtar Noorzoi. They are packed in 11 cell blocks surrounded by turrets, guard towers and walls topped with razor wire.
The around 3,000 prisoners classified as Taliban are in their own block. The caution, even fear, felt by the guards and the administrators was unmistakable as they entered the Taliban’s cell block, protected by a phalanx of guards in armored vests and helmets, carrying bulky weapons that fire tear gas shells. Behind them on the dimly lit stairs were another half dozen guards, also in vests and helmets, automatic weapons at the ready.
The prisoners had free rein in a room where they could mingle, pray and study. The room was lined with small desks at which the Taliban sat on the carpeted floor in traditional style.
The AP interviewed the prisoners in a nearby room, unshackled and with no guards or administrators present. The prisoners decided among themselves who among them would be interviewed, without interference — at least none visible — from the administration.
Still, they spoke in whispers as they complained of maltreatment by guards, some of whom they said wanted revenge for personal losses blamed on Taliban attacks, while others fear a Taliban return.
Maulvi Niaz Mohammad emerged as the leader among the prisoners, although no one identified him as such. He was convicted to 15 years. During the Taliban rule, he served with Qari Ahmadullah, a Taliban intelligence commander who controlled much of northern Afghanistan.
He said barely 1,000 of the prisoners in the block are actually Taliban. The rest were accused of being sympathizers or members of the group, often to settle old scores; others were criminals.
One, Noorullah, 34, was sentenced to 20 years for killing his wife. He said that in prison he’d found comfort with the Taliban and sees their rule as preferable to the current government — though under the Taliban, he likely would have been sentenced to public execution at the hands of a relative of his wife.
He said that sentence would have been better, since now his family fears revenge attacks by his wife’s relatives. “Why is it better now? I have to pay the judge, pay to the police, just so my family is not bothered.”
One Taliban prisoner who gave his name only as Maulvi Sahab, saying he feared reprisals, said Taliban prisoners were beaten and taunted by guards. Dozens of prisoners were still in prison even after their sentences have been completed, sometimes for one week, one for a year, he said.
Medicine and medical treatment are often slow in arriving when they are for Taliban prisoners, he said. Every concession the Taliban have won has come through protests — refusing to return to cells or comply with orders until eventually some of their demands are met, including the use of mobile phones, which he and several others had in their hands as they spoke.
The prison warden, Noorzoi, rejected the Taliban litany of complaints. He said they promptly receive medical treatment, have access to literacy classes, religious schools and even a gymnasium and are served meat at least three times a week. He said a hospital is under construction.
Treatment, he insisted, was “better than some of them would get in their villages.”
Pul-e-Charkhi prison is Afghanistan’s most notorious, with a disturbing history of violence, mass executions and torture. Mass graves have been uncovered dating back to the purges carried out by Kabul’s Soviet Union-backed governments of the late 1970s and 1980s. Torture cells and underground holding areas have been unearthed.
Prison authorities said today the prison is monitored by an Interior Ministry human rights commission and the International Committee of the Red Cross makes regular visits.
“Torture, mistreatment that’s all a thing of the past” said Najeeb Nangyal, the Interior Ministry’s director of media and public affairs.
Still, violent outbreaks are not uncommon.
In November, a riot broke out after authorities tried to confiscate cell phones and narcotics. When it ended, 16 prisoners were dead, many of them Taliban. The Taliban said they were targeted.
Analysts and even the United States’ own Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction John F. Sopko said neither Afghanistan nor the U.S. is ready for the Taliban prisoners’ release.
Every past attempt at re-integration has been costly and a failure.
A report released in September — one of several “Lessons Learned” treatises done by Sopko’s team during America’s 18-year and $1 trillion involvement in Afghanistan — said Afghans on both sides of the conflict need to avoid the missteps of the past.
Sopko said Congress should consider funding reintegration only if a peace deal provides a framework for reintegrating ex-combatants, there is strong monitoring of the process and violence is dramatically reduced.
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GlaxoSmithKline submits biologics license application to US Food and Drug Administration for Cervarix®
WEBWIRE – Monday, April 2, 2007
GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK) announced today that the company has submitted a Biologics License Application (BLA) for CERVARIX® (human papillomavirus vaccine, AS04 adjuvant-adsorbed), its cervical cancer candidate vaccine, to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). If licensed, the vaccine will be indicated for the prevention of cervical cancer and precancerous lesions associated with the most common cancer-causing human papillomavirus types. For this candidate vaccine, GSK selected a novel proprietary adjuvant system called AS04, intended to enhance immune response and increase duration of protection.
“Today’s filing is an important milestone for GSK and reflects our commitment to help prevent cervical cancer, the second most common cancer among younger women,” said JP Garnier, CEO of GlaxoSmithKline, one of the world’s leading vaccine manufacturers. “We believe that the best possible protection against cervical cancer will include routine screening together with a vaccine designed to provide targeted, durable protection against the most common cancer-causing virus types.”
The BLA for the GSK cervical cancer candidate vaccine includes data from clinical trials in almost 30,000 females 10 to 55 years of age and reflects an ethnically diverse population. The submission also contains data from the largest Phase III cervical cancer vaccine efficacy trial to date, which was conducted around the world in more than 18,000 females 15 to 25 years of age.
“We are pleased to submit this file to the FDA,” said Barbara Howe, MD, Vice President and Director, North American Vaccine Development Organization, at GlaxoSmithKline. “It includes a considerable amount of data for virus types 16 and 18 that cause 70 percent of cervical cancer cases worldwide, as well as data for other virus types that can lead to cervical cancer. We look forward to presenting study results in the coming months.”
The GSK cervical cancer candidate vaccine is formulated with a proprietary adjuvant system called AS04, containing aluminum hydroxide and monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL®). Published data have shown that the GSK cervical cancer candidate vaccine formulated with AS04 provides a stronger and longer lasting immune response compared to the same GSK vaccine composition formulated with a traditional aluminum hydroxide adjuvant.
About cervical cancer
After breast cancer, cervical cancer is the second most frequently occurring cancer in women between the ages of 20 to 39 in the United States. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2007 more than 11,000 women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer and nearly 4,000 will die from this disease in the United States. Furthermore, approximately 2 million pre-cancerous lesions are diagnosed each year in the United States.
The GSK cervical cancer candidate vaccine around the world
In addition to the Biologics License Application submitted for CERVARIX®with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, GSK has submitted a marketing authorization application to the European Medicines Agency, Australia, Canada, and major countries in Asia and Latin America.
About GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline — one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies — is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For company information, please visit www.gsk.com/media.
GSK Biologicals (GSK Bio), one of the world’s leading vaccine manufacturers, is headquartered in Rixensart, Belgium, where the majority of GlaxoSmithKline’s activities in the field of vaccine research, development and production are conducted. GSK Bio employs more than 1,500 scientists, who are devoted to discovering new vaccines and developing more cost-effective and convenient combination products to prevent infections that cause serious medical problems worldwide. In 2006, GSK Bio distributed more than 1.1 billion doses of vaccines to 169 countries in both the developed and the developing world – an average of 3 million doses a day. Of those vaccine doses, approximately 136 million were doses of combination pediatric vaccines which protect the world’s children with up to six diseases in one vaccine.
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Debating the New Campus PC
Show Description +
Readers tackle the Atlantic cover story “The Coddling of the American Mind” by Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukianoff, who then respond to their critics at length. (Here’s a subsequent debate in Notes over the numerous campus protests sparked by students at Yale and Mizzou.)
Sort Notes
Show 9 Newer Notes
Chris Bodenner
1:30 PM / August 31, 2015
Are Professors Being the Oversensitive Ones?
Atlantic reader Adam Needelman agrees with the sentiment of the previous reader who called Lukianoff and Haidt “grumpy old men”; he calls their essay “a lazy rehash of the same cyclical generation bashing we get every ten years.” He also sees a double standard:
The section of the essay hyperventilating about trigger warnings complains of a “chilling effect” on “teaching and pedagogy.” It fails to mention that chilling effects are incumbent on the cowardice of those being chilled. Why is it that when professors so fear criticism that they choose to compromise on their principles and job performances, it’s not discussed as being too thin-skinned, but when students fear offense, it is?
Furthermore, why is it when Jerry Seinfeld essentially says “I am a grown man and professional comedian, but I will not perform at colleges because I am worried the kids may be mean to me,” we call the kids thin-skinned, but not the man deathly afraid of criticism? Could it be because we have emotional attachment to the idea of younger people being more thin-skinned?
Haidt responds first:
Mr. Needelman asserts that what the faculty fears is being criticized. It is not. It is being brought up on charges before the university’s Equal Opportunity Commission, or some other internal body that is charged with investigating all student complaints.
Under the 2013 Department of Education revised guidelines that we describe in the article, any student who deems what a professor says to be “unwelcome” can file harassment charges. These charges must be adjudicated by some body created by the university. This adjudication forces the professor to spend dozens of hours to write defenses, sit through testimony, and respond to official emails. It is a nightmare and a time drain dropped into a busy semester.
See what happened to Laura Kipnis. This happened to me too, in a more abbreviated form. I am now gun-shy; I am afraid of offending the most sensitive student that I can imagine, and so I am now a more cautious, less spontaneous, and less interesting teacher.
Lukianoff responds at even greater length:
Being concerned about some negative trends resulting from decisions made by educators and parents over the past couple decades doesn’t sound like to me like “generation bashing,” as the reader put it. Jon and I are concerned that society is telling students that they are far more fragile than they actually are, and we believe that is not only harming their mental health, but also selling them short.
As for our “hyperventilating about trigger warnings,” our argument is that trigger warnings do not necessarily help the people they claim to help, people who suffer from PTSD, and might put professors in a position where they have to fear for their jobs if they cannot live up to the impossible task of predicting everything a student might claim is offensive and warrants a trigger warning.
He goes on to cite many examples of professors facing much more than just hurt feelings:
In the article we cite a letter written by seven humanities professors who said their colleagues were being called on by administrators investigating student complaints that they had included “triggering” material in their courses, with or without trigger warnings. The professors’ main concern was that professors couldn’t possibly anticipate everything that might upset students, no matter how many warnings they administered or how they adjusted their course materials.
If Mr. Needelman is saying that professors should be able to handle criticism, I absolutely agree. But it’s not mere criticism these professors fear. They aren’t worried about getting their feelings hurt; they fear for their jobs.
This is not an irrational, hypothetical fear. In hundreds of cases I have seen in my work, dozens of which are recounted in my book Unlearning Liberty, I’ve seen professors get in trouble for clearly protected speech related to the content of their courses. They’re not being paranoid to be concerned about the consequences of offending.
In 2011, University of Denver professor Arthur Gilbert was suspended and found guilty of sexual harassment after two anonymous students filed complaints about the sexualized nature of his course on the history of America’s drug wars, a course that quite explicitly included several sections on taboo sexual themes.
And just last week, Alice Dreger resigned her professorship at Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine, citing continuing censorship by the University, specifically its ongoing censorship of the faculty-produced medical journal Atrium, of which Dreger is an editor. These are just a couple of the cases I’ve seen where professors had to worry about their job security after engaging in clearly protected speech.
As for Mr. Needelman’s recharacterization of what Jerry Seinfeld said about performing on campuses, I think he’s missing the crux of the argument Seinfeld and his fellow comedians are making. I am an executive producer of an upcoming documentary called Can We Take Joke?, in which we interview a half-dozen major comedians about the problems comedy faces on campus and in general. The comedians who say they don’t want to play campuses are not saying that they’re afraid of going on campus— they’re saying it’s a pretty lame experience because students are so quick to claim offense.
As Chris Rock said in a 2014 interview, “This is not as much fun as it used to be.” I don’t think Chris Rock is afraid of anyone, but if you’re getting the impression that some students will intentionally misinterpret your jokes and not even allow you to be, as Rock says, “offensive on your way to being inoffensive,” we should consider what kind of environment we’ve created.
Can you imagine Chris Rock doing a comedy bit like the following one on a college campus today? (NSFW, because Chris Rock):
Want the last word here? Email hello@theatlantic.com and I’ll update the post with your best counterpoints. And to keep track of the whole ongoing debate on the new campus P.C., head here.
9:00 AM / August 31, 2015
Are Critics of Campus PC Just Grumpy Old Men?
Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt, authors of the current Atlantic cover story “The Coddling of the American Mind,” were eager to respond to a half-dozen of the most forceful criticisms from their readers selected from the hello@ account. Here’s Sebastian:
As a member of the class of 2014 at an American university, I knew I was in for a treat from the first line of the essay: “Something strange is happening at America’s colleges and universities.” I immediately thought of the grumpy old man, sitting on his front porch, lecturing at anyone who will listen about “kids these days” and “the problem with young people.”
Sure enough, in the second section we get: “Childhood itself has changed greatly during the past generation. Many Baby Boomers and Gen Xers can remember riding their bicycles around their hometowns, unchaperoned by adults.” This is a terrific new twist on an old classic: “In my day, we walked to school through the snow and the rain, uphill both ways!”
Lukianoff responds to his young reader:
We’ve seen a number of variations of this criticism: questioning why we should listen to “grumpy old men.” (By the way, I’m 40. I know that’s old to some of you, but maybe not so much to others).
While I’m hesitant to call this critique an argument, as it doesn’t substantively address what we talk about or propose in the article, I do understand where it is coming from. We can all recall eye-rolling moments when we saw older folks lecturing the younger generation about how hard it was in “their day,” and it may often be a good idea to take these nostalgic remarks with a grain of salt. Our memories can be tricky things, and psychology shows that we’re not all that good at remembering how good or bad things were in the past and are prone to revising and overgeneralizing.
But is my reader saying that generational critiques are presumptively meritless? To treat an older person’s critiques or advice as merely deluded nostalgia is essentially to say that people from older generations have no wisdom to offer younger generations. As people who take seriously even the advice of ancient thinkers, we simply don’t believe that’s true.
But I want to go one step further: it’s easy to roll your eyes at someone who says “it was harder in my day,” but does that mean he or she is wrong?
My father was born in 1926 in Yugoslavia and his father died when he was six years old. He lived through the terror of the Nazi occupation and World War II.
His father fought in both World War I and the Russian Revolution (he was evacuated in the Crimea on a British hospital ship while in a typhoid-induced coma), horrors I can barely imagine. His grandfather was a serf, a piece of owned property living in what would today be considered the grossest poverty. And they did all of this without media to distract them, without antidepressants, and even without aspirin or penicillin.
My point is that it’s pretty likely that your grandmother and grandfather, like mine, did in fact have it a lot harder than you do, and they learned a lot from those challenges. They lived in the daily presence of disease, death, back-breaking labor, and violence, whereas we live in what scholars like Steven Pinker have called the most peaceful and nonviolent period in human history. As a result, your grandmother and grandfather would likely see colleges’ efforts to protect students from offensive or disturbing content as not only an unnecessary luxury, but also harmful, as they know full well that they and those who came before them learned from the challenges they faced.
Growing abundance and comfort are undoubtedly good things, but they do come with consequences. These consequences are what I call “problems of comfort,” an idea I elaborate on in my short book Freedom From Speech. For example, political polarization is a “problem of comfort,” as it is the product of societal improvements like increased mobility, which has allowed people to move to like-minded neighborhoods, and availability of media, which allows people to get their information from news sources tailored to fit their preexisting worldviews.
Similarly, political correctness and the new “vindictive protectiveness” we discuss in the article arose from a good thing: a desire to be more sensitive, particularly towards the vulnerable. What we are examining in the article is whether these well-intentioned efforts have created their own problems: increased anxiety, depression, and an inability to entertain opposing viewpoints.
To say that progress does not sometimes create new problems is to be blind to history. And examining history and where these new problems came from so we can remedy them is why it can be valuable to listen to the “grumpy old man.” Indeed, that’s a piece of wisdom your grandmother probably could’ve told you.
Sebastian then wrote, unrelated to Lukianoff’s reply:
If you try to think about the history of our species as whole, it does not take long to come to the realization that the overwhelming majority of human life is a cry for help that no one hears. It is war, slavery, and genocide. It is massive and entrenched and unending. It is a cry made by a voice that, yes, is very often emotional, irrational, overgeneralizing, and catastrophizing.
That is the Real Problem. We too often forget it. If young people are more tuned in to the unfathomable suffering going on each day, if we are quicker to remind each other of that suffering, if we have not yet become callous to that suffering, then that is a good thing, and I really hope no young people lose that instinct after reading “The Coddling of the American Mind.”
Because, in case you can’t remember what it feels like to grow up in this world, it’s pretty painful and discouraging. It is the pain of growing up to learn about the patterns of oppression in the world and then experience them, experience young people like ourselves reincarnating the ancient hatreds. It was our collective heart breaking for the first time when we heard the Yale fraternity members walking through the streets chanting “No means Yes, Yes Means Anal!” It was the death of our dreams to realize that millions of Redskins fans gleefully chant a racial slur that invaders used to describe the victims of their genocide.
Mr. Lukianoff and Mr. Haidt, it is condescending, patronizing, and insulting to compare the collective suffering and anxieties of all young people to the irrational fear of elevators. To many, the fear is not misplaced. The suspicion is justified. The dangers in this world are very real, and I do not see how your article or the cause behind it will do anything to remedy that.
There’s quite of chasm between the “ancient hatreds” of “war, slavery, and genocide” and the reprehensible chanting of frat boys or the name of a sports team. There’s something really troubling about invoking them so tightly together.
Disagree? Want the last word on this note? Email hello@theatlantic.com. And to keep track of the entire ongoing debate, here’s the link to our thread page.
Does High Tuition Cause Entitlement?
A reader from Maine suggests so:
I am not an economic determinist; I don’t believe that all social phenomena can be attributed to economic causes. However, the fact that Lukianoff and Haidt don’t once talk about the consumerist revolution in American higher education is astounding. That is, undoubtedly, the #1 reason for the rise in “vindictive protectiveness.”
When money becomes the one and only value within institutions of higher ed, then the people who pay that money—or the people who act as the proxy for that money—will have the final say on what they feel is appropriate to encounter in class. This means edutainment, lessons built around emotional management—not rational or critical discussion about the messy reality of the world. Administrators would sooner censure an “offensive” teacher than lose one tiny part of their budget.
Add to this the reality of a job market that simply cannot absorb new college grads, and a massive debt bubble, and you have the right pieces for the construction of an escapist pleasure dome—a place for students to avoid the impending doom they feel about a vicious world.
Your thoughts? Email hello@theatlantic.com. Haidt and Lukianoff have penned responses to a half-dozen of your most critical emails and we'll be posting them starting Monday morning.
10:51 AM / August 27, 2015
When Trigger Warnings Offend
Atlantic reader Paula has a similar stance on trigger warnings as the college instructor who was raped:
I was in a literature class when my professor read a poem that was in the perspective of someone jumping off a skyscraper. This was the method my sister used to end her life.
For whatever reason, I couldn’t handle it that day and started seeing things. I left the room to get a cup of coffee and calm down. At the end of class, I went back to ask what the homework was, only to find my professor apologizing profusely for selecting that poem despite knowing what happened to my sister. He said he should’ve at least given me a warning.
I was taken aback. I told him that I chose to take a literature class, and he selected a poem that would teach the lesson best to the whole class. I couldn’t handle it, so that was my own responsibility.
Honestly, since all my professors knew I had mental issues, it was quite refreshing just for once to not be singled out, to be treated like a normal person. I seriously don’t understand why people want trigger warnings.
Another reader agrees:
As a dark-skinned Latino gay male, I am deeply alarmed that this new wave of stifling political correctness has swept college campuses. Such efforts and policies are ostensibly used to “protect” students like me from “offense.” But these people do not realize that they’re doing the very thing they accuse the “victimizers” and “oppressors” of doing—condescending to people like me.
This new political correctness simply crystallizes the ugly paternalism the left sometimes inflicts on minorities.
They make me into a one-dimensional caricature of someone so fragile and innocent that my psyche must be protected at all costs. Worse yet, they assume that people like me aren’t mature enough to see the difference between “microaggressions” that are unintentional and thoroughly harmless, and the ones that are harmful. They also assume that people like me aren’t capable of withstanding and countering the latter. We most certainly are. I’m a capable adult who can deftly navigate the arrows of negativity and discrimination aimed at the LGBT and Latino communities without my nannies protecting me.
As to the “trigger warnings” for provocative works of art and literature, this is also a very sad state of affairs. I tend to think the more provocation, the better.
Some of the best works of art, in my opinion, are those of Francis Bacon and Egon Schiele because they leave me with heightened anxiety. I was especially disconcerted to read that Mrs. Dalloway, one of the best novels ever written in the English language, had been given the trigger warning treatment at Rutgers. I read that book for the first time during the depths of a depression that lasted months. But despite the difficulties, I kept reading because the very mental state that that novel explored was the one I was experiencing. Reading that novel while in that frame of mind was one of the most eye-opening and marvelously creative things I have ever done. So to deny college students such life-enhancing engagement with art simply to “protect” them from their own feelings is a travesty.
I hope there is a thorough and sustained backlash against this new political correctness. I agreed with the general goals of the PC movement of the 1980s and 1990s; there needed to be more points of view from historically marginalized peoples in classroom discussions and materials. But I am in deep opposition to this new and more frightening iteration.
What do you think? Email hello@theatlantic.com. The authors of the cover story, Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukianoff, will be responding to critical emails from readers soon.
(Image via Dan Savage)
A Rape Survivor Against Trigger Warnings
The latest Atlantic cover story, “The Coddling of the American Mind,” has gotten a ton of email response from readers. A young instructor at an Ivy League university prefers to remain anonymous because she “enjoys a teaching fellowship that I would very much like to keep”:
I take the health and well-being of my students very seriously. If I believed that trigger warnings and sanitized curricula and what the authors term “protective vindictiveness” genuinely helped my students, I’d be a wholehearted supporter.
Unfortunately, I don’t believe that these measures do make my students safer. They just make schools like mine much lazier.
Vindictive protectiveness focuses ire on individual transgressions instead of systemic problems. It creates an atmosphere in which the administrative elite are more concerned with empty gestures than real change. They would rather use empty gestures—like, say, ousting a professor for making a joke about an assignment “killing” his students—to distract from an absence of real change, like preventing suicides on campus.
And let’s be real: the motivating concern behind top-down enforcement of mental hygiene on campuses is not that a delicate mind might be harmed in the making of their diploma. It’s lawsuits. Lawsuits and bad press. And that makes for really, really bad policy.
I appreciate the distinction drawn in this article between PCness and protective vindictiveness (VP):
[The PC movement] sought to restrict speech (specifically hate speech aimed at marginalized groups), but it also challenged the literary, philosophical, and historical canon, seeking to widen it by including more-diverse perspectives. The current movement is largely about emotional well-being.
This, I think, is the crux of the issue. The original zeitgeist of PC was ultimately productive, not reductive, shifting us towards a broader, richer academia, one that included voices not traditionally heard. VP, on the other hand, silences and excludes.
It’s easier not to read Beloved and Invisible Man—with all their “problematic” themes—than it is to have an honest conversation about the malignant, inescapable legacy of racism in America. It’s easier to drop Ovid’s Metamorphosis from the syllabus than it is to confront the violence and sexual darkness and blood-on-the-tongue humor in every story that humanity has ever told about itself.
In the current culture of VP, it seems, women and people of color are still disproportionately penalized for speaking out and speaking up—which feels like a step back, not forward. It’s not just that VP prevents students from having to think about what upsets them; it’s that it prevents the most privileged students from having to think about what should upset them.
As a woman, the idea of a trigger warning for misogyny seems ludicrous. Misogyny is something I experience every day, on levels both personal and institutional. Academia has never been an exception. It’s impossible not to track that crap into the classroom; we’re mired in it. I don’t leave my womanhood at the door. And a trigger warning for misogyny is exactly that: the implication that femaleness can be compartmentalized.
I wish this was a disclosure I didn’t have to make: I’m a rape survivor. And I would rather read Toni Morrison and have her words wrack my soul than see books like hers, containing stories just a little like mine, vanish from college classrooms. These are books we must read. These are conversations we must have. Not in spite of traumatized students, but because of us.
Have something to add to the debate over the new campus P.C.? Email hello@theatlantic.com. The authors of the cover story, Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukianoff, will be responding to critical emails from readers in the coming days.
More Notes From The Atlantic
An Action Plan for the Future of Media January 14, 2020
Looking at Libraries December 26, 2019
A Portrait of Public Libraries December 23, 2019
Dayton, Ohio, Is ‘a Place That Knows What It Is’ December 19, 2019
How Artists Build the Spirit of a Town December 16, 2019
Notes Home
Netflix / The Atlantic
Megan Garber
The streaming service has turned the star’s controversial e-commerce brand into a series. Soft-lit chaos ensues.
In an episode of the new Netflix series The Goop Lab, a young woman, Ana, gets a reading from the psychic medium Laura Lynne Jackson. Things do not go well. Jackson tells Ana, a Goop employee who is skeptical about clairvoyance, that she senses a twin in her family. Ana can’t think of any twins. “I have a female figure coming in, and I feel like it’s your grandmother’s sister,” Jackson says. “My grandmother didn’t have a sister,” Ana replies. Jackson asks whether Ana might be planning a trip to Mexico. (No.) “Is there, like, a funny story or a picture about a donkey? Or is there something with Shrek?” (Also no.) The reading, staged for the show’s cameras, quickly spirals from gauzy mysticism to blunt awkwardness. Even Ana seems surprised at how correct she was to distrust the premise of the exercise—which is also, as it happens, the premise of Goop as a lifestyle brand: that the physical world is, to some extent, a faith-based initiative.
Franklin Foer
Lev Parnas pointed his finger at Dmytro Firtash.
Somewhere near the heart of the Ukraine scandal is the oligarch Dmytro Firtash. Evidence has long suggested this fact. But over the past week, in a televised interview and in documents he supplied to Congress, Rudy Giuliani’s former business partner Lev Parnas pointed his finger at the Ukrainian oligarch. According to Parnas, Giuliani’s team had a deal with Firtash. Giuliani would get the Justice Department to drop its attempt to extradite the oligarch on bribery charges. In return, according to Parnas, the oligarch promised to pass along evidence that would supposedly discredit both Joe Biden and Robert Mueller.
Parnas’s account, of course, is hardly definitive. Throughout his career, he has attempted to inflate his importance to make money. (Firtash apparently paid him $1 million for his services, though it’s still not totally clear what those services were.) And his description of Firtash’s involvement raises as many questions as it settles. Still, the apparent centrality of Firtash should inform any assessment of Giuliani’s escapades and the entire Ukraine story.
Bloomberg / Getty
Approximately half of the luxury-condo units that have come onto the market in the past five years are still unsold.
In Manhattan, the homeless shelters are full, and the luxury skyscrapers are vacant.
Such is the tale of two cities within America’s largest metro. Even as 80,000 people sleep in New York City’s shelters or on its streets, Manhattan residents have watched skinny condominium skyscrapers rise across the island. These colossal stalagmites initially transformed not only the city’s skyline but also the real-estate market for new homes. From 2011 to 2019, the average price of a newly listed condo in New York soared from $1.15 million to $3.77 million.
But the bust is upon us. Today, nearly half of the Manhattan luxury-condo units that have come onto the market in the past five years are still unsold, according to The New York Times.
ROBYN BECK / Getty / nito / shutterstock / The Atlantic
Elaine Godfrey
The left is more energized than ever. So what happens if Joe Biden is the nominee?
“Please don’t make me vote for Joe Biden!” a flock of teenagers pleaded in a series of videos posted to the social-media app TikTok earlier this month.
But as the Iowa caucuses draw closer, a Biden nomination is looking more likely by the day. Lefty groups are worried—and warning that a Biden win could crush the activist enthusiasm they’re counting on to win in November.
The thousands of Americans who wait for hours in line to snap a photo with Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts or who fill arenas for Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont simply will not be as enthusiastic about the former vice president, leaders at nine progressive organizations, all of which are involved with organizing and get-out-the-vote efforts, told me in interviews this month. “I can’t imagine having Biden on the ticket is going to be the thing that energizes these folks to get out and do the door-knocking and have the conversations we need them to have,” said Natalia Salgado, who runs civic engagement at the Center for Popular Democracy, a left-wing advocacy group. “It’s incredibly concerning to me.”
Max Mumby / Indigo / Getty
K.A. Dilday
As a black American woman married to a member of Britain’s upper class, I have caught just a glimpse of Meghan Markle’s world.
The world Meghan Markle entered when she married Prince Harry is unlike any other. But, as a black American woman married to a member of Britain’s upper class, I have caught just a glimpse of it, from a roughly similar perspective.
For a while I lived in London and, through the man who would become my husband, I was introduced to some of the ancient class dynamics that permeate British society. He went to Eton, the elite boys’ boarding school attended by Prince William, Prince Harry, and many prime ministers.
Once, I went with him to the christening of an old classmate’s child. At the event, I sat across from David Cameron, an Old Etonian—or OE, as Eton’s former students are called—who was then the Tory party leader. His wife and my partner were both godparents to the new baby. If I were British, the christening and subsequent lunch with a gaggle of OEs and their equally posh wives would likely have made me nervous, angry, and uncomfortable. But I was somewhat insulated by the fact that, as an outsider, I didn’t have negative associations—or really any associations—with their traditions and ways of expressing themselves.
William Langewiesche
One of the worst maritime disasters in European history took place a decade ago. It remains very much in the public eye. On a stormy night on the Baltic Sea, more than 850 people lost their lives when a luxurious ferry sank below the waves. From a mass of material, including official and unofficial reports and survivor testimony, our correspondent has distilled an account of the Estonia's last moments—part of his continuing coverage for the magazine of anarchy on the high seas
After midnight, in the first hours of September 28, 1994, the ferry Estonia foundered in the waves of a Baltic storm. The ship was the pride of the newly independent Estonian nation, recently arisen from the Soviet ruins. It was a massive steel vessel, 510 feet long and nine decks high, with accommodations for up to 2,000 people. It had labyrinths of cabins, a swimming pool and sauna, a duty-free shop, a cinema, a casino, a video arcade, a conference center, three restaurants, and three bars. It also had a car deck that stretched from bow to stern through the hull's insides. In port the car deck was accessed through a special openable bow that could be raised to allow vehicles to drive in and out. At sea that bow was supposed to remain closed and locked. In this case, however, it did not—and indeed it caused the ship to capsize and sink when it came open in the storm and then fell entirely off.
KGC-09 / STAR MAX / IPx 2019 via AP
Policing correct female behavior keeps all women in their place.
Are you Team Kate or Team Meghan? If you’re anything like me, you don’t want to pick a side—and you don’t think there should be “sides” at all. Yet ever since Meghan Markle married Prince Harry, parts of the media have pitted the former actor against her sister-in-law.
Where Kate Middleton was once depicted as a dull social climber, she is now presented as the epitome of female virtue: a respectable, silent, discreet, and selfless mother. Meghan must therefore be her opposite—a political, manipulative, “woke” careerist.
Essentially, the two duchesses have been assigned to opposite sides of the culture war. All kinds of seemingly unrelated items have become symbols of one side or the other—quinoa, avocados, the English flag, attitudes toward the death penalty—and now Kate and Meghan have been conscripted too.
Handout / Reuters
Suzanne Maloney
A plane crash showed citizens what’s wrong with the Iranian government, but leaders have no plans to change.
When Ayatollah Ali Khamenei led prayers at Tehran’s Grand Mosque for the first time in eight years on Friday, Iran’s supreme leader described the downing of Ukrainian Airlines Fight 752 by his military as a “bitter accident”—one that enemies abroad were exploiting as an excuse to discredit the Islamic Republic. But the real threat to the regime, which has spent decades trying to cement its rule, is the discontent of the Iranian public. Both the plane crash on January 8 and the cover-up that followed struck at the heart of the grievances that shape Iranians’ anger toward and alienation from their government. And if the demise of Flight 752 revealed the government’s malign disregard for its own citizens, its relentless suppression of the subsequent protests has only underscored its imperviousness to any meaningful accountability.
Graeme Wood
The Iranian people are, for the first time in decades, worried about whether the leaders who have been their captors are not also their protectors.
Yesterday Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, delivered his first Friday sermon in eight years, a fulminating but boring rant against America after the death of Qassem Soleimani. The rant brought back memories for me, like hearing a familiar Beatles song.
Sixteen years ago, as an unwashed backpacker, I went to Friday prayers at the University of Tehran. I can pass as Afghan or Turkmen, and no one questioned me as I approached, walking in a large crowd. Delivering the sermon was Khamenei, then 64 years old and 15 years into his reign. Minutes before prayers, I turned off into an alley and watched the streets full of people drain into the university, until I was the only one left outside; I listened to Khamenei’s sermon through the loudspeakers within. I remember little of it, other than the hammy and perfunctory sign-off, which was “Death to America, death to Israel”—but delivered without the venom I expected, and instead with the casual tone of a Catskills comedian at his thousandth performance (“You’ve been a lovely audience”).
Patrick Semansky / AP
Ronald J. Daniels
Eliminating an unfair tradition made our university more accessible to all talented students.
When I served as the dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Toronto—Canada’s most selective law school—I would be asked every so often by one of our alumni what preference their children would enjoy when applying. The answer I gave was always the same: none whatsoever. When I became president of Johns Hopkins University 10 years ago, I found that one in eight newly admitted students benefited from preferences given to relatives of alumni. Today, it’s important that I’m able to give the same answer to Hopkins alumni that I once gave in Toronto.
Legacy preferences—the admissions advantage given to family of alumni—are generally alien to Canadian (and, indeed, European) universities. And I never became reconciled to the prevalence of this form of hereditary privilege in American higher education, particularly given this country’s deeply ingrained commitment to the ideals of merit and equal opportunity.
Emily Buder
Herbert Fingarette once argued that there was no reason to fear death. At 97, his own mortality began to haunt him.
A London restaurant embodies the virtues of sustainability with a food system that generates zero waste.
Latest Notes
An Action Plan for the Future of Media
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Dayton, Ohio, Is ‘a Place That Knows What It Is’
How Artists Build the Spirit of a Town
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The Problem With Sotomayor's Affirmative-Action Assumptions
The Supreme Court justice's take makes sense only if "minorities" are treated as a single bloc.
Conor Friedersdorf
The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that Michigan voters did not violate the U.S. Constitution when they banned racial preferences in admissions to public universities. Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented.
In doing so, she made several assumptions. Her dissent is predicated upon her insistence that:
Affirmative action in higher education benefits minorities.
Minorities favor affirmative action in higher education.
Minorities in Michigan will find it harder to reinstate affirmative action at the ballot than they would've by lobbying appointees who govern state colleges.
It may be that she is correct on all counts. But it seems to me that all three of these assertions are unprovable, and that it's inappropriate for a jurist to adjudicate as if they're true simply because she personally holds these hotly contested opinions.
I'd further argue that by leaning so heavily and vaguely on the word "minority" in her opinion, she crafted affirmative-action jurisprudence that will soon be hopelessly dated, if it is not already. Consider my home state a portent of the future. In California, Asians make up about 11 percent of the college-age population. Yet 36.2 percent of freshmen admitted to the University of California are Asian, making them the largest racial group overall in the UC system.
Latinos are the second biggest racial group, surpassing whites for the first time this year. They make up 28.8 percent of the freshman class. Whites are in third place, making up 26.8 percent of the freshmen class. "Among 15- to 19-year-olds in California, 49.4% are Hispanic, 29.2% are white," The Wall Street Journal reports, and "6 percent are blacks," who represent 4.2 percent of the incoming UC class.
What are Californians to do with SCOTUS jurisprudence that generalizes vaguely about minorities in higher education? What sense does it make to ask if minorities benefit from affirmative action, as if there could be one answer to the question?
I'd bet heavily that race-based affirmative action disproportionately hurts Asian-American students. Its ultimate effect on blacks and Latinos is beyond my ability to discern.
Does it help some blacks and Latinos?
Does it hurt others?
The scholarly literature on mismatch strongly suggests that the answer is yes, though I remain uncertain about its overall impact. Justice Clarence Thomas would have us believe that affirmative action demeans all who are party to it, impairs learning among black students, provokes resentment that harms beneficiaries, and creates stigma as observers question whether blacks rose on their own merit.
I hope he's wrong.
Lots of blacks think so, and believe affirmative action advances their interests. And many others support it with reservations too complicated to sum up in broad strokes.
Perhaps there is a rigorous way to adjudicate the dispute, but it is beyond my ability. I'm not even confident in being able to discern what Americans generally believe about affirmative action in higher education. Pew recently asked, "In general, do you think affirmative action programs designed to increase the number of black and minority students on college campuses are a good thing or a bad thing?" It found that 63 percent favored affirmative action and 30 percent were opposed. Eighty-four percent of blacks and 80 percent of Hispanics said the programs were a good thing.
But last year, Gallup found that "two-thirds of Americans believe college applicants should be admitted solely based on merit, even if that results in few minorities being admitted, while 28 percent believe an applicant's racial and ethnic background should be taken into account to promote diversity on college campuses." Here's how Gallup phrased the question:
Which comes closer to your view about evaluating students for admission into a college or university—applicants should be admitted solely on the basis of merit, even if that results in few minority students being admitted, or an applicant's racial and ethnic background should be considered to help promote diversity on college campuses?
Or as Gallup put it, "Three-quarters of whites and 59% of Hispanics believe applicants should be judged only on merit, while blacks are divided in their views."
The outcome would seem to depend heavily on how the question is phrased.
Vox helpfully displays the states where affirmative action in higher education is banned, mostly as a result of ballot initiatives:
Given that those are neither the whitest nor the most conservative states in America, it would be strange if Pew's results truly captured general or minority opinion on whether admissions officers at public universities should consider race, but who knows?
Not me. And not, I'd argue, Sotomayor.
Justice Antonin Scalia charges that Sotomayor's approach "promotes the noxious fiction that, knowing only a person’s color or ethnicity, we can be sure that he has a predetermined set of policy 'interests,' thus reinforcing the perception that members of the same racial group—regardless of their age, education, economic status, or the community in which they live—think alike, and share the same political interests.”
There's something to that critique, illustrated most powerfully in the way that she just disappeared Asians from her lengthy discussion of race and minority groups. As Ilya Somin puts it at The Washington Post:
Sotomayor argues that the amendment should have been invalidated because, by adopting a state-wide ban on racial preferences by referendum, the voters shifted the decision on affirmative action policies from university administrators and thereby disadvantaged minorities in the political process.
But, in reality, banning racial preferences in admissions affects different minorities in different ways. It may well burden African-Americans, Hispanics, and other groups favored by affirmative policies currently practiced in universities (though the literature on educational mismatch suggests that the benefits are not unambiguous). But current affirmative action policies also often harm those minority groups that score well on conventional academic admissions standards, most notably Asian-Americans. Thus, it cannot be said that the Michigan amendment is a straightforward case of burdening racial minorities while benefiting the majority. In reality, the policy affects different minority groups in different ways.
He goes on to note that minority-group interests often diverge:
In an increasingly diverse America, there are many different minority groups with a variety of differing interests. On most issues, therefore, there are likely to be minorities on both sides. There are even significant divergences between subgroups within minorities. For example, Cuban-American Hispanics have very different political views from Mexican-Americans and Puerto Ricans. Russian Jewish immigrants, on average, have different views from those of native-born American Jews. And there are many other such cases.
Along the same lines, David Bernstein persuasively argues that the approach Sotomayor recommends falls apart as soon as the existence of Asians is acknowledged.
In an American Prospect essay defending race-based affirmative action in Michigan, Edmund Zagorin writes:
Michigan's formal pro-white affirmative action policy, colloquially known as "legacy preference,” puts the children of alumni ahead of other applicants. It unquestionably favors the white and the wealthy, at the expense of the poor and the black. Outside of the U.S., legacy admissions mostly went the way of feudalism. But at many U.S. universities, and especially at Michigan, legacy admissions amount to an eternal parade of white pride. Why does legacy preference work this way? Because it reinforces the demographic power of previous generations of whites that benefited from dozens of explicitly segregationist federal and state institutions. Those institutions, from the New Deal to the G.I. Bill, helped whites out of Depression-era poverty while explicitly disadvantaging blacks, locking whole communities into cycles of violence and misery.
He's right. State universities ought to end legacy preferences. So should private colleges. He goes on:
And legacy doesn't even scratch the surface of the biggest instrument of racial discrimination in so-called "race-blind" university admissions: standardized testing. Most scholars of education policy agree that the ACT testing process, like the SAT, favors wealthy white students from suburban environments at the expense of students who are poor black and urban. This favoritism is often deemed a "necessary evil" of education policy, done in the service of meritocratic apples-to-apples comparisons of students' analytical skills. There are many reasons for performance disparities, from cultural assumptions of the test writers to unequal access to prep materials and tutors.
I've thought less about this critique, but am not particularly attached to the SAT or the ACT. And if I were president of a fancy college, I'd be trying to get my fellow presidents to go in on an initiative to make test prep a lot more equal than it is.
Both projects seem more realistic and productive than trying to salvage race-based affirmative action, which is often used as a fig leaf for universities averse to more radical challenges to their questionable methods, and is less tenable every year that the U.S. gets more diverse. Maybe I am seeing America through the eyes of a Californian. But to me, the future of affirmative action looks like Asian Americans pitted against blacks, Hispanics split among themselves, mixed-race students forcing ever-more-fraught judgment calls, and an inevitable shark-jumping lawsuit from a member of the white minority claiming that he or she should qualify. Wouldn't it be easier to end legacy admissions, pressure colleges to subsidize test prep, and give all poor kids a boost when they apply to state universities?
Conor Friedersdorf is a California-based staff writer at The Atlantic, where he focuses on politics and national affairs. He is the founding editor of The Best of Journalism, a newsletter devoted to exceptional nonfiction.
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Home Breaking News, Business & Finance APRIL ACQUISITIONS SCORECARD
Where have all the acquisitions gone?
There were no April showers of acquisitions in the imaging world during the month of April. Without a doubt, the biggest was the acquisition of EFI by a private equity firm. However, on the dealer side of the aisle, it was a relatively quiet month””only five acquisitions that we know of. It was also another month without an acquisition by the imaging industry’s most active acquirer of the past two years””Visual Edge””who has been keeping a low profile since the end of November 2018.
Here are the acquisitions reported in April:
April 2 ““ Oval Partners announced a new partnership with Office Equipment of Texarkana and South Arkansas. Office Equipment of Texarkana and South Arkansas provides office technology services and document management to businesses across East Texas and South Arkansas. The companies are headquartered in Texarkana, Texas and El Dorado, Arkansas.
April 9 – RJ Young completed the acquisition of Business Electronics (BE), a privately owned office technology and solutions provider in Birmingham, Alabama.
April 15 ““ Electronics For Imaging, Inc. entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by an affiliate of Siris Capital Group, LLC (“Siris”) in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $1.7 billion. Siris is a leading private equity firm focused on investing and driving value creation in technology companies that provide mission-critical solutions and are facing technology transitions.
April 17 – Rouse Consulting Group, Inc. acquired the assets of DCS Computer Services, Inc., an IT-Managed Services Provider (MSP).
April 23 – KDI Office Technology, a $38M office technology company based in Aston, PA, announced the purchase of IMR Digital, a West Hazleton, Pennsylvania-based document conversion services business, from KeyMark.
April 26 ““ Marco announced the acquisition of Accent Business Solutions, a copier/printer company located in Little Chute, Wisconsin.
Electronics for ImagingKDI Office TechnologyMarcoOval PartnersRJ YoungRouse Consulting Group
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Pros And Cons Of Traditional Publishing vs Self-Publishing
April 11, 2018 by Joanna Penn 16 Comments
Authors now have a choice in how they publish and get their books into the hands of readers. This article covers the pros and cons of traditional publishing and self-publishing.
You can also watch me discuss the pros and cons in the video below or here on YouTube.
Of course, you don't have to choose either/or. Many authors are now hybrids, using both forms of publishing for different projects, but hopefully, this will help you evaluate your own options.
What is traditional publishing or trade publishing?
Traditional publishing refers to the established system of getting a book deal, which involves submission to agents over a period of time, usually a number of rejections and then (hopefully) being accepted. Then the agent will submit the manuscript to publishers with usually a number of rejections and then (hopefully) a contract is signed. The book will then go through more edits and will eventually be published.
The pros of traditional publishing
Here are the reasons you might choose this route:
Prestige, kudos and validation. Most authors suffer from self-doubt and wonder if their work is good enough. If you make it through the process to get an agent and then a publisher, approval by these gatekeepers is usually validation that your work is good enough. Even if the book doesn't go on to sell very well, at least somebody thinks it's worthwhile. If your definition of success includes a traditional deal because of these reasons, then nothing else will do!
Print distribution in bookstores is easier. This is what traditional publishing excels at and what their model is primarily designed to facilitate. Sales reps go around the stores and make it very easy for book buyers to select books they like and pay later on one invoice per publisher minus any returns. Books are usually in the store for a month and only remain if they are perennial sellers.
An established professional team to work with. Editors, cover designers, formatters and (possibly) marketing help is provided by the agent and publisher as part of the contract. Marketing effort is usually related to how much is invested in the project, and marketing for publishing companies is usually to booksellers rather than consumers. But you should at least get a sales team to take books to bookstores. Many authors say they “only want to write,” which is why they want a publisher to handle the rest of it all.
There are no upfront financial costs, and there's usually some kind of advance against royalties. You don't have to pay anyone to get a traditional publishing deal and if you are asked for money, then it is NOT a traditional publishing deal. It's likely to be a vanity publisher and you should be very careful. The median author advance is currently around £6000 or US$10,000. Increasingly, there are now deals where the author will take higher royalties and a smaller advance, or no advance at all. Remember also that the advance is against royalties, which are usually 7-25% of net book price. So if you get an advance of $10,000, you then have to earn more than $10,000 out of your royalty rate on book sales before you get any more money.
Literary prizes and critical acclaim are more likely through traditional publishing, and many literary prizes aren't even open to indie authors. There have been outliers, e.g. A Naked Singularity by Sergio De Le Pava which won the PEN/Robert W Bingham Prize, but it's still rare for self-published authors to even be allowed to enter literary prizes.
Potential to become a brand-name author. There are only a few household name authors in the world: Stephen King, Dan Brown, J.K.Rowling and E.L.James for example. These are the superstar writers. Below them are the A list, most of whom have been writing for many years, people like Lee Child and Nora Roberts, who are treated very well by traditional publishing and wouldn't see any reason to move. Yes, there's a chance of becoming a writer of that stature through traditional publishing. It's like a lottery ticket. Definitely worth doing if you want to play the game but the odds are against you.
The cons of traditional publishing
These are the main issues with going the traditional route.
Incredibly slow process. Writing and editing will be the same regardless of how you want to publish. But then it might take you a year or two to get an agent. Then it might take a year to get a publishing deal and then it will likely be from six months to two and half years before your book is launched. So it's a very, very slow process, which is crazy in a world where you can publish on Amazon, and your book can be on sale within four hours and then you can be paid 60 days later.
Loss of creative control. You give this up when you sign with a publisher. Many authors get titles, covers and marketing angles that they're not happy with. A friend of mine, Polly Courtney, famously resigned from her publisher on publication day because she was marketed as chick-lit when she writes gritty novels about social issues. She was angry and upset about losing that creative control. You may also get an editor you don't agree with, especially as many of the more experienced editors move up in the company or are working freelance for more money.
Low royalty rates. Royalty rates are a percentage of the sale of the book. They're likely to be net, so all the discounts, returns, marketing costs and overheads are taken off the total before your percentage is calculated. Royalty rates for traditional publishing will usually range between 7% and 25%, with the latter on the unusually generous end. The rates will also differ per format e.g. ebook vs. hardback vs. audio. Royalty reports may come every six months for a specific period of sales and many authors report how difficult they are to understand. They may also not tally with the amount of money that you get in your bank account, so authors who are traditionally published can't really do a cash flow forecast for future income.
Lack of significant marketing help. Increasingly, authors have to do their own marketing and agents will often seek out authors who have a ‘platform' or at least an email list of readers. If you do want a traditional publishing deal, make sure you ask them what is included for marketing and make sure you get more than just inclusion in a bookstore catalogue.
Potentially prohibitive contract clauses.
This is worth its own section as there are a few issues that you need to watch out for.
One example is the agency contract, something that I have had personal experience with. A few years ago, I had two New York agencies interested in representing me and I went through their contracts. One of them included a clause where the agency would receive 15% of everything I published, regardless of whether they sold the work or not, and that included self-published work because they said that they would build my author brand, so they would be responsible for my success. Obviously I wasn't happy with this because I put a lot of work into my platform and building my own brand, and so I went with the other agency who had a simple clause that specified that they didn't receive any sales from my self-published work.
Another big issue is signing contracts where they take World English rights in all formats. Don't do that. (Unless the money is really worth it!) Your job and your agent's job, if you have one, is to keep as many rights as possible when you're doing a deal so you can exploit them in other ways. For example, you could just sell the US and Canada rights and then self-publish in the rest of the world. Be careful with formats as well, especially audio books. Many publishers take audio rights as part of a contract and then they don't actually end up recording it. You don't want that to happen. Either keep audio rights or specify a length of time the publisher has to exploit them before the rights revert to you.
Look at the term of the contract and the rights reversion clause. It used to be that there was an out of print clause, but of course, in these days of print on demand and ebooks, a book never goes out of print. You have to consider when you might get your rights back, because what if this goes really, really badly?
It's like a marriage. You don't plan for it to fail, but sometimes it just doesn't work out. (And I say that as someone who is very happily married – for the second time!) You want to be able to get out of this relationship if it goes bad, or if the publisher just isn't selling enough of your books and you think you can do a better job.
Once you sign a contract for your book, it essentially belongs to the publisher, and it may belong to the publisher for the life of copyright which is the life of the author plus 70 years after you die. That is a really big deal.
You should also look at the do not compete clause, because this may stop you publishing during the term of the contract under the same name, in the same world or with the same characters. For example, you might sign a three-book deal with one book coming out every year starting in a year's time. So, that's four years in which you may not be allowed to publish anything else under that author name, in that world with those characters.
You have to really consider whether the money for the contract is worth it. This is where many authors go a bit crazy, because they think, “I should just take whatever contract I'm offered.” Many authors will sign deals because they're grateful that they have been offered anything, but you need to value your work.
Remember how important your rights are over the long term.
Publishers are not charities. They are not doing you a favor by publishing your book. They are businesses and they want to make money.
If you're looking at a traditional publishing deal, there are a couple of books I recommend you read:
Closing the Deal on your Terms: Agents, Contracts and Other Considerations by Kristine Katherine Rusch
The Self-Publisher's Legal Handbook by Helen Sedwick
How Authors Sell Publishing Rights by Orna Ross and Helen Sedwick
These books will help you with contract terms, so spend a few dollars on these books and you will save yourself money and heartache along the way.
To put the discussion about publishing into perspective, try this little exercise:
Think of your favorite book
What is the author's name?
What is the publisher's name?
Most people will have a favorite book and they'll know the name of the author, but they are unlikely to know the name of the publisher. Most readers don't shop by publisher. Publishers and publishing names and imprints only mean something to authors and those in the industry.
So your publishing choice is more a question of the outcome that you want to achieve and your definition of success. It's not really what the reader thinks about.
Would I take a traditional publishing deal?
Absolutely. For the right project and for the right terms and conditions.
I do have a book with a German publisher and I have a literary agent who is actively working on foreign rights sales – in languages other than English. I'm also keen to exploit film and TV rights. I'd also take a deal in English for print format only, for sure, and I'll consider every decent offer for other rights. After all, I can always write more books!
But personally, I choose not to spend my energy chasing these deals. I choose to get my books out into readers' hands as soon as possible and take the cash sooner rather than later. I'm primarily an indie author, so let's now look at the pros and cons of self-publishing.
The difference between self-publishing and being an indie author
The term self-publishing implies doing everything yourself and doing it more as a hobby. There’s certainly nothing wrong with this and it’s wonderful to create books in the world for the love of creation. I self-publish photo-books for my own pleasure, I helped my 9 year old niece self-publish her first book and I helped my Dad self-publish for his 65th birthday.
But I use the term independent author, or indie author, for what I do. I work with top freelance professionals to create a quality product and this is a business for me, not just a hobby. I make a multiple six-figure income as an author entrepreneur and being an indie is a positive choice, not a last resort.
The pros of being an indie author
Total creative control over content and design. Many authors who were in traditional publishing and are now in self-publishing talk about how painful it was to have a cover or title they hated, or to have editorial choices imposed on them that they didn’t agree with but were insisted upon.As an indie, you can work with freelancers of your choice and you can choose the ultimate look and feel of your product. Now, that can be a pro or a con depending on how the book ends up, but as an indie, you can also change it, as I have done by re-titling and re-covering my first three books. You just upload another file.The start-up mentality that mistakes are how we learn and ‘failure’ is just a step along the way makes this easier for indies. But this reinvention practice is also common in the publishing industry and older books are revamped all the time.
Empowerment. At a recent literary festival I attended, I talked to a number of traditionally published authors. I was shocked at how insecure they were and how beaten down by the negativity of the publishing process. They really didn’t see themselves as being able to make a decision alone or take action to improve their lot, despite the fact that THEY are the creatives, the storytellers, the brilliant ones.Compare that to indies, who in general are a happy bunch, as reported by researcher Alison Baverstock. It’s not surprising when you consider the research on ‘locus of control.’ The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology reported that the number one contributor to happiness is autonomy, “the feeling that your life – its activities and habits – are under your control.”After signing a contract, traditionally published authors have pretty much zero control – over pricing, timing of publication, marketing, sometimes over the cover, the title and even the words themselves. Plenty of authors are told to change their stories to fit what a publisher wants. Compare that to the empowerment of the indie author who can learn new skills, work with professionals, make mistakes and learn from them, earn money directly and interact with customers. Yes, it’s hard work, but it’s certainly empowering as hell. The positive energy involved in being an indie can propel you much further, much faster than waiting in line for your turn.
Stop asking permission. You don’t need it. Stop waiting to be chosen. Choose yourself.
Faster time to market. You still have to spend the same amount of time writing and editing. But once you’re ready to publish, you upload your files to Amazon, Kobo, iBooks, Draft2Digital, Smashwords and any other stores. Your ebook is usually for sale within 4-72 hours. You’re paid 60 days after the end of the month of sale. If you’re doing print on demand, you can get that up within 24 hours if you approve the formatting online. Or, you can order a copy and it might take a couple of weeks, but essentially, it’s incredibly quick to get your book up for sale. This certainly suits my personality, as once I’m done with a book, I want it out there and selling! I don’t want to sit on it for several years while it shuttles around publishers.
Higher royalties. If you price your book between $2.99 and $9.99 (on Amazon), you can get a 70% royalty. Traditional royalty rates usually fit in the 7-25% bracket, averaging 10%. It’s clear that you need to sell far fewer books in order to make the same amount of money with self-publishing. But it’s not a get rich quick scheme. That’s really important. You can’t guarantee that you’re going to make as many sales as you would’ve done with a traditional publisher, or indeed, any sales. That is more to do with genre, investment in marketing and sometimes pure luck. An author can’t build a business on luck – but they can learn about marketing, and authors have to do that these days, regardless of how they publish.
Sell by any means in any global market, as you retain the rights. My books have now sold in 74 countries and they are for sale in 190 countries. I love to look at my Kobo Writing Life map to see which new countries I’ve sold to in
My map of sales from Kobo Writing Life
the last month. I particularly enjoy selling in countries like Burkina Faso or Namibia in sub-Saharan Africa because I went to school in Malawi (no books sold there yet, though!)Yes, these sales are a trickle right now, but in the next few years, cell phone penetration will increase and internet access will become globally pervasive. Of course the sales will tick up – 2 years ago, I was only selling books in the US, UK, Australia, Canada and now every month another income stream starts up. This is for books in English by the way – we’re so lucky that English is the most international language.Many traditionally published authors have sold World English rights for all formats and yet have barely sold outside the usual country markets because their books aren’t even available in most places in the world. Many have also sold audiobook rights but the books have not been produced. If you’re in this situation, revisit your contract. What do you have the rights for? You can self-publish in countries where you haven’t sold the rights, so why not get on with it!
Niche books can reach an audience. Publishing houses have an expectation of a certain number of sales, so if you’re writing a niche book on a particular type of organic tomato, for example, then you might find the market is too small for a major publisher. But the market size may well be enough for you to satisfy your own definition of success with smaller sales and lower income. You can also price as you like, as chances are that your book will appeal to a very particular reader who might pay higher prices.
Use it to get into the game. These days, if you self-publish and do well, agents and publishers will come to you. You don’t have to beg and plead for attention. The power balance is reversed and the empowered indie can get much better deals than a first-time author with no evidence of sales. Just look at the deals Hugh Howey, Bella Andre, Jasinda Wilder, Meredith Wild and A.G.Riddle have done in the last year for both print books and movie/TV deals. Or the incredible success of The Martian, which started off as a self-published ebook, then went into audio and then became a movie and worldwide phenomenon. And let's not forget 50 Shades of Grey which started out as self-published fan-fic before selling 65 million copies. So if you want a traditional deal, skip the slush pile and serve your apprenticeship as an indie.
The cons of being an indie author
So there’s the positive side, but what about the negatives?
You need to do it all yourself or find suitable professionals to help. As with any new skill, it’s a steep learning curve. You still obviously have to do the writing and marketing, but you also have to do the publishing. You have to find an editor (list here) and a cover designer (list here) and work with them, decide on the title, get your work formatted into ebook, print and any other format you want and find suitable professionals to help.This isn’t such a big deal as we all share with each other online and you can join The Alliance of Independent Authors which vets companies. But you do have to decide on your definition of success and understand that you need to run all aspects of the business if you want to go the pro indie route. For many people, this is a negative, because they just don’t have the time to do everything or they don’t enjoy doing it. I’m lucky because I love being an entrepreneur. I love all aspects of what I do – from idea generation to creating words on the page, to the technical side of things and everything in between. After many years, I’ve found the perfect work for me. If you can manage a project or you could learn to, then you’ll likely enjoy it too. But this life is certainly not for everyone.
There’s no prestige, kudos or validation by the industry. The ‘stigma' lessens every day, but if your definition of success is bound up with what other authors, agents and publishers think of you, then indie might not be best for you.
You need a budget upfront if you want a professional result. These days, you’re likely to spend on professional editing before submitting to an agent anyway, or at least be spending on books and courses for writers. Everyone spends money on their hobby, so whether you’re knitting or writing or mountain biking, most people are happy to spend money they never get back on something they love.However, if like me, you’re intending to make a living from this, then yes, you need to invest money in creating intellectual property assets for the business with the intention of getting it back in multiple streams of income. Either way, you will need a budget upfront if you want to be a pro indie.
It’s difficult to get print distribution in bookstores. It’s certainly not impossible and if you care about print distribution then look at the options with Ingram Spark. Also check out the Opening Up to Indie Authors campaign (or check out this interview with Debbie Young on the topic). But you’re much more likely to get bookstore distribution with a traditional publisher, as that’s essentially their business model and has been for a long time. They are experts at printing and distributing physical product. My personal choice is to use Print on Demand through Createspace, so my print books are available on pretty much all online bookstores.
Most literary prizes don’t accept indie books and most literary critics for mainstream media won’t review them. So if your definition of success is literary acclaim, you’re probably better off going the traditional route. Again, the Opening Up to Indie Authors campaign is looking to address this over time.
The hybrid model: It’s not an either/or choice anymore
The industry has changed and many authors now take a hybrid approach to publishing. They will make the decision by book and by particular rights, using the indie model for some things and taking traditional deals for others. This empowers the author to make decisions and choose the best possible route for each project. After all, a career isn’t built on one book.
For example, Hugh Howey sold his print rights for Wool and did a number of foreign rights deals. Jasinda Wilder sold several new books to traditional publishers while continuing to self-publish another series. A.G.Riddle sold his film rights and kept his World English ebook rights as an indie. I have a German language deal with a traditional publisher and a literary agent who is handling other sales.
The important thing is that you, the creator, are empowered to choose per project how you would like to progress.
Other publishing options
I’ve used the two extreme ends of the publishing spectrum as examples but these days, there are many more options for authors. This downloadable chart by Jane Friedman gives a wider view of the options available.
There are new companies springing up every day – some of which are offering a good deal and some which are just sharks who may well take your money and run. Do your due diligence and get testimonials from authors who are happy to recommend the service before you sign anything.
If you want to use author service companies, then please check the following resources:
Preditors and Editors – a watchdog site for authors with listings of which publishers are recommended and which are scams
Writer Beware – Lots more about scams against authors and companies to watch out for
Choosing a self-publishing service – by the Alliance of Independent Authors, available on all online bookstores. Written by authors and for authors so you get unbiased advice. Also check out the Self Publishing Advice blog which includes watchdog articles.
Filed Under: Publishing Options Tagged With: publishing
Frauke Möbius says
What an awesome breakdown of pros and cons! Thank you so much!
I will share this with my author group and my writing friends.
Maria Staal says
Thank you, Joanna, for this very indepth look at traditional publishing and self publishing.
I especially love that you mention being cautious about vanity publishers and other scammers.
I’m currently in the process of setting up a watchdog list like ALLi has on their site, but then focussed on the Netherlands.
The Dutch publishing climate is still very much looking towards the traditional model, but many writers here fall for sweet talking vanity publishers, losing loads of money in the process, thinking they are traditionally published.
By making clear in this post what the differences are between trade publishing and self publishing and how to recognises what’s what, hopefully fewer writers fall into the traps of the bad guys.
Sounds like you’re doing a much needed watchdog service for the Netherlands – fantastic!
I struggled with feeling “less than” by self publishing (my book came out 6 months ago so I’m new to being an indie author) and cringed when people would ask, “Who is your publisher?”
BUT now that the book is out, selling far beyond my expectations, and is well reviewed nobody asks about that. Literally it never comes up at all. “How’s the book doing?” gets asked. But “who is your publisher” never comes up.
I came perilously close to taking a garbage contract from a major publisher so that I would have a prestigious answer to the “who is your publisher” question. This would have been a terrible mistake and I’m so glad I didn’t.
My advice is to not chase prestige. You don’t need it nearly as much as you might think.
Prestige and kudos are definitely valid definitions of success, but they need to be acknowledged for what they are – and embraced – if an author wants a publishing contract. I’m so glad you checked the details in the contract and made an empowered decision.
Tereza says
Hi Joanna
When I first started writing my novel, I felt that I really needed that ‘external justification’ that what I was writing was good enough and so felt that I would want / need to go down the traditional publishing route. I came to one of your marketing courses a few years ago so that I also had that basic knowledge but was definitely going to try the traditional route first .
My novel is nearly there now but having entered and won some short story competitions, I feel a bit more confident and had been thinking far more seriously about self, sorry, indie publishing.
Your article as usual was excellent with a good balanced viewpoint…and has sealed my decision – indie it is! Thank you!
Wishing you all the best 🙂
Cary Richards says
Being an Indie author isn’t easy, but I think in the long run it’s certainly better than chasing a traditional deal with a publisher. Don’t you think?
I think you get to choose – everyone has a different definition of success.
Cat Michaels says
Helpful overview and parsing out of pros and cons for each route, Joanna. Sharing with my writerly peeps!
Into my my fifth year as a kid lit Indie author, the process is somewhat easier but it remains a ton of work. I still do not depend on writerly income to pay bills and constantly look for new ways to expand, market my brand. I also find good writing and editing are not enough. Tenacity and positivity to endure for the long haul play a huge part. And I could not do it without the support of my writing community and insights like yours, which keep me going.
I think kid’s books are one of the hardest genres as it is expensive, but also so sewn up by big name authors. I’ll be doing an interview on this in a few months though so will hopefully have some insights then.
Lindsey Russell says
This is a very long but very informative article. I’ve only read the first half so far, will definitely come back to read the rest but it is a beautiful day and my garden calls 🙂
Vivienne says
Thank you for such a comprehensive breakdown of this subject. I’ll be keeping this post to refer to in the future.
So I’ve come back and now read all of it. Lots of useful information including warnings – well worth spending the time to read.
Helen Jones says
Fantastic! Clear, concise and just what I needed to read today 🙂 Thank you
Questions to ask a Hybrid or Assisted Publisher BEFORE signing a Contract - Leeza Baric says:
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Katie LaSalle trains with the skydivers who carry the flags into Folsom Field at the BolderBOULDER
By: Katie LaSalle
BOULDER, Colo. – For most people, the idea of jumping out of a plane at 12,000 feet and hurtling toward the earth at 120 miles per hour probably doesn’t sound appealing.
But for the men and women who make up the Mile-Hi SkyDiving Demo Team that will bring the flags into Folsom Field at the end of the BolderBOULDER on Memorial Day, there is nothing else they would rather do.
“You can hear the crowd screaming when you’re coming into the stadium,” Team leader Gary Mancuso told Katie LaSalle before a recent jump. “At about a thousand feet above the ground you can actually hear and feel the energy.”
Mancuso has been part of the team for about a decade, but the tradition actually started at the BolderBOULDER back in 1992. While you may have seen the team jump into Mile High Stadium and other venues, jumping into Folsom Field on Memorial Day is quite a bit more challenging.
“The thing about the stadium is there is field houses all the way around on three sides,” Mancuso explained. “We have one side to come in. We have field goal wires on one end. We have a scoreboard and we don’t get the full football field to jump into. Now it’s about the size of two volleyball fields with people all the way around it."
Seven jumpers make the plunge into the field every year. They carry flags representing the five branches of the military, the POW flag and the American flag, which is carried by Mancuso.
“I know what that means to me and the respect that I give that flag and the people who have served their country in the past and presently to allow us this opportunity,” Mancuso said. “I never take that for granted.”
Denver7’s Katie LaSalle and Dominick Lee jumped with the team while doing research for the story. It was the second skydive for both employees, but Katie says she may have been more nervous this time than on her first jump.
Mancuso says most people are nervous until they are actually out of the plane and on their way back down to the earth.
”Those first few seconds, that’s when a lot of people just have that wide open mouth and are all like, ‘Oh my gosh,’” he said. “Usually what we see after that is 1-2 seconds, the grin comes on your face.”
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Ready to increase your productivity, master your mindset and strategise like a marketer?
Then it's time to tune in to Raising Her Game - a podcast that will drive you to rise to the next level in your life and business.
How to Overcome Analysis Paralysis
Anna coaches student Danielle Levy through her procrastination, fear of decision making and lack of self-belief.
Do you ever struggle with decision making?
You know where you feel like there is a right or wrong decision for everything and that there’s catastrophic consequences if you pick the wrong one?
Maybe you even find yourself soooo anxious with all the choices... that you end up paralysed in non action.. just so you don't have to choose.. #bizgoingnowhere.
Tune in to this live coaching session with Anna Jonak where she explores what really sits beneath a fear of decision making.
Like this episode? Head to the ratings and reviews section in Apple Podcasts and share the love.
Tune in to hear about
How decision paralysis can be linked to perfection and fear of failure
The role that procrastination plays in keeping us safe and stuck
How the relationships we have with our parents can impact the way we interact with our world as adults
Why we need to learn to truly love and trust in our selves
The Made Wonderful journey began in early 2018 while on Maternity Leave with my baby girl and was inspired by my 3yr old son Luca. A very intelligent but sensitive little soul, he tends to find new social settings a little overwhelming to process.
As a mum and someone prone to a little anxiety myself, I wanted to do my best to equip him with the tools needed to combat these feelings. We often have chats about what it means to find our confidence within, how to be brave and show courage, but I wanted to find a way the he could take these messages as little reminders with him into these settings. The idea to print them on clothing was born, and thus, I got to work learning how to design and print T-shirts.
Inspired by the difference that wearing these empowering messages made for him, I set about creating other designs. I discovered the creative process was just the outlet that I had been looking for. As someone who has had a life long struggle with poor self-image, it became a mission of empowering myself as well as others. Every T-Shirt designed is a reminder to myself, my own children and hopefully yours too that we are all in fact made wonderful.
Connect with Dani
Facebook: @madewonderfulthreads
Instagram: @madewonderfulthreads
Website: www.madewonderful.com.au
Other Podcast Episodes You May Find Helpful
Ep75. Ready for change?
Ep74. How astrology can help our entrepreneurial journey
Ep59. How to juggle love and business
Anna Jonak: [00:00:36] Welcome to Episode 26 of the Raising Her Game Podcast. Now, today we have a super special episode because one of our lovely students has stepped up into the hot seat for a life coaching session with me, Anna Jonak. I'm looking at her nervously looking at me [laughing]. She really is excited to be here now. I know it. Welcome Daniella Levy. It is so, so good to have you here and I cannot wait to jump into things tonight. I am just going to give everyone a little bit of an overview to you to let them know that you are the founder of Made Wonderful, a quirky brand for, in your words, the mini humans and it's all about celebrating childhood through messages of empowerment and positive self-image. And I love this. You showed me what your concepts are all about, from being brave to being strong, and my favourite, “be you” and this messaging is so important not just for our kids but for us. And you know, so wonderfully empowering and what a great role model to be kind of bringing that into our house and for generations to come. Now, you are here with me today because, in your words, you are spending too much time at the moment aiming and then not firing. So in other words, you're tying yourself in knots with your decision-making like you're spending far too long making decisions or not taking action or thinking about things or rehashing things and then kind of second guessing yourself and it's got to a point, from our conversations as you said to me, where you're feeling kind of anxious and foggy headed and just kind of feel like it's taking over everywhere in your life.
Daniella Levy: [00:02:06] Yeah. So I just spend way too long analysing my decisions to the point where I go round and round in circles and then never make one [laughing], which is you know by default making one but yeah doesn't work after all for anything.
Anna Jonak: [00:02:20] I like it. By default I am making a decision not to make a decision [Daniella agrees]. I like it. You own that one. Okay, so how long has this been going on for?
Daniella Levy: [00:02:32] A long time but I feel like it's gotten really bad since probably, oh I reckon at least since having my second baby, it's about 16 months ago. And I don't know what triggered it. I've never been good at making decisions. I'll say that upfront. I've never been great at it. But yeah. Ever since sort of second pregnancy and that ending. It's just been sort of on overdrive.
Anna Jonak: [00:03:01] Okay, so when you say you've never been great at making decisions, what do you mean by that?
Daniella Levy: [00:03:06] I guess I've always been, a part of my personality, I'm the analytical type so I am prone to perfectionism and I know that and I try to curb that where I can, not very successfully. But just by default, I like to analyse things. I want to make sure I'm making the best decision. But in that process I'm going over all the options to the point where I don't know which option to choose and then don't pick one [laughing].
Anna Jonak: [00:03:35] Okay, so you're overwhelming yourself by the different options. The over-analysis is causing that paralysis essentially [Daniella agrees] because there's too many different scenarios. So come back to the perfection because, ultimately, you've said that's tied in there. But from thinking about the fact that you are over-analysing things, you're obviously wanting to find a perfect outcome.
Daniella Levy: [00:04:02] Yes. And there's not normally a perfect outcome but yes I'm just trying to find the perfect one.
Anna Jonak: [00:04:10] So you're trying to find the perfect outcome which probably doesn't exist, in your own words.
Daniella Levy: [00:04:16] Yeah. Trying as hard as I can to find this unicorn. In most situations. Yeah.
Anna Jonak: [00:04:24] So what does the unicorn represent? What does a perfect decision represent for you? What does it mean?
Daniella Levy: [00:04:30] Oh, that's a good question [seconds of silence]. I want to say success, that it means the decision is successful. So I guess, not finding the unicorn would be a not great thing because then, it means there would have been a better option out there. Even if it's not the unicorn, if it's not the best option then I've failed.
Anna Jonak: [00:05:04] Okay, so the fear comes back to the failure. So it's making a decision which leads to something not being perfect or failing. But, in your mind, the unicorn is equivalent to success [Daniella agrees]. And can you think of where that, I guess, attribution of success might come from? Like making the perfect decision? Everything lining up? What success looks like?
Daniella Levy: [00:05:40] I don't really know. Uhm I just know I'm always striving for something that I never feel like I achieve. So I think if I put it on the decisions that's a smaller like I'm constantly making decisions because we all are., so if success is linked in there then I have some opportunity to achieve it.
Anna Jonak: [00:06:07] So we're coming back to that, achieve is coming out a lot. How did you perform at school?
Daniella Levy: [00:06:18] Well I was a straight A student. But there was always pressure. So you know if I brought a report card home or test home and it was 98 percent it was always why isn't it a 100 percent. But yeah. So I guess I feel like I never measure up to some standard. I don't know what that standard is but I'm constantly trying to achieve something and never feeling like I get it.
Anna Jonak: [00:06:48] Okay, so do you remember that from like early years of school and all the way through?
Daniella Levy: [00:06:56] Yeah definitely Primary School. I don't remember so much in high school. I guess I always sort of maintained a straight A report card except for sport [laughing]. I hated sport. My parents didn't seem to care too much that I wasn't any good at it. It was the other subjects that mattered. Yeah. So there was always that pressure and then even, I guess, in high school it was sort of like if I was interested in subjects that weren't considered academic subjects so I'm interested in home etc. I liked cooking and I tried sewing, wasn't any good at it. But that was sort of like my parents didn't approve, I won’t say they didn’t really approve, but it was like, "oh well you know make sure you're doing enough of the other subjects, why don't you do a science instead or why don't you do a…" you know there was always that kind of focus and then yeah it was alwaysabout which uni course and all the rest of it and there was always, I guess, pressure to perform in that sense.
Anna Jonak: [00:08:00] Okay. So listening to that then, it sounds like, I guess, your experience kind of growing up has definitely been one which is under pressure and one which has always driven you to keep going, to keep achieving, to keep being successful, because for you there's a synergy between getting praised and acceptance, and most likely love, as we’re young children, the way we see it, that we're loved and accepted when we perform.
Daniella Levy: [00:08:25] Yeah I think so. I mean I feel like I've never really discovered who I was until I got into my mid 20s because it was when I was growing up it was all about just I felt like nearly being who my parents wanted me to be. So I didn't really explore interests outside of school because I was just meant to do schoolwork and focus on that and I got to being an adult and realised I had no idea what I have wanted to do or what I was even interested in or good at because I was good at school but I never felt like I was really that interested in anything. I had a good memory. I had a photographic memory so I could memorise all my schoolwork and do just fine in the tests but I wasn't passionate about anything.
Anna Jonak: [00:09:13] That's because you weren't given the opportunity to explore what you were passionate about. From the sounds of it, you were directed and guided towards what your parents would have seen, would have been successful and would give you the qualifications or what have you for, I guess, the vision perhaps that they had for what they wanted for you.
Daniella Levy: [00:09:33] Yeah I think they just wanted like they were going off their own upbringing. And it's probably more my dad than my mum. But in their eyes if you didn't go to uni and you didn't do maths and science you couldn't make anything of yourself. So I think, you know, that it was coming from a place of they wanted me to do well in life and that's how they thought it needed to happen.
Anna Jonak: [00:09:54] I'm just having a thought here. So for a good portion of your life, your parents almost made decisions for you.
Daniella Levy: [00:10:02] Mm yeah. I mean, I'm trying to think if I ever really wanted to do something and they said no. I don't think I ever really tried to break free from that. I don't think I put anything forward. They don't think they ever had to. I think I just went along with it. Yeah, but yes.
Anna Jonak: [00:10:25] So I'm thinking there's a sense of like you've conformed to, I guess, their standards, their approach. In that vein, there's a sense where you haven't actually practiced of flexing the muscle of decision-making because you've not really had the opportunity to make, as you said, that many decisions for yourself in terms of exploring all these things you were kind of led to think, be and do a certain way.
Daniella Levy: [00:10:56] Yeah I mean look when I enrolled in a uni course and started uni and I hated it and I dropped out after a couple of weeks so I guess that was me sort of kind of flexing the muscle because I just sort of spat the dummy and said no this isn't what I want to do, I'm not doing it. But then from there I just landed in a full time job that I wasn't, just because I needed to work if I wasn't going to study and it just sort of rolled on from there. It's been a bit of a discovery process over the last five years or so of actually working out what is it that I want out of life, not just letting life happen.
Anna Jonak: [00:11:38] Well yeah I mean look, I think it's a valid thing that you're saying because if you think about it, you think of your age and you think of your experiences and the volume of experiences you've had where when most things have been mapped out for you and you've been kind of gotten praise for doing what they would like you to do, the best scenario in their eyes, there's a sense where you are just following along and you're not making decisions for yourself and you're not learning what it is that you want. So you're kind of coming into a portion of your life now where, perhaps, all of this is kind of being blown open a bit whereby you are now in a position where, you know, with your own family and your own life and perhaps as a realisation that you know who am, I what am I going to do, and all those things. And from there what's next?
Daniella Levy: [00:12:23] Yeah yeah definitely. I think I feel like I've come to this point in my life and I just think I've suddenly realised that I can take control if I want to. That sort of thought hasn't really occurred to me up until now. I think up until now it's just been, well life just happens and adulting is hard and you just deal. But [laughing] yeah I think I've just started to realise that well no, I can choose.
Anna Jonak: [00:12:56] You can choose. But with that, potentially becomes a fear because it's not something that you've practiced. It's not something that you've exercised over the last ten years where you've done this or this if it's been kind of laid out a bit for you. I can see there being a fear associated with decision making plus, because you haven't flexed a muscle, plus you then couple that with the fact that you are so prone and used to achieving and striving. There's a sense of in your mind of a right and wrong decision because that's what you've kind of seen from your parents. No do this. No don't do that. Do you see what I mean? [Daniella agrees] Do you see how these things come together?
Daniella Levy: [00:13:36] Yes I look at everything as a right or wrong decision like it feels like I always feel like I'm going to make the wrong decision even when it's something minuscule that really doesn't have a wrong decision, I always feel this enormous pressure that there is a right and wrong and my mind will run over the scenarios of you know, well if I choose this and it's the wrong one then this list A, B and C will happen or this person won't be as happy or all the rest of it to the point where I just, my brain is in overload all the time from silly, silly things.
Anna Jonak: [00:14:09] But are you thinking, in that case scenario, are you thinking about everybody else or are you thinking about what you want?
Daniella Levy: [00:14:15] Most of the time everybody else [laughing] and occasionally myself. But even when it does come to myself I still end up in overwhelm because I feel like I'm used to putting myself last, the martyr syndrome but it's just something I've done for so long that even sort of being aware of it, trying to break out of it, it's like oh sometimes I feel like I don't even know what I really want. I don't know if that makes any sense.
Anna Jonak: [00:14:47] Again it comes back to the same thing. If you've been almost placating your parents in doing what, you know, doing as they've suggested for so long that there's a sense of that's what's comfortable. It's what feels normal.
Daniella Levy: [00:15: 04] Yeah I guess I never realised that that's what I was doing in a lot of ways I feel like I've done things differently to them. But then when I think about it maybe not so much [laughing]. Yeah. I guess I do struggle to make my own decisions, definitely. Yup.
Anna Jonak: [00:15:31] And it makes sense and I want you to understand that from when you’re running a pattern for so long and you're so used to behaving a certain way, being, doing and behaving certain way where, you know, for so much of your life I can see why you get to a point now when you do realise that you seem to be somewhat awakened now and actually I want to ask you that for what reason is it that you feel more awakened right now which is that I do have these choices and what is it that I want?
Daniella Levy: [00:16:01] I don't know. For me I felt like, so I turned 30 last year, revealing my age. Something happened, like I think I just got to 30 and went like I've had ideas for like running a business in the past and for a long time people telling me "Oh you should do that. You'd be good at that." My default reaction was always "No, I wouldn't. I don't know anything about doing that." You know, I'm just always squashed it all. And then I've watched my parents like my dad in particular who never takes risks. Never. Like he stayed in a job he was unhappy in for years and years and years and even when he was offered opportunities out, it meant relocating the family and he just refused to even consider options like that. And I watched him be miserable for years and I just decided that I was heading down that path and I didn't want to. And I had to change something. But it's a process [laughing] I'm definitely not there yet but I just decided to jump in and make the move because if I didn't then I wouldn't ever probably. And so, it's been probably the awakening as you call it. It's probably been happening over the last year or so, year and a bit. And yeah.
Anna Jonak: [00:17:27] And how do you feel in your awakening state?
Daniella Levy: [00:17:31] Scared [laughing]. And also excited but it feels like I've jumped off a cliff and I don't know where I'm going. But I guess I'm happy that at least taken the step because I know that I would regret if I hadn't.
Anna Jonak: [00:17:53] That's some really good advice.
Daniella Levy: [00:17: 59] I guess. I still feel like I've got no clue what I'm doing.
Anna Jonak: [00:18:03] Do you suppose that everybody has a clue on what they're doing?
Daniella Levy: [00:18:07] I think I did up until recently. But the more I delve into sort of this business arena I realise that hey maybe I'm more like everybody else than I thought, in that we all don't really have a clue. But I think up until now I felt like yes everybody had it together and I just had no idea what I was doing.
Anna Jonak: [00:18:32] I think that probably would come back to the expectations that you would have had on yourself for what you should know because of, you know, how you've performed previously and how you should be. I do kind of want to draw you back to the fact that there's a sense of lightness about you when you talk about being awakened and flying by the seat of your pants and jumping off a cliff, and whilst it’s scary, there's still a sense of, as you said, excitement and an awareness around the fact that you would regret not doing what you were doing [Daniella agrees]. And I think that, that's really important for you to hold onto and remember that you did make this leap. There was something which drove you to make it, to go do something for yourself when you've been on a roller coaster certainly. And you couple that with, you know, a really long experience of kind of being safe and secure in having people make decisions for you or with you or guiding you. And now you're in a different environment and you've been going for it. But I really want you to hone in on the feelings that you have around this in the positive that coincide with the negative because I think that they're important to remember and to hold on to. Because when we get overwhelmed quite often we focus on the negative. You know I don't know what I'm doing or like this is so hard and everybody else can't do this and blah blah blah. I've spoken a lot about this in some of the classes we've done recently but focus is such a key thing. So if you can focus on the fact that what is everybody else know, not how far along should I be, is this normal? And looking for answers which really support where you're at and really support your journey then that should help give you give you a better understanding of how you're travelling compared to other people. And you know, look, you're certainly making the right business decisions in the road that you've gone down with all the testing we've done, some research and you know, you're taking smart steps to making smart decisions to follow things through as opposed to you haven't just gone "hey I'm just going to jump in and fly by the seat of my pants entirely." You have actually gone through the process of doing things methodologically and say that you can learn.
Daniella Levy: [00:20:48] Yeah. Well that's thanks to you and Flori really [laughing]. I'm just really glad I found The Elevatory® because I think if it wasn't for you guys I would be doing the other method because I wouldn't know any better.
Anna Jonak: [00:20:58] But you made a decision. You have to own the decision that you made which is that you made some decisions and I think that you came across us that's fine, we came into your sphere but you still made a decision on the way that you wanted to approach this business. So I just want you to own these things because you've made good decisions. You've made good solid decisions for the business and for you. And you were very, you know, when it came to analysing the business and what you were going to do, you've made good quality decisions. So I wanna know have you made any really bad decisions, that you feel are bad decisions?
Daniella Levy: [00:21:36] Business wise you mean or just in general? Uhm I'm sure I have, nothing leaps out at me right now, as like "oh my gosh that was like the worst decision". I can't think. Yeah. I don't know. Nothing stands out as like "why did you do that, Dani?" I guess probably most of the things that I worry about don't really matter that much and the things that do I, I'm an analyser and a researcher so I don't rush into things normally without looking at all the options first. So I guess it's. Yeah [laughing].
Anna Jonak: [00:22:29] So are you saying that you actually have quite a good skill set with which to approach a decision?
Daniella Levy: [00:22:38] Yeah. Well I don't make impulse decisions. I do like to have the options in front of me but that is where I think I'll get a little bit bogged down because sometimes I don't know which option is the best option to pick so sometimes it's not even about the perfect one but there'll be A, B and C and one might be better than the others but it's working out which one is the best one.
Anna Jonak: [00:23:08] Well that still comes back to, to that hunt for the perfect, [Daniella agrees] right decision.Whereas and this is where I can see like over-analysis is where when you start to go into all the different scenarios, I think that sometimes one can go too far in these situations and there is a sense of needing to trust your gut. And also with the perspective of if I choose A, B or C what's the worst case scenario in each of these scenarios? Because quite often, the outcome is not as bad as we think it is or even if we get that outcome we can always find our way out of it. And I think that you have a focus on making the wrong decision and yet you've never made a wrong decision. So what does it mean to make a wrong decision ultimately?
Daniella Levy: [00:24:08] Well potentially failure or a lot of time wasted or a lot of money wasted. Sometimes I worry about, you know like making the right decisions can mean being economical or not wasting too much time on something. We're all pretty time-poor.
Anna Jonak: [00:24:34] And yet the irony is you spent a long time on your decisions.
Daniella Levy: [00:24:38] Yes [laughing]. That is the irony. I spent way too much time on decisions and then quite often I'll make up my mind on an option only to find that that option is no longer there because I've taken too long to make up my mind [laughing].
Anna Jonak: [00:24:52] So a lot of times, people fear failure and what they do is, as you said, they procrastinate. What you essentially do and I've said this on a class recently is we fear something and so we sit in procrastination but what we do in that time is we create a failing anyway. Because what you do is you’ve created a loss of time, you've potentially created a loss of money because of the loss of time especially if you look at the hours you're working and if you suddenly are losing options off the table then, you know, you could look at those as failures in their own right. Likewise, if you sit on a decision for so long that you just don't take action, again you're not moving your business forward. And I think that we get so caught up in the potential of this failure and this judgement and everything else that we don't realise that what we're doing is we're failing ourselves in those moment by not just kind of backing ourselves and going for it and realising also that in the moments of things not working is where normally is the biggest growth for ourselves personally and in our business. You can't be a success in anything without failing. You just can't. It's just not possible. You have to make mistakes to grow. If you did everything perfectly, I mean, it just doesn't exist. If you look at all the people that have gone out there and been successful in their careers and their lives and everything else, you will see you know f*ck up after f*ck up and you know being let down, rejection, losing money. I can't even tell you how much money we've spent this year on things like you know bad decisions and it's painful. It makes me feel sick sometimes. But sometimes you cannot foresee those things in advance. You can't foresee every single scenario when you analyse because it's not until you get into that decision and down that path that you might be delivered new information which sets you on a better path. Do you see what I mean?
Daniella Levy: [00:26:54] I do. I think I worry that if I make the wrong decision that I then wouldn't know or wouldn't be able to recover from it. So yes, you know, the stories of how many failures people have had to, in order to then reach their success. I look at that and go ok. But if I have one of those failures, how am I going to get back up? Or "how do you find the, i don't know, the resolve or even if it's monetary, what if you've used all your funds and then what?" it's sort of this big question mark that I go, well I want to avoid that happening at all cost even though I know that that's not realistic.
Anna Jonak: [00:27:37] It's not realistic but equally, as I said, sometimes it's you have to experience it to progress. Like you can't have one without the other. So it might be that loss of income. But if that loss of income in that moment sets you on a trajectory where in five months you double that income because you've found a new version of your business or a new way of doing something then that's what it's about. So you say resolve. For you, do you feel that you don't have resolve or you don't have a determination or a drive?
Daniella Levy: [00:28:10] No I've always been pretty determined. But I suppose I've never had a very good self-esteem so maybe it's more that that I'm worried about that I would take it as a like personally and then see it as a personal failure and not want to continue because I would then feel like I personally failed.
Anna Jonak: [00:28:46] Okay, so come back to that what was that all about. Talk to me about "I don't have good esteem" that you kind of glossed over it and continue talking. What does that mean?
Daniella Levy: [00:29:03] [Laughing] That I just don't, I guess I struggle to see my own self-worth. So I always put everyone else's needs around me above my own. And I think just my own self-talk is, can be a lot of the time fairly negative just like I'm not good enough, I'm not this, I'm not that. Even though I'm aware of it. And yeah I guess I'll try to change it. But still my bent is to that sort of I'm not enough.
Anna Jonak: [00:29:52] So I understand it's coming back to if you were to fail and make a poor decision then it's not about the fact that, you know, something didn't work out, it's about it's a reflection on you being not good enough to have made the right decision. It's an impact on you and how you view yourself [Daniella agrees]. And how long do you feel that you've had that view of yourself?
Daniella Levy: [00:30:22] Always. I don't remember when, but as long as I can remember.
Anna Jonak: [00:30:28] And, can you think of an association with where that may link back to?
Daniella Levy: [00:30:40] I think it must come back to my relationship with my dad somewhere. I think he probably feels the same way about himself. His self-talk is always pretty negative. And I think having seen that modelled, I've adopted it myself. I think it's been there from childhood like I don't think I've ever felt good enough so probably, I mean, somewhat tied into the whole performance at school and you know always, you know like 98 percent was not good enough. But I think just seeing him that's how he's lived out his life and I think part of me just felt like that's how nearly like having self-worth is being arrogant. That sounds weird but uhm like if you think of yourself as good at anything then you're, you know like, nearly like you've got tickets on yourself. But I started to realise that that's just silly. But I think that's just what I grew up believing.
Anna Jonak: [00:32:17] That's great to have that awareness around the fact that, that is a belief that you've carried around because certainly if you are walking around with that's not good enough, keep going, why haven't you got this grade. And then this kind of like oh well you know you're doing well but don't have tickets on yourself. It's like you're kind of like a double edged sword. You're kind of driven to perform but then you don't get the praise for the performing. So it's like you can't win.
Daniella Levy: [00:32:46] Pretty much yeah that's how I felt.
Anna Jonak: [00:32:51] Yeah, which sucks [Daniella agrees]. It sucks if you've been working yourself working hard to achieve to get, you know, to get that I guess acceptance and kind of feeling of worthiness to then not get that recognised and also get told to kind of like you know settle down and don't think too much of yourself. I can completely see how that, over time, would have an impact on you just potentially shutting a side of yourself off whereby you would just kind of going through the motions and you just kind of being there and doing everything for everybody without actually kind of having to go through the pleasure or the pain and the association with what it means to be, you know, to you to be accepted and to not be accepted and to stop, I guess to almost stop thinking about you. Does that make sense?
Daniella Levy: [00:33:48] Yeah it does. Yeah. For a long time I told myself I didn't need to worry about myself. It was just more important to focus on everyone else and if I could do that then that was I guess in a way my achievement if I could keep everyone else happy that that was good enough and good enough again. Yes. And not like, I just wouldn't think about myself because that was too hard that I could at least...
Anna Jonak: [00:34:19] Because it was painful either way when you think about yourself [Daniella agrees]. Well that's quite a big… if you think about it, it's pretty big that what you've done is you've just denied yourself. You've denied yourself because of the pain that's been associated with thinking about yourself in the scenario that you've had it. I mean that's your experience and obviously that's not how life has to be. It's certainly just the environment with which you are in and the pattern that you were used to and I can understand that sense of numbing out and putting everybody else first so that you don't have to feel that sort of sense of disappointment and yet it still kind of spills into everything that you do.
Daniella Levy: [00:35:07] Totally. Yeah I feel like uhm yeah, disappointment's a good word. Like I feel like I'm always at risk of disappointing probably mostly myself. But yeah.
Anna Jonak: [00:35:18] So what does it mean to, like what's the opposite of disappointment for you?
Daniella Levy: [00:35:31] The opposite of disappointment. Wow. I don't know. If I know the answer to that... I don't think I've let myself go there.
Anna Jonak: [00:35:51] Go there.
Daniella Levy: [00:35:52] [Laughing] Oh gosh. I guess it would actually be feeling okay about myself like feeling like I can do this and that what I'm doing is worthwhile and that I'm as well.
Anna Jonak: [00:36:13] If you can't express it you can't have it. Put it that way. If you deny even saying the words out loud and you don't have an expression for it, how can one ever achieve it?
Daniella Levy: [00:35:24] True. Yeah, well it would be, yeah, feeling worthwhile feeling like I matter.
Anna Jonak: [00:36:30] Do you think that you matter to all the people in your life?
Daniella Levy: [00:36:32] Yep, Yep
[]Anna Jonak: [00:36:38] So what's it gonna take for you to believe that you matter for you, that you are enough?
Daniella Levy: [00:36:46] I think we're coming back to the achieving thing again [laughing] I guess. Yeah.
Anna Jonak: [00:36:53] That goes back to an external validation. You need that, success comes back to external validation because it's what you're used to. [Daniella agrees] What about being authentic to you? Coming back to your wants and your needs and your hopes and your dreams? That can be seen as a measure of you, accepting and loving you, is honouring you.
Daniella Levy: [00:37:17] Yeah, I think, yeah, just feeling like, being who I am is okay. Yeah.
Anna Jonak: [00:37:30] You know you need an internal barometer for yourself because what happens with people in your situation, and I can say the same thing because I've been in a very similar situation with my parenting, is that ultimately, if you're constantly looking for external validation to feel okay, that's when you have the highs and the lows because the whole environment and the way everybody sees you basically is how you end up seeing yourself. So if you're looking out and you're getting praised and people are loving you then you feel good and then if you, you know, things don't work then you suddenly feel like crap. And that's where you kind of get the ping pong up and down as opposed to in the face of the good and the bad, knowing within anyway "I'm enough and I've got this" and that’s, at the moment, is why the failure feels so big because as you said you fear that you can't get back up. I don't know if I've got the resolve because you're not allowing yourself to trust yourself. You're not coming back to that place of saying "I am enough. I can do this."
Daniella Levy: [00:38:33] Yeah. Yeah. Trusting myself. Wooh. Yeah that's a good one. It's not something I've done.
Anna Jonak: [00:38:44] Trusting yourself. That's why you over-analyse everything because you're making it external. You're making it about everything else [Daniella agrees]. So, you're never allowing it to come back to you because if you make a decision and you trust yourself and then it fails then what.
Daniella Levy: [00:39:05] Yeah. Then I failed when really it's just the circumstance.
Anna Jonak: [00:39:11] Really I just tried. I tried something. We definitely need to come back to the perception of what it means to try and what it means to fail but ultimately you need to come back to like I said that barometer for you of what it means to be okay and that sense of looking around your family and going "I'm loved. I'm enough. I've got, you know, an incredibly supportive husband who's been by my side as I've gone down this road. And this awakening and he's been supporting me in letting me do my thing. I've become a voice in the community, in our community where people know you and respect what you're doing and you know you're putting your incredible vision out there to create and inspire change for a generation." I mean I said that at the beginning. Like that's not a small thing that you're doing.
Daniella Levy: [00:40:04] Yeah yeah. And that's why I'm doing it because I don't want my kids to grow up like I have. I want them to have that self-worth and to know what they're worth. I mean, heck but I can't do that for them if I don't find it for myself. And I know that.
Anna Jonak: [00:40:23] So no but. So finish that you can, you can try that sentence again.
Daniella Levy: [00:40:30] I will find it for myself and they will have a different upbringing. They will know their self-worth.
Anna Jonak: [00:40:35] They will see their self-worth because they'll see it in you. You're certainly, you're doing all the right things as a role model for them with what you're putting out there and I think that perhaps that you can see the journey that you've been on as leading you to this point where you are here to go on and empower others.
Daniella Levy: [00:40:54] Yeah I hope so. Well yes that's right [laughing].
Anna Jonak: [00:41:00] I think you need to come back like, your story will dictate how the outcome of everything. It's the story that you tell yourself. So you get to decide what you make this story mean. You can look at the fact that, you know, perfection and striving and achievement and kind of being in a painful state of kind of like don't love yourself too much. But, you know, keep working harder it's not enough. You can look at all this stuff and you can make it mean I can’t make decisions and I'm going to go into overwhelm and all these things or you can say you know what, this has led me to a path where I'm right now to a point where I've taken a leap into a business and I'm creating something special for a generation of people and I'm now about to go on a personal journey which can be documented alongside what I'm doing, like this could be something, I think I've said this to your forum, like this is your journey. This is an opportunity for you to vocalise the pain, the disappointment, the frustration, the awakening, the self-love, the trying, this vision of you taking this journey and taking this step and being authentic and being open is an opportunity for you to heal and to share and to be something incredibly significant. Or you can choose it to mean that you're going to overwhelm and you don't make decisions.
Daniella Levy: [00:42:19] Wow. Yeah. Well I definitely want to choose the first.
Anna Jonak: [00:42:24] It's way cooler, right?
Daniella Levy: [00:42:27] [Laughing] Definitely and less time consuming. Well, I don't know about the time consuming. But yes way cooler. And will help other people.
Anna Jonak: [00:42:35] Certainly. Can you see the difference when you look at it as in "I can make this mean something incredible" or "I can make this, I can just fall into a heap and feel sorry for myself"?
Daniella Levy: [00:42:47] Yeah. When you put it like that uhm, yeah, it's definitely, wanna take it by the reins then and make it something and not be the person falling in a heap,which I have been.
Anna Jonak: [00:43:06] Pity party for one. Just pity party here I am. Let's go, everybody.
Daniella Levy: [00:43:14] Yeah I'm good at throwing those [laughing]. No. That's something I don't want to do anymore.
Anna Jonak: [00:43:20] So if we're looking at this as chapters, let's look at what do we want to call the old chapter?
Daniella Levy: [00:43:32] Uhm, the past. Let's just call it the past.
Anna Jonak: [00:43:36] You need something you need something better than that.
Daniella Levy: [00:43:40] Oh I don't know . Uhm [thinking]... the Dani who doesn't believe in herself.
Anna Jonak: [00:43:48] So we've got Dani who doesn't believe in herself, who goes into overwhelm, has a bit of a pity party, goes into a place where she denies herself [Daniella agrees] and she chooses to not feel. She chooses to put everybody else first in an attempt to get some sort of satisfaction [Daniella agrees]. And the flipside, if that's the old chapter, what's the new chapter?
Daniella Levy: [00:44:24] The Dani who trusts herself to make decisions.
Anna Jonak: [00:44:30] And tell me a bit about what that looks like?
Daniella Levy: [00:44:35] So I guess I would mean not to over analysing decisions and knowing that most of the time I got decisions probably the right one and if I'm not sure knowing that I, trusting that I can research enough to make a good decision.
Anna Jonak: [00:44:53] Or that you can recover or even if the decision's not right that you can recover.
Daniella Levy: [00:45:00] That I can recover. Yeah I'm cringing as I say that. But yes knowing that I can recover.
Anna Jonak: [00:44:06] Hang on. Have you been through childbirth? Like are you kidding me? Like we can recover. Have you been through identity crisis since having children? [Daniella agrees and laughing] Exactly and look at what you are doing? You've recovered. You've stepped into something. You went into a degree, didn't like it, stepped out. You recovered.
Daniella Levy: [00:45:33] That took a long time. But yeah.
Anna Jonak: [00:45:36] But you did. Doesn't matter whether it's a long time or not. I want you to see what else have you done where you've recovered? Where you've persisted? Children, partner, education, study.
Daniella Levy: [00:45:54] Yeah. Yeah well I mean hey when you're a mum you're just persist don’t you. You don't have a choice in that. But yeah. I don't know. This is a struggle. Well I can't even recognise what I've done.
Anna Jonak: [00:46:11] You can. And you can right now with me. So I think of something.
Daniella Levy: [00:46:15] Think of something.
Anna Jonak: [00:46:18] What would your husband say?
Daniella Levy: [00:46:20] What would he say? [Thinking] He'd say we've gotten to nearly 11 years of marriage.
Anna Jonak: [00:46:27] Far out [amazed]. That's incredible. Hello. That takes resolve.
Daniella Levy: [00:46:42] That I stuck it out in a very interesting job for 8 years. And got to my long service. Oh yeah.
Anna Jonak: [00:46:54] So you've done a couple of things where you've been able to go the hard yards. You've also been in a position where you've started to make some decisions. You've kind of jumped into this last 18 months. You said it's all been a bit crazy. I think you're starting to see that there are certainly characteristics within yourself which demonstrate that you do have a sense of resolve and an ability to recover and keep on. And I think that that will only grow the more that you take steps where you do begin to trust yourself because you need again, all of this is about practicing of flexing the muscle. Just remember up until now everything's a pattern that you've been rocking. And you've been 7 year old Dani. You've been young Dani trying to protect herself in amongst the chaos of family life as it was for you. And it was easier just to kind of play small, stay small, stay quiet, please everybody and to not feel the good or the bad because you didn't really get the good and the bad didn't feel good. So let's not feel it. It's old you, it's old Dani but when you feel that now, I just want you to remember that that is a 7 year old protecting themselves and our patterns stem from our childhood. And what you need to realise now is that you are stepping into adult life and where you are right now is still running your seven year old strategies. So it's okay. And it's going to feel normal for you to keep thinking that way because it's habitual. It's a habit now. It's natural for you to kind of default into this behaviour. But what you need to do is step into 30 year old kick ass Dani that says that's old chapter. That's not me. That's the old chapter. And you know she did what she did because she needed to survive right now and I'm in a new season of my life and the new version of my life is me trusting myself because I'm going to do that for the old me and I'm going to do that for my kids and I'm going to do that for the business that I'm creating and I'm gonna create a movement, a moment. I'm going to have a conversation. I think there is so much that you can do with your story to share. And I trust that by you doing this just now that you have tons of people through our community who have been through similar experiences that can feel your pain and appreciate the journey that you're on. And I admire you and champion you on. And by you doing that, by you being able to be vulnerable and be here, you're giving other people permission to go and do that, which is exactly what this whole brand and your whole business is all about.
Daniella Levy: [00:49:26] Yeah it is. And I just, yeah, I've never wanted to get that vulnerability out there but that's what it's going to take to make this successful and for me to [thinking]... be okay with myself. It's actually realising that it's okay. Yeah. And being okay with who I am, enough to put myself out there.
Anna Jonak: [00:50:06] And you know you will see that people will open up to you and will appreciate your candour and your vulnerability and they will love you for it. And you will see that in doing that, like you said you're gonna see be you and be authentic to you and your world will begin to change because you'll see how people are when they're actually seeing you for you, not for the, you know, trying to be perfect, trying to have it altogether, trying this, trying that, make the right decision just for the person who's standing their going it's not easy. It's hard. It sucks sometimes. But you know what, I'm going to be the best mother I can be. I'm going to create a kick ass business and I'm going to empower the people around me and the kids around me and I want to do this with everybody out there. We're going to do this together.
Daniella Levy: [00:50:59] Yup. That's what I want. Not the perfect Dani or the trying to be perfect Dani but the real Dani.
Anna Jonak: [00:51:07] The real Dani. Oh you said that. [both laughing]
Daniella Levy: [00:51:11] I said it.
Anna Jonak: [00:51:15] Did everybody else hear that? She wants to be the real Dani and she wants to have her voice heard. You want to have your message out there. And you're going to. I got tears and goosebumps which means that I know that you got to a point that you needed to get to.
Daniella Levy: [00:51:40] Yeah definitely. Thanks Anna. It's the real Dani moving forward, not the trying to be perfect Dani.
Anna Jonak: [00:51:48] The real Dani. Ah stop it, I'm getting goosebumps head to toe.
Daniella Levy: [00:51:53] [laughing] I’ve got my tissues here
Anna Jonak: [00:51:47] I knew I'd break you eventually. [both laughing] Everyone comes along. I'm going to bring tissues. The real Dani. There it is. I love it. You said it, the real Dani. I can't wait to see the real Dani step into her power. And get messy and be real and mess up because it's all going to happen but be okay with it.
Daniella Levy: [00:52:19] Yeah. It's time to be okay with it. Yeah I've been afraid of it for too long. But yeah I'm not going to be afraid of it anymore.
Anna Jonak: [00:52:28] And I believe you. I can see your demeanour. Like I obviously, I get to video so I can watch your demeanour change. So tell me how did you feel right now compared to when you sat down with me?
Daniella Levy: [00:52:42] I feel like like a load's been taken off. Yeah. Like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. That suddenly it's not about everything having to be perfect but just being [thinking]... being real even if that means, like you said, it's messy and it's not perfect. Yeah being okay with imperfect.
Anna Jonak: [00:53:16] Exactly. I love it. And can I just say that you look like you've just like [laughing] you look like you've just smoked a joint right now, you're really like... she's gone from hyper Dani to like yeah I'm just chill. I'm okay [both laughing]. I love it.
Daniella Levy: [00:53:35] I think I'm just taking it all in. It's like wow okay i can do it because suddenly it's not about trying to do everything.
Anna Jonak: [00:53:44] It's just about being the real Dani. It's just about being real.
Daniella Levy: [00:53:49] And I am Dani so I can do that [both laughing].
Anna Jonak: [00:53:54] And you know what, this could be one of the messages that you have on one of your t shirts. Just thinking about maybe something like this. You've got be you. I love that. Be you. Be real.Something along those lines like cement it.. cement it for yourself with something that you can like have something you can look out or wear or you know have plastered somewhere that is something signature for you that really demonstrates this whole thing.
Daniella Levy: [00:54:18] Yeah that's a great idea. I need to make myself my own T-shirt. Be my own brand ambassador [both laughing].
Anna Jonak: [00:54:29] I don't think you realise you're going to be. I think this is a journey, that you go on, that your story is what will bring your crowd by sharing, by being able to be on video and by sharing this stuff. I think that it's going to be truly special. Okay. So I would like you to share one key take out. I'm going to end with a parting thought shortly. But what I would like for you to do is give the listeners out there something for them to think about based on your journey over the last hour or so with me.
Daniella Levy: [00:55:10] I think it would just be realising that imperfect is okay.
Anna Jonak: [00:54:18] It totally is. In fact, and this is going to be perfect because my parting thought is "perfect and bullet proof are seductive but they don't exist in the human experience. We must walk into the arena whatever it may be, a new relationship, an important meeting, our creative process or a difficult family conversation with courage and the willingness to engage. Rather than sitting on the sidelines and hurling judgement and advice, we must dare to show up." - Brené Brown. And even that does give me goosebumps because I think it's like so perfect in terms of just doing that daring to show up, daring to be you.
Daniella Levy: [00:55:54] Yeah. And it totally is daring because it's not easy but it's better than the alternative of sitting on the sidelines.
Anna Jonak: [00:56:11] So show up. Stand up. Be you. Be real. Be authentic. Be imperfect. That's it.
Daniella Levy: [00:56:22] Well yeah. One of our T-shirt says Free to Be Me. So yeah that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to be me.
Anna Jonak: [00:56:27] Yes. And I ask everybody actually that is listening to this episode if they'd like to share some thoughts with Daniella then please drop us a line. We would love to share thoughts and in fact when this episode goes up, come on comment on the post. Come and champion her on. I know that our sisters, there'll be many of our sisters when this one comes up in the Facebook community they will be high fiving you and no doubt crying along, feeling all of the feelings and thanking you for just being real, the coming on the journey and showing them something that they can learn and within themselves as well. So you were very brave to stand here and do this. And I salute you for that and I know many others will and I think this is the first steps for you of the real you, trusting yourself.
Daniella Levy: [00:57:20] Yes. Thanks Anna.
Anna Jonak: [00:57:25] Okay. Well, look, let's we've got to give the end. We've got to give everybody. And remember as we wrap things up for that you guys have got to show up too, okay, and remember to be brave in your business.
HOW TO CONNECT WITH ANNA AND FLORI
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Free Sign Maker Business Plan For Raising Capital from Investors, Banks, or Grant Companies!
The purpose of this business plan is to raise $100,000 for the development of a sign making service while showcasing the expected financials and operations over the next three years. Sign Maker, Inc. (“the Company”) is a New York based corporation that will provide an expansive array of sign products to customers in its targeted market. The Company was founded by John Doe.
Sign Maker, Inc. will provide an expansive array of graphic design services, custom sign development printing, and outsourced lighted sign production. The Company will generate service revenue from graphic design services and sales revenue from product sales. The Company will develop a retail facility that will house all equipment necessary to provide the graphic design and sign production services on site. The third section of the business plan will further describe the services offered by the Sign Maker.
Mr. Doe is seeking to raise $100,000 via a bank loan for the development of the business. The terms, interest rate, and loan covenants are to be determined at the time of negotiation. However, this business plan assumes that the Company will receive a 10 year loan with a 9% interest rate due on the outstanding principal balance. This loan financing will be used for the following: • Development of the Company’s Sign Maker location. • Financing for the first six months of operation. • Capital to purchase equipment related to providing sign production services and products. The second section of the business plan will further document the usage of funds.
The Sign Maker’s mission is to develop an expansive facility that will provide graphic design, custom screen printing, and embroidery services to the general public of New York.
Mr. Doe is an experienced business person that will be able to effectively manage the day to day operations of the Sign Maker. His biography can be found in the sixth section of the business plan.
The Founder expects that the business will aggressively expand during the first three years of operation. Mr. Doe intends to implement marketing campaigns that will effectively target individuals within the target market.
Sign Maker, Inc. The Company is registered as a corporation in the State of New York.
At this time, the Sign Maker requires $100,000 of debt funds. Below is a breakdown of how these funds will be used:
John Doe owns 100% of the Sign Maker, Inc.
If the business is very successful, Mr. Doe may seek to sell the business to a third party for a significant earnings multiple. Most likely, the Company will hire a qualified business broker to sell the business on behalf of the Sign Maker. Based on historical numbers, the business could fetch a sales premium of up to 4 times earnings.
Below is a description of the graphic design and sign production services offered by the Sign Maker, Inc.
3.1 Graphic Design Services
The Sign Maker will provide graphic design services to customers that are in need of logos or designs in regards to their signage. These designs can be purchased as a stand alone service or for sign production (which is the Company’s main revenue stream).
3.2 Sign Production
The primary stream of income will be from the sale of sign products and to customers. The Company anticipates that it will generate margins of 50% on each dollar of sales. The business will have the ability to outsource the production of neon lit signs on behalf of its customers.
This section of the analysis will detail the economic climate, the sign making industry, the customer profile, and the competition that the business will face as it progresses through its business operations. Currently, the economic market condition in the United States is moderate. The meltdown of the sub prime mortgage market coupled with increasing gas prices has led many people to believe that the US is on the cusp of a double dip economic recession. This slowdown in the economy has also greatly impacted real estate sales, which has halted to historical lows. However, sign production services tend to operate with great economic stability as people will continue to purchase these promotional signs for their stores and businesses.
There are over 38,000 businesses that sell sign production services, graphic design services, and related services. Among these businesses, the industry generates more than $14 billion dollars per year, and provides jobs for more than 208,000 people. Each year, average annual payrolls reach $2 billion dollars. The growth rate of these businesses has been in step with that of the general growth of the economy. This trend is expected to continue.
The Sign Maker’s average client will be a small business operating within the Company’s target market. Common traits among clients will include: • Annual revenues exceeding $150,000 per year. • Operates no more than 15 miles from the Company’s location. • Will spend $150 to $1,000 with the Sign Maker.
Sign Maker intends to maintain an extensive marketing campaign that will ensure maximum visibility for the business in its targeted market. Below is an overview of the marketing strategies and objectives of the Company.
• Establish relationships with advertising agencies within the targeted market.
Mr. Doe intends on using a number of marketing strategies that will allow the Sign Maker to easily target men and women within the target market. These strategies include traditional print advertisements and ads placed on search engines on the Internet. Below is a description of how the business intends to market its services to the general public. The Company will also use an internet based strategy. This is very important as many people seeking local services, such as graphic designers and sign production services, now use the Internet to conduct their preliminary searches. Mr. Doe will register the Sign Maker with online portals so that potential customers can easily reach the sign production and graphic design business. The Company will also develop its own online website. The Company will maintain a sizable amount of print and traditional advertising methods within local markets to promote the graphic design and sign products that the Company is selling.
• Sign Maker will have an annual revenue growth rate of 16% per year.
• The Owner will acquire $100,000 of debt to develop the business.
• Management will settle most short term payables on a monthly basis.
In the event of an economic downturn, the business may have a decline in its revenues. However, graphic design and sign production services are demanded by businesses and individuals. As such, only a severe economic downturn would result in a decline in revenues.
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Antihistamines are seen at a pharmacy in Montreal, Monday, Nov. 11, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
VIDEO: Canadian allergists’ group wants Benadryl behind the counter due to side effects
Some doctors say the medication is over-used because of its easy availability
Benadryl has for decades been used as a go-to drug to treat everything from bee stings to mysterious toddler hives, but a growing number of doctors now say the antihistamine is less effective and less safe than newer alternatives and call into question its ubiquitous over-the-counter status.
A position statement from the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (CSACI) published in early October warns against Benadryl and other first-generation H1 antihistamines as first-line treatments for hay fever and hives in adults and children.
Health Canada is reviewing the statement, in which the group of doctors say the medication is over-used because of its easy availability and that it should be restricted to behind-the-counter access in pharmacies.
“It dumbfounds us that people still want to use it,” Dr. David Fischer a clinical allergist in Barrie, Ont., and an author of the CSACI position statement says of the group of antihistamines that include Benadryl. “There are many other safer options that work as well or better.”
Fischer says the medicinal ingredient in Benadryl, diphenhydramine hydrochloride, “makes you drowsy and irritable and if you take too high a dose or an overdose, you will end up in hospital.”
Other reported side effects from an overdose of first-generation H1 antihistamines include breathing problems, coma, and seizures,according to the CSACI statement. There is also the potential for fatal heart rhythm disturbances when combined with other medications.
In comparison, Fischer says newer generation H1 antihistamines — such as Reactine, Claritin and Aerius, which make liquids or tablets for children as well as adult products — are safer, more effective and work more quickly. One of the biggest differences is that the newer medications cause much less, or no sedation.
Even at prescribed doses, medications like Benadryl are associated with sedation, cognitive impairment, and memory problems, says Dr. Anne Ellis, an allergist and professor at Queen’s University. Children can have paradoxical reactions that make them hyper, while elderly people can get delirious, she adds.
Diphenhydramine hydrochloride is a first-generation H1 antihistamine and has been used since the 1940s. H1 refers to the type of cell receptors it works on in the brain, while first-generation means it’s an older classification of drugs that can cross into other parts of the body, leading to many other reactions apart from its intended antihistamine effects. Diphenhydramine is found in several brand-name and generic medicines for allergies or cold symptoms in North America, of which Benadryl is the best-known.
Benadryl and Children’s Benadryl are available in pharmacies and stores without a prescription and marketed in Canada for many different symptoms including sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes, insect bites, hives and other rashes.
ALSO READ: Three cases of probable vaping-related illness in B.C.: Health Canada
Benadryl’s maker, Johnson & Johnson said in a statement that “Benadryl products have been trusted by doctors and moms for more than 60 years to provide effective symptom relief from allergies and allergic reactions.” The company said the products are approved by Health Canada and “when used as directed, are safe and effective.”
Health Canada said last week it is assessing the CSACI position paper “to determine whether further risk mitigation measures for diphenhydramine-containing products are required.”
The federal regulator said it is aware of safety concerns regarding the use of diphenhydramine-containing products in children. Since 1965, the agency has received more than 1,700 reports of “serious adverse reactions suspected to be linked to products containing diphenhydramine,” which include fatigue, fevers, headaches and drowsiness.
It adds those reports were not assessed by the agency, and that it’s “not possible to determine whether an adverse reaction reported to Health Canada is a result of using a specific health product.”
While both adults and children can experience side effects from diphenhydramine, children are particularly at risk for serious complications. This is because a small measuring error in dosing for a child can lead to an overdose and children can easily ingest the amount of medication that can be toxic.
VIDEO: Surgical objects left in patients on the rise in Canada, data shows
Health Canada pointed to a 2016 guidance document advising sleep aid products that contain diphenhydramine hydrochloride should carry a label warning against use in children under 12 years of age. However, the agency did not clarify why the same guidance document does not require this warning for diphenhydramine hydrochloride in allergy or cough medications.
For adults, the 2016 Health Canada guidance document advises against driving or engaging in “activities requiring alertness” when diphenhydramine is taken for allergies or cough.
World Health Organization data, published in 2017, reveal almost 9,000 reports of adverse drug reactions to H1 antihistamines in children, including 400 deaths. Benadryl-type medications were involved in 42 per cent of these deaths — more than four times as many than with any other antihistamine studied. Many of the deaths occurred in the United States and were due to accidental or non-accidental overdoses.
Since 2013, the World Allergy Organization has recommended newer antihistamines over first generation antihistamines for the general treatment of allergies in their White Book.
Second- and third-generation H1 antihistamines were developed to have good antihistamine effects without the other side effects, and these became available in Canada in the 1980s. These medications contain antihistamine agents such as loratadine, desloratadine, or cetirizine instead of diphenhydramine.
Dr. Kevin Chan, chair of the Canadian Paediatric Society’s acute care committee, says he has seen a general trend towards using newer antihistamines.
But, he adds, “I do not think this information has gotten out to the community hospitals at all and a lot of emergency physicians are still using first-generation antihistamines.”
Even as calls for a re-consideration of first-generation H1 antihistamines like Benadryl grow among experts in professional organizations, the medical advice has been slow to trickle down to doctors and parents who continue to give the older medications to children, and to take it themselves.
“The side effects and the problems with first-generation antihistamines have been well recognized for a very long time,” says Dr. Ellis.
“It’s very challenging to convince somebody what (they) have been doing for the past 20 years is wrong.”
ALSO READ: Canadian doctors say political activism part of their jobs on issues affecting health
— Michelle Ward is a pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and associate professor at the University of Ottawa. She is a Fellow in Global Journalism at the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health.
Audit finds Canada’s fisheries in decline and response lacks urgency
Owners of B.C. care home in damage control after 94-year-old left with bed bugs for days
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Gardner girls' tennis back in Districts; Quabbin qualifies for first time in 5 years
Without a single senior on the roster and without the services of their top singles player due to a season-long injury, all the Gardner High girls’ tennis team was able to do this spring was tie the team record for wins in a season with 13.
So far.
Gardner, with a record of 13-5, was awarded the sixth seed in the Central Mass. Division 3 Girls Tennis Tournament. That’s usually enough to get you a match at home, but with only 11 teams in the tourney the Wildcats will have to settle for a bye into the quarterfinals where they will travel to third-seeded Hopedale (12-4) on Thursday at 3 p.m.
This will be Gardner’s third straight trip to the postseason after finishing with 12 wins in each of the past two seasons.
“I was kind of surprised,” said GHS coach Leigh Craft when asked about her team’s draw in the tournament. “I did think that we were going to get a home match, but wherever you play you have to perform and it is what it is.”
Suji Kim was projected to be the team’s number one singles player this season, but an injury suffered during basketball derailed her spring season on the tennis court. That necessitated a bump up for the remaining members of the team, but it sure hasn’t slowed down the Wildcats.
“I’m really proud of them for accomplishing what they did this season. Obviously without Suji I didn’t know how they were going to react,” Craft said. “I couldn’t be more proud of these girls. They work hard every day and they deserve it.”
Ella Cormier has a 10-8 record playing the toughest competition in first singles. Annelise Gordon will play second singles on Thursday and Sophie Jamison, with a superb record of 14-3 this season, will be at third singles.
Maddie Concannon and Nora Coxall have a 9-8 mark playing first doubles for the Wildcats. Craft said Ava Cormier and Julia Jaillet, 7-1 in their eight matches this season, will get the nod at second doubles since it’s their turn in the rotation.
The winner of Friday’s match will advance to the semifinal round on Monday against an opponent to be determined.
Craft is excited not only for Districts, but looking ahead to next year with everyone on the roster returning in 2017.
“I’m looking forward to our future as well because we don’t have any seniors,” she said, “so we don’t lose anybody and if we gain Suji it’s just a great situation if everybody stays healthy.”
Quabbin, with a record of 9-9, is back in the postseason for the first time since 2001. The Panthers, seeded 10th in the Central Mass. Division 1 Tournament, will travel to No. 7 Notre Dame Academy (12-5) on Thursday.
First singles player Nicole Paterson has held her own with a record of 7-6 playing some stiff competition in the Midland B League.
Delaney Gillis and Abby Hurd, playing second and third singles, respectively, have both excelled for Quabbin. Gillis is 13-4 which includes a 2-2 mark in first singles, while Hurd is 12-3 overall, playing 14 of her 15 matches in third singles.
Savannah Hippert and Mira Lockwood have five wins playing second doubles. The Panthers have used seven different combinations in second singles with Hannah Bedard, Alison Oldakowski and Marissa Pelligrino seeing most of the action.
The winner of Thursday’s match will face second-seeded Doherty (13-1) on Friday in the quarterfinals.
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Click here for a deeper conversation on this topic led by Hastings Director of Research Josephine Johnston.
BIOETHICS FORUM ESSAY
How “America First” Undermines Our Health
By Patricia Illingworth
People value their health. It allows them to pursue their aims and enjoy their lives, and it contributes to their well-being. But health is not only good for particular healthy individuals. It is also good for their families, communities, nations, and in a world in which people flows are global, health is good for the global community. Health fosters robust economies and fruitful innovation. It has a spillover effect. Because people are socially embedded, it is difficult to exclude others from the good and bad health of individuals. This can be clearly seen with respect to contagious diseases, and with vaccinations and herd immunity. If enough people have been vaccinated, the immunity provided by the vaccination is conferred on people who have not been vaccinated. In the absence of social isolation, the benefits (and harms) of health extend to others. Not only does one person’s health not deprive others of health, it very often contributes to the health of others.
Put differently, our health depends on the health of others. The social determinants of health provide another good example of how health depends upon other people. Inequality, for example, harms the health of rich and poor, though the poor are more vulnerable. Studies also show that social networks are important for health. For example, the likelihood that a person will be obese increases when their social networks include many obese people. A similar phenomenon has been observed with depression. Social determinants of health, such as inequality and our social networks, are critical for health. Indeed, some studies show that the social determinants are more important for health than medical care. Because people are social and thrive in the company of others, it is difficult, if not impossible, to limit their exposure to the health of other people. As it turns out, loneliness and social isolation are also risk factors for health. So even if one could limit one’s exposure to the social underpinnings of health, it would be counterproductive to do so.
Economists call goods with these characteristics public goods. Public goods are nonrivalrous and nonexcludable. Fireworks are a good example. One person’s enjoyment of fireworks does not interfere with the enjoyment by others. Indeed, collective enjoyment might enhance the experience. It would also be difficult, if not impossible, to exclude people from enjoying them.
Because it is difficult to exclude people from enjoying public goods, people may try to enjoy the good without contributing to it—so-called free riders. In our new book, The Health of Newcomers, Wendy Parmet and I suggest that health understood as a public good should guide health care policy for immigrants. Many nations, including the United States, refuse to provide health care to immigrants, both documented and undocumented. When health is understood as a public good, we can see the inherent irrationality of such policies. The health of natives depends upon the health of immigrants, and, in turn, the health of immigrants on the health of natives. It is therefore in everyone’s interest to ensure the health of others—regardless of whether they are native or newcomer.
Understanding the public good dimension of health can also alert us to the moral risk that arises when we refuse to provide newcomers with health insurance. Newcomers tend to be younger and healthier than natives. When natives refuse to protect the health of newcomers, but nonetheless enjoy the health benefits that newcomers bring, natives are free riding, and thereby violating basic principles of justice and fairness.
When it comes to health, it is in our interest to promote the health of all people—distant strangers, natives, and newcomers. In view of health’s public good dimension, an America-first perspective toward health will simply not work.
A wall could be built, and strangers could be kept out, but as long as there are people crossing national borders for business, tourism, and family, the diseases of people in other countries will have an impact worldwide, and so too will our health impact theirs. Similarly, given the public good nature of health, it is very much in the interest of the United States to ensure that newcomers, neighbors, and the global community are as healthy as possible. When the health of others suffers, so too will our health. When the health of others flourishes, so too will ours. Health has the potential to bridge differences and underscore our common humanity.
Patricia Illingworth, J.D., Ph.D., is a research fellow at the Carr Center for Human Rights, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, and a professor at Northeastern University. She is the author, with Wendy E. Parmet, of The Health of Newcomers: Immigration, Health Policy, and the Case for Global Solidarity, published in January.
Published in: Hastings Bioethics Forum, Health and Health Care, Health Care Reform & Policy, Undocumented Patients
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One comment on “How “America First” Undermines Our Health”
Frank Trainer on April 16th, 2017 - 4:30pm
I think it is questionable to assert that the health benefits that immigrants bring to our country are so significant that we are free riding on their contribution. From my perspective, when they first arrive and have yet had an opportunity to contribute to our medical revenues, that they are the free riders.
And it further needs to be acknowledged that health care does not have an unlimited call on the financial resources of this country. While one may argue that they are misallocated, no one can assert that they are unlimited.
The opinions expressed here are those of the authors, not The Hastings Center.
Health care in America is at a critical juncture. The number of people who need it continues to grow and costs have skyrocketed. But instead of being a beacon of healing, many health care organizations are beleaguered and overwhelmed. Burnout has become a rallying cry for nurses and doctors because it impedes their ability to uphold the foundational values of their professions and to serve in accordance with them. These realities have eroded the fundamental humanity of health care.
To Restore Humanity in Health Care, Address Clinician Burnout
When the rapper T. I. disclosed on a podcast that he takes his 18-year-old daughter to a yearly gynecological examination to ensure that her hymen is still intact, the reaction of most people was condemnation. His obsession with her virginity is creepy, his subjecting her to an invasive procedure that has no medical value is controlling, and his willingness to talk about it publicly displays contempt for her rights to privacy and dignity. Some think that the law should prohibit physicians from performing or supervising virginity examinations. But the law is not the best means for dealing with the problem, and the problem is not simply virginity testing.
The bioethics and legal communities must come together to find ways to move with the same ease of the scientific research community–to transcend the geopolitical borders and jurisdictional concerns that make international regulation so difficult.
Transcending Borders in the Ethical Oversight of Human Genome Editing
Professionals and the public in China first learned of the jail sentence of He Jiankui from the report of Xinhua News Agency. No information, including any interpretation, was provided by the Court. But the reported words of the sentence are so ambiguous as to leave room for different interpretations. We believe that the public has the right to know more than Xinhua News Agency reported.
Chinese Bioethicists: He Jiankui’s Crime is More than Illegal Medical Practice
An essay for Bioethics Forum earlier this month concludes that medical aid in dying is not a human right. But we should have a right to decide what suffering we are willing to endure and receive medical assistance necessary to avoid the suffering we want to avoid.
Is Medical Aid in Dying a Human Right? Another View
What is Don Quixote, Cervantes’ 17th-century Spanish “Ingenious Gentleman of La Mancha,” doing in a 21st-century novel about America? He’s on a quest to wed his Beloved. And what does this obsession have to do with the present-day opioid epidemic? Salman Rushdie’s new novel Quichotte links these unlikely events and much more. The opioid… Read more
Quixote Reimagined: Magical Realism Meets the Opioid Epidemic
A New York Times special report on euthanasia of a Paralympics champion in Belgium was ethically problematic for several reasons.
Physician-Assisted Death and Journalism Ethics
The American species of the common house mouse (Mus musculus) does an odd thing when going through opioid withdrawal. It jumps involuntarily, rearing up on its hind legs and leaping 3-to-4 feet in the air. I was a spectator to this phenomenon this summer, while working at a research hospital in New York City.
Consider the Mouse
The Kings County Medical Society in New York recently hosted a brunch with New York State legislators. One of the guests was Richard Gottfried, chair of the New York State Assembly Health Committee, who is cosponsoring A2694, a bill legalizing medical aid in dying (MAID). As a medical oncologist with 30 years’ experience treating seriously ill patients, I have concerns about it, and I expressed them to Gottfried.
Is Medical Aid in Dying a Human Right?
Are we ethically obliged to eat less meat? Bioethicists consider that question, and their role in addressing it.
What Is Ethical Eating in the Age of Climate Change?
The National Institutes of Health recently announced that it will retire-in-place the remaining 44 chimpanzees at the Alamogordo Primate Facility in Alamogordo, New Mexico, rather than transfer them to a sanctuary as originally planned. NIH’s decision is disappointing for those who believe that the chimpanzees—many of whom have spent decades in research—should experience the freedom and quality of life a sanctuary would provide.
Not-So-Golden Years for NIH’s Retired Chimpanzees
Last week, the Trump Administration proposed a new rule that would “require DNA-sample collection from individuals who are arrested, facing charges, or convicted, and from non-United States persons who are detained under the authority of the United States.” Collecting DNA of people detained under the Department of Homeland Security is not permitted under U.S. law. The proposed rule aims to change that.
Immigrant DNA Collection: Fighting Crime or Moral Panic
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Katja P. Kolcio
Associate Professor of Dance
159 Cross Street, 009
Chair, Dance
159 Cross Street,
Associate Professor, Environmental Studies
284 High Street, 202
Associate Professor, Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies
kkolcio@wesleyan.edu
MA University of Georgia Athens
MA Ohio State University
PHD Ohio State University
Drawing on a background in politics, international relations and sciences, dance scholar Katja Kolcio specializes in the role of physical engagement and creativity in education, research and social change. Her work is based on the somatic premise that we think, create and enact change through our creative physical engagement in the world.
As an example, Kolcio describes team-teaching a biology and choreography class here: “Anytime you are learning or teaching or thinking you are making creative choices. Often we don’t realize that. In this class, and in dance, that becomes an explicit part of the process….you are making choices about how to think, how to prioritize, how to arrange ….it played into how we thought about the science.”
Kolcio is author of the book Moveable Pillars (2010 Wesleyan University Press), which traces the path by which dance entered the university context, radically bridging body/mind in scholarly inquiry. Movable Pillars demonstrates that dance is an intellectual practice and a creative practice that enacts social change.
Kolcio's current work directly considers the role of the creative body/mind as an agent of social change. She writes about her research on the revolution in Ukraine in Somatics and Political Change: The Revolution of Dignity in Ukraine (2016 Contact Quarterly) and in Ukraine, A Utopian Mindset (2014 Huffington Post). She was commissioned in 2018 by the National Guard in Ukraine to develop a program in somatic practices for soldiers. Her current research further develops the language and understanding of somatic methods for addressing trauma, specifically in a context of social changes taking place in Ukraine, In other words, Kolcio is asking ‘what is the role of creative somatic practices in social change?’
Katja Kolcio is Associate Professor of Dance, and core faculty member of the College of the Environment at Wesleyan University. She holds a Ph.D. in Somatics from The Ohio State University and Masters degrees in Dance and Political Science from The Ohio State University and the University of Georgia.
Kolcio’s publications include Movable Pillars: Organizing Dance (2010, Wesleyan University Press), which traces the development of dance as scholarly inquiry over the course of the 20th century; Somatics and Political Change: The Revolution of Dignity in Ukraine (2016, Contact Quarterly); Moving Self, Moving Earth: Studying the Environment and Ecology Through Movement and Dance (2010, Accelerated Motion, electronic edition, Wesleyan University Press); Faking It: The Necessary Blind Spots of Understanding (2009, Cultural Studies/Critical Methodologies), A Somatic Engagement of Technology (2005, International Journal for Performance Art and Digital Media); Branching Out: Oral Histories of the Founding of Six National Dance Organizations (2000, American Dance Guild, nominated for the De La Torre Bueno Prize); and book reviews in e-misferica, Dance Research Journal and the New England Theater Journal.
Kolcio creates choreographic events to engender social and political impact. Katja has received choreographic fellowships from the New England Dance Fund, New York State Council of the Arts, and Meet the Composer. Choreography has been presented at Judson Church, The Katherine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center - Artists for World Peace Festival, New York University Black Box Theater, St. Marks Church, The Ukrainian Museum of New York, The Bridge for Dance, La Mama Experimental Theatre, the Ukrainian Institute of America, various community gardens throughout NYC, the Honchar Museum (Kyiv, Ukraine), Kyiv Mohyla Academy (Kyiv, Ukraine), Wesleyan, Duke, Antioch, Ohio State, Wittenberg, SUNY Brockport and other colleges around the United States.
Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies
Spring 2019 Tuesday/Thursday 10:30-11:45AM,
and by appt. (Dance Department 160 Cross Street). Please call/email ahead.
DANC 111 - 01
Introduction to Dance
Contemporary Technique II/III
Dance Teaching Workshop
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Old Dog, New Tests: Embark Uses DNA Kit to Promote Canine Health
Angela Shah
Xconomy Texas —
Austin — Human genetic testing is an increasingly popular way to gain bio-intelligence about ourselves and potentially ward off illness. Now, some startups want to enable us to do the same for man’s best friend.
Embark Veterinary is an Austin, TX, startup that is offering what it says is the first canine DNA test to better sort out Fido’s future healthcare needs. “Maximizing health has been a factor in human health for the last 20 years,” says Ryan Boyko, co-founder of Embark. “They’ve been doing that for themselves. Now, they want that for their dog.”
Embark has developed a DNA test for dogs, one with a 200,000-marker genotyping array. (Think 23andMe for our canine friends.) Using a swab, owners swipe the slobber off of their dogs and send it back to the startup. The sample is run through the company’s “Embark Dog DNA Test Kit” and, the founders say, the results can give owners and vets information on the dog’s genetic makeup, what diseases they might be susceptible to getting, and other physical markers.
Adam Boyko, an Embark co-founder and Ryan’s brother, points to his own mixed-breed dog as an example. “I have no idea how big he should be; he looks happy to me,” he says. “Lots of dogs are obese but most of the owners don’t know it.”
Embark says the plan is to have the DNA test on the market this spring. The kits will be sold online and through a pilot project with a few veterinarians for $100 to $200.
Embark is tapping into a lucrative market. Americans spent more than $60 billion last year on their furry companions, the bulk of which was for food, veterinary services and medications, and accessories, according to the American Pet Products Association.
There are other companies in this market. Mars Veterinary, a subsidiary of consumer products company Mars, introduced its first dog DNA test called Wisdom Panel in 2007. The test retails for about $85. Also, a Canadian company called DNA My Dog offers a test for about $60.
Adam Boyko says the key difference in Embark’s test is that it is “research-grade” with more than 220,000 biomarkers. “Products on the market now only test a small number of markers,” he says, meaning a few hundred or perhaps a few thousand. “We can give much more comprehensive and high-resolution results.”
The Boykos have had a long interest in the history and health of dogs. Ryan Boyko, trained as a computer scientist, took a senior seminar a decade ago on dog cognition and evolution and has participated in studies on village dog DNA — i.e. not pure breeds — to study dogs’ evolution. Adam is an assistant professor at Cornell University and runs a lab there focused on canine genomics.
“We work with owners to recruit dogs for studies that we do,” Adam Boyko says. “Lots of owners would take part in the research and then would want to know all about their own dog. We realized we weren’t really set up to do a consumer interface.”
So, last year, the Boykos partnered with Spencer Wells, an adjunct professor at the University of Texas at Austin and a former explorer-in-residence at the National Geographic Society, to found Embark last year. The company has eight employees and has raised $1.7 million in a seed round from investors such as Aspiration Growth Opportunities Fund in Los Angeles, Slow Ventures in San Francisco, and Notley Ventures in Austin.
Another aspect of Embark is the database of canine genetic information that will be created. Since Embark will be gathering the data on a research-grade chip, Adam Boyko says that the data can be used in his Cornell lab to help further research in dog health.
“One of the things that holds back research into canine cancer and behavior or immune diseases is that we just don’t have a large enough cohort of dogs that have been analyzed properly,” he says. “If we can push the needle on that, that’s huge.”
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Front Page Money U.S.
Woman jailed for refusing federal order to commit perjury
Case erupts over speech rights, due process and signature on tax forms
By Alex Newman
Published February 21, 2016 at 2:30pm
The IRS is facing service disruptions.
When a federal court and the federal government ordered Doreen Hendrickson to sign a form under penalty of perjury that she believed to be inaccurate, the mother of two initially refused to comply.
Eventually, she obeyed but noted that the sworn statement was being made under duress.
Now, because of that decision, she is sitting behind bars for "contempt of court."
A federal appeal is being considered in what sources called an "unprecedented" case, with arguments from both sides presented last month.
The case has broad implications for free speech and due process.
Hendrickson's saga officially began in 2006, when the Internal Revenue Service claimed that refunds it had issued to her years earlier were mistakes, according to the family and official documents reviewed by WND.
In 2007, the U.S. Department of Justice went much further, asking a federal court to sign an order purporting to force Hendrickson to repudiate her previous tax returns and sign new ones.
However, she was never even accused by the government of tax evasion or filing false returns, much less convicted.
The DOJ, however, wanted her to replace her original returns – signed under penalty of perjury – with new documents in which the content would be dictated by the IRS, also signed under penalty of perjury. They flew in prosecutor Melissa Siskind from Washington to pursue the case.
Hendrickson believed the information dictated by the IRS was incorrect, so she could not sign it without an explanatory note pointing out that it was made under duress, she explained.
Indeed, no U.S. government official was willing to swear under penalty of perjury that he believed what the government wanted Hendrickson to swear she believed.
Because the new return would also have to be signed under penalty of perjury, had Hendrickson complied without indicating the coercion, she would have essentially admitted to perjuring herself on the original return.
The dispute has observers and legal experts baffled.
Trust the government? Maybe you shouldn't. Read the details in "Lies the Government Told You," by Judge Andrew Napolitano.
"I can't say in 30 year[s] of practicing law that I've ever seen anything like this," Hendrickson's appellate attorney, Mark Cedrone, told WND over the phone.
In short, the federal government put Hendrickson in a Catch 22 situation and appears to have violated constitutional protections enshrined in the Bill of Rights, including the First and Fifth amendments.
Doreen Hendrickson and her children
Fundamental free speech rights and due process are at issue in the case.
In what observers and attorneys believe is unprecedented in American history, federal prosecutors sought to compel a person not only to speak, but to affirm under penalty of perjury the truthfulness of something the person did not believe to be true, all to advance the government's desired narrative in court.
The Justice Department did not respond to repeated requests by phone and email for information from WND.
Husband Pete Hendrickson, however, told WND the government was trying to coerce his wife into committing perjury, using threats, in a manner that would financially benefit the government.
"Further, Doreen was ordered to conceal the fact that the false testimony was coerced," he said. "She was ordered to render it in such a fashion that anyone seeing it would conclude that the testimony was entirely Doreen's freely made of her own accord and representing what she really believes [to be] true."
In what her husband called "ironic" and "chilling," the indictment against his wife for refusing to say what the DOJ wanted her to say came at almost the same time as the Supreme Court ruled yet again that the First Amendment "prevents the government from telling people what they must say."
In the summer of 2013, federal agents took her to a federal facility in downtown Detroit on an indictment of "contempt of court" for refusing to go along with the demand.
"I don't want my kids to grow up in a world where they're afraid to say what's true, because the government wants them to say something different," Doreen Hendrickson says in a video posted online. "That isn't any way to live."
The video, in which also is discussed the theories regarding income tax:
When she still refused to comply with the court order instructing her to sign the declaration without reservations noting the coercion, she was convicted of "contempt of court" and sentenced to 18 months in prison.
She could go back for more time if she does not comply with what the Hendricksons contend are illegal orders upon release late this year.
The first trial ended in a hung jury after Hendrickson was allowed to read Supreme Court rulings about speech rights. But in the second, she was prevented from doing so, and the government was successful in securing a conviction.
In the trials, the judge instructed the jury, "properly" according to the federal government's appellate brief, that the legality of ordering Hendrickson to sign something she did not believe to be true was not at issue.
Pete Hendrickson, outraged, blasted the "co-conspiring judge" and the controversial instructions given to the jury, which are an important element of the appeal.
"This is utterly offensive to the constitutional protections of speech and conscience, and of due process, which provides that anyone in a legal contest with another party – even when that other party is the United States [government] – is entitled to make their own claims, to argue their own facts, and is under no circumstances obliged to endorse the views of their opponent," he said.
"The assault on Doreen Hendrickson is an assault on every American," Pete Hendrickson told WND. "What's being done to this good woman undermines the very rule of law which is the only thing keeping us from arbitrary and despotic government.
"No one can be told what to say by the government," he continued, "and especially not what to say she believes true."
The First Amendment "says this in as plain a way as it can be said," Pete Hendrickson said, adding that "the amendment means what it says," as "has been endlessly stated by the U.S. Supreme Court and all other courts of every kind throughout the country and throughout our history."
"This is perhaps the most well-settled point in American legal history," he added, referring to speech rights.
Doreen and her husband
In her statement before sentencing denouncing the "illegal" schemes of the government and the court, Doreen Hendrickson lashed out at the prosecutor for her "lies" and lambasted the "criminal" process used to secure her conviction.
"No one, not even the government, gets to preemptively evade the contest or control its outcome by taking, or being given, control of what its opponents say – even if it really thinks what is being said or might be said is wrong," she told the court. "Both sides must rely on the strength of their own arguments to overcome those of their opponent, and are prohibited from using strong-arm tactics against each other. In fact, efforts to secure favorable testimony in such a contest by threats or coercion are crimes."
Hendrickson also noted that she expected to prevail upon appeal and outlined the reasons why.
A book on the 'witch trial'
Observers who witnessed the trial also expressed outrage over what they saw and contend that Hendrickson was railroaded in a sham proceeding that was rigged from the start.
Brian Wright, a longtime liberty activist who attended the trial, was so moved by the "travesty" he observed in the trial that he decided to write a book, "The Motor City Witchcraft Trial(s)," outlining alleged abuses behind the case.
"I knew from day one – from the blatant, self-righteous hostility of the judge, from her constant badgering of Doreen, from the assignment of an incompetent legal aide to supposedly help Doreen with her case, from the manner of the prosecution's presentation of their 'case', from instructions to the jury, from the open collaboration of the judge with the prosecution, and later from obvious judicial tampering with the jury – that the fix was in," Wright told WND.
"This was not a court of law, but a tribunal of Soviet-style justice: guilty regardless of anything," he added.
He said the case was not a tax case but rather a case of whether government and the courts can compel a person to commit perjury and attest to something she or he believes is false, "such as whether she's a witch."
The abuses were so serious, Wright continued, that there should have been a grand jury investigation to "indict all these government officials for the crime of suborning perjury."
The order given to Hendrickson to "perjure" herself was clearly unlawful, Wright argued. However, he recalled the judge in the case demanding, including to the jury in the instructions, that the most crucial issue not be discussed.
"Clearly, justice requires that Doreen be released, her record expunged and that she receive restitution for the crime of false imprisonment," the author and activist said.
He also called for all officials involved in the "crime of suborning Doreen's perjury" to be indicted, convicted and imprisoned for their "heinous act of violence."
The reason? Tax book, critics say
The reason the federal government was so adamant in pursuing Doreen Hendrickson, according to sources who spoke with WND, centers on a book written by Pete Hendrickson called "Cracking the Code."
The book claims it can show readers how to legally avoid paying income taxes in some cases.
WND has not reviewed the book nor its arguments. But in court documents seen by WND, including the government's appellate brief, the federal government says it rejects the "frivolous" "theory."
Still, for reasons that remain unclear and officially unexplained, Doreen Hendrickson was never charged with filing a false return, tax evasion, lying on her tax filings or anything similar.
Instead, the only charge was not obeying a court order to sign the revised form with content dictated by the IRS.
The Hendricksons, along with many of their supporters, contend that the government went after Doreen Hendrickson primarily in a ham-handed effort to discredit the claims in the book, retaliate against those making the claims and deter future cases based on those arguments.
"This entire affair is an effort to discredit my book," said Pete Hendrickson, adding that many Americans had successfully used the arguments he advances and posted the evidence of success online.
The federal government has sought to stop Pete Hendrickson, unsuccessfully so far, in court.
In her statements to the court prior to sentencing, Doreen Hendrickson chastised the judge and prosecutors, saying their real agenda was to “chill” the free speech of Americans.
"Everyone in this room knows the government's call to [U.S. District Judge] Nancy Edmunds to issue her orders to me was wrong and lawless – as are the orders themselves – and that the pretense of a legitimate government interest in chilling the free expression of other Americans was even more broadly and darkly criminal," Doreen Hendrickson said. "It does not speak well of Nancy Edmunds that she didn't refer [government agent] Mr. Metcalfe for prosecution upon being presented with his demand and its revealing justifications."
Blasting the government's argument that she be sentenced harshly as a "deterrent" to others as "demented, un-American and Constitution-defying," Doreen Hendrickson said it could not be a deterrent to "resisting government-requested orders from a court dictating what they must say they believe to be true and correct."
"No such orders have ever been issued to anyone in American history before this was done to my husband and me, and none have never been issued since," she continued, noting that that was not surprising, considering that such orders are "illegal."
"Therefore, what the government must mean is to deter other Americans from testifying freely and honestly on their own tax forms, or anywhere else they are asked or expected to say what they believe to be true and correct, or have a need to make claims on their own behalf or assert and defend their interests in a legal contest," she continued. "Thus, the government's call for a harsh sentence is a call upon this court to use a sentence upon me to commit a crime against the speech, conscience and due process rights of other Americans – indeed, all Americans."
A family devastated, seeking justice
For Katie Hendrickson, Doreen Hendrickson's 24-year-old daughter, the whole experience was traumatic and shocking.
"I've seen corruption in government through many lenses, professional and personal alike," she told WND. "At my jobs, I saw it more from a distance, it being an ethereal thing that went bump in the night, with no real form or head, just a mammoth to battle. In the government's various battles with my parents, however, I've seen the corruption up close and personal, in but a few of its many forms and bodies, face-to-face. I've seen what weapons the status quo will use to defend itself against all attacks, even if those attacks come by way of truths revealed."
Katie said it was hard to face the reality that "our" government is willing to "lie and cheat" to protect its own interests, even at the expense of law-abiding citizens.
It is especially difficult to see the dark times Americans are living in for "a relatively idealistic person like me," she continued.
"My mother is in prison for refusing to lie in order to allow the government to cheat," she said.
But the suffering goes far beyond just what has happened to Doreen Hendrickson, Katie said, noting the imprisonment has "worn on all of us."
"People have a tendency to think that someone being imprisoned affects the prisoner most of all, but I would counter that the punishment, while different, is equal," she said. "You see, the prisoner is kept confined and monitored, and often mistreated, and of course, that's painful for them. But the family left behind, waiting for them to come home, suffers through constant reminders that things are not what they should be, that something is wrong."
When asked what she hopes will come out of the ordeal, her answer was simple.
"Honestly, I hope for justice," she said.
"I want the American people to be made aware of what their money has supported, and for them to realize how wrong it is, and for them to act on that realization and take a stand against the government's stubborn protection of its own assets, no matter the cost," Katie continued. "What's been done to my family, wrongful imprisonment for refusing to support corruption, is an outrage. I want simply for those responsible to be held accountable and tried for any crimes they've committed in pursuit of this end, and for justice to be carried out accordingly."
"That's all I want: justice," she concluded.
The Hendrickson case is currently in the appeals process, with arguments having been heard last month.
The defense argued, among other points, that the trial court failed to properly instruct the jury concerning critical issues.
Also at issue is Doreen Hendrickson's First Amendment right to say what she believes, the appellate brief contends.
Finally, the manner in which the case was charged and prosecuted was defective, according to the defense.
Love him or hate him, Dinesh D'Souza is already an American legend, and you can get his bestselling films and books direct from WND!
"Today Doreen Hendrickson sits in a federal prison for having the temerity to disagree with the government and expressing her disagreement," Doreen Hendrickson's attorney for the appeals process, Cedrone, told WND.
"As required under the court order for which she stands convicted of violating, on two occasions, Mrs. Hendrickson submitted amended tax returns," he explained. "In doing so, she reported as income earnings that she truly believes are not properly subject to tax. Since tax returns require one to affirm her subjective belief of the accuracy of the recorded information, Mrs. Hendrickson qualified her filings by stating her disagreement with the compelled characterization of certain items as income.
"No one disputes that Mrs. Hendrickson believe[s] what she claims to believe," Cedrone added. "Instead, our constitutional government has unilaterally decided that her good efforts to comply with a court order are simply not good enough because she expressed her sincerely held view that the items she was required to declare as income are not income.
"This represents a shameful abuse of public authority," the attorney added.
Alex Newman is an international journalist, educator and consultant who is currently based in Europe but has lived on four continents. He has a degree in journalism from the University of Florida and has worked for numerous publications in the U.S. and abroad. He is co-author of the book "Crimes of the Educators: How Utopians Are Using Government Schools to Destroy America's Children."
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Red-diaper baby to lead U.N.?
Rule of law takes hit in court's order to commit perjury
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Welcome to Wolf Blass Explore Our Wines
Shiraz Blends
Blass Reserve Release
The Wolf Blass team of winemakers share a similar working ethos – to boldly chase the pursuit of excellence, to uphold and represent Wolf Blass' proud history, and to create wine of exceptional quality.
Chris Hatcher
Chief Winemaker
Chris is one of Australia's leading winemakers and a highly respected wine show judge across the globe. His attention to detail ensures the quality, consistency and character for which Wolf Blass is renowned.
Growing up in Adelaide, Chris knew he wanted to be a winemaker from a very young age. He can't quite pinpoint why. His father was a strict Methodist and there was never any wine in the house. For Chris, it was more about obtaining what you could not have.
In 1974 Chris completed a Science Degree at the University of Adelaide in South Australia before studying winemaking at Charles Sturt University in NSW.
After working at Orlando and Kaiser Stuhl in the Barossa Valley and the Simi Winery in California, Chris joined Wolf Blass Wines in December 1987. For the next 10 years, Chris was the Senior Winemaker responsible for Wolf Blass whites and sparkling. In that decade, Chris made 39 trophy and 218 gold medal-winning wines. He was also responsible for steering the success of the Wolf Blass white wine range, which ultimately set the groundwork for our export success.
In 2008, Chris insisted that Wolf Blass Black Label be entered into a blind tasting competition against 30 of the most iconic wines in the world, some costing upwards of $2,000 a bottle. Many thought, against such distinguished company, that it was a crazy idea. But as it turned out, against the world's best our Black Label received an almost perfect score – which only told Chris there was still room for improvement.
Steven Frost
Senior Winemaker
Steve grew up in his family's restaurant business in the Yarra Valley where, at an early age, his interest in food and wine was cultivated.
Though it wasn't his first career, growing and making wine was always Steve's passion, with most weekends spent working part-time in vineyards and making wines with friends.
Steve started working in the wine industry full-time in 1999, the same year he started a Bachelor of Applied Science (Wine Science) at Charles Sturt University.
Drawn to work in the Barossa in 2005, he's been making Wolf Blass reds since 2008. The winery's expansive vineyard resources, modern and traditional winemaking techniques, and careful approach to blending proved just as irresistible then as they do now.
Marie Clay
Wolf Blass winemaker Marie Clay discovered wine through her Dad's stellar collection of South Australian reds. Like all good fathers, he stocked up on the birth year of his two daughters. In Marie's case, that just happened to be a lovely bottle of 1979 Wolf Blass Black Label, which was cracked at her 21st birthday.
After graduating in 2000 from the University of Adelaide with first Class honours in Oenology, Marie received the Southcorp wine scholarship. This allowed her to travel and work with the company’s best winemakers across the Australian wine regions of Coonawarra, Barossa, Sunraysia and Great Western.
Following these experiences, Marie worked with Lindeman’s for 4 years at both their NSW and Victorian wineries, overseeing white wine production.
In December 2006 Marie joined the Wolf Blass winemaking team in the Barossa, where she relished the opportunity to work with premium red wines from vineyard to bottle. She loves working in a modern winery that allows the fruit's potential to be realised. Langhorne Creek and McLaren Vale, the heartland regions of the Grey Label range, are particularly close to her heart.
International vintages in Tuscany and Burgundy have rounded out her winemaking experience and keep fueling her passion to learn.
Marie has enjoyed judging at Australian wine shows over the past 15 years, completed the Australian Wine Assessment Course (AWAC) in 2004, and was a Len Evans scholar in 2015. She has been a regular guest judge at AWAC over the last 5 years, where she contributes to the education of the students.
She is the proud owner of a vineyard in the Moppa sub-region of the Barossa, planted to old vine Shiraz and Grenache, which she and her family now call home.
Clare Dry
During her teens, Clare's interest in horticulture led to work experience at a winery on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula where she grew up. It took just two days of work experience for her to know she wanted a career in the wine industry.
After high school, Clare enrolled in a Bachelor of Oenology (Wine Science) at Adelaide University and then, with a thirst for more practical knowledge before recommencing study, took a gap year to work on a vintage on the Mornington Peninsula, and a second in the Pfalz region of Germany.
Since her graduation in 2007, Clare has been a key member of the Wolf Blass team and works alongside her colleagues to ensure the guiding principles behind each wine are met.
Clare has a strong interest in cool climate wines and is particularly fond of the Adelaide Hills, where she spends a lot of time in vineyards during vintage assessing grapes for harvest, especially Pinot Noir.
The winemaking team source fruit from many of the premium wine growing areas of South Australia and according to Clare, it's this exposure to multiple regions, as well as multiple varieties, styles, techniques, technology and expertise that makes working for Wolf Blass such a fulfilling experience.
John Ashwell
John's passion for the wine industry was nurtured early by his parents through their interest in grape growing and determination to set up a successful boutique winery.
As John got older he went on to manage his parents' vineyard in Queensland, located 800 metres above sea level on the Great Dividing Range. For the next two years John followed the annual cycle of grape vines with keen interest, before deciding it was time to learn how to turn grapes into wine.
He enrolled in a Bachelor of Applied Science (Wine Science) at Charles Sturt University in 2003, and the following years saw John studying while working in Central Victoria, the Hunter Valley, Yarra Valley and Sonoma County in California.
Returning to Australia for vintage in 2008, he decided South Australia was where he would continue his winemaking education, so he packed his car, earthly belongings and hit the road.
John started at Wolf Blass as Vintage Winemaker in 2009, and has been working with us ever since. The range of wine styles and winemaking options available are a constant source of inspiration to him, and help drive his determination to ensure every wine under his care is the best it can be.
Never forgetting his start in the wine industry, John is always keen to get out to the vineyards to watch the vines as they progress through the growing period.
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Tournament Central
Tournament Field
Results by Year >
NIVC Final - South Dakota (31-2) vs. Georgia Tech (25-8)
With the title match of the 2019 National Invitational Volleyball Championship set to go – it’s Georgia Tech at South Dakota on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET) – there’s not much shock that these two programs are the ones left standing.
Both the Yellow Jackets (25-8) and the Coyotes (31-2) were on the cusp of NCAA tournament berths, and both have turned the disappointment of missing that moment into strong performances in the NIVC. Georgia Tech is 17-1 in its last 18 matches and has dropped just two sets in the NIVC, while the Coyotes have topped 30 victories and are a flawless 14-0 at home.
Another common aspect between the teams is the comparative youth of the roster. For Georgia Tech, freshman Julia Bergmann and sophomore Marilla Brambilla are driving forces, with Brambilla hammering a career-high 25 kills in the semifinal win over TCU. Those two lead the Yellow Jackets in kills, with sophomore Mikaila Dowd third on the list; even the setter (Matti McKissock) is a sophomore and has averaged better than 11 assists per set.
For South Dakota, freshman Elizabeth Juhnke has a team-high 505 kills, and redshirt sophomore setter Madison Jurgens is averaging nearly 12 assists per set with a total of 1,411 for the year. After reaching the NCAA tournament in 2018, the Coyotes looked well on their way to a repeat appearance after running the table in the Summit League regular season, but the team was upset by Omaha in the league tourney.
“We all had expectations, as does everybody, about making the NCAA Tournament, and when we didn’t it was important for them to understand that it was OK to be disappointed,” said head coach Leanne Williamson, who is in her sixth season. “When we came back to work, we said we’d shift our focus to new goals, set new expectations, and they did just that. It really didn’t come from me. People who have been here and know how good this program is, they said let’s go win this NIVC.
“One of our mottos all year is saying, let’s go 1-0. Not focusing on the future, not thinking about the past, take care of what we can, the one point, the one game, the one match. It took us that first match to get back into it, to play at the high level again.”
South Dakota’s roster also embraced the idea of giving the seniors another arena to show the depth of their commitment, while younger players got more time to play under the pressure of one-and-done tournament volleyball.
“For our seniors, it’s one more opportunity to play in the Coyote uniform, and for the underclassmen, it’s an opportunity to keep making history in the program,” Williamson said. “I think the NIVC is an incredible opportunity to play volleyball at a high level, to play in a tournament style where you fight every night to get the chance to play on. There’s a lot of great things that can come from this, and our team is up for the challenge. They’re excited to bring in an excellent Georgia Tech team as well, and to compete against a great opponent, in front of our home fans.”
South Dakota dropped its first set Saturday against Tulsa in the semifinals, something that had to rattle the team as well as the 1,300 fans looking to keep the NIVC run alive. But the Coyotes got it tied back up and won the final two sets in dominant fashion, 25-15, 25-13.
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World Families Forums - How does the U106 variance in Ireland compare to that in England and elsewhere?
How does the U106 variance in Ireland compare to that in England and elsewhere? « previous next »
Author Topic: How does the U106 variance in Ireland compare to that in England and elsewhere? (Read 45980 times)
How does the U106 variance in Ireland compare to that in England and elsewhere?
A claim was made over on FTDNA's forum that U106 variance in Ireland is higher than it is in England and Germany. Is that true?
I don't believe it is, but I am having trouble finding such a comparison.
Maybe Mike knows?
Re: How does the U106 variance in Ireland compare to that in England and elsewhere?
Quote from: rms2 on March 21, 2012, 07:52:03 PM
I wasn't finding that, but there are very few U106 haplotypes from Ireland so I'm not sure a great comparison can be made.
Thanks. I know it is relatively scarce in Ireland and usually associated with English or Lowland Scots surnames.
Dubhthach
The ironic thing bout that whole discussion is that the surname Boylan is connected to Clann Colla, which by and large is showing up as L21+, DF21+ (null 425)
I would tend to agree that the earliest U106 given current evidence is probably in the Viking era. Now it could be possible that there is some very early U106 in Ireland, we just don't know.
Quote from: Dubhthach on March 24, 2012, 07:56:59 PM
I agree it is possible there was some very early U106 in early Ireland, but that could be said of any European y-haplogroup one could name. IMHO, it is highly unlikely there was any U106 in Ireland before the Vikings.
« Last Edit: March 25, 2012, 08:21:04 AM by rms2 » Logged
Quote from: rms2 on March 25, 2012, 08:20:29 AM
In general I would agree, the issue I see with particular poster is more then likely ideologically driven. Of course a Y-Chromosome is only 2% of one's genome, so I wouldn't base my entire "self-definition" on it. (That and it only reflects one male ancestral line)
One thing I think is a bit of nuisance is studies such as Busby using restricted numbers of SNP's. For example for U106 they just use one "sub-clade" marked by U198. Likewise for L21 they just used M222 (don't think they tried to spilt U152 at all!)
Ideally such large studies should have as many of the higher up subclades as possible so as to at least see if there are any geographical patterns. In case of L21 I would say:
DF21, DF23, L513/DF1, Z253, Z255
Quote from: Dubhthach on March 25, 2012, 09:28:01 AM
Here! Here! ... although I can understand that academic research can't be as current as what we know about these subclades.
Since you mentioned Busby, one log for the fire to burn up that straw/wicker man paper is their use of SNPs. They picked S127/L11 to show lack of differentiation of STR diversity across Europe. They didn't compare that to R1b L11- subclades and paragroup diversity and how that varied across Europe. I don't understand why they neglected that. The information was there.
What is the evidence that U106 didn't show up before the Vikings? Are you basing this on the frequencies of U106 subclades associated with Anglo-Saxon territories?
I've never seen a detailed look a this. Does anyone have a detailed map of U106*, L148, L1, U198, Z18 frequencies across the British Isles.? It would be interesting to see if something like U106* had a different dispersion at the regional level.
« Last Edit: March 25, 2012, 10:00:12 AM by Mikewww » Logged
I don't think we are likely to see real deep SNP resolution anytime soon. We're lucky when a study tests for L21. Fortunately, there is a lot of interest in the British Isles, so we get some attention every now and then.
One of the problems with ancient dna testing is that researchers don't or can't go very deep with SNPs.
Quote from: Mikewww on March 25, 2012, 09:59:31 AM
Well, there isn't much U106 in Ireland, and what is there tends to be most frequent where the English settled, like in the old "Pale" in and around Dublin, for example, and in Northern Ireland.
If you look at the surnames of those U106+ listing an Irish mdka, the vast majority of them are English or Lowland Scots. By far most of those with old Catholic, Gaelic surnames are L21+, or at least something other than U106.
If U106 were truly ancient in Ireland, there should be more of it, and it should have a corresponding, reasonable representation among those with old Irish surnames. Instead, U106 is rather scarce in Ireland, and it is even more scarce among the native Irish, i.e., the Catholic families with Gaelic surnames.
The logical conclusion, it seems to me, is that U106 just wasn't there. If it was, it made little or no impression.
I think there is little doubt that U106 was most likely very rare in the west in pre-Germanic times (in isles terms). A small amount could have go there in pre-Viking times through Anglo-Saxons as, although not often mentioned, the Northumbrians actually raided Ireland once (or twice?) in pre-Viking times, there were Northumbrian royal refugees in Ireland and the church connections also meant settlement of some people from an Anglo-Saxon background. However, Anglo-Saxon impact must have been very small and restricted to the Northumbrian Angles as the rest of the British coast facing Ireland remained largely Celtic (Cornwall, Devon, Wales, Cumbria etc).
The big question for me is when did U106 reach south-east and eastern Britain? I think its much more of a leap to rule out pre-Germanic movement of U106 into south-east and eastern Britain. In fact, I think I would go as far to say that unless U106 had not yet reached the Low Countries in pre-Germanic times then it would almost certainly have been introduced into SE and eastern Britain in pre-Germanic times and the only question would be over quantity. I suppose the closest we could get to answering that is looking at the variance of U106 and its subclades in different areas, perhaps Poland or Denmark compared to Holland/Belgium and in turn compared to England.
I understand what you are saying and it makes sense except I'll disagree on one thing. You said "If U106 were truly ancient in Ireland, there should be more of it." U106 could be truly ancient and still be of very low frequency. Diversity, both STR and Hg-wise, is of more importance. Frequency, on the other hand, can be misleading.
Quote from: rms2
... If U106 were truly ancient in Ireland, there should be more of it, and it should have a corresponding, reasonable representation among those with old Irish surnames. Instead, U106 is rather scarce in Ireland, and it is even more scarce among the native Irish, i.e., the Catholic families with Gaelic surnames....
The SNP testing on the below is a little out of date (60 days) but here are the U106 I'm aware of in Ireland by surname and hg.
Moore R-U106
Morrow R-U106
Neely R-U106
Parker R-U106*
Peden R-U106
Phillips R-U106*
Pickens R-U106
Rutledge R-U106
Sloan R-U106
Smith R-U106
Steenson R-U106
Sweet R-U106
Thompson R-U106
Wade R-U106
Wilson R-U106
zzzUnkName R-U106
MacMullen R-U106/Z381/Z156
McMillen R-U106/Z381/Z156
McMullan R-U106/Z381/Z156
McMullan R-U106
McMullen R-U106
McMullen R-U106*
Mullin R-U106
Taylor R-U106
Traynor R-U106
Allen R-U106
Anderson R-U106
Barnwell R-U106
Fitzgibbon R-U106/Z381
Parke R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48/Z9/Z2/Z7/Z8
I am definitely not a surname expert. I'm just presenting what's there. ... The only think I like to say about surnames is that I distrust surname persistence as you go back in time.
Here are the U106 I'm aware of in Scotland and Wales by surname and hg. The McMullen/McMillen group of Ireland and Scotland seem to be a big. Does anyone know their history?
McGoon R-U106
Bow R-U106/Z381/Z156*
Donald R-U106/Z381/Z156
Johnson R-U106/Z381/Z156
Allen R-U106/Z18/L257
Arcus R-U106/Z18/L257
Cockburn R-U106/Z18/L257
Cockburne R-U106/Z18/L257
Cokburne R-U106/Z18/L257
Dunbar R-U106/Z18/L257
Elder R-U106/Z18/L257
Matheson R-U106/Z18/L257
Riddell R-U106/Z18/L257
Ross R-U106/Z18/L257
Young R-U106/Z18*
Jackson R-U106/Z381/Z301/U198
Allison R-U106/Z381/Z301/U198
Gibson R-U106/Z381/Z301/U198
Boyd R-U106/Z381/Z301/U198
Ferguson R-U106/Z381/Z301/U198
Anderson R-U106/Z381/Z301/U198
Wallace R-U106/Z381/Z301/U198
Bell R-U106/Z381/Z156/L1
Crawford R-U106/Z381/Z156/L1
Graham R-U106/Z381/Z156/L1
Jardine R-U106/Z381/Z156/L1
Little R-U106/Z381/Z156/L1
Moffatt R-U106/Z381/Z156/L1
Morrison R-U106
Abel R-U106
King R-U106
Meenach R-U106
McMillan R-U106
King R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48/L47
Galbraith R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48/L47*
McLeod R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48/L47*
Reader R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48/L47/L163/L46/L164
Richards R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48/L47/L163*
McDonald R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Sinclair R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48/Z9/Z2/Z7/Z8/Z1
Sinclair R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Spence R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48/Z9/Z2/Z7/Z8
Carr R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48/Z9/Z2/Z7/Z8
Dunn R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48/Z9/Z2/Z7/Z8
Magoon R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48/Z9/Z2/Z7/Z8/Z1
Shortridge R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48/Z9/Z2/Z7/Z8
Sinclair R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48/Z9/Z2*
Walker R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48/Z9/Z2/Z7/Z8/Z1
Gurley R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Armstrong R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Blackburn R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Burns R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Carter R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Cates R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Coffin R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Davis R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Duguid R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Flick R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Hannah R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Hepner R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Lisk R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Lyles R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
MacPherson R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Marjoribanks R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Matheson R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Miller R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Minto R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48*
Moffat R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Morell R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Morrison R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Spruiell R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Young R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
zzzUnkName R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Bell R-U106
Biggs R-U106*
Broun R-U106
Cockburne R-U106
Colston R-U106
Douglas R-U106*
Douglas R-U106
Dowie R-U106
Downie R-U106
Dunbar R-U106
Ferguson R-U106
Finley R-U106
Forman R-U106*
Forrest R-U106*
Gibson R-U106
Gillespie R-U106
Goodlad R-U106
Gordon R-U106*
Gordon R-U106**
Graham R-U106
Hastie R-U106
Hughson R-U106
Johnston R-U106
Livingston R-U106
Low R-U106
Lyles R-U106
Magoon R-U106
McArthur R-U106*
McDiarmid R-U106
Millar R-U106
Monteith R-U106*
Murray R-U106
Nichols R-U106
Phillips R-U106
Reid R-U106
Robertson R-U106*
Sinkler R-U106*
Smart R-U106
Templeton R-U106*
Cameron R-U106
Keddie R-U106
MacMillan R-U106
McMillan R-U106/Z381/Z156
Akins R-U106*
Bailey R-U106
Byers R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48/Z9/Z326
Wales...
Edwards R-U106/Z18
Cissell R-U106
Picton R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48/L47/L163/L46
Ellis R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
James R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Jones R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Mathis R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Moyle R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Whitfield R-U106/Z381/Z301/L48
Davies R-U106
Evans R-U106
Howell R-U106
Morgan R-U106
Rumsey R-U106
Stephens R-U106
Thomas R-U106
Quote from: alan trowel hands. on March 25, 2012, 05:19:56 PM
.... In fact, I think I would go as far to say that unless U106 had not yet reached the Low Countries in pre-Germanic times then it would almost certainly have been introduced into SE and eastern Britain in pre-Germanic times and the only question would be over quantity. ..
Exactly. I haven't been able to figure out U106 with enough significance in STR diversity to solve this problem, though. So far, I can't differentiate much, which just implies U106 arrived at about the same time in the Low Countries and in East/SE England. It must have remained "bottled up" over in the Baltic area for some time before bursting west, or, perhaps, it was really in East/SE England fairly early but could not expand well to the west and north due to the native tribes in those places.
« Last Edit: March 26, 2012, 12:04:49 PM by Mikewww » Logged
I don't really want to get involved in the ethnic wars again, but will make a few observations.
I haven't studied U106 in Ireland, but have seen mention of a few U106 there with Gaelic surnames. I keep an open mind to the possibility of an early arrival of some U106 there, but it appears to me to be very small in comparison to later arrivals from Scotland and England.
I have often said that determining the history of U106 will depend on an analysis by subclade. I don't think that looking at the overall variance of all of U106 in any individual country is going to be very helpful. A large number of SNPs below U106 have been discovered recently, but I am told that there isn't much interest in testing for them. However some progress is being made.
U106 seems to have a much larger presence in Scotland, and the number with Scottish surnames is not insignificant. There are a number of these on Mike's list. I don't think they can all be explained away as descendants of Anglo-Saxons, Flemings, Normans or Scandinavians. The U106 subclade L48, which appears to predominate in Scandinavia, seems to be much less frequent in Scotland. In L48, in which the so-called 'Frisian haplotype' is found, 390=23 predominates. In the Z257 and Z156 subclades, 390=24 predominates. If the U106 in Scotland were of exclusively of Anglian or Scandinavian origin, I would expect to see a larger amount of L48 and 390=23 there.
There was someone in Scotland who is U106 who was engaged in a study of it there. He used to post occasionally on the dna forum. It appeared to me he didn't have any particular axe to grind, unlike many who opine on the subject. He was particularly interested in the L257 subclade. This SNP is on a completely different branch of U106 from most of the other subclades. According to him, some of the subclusters of L257 are primarily found in Scotland. He also posited that the L128 subclade (below Z156?) may have been born somewhere in Britain c. 2000 ybp.
It is early days yet, and I think far too soon to draw any definite conclusions. Once again, I merely suggest keeping an open mind about the arrival of U106 in Britain, rather than a mad dash to find ways to explain them away as descendants of later Germanic immigrants.
« Last Edit: March 28, 2012, 02:25:13 PM by GoldenHind » Logged
Quote from: GoldenHind on March 26, 2012, 03:15:32 PM
... I have often said that determining the history of U106 will depend on an analysis by subclade. I don't think that looking at the overall variance of all of U106 in any individual country is going to be very helpful. A large number of SNPs below U106 have been discovered recently, but I am told that there isn't much interest in testing for them. However some progress is being made...
I agree we need more info at the U106 subclade level. There are some folks over on the S21/U106 subgroup that are very passionate on SNP testing so I think we are seeing progress.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/R1b1c_U106-S21/messages
It would be nice to have a couple of their high powered people posting here too like Michael M, Ray W, Wayne K (who I think is on this forum), Charlie M, Tim J and a few others. I think we already have Greg M.
After I looked at U106 to see if my half maternal brother who were L69 had any close GD clusters is when I discovered a small group that is England based. I then found a larger Group of Isles based U106, The McMillan's. I worked with the Laighin MacMaolain (Lyn McMullen) back at the end of November last year to produce a 40 or so Ht network that showed a strong Irish base for Z156. So a strong Family Lineage that started early in Ireland.
Lyn wrote me and said, "Z156 so far has a closer distance these names are of the Devon-Cornwall ilk which fits historically to ancient Britons, Brittany etc. It is a fit with historic analysis ie: The Laigin from Amorica and Brittany, to Ireland, some say almost at the same time. The pathway thru is channel islands to south Devon Cornwall to Ireland and on to Scotland for the Strathclyde Britons." McMill lineage seems to have a 8.7 Rho mutations for 1,617.6 +- 360.2 years MRCA.
He also stated:
Amazingly it fits with much of what we have speculated in oral and documented exchanges over many years. It confirms in an adjustable range that Patrick MacMullen 104866, Charles McMullen 159837 and Lyn 90791 descend from a common ancestor about 1000 years ago. That ancestor based on historic Irish history was Laighnan Mac Maolain (laity in the book of Kells) Lynan MacMullen. This family were still located 17th century as erenaghs of churchlands in an barony area called Morgallion Co. Meath. (Gaileang Mora) ancient Brega gives their last recorded noble as Mac Mic Maolain slain 1144AD. Morgallion was captured by the Normans 1170 AD and allocated to a Norman Lord who created Cruictown (102839) just two miles from Ardmagh Brega where my 9th Gr Grandfather James MacMullen was born. Adjacent him in the Morgallion townland of Legagh sits the family Traynor 125584. Taylor 175542 is a perfect DNA match to Lloyd McMullen located on the Ancestry DNA site took over Morgallion in 1699 on the confiscation of the lands from Cruis. The migration to Scotland is connected then to this Traynor of Meath and Gerard McMullan 84947 of Antrim who claim to be native Irish. When did the Gerard McMullan family move to Antrim? Hard to say, but clearly the chart confirms that McMillan Scotland 35953 (as their own history states) are descendants of his line. My personal guesstimate would be Alexander McMulen d. 1497 as the actual documented ancestor of 135048. He had a son named Malcolm, one of whom moved north and became a Cameron 60304 according to their family lore. 35043 is descended from a Malcolm McMillan, who leads to the oldest of that line 35953 who became Chief of the family based on an unconfirmed link to Alexander McMulen.
Further to what I see in your help so far, is many names that connect to Brittany and of course Cornwall and Devon. Others in the U106 project that connect to the historical pathway in Ireland include:
Cannon, Kelley, Kavanagh, Madden, Callanan and Conley as well as McGowan (smith).
That list has a lot of non-native Gaelic . If that is all we have in terms of U106 in Ireland then the evidence is extremely strong that U106 was rare in pre-Viking times in Ireland.
« Last Edit: March 26, 2012, 06:40:35 PM by alan trowel hands. » Logged
Quote from: Mikewww on March 26, 2012, 12:02:47 PM
Mike-how big is the difference in variance of U106 between the Baltic area and its more westerly areas like the Low countries/England?
We've been through a lot of this before. According to Busby, there really isn't all that much U106 in Scotland, and what is there can easily be accounted for. For example, as was mentioned before, the 12th century settlement of Northumbrians in Moray and Aberdeenshire by King David I of Scotland.
An early arrival for U106 in SE Britain I think could be plausible, but I just don't believe it for the rest of the Isles. Honestly, I don't believe there was much, if any, U106 anywhere in Britain before the Anglo-Saxons. I think the Netherlands and neighboring Friesland were in non-Germanic hands until comparatively late (2nd or 3rd century BC, if I recall correctly), so U106 and I1 would not have been in position to make much of an impact before then. Probably the first U106 in Britain came as Germanic foederati with the Romans. I think there is evidence of Saxons in Roman employ in SE Britain as early as the 3rd century AD.
I really don't see how anyone can look at the distribution of U106 and its subclades and not think "Germanic". After all, U106's subclades are all U106+, so they are included in the general distribution of U106.
To argue that there was an oddball stray U106+ here and there in the very distant past seems to me a waste of time. Sure. Maybe. But perhaps there were other strays - an O or two, maybe - in ancient Ireland. Who knows?
What matters when you are talking about y haplogroups is the overall trend, not the supposition that maybe, perhaps, possibly there were a few stray U106 outside their normal beat.
Take Ireland, for example. In the historical period Ireland suffered a lot at the hands of people who came from places with a plentiful supply of U106. Some of those people settled there. Those facts amount to the U106 elephant in the room. Why strain for the (probably imaginary) ancient U106 gnat there?
I don't understand the apparent desire to "de-Germanize" U106 and make it seem as if it is just impossible to say anything meaningful about it.
Look at the evidence. Historically, what is now England was conquered by the Anglo-Saxons, who came from precisely those very places where U106 is most frequent. Their impact was so tremendous that the people in what is now England adopted the language of the invaders. That didn't happen elsewhere in Europe, despite the influx of Germanic barbarians during the post-Roman Period.
Later, during the Viking Period, England received some more shots of fresh blood from places where U106 is frequent.
Then look at the modern distribution of U106, which speaks for itself. In Britain it is generally most frequent in those places where the Anglo-Saxons were thickest, and where it occurs in Ireland, it is most frequent where the English held sway and settled.
« Last Edit: March 26, 2012, 08:33:06 PM by rms2 » Logged
... Then look at the modern distribution of U106, which speaks for itself. In Britain it is generally most frequent in those places where the Anglo-Saxons were thickest, and where it occurs in Ireland, it is most frequent where the English held sway and settled.
Most of your arguments are fine, but this is one has little substance. I've seen Vince V argue time and time again that frequency was of little (actually no) value in determining origin. I understand that we are not arguing the origin of U106 here, but rather how it got to the Isles. Still, it is based on historical knowledge that we typically super-impose a modern frequency onto historically known groups.
However, that is with a lack of knowledge of early or prehistoric cultures and U106 is of prehistoric age. We may be totally missing the boat because we don't understand these. There are authors who argue there was a long period of pre-Anglo-Saxon contact/exchange across the North Sea from the Jutland/Low Countries and East/SE England.
I'm not saying any pre-Anglo-Saxon migration/contact/exchange across the North Sea was non-Germanic. It may have been Germanic. I don't know who was in England prior to the traditional Anglo-Saxon era. There is no gaurantee it was 100% Celtic. How can one prove that it was 100% Celtic?
I suppose that is the question I should ask you - Can you show strong evidence that Britain was 100% Celtic? 99% Celtic in pre-Anglo-Saxon times? pre-Roman times?
I think the Netherlands and neighboring Friesland were in non-Germanic hands until comparatively late (2nd or 3rd century BC, if I recall correctly), so U106 and I1 would not have been in position to make much of an impact before then. as early as the 3rd century AD.
We don't have to prove that Germanic languages existed at 0 AD. We know that U106 is much older (i.e. 4000 years or more) than Germanic languages. It's hard to show U106 wasn't in Britain pre-Anglo-Saxon, particularly if the Low Countries were riddled with U106 in BC times. If you can show diversity in the Low Countries is much lower than to the east in the Baltic area or Poland/Hungary/Ukraine then it make sense that U106 burst west to the Low Countries and into England in one fairly contiguous swoop at a late date - post AD.
If diversity in the Low Countries and Poland/Hungary/Ukraine is about the same, its hard to say U106 hasn't been in the Low Countries for a long time, since pre-Anglo-Saxon Invasion era times. If so, it's only a hop, skip and a jump from the Low Countries to England. Do you have any genetic data that supports that U106 didn't reach the Low Countries pre-BC?
The Danes were in S/E England, and elsewhere in the Isles.
Could the bulk of the Isles U106 have originated in Scandinavia?
R1b1a2a1a1b4
R-DF13**(L21>DF13)
M42+, M45+, M526+, M74+, M89+, M9+, M94+, P108+, P128+, P131+, P132+, P133+, P134+, P135+, P136+, P138+, P139+, P14+, P140+, P141+, P143+, P145+, P146+, P148+, P149+, P151+, P157+, P158+, P159+, P160+, P161+, P163+, P166+, P187+, P207+, P224+, P226+, P228+, P229+, P230+, P231+, P232+, P233+, P234+, P235+, P236+, P237+, P238+, P239+, P242+, P243+, P244+, P245+, P280+, P281+, P282+, P283+, P284+, P285+, P286+, P294+, P295+, P297+, P305+, P310+, P311+, P312+, P316+, M173+, M269+, M343+, P312+, L21+, DF13+, M207+, P25+, L11+, L138+, L141+, L15+, L150+, L16+, L23+, L51+, L52+, M168+, M173+, M207+, M213+, M269+, M294+, M299+, M306+, M343+, P69+, P9.1+, P97+, PK1+, SRY10831.1+, L21+, L226-, M37-, M222-, L96-, L193-, L144-, P66-, SRY2627-, M222-, DF49-, L371-, DF41-, L513-, L555-, L1335-, L1406-, Z251-, L526-, L130-, L144-, L159.2-, L192.1-, L193-, L195-, L96-, DF21-, Z255-, DF23-, DF1-, Z253-, M37-, M65-, M73-, M18-, M126-, M153-, M160-, P66-
Here are some numbers I ran back in October for U198 with Ken's Generations5 calculator in an attempt to see if there were any later Germanic connections. Although the sample could always be larger, I think there is a possible connection with U198. Maybe it's not all Anglo-Saxon, but partially Germans who the Romans would have brought with them. It would be interesting to see how U106 lines up with Generations7.
I used 41 members from the U198 project with only England listed as their most distant known ancestry.
The intraclade for them is G=86+/-13 or 2580+/-390 ybp at 30 yrs./G.
I compared them with 11 continentals, 7 of which were German and Dutch.
Their intraclade was actually younger at G=77+/-11 or 2310+/-330 ybp.
Using the interclade method with both samples I get G=81+/-29 or 2430+/-870 ybp. Interestingly enough all of these samples and their estimates are right in line for the beginnings of the Germanic movements towards the west before Rome temporarily halted the advance.
At the low end of the confidence interval of 2430-870, puts it at 1560 ybp or 440 AD, which is about the same time as the early Anglo-Saxon period in England. It is puzzling that the variance for the English only sample is not low enough to demonstrate a founder effect in post-Roman Britain. Perhaps the linguists are right in that it was only a smaller elite migration. This would explain why L21 who were likely Romano-British, Irish, and Pictish, was able to continue their proliferation.
Mike Forsythe
Roman troops, mainly from nearby Germanic provinces, under Emperor Claudius invaded what is now England in AD 43. Over the next few years the province of Britannia was formed, eventually including the whole of England and Wales and parts of Scotland.[2] As a result Roman businessmen and officials came to Britannia to settle by the thousands along with their families. Roman troops from across the Empire as far as Spain, Syria, and Egypt, but mainly from the Germanic provinces of Batavia and Frisia (modern Netherlands, Belgium, and the Rhineland area of Germany) were garrisoned in Roman towns, many intermarrying with local Britons. This diversified Britannia's cultures and religions, while the populace remained mainly Celtic with a Roman way of life.
Later, Britain was independent of the rest of the Roman Empire for a number of years, first as a part of the Gallic Empire, then a couple of decades later under the usurpers Carausius and Allectus.
Christianity came to Britain in the 3rd century. One early figure was Saint Alban, who was martyred near the Roman town of Verulamium, on the site of the modern St Albans, by tradition during the reign of the emperor Decius.
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Black-footed Ferrets Get a Boost From Science
These Black-footed Ferret kits born in 2015 are more than cute -- they represent a breakthrough for this critically endangered species that could benefit rare animals around the world.
Photo Credit: Mehgan Murphy, Smithsonian's National Zoo
In 1981, scientists found only one small wild population of Black-footed Ferrets in Wyoming. Wildlife organizations, including zoos, have since brought this critically endangered species back from just 18 individuals to more than 2,600 in the wild today. This summer, the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) broke the genetic bottleneck facing the species by using semen that had been cryopreserved for 10 to 20 years to artificially inseminate live female ferrets. This breakthrough will increase the number of black-footed ferrets born in human care while enhancing genetic diversity within the species.
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) developed and oversees the Black-footed Ferret Recovery Program. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan (SSP) manages the Black-footed Ferret breeding program with a breeding population composed of about 300 animals. For this study, all the males were managed either at SCBI or at the USFWS National Black-Footed Ferret Conservation Center. Scientists collected semen samples from adult Black-footed Ferrets that ranged in age from one to six years old. All females were solely managed at SCBI.
Initially, scientists used fresh semen to artificially inseminate females who failed to naturally mate with males, resulting in 135 kits. With just a few founders to rebuild an entire species, early managers of the Black-footed Ferret recovery program knew that genetic diversity could be lost. Loss of genetic variation can lead to increased sperm malformation and lower success of pregnancy over time. Researchers routinely collected and preserved Black-footed Ferret semen for later use as part of standard operating procedures.
Read more about Black-footed Ferret breeding and see more photos below.
Continue reading "Black-footed Ferrets Get a Boost From Science" »
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Snowy Owlets Hatch at Zoo Osnabrück
In June, keepers at Zoo Osnabrück, in Germany, made the observation that their Snowy Owl was no longer attempting to incubate the three eggs she laid in her nest. Staff removed the eggs, and an incubator took over the work, warming the eggs at 37.5 degrees Celsius. The owlets began emerging from their eggs on July 12, and the youngest hatched on July 14.
Photo Credits: Zoo Osnabrück
Andreas Wulftange, research associate, said, “I had to feed them four times a day. They cried for attention and craned their beaks, demanding food. You can hear them before you see them.”
Staff are currently attempting to teach them the ways of being a predatory bird. The owlets practice balancing on logs, placed on ground level. For now, they are only able to hop about their aviary, but some flight feathers are starting to emerge on their fuzzy bodies.
Wulftange, a trained falconer, continued, “We want to enable the Snowy Owlets free flight and let them fly over the zoo grounds, so visitors can see how these special birds silently glide through the air and land with pinpoint accuracy.”
The trio will remain in the aviary until they have matured and grown the feathers they need to master flight.
The Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) is a large white owl of the typical owl family. They are native to Arctic regions in North America and Eurasia. Younger owls start with darker plumage, which turns lighter as they mature. Males are mostly white, while adult females have more flecks of gray plumage.
Snowy Owls are highly nomadic and their movements are tied to locating their prey. The powerful bird relies on lemmings and other small rodents for food during the breeding season. At times of low prey density, they may switch to eating juvenile ptarmigan. Like other birds, they swallow their prey whole. Strong stomach juices digest the flesh, while the indigestible bones, teeth, fur, and feathers are compacted into oval pellets that the bird regurgitates 18 to 24 hours after feeding.
Their mating season is in May, and eggs are incubated for about 32 days. The size of the clutch varies, depending on food availability. Only females incubate the eggs. The male provides the female and young with food. Young owls begin to leave the nest around 25 to 26 days after hatching. They are not able to fly until at least 50 days of age. They continue to be fed by the parents for another 5 weeks after they leave the nest.
Continue reading "Snowy Owlets Hatch at Zoo Osnabrück" »
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Endangered Crocs Hatch at Smithsonian’s National Zoo
Five critically endangered Cuban Crocodiles recently hatched, at the Reptile Discovery Center of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, between July 29 and Aug. 7. Dorothy, a 57-year-old genetically valuable crocodile, laid the eggs. The hatchlings are less than a foot long, but they could reach up to 10.5 feet long when fully grown.
Photo Credits: Amy Enchelmeyer/Smithsonian’s National Zoo
Dorothy laid a clutch of 24 eggs in a hole nest on May 12. Crocodiles build either mound or hole nests. Hole nests are not always easily visible after females dig them; however, keepers had been monitoring Dorothy carefully and noticed physical changes indicating she had recently laid eggs. After a week of searching the exhibit for her nest, they found it and excavated the eggs. Ten of the eggs were fertile and moved to an incubator. Half of those fertile eggs continued to develop during the entire gestation period.
A crocodile embryo will develop into a male or female depending on the incubating temperature of the eggs. Only eggs incubated between 89.6 and 90.5 degrees Fahrenheit will hatch out males; any temperature higher or lower will result in females. The surface temperature of Dorothy’s nest was 84.7 degrees Fahrenheit when keepers reached it, and it was seven inches deep.
Keepers incubated the eggs in the temperature range to hatch out males, but it is too early to definitively determine the sex of each crocodile.
The Species Survival Plan (SSP) for Cuban Crocodiles requested that the Zoo hatch all males to ensure that the Cuban Crocodile population in human care continues to be sustainable. In the wild, a Cuban Crocodile’s nest will range in temperature. Depending on an egg’s temperature in the nest, some eggs could incubate at much warmer temperatures than others, resulting in males and females hatching out of the same clutch.
Keepers are behind the scenes, at the Reptile Discovery Center, caring for the baby crocodiles. Guests can see adult Cuban Crocodiles: Dorothy, Blanche, Rose and Jefe, on exhibit as usual.
Cuban Crocodiles are listed as “Critically Endangered” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature. They are threatened with habitat loss, hybridization and illegal hunting. They are only found in two swamps in Cuba.
More pics, below the fold!
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Four New ‘Rock’ Stars at Chester Zoo
Four baby Rock Hyraxes have been born at Chester Zoo, in the UK. The tiny quartet arrived on July 25, after a seven-month gestation, weighing just a few ounces.
As soon as Rock Hyrax babies are born, they look like miniature adults, with their eyes and ears open, sporting the same coat. And despite being small in stature, the species actually has an incredible genetic link to the elephant.
Nick Davis, assistant curator of mammals at the zoo, said, “It’s quite an oddity, but Rock Hyraxes and elephants share a number of common features. For example, a small mammal would typically go through a short gestation period, but the Rock Hyrax is different, with pregnancies lasting over seven months (245 days) – highlighting a connection to their much larger relatives.”
“There are also other physical similarities between the two species, such as the shape of their feet and their continually growing incisors, which are reminiscent of an elephant’s tusks,” Davis continued.
The Rock Hyrax (Procavia capensis) is one of the four living species of the order Hyracoidea, and the only living species in the genus Procavia. Like all hyraxes, it is a medium-sized terrestrial mammal, superficially resembling a guinea pig with short ears and tail. The closest living relatives to hyraxes are the modern-day elephants and sirenians (sea cow).
The species lives primarily in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, where it is known natively as a ‘dassie’ or ‘rock rabbit’. As their name indicates, Rock Hyraxes occupy habitats dominated by rocks and large boulders, including mountain cliffs, where they use their moist and rubber-like soles to gain a good grip to clamber around steep slopes.
They typically live in groups of 10 to 80 animals, and forage as a group. They feed on a wide variety of plants and have been known to eat insects and grubs. They have been reported to use sentries: one or more animals take up position on a vantage point and issue alarm calls on the approach of predators. They are said to have excellent eyesight. They are able to survive their dry habitat by getting most of their water from food supplies.
They are currently classified as “Least Concern” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
More amazing pics, below the fold!
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Endangered Wallaby Joeys Emerge at Taronga Zoo
Two tiny Brush-tailed Rock-Wallaby joeys have emerged from their mother's pouches at Taronga Zoo, continuing its successful breeding program for the endangered species.
Photo Credits: Paul Fahy / Taronga Zoo
A female joey has started peeking out from mother Mica’s pouch in the Zoo’s Platypus Pools exhibit, delighting keepers and keen-eyed visitors.
“She’s still quite shy, but we’re starting to see her little face more and more. Mica likes to find a nice spot to rest in the sun and the joey will often pop its head out to look around,” said Keeper, Tony Britt-Lewis.
At five months of age, the joey will likely spend another month inside the pouch, before venturing outside to explore its surroundings.
The joey is one of two Brush-tailed Rock-Wallabies to emerge in the past week. Another of the Zoo’s breeding group, Ruby, is also carrying a joey.
Once abundant and widespread across the rocky country of southeastern Australia, Brush-tailed Rock-Wallabies (Petrogale penicillata) are now listed as an endangered species in New South Wales. They are classified as “Near Threatened” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The Brush-tailed Rock-Wallaby population has declined by up to 97% in the last 130 years.
Brush-tailed Rock-Wallabies have called Australia home for millennia. They are found nowhere else on earth and are a unique part of Australia’s natural heritage. “Brushies” were once common in all of Eastern Australia, and they numbered over half a million individuals. In the 19th century, Brushies were hunted by humans for their fur (now outlawed), but today they are still killed by predators, such as: foxes, feral dogs, and cats. They also face competition from introduced species such as goats and of course, a loss of habitat due to farming, weed invasion and the generally expanding human population. They’re vulnerable to introduced diseases and suffer from a lower overall genetic health, due to the increasing isolation of colonies.
Taronga Zoo is working with the Office of Environment and Heritage on a coordinated program to help the recovery of the species.
More incredible pics, below the fold!
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‘A’ Is for Aardvark at Burgers’ Zoo
Burgers’ Zoo, in the Netherlands, recently welcomed a new Aardvark cub! The healthy baby was born the end of July and has been carefully monitored by zookeepers.
Burgers’ Zoo, under the authority of the EAZA, manages the European breeding program for the Aardvark. They are the only zoo in the Netherlands to house this special species.
Photo Credits: Burgers' Zoo
The Aardvark (Orycteropus afer) is a medium-sized, burrowing, nocturnal mammal that is native to Africa. It is the only living species of the order Tubulidentata.
The Aardvark is stout with a prominently arched back and is sparsely covered in coarse hair. The limbs are moderate length, with the rear legs being longer than the forelegs. Their weight is typically between 130 and 180 lbs. (60 and 80 kg). Their length is usually between 3.44 and 4.27 feet (105 and 130 cm). They are typically 24 inches tall (60 cm). The Aardvark is pale yellowish gray in color and often stained reddish brown by soil it sorts through. The coat is thin, and the skin is tough.
The Aardvark is nocturnal and feeds almost exclusively on ants and termites. They will emerge from their burrow in late afternoon and forage for food over a range of about 6 to 18 miles from home. While foraging, they keep the nose to ground and ears pointed forward. When concentrations of ants or termites are detected, the Aardvark digs into the mound with powerful front legs and will take up the insects with their long, sticky tongue. It is possible for the animal to take in as many as 50,000 ants and termites in one night.
The Aardvark is mostly quiet, but will make soft grunting sounds as it forages and louder grunts when engaged in burrowing.
Aardvarks have a gestation of about seven months. They generally give birth to a single cub from May to July. When born, the young have flaccid ears and many wrinkles. After two weeks, the folds of skin disappear and after three weeks the ears are upright. At 5-6 weeks, body hair starts growing. They are weaned by about 16 weeks, and can dig their own burrow by 6 months of age. The young often remain with the mother till the next mating season.
The Aardvark is currently classified as “Least Concern” on the IUCN Red List. However, they are a species in a precarious situation and are declining in number as their food supplies begin to dwindle.
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Meet Little Pudding, Oregon's Orphaned Otter Pup
A boisterous, squeaky River Otter pup — orphaned last month near Oakridge, Oregon, and now living at the Oregon Zoo — has a name. The 4-month-old will be called Little Pudding, named for a tributary of Oregon’s Pudding River.
Photo Credit: Oregon Zoo
"A lot of the animals here get their names from nations or cultures associated with the species' native habitats," said Julie Christie, senior keeper for the zoo's North America area. "For the river otters, we like to choose names based on local waterways."
After narrowing their list of potential names to three choices — J.R. Papenfus and Hobson were the other two — keepers last week invited the public to vote for their favorite via the zoo website. More than 5,500 Otter fans weighed in, with Little Pudding earning around 36 percent of the votes.
The pup was alone, hungry and dehydrated when he was spotted wandering alongside a local highway. He was taken to the Chintimini Wildlife Center in Corvallis. Since the young Otter would not be able to survive in the wild without its mother, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife contacted the zoo to see if space was available once the pup's health stabilized.
Once threatened by fur trappers, North American River Otters are now relatively abundant in healthy river systems of the Pacific Northwest and the lakes and tributaries that feed them. Good populations exist in suitable habitat in northeast and southeast Oregon, but they are scarce in heavily settled areas, especially if waterways are compromised. Because of habitat destruction and water pollution, River Otters are considered rare outside the region.
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Red Panda Cubs Are A Perfect Pair
Two Red Panda cubs were born this spring at Austria’s Zoo Salzberg, the first birth of this species at the zoo in more than 13 years.
Photo Credit: Zoo Salzberg
The cubs were born to parents Banja and Eros, but are now being hand-reared by the staff after the loss of female Banja in July.
Under the care of zoo keepers, the cubs are developing well and now have their eyes open and weigh about one pound each.
Red Panda cubs typically emerge from the nest box at 12 weeks old, and are weaned at around five to six months of age.
Native to mountain forests in China, Nepal, and Myanmar, Red Pandas are listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Loss of habitat, caused by a near doubling of the human population in the region in the past 30-40 years, is the primary threat to the species. As their forest habitat is broken into smaller and smaller chunks, the risk of inbreeding within smaller populations increases.
These two cubs will be an important part of the worldwide effort to maintain a genetically diverse Red Panda population within zoos.
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Lincoln Park Zoo Says They Are ‘Hooked’ on New Sloth
Lincoln Park Zoo, in Chicago, Illinois, has announced a new arrival. A Hoffmann’s Two-Toed Sloth was born on July 25, at the zoo’s Regenstein Small Mammal-Reptile House!
The sloth infant joins its 21-year-old mother, Hersey, and 32-year-old father, Carlos, on exhibit at the zoo. The sex and measurements of the newborn are yet to be determined, as the baby is clinging tight to Hersey. The sloth baby is a part of the Hoffmann’s Two-Toed Sloth Species Survival Plan, which cooperatively manages the accredited zoo population. The baby sloth is the first offspring of this breeding pair.
Photo Credits: Christopher Bijalba / Lincoln Park Zoo
“The sloth infant appears healthy and is passing critical milestones such as nursing regularly and clinging well to mother,” said Curator Diane Mulkerin. “Hersey is a first-time mother and is being very attentive to her new young.”
The sloth infant, Hersey, and Carlos can be seen on exhibit daily at Lincoln Park Zoo’s Regenstein Small Mammal Reptile House from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sloths are nocturnal so the infant and mother can be seen curled up in the canopy throughout the day and are more active towards the evening.
Hoffmann’s Two-Toed Sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni) is a species of sloth from Central and South America. It is a solitary, largely nocturnal and arboreal animal, found in mature and secondary rainforests and deciduous forests. The common name commemorates the German naturalist, Karl Hoffmann.
The species is often confused with its relation, the Linnaeus’s Two-Toed Sloth, which it closely resembles. The primary difference between the two species relate to subtle skeletal features; for example, Hoffmann’s Two-Toed Sloth has three foramina in the upper forward part of the interpterygoid space, rather than just two, and often has fewer cervical vertebrae.
Hoffmann’s Two-Toed Sloths have large hooked claws that help the species hang from treetops in the canopies of tropical rainforests. On average, these sloths weigh around 12 pounds and can reach 27 inches in length and spend nearly all of their time upside down in treetops.
Continue reading "Lincoln Park Zoo Says They Are ‘Hooked’ on New Sloth" »
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Lion Cubs Are the ‘Pride’ of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Three African Lion cubs are the “pride” of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, in Colorado Springs, Colorado! The two boys and their sister were born June 25 to mom, Lomela, and dad, Abuto.
The Zoo recently held a naming contest, for the furry trio, and asked for help from their fans and supporters. Names were submitted via facebook and the Zoo’s website. The Zoo will soon make a formal announcement on the decided-upon names.
Keepers say "Boy #1" (Image 1) takes after his grandfather, Elson. He’s the darkest in color, and he’s the biggest of the cubs. "Boy #2" (Image 2) is described as being 'really laid back'. Keepers say the Girl is the bravest (Image 3) and takes after her daddy, Abuto. She’s said to be the first to explore new toys and spaces.
Photo Credits: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
ZooBorns helped spread the Zoo’s excitement over the cub’s births and featured the trio in early July: http://www.zooborns.com/zooborns/2015/07/lion-cheyenne-zoo.html
There was much anticipation at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, prior to the arrival of the healthy trio of cubs. Lions are pregnant for an average of 110 days. Zoo staff set up a camera system weeks prior to the birth, so they could monitor Lomela in two different nesting locations. Animal Keepers were able to observe the birth and keep close tabs on mom and cubs without disturbing them. The Zoo set up a second video camera monitor above the Lion Relaxation Room window, so guests could see the new additions to the Lion pride.
Abuto was specifically chosen to breed with Lomela because of their genetic compatibility. The breeding program is known within the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) as a Species Survival Plan, or SSP. The breeding of the Zoo’s Lions is important to the SSP and to the zoo. The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s hope is that guests will fall in love with their pride and fight to help save their wild counterparts.
“These cubs are truly miracle babies,” Amy Schilz, Lead Giraffe/Lion Keeper, said. “We weren’t sure whether Lomela would be able to conceive.”
African Lions are currently classified as “Vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. There has been an estimated population decline of 42%, in the last 21 years. Noted causes for the decline include disease and human interference. Habitat loss and conflicts with humans are considered the most significant threats to the species. The remaining populations are often geographically isolated from one another, which can lead to inbreeding, and consequently, reduced genetic diversity.
The cub's mother, Lomela:
The father of the trio, Abuto:
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Tag Archives: Luxembourg
United Nations General Assembly resolution ES-10/L.22
(Redirected from United Nations General Assembly resolution A/ES-10/L.22)
Resolution ES‑10/L.22
Voted in favor
Voted against
Abstained
Meeting no.
10th Emergency Special Session (continuation)
A/RES/ES‑10/L.22 (Document)
Status of Jerusalem
Voting summary
128 voted for
9 voted against
35 abstained
21 absent
Recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital as “null and void”
United Nations General Assembly resolution ES‑10/L.22 is a emergency session resolution declaring the status of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital as “null and void.”.[1] It was adopted by the 37th Plenary meeting of the tenth emergency special session of the United Nations General Assembly[2] during the tenure of the seventy-second session of the United Nations General Assembly on 21 December 2017. The draft resolution was drafted by Yemen and Turkey.[3]Though strongly contested by the United States, it passed by 128 votes to nine against with 21 absentees and 35 abstentions.
1Background
2Campaign
3Content
4.1Debate
4.2Result
5Reactions
6See also
On 6 December 2017, US President Donald Trump said that he would recognise the status of Jerusalem as being Israel’s sovereign capital[4] in a departure from previous UNGA resolutions as well prevailing international norms where no state either recognises Jerusalem as a national capital nor has an embassy there. The move prompted protests from states and communities in many parts of the world.[5]
Following the failure of an United Nations Security Council resolution three days earlier, after an U.S. veto, to rescind the recognition by any states of Jerusalem as a national capital, Palestinian UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour said that the General Assembly would vote on a draft resolution calling for Trump’s declaration to be withdrawn. He sought to invoke Resolution 377, known as the “Uniting for Peace” resolution, to circumvent a veto. The resolution states that the General Assembly can call an Emergency Special Session to consider a matter “with a view to making appropriate recommendations to members for collective measures” if the Security Council fails to act.[6]
Campaign[edit]
On 20 December, US President Donald Trump threatened to cut US aid to countries voting against the US’ side.[7] The day before the vote, he said: “Let them vote against us…We don’t care…this isn’t like it used to be where they could vote against you and then you pay them hundreds of millions of dollars. We’re not going to be taken advantage of any longer.”[8]Ambassador Nikki Haley warned her country would remember and “take names” of every country that voted in favour of the resolution.[9][10][11][12] The governments of Turkey and Iran denounced USA’s threats as “anti-democratic” and “blackmail“.[13][14] She had sent to a letter to dozens of member states that warned Trump had asked her to “report back on those countries who voted against us.”[15] Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned Trump that “he cannot buy Turkey’s democratic will with petty dollars” and “that opposition of other countries will teach the United States a good lesson”.[16][17]
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel rejects this vote before it passes and called the UN “house of lies”.[18]
Canada’s, which was seeking re-negotiations of the NAFTA, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland‘s spokesman confirmed its intention to abstain from the vote and that the resolution should not have come to the General Assembly.[19]
Content[edit]
The text of the resolution includes the following key statements:[20]
The General Assembly,
Bearing in mind the specific status of the Holy City of Jerusalem and, in particular, the need for the protection and preservation of the unique spiritual, religious and cultural dimensions of the City, as foreseen in the relevant United Nations resolutions,
Stressing that Jerusalem is a final status issue to be resolved through negotiations in line with relevant United Nations resolutions,
Expressing in this regard its deep regret at recent decisions concerning the status of Jerusalem,
Affirms that any decisions and actions which purport to have altered, the character, status or demographic composition of the Holy City of Jerusalem have no legal effect, are null and void and must be rescinded in compliance with relevant resolutions of the Security Council, and in this regard, calls upon all States to refrain from the establishment of diplomatic missions in the Holy City of Jerusalem, pursuant to resolution 478 (1980) of the Security Council;
Demands that all States comply with Security Council resolutions regarding the Holy City of Jerusalem, and not to recognize any actions or measures contrary to those resolutions;
Reiterates its call for the reversal of the negative trends on the ground that are imperiling the two-State solution and for the intensification and acceleration of international and regional efforts and support aimed at achieving, without delay, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East on the basis of the relevant United Nations resolutions, the Madrid terms of reference, including the principle of land for peace, the Arab Peace Initiative and the Quartet Roadmap and an end to the Israeli occupation that began in 1967.
It concluded in reading that “any decisions and actions, which purport to have altered the character, status or demographic composition of the Holy City of Jerusalem have no legal effect, are null and void and must be rescinded in compliance with relevant resolutions of the Security Council.”[21]
Motion[edit]
The motion was proposed by Yemen and Turkey.[22]
Debate[edit]
In introducing the resolution as Chair of the Arab Group, Yemen’s Amabassador said the US decision was a “blatant violation of the rights of the Palestinian people, as well as those of all Christians and Muslims.” He emphasized that it constituted a “dangerous breach of the Charter of the United Nations and a serious threat to international peace and security, while also undermining the chances for a two‑State solution and fuelling the fires of violence and extremism.”[23]
Turkey, who was the co-sponsor of the draft resolution, also spoke as current Chair of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation(OIC).[23] Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Trump’s decision was an outrageous assault to all universal values. “The Palestinians have the right to their own state based on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. This is the main parameter and only hope for a just and lasting peace in the region. However, the recent decision of a UN Member State to recognise Jerusalem, or Al-Quds, as the capital of Israel, violates international law, including all relevant UN resolutions.”[22]
The General Assembly heard from Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Al‑Malki, who said that the meeting was “not because of any animosity to the United States of America” but instead the sessions was “called to make the voice of the vast majority of the international community — and that of people around the world — heard on the question of Jerusalem/Al‑Quds Al‑Sharif.” He called the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and to move its embassy there “an aggressive and dangerous move” which could inflame tensions and lead to a religious war that “has no boundaries.” He added that though the decision would have no impact on the city’s status, it would nevertheless compromise the role of the United States in the Middle East peace process.[23] He urged member states to reject “blackmail and intimidation.”[5]
US Ambassador Nikki Haley then said that her country was “singled out for attack” because of its recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. She added that: “The United States will remember this day in which it was singled out for attack in the General Assembly for the very act of exercising our right as a sovereign nation,” Haley said. We will remember it when we are called upon to once again make the world’s largest contribution to the United Nations, and so many countries come calling on us, as they so often do, to pay even more and to use our influence for their benefit.”[15] She added that: “America will put our embassy in Jerusalem. That is what the American people want us to do, and it is the right thing to do. No vote in the United Nations will make any difference on that…this vote will make a difference in how Americans view the UN.”[22]
Israel’s Ambassador Danny Danon then told the assembly that the vowed that “no General Assembly resolution will ever drive us from Jerusalem.”[4]
Venezuela’s Ambassador, speaking for the Non‑Aligned Movement (NAM), expressed “grave concern about Israel’s ongoing violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including attempts to alter the character, status and demographic composition of the City of Jerusalem. [It was] slso concerned about the decision to relocate the United States embassy [and] warned that such provocative actions would further heighten tensions, with potentially far‑reaching repercussions given the extremely volatile backdrop.[23]
Other speakers included, Pakistan, Indonesia, Maldives, Syria, Bangladesh, Cuba, Iran and China.[23]
Malaysia’s Ambassador Datuk Seri Mohammed Shahrul Ikram Yaakob said that, as a member of the OIC and NAM, “Malaysia joins the international community in expressing our deep concern and rejects the decision by the United States to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. It is also an infringement of the Palestinian people’s rights and their right to self determination.” He called for a peaceful two-state solution and that Malaysia is concerned the situation will only feed into the agenda of extremists.”[2]
Other speakers included, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and South Africa. The Permanent Observer for the Holy See, Tomasz Grysa, emphasised that Jerusalem was most sacred to the Abrahamic faiths and a symbol for millions of believers around the world who considered it their “spiritual capital.” Its significance went “beyond the question of borders, a reality that should be considered a priority in every negotiation for a political solution.” The Holy See, he said, called for a “peaceful resolution that would ensure respect for the sacred nature of Jerusalem and its universal value…reiterating that only international guarantee could preserve its unique character and status and provide assurance of dialogue and reconciliation for peace in the region.”[23]
After the motion was passed, more speeches continued with Estonia, who also spoke on behalf of other states. Australia’s Ambassador then explained her country’s government did “not support unilateral action that undermined the peace process [and] it did not believe today’s text would help to bring the parties back to the negotiating table.”[23]
Other speakers included, Paraguay, whose Ambassador said that the country would abstain because “the question of Jerusalem was a matter for the Security Council, as the primary body responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security.”[23] This was followed by El Salvador, Argentina and Romania.[23]
Canada’s Ambassador Marc-Andre Blanchard called the proposal “one-sided”[23] and said: “We are disappointed that this resolution is one sided and does not advance prospects for peace to which we aspire, which is why we have abstained on today’s vote.” He, however, added that Canada wanted to emphasise Jerusalem’s special significance to the Abrahamic religions of Jews, Muslims and Christians. “Denying the connection between Jerusalem and the Jewish, Muslim and Christian faiths undermines the integrity of the site for all. We also reiterate the need to maintain the status quo at Jerusalem’s Holy sites.[19]
Nicaragua’s explained its support of the resolution, as it “rebuffed recent unilateral attempts to modify the character and status of Jerusalem. Such unilateral actions were in blatant violation of resolution 2234 (2016) and others…unilateral actions jeopardised peace and stability in the Middle East and drew the international community further away from a solution.”[23]
Mexico’s Ambassador then explained the abstention and emphasised that convening an emergency session was a disproportionate response. “The United States must become part of the solution, not a stumbling block that would hamper progress…the international community was further than ever from agreement.”[23]
The Czech Republic then said that while it supported the European Union position, it had abstained because it “did not believe the draft resolution would contribute to the peace process.”[23]
Armenia said that is position “remained unchanged. The situation should be resolved through negotiations paving the way for lasting peace and security.”[23]
Hungary echoed Armenia’s stance and said it would not comment on the foreign relations of the United States.[23]
Latvia then spoke, before Estonia re-took the floor to say it had also spoken on behalf of Albania, Lithuania and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.[23]
Result[edit]
Vote[24]
Approve 128 Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde, Cambodia, Chad, Chile, China, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guinea, Guyana, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Russia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Macedonia, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zimbabwe.
Reject 9 Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Togo, United States.
Abstain 35 Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Benin, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cameroon, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Haiti, Hungary, Jamaica, Kiribati, Latvia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Rwanda, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu.
Absent 21 Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, East Timor, El Salvador, Georgia, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Mongolia, Myanmar, Moldova, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Samoa, San Marino, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Zambia.
Reactions[edit]
– Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the result shortly after it was announced in call it “preposterous,” while he also thanked the states that supported “the truth” by not participating in “the theatre of the absurd.” He added that: “Jerusalem is our capital. Always was, always will be…But I do appreciate the fact that a growing number of countries refused to participate in this theatre of the absurd. So I appreciate that, and especially I want to again express our thanks to [US] President (Donald) Trump and Ambassador [Nikki] Haley, for their stalwart defence of Israel and their stalwart defence of the truth.” Defence Minister Avigdor Liberman, reminded Israelis of the longstanding Israeli disdain for such votes. “Let us just remember that this is the same UN about which our first ambassador to the organisation, Abba Eban, once said: ‘If Algeria introduced a resolution declaring that the earth was flat and that Israel had flattened it, it would pass by a vote of 164 to 13 with 26 abstentions’. There is nothing new in what just happened at the UN.” He also praised the US as “the moral beacon shining out of the darkness.” Minister of Strategic Affairs and Public Security Gilad Erdan said: “The historic connection between Israel and Jerusalem is stronger than any vote by the ‘United Nations’ — nations who are united only by their fear and their refusal to recognise the simple truth that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and the Jewish people.”
However, opposition Joint List Chairman and MK Ayman Odeh called the vote a wake-up call for Israel: “In the international arena, there still exists a large and definitive majority that believes that the Palestinian people, like all other nations, deserve a place in this world and the right to self-determination. This evening’s vote by the majority of the world’s nations against Trump’s announcement, in spite of the pressure and threats, flies in the face of Trump’s and Netanyahu’s diplomatic policy and is a clear statement by the international community in support of peace and the right of the Palestinians to an independent state, whose capital is East Jerusalem,”[8]
Haaretz‘s Noa Landau, wrote, in citing unnamed diplomatic sourced, that Israel was particularly disappointed with countries like India that have enhanced bilateral relations with it recently. “The main disappointment in Israel was with the countries that have enhanced bilateral relations in recent years, especially those that share a particularly conservative worldview with the Netanyahu government. For example, India – whose Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, visited Israel in July, a tour that was memorable mainly for the pastoral photographs of him and Netanyahu embracing and wading in the waves – voted for the resolution against Israel and the United States.”[8]
At a “Solidarity to Save Jerusalem” rally organised by the Barisan National government in Malaysia, one of the attendees Association of NextGen Christians of Malaysia President Joshua Hong said at the Putra Mosque: “We are here because we feel that the decision made by President Trump on announcing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is merely a political decision. He added that the decision also hurts Christian and Arabic churches in Palestine and not just the Muslims. “To us as Christians, Jerusalem is a city of peace and after that announcement, we feel there is no more peace.I think it is not right and unjust. We believe we should continue pursuing the sustainable peace solution for Palestine and Israel, rather than just a single nation declaring it just like that.” He claimed that about 50 members of the group turned up in a show of support for the Palestinian people..[2]
Posted in Haley, Hebrewland, Trump-- | Tagged Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hebrewland, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi., Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of the Congo, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, south Africa, South Sudan, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu., Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe | Leave a comment
Compulsory voting
Posted on March 3, 2015 by jazzy800
Compulsory voting, enforced.
Compulsory voting, not enforced.
Compulsory voting, enforced (only men).
Compulsory voting, not enforced (only men).
Historical: the country had compulsory voting in the past.
ContentsCompulsory voting is a system in which electors are obliged to vote in elections or attend a polling place on voting day. If an eligible voter does not attend a polling place, he or she may be subject to punitive measures such as fines or community service. As of August 2013, 22 countries were recorded as having laws for compulsory voting and 11 of these 22 countries as enforcing these laws in practice.
Athenian democracy held that it was every citizen‘s duty to participate in decision making, but attendance at the assembly was voluntary. Sometimes there was some form of social opprobrium to those not participating. For example, Aristophanes‘s comedy Acharnians 17–22, in the 5th century BC, shows public slaves herding citizens from the agora into the assembly meeting place (pnyx) with a red-stained rope. Those with red on their clothes were fined.[2] This usually happened if fewer than 6,000 people were in attendance, and more were needed for the assembly to continue.
Arguments for[edit]
Supporters of compulsory voting generally look upon voter participation as a civic duty, similar to taxation, jury duty, compulsory education or military service; one of the ‘duties to community’ mentioned in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.[3] They believe that by introducing an obligation to vote, it helps to overcome the occasional inconvenience that voting imposes on an individual in order to produce governments with more stability, legitimacy and a genuine mandate to govern, which in turn benefits that individual even if their preferred candidate or party isn’t elected into power.
Compulsory voting systems can confer a high degree of political legitimacybecause they result in high voter turnout.[4] The victorious candidate represents a majority of the population, not just the politically motivated individuals who would vote without compulsion.[5]
Compulsory voting also prevents disenfranchisement of the socially disadvantaged. In a similar way that the secret ballot is designed to prevent interference with the votes actually cast, compelling voters to the polls for an election reduces the impact that external factors may have on an individual’s capacity to vote such as the weather, transport, or restrictive employers. If everybody must vote, restrictions on voting are easily identified and steps are taken to remove them. Countries with compulsory voting generally hold elections on a Saturday or Sunday to ensure that working people can fulfill their duty to cast their vote. Postal and pre-poll voting is provided to people who cannot vote on polling day, and mobile voting booths may also be taken to old age homes, hospitals and remote communities to cater for immobilized citizens.
If voters do not want to support any given choice, they may cast spoilt votes or blank votes. According to compulsory voting supporters, this is preferred to not voting at all because it ensures there is no possibility that the person has been intimidated or prevented from voting should they wish. In certain jurisdictions, voters have the option to vote none of the above if they do not support any of the candidates to indicate clear dissatisfaction with the candidate list rather than simple apathy at the whole process.
Another perceived benefit of the large turnout produced by compulsory voting is that it becomes more difficult for extremist or special interest groups to get themselves into power or to influence mainstream candidates. Under a non-compulsory voting system, if fewer people vote then it is easier for lobby groups to motivate a small section of the people to the polls and influence the outcome of the political process. The outcome of an election where voting is compulsory reflects more of the will of the people (Who do I want to lead the country?) rather than reflecting who was more able to convince people to take time out of their day to cast a vote (Do I even want to vote today?).
Other advantages to compulsory voting are the stimulation of broader interest politics, as a sort of civil education and political stimulation, which creates a better informed population. Also, since campaign funds are not needed to goad voters to the polls, the role of money in politics decreases. High levels of participation decreases the risk of political instability created by crises or charismatic but sectionally focused demagogues.[5]
There is also a correlation between compulsory voting, when enforced strictly, and improved income distribution, as measured by the Gini coefficient and the bottom income quintiles of the population.[6]
Arguments against[edit]
Voting may be seen as a civic right rather than a civic duty. While citizens may exercise their civil rights (free speech, right to an attorney, etc.) they are not compelled to. Furthermore, compulsory voting may infringe other rights. For example,Jehovah’s Witnesses and most Christadelphians believe that they should not participate in political events. Forcing them to vote ostensibly denies them their freedom of religious practice. In some countries with compulsory voting, Jehovah’s Witnesses and others may be excused on these grounds. If however they are forced to go to the polling place, they can still use a blank or invalid vote.
Similarly, compulsory voting may be seen as an infringement of Article 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees freedom of political opinion and thus the right of citizens to believe in a political system other than a democratic one, such as an absolute monarchy. However, it may also be argued that citizens may legitimately be required to vote since the right to believe in a different political system does not conflict with the obligation to conform with legal requirements of the system in place.
Another argument against compulsory voting, prevalent among legal scholars in the United States, is that it is essentially a compelled speech act, which violates freedom of speech because the freedom to speak necessarily includes the freedomnot to speak.[7]
Some do not support the idea of voters being compelled to vote for candidates they have no interest in or knowledge of. Others may be well-informed, but have no preference for any particular candidate, or may have no wish to give support to the incumbent political system. In compulsory voting areas, such people often vote at random simply to fulfill legal requirements: the so-called donkey vote may account for 1–2% of votes in these systems[citation needed], which may affect the electoral process. Similarly, citizens may vote with a complete absence of knowledge of any of the candidates or deliberately skew their ballot to slow the polling process or disrupt the election.
Low voter participation in a voluntary election may not be the result of political apathy. It may be simply an expression of the citizenry’s political will, indicating satisfaction with the political establishment in an electorate.[citation needed]
The Australian system of preferential voting means a person’s vote usually ends up favouring one of the two main political parties, even though the voter may not wish to advantage either. Former Australian opposition leader Mark Latham urged Australians to lodge blank votes for the 2010 election. He stated the government should not force citizens to vote or threaten them with a fine.[8] At the 2013 federal election, despite the threat of a non-voting fine of up to $170,[9] there was a turnout of only 92%,[10] of whom 6% lodged either informal or blank ballot papers.[11] In the corresponding Senate election, contested by over 50 groups,[12] legitimate manipulation of the group voting tickets and single transferable vote routing resulted in the election of one senator, Ricky Muir of the Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party, who had initially received only 0.5% of first-preference support.[13] The system was accused of undermining the entitlement of voters “to be able to make real choices, not forced ones—and to know who they really are voting for.”[14]
By countries[edit]
Historical[edit]
Austria – introduced in 1924 and exercised during 1925 presidential elections
Chile – removed from the Constitution and replaced with voluntary voting in 2009; voluntary voting was regulated and put into practice in 2012; all eligible citizens over 17 are automatically enrolled (only those over 18 on election day may vote; although the act of voting itself is voluntary, polling officer duties are not if chosen by a commission for the job)[15]
Fiji – Abolished in 2014 [16]
Italy – Introduced in 1945, abolished in 1993.
Netherlands – introduced 1917 along with universal suffrage, abolished in 1967.
Spain – 1907–1923, but not enforced
US State of Georgia in 1777 (10 years before the adoption of the federal Constitution of 1787):
Every person absenting himself from an election, and shall neglect to give in his or their ballot at such election, shall be subject to a penalty not exceeding five pounds; the mode of recovery and also the appropriation thereof, to be pointed out and directed by act of the legislature: Provided, nevertheless, That a reasonable excuse shall be admitted.
—Constitution of Georgia, 5 February 1777, Article XII [17]
This provision was omitted from the revised Georgia constitution of 1789.[citation needed]
Venezuela – removed in 1993[18]
Present day[edit]
As of August 2013, 22 countries were recorded as having compulsory voting.[1] Of these, only 10 countries (and one Swiss canton) enforce it. Of the 30 member states of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 10 had forms of compulsory voting.[19]
Enforced[edit]
These are the 11 countries that enforce compulsory voting:
Argentina – Introduced in 1912.[20] Compulsory for citizens between 18 and 70 years old, non-compulsory for those older than 70 and between 16 and 18. (However in primaries, citizens under 70 may refuse to vote, if they formally express their decision to the electoral authorities, at least 48 hours before the election. This is valid only for the subsequent primary, and needs to be repeated each time the voter wishes not to participate.)
Australia – Introduced in 1924.[20] Compulsory for federal and state elections for citizens 18 years of age and above. The requirement is for the person to enroll, attend a polling station and have their name marked off the electoral roll as attending, receive a ballot paper and take it to an individual voting booth, mark it, fold the ballot paper and place it in the ballot box. The act does not explicitly state that a choice must be made, it only states that the ballot paper be ‘marked’. According to the act how a person marks the paper is completely up to the individual. In some states, local council elections are also compulsory.[21] At the 2010 Tasmanian state election, with a turnout of 335,353 voters, about 6,000 people were fined $26 for not voting, and about 2,000 paid the fine.[22]
Brazil[23] – Compulsory for literate citizens between 18 and 70 years old. Non-compulsory for Brazilian Youth age 16-17 or over 70 or illiterate citizens of any age. A justification form for not voting can be filled at election centers and post offices.
Cyprus – Introduced in 1960.[20]
Ecuador – Introduced in 1936.[20] Compulsory for citizens between 18 and 65 years old; non-compulsory for citizens aged 16–18, illiterate people, and those older than 65.
Luxembourg – Voluntary for those over 70.
Nauru – Introduced in 1965.[20]
Peru[24] – Introduced in 1933.[20] Compulsory for citizens between 18 and 70 years old, non-compulsory for those older than 70.
Singapore – Compulsory for citizens above 21 years old on 1 January of the year of election
Uruguay – Introduced in 1934, but not put into practice until 1970.[20]
Schaffhausen canton in Switzerland has compulsory voting – Introduced to Switzerland in 1904, but abolished in all other cantons by 1974.[20]
Not enforced[edit]
Countries that have compulsory voting on the law books but do not enforce it:
Belgium – compulsory for every citizen from 18 it is compulsory to present themselves in a polling station, legal sanctions still exist, but only the sanctions for absent appointed pollingstation staff have been enforced by prosecutors since 2003.[25][26]
Bolivia – Introduced in 1952.
Dominican Republic – Compulsory from the age of 18.
France – (Senate only)[27][28]
Indian state Gujarat had passed a bill by legislative assembly in 2011 and approved by Governor of Gujarat in November 2014 which makes voting compulsory in local civic body elections and punishment for not voting.[29]Government of Gujarat chose not to notify law or enforce it citing legal implications and difficulty in enforcement.[30]
Lebanon – men only[31]
Libya – technically compulsory
Paraguay – compulsory for citizens between 18 and 75 years old, non-compulsory for those older than 75.
Turkey – the₺22 fine in law is generally not enforced.[32]
Measures to encourage voting[edit]
Although voting in a country may be compulsory, penalties for failing to vote are not always strictly enforced. In Australiaand Brazil, providing a legitimate reason for not voting (such as being sick or outside the country) is accepted. In Argentina, those who were ill on voting day are excused by requesting a doctor to prove their condition; those over 500 km (310 mi) away from their voting place are also excused by asking for a certificate at a police station near where they are. Belgianvoters can vote in an embassy if they are abroad or can empower another voter to cast the vote in their name; the voter must give a “permission to vote” and carry a copy of the eID card and their own on the actual elections.
States that sanction nonvoters with fines generally impose small or nominal penalties. However, penalties for failing to vote are not limited to fines and legal sanctions. Belgian voters who repeatedly fail to vote in elections may be subject todisenfranchisement. Singapore voters who fail to vote in a general election or presidential election will be subjected to disenfranchisement until a valid reason is given or a fine is paid. Goods and services provided by public offices may be denied to those failing to vote in Peru and Greece. In Brazil, people who fail to vote in an election are barred from obtaining a passport and subject to other restrictions until settling their situation before an electoral court or after they have voted in the two most recent elections. If a Bolivian voter fails to participate in an election, the person may be denied withdrawal of the salary from the bank for three months.[28][33]
Posted in 03. voting, 4.Turkey, Libya | Tagged Argentina, australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, citizens, compulsory education, Compulsory voting, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, election day, Fiji, Gabon, Grexit, Guatemala, Honduras, Italy, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mexico, Nauru, Netherlands, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Schaffhausen, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Uruguay, Venezuela | Leave a comment
NWO Website Exposes Official List of Companies Involved
Posted on February 8, 2015 by jazzy800
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One-fifth of incoming UN Security Council has no ties with Israel
Posted on October 22, 2014 by jazzy800
By HERB KEINON
Israel is losing a good friend on the council with the exit of Australia.
The United Nations, in an annual exercise, voted in five countries last week to begin serving two-year stints on the Security Council, beginning on January 1. Although there was some good news for Israel in the results, most of it was bad.
The good news is that the Turkey of Israel-bashing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan failed in its bid for one of the five rotating, non-permanent seats, losing in balloting to Spain. The bad news is that of the five new members, two of them – Venezuela and Malaysia – do not even have diplomatic relations with Israel.
What that means is that when the members of the new council take their seats in January for a year in which Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is likely to make the Israeli-Palestinian conflict a major agenda item on the council’s schedule, fully 20 percent of the 15-member body are so hostile to Israel as to refuse to have diplomatic relations. (Venezuela and Malaysia will be joining Chad – which still has another year to serve on the council – in this dubious distinction.) In 2011, when the Palestinians tried unsuccessfully to secure the nine votes on the council needed to gain membership as a UN state, only one of the 15 countries – Lebanon – did not have ties with Israel.
Even if the Palestinians do get nine votes, the US can – and probably will – use its veto to quell the type of resolution that the Palestinians are now considering: calling for a strict timetable for a full Israeli withdrawal to the 1967 lines if an agreement is not reached within a year. But not only does Washington not want to have to use this veto – which would seemingly pit it against the opinion of the world – but Israel does not want to put the US in the position of having to do so.
The Palestinians are likely to wait until the new Security Council to push through their measure, because the incoming class is considerably more favorably inclined to them than the outgoing one.
In addition to the five permanent, veto-wielding members of the Security Council – the US, China, Russia, France and Britain – the outgoing, 2014 council includes Lithuania, Chile, Jordan, Chad, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Korea, Argentina, Australia and Luxembourg.
The last five countries will be replaced in Jan uary, with Rwanda being replaced by Angola, South Korea by Malaysia, Argentina by Venezuela, Australia by New Zealand, and Luxembourg by Spain.
Australia under Prime Minister Tony Abbott is outspokenly supportive of Israel; New Zealand is not. Still, if the US, Australia and the EU are opposed to a Palestinian resolution – and apply pressure on Wellington – it is difficult to imagine New Zealand bucking the pressure and voting with the non-aligned and Muslim blocs. But, as one source in Jerusalem said, if Israel could rely on Australia with its eyes closed, it can rely on New Zealand only with its eyes open.
Rwanda, one of Israel’s strongest friends in Africa, is being replaced by Angola, a country with which Israel has strong business ties – Israeli firms are active in developing Angola’s vast infrastructure – but not nearly as close as a relationship as it enjoys with Rwanda. In 2011, the refusal of Gabon to back the Palestinian move in the Security Council helped sink it, a role Angola could play in 2014 – but a role it is not guaranteed to want to play.
Spain is replacing Luxembourg as Europe’s non-permanent member of the council, and there is unlikely to be any change of voting patterns with this development. Both countries are considered to be tough toward Israel inside the EU, with Luxembourg even worse than Spain when looking at – and ranking – Israel’s friends and critics inside the EU.
Spain’s government has been more understanding toward Israel in the last couple of years, even though Spanish public opinion is overwhelmingly negative. In any event, Spain – like Luxembourg – is unlikely to vote independently on high-profile Israeli-Palestinian issues, but rather follow the EU’s position. Luxembourg, one source said, is a self-righteous, moralizing, lecturing little country. Spain, he said, is a self-righteous, moralizing, lecturing big country.
Another incoming member, Venezuela, is a stridently anti-Israeli and anti-US country that is aligned with Iran and Cuba. It will replace Argentina. Truth be told, Argentina could not be counted on to support Israel in Security Council votes, so it is unlikely this is a swing vote. But there is a difference: While Argentina might have gone along with a pro-Palestinian campaign in the council, Venezuela will likely lead it.
The biggest change in terms of losing one friendly country that would give Israel a fair hearing in exchange for a hostile country that will not, is the replacement of South Korea with Malaysia.
Whereas Israel could expect South Korea to abstain in significant votes on its issues in the Security Council – partly because it does not want to follow China’s lead, and partly because it keeps an eye on how Washington votes – Malaysia will surely vote against Israel, and, like Venezuela, likely lead the campaign in the council against it.
While the Security Council will in 2015 be more tilted toward the Palestinians, this does not mean that the game is over and the Palestinians have their nine votes to force a US veto in the bag. It does mean, however, that they are closer to that goal. And one of ramifications of this is that Israel will be more reliant next year for Washington to “save” it in the Security Council than it was in 2014.
Posted in 2.03. soviet Russia, Da vine | Tagged Angola, Argentina, australia, britain, Chad, Chile, Communist, Hebrewland, Jordan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Korea, South Korea by Malaysia, Spain, US, Venezuela | Leave a comment
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‘We are dropping like flies.’
ZERO5G Posted on August 20, 2019 by Jolie Diane August 20, 2019
Ex-fighter pilots push for earlier cancer screenings
18 August 2019 | By Tara Copp, McClatchy Washington Bureau | MSN
© VERNON PUGH/DOD/TNS A U.S. Navy F-14A Tomcat releases a GBU-24B/B Hard Target Penetrator Laser-Guided Bomb while in a in a 45-degree dive during ordnance separation testing on May 10, 1996 at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland.
WASHINGTON — Former Air Force and Navy fighter pilots are calling on the military to begin cancer screenings for aviators as young as 30 because of an increase in deaths from the disease that they suspect may be tied to radiation emitted in the cockpit.
“We are dropping like flies in our 50s from aggressive cancers,” said retired Air Force Col. Eric Nelson, a former F-15E Strike Eagle weapons officer. He cited prostate and esophageal cancers, lymphoma, and glioblastomas that have struck fellow pilots he knew, commanded or flew with.
Nelson’s prostate cancer was first detected at age 48, just three months after he retired from the Air Force. In his career he has more than 2,600 flying hours, including commanding the 455th Air Expeditionary Group in Bagram, Afghanistan, and as commander of six squadrons of F-15E fighter jets at the 4th Operations Group at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina.
Last month McClatchy reported on a new Air Force study that reviewed the risk for prostate cancers among its fighter pilots and new Veterans Health Administration data showing that the rate of reported cases of prostate cancers per year among veterans using the VA health care system across all services has risen almost 16% since fiscal year 2000.
The Air Force study also looked at cockpit exposure, finding that “pilots have greater environmental exposure to ultraviolet and ionizing radiation … (fighter pilots) have unique intra-cockpit exposures to non-ionizing radiation.”
Retired Navy Cmdr. Mike Crosby served as a radar intercept officer in F-14 fighter jets from 1984 to 1997, accumulating over 2,000 flight hours. He started Veterans Prostate Cancer Awareness Inc. in 2016 after his own prostate cancer diagnosis at age 55.
“I think there’s been a lot of avoidance in addressing this issue,” he said. Crosby and other pilots who contacted McClatchy said they suspect the cancers in their community may be linked to prolonged exposure in the cockpit to radiation from the radar systems on their advanced jets, or other sources such as from cockpit oxygen generation systems.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that exposure to some types of radiation can cause cancer, however to date there has been no link established between the specific radiation emitted from radars on these advanced jets and the illnesses pilots are now seeing.
Navy and Air Force pilots told McClatchy about their battles with cancer, their frustrations about what they saw as the limitations of the Air Force study, and about former pilots who have died from cancer.
“When you’re 30 years old you need to start screening for prostate cancer, even if it comes out of your own pocket,” Nelson said. “You need to see a urologist once a year. Not your primary care physician, not your flight doc. Pay the money and stick around for your great-grandkids.”
If the military would begin screening for cancer earlier, “that would save lives,” Nelson said. The military’s health care system, TRICARE, currently covers prostate cancer screenings at age 50 for service members with no family history of the disease, and as young as age 40 if there is a family history of the disease in two or more family members. The pilots who spoke with McClatchy said they did not have a family history of prostate cancer when they were diagnosed.
Retired Navy Cmdr. Thomas Hill was a career F-4 and F-14 pilot and squadron commanding officer with more than 3,600 flight hours and more than 960 aircraft carrier landings. Hill was 52 when he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. In December 2011, at age 60, he learned he also had esophageal cancer.
Hill has spent the last two years tracking premature deaths or cancers among former commanding officers of F-14 squadrons. So far he’s found more than a dozen who have either been diagnosed or have died from the disease.
“God, they’re all my friends,” he said.
What has frustrated some pilots is that the government has looked into the connection between military service and cancer rates for years, but with mixed results.
For example, a 2009 peer-reviewed study published by the American Association for Cancer Research looked at cancer rates among service members from 1990 to 2004 and reported in 2009 that “prostate cancer rates in the military were twice those in the general population, and breast cancer rates were 20% to 40% higher.”
However, a 2011 study published in the peer-reviewed journal “Aviation, Space and Environmental Medicine” found no significant difference in prostate cancer rates between pilots and non-pilots in the military. It’s the same conclusion that the Air Force study found.
“The Air Force did not ask the right question,” Hill said of the study, which like the 2011 aviation journal review compared cancer rates between pilots and non-pilots but largely did not look at what happened to the pilots’ health after their military careers. The Air Force said its study was limited by lack of access to pilots’ health records after they separated from the military.
“If they are really going to protect the people who have gone out and served, they need to look at the guys’ health 20 years after they have finished their military careers,” Hill said. His own informal review of fellow pilots showed a similar pattern: cancers usually surfaced about 15 to 20 years after pilots left the military, which would not have been captured by the Air Force review.
Derek Kaufman, a spokesman for Air Force Materiel Command, said further studies are under consideration. “We have presented potential options for a follow-up study to the Air Force Medical Readiness Agency,” Kaufman said.
None of the pilots who spoke with McClatchy said a greater risk of cancer would have kept them from flying. They said the military should acknowledge the risk and put additional protections in place for the next generation of military aviators.
Hill said he’s also worried about the enlisted crew who manned the flight decks of the aircraft carriers.
“The kids that worked the flight line and the flight deck were exposed eight hours a day to that stuff,” Hill said.
For future protections for pilots, Crosby said it would be unlikely that the services would retrofit aircraft to add protections against the sources of cockpit radiation, which may be difficult to isolate and would likely add unwanted weight or otherwise affect the performance of the aircraft.
“If we can’t change it, we need to be responsible and send an alert that people being exposed need to be screened earlier,” Crosby said. “If it’s caught early enough, there’s a lot of procedures that can not just treat (prostate cancer) but cure it.”
(McClatchy data fellow Shirsho Dasgupta contributed to this report.)
©2019 McClatchy Washington Bureau
Visit the McClatchy Washington Bureau at www.mcclatchydc.com
Thank you to JM for sharing this article with us at Zero5G!
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World Intellectual Property Indicators - 2015
This annual publication provides a wide range of indicators covering the following areas of intellectual property: patents, utility models, trademarks, industrial designs, microorganisms and plant variety protection. It draws on data from national and regional IP offices, WIPO and the World Bank.
Sources of Biopharmaceutical Innovation: An Assessment of Intellectual Property
Economic Research Working Paper No. 24
An analysis of new, FDA-approved molecular entities reveals dynamism in terms of new innovation. An assessment of the first patent for each drug reveals that the pharmaceutical industry, particularly large, established companies in North America, tend to dominate the field. Whereas inventors continue to found biotechnology companies at a steady rate, recent trends suggest these inventors more often come from the private sector.
Guidelines for Preparing Patent Landscape Reports
These Guidelines are designed both for general users of patent information, as well as for those involved in producing Patent Landscape Reports (PLRs). They provide step-by-step instructions on how to prepare a PLR, as well as background information such as objectives, patent analytics, concepts and frameworks.
Patent Landscape Report on Assistive Devices and Technologies for Visually and Hearing Impaired Persons
This is the first report of the WIPO Patent Landscape Report series in the area of disabilities. It presents research on various assistive devices and technologies, includes an analysis on the geographical distribution of patent protection of these technologies, and features business data on major patent portfolios as well as a round-up of key innovators. Additionally, the report touches on technologies serving the same goals as the Marrakesh Treaty and the Accessible Book Consortium (ABC), namely those facilitating access of visually and hearing impaired persons to published works.
WIPO IP Facts and Figures 2014
An overview of intellectual property activity based on the latest available year of complete statistics.
Innovation and Diffusion of Green Technologies: The Role of Intellectual Property and Other Enabling Factors
Global Challenges Report
An overview of issues relevant to debates about solutions to global challenges, such as climate change, public health and food security.
Patent Cooperation Treaty Yearly Review - 2015
The International Patent System
Comprehensive facts, figures and analysis of the international patent system. Special theme: the most active applicants in the PCT System
Guide to the International Patent Classification (2015)
Incentivizing the Adoption of Green Technology on a Global Scale
Global Challenges Brief
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At 15, Wikipedia Is Finally Finding Its Way to the Truth
Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales in 2014.
Suki Dhanda/Camera Press/Redux
Today, Wikipedia celebrates its fifteenth birthday. In Internet years, that's pretty old. But "the encyclopedia that anyone can edit" is different from services like Google, Amazon, and Facebook. Though Wikipedia has long been one of the Internet's most popular sites—a force that decimated institutions like the Encyclopedia Britannica—it's only just reaching maturity.
The site's defining moment, it turns out, came about a decade ago, when Stephen Colbert coined the term "Wikiality." In a 2006 episode The Colbert Report, the comedian spotlighted Wikipedia's most obvious weakness: With a crowdsourced encyclopedia, we run the risk of a small group of people—or even a single person—bending reality to suit their particular opinions or attitudes or motivations.
"Any user can change any entry, and if enough other users agree with them, it becomes true," Colbert said, before ironically praising Wikipedia in a way that exposed one of its biggest flaws. "Who is Britannica to tell me that George Washington had slaves? If I want to say he didn't, that's my right. And now, thanks to Wikipedia, it's also a fact. We should apply these principles to all information. All we need to do is convince a majority of people that some factoid is true."
Fifteen years on, Wikipedia is approaching an equilibrium.
To prove his point, Colbert invited viewers to add incorrect information to Wikipedia's article on elephants. And they did. In the end, this wonderfully clever piece of participatory social commentary sparked a response from Jimmy Wales, Wikipedia's co-founder and figurehead-in-chief. At the 2006 Wikimania—an annual gathering of Wikipedia's core editors and administrators—Wales signaled a shift in the site's priorities, saying the community would put a greater emphasis on the quality of its articles, as opposed to the quantity. "We're going from the era of growth to the era of quality," Wales told the The New York Times.
And that's just what happened. The site's administrators redoubled efforts to stop site vandalism, to prevent the kind of "truthiness" Colbert had satirized. In many ways, it worked. "There was a major switch," says Aaron Halfaker, a researcher with the Wikimedia Foundation, the not-profit that oversees Wikipedia. Volunteers policed pages with a greater vigor and, generally speaking, became more wary of anyone who wasn't already a part of the community. The article on elephants is still "protected" from unknown editors.
Wikipedia has the veneer of truth. It must actually provide the truth as well.
But there was a problem. Although this crackdown may have improved the quality of the encyclopedia in some ways, it pushed many would-be editors away from Wikipedia. As site administrators fought to maintain quality, they created an environment that led to steady decline in the size of Wikipedia volunteer community. The ultimate irony is that, as fewer and fewer people edit Wikipedia, we run the risk of a small group of people bending reality to suit their particular opinions or attitudes or motivations.
"They decided to allow practices that were in theory designed to make Wikipedia more authoritative, but in practice have undermined it in many ways," says Judd Bagley, a longtime critic of the site who works in communications at online retailer Overstock.com.
Wikipedia is a balancing act. It works because such a large number of people are allowed to participate, because it's a democracy, if an imperfect one. The power of the crowd often ensures that its articles don't veer too close any one point of view. Arguments from one side balance arguments from another. But if you allow too many people in—if things are too democratic—it can result in chaos. People intent on something other than the health of encyclopedia—like promoting their own agenda—can really screw things up.
Fifteen years on—Wales and his co-founder, Larry Sanger, launched Wikipedia on January 15, 2001—the site is at least getting closer to the right balance. Though the number of editors declined following that 2006 speech from Wales, Halfaker and others at the Wikimedia Foundation now say that things are beginning to stabilize. After starting a new life in London, Wales has largely stepped away from the project, and the site's new leaders have adopted new tools meant to create an atmosphere that's more friendly to newcomers. As Halfaker describes it, though the number of editors is still in decline, Wikipedia is approaching an equilibrium. "We went through a transition," he says, "and we're stable now."
That's enormously important. Wikipedia isn't just one of the top ten most popular services on the Internet, alongside Google and Facebook and Amazon. It's the way we all check our facts. When you Google a prominent person or place or thing, more often than not, a Wikipedia article appears at the top of the page. Billed as an encyclopedia and endorsed by the likes of Google, it has the veneer of truth. But It must provide the actual truth as well.
Sure, the site is still struggling with many of the same old flaws. Bagley, who spent years crusading against the site's practices, says it remains unreliable when covering controversial topics, like, say, the Mormon Church—just as unreliable as it always was. But he still uses the site. He trusts that other, more subjective articles give him the truth.
Peter Earl McCollough
Truth is the ultimate aim of Aaron Halfaker. Back in 2011, as an academic at the University of Minnesota, he was part of a research team that highlighted the decline in the number of editors on the English version of Wikipedia—and explained how this could undermine the site's ability to maintain quality. Now, part of his job at the Wikimedia Foundation involves looking for ways to reverse the decline.
"We have to have better technologies that people can use more easily. We need to figure out better ways of making people literate in the Wikipedia way of doing things. We need to help find others on the site who will appreciate their work and help them learn the ropes," he says.
Recently, he and his team unveiled a new artificially intelligent system that could help the site automatically distinguish between article vandalism and well-intentioned changes. The idea is to provide a friendlier response to those with good intentions and move away from clumsier efforts to police site content. "We don't have to flag good-faith edits the same way we flag bad-faith damaging edits," Halfaker told us this past fall.
As a result of projects like this, says Ori Livneh, a longtime Wikimedia Foundation engineer, the decline is indeed slowing down—or so it seems. "There is actually some healthy ambiguity about how it's doing," he says. "We're seeing changes in trends that we haven't seen in the past four or five years." And in some languages other than English, participation is on the rise.
The importance of widespread and diverse participation shouldn't be underestimated. Wikipedia is, by definition, always changing, and as fewer people participate, it's so much easier for small groups to dominate those changes. "If we don't have a diverse set of voices writing Wikipedia, adding content from their perspective and arguing that certain items should be covered, we might end up with a dominant knowledge resource not being representative of a large portion of humanity," Halfaker says. "That could have really destructive effects on how our culture develops."
The Power of the Few
Even as the site reaches its new equilibrium, it must face the small group problem in other ways. As Halfaker says, no matter how large the community is, power tends to settle into the hands of a few. "I point to all human history in this regard," he says. "There is a concept called The Iron Law of Oligarchy. Anytime you have some large resource and a large group of people who are interested in that resource, you will get a very small group of people who hoard most of the control."
This is the kind of problem that Bagley complained about in the past. Wikipedia is set up as a democracy of volunteer editors, but some editors end up with more power than others. Those that are best at playing the political game, he says, have a better chance of pushing their agenda into the site's articles. "It's not the people with the best information to contribute whose position ends up being represented," he explains. "It's the ones who have mastered the politics of Wikipedia, who can recruit the right people to back them up."
There are extreme examples of this, including the disciple of a well-known cult leader ensuring that Wikipedia didn't refer to his cult as a cult. But the dynamic can work in subtler ways. That's why Bagley steers clear of controversial topics.
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This phenomenon is exacerbated, he says, because Wikipedia embraces anonymity. Because editors needn't give their real names, they can hide their true agendas, and they're more likely to misbehave—much as on the Internet as a whole. "When people are not held accountable for their word, they tend towards abuse," he says. It's why a site like Facebook requires real names.
But as always in the world of Wikipedia, there's a caveat. If editors were required to provide real names, many would leave the site. And the decline would begin again. Wikipedia is dominated by people who embraced the Internet early, and that kind of person still holds tight to the idea of online anonymity.
That said, the greater problem lies in the site's gender gap. Wikipedia editors are still about 85 percent male. "The way that women use the Internet differs from the way men use the Internet, and this includes the way women and men operate in high-conflict spaces," Halfaker says. "This might be one of the reasons we struggle to get female editors to stick on the site."
Certainly, this imbalance skews the site's content as well. It can affect the content of individual articles as well as the range of articles. But Halfaker and others at the Wikimedia Foundation are working to correct this problem too. This past year, the Foundation launched a project it calls Inspire, meant to encourage female participation. "In the past, it wasn't that we weren't interested, but we didn't necessarily claim that we could do anything about it," says Lila Tretikov, the executive director of the Wikipedia Foundation.
As well-intended these projects are, the rub is that the resources of the Wikimedia Foundation are limited. Others among the Web's top ten sites—Google and Facebook and Amazon—have enormous amounts of money and talent at their disposal. The foundation is a non-profit with a very academic attitude. In so many ways, change comes slowly.
Of course, the non-profit setup comes with its own advantages. Wikipedia doesn't have ads. It doesn't collect data about our online habits. It gives the power to the people—at least in theory. The result is a source of information that could never be duplicated by a Britannica or a World Book. "There are very few websites that make the world a better place," Bagley says. "And I've come to believe that the world is better off for Wikipedia."
#Crowdsourcing
#The Web
#wikipedia
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Sopadelic
YBM Live
On the Culture Front
July 20, 2017 Sopadelic
On the Culture Front: Music Videos from the Underground, Part 1
Lance Oppenheim’s video for Young Bull’s “Voicemail” (above) plays like a short indie film. It’s bookended with footage from a recent show the hip duo did in Raleigh that was shut down by the cops. An officer is seen early on as the music comes to a halt and an off-screen voice asks “turn it down?” and the office replies, “Off. You’re done.” It’s the kind of terse exchange that’s reminiscent of Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre’s epic videos from “The Chronic.” The music then swells with an electronic arpeggio crafted by Gabe Fox-Peck atop Tahmique Cameron crooning “running away, running away.” A beat with a reggae sense of timing opens the song up and leaves room for some interesting guitar flourishes. Cameron’s croon morphs into a tightly phrased rap, which acts in counterpoint to the relaxed beat. The visuals jump between a forest, a water tower and dimly lit interiors before ending up in a waffle house at the point of end-of-the-night exhaustion. An instrumental interlude follows, and then we are thrown back into the club from the opening moments as organizers are trying to clear the space. Some of the video’s sage parting words: “Fuck Donald Trump. We live in a Police State.”
Long Island-based band Patent Pending write punchy pop songs, but their latest is a mashup of two EDM tracks: Tiesto’s “Wasted” and Avicii’s “Wake Me Up.” If you’re not familiar with those songs as I wasn’t, “Wasted/Wake Me Up” sounds like a cohesive energetic anthem to excess. The video is an explosive burst of color directed by Nick Zinnanti and frontman Joe Ragosta that uses paint flying through the air to visualize the intoxication process. Ragosta thrashes about in a small room as he’s pummeled with a barrage of several colors as the signature chorus line kicks in: “I like us better when we’re wasted.” It’s not until the last fifty seconds of the song that “Wake Me Up” kicks in with added refrain “when I’m wiser and I’m older.” This could be seen as a coda if another “wasted” chorus didn’t immediately interrupt it. The visuals show the room being put back together but the lyrics tell a different story.
The Dead Daisies video of “We’re an American Band” combines footage from their live shows with shots of cities from San Francisco to Nashville and landscapes from the red rock mountains out west. Directed by Lukas Hambach, it feels like a catchy advertisement of the band’s ethos, but it’s actually a cover of a 1973 Grand Funk Railroad song that landed that band their first number one hit. With drum rolls, power chords and blazing guitar riffs, this faithful bare-chested cover is an ode stadium rock. For a song this “Amurican,” it ends fittingly with fireworks.
Atlanta-based pop/rock band All the Locals have created a feel-good anthem with “Weatherman.” The song is heavy with rain metaphors that are delivered through Johnny Schmarkey’s airy falsetto. There’s a lot of heart that’s felt through the lyrics though some are sappier and soggier than others. One of the better lines comes towards the end: “Don’t confuse your path with the end of the road.” Aaron Wynia’s video combines black-and-white footage of the band playing with a drenched Schmarkey singing in the rain. As the song propels towards its climax, the band snaps into color.
The video of Drew Vision’s “Want ‘em All” reminds me of 90s R&B videos that featured scantily clad women in steamy bathtubs and usually an excess of champagne. Jose Omar’s video plays into this style before subverting it with whimsy. A woman appears in a bathtub of rainbow sprinkles and then another one is covered in what appears to be a mixture of chocolate and pretzels – yum indeed. The video almost feels like it could be an SNL Digital Short, and I half expected Justin Timberlake to pop up and join in the over-the-top antics.
Original Article: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/on-the-culture-front-music-videos-from-the-underground_us_5970fb07e4b0d72667b05f12
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Discussion Do you agree with the proposed changes to the Mount Lofty Botanic Garden as part of the current review of the existing Masterplan?
Survey Review of the Mount Lofty Botanic Garden Masterplan
Event Garden Open Days
The proposed concepts are designed to enhance the access and experience for visitors, whilst maintaining, protecting and enabling the activation of the garden, its collections of plants and its biodiversity for current and future generations.
New visitor centre
A new visitor centre is proposed near the current viewing platform which overlooks the arboretum (near the lower car park, off Lampert Road). It would provide a unique area for visitors to find out more about the garden and to plan their visit. A proposed café with seating, a roof-top viewing area, toilets and a merchandise shop would make this a vibrant all-weather hub for visitors.
Additional parking
On particularly busy days, finding a car park can be a problem for visitors to Mount Lofty Botanic Garden. Now is the time to plan for additional car parking, which could include a combination of re-purposing of current staff car parking and using already owned board land on the estate, which is currently vacant and under-utilised.
Improved way-finding signage
Clearer and improved signage to and throughout the botanic garden will keep visitors informed about their location and provide orientation. The garden has some very steep paths and gullies so new maps and sign infrastructure would illustrate the topography of the garden estate, trails and gullies and assist visitors to choose a suitable route for their visit. In addition, new public toilets and undercover shelter areas are also proposed.
A new horticulture and conservation hub
A new relocated eco-friendly solar powered single storey depot is proposed to replace the current staff administration building and nursery building. This nursery is where plants are grown for all three botanic gardens (Adelaide, Mount Lofty and Wittunga) and for other horticultural and conservation operations and state projects. This proposed exciting new space could also be used as a learning centre for public workshops, school groups and horticultural trainees, and would be designed to provide a place of refuge in local emergencies such as bushfires.
Upgraded walking trails
Walking and hiking trails are an important attraction for many visitors to this botanic garden. The proposed concepts include trail upgrades to enable the public to safely and more easily access the collections and attractions, while also improving internal roads for staff access to tend to the plant collections. The trails on-site are below standard and some linkages are currently closed while awaiting repair post storm damage. Links through the native forest and to sections of the Heysen Trial are also awaiting repair.
In addition to these proposals, enhanced interpretation will be installed across the garden to explain the nature, origin, and purpose of plants in the collection. Visitors will be able to learn more about the diversity of the collection and its conservation status.
If included in the finalised revised Masterplan document, these proposed concepts will enable the botanic garden to meet the needs of visitors coming solely to the garden, as well as those visiting other attractions throughout the Mount Lofty Precinct. The garden is a vital link in the nature-based tourist route through the Adelaide Hills, including forming part of the Heysen Trail, and offering unique experiences for both regular and new visitors alike.
The below map shows potential locations for the visitor centre, horticulture and conservation hub, and new visitor car-parking.
Upcoming key dates
Fri, 14 Feb 2020 at 5:00 PM
CLOSING DATE: Review of the Mount Lofty Botanic Garden Masterplan
Explore this engagement
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101 (City of London) Engineer Regiment
(Explosive Ordnance Disposal & Search)
Regimental Association
The Association endeavours to raise funds for the Wimbish Injured Soldiers Fund and the Royal Engineers Central Charitable Trust to contribute to their benevolence and welfare activities.
The first Regimental Association was formed in 1919 post the Great War, and its membership was open to all officers and soldiers who had served at anytime from its formation as 1st Middlesex Volunteer Engineers. Its original objectives were ‘to maintain esprit de corps among all who served together, to provide amenities and organise social functions and reunions and last, but not least, to help ex-members, and more importantly, widows and orphans who might be in distress. This original association carried on alongside the various changes to the Regiment up until the disbandment of the Regiment in 1967 after which it appears that the association was disbanded.
101 Engineer Regiment reformed in 1988 as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Regiment from the volunteer squadrons that formed part of 33 Engineer Regiment (EOD) at the time. Most of the volunteer squadrons can directly trace there history back to WW2. Upon Regimental reformation the EOD volunteer squadrons renamed and adopted the squadron numbers of the former 101 Engineer Regiment. The original Black Cat (based upon Dick Whittington's cat) logo was also adopted as the Regimental badge and a new Bomb emblem added to represent the EOD role (we now like to think of it as symbolising luck and 9 lives also). See the History pages for the full details.
In 2009, and following a meeting of serving and former members of the Regiment it was proposed that the Regimental Association was reformed. The first reformed association meeting was held at Catford on 17 March 2009. Hence one of the oldest Engineer Regiments now has Association continuity representing over 150 years of Regimental service and history.
We work in liaison with the Royal Engineers Association (Bomb Disposal) Branch and the Bomb Disposal Officers Club.
Our Regimental Association constitution can be found here
Copyright © 2012-2018 101 (City of London) Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal & Search) Regimental Association.
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Traffic Reports
Chicago, IL : 1 killed, 2 children hospitalized after vehicle crashes into building near the intersection of 102nd Street and Wentworth Avenue on Thursday, 12th December, 2019
A teenager was killed and two others were hospitalized Thursday after the stolen vehicle they were riding in fled a traffic stop and crashed into a home in Fernwood on the South Side, according to officials. About 7:20 p.m., officers tried to stop the vehicle for a traffic violation near the intersection of 102nd Street and Wentworth Avenue when it took off, according to Chicago police Sgt. Rocco Alioto. During an ensuing pursuit, the driver lost control in the 10200 block of South Wentworth and crashed into the home. The boy who was driving was pronounced dead at the scene, Alioto and Chicago Fire Department Cmdr. Frank Velez. A boy and a girl who were riding in the vehicle were both taken to Comer Children’s Hospital, where their conditions were stabilized. Their exact ages weren't immediately known. The vehicle had been reported stolen Tuesday from the 2000 block of East 95th Street, police said. Source
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Our mission is to offer financial support to college bound students who have had organ or tissue transplants, whose family members have been donors and to those students who exemplify the attitude of achievement regardless of their challenges.
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Adam Alexander St. Martin was a triple transplant recipient. Adam was born in San Diego on May 23, 1990. After being diagnosed with a birth defect Adam received his first heart transplant when he was 6 months old. He developed complications and needed a second heart transplant when he was 8 years old. The effects of the medication took its toll on his kidneys. At the age of 15 Adam needed a kidney transplant and was on dialysis until he received a kidney from his mother Gloria.
Despite constant and serious medical challenges Adam always had a smile and a laugh. He rose above one challenge after another with a true sense of living and great perspective of life. He did not spend time thinking about what he could not do and focused on what he wanted to do. Adam worked hard to make up the school he missed due to the repeated surgeries and hospitalizations and in the fall of 2009 he made his dream of going away to college come true when he left for San Francisco State University.
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Jungwirth, Sir William John (Jack) (1897–1981)
by F. J. Kendall
Sir William John (Jack) Jungwirth (1897-1981), public servant, was born on 10 August 1897 at Richmond, Melbourne, third child of Victorian-born parents Vincent John Jungwirth, labourer, and his wife Jane, née Thomson. Educated at Abbotsford State School, Jack—as he was known—worked as a junior clerk with Dalgety & Co. before joining the Department of Lands in 1915. He studied shorthand at Zercho’s Business College, qualified as a licentiate (1920) of the Commonwealth Institute of Accountants, and in 1920 transferred to the premier’s office, in the Chief Secretary’s Department, where he became private secretary (1922) to the premier, (Sir) Harry Lawson. His high regard for the Presbyterian and teetotal premier reflected his similar outlook. On 22 December 1923 at North Richmond Methodist church he married Alice Ruth Powell.
Chief clerk from 1931, Jungwirth was appointed secretary of the newly established Department of Premier in 1936, the youngest first division officer in the Victorian public service. An outstanding administrator and organiser, he was calm in approach, unruffled in crises and firm in his advice to the thirteen premiers and twenty-three ministries he was to serve as private or official secretary. For these premiers he was a trusted constant through frequent periods of political change. He defined his role as `supplying political masters with information and advice on which to base policy, accepting the policy when made and working loyally to implement it’.
Between 1927 and 1959 Jungwirth played official roles in eight royal visits, including those of State director of Queen Elizabeth II’s 1954 national tour and organiser of the Duke of Edinburgh’s official opening of the 1956 Olympic Games. Appointed CMG (1948) and knighted in 1957, by his retirement in 1962 he was Victoria’s senior and pre-eminent public servant, his department having replaced the Treasury and Chief Secretary’s Department as the originator of new activities. A shrewd observer, he reflected in his unpublished memoirs that, over forty years, close association with politics had convinced him that the efficient functioning of democratic government required that members of the Executive should be `responsible to parliament and not to their respective parties’.
Jungwirth was a man of strong faith and an active member of the Methodist Church; his personal qualities, coupled with his knowledge of government and legislation, drew him into extensive community service. He had joined the Independent Order of Rechabites in 1913 and was secretary of the Richmond Tent (1923-37), district chief ruler (1931) and a trustee (1940-81). A board-member (1940-76) and president (1966-73) of Prince Henry’s Hospital, he was also president (1954-56, 1964-65) of the Young Men’s Christian Association of Melbourne, and a committee-member of Orana Children’s Home and Overton Homes for the Aged. He joined the Rotary Club of Melbourne in 1954 (director, 1962-64; president 1964-65) and remained an active member until 1978. Colleagues recalled his keen sense of humour coupled to firm convictions, resolutely defended.
In retirement Jungwirth served on the Victorian Tourist Development Authority (1962-64); chaired the board of inquiry (1963-64) into the State Library of Victoria that recommended major reforms in library services in Victoria, including the replacement of the Board of Trustees and the Free Library Service Board with a single body, the Library Council of Victoria; and was a member (1973-79) of the executive of the Patriotic Funds Committee of Victoria. In 1949-79 he served on the board of management for the Sir Colin Mackenzie Sanctuary, Healesville, which he chaired for fifteen years.
Of trim build and average height, with short-cropped black hair and neatly trimmed moustache, Jungwirth favoured a black bowler or homberg hat. He rose early, often collecting newspapers from the shop opposite his home in pyjamas and gown so as to brief himself before leaving for the office. A keen sportsman, he played football in his youth, cricket into his fifties (with a slow left-hand delivery), and then bowls, becoming president of the North Balwyn Bowling Club. Recalled as `a mad, one eyed Richmond supporter’, he was a frequent visitor to the team’s rooms after games. His first wife had died in 1938, and on 28 March 1942 at the Methodist Church, South Camberwell, he had married Annie Edna Tamblyn. A devoted family man, he stimulated discussion across all topics with his children and was an inveterate practical joker. Sir John died on 25 January 1981 at Kew, and was cremated. His wife survived him, together with a son and daughter of his first marriage and the two sons of his second.
Herald (Melbourne), 24 Nov 1956, p 27
Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne), 19 Sept 1959, p 9
Rechabite, May 1981, p 98
Jungwirth papers (State Library of Victoria)
private information and personal knowledge.
Nathan, Maurice Arnold (colleague)
F. J. Kendall, 'Jungwirth, Sir William John (Jack) (1897–1981)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/jungwirth-sir-william-john-jack-12712/text22921, published first in hardcopy 2007, accessed online 20 January 2020.
Richmond, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Kew, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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TAF – Turrell Art Foundation
Cartographic Timeline
Map / Chambers
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Pasadena Art Museum, Pasadena, California, “Jim Turrell,” October 9 to November 9, 1967.
Aimery Langois-Meurine, Geneva, Switzerland, “James Turrell,” 1968.
Main and Hill Studio, Santa Monica, California, “Light Projections (Xenon Source),” Summer, 1968.
Main and Hill Studio, Santa Monica, California, “Light Spaces (Existing Outside Light as Source),” Summer, Summer 1969.
Main and Hill Studio, Santa Monica, California, The Mendota Stoppages, Summer 1970.
Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Holland, “Jim Turrell,” April 9 to May 23, 1976.
ARCO Center for Visual Art, Los Angeles, California, “James Turrell, Installation,” November 16 to December 24, 1976.
Heiner Friedrich Gallery, Köln, Germany, Summer, 1977.
Herron Gallery, Herron School of Art, Indianapolis, Indiana, “James Turrell, Avaar: A Light Installation,” May 16, 1980 to January 14, 1981.
University of Arizona Museum of Art, Tucson, Arizona, “James Turrell, Iltar,” September 5 to October 12, 1980.
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, New York, “James Turrell: Light and Space,” October 22 to December 31, 1980.
Leo Castelli Gallery, New York, New York, “Phaedo,” November 29, 1980 to January 15, 1981.
Portland Center for Visual Arts, Portland, Oregon, “James Turrell,” September 19 to October 31, 1981.
Center for Contemporary Art, Seattle, Washington, “James Turrell: Four Installations," January 29 to July 28, 1982.
Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel, “James Turrell: Two Spaces,” September 12, 1982 to October 31, 1983
Hayden Gallery, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, Massachusetts, “James Turrell, Batten,” January 21 to February 23, 1983.
Flow Ace Gallery, Venice, California, “Laar: 1976,” April 8 to September 21, 1983.
Mattress Factory, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, “Light Installation,” October 29, 1983 to February 1, 1984.
University of Delaware Art Gallery, Newark, Delaware, “James Turrell: Jida, An Installation,” November 21, 1983 to January 21, 1984.
Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Paris, France, “James Turrell,” December 20, 1983 to January 29, 1984.
Flow Ace Gallery, Los Angeles, California, “Aerial Drawings: Roden Crater,” February 28 to April 14, 1984.
Capp Street Project, San Francisco, California, “James Turrell: Light Spaces,” May 15 to June 30, 1984.
Marian Locks Gallery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, “James Turrell, Roden Crater: Drawings from Aerial Survey,” September 14 to October 5, 1984.
Marian Goodman Gallery, New York, New York, “Deep Sky,” January 11 to February 8, 1985.
Roger Ramsay Gallery, Chicago, Illinois, “Deep Sky,” February 16 to March 7, 1985.
Karl Bornstein Gallery, Santa Monica, California, “James Turrell,” February 26 to March 30, 1985.
Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, California, “James Turrell, Occluded Front,” November 13, 1985 to February 9, 1986.
Bernard Jacobson Gallery, Los Angeles, California, “James Turrell,” December 7, 1984 to January 5, 1985.
University of Arizona Museum of Art, Tucson, Arizona, “James Turrell, Roden Crater,” September 17 to October 12, 1986
Marian Goodman Gallery, New York, New York, “James Turrell, Roden Crater Drawings,” October 7 to October 25, 1986.
P.S. 1, Long Island City, New York, “James Turrell, Meeting Restored,” October 8, 1986.
Center for Contemporary Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico, “James Turrell: The Roden Crater Project and Sky Sculpture,” November 14 to December 20, 1986.
Yvon Lambert Galerie, Paris, France, “James Turrell, Roden Crater Drawings,” January 10 to February 19, 1987.
Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, Arizona, “The Roden Crater Project,” January 30 to February 22, 1987.
Kunsthalle, Basel, Switzerland, “James Turrell, Roden Crater Project und Licht-Raum,” May 23 to July 5, 1987.
University Art Gallery, University of California, Riverside, California, “James Turrell, Roden Crater,” September 22 to October 21, 1987.
Lannan Museum, Lake Worth, Florida, “James Turrell,” December 18, 1987 to June 30, 1988.
Roger Ramsay Gallery, Chicago, Illinois, “James Turrell,” April 9 to May 14, 1988.
Museum of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff, Arizona, “James Turrell and Roden Crater,” September 23 to November 23, 1988.
Coconino Center for the Arts, Flagstaff, Arizona, “James Turrell and Roden Crater,” September 23 to November 9, 1988.
Jean Bernier Gallery, Athens, Greece, “James Turrell,” October 6 to November 12, 1988.
Florida State University Gallery and Museum, Tallahassee, Florida, “James Turrell,” March 10 to April 16, 1989.
Security Pacific Gallery, Costa Mesa, California, “James Turrell,” June 14 to December 17, 1989.
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nîmes, Nîmes, France, “James Turrell, A La Levée du Soir, “ July 8 to October 1, 1989.
Galerie Froment & Putman, Paris, France, "James Turrell: Un Peu Plus Prés Du Ciel, Pierre Restany," November 24, 1989 to January 12, 1990.
Newport Harbor Art Museum, Newport Beach, California, “James Turrell, Rondo,” January 21 to March 18, 1990.
Boulder Art Center, Boulder, Colorado, “James Turrell: ‘Fritto Misto’ & ‘Pleiades,’ Three Installations,” March 30 to June 3, 1990.
La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art, La Jolla, California, “James Turrell,” April 6, 1990.
Stein-Gladstone Gallery, New York, New York, “James Turrell,” April 21 to May 1990.
P.S. 1 Long Island City, New York, “James Turrell, Meeting,” April 21 to May 1990.
Museum of Modern Art, New York, New York, “James Turrell, First Light: Twenty Etchings,” July 26 to November 13, 1990.
Stuart Regan Gallery, Los Angeles, California, “James Turrell, First Light Series,” September 8 to September 29, 1990.
Turske & Turske, Zurich, Switzerland, “James Turrell Part 1, Long Green,” December 9, 1990 to March 30, 1991.
Kunstmuseum, Bern, Switzerland, “James Turrell, First Light and Catso White,” January 8 to March 10, 1991.
Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island, “James Turrell: Works from the Afrum and Aperture Series,” January 24 to April 14, 1991.
Williams College Art Museum, Williamstown, Massachusetts, “James Turrell,” February 6 to June 30, 1991.
Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, Indiana, “James Turrell,” March 22, 1991.
Espace Lulay, Liege, Belgium, “James Turrell,” March 21, 1991.
Galerie Froment & Putman, Paris, France, “James Turrell,” February 27 to April 6, 1991.
Lisa Sette Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona, “James Turrell,” April 3 to May 4, 1991.
Friedman Guinness Gallery, Frankfurt, Germany, “James Turrell: Change of State,” April 24 to June 29, 1991.
Confort Moderne, Poitiers, France, “James Turrell, Heavy Water,” May 28 to October 28, 1991.
Turske & Turske, Zurich, Switzerland, James Turrell, Part 2, Up in Smoke,” June 16 to November 24, 1991.
Universidad Internacional Menedez y Pelayo, Santander, Spain, “James Turrell,” July 31 to September 8, 1991.
The Principal Corporation, Des Moines, Iowa, “James Turrell, Last Breath,” August 22, 1991.
Anthony d’Offay Gallery, London, England, “James Turrell,” September 3 to October 5, 1991.
Centro Cultural Arte Contemporaneo, Mexico City, Mexico, “James Turrell, Bloodlust,” October, 1991.
Carpenter Center, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, “James Turrell: First Light,” November 1 to November 24, 1991.
Turske & Turske, Zurich, Switzerland, “James Turrell Part 3, Irish Sky Garden,” November 24, 1991 to February 29, 1992.
Musée d’Art Contemporain, Lyon, France, “James Turrell,” January 8 to March 8, 1992.
Isy Brachot Gallery, Brussels, Belgium, “James Turrell,” January 16 to March 28,1992.
Gallery Cora Holzl, Düsseldorf, Germany, “James Turrell, First Light,” March 28 to May 19, 1992.
Kunstsammlung für Nordrhein und Westphalen, Düsseldorf, Germany, “James Turrell, Grey Dawn,” April 3, 1992.
Kunstverein Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany, “James Turrell, Perception Cells,” April 4 to June 14, 1992.
Sprengel Museum, Hannover, Germany, “James Turrell,” May 16, 1992.
Stroom, The Hague, Holland, “James Turrell,” May 22 to June 30,1992.
Turske Hue-Williams Gallery, London, England, “James Turrell, Drawings of the Irish Sky Garden,” June 3 to August 10, 1992.
Confort Moderne, Poitiers, France, “James Turrell, Heavy Waters,” August 5 to October 11, 1992.
Fundació Espai Poblenou, Barcelona, Spain, “James Turrell, Deuce Coup,” June 1992.
Wiener Secession, Vienna, Austria, “James Turrell, The Perception Cells,” July 8 to August 9, 1992.
Belvedere, Royal Gardens of Prague Castle, Prague, Czechoslovakia, “James Turrell, The Perceptual Cells,” September 8 to October 21, 1992.
Claremont/Pitzer Colleges, Claremont, California, “James Turrell, A Skyspace,” September 16 to December 18, 1992.
Weisser Raum, Hamburg, Germany, “James Turrell,” September 25 to December 28, 1992.
Henry Art Gallery, Seattle, Washington, “James Turrell Works 1967-1992,” October 8, 1992 to January 3, 1993.
Fuel Gallery, Seattle, Washington, “James Turrell, Drawings 1992,” November 5 to December 23, 1992.
The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel, “James Turrell,” November 9, 1992.
Fundación La Caixa, Madrid, Spain, “James Turrell, Sensing Space,” November 12, 1992 to January 17, 1993.
Lenbachhaus, Munich, Germany, “James Turrell, Scant Range,” December 12, 1992.
Ace Gallery, Los Angeles, California, “James Turrell,” January to April 25, 1993.
Hayward Gallery, Southbank Centre, London, England, “James Turrell, Air Mass,” April 8 to June 27, 1993.
Anthony D’Offay Gallery, London, England, “James Turrell,” May 12 to June 16, 1993.
Butler Gallery, Kilkenny Castle, Kilkenny, Ireland, “James Turrell, Air Mass,” July 15 to August 16, 1993.
Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, “James Turrell, Sensing Space,” September 10 to October 31, 1993.
Marian Locks Gallery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, “James Turrell,” September 17 to October 31, 1993.
Henry Moore Sculpture Trust, Halifax, England, “James Turrell, The Gasworks,” October 14 to December 22, 1993.
Knoedler Gallery, New York, New York, “Drawings from Space,” November 6 to December 2, 1993.
Barbara Gladstone Gallery, New York, New York, “James Turrell,” January 29 to March 16, 1994.
Lisa Sette Gallery, Phoenix, Arizona, “Roden Crater: Realizing a Vision,” March 10 to April 9, 1994.
Crawford Municipal Art Gallery, Cork, Ireland, “James Turrell,” July 22, 1994.
National Sculpture Factory, Cork, Ireland, “James Turrell, The Gasworks,” August 22, 1994.
Galerie Froment & Putman, Paris, France, “James Turrell,” September 30 to November 19, 1994.
Magazin 3, Stockholm, Sweden, “James Turrell,” October 23, 1994 to April 2, 1995.
Atelier Theatre & Music (ATEM), Nanterre, France, “To Be Sung,” November 17, 1994.
Orlèans, France, “To Be Sung,” (ATEM), December, 1994.
Aspen Art Center, Aspen, Colorado, “James Turrell,” December 8 to April 9, 1994.
Munich, Germany, The Marstall, (ATEM), “To Be Sung,” January, 1995.
Frankfurt, Germany, “To Be Sung,” (ATEM), February 1995.
Portside Gallery, Yokohama, Japan, “James Turrell, Backside of the Moon,” March 17 to May 17, 1995.
Berlin, Germany, “To Be Sung,” (ATEM), 1995.
Galerie Jule Kewenig, Frechen-Bachen, Germany, “James Turrell, Red Shift,” May 29 to August 30, 1995.
Fia Art Network, Index Gallery, Osaka, Japan, “James Turrell,” September 6 to 26, 1995.
Städtische Galerie, Goppingen, Germany, “James Turrell,” September 10 to November 15, 1995.
Art Tower Mito, Mito, Japan, “James Turrell,” November 3, 1995 to January 28, 1996.
Hiram Butler Gallery, Houston, Texas, “James Turrell: Drawings,” January 13 to February 29, 1996.
Michael Hue-Williams Fine Art, London, England, “James Turrell,” June 31 to September 20, 1996.
Ace Contemporary Exhibitions, Los Angeles, California, “James Turrell: Models for Autonomous Spaces,” August 20 to September 30, 1996.
Stroom, The Hague, Netherlands, “James Turrell, Kijkowin,” September 21, 1996 to March 20, 1997.
Kunsthaus Bregenz, Bregenz, Austria, “James Turrell,” July 27 to September 6, 1997.
Saitama Prefecture Museum, Urawa, Japan, “James Turrell, Where does the Light in Our Dreams Come From?” October 10 to December 7, 1997.
Stark Gallery, New York, New York, "James Turrell, Between Blue," January 23 to February 14, 1998.
Nagoya City Museum, Nagoya, Japan, “James Turrell, Where does the Light in Our Dreams Come From?” January 31 to March 29, 1998.
Michael Hue-Williams Fine Art, London, England, “James Turrell,” May 20 to June 27, 1998.
The Brown Foundation Gallery: Contemporary Art Museum, Houston, Texas, “James Turrell, Spirit and Light,” June 6 to July 26, 1998.
Orange County Museum of Art, Newport Beach, California, “James Turrell, Sounding,” July 1, 1998 to January 3, 1999.
Setagaya Museum, Tokyo, Japan, “James Turrell, Where does the Light in Our Dreams Come From?” August 13 to November 1, 1998.
Museet for Samtidskunst, Oslo, Norway, “James Turrell,” September 12 to November 1, 1998.
Center for Contemporary Art, Ujazdowski Castle, Warsaw, Poland, "James Turrell, Space Division and Wedgework," October 15, 1998 to January 3, 1999.
Barbara Gladstone Gallery, New York, New York, “James Turrell, Lapsed Quaker Ware,” October 31 to December 23, 1998.
MAK, Vienna, Austria, “James Turrell, The Other Horizon,” December 2, 1998 to March 21, 1999.
Newlyn Art Gallery, Newlyn, Penzance, Cornwall, England, “James Turrell, Arcus,” June 18 to August 31, 1999.
Penzance, Cornwall, England, “James Turrell, Elliptic Ecliptic,” July 1 to September 12, 1999.
Nelson-Atkins Museum, Kansas City, Kansas, “James Turrell, Cross Cut,” November 7, 1999 to January 30, 2000
Zumtobel Staff, Zurich, Switzerland, “James Turrell, Floater,” November 10, 1999 to December 31, 1999.
AD Gallery, New York, New York, “James Turrell, Lapsed Quaker Ware,” November 12, 1999 to January 30, 2000.
Galerie Almine Rech, Paris, France, “James Turrell, Hi Test,” November 17, 1999 to February 26, 2000.
Espace Electra, “James Turrell,” Paris, France, April 26 to August 30, 2000.
Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, Scottsdale, Arizona, “James Turrell, Infinite Light,” February 11 to September 9, 2001.
Saint Louis Art Museum, Saint Louis, Missouri, “James Turrell,” July 10 to September 30, 2001.
Harley Baldwin Gallery, Aspen, Colorado, “James Turrell,” August 9 to September 30, 2001.
Museum für Moderne Kunst (MMK), Frankfurt, Germany, "James Turrell, Light and Space," September 20 to October 29, 2001.
Haus Konstruktiv, Zurich, Switzerland, “James Turrell,” September 29, 2001 to April 11, 2002.
Hausler Kulturemanagement, Munich, Germany, "James Turrell," December 1, 2001 to March 28, 2002.
MMK, Frankfurt, Germany, “James Turrell, Light and Space,” September 20 to October 29, 2001.
Valentina Moncada, Rome, Italy, “James Turrell,” May 28 to July 15, 2001.
Michael Hue-Williams Fine Art, London, England, “James Turrell,” April, 2001.
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., “James Turrell,” April 8 to September 1, 2002.
Galerie Almine Rech, Paris, France, “James Turrell,” April 9 to July 13, 2002.
Michael Hue-Williams Fine Art, London, England, “James Turrell, Holograms,” May 21 to June 15, 2002.
Mattress Factory, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, “James Turrell, Into the Light,” June 2, 2002 to April 30, 2003.
Henry Art Gallery, Seattle, Washington, “James Turrell, Knowing Light,” March 22 to February 8, 2004.
Sonoma County Museum, Santa Rosa, California, “James Turrell, Light and Land,” June 21, 2003 to January 4, 2004.
Cheryl Haines Gallery, San Francisco, California, “James Turrell, The Light Within,” September 4 to October 25, 2003.
Zug Museum of Art, Zug, Switzerland, “James Turrell,” November 29, 2003 to February 29, 2004.
PaceWildenstein Gallery, New York, New York, “James Turrell,” December 2, 2003 to January 10, 2004.
Baldwin Gallery, Aspen, Colorado, “James Turrell, New Holograms,” December 26, 2003 to January 24, 2004.
Griffin Contemporary, Santa Monica, CA, “James Turrell: Autonomous Structures,” January 17 to March 13, 2004.
Gallery 400, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, James Turrell: In Light," September 7 to October 30, 2004.
Galerie Almine Rech, Paris, France, “James Turrell,” September 14 to November 6, 2004.
Albion, London, England, “James Turrell: Projection Works 1967-69,” October 14 to December 17, 2004.
Galerie Almine Rech, Paris, France, “James Turrell,” November 13 to December 15, 2004.
Griffin Contemporary, Santa Monica, CA, “James Turrell: Early Light Works,” November 13, 2004 to February 12, 2005.
IVAM, Valencia, Spain, “James Turrell,” December 14, 2004 to February 27, 2005.
Alan Koppel Gallery, Chicago, Illinois, “James Turrell: Transformative Space,” March 25 to May 6, 2005.
PaceWildenstein Gallery, New York, New York, “James Turrell: Light Projections 1968 and Light Works 2005,” July 14 to September 10, 2005.
Tokyo Publishing House, “James Turrell, Projection Work,” September 5 to 22, 2005.
Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield, England, “James Turrell: Light Installations,” November 5, 2005 to May 14, 2006.
Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, “James Turrell: Alta White,” March 8 to September 25, 2006.
Griffin Contemporary, Santa Monica, CA, “James Turrell: New Work,” May 20 to August 26, 2006.
Louis T. Blouin Foundation, London, United Kingdom, “James Turrell: A Life in Light,” October 13, 2006 to May 27, 2007.
Musée de Grenoble, Grenoble, France, “James Turrell,” November 10 to December 12, 2006.
Häusler Contemporary, Zurich, Switzerland, “James Turrell, The Tall Glass,” March 3 to August 3, 2007.
Pace Wildenstein, New York, New York, “James Turrell: Light Leadings,” March 23 to April 28, 2007.
Albion Gallery, London, England, “James Turrell, Orca Blue,” June 5 to July 20, 2007.
Pomona College Museum of Art, Claremont, California, “James Turrell at Pomona College,” September 4, 2007 to May 17, 2008.
IUAV (Universitá Iuav de Venezia), Gino Valle Gallery, Venice, Italy, “Geometries of Light: The Roden Crater Project by James Turrell”, October 1 to November 9, 2007.
Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York, “James Turrell, Gap,” January 5, 2007 to October 23, 2008.
Baldwin Gallery, Aspen, Colorado, “Light Works 2002-2007,” February 15 to March 9, 2008.
Fondo L’Ambiente Italiano (FAI), at Villa Panza, “James Turrell, Arte Oltre la Luce”, May 16 to August 17, 2008.
The High Line, New York, New York, “40th Anniversary of Calvin Klein”, September 7, 2008.
Oroom Gallery, Seoul Total Art Museum, Seoul, and Museé Shium, Seoul, “James Turrell”, October 9 to December 19, 2008.
Unna, Germany, "James Turrell, The Roden Crater," November 27, 2008 to January 31, 2009
Kulturbetriebe Unna, Center for International Light Art, Unna, Germany, “James Turrell, The Geometry of Light”, February 2 to May 31, 2009.
PaceWildenstein Gallery, New York, New York, “James Turrell: Large Holograms”, September 10 to October 17, 2009.
Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg, Germany, “James Turrell: The Wolfsburg Project”, October 24, 2009 to April 5, 2010 (Extended to October 3, 2010).
Häusler Contemporary, Munich, Germany, “James Turrell: The Roden Crater, Sculpture and Photographs,” January 29 to March 28, 2009.
Griffen Contemporary, Santa Monica, California, “James Turrell: Autonomous Structures,” July 25 to August 29, 2009.
Almine Rech Gallery, Brussels, Belgium, “James Turrell,” September 10 to December 21, 2010.
Gagosian Gallery, London, England, “James Turrell,” October 12 to December 4, 2010.
Kulturhuset, Järna, Sweden , See! Colour! “James Turrell: The Light Inside,” May 15 to October 2, 2011.
Garage Center for Contemporary Culture, Moscow, Russia, “James Turrell,” June 11 to August 21, 2011.
Kayne Griffin Corcoran Gallery, Santa Monica, California, “James Turrell: Present Tense,” September 15 to December 17, 2011.
Häusler Contemporary, Zürich, Switzerland, “James Turrell: Licht, Körper,” November 17, 2011 to February 25, 2012.
Pacific Standard Time Performance Festival, Bridges Auditorium, Pomona College, Claremont, CA, “Burning Bridges (restaged),” January 21, 2012.
Hiram Butler Gallery, Houston, Texas, “James Turrell: Six Holograms,” July 7 to August 11, 2012.
Colorado Springs Fine Art Center, Colorado Springs, Colorado, “James Turrell: Trace Elements: Light into Space,” July 14 to September 30, 2012.
Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, “James Turrell, Air Apparent,” October 17, 2012.
Hacienda Ochil, Ochil, Yucatan, Mexico, “James Turrell,” November 14, 2012.
Cenote Santa Maria, Tixcacaltuyub, Yucatan, Mexico, “James Turrell, Agua de Luz,” November 15, 2012.
The Pace Gallery, New York, New York, “James Turrell,” March 15 to April 20, 2013.
Academy Art Museum, Easton, Maryland, "James Turrell Perspectives,” April 20 to July 7, 2013
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, California, “James Turrell: A Retrospective,” May 23, 2013 to April 6, 2014.
Kayne Griffin Corcoran Gallery, Santa Monica, California, “James Turrell,” May 23 to July 20, 2013
Galerie Almine Rech, Paris, France, "James Turrell," June 1 to July 27, 2013.
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas, “James Turrell: The Light Inside,” June 9 to September 22, 2013.
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, New York, “James Turrell,” June 21 to September 25, 2013.
ReMap 4, Athens, Greece, “James Turrell: Knowing Light,” September 19 to September 30, 2013.
Spencer Museum of Art, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, “ James Turrell: Gard Blue,” September 14, 2013 to May 18, 2014.
Hausler Contemporary Munich, "James Turrell Projections," November 8, 2013 – February 28, 2014
Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel “James Turrell: A Retrospective,” June 1, 2014 to January 3, 2015
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, "James Turrell: A Retrospective," December 13, 2014 – June 8, 2015
© 2020 James Turrell
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06/11/2019 Interesting Reads
Patricia Camilleri, Ann Gingell Littlejohn
Courtesy of Treasures of Malta
The authors visited Hal Resqun on the day of its rediscovery in August 2006. It was brought to light again in the course of road works in the vicinity of Gudja and is below the roundabout near Malta International Airport. The catacomb was first excavated and the plan drawn up by Temi Zammit in 1912 (Fig.1).[1] It was investigated in 1934 when the plan was modified by C.G. Zammit.[2] In his original report, Temi Zammit noted that the catacomb had already been disturbed during the laying of a water pipe in 1887.[3] In 1975 it was covered over in the course of road works. Located once more in October 1978, it was sealed with corrugated iron and a concrete slab, leaving an entrance through a manhole. Unfortunately, soil was deposited over the area and the exact site of the catacomb could no longer be identified.
Access is down a short flight of steps which now lie four courses below road level. The doorway is flanked on the left by two engaged columns, one in the Doric style, the other with twisted fluting (Fig.2). Over the entrance, within an apsed arch is a carving of two birds facing each other, head to head, almost certainly a peahen and a peacock which seem to be feeding a chick (Fig.3). Since pharaonic times, the peacock has been considered a symbol of immortality. In some cultures the spots on its fan tail were seen to evoke the stars in the heavens. It is one of the many symbols which slipped seamlessly from pagan to Christian iconography.
This small hypogeum presents a number of features which are uncommon within Maltese catacomb contexts. One of these is the unusual number of fluted columns and pilasters, most of them short and in unusual positions. At the foot of the steps is a small chamber (A). Facing the entrance is a window tomb (B). Another window tomb (C) lies to the right of the entrance and a triclinium (D) is located between the two tombs.
Window tomb (B) is flanked by fluted pilasters, the lower part having twisted fluting, the upper part being of the Doric type (Fig.4). There is also an interesting circular decoration in the middle of the left hand pilaster, partly missing from the right hand side where the stone is broken off. Over the square-headed doorway is a carving which includes three fish, three heads (one upside down) flanked by outstretched arms, a fan-like design, perhaps representing a bird with open wings, and a number of animals, some upside down in a mirror image position (Fig.5). Temi Zammit, giving it a Christian interpretation, referred to the “Biblical scene of creation”,[4] the “Biblical account of God’s Creation of the World”.[5] For Zammit, the central figure was “the figure of God with outstretched arms”[6] and the “Almighty”[7]. The other two figures are referred to as Adam and Eve in 1912 and as “our progenitors” in 1934. All three might, in fact, be orant figures. However, the tradition of the orant figure goes back to prehistory and was certainly present in Greco-Roman funerary iconography so their presence in this carving is no guarantee of its Christian connection. Over this carving is a running pattern of arrowhead design.
The tomb contains a double grave with deep U-shaped headrests. Both plans record a round hole between the headrests, no longer visible because of accumulated debris. This end of the grave is flanked by short fluted pilasters beneath a small apse. Facing the entrance to this tomb is a rectangular pottery shelf also flanked by pilasters with twisted fluting, and two lampholes. Very unusual are the fluted pilasters at the other end, flanking another apse. Both apses still show faint incisions of a scallop shell motif.
The entrance to window tomb (C) is also flanked by pilasters. It has an apsed arch over the headrests, with a clearly defined incised scallop shell, and fluted pilasters on either side of two U-shaped headrests (Fig.6). Between the headrests is a round hole. Facing the entrance is a rectangular pottery shelf with fluted pilasters, now hardly visible. There is a lamphole on either side. At the far end is an apsed arch, cut through by a modern wall and a sizeable pipe.
A step on the left leads up to the triclinium[8] (D) which is now truncated by a wall (Fig.7).In Zammit’s 1912 plan the rim was already missing on the left and round the back.[9] The table would seem to have been U-shaped. It has a rounded shoulder on the left, upon which there would originally have been a sharp rim. On the right, the rim is still present but the rounded shoulder is missing. This may have been removed when the seat on the right was cut into the platform. Faint parallel grooves are scored along the top of the rim, a feature not seen before by the present authors. There is no opening or channel in the rim, a feature of almost all the tables in Maltese catacombs. The familiar concave indentation in the front of the table is another common feature which is missing here. Decorating the vertical right outer edge of the table is a carving in a V-shaped pattern, never encountered before in such a context. This may have been added when alterations were made to the right hand side of the platform at some later stage. It is likely that the headroom in front of window tomb (C) was raised at the same time.
While seats are present in some catacombs, these are usually single or facing each other on either side of the table. In this case, the seats do not face the same direction. The one on the left (E) faces the entrance to tomb (C), while the one on the right (F) faces the chamber. In addition, the actual seats, rather than being flat, have a depression cut into the surface which creates a low backrest. The seat on the left presents the unusual feature of carved diagonal fluting along the top and Doric fluting on the vertical edge.
Dating the Maltese catacombs is always problematic. Zammit records that fragments of glass and pottery found in the catacomb “were also of the late Roman period”,[10] which would give the latest date, though vague, for the use of the catacomb but would not give any indication of when it was originally hewn and how long it was in use. Despite Zammit’s confident assertion in 1912 and in 1934 that the catacomb is Christian, the iconography does not indicate in any certain way that it was originally cut or ever used for Christian burial.
[1] Museum Annual Reports 1912-1913, p. 7
[2] Bulletin of the Museum, 1934, p.190.
[3] T. Zammit, Archaeological Field-Notes (Notebook No. 3 1909-1912) f. 125
[4] Museum Annual Reports 1912-1913, p. 7.
[5] T. Zammit in Bulletin of the Museum, 1934, p.193.
[7] T. Zammit in Bulletin of the Museum, 1934, p. 193.
[8] The triclinium is understood to be a raised, semi-circular, sloping platform surrounding a table with a rim, usually set within a flattened arch. The whole area is cut out of the solid rock.
[9] There appear to be some discrepancies between the plan by C.G. Zammit in the Bulletin of the Museum 1934 and that of T. Zammit in the Museum Annual Reports 1912-13. For example, in the 1934 version, the table rim appears to be complete; the tomb cut into the back of the triclinium is missing as is the step to the left of the triclinium which is still extant today.
[10] Museum Annual Reports 1912-1913, p. 7
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Literature & Creative Writing
English Majors Evaporating
By Christian, October 3, 2009 in Literature & Creative Writing
Interests:Film, religion, jazz.
Rod Dreher links to a long column I haven't read in full, and wonders what's to become of English majors. He excerpts the thoughts of William Chase:
What are the causes for this decline? There are several, but at the root is the failure of departments of English across the country to champion, with passion, the books they teach and to make a strong case to undergraduates that the knowledge of those books and the tradition in which they exist is a human good in and of itself.
Meanwhile, undergraduates have become aware of this turmoil surrounding them in classrooms, hallways, and coffee lounges. They see what is happening to students only a few years older than themselves--the graduate students they encounter as teaching assistants, freshman instructors, or "acting assistant professors." These older students reveal to them a desolate scene of high career hopes soon withered, much study, little money, and heavy indebtedness. In English, the average number of years spent earning a doctoral degree is almost 11. After passing that milestone, only half of new Ph.D.'s find teaching jobs, the number of new positions having declined over the last year by more than 20 percent; many of those jobs are part-time or come with no possibility of tenure.
I heard a lot of this same talk while studying Communications, with an emphasis in Film and Popular Culture, in the late 1980s/early 1990s, and it's true: You won't make as much money as students who study more technical disciplines. But other than a couple of short-term layoffs, I've never been jobless. I went to school to learn about subjects that interested me, and did so on my parents' dime. Then, for my Masters degree, I paid my own way (with a little employer/continuing education assistance early on, but which soon disappeared) to study ... Religion, at seminary. Yup, another discipline with no big payoff, but something that, I like to think, made me more learned, and which scratched an itch -- the only itch I had at the time -- for further learning.
I understand why students would steer clear of a major which doesn't lead to a particular skill suited for a particular job, but I also don't think the Ph.D./teaching route is the only option for English majors. I like to think that Liberal Arts majors in general won't just disappear. Not everyone wants to be an engineer, a chemist, or a math major. Or a computer programmer.
"What matters are movies, not awards; experiences, not celebrations; the subjective power of individual critical points of view, not the declamatory compromises of consensus." - Richard Brody, "Godard's Surprise Win Is a Victory for Independent Cinema," The New Yorker
We've discussed this subject in other threads, but we have a dedicated thread with one post. So let's build on it.
Joseph Epstein takes up the case in a review of "The Cambridge History of the American Novel" in the Wall Street Journal:
English majors once comprised 7.6% of undergraduates, but today the number has been nearly halved, down to 3.9%. Part of this decline is doubtless owing to the worry inspired in the young by a fragile economy. (The greatest rise is in business and economics majors.) Yet that is far from the whole story. William Chace, a former professor of English who was subsequently president of Wesleyan University and then Emory University, in a 2009 article titled "The Decline of the English Department," wrote:
What are the causes for this decline? There are several, but at the root is the failure of departments of English across the country to champion, with passion, the books they teach and to make a strong case to undergraduates that the knowledge of those books and the tradition in which they exist is a human good in and of itself. What departments have done instead is dismember the curriculum, drift away from the notion that historical chronology is important, and substitute for the books themselves a scattered array of secondary considerations (identity studies, abstruse theory, sexuality, film and popular culture). In so doing, they have distanced themselves from the young people interested in good books.
And although aspiring and current academics on the board might bristle at the following indictment of the contributors to this collection, I found it amusing:
These scholars may teach English, but they do not always write it, at least not quite. A novelist, we are told, "tasks himself" with this or that; things tend to get "problematized"; the adjectives "global" and "post"-this-or-that receive a good workout; "alterity" and "intertexuality" pop up their homely heads; the "poetics of ineffability" come into play; and "agency" is used in ways one hadn't hitherto noticed, so that "readers in groups demonstrate agency." About the term "non-heteronormativity" let us not speak.
These dopey words and others like them are inserted into stiffly mechanical sentences of dubious meaning. "Attention to the performativity of straight sex characterizes . . . 'The Great Gatsby' (1925), where Nick Carraway's homoerotic obsession with the theatrical Gatsby offers a more authentic passion precisely through flamboyant display." Betcha didn't know that Nick Carraway was hot for Jay Gatsby? We sleep tonight; contemporary literary scholarship stands guard.
Edited August 31, 2011 by Christian
Strange. I pulled up an older thread that's shaded on the screen, and which doesn't appear when I click "View New Content." Can anyone else see this? I wonder if I activated a deleted thread of something.
I can't figure out why our original "English Majors Evaporating" thread comes up in searches but isn't visible when viewing new posts. I can see the thread, but it's shaded or grayed out. I've asked about this but haven't heard from the Image folks. I figured it's OK to start a new thread on the subject. If I hear otherwise, I'll delete this new thread.
In the meantime, here's what I recently posted in the invisible thread:
NBooth
Collector of Oddities
Interests:Literature. Film. Music. The theater. Philosophy. Theology.
FWIW, I showed this article to a member of the English department here at the University of Alabama, and she suggested that the numbers are a bit unrealistic--that while the percentage of English majors may have reached 7.6% in the '60s, that high number was actually an anomaly. Historically the numbers seem to hover around 3%. She did express concern, however, that English departments are failing to teach students how to read and write effectively, which makes sense.
I'm not crazy about the Epstein's argument, myself--but then, I am drawn to English precisely because of the "secondary considerations" he mocks. I find his grump here spectacularly misguided:
"The Cambridge History of the American Novel" could only have come into the world after the death of the once-crucial distinction between high and low culture, a distinction that, until 40 or so years ago, dominated the criticism of literature and all the other arts. Under the rule of this distinction, critics felt it their job to close the gates on inferior artistic products. The distinction started to break down once the works of contemporary authors began to be taught in universities.
The study of popular culture—courses in movies, science fiction, detective fiction, works at first thought less worthy of study in themselves than for what they said about the life of their times—made the next incursion against the exclusivity of high culture. Multiculturalism, which assigned an equivalence of value to the works of all cultures, irrespective of the quality of those works, finished off the distinction between high and low culture, a distinction whose linchpin was seriousness.
The distinction between high and low culture isn't/wasn't seriousness; it is/was snobbery. Honestly, I'm more interested in what a work has to say than whether it's "high" or "low"--and I certainly don't care how old it is.
At any rate, Epstein's argument is incomplete in a crucial sense: he nowhere uses the term "kids these days" and doesn't threaten to kick anyone off his lawn.
Edited September 3, 2011 by NBooth
Nathanael T. Booth
More Man than Philosopher
Tumblr--Twitter
Looks like I didn't link to the review.
The high/low culture distinction doesn't appear to be the crux of Epstein's article. I think his beef is with the worldview of English professors. He writes:
"The Cambridge History of the American Novel" is perhaps best read as a sign of what has happened to English studies in recent decades. Along with American Studies programs, which are often their subsidiaries, English departments have tended to become intellectual nursing homes where old ideas go to die. If one is still looking for that living relic, the fully subscribed Marxist, one is today less likely to find him in an Economics or History Department than in an English Department, where he will still be taken seriously. He finds a home there because English departments are less concerned with the consideration of literature per se than with what novels, poems, plays and essays—after being properly X-rayed, frisked, padded down, like so many suspicious-looking air travelers—might yield on the subjects of race, class and gender. "How would [this volume] be organized," one of its contributors asks, "if race, gender, disability, and sexuality were not available?"
I suspect he's right; that was the case when I was in college, 1988-1992.
What's it like these days, NBooth? How many English profs would you say are "Marxist"? Is that a distinction worth making, or a further sign that Epstein is a grumpy old man? (And you're right -- he is, and I think would wear that label as a badge of honor. He's been around a long time.)
Edited September 3, 2011 by Christian
Peter T Chattaway
He's fictional, but you can't have everything.
Twitter:ptchat
Christian wrote:
: I can't figure out why our original "English Majors Evaporating" thread comes up in searches but isn't visible when viewing new posts. I can see the thread, but it's shaded or grayed out.
Huh, seems normal to me -- though I don't see any new posts there. All the posts there date to October 2009.
"Sympathy must precede belligerence. First I must understand the other, as it were, from the inside; then I can critique it from the outside. So many people skip right to the latter." -- Steven D. Greydanus
Now blogging at Patheos.com. I can also still be found at Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. See also my film journal.
From my (admittedly limited, since I'm very new--indeed, an infant--to the Graduate School game) perspective, I've not gotten the impression that too many English profs around here are Marxist--which isn't the same thing as saying they don't agree with several of Marx's critiques of unregulated Capitalism. Indeed, the professor I mentioned above was at pains elsewhere to point out that she is not a Marxist. Most of the profs I've encountered are more interested in studying their respective fields (Renaissance studies, Theory, etc) than making any sort of commitment to Marx. [FWIW, I did my undergrad work at Covenant College--a pretty conservative place, and not really much of a safehaven for Marxists or--as in my case--Marx-sympathizers]
EDIT: Actually, unless my memory deceives me, one of the complaints Terry Eagleton (that fully committed Marxist) makes in After Theory is that the post-theoretical and postmodern trends have caused politics (and, thus, Marxism) to be increasingly denigrated in favor of "apolitical" studies--most notably, an increasing attention to sex. For whatever that's worth; Eagleton has his own grumpy-old-man moments.
EDIT EDIT:
[The Marxist] finds a home there because English departments are less concerned with the consideration of literature per se than with what novels, poems, plays and essays—after being properly X-rayed, frisked, padded down, like so many suspicious-looking air travelers—might yield on the subjects of race, class and gender. "How would [this volume] be organized," one of its contributors asks, "if race, gender, disability, and sexuality were not available?"
As it happens, this has actually been a topic of discussion for the past couple of days in-class, and there seem to be two competing interpretations:
1) One viewpoint(which--cards on the table--I happen to favor) shrugs its shoulders and points out that there has never been a "pure" way of reading literature--that the New Critics, for all their protestations to the contrary, were just as guilty of porting-in race, class, and gender as race-studies, class-studies, and gender-studies. The difference is that the formalism of the approach disguised that fact; you can hardly be accused of ignoring class in Tristram Shandy or Byron if class doesn't appear in those works. But to say this buys into the idea that class assumptions aren't somehow part and parcel of those works even if such issues don't come up explicitly. And besides (I say), as long as you've got something interesting to say, why should it matter if you're reading the literature self-consciously through a framework of class, gender, or race? It's neither more nor less artificial than the New Critic's method.
2) The other viewpoint (espoused, as near as I can make out, by the professor with whom I discussed the article) is that this fragmenting of the field does present problems--namely, how does an English department describe what it does if it's branching out into fields of political or social studies? But there's a sense that you can't put toothpaste back in the tube, and whatever path English takes in the future will have to incorporate and make do with this new-found fragmentation.
Like I say, my reaction to the article was initially to throw my hands up and exclaim "What's the big deal?" I got into English after earning an Bachelor's in Philosophy and Religion precisely because of the multiplicity of theoretical-critical approaches; I doubt it would be nearly so interesting if Marxists, Feminists, GLBT theorists, and a whole raft of other schools weren't around.
Related, so I'm putting it here in this thread, is this analysis of what ails university education:
Conservatives were always skeptical of the campaign to democratize higher education, arguing that it was bound to lead to lowered standards and loss of purpose. Events have confirmed their predictions, even if their diagnosis has done little to alter the path of the American university.
Liberals have been more reserved in their criticisms of higher education, no doubt because they (in contrast to conservatives) have been in charge of the enterprise over these many decades. ...
Yet a curious thing is now happening in the ever-expanding commentary on higher education: many of the criticisms formerly made by conservatives are now being reprised by liberals, or at least by authors who are in no way associated with conservative ideas or organizations. At least two distinguished academic leaders, Anthony Kronman, the former Dean of the Yale Law School, and Harry Lewis, the former Dean of Students at Harvard, have published stern critiques of colleges and universities for failing to challenge students with the great moral and political questions that were once incorporated into liberal arts curricula. Now several books have appeared, written from a liberal point of view, that take colleges and universities to task on various counts: they are too expensive; the education they offer is sub-par, especially in relation to costs; they are administratively top-heavy; their faculties are too specialized; they do not emphasize teaching; their catalogs are filled with bizarre courses; and, more importantly, they are not providing the liberal arts education that students need and deserve. These are serious charges, especially when one considers who is making them. What lies behind them? And what do the authors propose to do about them?
Jason Panella
"I like the quiet."
I read this article over the weekend, and there's a lot of good stuff in there. I'm currently in grad school for a MA in Higher Education, so I'm studying these sorts of things all of the time. I feel like I'm somehow becoming more hopeful AND more cynical with each class. I might explode sometime soon.
Same here, except I'm studying Lit. My bachelor's is in Philosophy and Religion.
Sigh. I sure know how to pick 'em.
Globe-trotting special agent
Twitter:andersjb
Interests:I have a particular interest in the works of Hitchcock, Kurasawa, Nolan, Lynch, Malick, Wong Kar-wai, Welles, and Scorsese. I am developing an interest in Southeast and East Asian cinema. My research areas include film and literary theory. I am currently working on the topic of film, memory, and dreams - subjectivity in cinema. And I still love Spielberg and Lucas.
If I have some time to read these articles I'll chime in with a few thoughts. The direction of the academy in the next few decades is very important to me, as I'm currently starting my second year of a PhD in English and Film Studies.
"A director must live with the fact that his work will be called to judgment by someone who has never seen a film of Murnau's." - François Truffaut
Reviews and essays at Three Brothers Film.
Mr. Arkadin
I graduated with a Bachelor's in English Lit. But it was at Wheaton College, not exactly a haven of extreme ideological diversity (though I don't say that as a put-down; I think the Christian commitments of the school shaped English instruction in some very helpful ways, and I had some marvelous professors). I'd say I'm more sympathetic to Epstein than not on this one, but then I'm pretty apathetic to those "secondary considerations" and decided not to pursue further English study because of them.
Edited September 7, 2011 by Ryan H.
Andy Whitman
The authors cite a telling statistic: between 2005 and 2007, American universities awarded 101,009 doctoral degrees but in those years created just 15,820 assistant professorships. Few graduate students have any realistic hope of pursuing careers in the fields in which they are being trained. Many of these redundant Ph.D.s wind up driving taxicabs or managing restaurants, but many are also recruited back to campus as adjuncts to teach courses for a fraction of what tenured professors are paid. The authors estimate that 70 percent of all college teaching is performed by adjuncts, graduate assistants, and other non-faculty personnel.
I'm not a math major, but even I can figure out that 15% of those awarded Ph.D.s have any realistic hope of longterm employment in their fields.
It's anecdotal, I know, but the local community college recruited me a while back to teach writing courses as an adjunct. The pay? Slightly less than $24K per year for more or less fulltime work. For comparison's sake, a cashier at Krogers makes far better money.
And it's no better outside academia. The Columbus Dispatch recently published an article on 2009 college graduates of Ohio colleges and universities. Two years later, 9% of those graduates were employed in the fields for which they studied. It gets worse. On Monday (Labor Day), CNN's poll asked the question: "Do you take all the vacation days allotted to you by your current employer?" 23% (23%!) of those who participated responded with either "What job?" or "No vacation offered."
I know. You do it because you love it. No one teaches to get rich. And a college education doesn't guarantee a career. Everyone knows that. And that's fine.
But something has to give. It's not going to take long for 91% of those graduates to figure out that it wasn't worth it, that the $80K - $150K that they and/or their parents invested in their education -- the equivalent of a home mortgage -- simply doesn't matter in terms of survival. They are thoughtful, articulate residents of their parents' basements. If they have parents. And if their parents have a basement. And if mom and dad have a job.
The fundamental issue facing higher education is that people want to be able to survive. Eat. Have a roof over their heads. Get married and raise a family. Something has to give.
Edited September 7, 2011 by Andy Whitman
Oh, it gets worse.
Student loan debt has grown by 511% over this period. In the first quarter of 1999, just $90 billion in student loans were outstanding. As of the second quarter of 2011, that balance had ballooned to $550 billion.
The chart above is striking for another reason. See that blue line for all other debt but student loans? This wasn't just any average period in history for household debt. This period included the inflation of a housing bubble so gigantic that it caused the financial sector to collapse and led to the worst recession since the Great Depression. But that other debt growth? It's dwarfed by student loan growth.
See also: "Class of 2011 will be the most indebted ever"
And here's a handy chart detailing the ways student loans lead to debt slavery.
I'm grateful for my loans (and, truth be told, I got off easy considering the amount my undergraduate institution charged in tuition), but you're right: this sort of thing is unsustainable.
Because Andy's post wasn't depressing enough . . .
I came to the University of Tennessee 13 years ago to get my Ph.D. in English. The plan was to live here for five years and then move wherever someone offered me a tenure-track job. Rather than go into debt for a humanities degree, I gave up my teaching and research assistantships after I finished my course work, took a full-time job, and worked on my dissertation "on the side" for a few years before finally throwing in the towel. There were nine people in my doctoral class and nine in the class behind me. Of those 18, I only know of two who are happily employed academics.
So now I'm the Director of Communications for the UT Foundation, the alumni and development (fundraising) wing of the university. It's a good job, I'm pretty good at it, and most days I feel like I'm contributing to the cause of public education. That's the good news. The bad news is that I'm starting to wonder if such a thing as public higher education will even exist when my daughter turns 18. Part of my job is to keep our hundreds of thousands of alumni informed about legislative decisions that are hurting our institution. They complain to us about their children's tuition growing at 3-5 times the annual rate of inflation, and I have to tell them, "Well, in the past three years, we've lost $112 million in state funding. That's a 22% reduction. In three years."
There are "public" universities in the U.S. now that receive less than 10% of their operating funds from state dollars. That's not public education.
College debt is a terrible thing.
So now I'm the Director of Communications for the UT Foundation, the alumni and development (fundraising) wing of the university. It's a good job, I'm pretty good at it, and most days I feel like I'm contributing to the cause of public education.
Just found your bio on the UTAA site. Nice photo!
I should also add, after that creeptastic comment, that private higher education is suffering here too, at least from what I've seen. This is purely anecdotal, but it seems like community colleges are actually getting ahead a bit here. Even though I work in a department that actively tries to convince students to come to THIS Christian college and not the community college down the street, part of me is rooting for the local CC.
Edited September 7, 2011 by Jason Panella
Like NBooth, I found Epstein's grumpy old man schtick difficult to stomach, not so much for his denigration of "fully committed Marxists" (while not of the "fully committed" camp, I find much of value in Marx's critique of the way our society structures itself), but for the snobbery that wants to maintain the untenable definitions of "high" and "low" art as a bulwark against his own vested interets. Anyone who dismisses Vonnegut as a distinctly secondary level American author, in my mind, has no business speaking for me.
Epstein says that we need to make a better argument for why we teach what we teach. I recommend reading Mark Sloukas' article from Harper's a couple of years ago. I think he more accurately addresses why English departments are failing. Because we've mostly given up and ceded the definition of our own value to others:
The case for the humanities is not hard to make, though it can be difficult—to such an extent have we been marginalized, so long have we acceded to that marginalization—not to sound either defensive or naive. The humanities, done right, are the crucible within which our evolving notions of what it means to be fully human are put to the test; they teach us, incrementally, endlessly, not what to do but how to be. Their method is confrontational, their domain unlimited, their “product” not truth but the reasoned search for truth, their “success” something very much like Frost’s momentary stay against confusion.
They are thus, inescapably, political. Why? Because they complicate our vision, pull our most cherished notions out by the roots, flay our pieties. Because they grow uncertainty. Because they expand the reach of our understanding (and therefore our compassion), even as they force us to draw and redraw the borders of tolerance. Because out of all this work of self-building might emerge an individual capable of humility in the face of complexity; an individual formed through questioning and therefore unlikely to cede that right; an individual resistant to coercion, to manipulation and demagoguery in all their forms. The humanities, in short, are a superb delivery mechanism for what we might call democratic values. There is no better that I am aware of.
This, I would submit, is value—and cheap at the price. This is utility of a higher order. Considering where the rising arcs of our ignorance and our deference lead, what could represent a better investment? Given our fondness for slogans, our childlike susceptibility to bullying and rant, our impatience with both evidence and ambiguity, what could earn us, over time, a better rate of return?
You're right Andy, something will give. Humanities, as they stand in America, have pretty much lost. But I'm not willing to go down without a fight.
As a Canadian, I think our situation is slightly less dire. English, and humanities in general, face many challenges, but in the end the risk for me is less than for your kids. Education here is still much more subsidized than in the U.S. I think that a lot of these arguments are fairly America specific. Tuition for most students in Canada is less than $10,000 a year. I know I pay less than that for PhD. Count my blessings where they stand then.
Edited September 7, 2011 by Anders
Anyone who dismisses Vonnegut as a distinctly secondary level American author, in my mind, has no business speaking for me.
I'm always pleased when someone dismisses Vonnegut.
Not that I would withstand Epstein's snobbery, I suspect. I'd put Bradbury on a list of the Great American Authors.
Your denigration of Vonnegut (who is admittedly uneven - I'm not as much a fan of BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS as I am CAT'S CRADLE, or SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE) notwithstanding, exactly! Bradbury is practically (criminally!) ignored. I concur that he would not make Epstein's cut.
More important than who, is the how. Epstein's conception of a top-down English dept. that sets the canon has no room for the controversial or the under-appreciated. It's not so much a matter of "anything goes," but rather if it is to "go," let them make their case and we will judge rather than dismissing them on charges of "low" art or "Marxism."
I kinda loathe SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE and CAT'S CRADLE. Vonnegut isn't bad with words, and I appreciate his affection for absurdity, but his relentless, detached nihilism is disgusting.
Not to derail this thread entirely (and I do want to get people's feedback on the Sloukas piece, which I think is more vital than ever in these current economic woes), I see Vonnegut as the heir to Twain at his sharpest (see something like "The Mysterious Stranger"). What you see as a detached nihilism and a misanthropy, I see as a deeply wounded idealism. Like Twain, I get the impression that Vonnegut was infuriated because the world as he experienced it had failed to live up to its potential. Have you read MOTHER NIGHT, btw?
Have you read MOTHER NIGHT, btw?
I have not.
Hi friends. Great thread.
Sorry we took so long to respond. I think I fixed the original English Majors Evaporating? thread. Can y'all see it? The first post starts with Christian saying "Rod Dreher links to a long column I haven't read in full, and wonders what's to become of English majors. He excerpts the thoughts of William Chase:..."
If it seems ok I will merge the two threads.
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Kool Kat of the Week: We’re Off To See The Wizard Mark A. Harmon: There’s No Place Like the Fabulous Fox This Week!
Posted on: Jun 23rd, 2016 By: Anya99
Mark A. Harmon plays Professor Marvel, aka the Wizard of Oz in the new musical adaptation this week at the Fox Theatre.
By Geoff Slade
There is little in American pop culture as universally, cross-generationally and continuously beloved as the 1939 film adaptation of THE WIZARD OF OZ. Everyone knows the characters, the songs, and why wicked witches don’t shower. The national tour of stage musical THE WIZARD OF OZ, running June 21-26 at the Fabulous Fox Theatre, takes audiences arm-in-arm back down the Yellow Brick Road.
Oz had already appeared on the big screen by the time Judy Garland went over the rainbow, including silent versions in 1910 and 1925, and a 1933 cartoon, as well as several stage versions (including one by author L. Frank Baum himself in 1902). However, it’s the MGM classic that became the definitive version immediately upon its release 77 years ago this summer. It was nominated for Best Picture (but lost to GONE WITH THE WIND) and won Oscars for Best Original Score and Best Original Song.
The musical, which premiered in London in 2011, is based on the 1939 film, with all your favorite moments reimagined for the stage. That means Munchkins, flying monkeys, and dead witches! And what would Oz be without the vibrant Technicolor hues of the film—ruby slippers on yellow bricks to the Emerald City! Expect the same rainbow palate on stage. In addition to the classic songs, the production features new songs by musical theater legends Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
The Wizard of Oz himself, Mark A. Harmon, took a few minutes last week to chat with ATLRetro.
ATLRetro: I’d wager you’ve been an enormous fan of the 1939 MGM masterpiece your entire life, but I guess you don’t necessarily have to be. Why did you want to be in this production?
Mark A. Harmon: Of course! I’ve been a huge fan! I remember as a child one of the major television networks would run it once a year I believe around Thanksgiving. It was always a major event that you waited for all year. I have to admit that when I was asked to audition I was a little hesitant at first. I thought “How can you possibly do a live version that could even come close to the beauty of the movie?” Then I saw some clips from the first national tour and was completely blown away! We’re seven months into the tour and I’m still amazed at the production quality of this show.
Professor Marvel brings his magical wagon to Kansas in THE WIZARD OF OZ stage adaptation.
What new does this production bring to the story?
The main story remains faithful to the movie and all the original songs are performed. There are new songs added by the brilliant Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. One of them is “Wonders of the World” which is sung by yours truly as Professor Marvel. There have also been some changes to the dialogue. But rest assured, all your favorite lines are still there.
As an actor, is it difficult preparing for such a famous role?
It is a little daunting at first. There’s always the possibility of being compared to such a well known performance. But each actor brings a unique quality to their role. Even though the audience may have a familiar performance in their head, I believe they quickly start accepting you as that character.
In addition to the 1939 film, there have been countless adaptations, interpretations, sequels and prequels to Baum’s original book (1900). What is it about the story that has kept inspiring revisits to Oz for over a century?
I’m sure there are whole books devoted to answering that question. But for me personally, I think it’s one of the classic coming of age stories. What adolescent hasn’t felt misunderstood and wanted to run away?
Dorothy and her friends meet Oz the Great and Powerful in the Emerald City,
What’s it like on the road? Do you get to spend any time exploring the cities you visit?
It depends entirely on the schedule. This is my third tour and I’m not going to lie, some can be downright grueling. I’ve done tours where we’ve played five or six cities in one week traveling by bus. I think it’s important for people to know that when you go see a touring show, especially one that is only playing one or two nights, that the actors may very well have spent anywhere up to eight hours on a bus that day. This one, however, has been without a doubt the most enjoyable mainly because of the fact that we’ve been playing each city for no less than a week. It’s been such a treat to be able to have the time to do some real exploring!
Thanks again for chatting with ATLRetro. Break a leg! Anything else you want to mention?
You’re very welcome and thank you. I’d just like to say that I’m so excited to be returning to the beautiful Fox Theatre and invite everyone, young and old, to come see this spectacular production of THE WIZARD OF OZ!
The Wizard of Oz runs June 21-26 at The Fox Theatre. Show times and ticket information are available here. All photos are used with permission.
Category: Kool Kat of the Week | Tags: 1939, andrew lloyd webber, ATLRetro, Broadway, Fox Theatre, Geoff Slade, Gone with the Wind, judy garland, Kool Kat of the Week, L Frank Baum, mark a harmon, musical, tim rice, Wizard of Oz
Kool Kat of the Week: Tiffany Engen Just Wants to Have Fun in Shoe-Stopping Broadway Musical KINKY BOOTS
Posted on: Mar 29th, 2016 By: Anya99
Lauren (Tiffany Engen) dances with shoes on her hands in the Broadway tour of KINKY BOOTS. Photo courtesy of Austin Northenor.
Broadway hit KINKY BOOTS opens the Atlanta leg of its national tour on Tues. March 29 and runs through Sun. April 3 at the Fox Theatre. Multiple Tony Award-winner Harvey Fierstein (TORCH SONG TRILOGY) wrote the book, and Tony, Grammy, Emmy and my heart winner Cyndi Lauper (mostly this and this) wrote the music and lyrics. Check here for show times and ticket availability.
The musical chronicles a shoe factory in trouble and reborn thanks to a performer’s desire for sturdy stilettos. Inspired by true events and based upon the 2005 film of the same name, KINKY BOOTS premiered in Chicago in 2012 before its Broadway debut in 2013. It was a huge success and earned 13 Tony nominations, winning six, including Best Musical and Best Score for Lauper (the first woman ever to win that award by herself!). It began its US tour in 2014.
Kool Kat of the Week Tiffany Engen (Lauren) is one of many actors among the principal cast with impressive Broadway, Off-Broadway, film and television roles under their belts (including Jim J. Bullock). She previously performed in the Broadway and first national tour productions of LEGALLY BLONDE, the movie HAIRSPRAY (2007) and the TV shows RAISING HOPE and SMASH.
Tiffany took a few minutes before the opening of this week’s Atlanta run to chat with ATLRetro about the musical, her favorite roles and a little bit about life on the road.
Where are you from? How did you become an actor? What was your first production? How old were you?
I am originally from Minnesota. I have loved singing, dancing, acting since I was a kid. My parents took me to see shows whenever productions would be in town. In second grade I played a chicken in THE GOOSE AND THE GOLDEN EGG. I had one line. I’ve been hooked ever since!
KINKY BOOTS on tour. Photo courtesy of Austin Northenor.
Which of your past performances are you most proud of?
I feel very lucky to have worked on some incredible shows. LEGALLY BLONDE, HAIRSPRAY, ROCK OF AGES all have held a special place in my heart. I’m most proud of this role and this show. The role of Lauren is so fun to play. She is tough, bold, vulnerable, funny and sassy. This show is so special and has touched so many people. I’m so proud to be a part of a show that is changing people’s hearts and minds.
If you had to play one role for the rest of your career, what would it be?
This one!!!
Before taking on the role, were you familiar with the KINKY BOOTS movie? The Broadway production?
Yes, I was a fan of both the film and the Broadway production. I actually got to see a run-through of the Broadway production before they moved to the theater. And even in a rehearsal studio with no lights or costumes you could feel that this show was special.
What should we know about your character?
Lauren is a factory worker at Price and Son. She is not afraid to speak her mind to her new boss, Charlie. I love that she is the one who says the factory needs to find a niche market to cater their product to. She provides the lightbulb moment for Charlie.
How long will you guys be on the road? Where else are you performing?
I joined the company in November and we have played wonderful cities. The tour has dates booked well into 2017, so I’m so excited that it has been embraced by theaters across the country. After Atlanta we head to Kansas City then LA, Seattle, San Francisco—the list goes on.
What should Atlanta audiences expect?
A joyous, thought-provoking, entertaining night of theatre. This show won six Tony awards including Best Musical. We love it when people say that this is the best show or their favorite show they have ever seen!
How would you describe the music?
Cyndi Lauper has written and incredible musical score that is unlike anything you’ve heard before. She writes ballads that will break your heart and then turns around and writes a foot-stomping finale that radiates joy in every line.
Category: Kool Kat of the Week | Tags: Broadway, cyndi laudper, Fox Theatre, Geoff Slade, Hairspray, harvey fierstein, jim j bullock, kinky boots, Kool Kat of the Week, legally blonde, musical, raising hope, smash, tiffany engen, tony award, Tour
KOOL KAT OF THE WEEK: Tromaville in L5P: Nick Arapoglou Radiates as the First Superhero from New Jersey in Horizon Theatre’s THE TOXIC AVENGER
Posted on: Feb 17th, 2016 By: Anya99
Kool Kat of the Week Nick Arapaglou as Toxie in Horizon Theatre’s production of THE TOXIC AVENGER. Photo credit: Greg Mooney.
Horizon Theatre’s production of THE TOXIC AVENGER (Wed-Sun., through March 13) is a musical comedy based on the cult 1984 Troma film. If that means anything at all to you, it is likely the best news you’ve heard all day. The plot will be familiar to fans, and I don’t want to spoil anything for the rest of you. All you need to know about the show itself, depending on how seriously you want to take it, is to expect social commentary on pollution, corrupt politicians and a deft satire of the superhero genre. And a seven-foot tall mutant with superhuman strength and a heart of gold. The original stage production opened in New Jersey in 2008, followed by a successful Off-Broadway run in 2009.
Local actor Nick Arapoglou plays the lead. Nick, originally from Huntington, NY, went to high school in Atlanta and moved back here after college. He has been acting professionally for about a decade, notably as Princeton (for which he learned puppetry!) in all three local productions (at three different venues) of AVENUE Q, and he won 2011’s Suzi Bass Award for Lead Actor in a Musical. Other roles during the past few years include Asher Lev in MY NAME IS ASHER LEV (Theatrical Outfit), Romeo in ROMEO AND JULIET (Shakespeare Tavern) and Bobby Strong in URINETOWN (Fabrefaction Theatre). “Of course, I also enjoyed THE GIFTS OF THE MAGI at Theatrical Outfit, because my wife played opposite me in that show for three years straight!” Nick said.
In addition to a diverse stage career, the actor has done lots of on-camera work . Look for him later this year in the films TABLE 19 (with Anna Kendrick, Lisa Kudrow and Craig Robinson), THE ACCOUNTANT (Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick), THE BOSS (Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Bell), and CONFIRMATION (Kerry Washington).
Needless to say, those are some fantastic credits, but yeah, we admit we made Nick Kool Kat of the Week now because we think he’s in the role of a lifetime. And we’re absolutely troma-tized that he took time from his trashy schedule to talk Toxie with ATLRetro.
Not funny! Photo credit: Greg Mooney.
First of all, what’s it like to portray a pop culture icon? (and make no mistake…)
Ha! I think when you are playing a role where there are those kinds of expectations, you have to make sure there are moments when you give a tip of the hat to the fans. We certainly have those moments placed within the show. But putting on a big green suit and kicking ass with a mop is about as awesome as you think it is!
Were you a fan of the films?
I’m going to be honest—I still haven’t seen them. I know that might make some people gasp! But there’s a reason why I didn’t once I accepted the role. There are very few new shows and musicals that hit the stage in Atlanta. They’ve usually been done in New York first. So it’s always important to me to try to bring my own take on the role and do a recycled impression of an impression of someone else’s take. That’s a huge trap in musicals especially. People listen to the CD so much and that colors their performance. So, the point is, I didn’t want to see the film and then have my performance be shaped by someone else’s. I did watch the trailer though and laughed hysterically—so you can bet once we close this thing that’s the first thing in my queue.
Had you seen or were you aware of any of the previous productions before this one came along?
Yes, we were aware especially of the award-winning Off-Broadway performance in NYC. I listened to the score a few times to get a sense of the music, but then stopped before it got in my head too much!
How did you end up cast in the lead?
Well, this is the same creative team that was behind AVENUE Q. Our excellent director Heidi McKerley (who won the Suzi Award for Best Director for AVE Q) and I have now done 11 or 12 productions together. She was one of the first people to cast me years ago and we have developed quite the resume of kickass musicals at this point. Also the music director Renee Clark (Suzi Award for Best Music Direction for AVE Q) and I have also worked together for years and years. She is an unbelievable talent, and every show she works on is better because of her presence. So I’m sure the working relationships I have with both those two fierce ladies led to their trust in casting me as the lead in this show.
Don’t drop him! Photo credit: Greg Mooney.
You’re two weeks into a scheduled six-week run. How have audiences responded so far? Gotten any feedback from Troma fans yet?
I know I’m supposed to say this, but audiences love the show. No matter if the theater is sold out completely or we have maybe a smaller crowd on a Wednesday, they jump to their feet by the end of the show. I mean jump to their feet. It’s happened every night. We are really proud of what we are doing. The cast is a firestorm of musical theatre rock talent. Don’t believe me? Come watch, you’ll see!
We have definitely gotten some Troma fan feedback. It’s been awesome. They are always satisfied and super happy to take pictures at the end of the night with Big Green Freak.
How would you describe the show to (warn?) fans of musical theater that don’t recognize the title?
Nothing to warn about really. Because it’s a musical, obviously the gore factor has to be toned way down for audiences. But that doesn’t take away from the story and the fun at all, believe me. I think this show is rated PG-13, but a hilarious PG-13. It’s a train. It’s campy, and ridiculous, and hilarious. Everyone leaves smiling. If you don’t leave that way, you were trying not to like it, and in that case, I feel bad for you.
Toxie comes alive! Photo credit: Greg Mooney.
The movies feature absurd, disgusting, hilarious violence. Any chance you rip some punk’s arm off onstage?
Some punk’s arm? How about multiple punks’ arms.
The musical was written by New Jersey natives Joe DiPietro and David Bryan. Their last collaboration, MEMPHIS, won the 2010 Tony Award for Best Musical. Bryan wrote the music (and co-wrote the lyrics with DiPietro) during downtime from his day job, keyboardist for another ’80s Jersey juggernaut, Bon Jovi. So is it safe to say the score rocks?
The music is just fun. We have a kicking band. You’ll hear some sick guitar distortion solos and bass, hot keyboard play and insane drum solos.
And this cast can sing. Make no mistake—it rocks.
THE TOXIC AVENGER runs through March 13 at the Horizon Theatre. Showtimes are Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 3pm and 8:30pm, and Sunday at 5pm. Tickets start at $25. www.horizontheatre.com or 404-548-7450 for tickets and info.
The play contains adult language and content, and even though they’d love it, is not recommended for children.
All photos provided by Horizon Theatre and used with permission.
Category: Kool Kat of the Week | Tags: Atlanta, avenue q, Bon Jovi, confirmation, david bryan, Fabrefaction Theatre, heidi mckerley, Horizon Theatre, horror, joe dipietro, Kool Kat of the Week, Memphis, movie, musical, mutant, my name is asher lev, New Jersey, New York, nick arapoglou, off-Broadway, renee clark, Romeo and Juliet, sci-fi, shakespeare tavern, suzi bass award, table 19, the accountant, the boss, the gifts of the magi, theatrical outfit, toxic avenger, Troma, urinetown
More Than Still Standing: Melba Moore Talks About Growing Up in Jazz, the Summer of Love, and Living the Dream Again in GOOD GOD A’MIGHTY
Melba Moore, 1985. Photo credit: James Mitchell.
Legendary R&B vocalist Melba Moore stars as the bombastic director of a Southern church choir in Lolita Snipes‘ gospel musical GOOD GOD A’MIGHTY, playing Feb. 14-24 at 14th Street Playhouse. A hilarious behind-the-scenes look inside a southern African-American church faced with a vibrant new pastor from New York, the play marks a bit of irony in that Melba is a born-and-bred New Yorker herself.
Because Melba is best known for a string of ’70s and ’80s Billboard hits starting with “I Got Love,” it’s easy to forget that her first big break came on Broadway when she replaced Diane Keaton in HAIR. She went on to win a Tony Award for playing Lultiebelle in PURLIE and appeared with Eartha Kitt in TIMBUKTU. Then her recording career took off, she started touring, and would not return to the theater until after a painful break-up with her husband. She used her remarkable life story as the backdrop for a one-woman play, I’M STILL STANDING, and soon was back on Broadway as Fantine in LES MISERABLES. Since then she has continued her comeback, including appearing with Beyonce and Cuba Gooding Jr. in the movie THE FIGHTING TEMPTATIONS (2003) and recording a new CD entitled FOREVER MOORE on her own label, A’Moore Music.
ATLRetro recently had the pleasure of interviewing Melba, and we couldn’t resist not just asking about her role but also her own Retro experiences growing up in a musical family in New York in one of the most exciting jazz music eras, the summer of love, working with Eartha Kitt, and much more. The conversation turned into a who’s who history lesson of some of the top names in recording which we couldn’t be happier to share.
How did you first get involved with GOOD GOD A’MIGHTY?
Lolita Snipes, the producer and writer of GOOD GOD A’MIGHTY, and her partner and husband, Jerome [Snipes], got in touch with my manager and myself. We met in New York, and she said she had been watching me for quite a long time and knew I would be prefect for the role. I was a little surprised because though I do have a Tony Award for a comedy performance, I haven’t done a lot of comedy. She said the main reason she wanted me for the role was the music. She wanted the Melba Moore sound. She also wanted to make sure born-again Christians were involved in the play, and she wanted me because I had a reputation of being amenable, in harmony with the person in charge. She wanted to make sure that it was a real Christian play with the real Christian spirit, which is love.
You aren’t from the south but you certainly have a lot of experience with New York City having grown up there. Is there anything particular which resonates to you about this story personally?
It’s great in terms of a family culture because pretty much all of us originated from the south because we came here as slaves. We were farmers and eventually moved to the north, and we still have cultural clashes between north and south. Northerners are often considered educated and uppity by Southerners. These cultural clashes are nice food for comedy.
My mother was a professional singer and away all the time so I was raised in New York by a nanny who never learned to read or write, but came from a family of tobacco growers and sharecroppers. She was trying to get off the farm and get a job that was not so hard even if it was as a domestic or nanny. The thing that set many African-American families free was our music and the music industry, so my family was typical of that combination.
Tell us about your part and did you do anything in particular to prepare for it.
THE FIGHTING TEMPTATIONS. Look at the role that LaTanya Richardson – she’s the wife of Samuel L Jackson – played in that. She was feisty, bossy; she runs everybody. She doesn’t care who you are, she’s the boss. She will bring you down to size all the time. She’s a very selfish, mean-spirited ogre. That’s my part.
But it’s not dark or brutal. This is a Christian musical, so we don’t want to tell the bad news. She is not mean or evil. That’s one of the things that sets apart gospel plays or musicals. You’re not telling a negative story nor sympathizing with the bad guy.
This musical just sounds like a lot of fun. Is there a favorite part that you’d like to share?
It’s going to be so much fun. First of all, gospel comedies are the funniest type of comedy, and maybe one of the reasons they are is they don’t pander to the lowest elements of people. They don’t resort to cursing or really poking fun at people. They don’t have to be deep, but really have to be funny. They have to be joyful, really lift your spirits. That’s the point of it.
You grew up in a musical family. Your mother was a singer, your father a saxophonist and your stepfather a jazz pianist. Can you talk a little bit about growing up with jazz in the golden age of the 1940s and 1950s, maybe share a favorite memory?
My stepfather [Clement Moorman] is 97 years old. He still plays the piano and keeps his art. He plays better than ever before. My mother, though, has passed away. I grew up in an environment with a passionate love for music, and in an age when African-American artists had to be 10 times better because of racism. I grew up meeting Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald. I thought I was going to be a piano player. I thought I’d be the next Horace Silver. I knew I was not going to be the next Oscar Peterson. My brother and I learned how to play these piano solos because we were so passionately enmeshed in this music. We were equally impassioned by classical music so also Leontyne Price or Marian Anderson. As I look back, it’s not just nostalgia, it just was truly a golden age. I majored in music in high school. I didn’t know if I had enough talent but I knew it was going to be my life’s work. I didn’t know if I would be a musician or singer, but I grew up listening also to Miles Davis and Nancy Wilson. I was totally enmeshed and absorbed in their recording.
Who was your favorite jazz performer in those early days and why? Outside of your family, of course.
They kept changing. Bill Evans and Horace Silver were two of our favorites. We’d sing all the solos. The Adderley Brothers, Nat Adderley, and the sax player Art Farmer. I can’t remember them all. There was just a plethora. I also loved Melba Liston because she had my name. And Ella Fitzgerald. I can sing her solos now, but I couldn’t then.
What was it like spending the summer of love in New York City and ending up cast in HAIR?
It was very unexpected. I was teaching music from kindergarten thru age 12 of high school in northern New Jersey, and I quit because I felt like if I stayed in teaching, I never was going to find out if I had enough talent to be a singing artist. My father took me to New York, where I met Valerie Simpson, who got me involved in overdub singing, At one of the recording sessions, Galt MacDermott, who wrote the music for HAIR, asked us all if we could come and sing for the director, choreographer and producer because they were still looking for strong voices. I was the only one who said yes. It was like I can’t even describe it – moving to another planet.
What was it like working with Eartha Kitt in TIMBUKTU?
She definitely was an icon and an artiste and her own self-person. She was intimidating in a sense. She was so strong and so confident and so good, and my personality was totally opposite. I was just starting to get some confidence now, but I have a gentle body language. We’re both petite women but total opposites. She was a cat and I was a kitty.
You started acting in musical theater in your twenties in HAIR and then winning the Tony for PURLIE, but then concentrated on your music career. How did you end up coming back to Broadway in 1995 to play Fantine in LES MISERABLES?
After TIMBUKTU, I went on tour and had my first hit record. I did 10 to 15 years of recording and touring. Then my marriage to my husband, who had been responsible for my success, disintegrated. During that time, I was trying to stay alive, much less stay in the industry. I did a one-woman play [SWEET SONGS OF THE SOUL, later renamed I’M STILL STANDING], and I began to climb back up the mountain. Richard Jay-Alexander, the casting director for LES MISERABLES on Broadway, saw me in Florida in my own play. He said he came in to see the play., but what he saw different sides of Melba Moore that he had never known. He had only seen me in PURLIE. He didn’t know I had a classical voice, or the other aspects of personality. It was thanks to I’M STILL STANDING that Lolita and Jerome found me, too. It was a wonderful audition piece for me.
You were the first African-American to play Fantine, the role that Anne Hathaway is favored for an Oscar this year. Can you talk a little about that experience?
I was just trying to survive, and then someone takes me and puts me into that role. When I got into it and realized what it was about, I thought, God put me here. How do you go from nothing to a lead role in LES MIZ? It showed me this is my destiny, where my good luck will happen. It was so much more than just playing a role and was a natural one to me.
It seems like certain songs play special roles at different times in one’s life. You have a long repertoire. Is there one song from it that means more now than it ever before, and if yes, why?
There are two songs. One is “I Got Love” from PURLIE, and the other is “Lean on Me,” written by Van McCoy. The longer I sing it, the more that I see that the song is my life. It’s always relevant, and the longer I sing it, because it is about your life going the right way, the more powerful it is again. It doesn’t depend on any age, any gender gap. It’s about people coming together, and the place that unites us is that magic of music which unites us. Some things pass away. With GOOD GOD A’MIGHTY, this play, I am beginning again at a fresh point. All those things that are retro and nostalgic have a fresh life again. That’s what music can be. In pop culture, we try to make things old and passing away, but that’s not what art is. Art lives.
Purchase tickets for GOOD GOD A’MIGHTY here or at the Woodruff Arts Center Box Office.
Category: Features | Tags: 14th street playhouse, A'Moore Music, adderley brothers, art farmer, Ashford & Simpson, Atlanta, Beyonce, bill evans, Billboard, clement moorman, Cuba Gooding Jr, Diane Keaton, Eartha Kitt, Ella Fitzgerald, Fighting Temptations, Forever Moore, Galt McDermott, Good God A'Mighty, gospel, Hair, horace silver, I got love, I'm Still Standing, Jerome Snipes, latanya richardson, Lean on Me, leontyne price, Les Miserables, Les Miz, Lolita Snipes, marian anderson, melba liston, Melba Moore, Miles Davis, musical, Nancy Wilson, nat adderley, New York, oscar peterson, Purlie, Richard Jay-Alexander, samuel l jackson, sarah vaughan, Timbuktu, tony award, Valerie Simpson, Van McCoy, Woodruff Arts Center
Retro Review: Succumbing to REEFER MADNESS; Be Sure to Inhale the 1936 Cult Propaganda Classic at The Plaza
REEFER MADNESS (1936); Dir: Louis Gasnier; Starring Dorothy Short, Kenneth Craig; Starts Friday, February 15.; The Plaza Theatre; Trailer here.
By Andrew Kemp
REEFER MADNESS is invading your town. Your children could be next….or yours…. or YOURS.
REEFER MADNESS is one of those films that cast a huge shadow for reasons that have nothing to do with quality: the plot of the movie is pretty standard for a 1930s hand-wringer, the cast is clumsy, and the production values are Ed Wood-cheap. Still, the film’s campy charm and incredibly sincere doofiness has helped elevate it to true cult status. REEFER MADNESS was cult before cult was cool.
The plot is suitably scandalous. Bill (Kenneth Craig) and Mary (Dorothy Short) are teenagers in love. They play tennis together, take walks together, and even discuss Shakespeare while sipping hot chocolate on Mary’s idyllic patio. But when a sinister drug dealer lures Bill into the corrupt wonderland of an apartment run by Mae (Thelma White), just one puff of “marihuana” is enough to send Bill down into a spiral of sex and murder that dooms the sweet, chaste Mary as well. The film’s cautionary tale is spun by a stern high school principal demanding parents warn their children about the dangers of smoking reefer—a drug more dangerous than opium, heroin or any other narcotic known to mankind!
This is all fairly standard propaganda, but REEFER MADNESS stands apart by virtue of its total, dedicated dunderheadedness. What the hell are these kids smoking? To hear the film tell it, smoking marijuana causes fits of maniacal laughter followed by hallucinations, temporary insanity, rabid sexual urges and even permanent psychosis. But, despite apparently being laced with Joker gas, marijuana was then and remains today a cornerstone of the counterculture. People know the plant, we know what it does, and it definitely looks like a different weed in REEFER MADNESS. Few things cheer up the underground as when the mainstream gets it so terrifically wrong.
The origins of REEFER MADNESS are hazy. A church group supposedly funded the film to promote marijuana awareness, but there seems to be no real record of which church paid the money or how they acquired a budget hefty enough to hire a bunch of Hollywood B-movie players. A rumor claims the film was really bankrolled by the federal government as part of Harry Anslinger and William Randolph Hearst’s anti-marijuana campaign, but there’s more speculation than evidence to support this. The film seems to have appeared in a puff of truly excellent smoke, cashed in by filling a few programming slots under titles like TELL YOUR CHILDREN and THE BURNING QUESTION, and then faded into obscurity.
Enter Bob Shaye, a young entrepreneur in late-1960s New York City. After getting a good laugh at a screening of REEFER MADNESS, he realized that one could get mighty rich screening a hilarious anti-weed polemic on college campuses. And get rich he did. Shaye’s newly-founded production company, New Line Cinema, made millions screening the public domain film, and the cult of REEFER MADNESS has been growing ever since. Today, a fan can find REEFER MADNESS posters, merchandise and colorized versions of the film. In 1998, Dan Studney and Kevin Murphy (of MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATRE 3000 fame) created the musical version, REEFER MADNESS!, which later received its own film adaptation.
Since the original REEFER MADNESS is in the public domain, there are oodles of ways to see it. You could see it alone right now on your couch if you chose to, but why would you do that? REEFER MADNESS is a group project. Like THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975), THE ROOM (2003) or the up-and-comer MIAMI CONNECTION (1987, and also back at the Plaza this week), most of the joy of REEFER MADNESS comes from hearing a crowd full of people in the know laugh their heads off at whatever unbelievable scene they just saw. You should definitely see REEFER MADNESS with a crowd at the Plaza, but if you do, please remember that marijuana is a scandalous, dangerous drug and unfit for public consumption. What you do in Mae’s apartment, or your own, is completely up to you.
Andrew Kemp is a screenwriter and game writer who started talking about movies in 1984 and got stuck that way. He writes at www.thehollywoodprojects.com and hosts a bimonthly screening series of classic films at theaters around Atlanta.
Category: Retro Review | Tags: Andrew Kemp, Bob Shaye, Dan Studney, Dorothy Short, Harry Anslinger, Kenneth Craig, Kevin Murphy, Louis Garsnier, marijuana, miami connection, musical, Mystery Science Theatre 3000, New Line Cinema, Plaza Theatre, Reefer Madness, Tell Your Children, The Burning Question, Thelma White, William Randolph Hearst
Oh What a Night! Carlos Valdes Works His Way Back to Atlanta in Broadway’s JERSEY BOYS
Posted on: May 30th, 2012 By: Anya99
Wes Hart, Brad Weinstock, Brent DiRoma and the Company of JERSEY BOYS Photo: Joan Marcus
By Jordan Barbeau
For any up-and-coming stage actor, making it to the Big Apple to perform on Broadway is the ultimate fantasy that drives everything you do. For Carlos Valdes, this fantasy became a reality. An University of Michigan graduate with a passion for arts, he has devoted his life to theater, tirelessly pursuing his dream with a passion that eventually led him where every stage actor dreams of going – New York City.
Playing at The Fox Theatre through June 10, Carlos’s most recent production, the Broadway Across America tour production of JERSEY BOYS, takes audiences back in time almost half a century, chronicling the rise and fall of the famous pop rock quartet, The Four Seasons. In JERSEY BOYS¸ Carlos is a swing actor; instead of having a set role, he is tasked with knowing several of the songs throughout the entire play, and must take the stage to perform these tracks in the event that one of the other actors cannot.
As any actor will tell you, it is impossible to go into every role with the exact same mindset. Every role is drastically different, and if you don’t place yourself in your character’s shoes, the performance will not feel as authentic. Carlos is no stranger to this. He admitted that performing a role from so long ago was difficult, simply because he had never experienced this time period in his own life.
This challenge did not impede his success, however; to prepare for such a role, Carlos says he immersed himself in the music and events of the 1960s. He studied the voice and personality of Frankie Valli, the lead singer of the Four Seasons and one of the show’s main characters. Carlos pointed out that there is a certain timelessness to the music, and that while he did not grow up in the ‘60s, the music is so easy for anyone to connect to that the transition felt smooth and natural.
Carlos Valdes. Photo courtesy of Brave Public Relations.
When asked why he pursued JERSEY BOYS, Carlos had nothing but praise and adoration for the show. He says that JERSEY BOYS is an incredibly well-constructed show, weaving great songs into a gruff, authentic Jersey story. He states that music has such a powerful ability to conjure memories in the listener, and as such, the audience does not simply watch a play; they experience and relive an entire era, a saga from start to finish.
It is not a secret that no work, no matter how good and no matter what medium, can appeal to every single audience. When asked about how a show that takes place almost 50 years in the past would appeal to younger, more modern audiences, Carlos was confident that audiences would have no problem connecting with the play. “I think the difference in the times is actually one of the main appeals of the show,” he says. Despite the fact that many audience members may not have experienced these times, or even heard of the Four Seasons, Carlos believes that the theme of constant change that the show embraces can relate to anyone, assuring a strong connection with the audience.
As a native of Cobb County, Carlos is returning to his hometown for the first time in his professional career. During JERSEY BOYS’ May 22-June 10 run at the Fabulous Fox Theatre, Carlos says he is sure to return to his old stomping grounds, such as Marietta Square or Kennesaw Mountain.
Tickets to JERSEY BOYS are available at the Fox Theatre Box Office or online here.
Category: Features | Tags: Broadway, Broadway Across America, Carlos Valdes, Four Seasons, Fox Theatre, Frankie Valli, Jersey Boys, Kennesaw Mountain, Marietta Square, musical
Julie Johnson Takes a Broadway Train Back to MEMPHIS at the Fox Theatre
Posted on: Jan 31st, 2012 By: Anya99
Bryan Fenkart as Huey Calhoun and the Broadway Cast. Photo credit: Randy Morrison
The Tony Awards are the theater equivalent to the Oscars – the most prestigious awards any production or stage actor/actress can earn. As huge of a feat as this is, MEMPHIS, a Broadway hit show about a boy with rock ‘n’ roll in his heart, easily did just that. With its emotionally gripping story and fun numbers, MEMPHIS had no trouble winning the award for Best Musical in 2010. Overwhelming praise from fans and critics alike, along with its earning of this prestigious award, prompted a national tour of the show, and lucky for Atlantans, it’s here at the Fox Theatre for a week run from Tues. Jan. 31 through Sun. Feb. 5.
Julie Johnson, a singer and actress from Texas, holds the distinct honor of getting to portray one of the more interesting characters in the play – the mother of the main character, Huey. Scared and staunchly against her son’s plans, “Mama” does everything in her power to keep her son away from “black music,” refusing to accept his love of the art. It can’t be a coincidence that she has the same name, Gladys, as the mother of Elvis Presley, Memphis’s most famous rock n roll son.
Julie Johnson.
Julie, unlike her character, fully appreciates and embraces the art of singing and performing. According to the actress, it’s been her destiny since she was a child to perform in front of people. “It’s almost like my DNA was in the shape of a microphone,” she laughs. One glance at the list of Julie’s past productions assures that no one is going to argue that fact. Besides being an accomplished solo artist, Julie has performed in plenty of Broadway productions ranging from SWEENEY TODD to CABARET.
Even to an experienced actress such as herself, one would think that performing in such a widely loved production in front of thousands of people a year would be intimidating. To Julie, this is apparently not the case. She says the fact that the audience already knows and loves the play makes it easier. “It’s like being an ambassador,” she says of bringing the once Broadway-exclusive show to those around the country. “You feel like Bruce Springsteen.”
It goes without saying that one cannot perform in a musical about 1950s rock ‘n’ roll without having some prior knowledge of the genre. It would be like a child trying to run before he learned how to crawl. Julie is no exception. W hen asked about the time period, Julie says that her favorite artist from the ‘50s is one of the most famous blues artists of all time, Mr. B. B. King himself.
Felicia Boswell (Felicia) and the Touring Cast of MEMPHIS. Photo credit: Paul Kolnik.
Huey’s mom may be a very close-minded character, but Julie does not fault her for that. In fact, she understands her fears, having grown up surrounded by similar feelings and thoughts. In the end, despite all of the initial hesitation to accept the change, Julie says that the music is what makes everyone and everything whole, allowing folks to do what seemed impossible – unifying a split time.
Fortunately for the people of Atlanta, Julie says that audiences here will connect with MEMPHIS even more than most, due to the city’s deep roots in black music. She adds that she has not had the opportunity to spend much time here in the great ATL, but when MEMPHIS comes to the Fox this week, Julie hopes to explore the city and see what she’s been missing!
Category: Features | Tags: 1950s, BB King, Broadway, Fox Theatre, Jordan Barbeau, Julie Johnson, Memphis, musical, rock n roll
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Digital Love - Daft Punk
electronic dance House electronica Daft Punk
"Digital Love" is a song by the French electronic music duo Daft Punk. It was released as the third single from the album Discovery. As part of the album, the song is featured in the film Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem. As documented in the Discovery liner notes, the song features a sample of "I Love You More" by George Duke. The sample was worked into an electronic pop song about unspoken love with lyrics by DJ Sneak and vocals performed by Daft Punk. The track is known for the guitar solo featured prominently on its second half. Thomas Bangalter revealed that the solo was created using a mixture of elements, aided by music sequencers. "No one plays solos in their songs anymore, but we wanted to include some on the album." Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo also noted the duo's use of in-studio equipment to evoke the sound of a previous artist: “ On 'Digital Love,' you get this Supertramp vibe on the bridge. We didn't sample Supertramp, but we had the original Wurlitzer piano they used, so we thought it would be more fun to have the original instrument and mess around with it. We use mainly vintage synthesizers, like older electric pianos like the Rhodes, Wurlitzer, Clavinet. We didn't use the Clavinet on Discovery, but I usually use it in my studio.” The band Hellogoodbye often uses the first two verses of "Digital Love" in place of the second verse of the song "Here (In Your Arms)" when performing live. A live version of the song, performed by Danish group Alphabeat is available as part of an iTunes Live EP.
Daft Punk is a multi Grammy Award-winning electronic music duo formed in 1994 in Paris, France, and consisting of French musicians Thomas Bangalter (born 3 January 1975) and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo (born 8 February 1974). The band is considered one of the most successful electronic music collaborations of all time, both in album sales and in critical acclaim. Daft Punk reached significant popularity in the late 90s house movement in France, along with other artists such as Air, Cassius, and Dimitri From Paris. Show more ...
Last night I had a dream about you
In this dream I'm dancing right beside you
And it looked like everyone was having fun
The kind of feeling I've waited so long
Don't stop come a little closer
As we jam the rythm gets stronger
There's nothing wrong with just having a little fun
We were dancing all night long
The time is right to put my arms around you
You're feeling right
You wrap your arms around too
But suddenly I feel the shining sun
Before I knew it this dream was all gone
Ooh I don't know what to do
About this dream and you
I wish this dream comes true
Ooh, I don't know what to do
We'll make this dream come true
Why don't you play the game?
Edit lyrics
1) Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
2) One More Time
3) Around the World
4) Digital Love
5) Aerodynamic
6) Something About Us
7) Get Lucky (feat. Pharrell Williams)
8) Technologic
9) Instant Crush (feat. Julian Casablancas)
10) Lose Yourself to Dance (feat. Pharrell Williams)
11) Da Funk
12) Get Lucky (Radio Edit) [feat. Pharrell Williams]
13) Crescendolls
14) Nightvision
15) Face to Face
16) Robot Rock
17) Voyager
18) Give Life Back to Music
19) Veridis Quo
20) Superheroes
21) High Life
22) Doin' It Right (feat. Panda Bear)
23) The Game of Love
24) Giorgio by Moroder
25) Short Circuit
1) Daft Punk - Aerodynamic
2) Daft Punk - Crescendolls
3) Justice - D.A.N.C.E.
4) Justice - Genesis
5) Gorillaz - DARE
6) Stardust - Music Sounds Better With You
7) MGMT - Kids
8) Calvin Harris - Feel So Close
9) Modjo - Lady (Hear Me Tonight)
10) The Chemical Brothers - Hey Boy Hey Girl
11) Basement Jaxx - Where's Your Head At
12) Fatboy Slim - Praise You
13) Avicii - Wake Me Up
14) Basement Jaxx - Red Alert
15) Fatboy Slim - Right Here, Right Now
16) Avicii - Hey Brother
17) Röyksopp - The Girl and the Robot
18) Calvin Harris - Sweet Nothing (feat. Florence Welch)
19) The Chemical Brothers - Galvanize
20) Moby - Lift Me Up
21) Eric Prydz - Call On Me
22) The Prodigy - Smack My Bitch Up
23) Cut Copy - Hearts On Fire
24) Hot Chip - Ready for the Floor
25) Cut Copy - Nobody Lost, Nobody Found
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Chorale Variations and Fugue on "Men varföre gråta" - (2007)
Russell Nathaniel Chall
My parents were the first born of Swedish immigrants to the United States. In the home, one heard Swedish as well as English, and this lingered as a living "second" language among that generation. My parents were musicians; my father a choral conductor and my mother a pianist and an organist as well as voice teacher. They were involved in the southern California area in church and temple music, as well as the local chapter of the American Guild of Organists, until my father's death and my mother's necessary change to a career teaching Spanish and French.
My maternal grandmother's brother whom I never met, for he lived most of his life in upstate New York, was also an organist. By happenstance, my distant cousins, granddaughters of my great uncle, wrote me, and we began to discuss something of this side of the family history previously unknown to me.
This great uncle to me was Russell Nathaniel Chall, born in 1907 in Ridgway, Pennsylvania; he passed away in 2003 in Jamestown, NY. The family name was changed, as my grandmother, Anna, was the first immigrant to come, adopting the Americanized Chall to replace the family name, Käll. This original name reflects a the name of the parish where our forefathers were born. They lived on a farm in the parish called Bränningen. Käll is actually a military name used for the first time by Sven Johansson Käll, grandfather to Russel Chall. Soldiers were given a new last name, often based on where they lived. It is from Källero, Sweden, that this family emigrated to America.
The story is told that at age 14 Russell Chall was the pianist at the Bradford, Pennsylvania Covenant church, and we believe he taught himself organ, as had my own mother, his niece. He served as organist at Zion Covenant Church in Jamestown, New York, from 1948 to 1979. It is said he was asked to substitute one Sunday in 1948, and then remained there until retiring at 1979. He was involved in the lumber business, was an accomplished wood worker as well, and helped form the Jamestown Civic Orchestra. The story goes that while in Chautauqua, New York, he recognized Mischa Mischakoff, the concertmaster under Toscanini from the NBC Symphony. He introduced himself, and asked if Mischakoff would play in an orchestra if he started one. The answer was yes, and as a result, Toscanni's concertmaster was often guest in the Chall household during their concerts together, for which Russell Chall also played cello as well as sometimes accompanying Mischakoff at the piano.
Russell Chall
In hearing from Karin Anderson and Kris Bingham through this web site's postings, I was sent some hymns from a favorite hymnal used by many Swedish congregations in the early through middle of last century. I chose the melody from among several in the Covenant Book Concern publication. The composer of the melody itself is deemed "anonymous," though the original Swedish text was written by Nils Frykman in 1879. An English translation of the title poses the question, "Why Should I Be Anxious?" and the text's scansion is noted as an unusual 11.8.11.8. perhaps in keeping with the lilt of the language itself, which gives rationale to the melodic periodicity.
Frykman, the Käll and Svenson families and my paternal grandparents, the Backlunds and Nyströms, found their way to America seeking not only opportunity but freedom from the domination of what was once known as the "Swedish State Church." [ 1 ]
The melody is noted as "with movement, joyfully." Therefore I set this 6/8 theme in such a manner as to emphasize the light-hearted nature of the textual base as well as the lilt of the melody. After an initial statement, the variations are all underpinned by running scales and arpeggios in the left hand, as the melody is stated in the right hand and pedal. The theme itself begins with the last eighth note upbeat to measure 2, and carries through until measure 9. The various suggestions for registration point out the dialogue between the outer voices, while a softer flute stop accompanies with fluid scales.
The fugue subject adapts the melody with greater ornamentation, though the harmonic content remains the same, until continuing statements in the dominant sweetly evolve. The little countersubject ends humorously with a rising third (or sixth) recalling the lilt of Swedish as I heard it in the home.
A little episode of scales and arpeggios is underpinned by an unadorned simplification of the fugue subject in the pedal, before a return to the statement in the dominant.
Click for an MP3 file of this complete work [ 3.9 MB ], 4' 10" duration.
Chorale Variations and Fugue on "Men varföre gråta"
[ 1 ] In 1527 Sweden became a Lutheran country, and the church became a State church. The State church excluded all other denomination, and all had to accept to be registered by the State church in order to assure the required tithes be paid for clerical services.
As a result of the Church Law of 1686, records were kept in a rather strict fashion for all residents, and an Exit Permit, and that was also the custom, had to be arranged when someone emigrated. Swedish law - konventikelplakatet - from 1726 stood against what was called pietism and private sermons. This law was lifted only in 1858, enabling the so-called "free churches" to operate in parallel with the official Church of Sweden. In comparison to this strict historical stance over centuries, in the 1920s Archbishop Nathan Söderblom took a leading role in world ecumenism.
Full freedom of religion was legally introduced in Sweden only in 1952. The notion of freedom of religion -- among the traditional normative values in the United States -- is somewhat new in many European nations, and still evolving in its understandings and legal underpinnings.
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Mt Hood Classic
Photo ©: Swift
First Edition Cycling News for October 27, 2005
Edited by Anthony Tan, John Stevenson & Les Clarke
UCI & WADA resume sparring match
In a literal tit for tat, the UCI and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) have once again brought their opinions into the public eye. British news outlet The Guardian allowed the UCI's chief doctor and health manager, Dr. Mario Zorzoli, and WADA chairman Dick Pound to voice their opinion on the topic: 'Does cycling take its drug problem seriously enough?'
Dr. Zorzoli cited the 5,000-plus drug tests that take place each year at UCI-level races, saying prevention against doping in cycling began in 1997 with spot checks on blood samples, before more advanced methods including the ability to measure haematocrit, recombinant erythropoietin (EPO), haemoglobin count and reticulocytes (young red blood cells) provided the means to detect blood doping.
The WADA chairman was far less praiseworthy of efforts of the sport's governing body. Pound said the recent survey conducted in France, Germany, Italy and Spain, where four out of five people named cycling as the sport with the largest drug problem, is "a stunning indictment of failure on the part of officials, organisers and riders".
"What has been the traditional response of cycling when reports of rampant drug use surface?" asked Pound. "If from riders, the riders are immediately denounced, marginalised, written off as cranks or sued. If from the media, they are dismissed as untrue, exaggerated, not representative or taken out of context."
However, Dr. Zorzoli admits "there is a problem" and because of this, cycling's governing body devotes two separate departments to the area of anti-doping and health services, as well as a full-time lawyer. The UCI doctor also claimed that the urine-based test for EPO was introduced two years before WADA recognised the test as being valid and cycling at the highest level "is a lot cleaner than our critics believe".
Pound isn't so sure. "There is no doubt that some riders in the event are doped," he wrote in reference to the Tour de France. "It is planned and deliberate cheating, with complex methods, sophisticated substances and techniques, and the active complicity of doctors, scientists, team officials and riders. There is nothing accidental about it."
Believing that current testing is ineffective, Pound said cycling should outsource doping control programs to an independent agency to "act effectively and impose meaningful sanctions when positive cases arise."
Johnson finding his feet once again
By Anthony Tan
In 2006, Tim Johnson will move from his Jittery Joe's-Kalahari road team to Health Net
Photo ©: Russ and Nancy Wright
The saying 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' appears to hold true for Tim Johnson, who, after two years away from the cyclo-cross scene, has begun riding as if he never left. After a solid end to the road season with Jittery Joe's-Kalahari, which has seen him land a two-year contract with Health Net/Maxxis commencing in 2006, consistently finishing at the top of the leaderboard in the early season 'cross races certainly wasn't expected - but that's exactly what he's been doing.
"I guess the only specific 'cross training I did was to get out on the 'cross bike as much as possible in the woods, or doing 'cross practice with all the 'cross guys in town," said Johnson to Cyclingnews, driving home from last weekend's double-header that forms part of the Verge Mid-Atlantic Cyclocross series, where he finished in second place in Saturday's Wooden Wheels Cyclocross and fourth on Sunday at the Wissahickon Cross in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
"But this whole fall's been kinda wacky; getting ready for San Francisco [Grand Prix], finalising my contract next year with Health Net, trying to figure out our bikes, clothing and our sponsorship for [wife] Lyne [Bessette] and I with Cyclocrossworld-Louis Garneau. So it wasn't so much a specific plan, but I wanted to take my break and be able to get on my 'cross bike without going into the next road season cooked - but it kind of worked out in an odd, wacky way."
Odd and wacky is one way to describe the past few years for this 28 year-old from Middleton, Massachusetts. This time two years ago, Johnson had taken his biggest ever career win, triumphing at the 2003 Herald Sun Tour held in Victoria, Australia. Two months later, he signed a contract with Saunier Duval-Prodir, embarking on a troubled journey across the Atlantic that saw him back in the States after less than satisfying season and question his being in the sport.
The move to Jittery Joe's, an American Continental team comprised of just 11 riders, seemed awfully strange for a rider that less than 12 months ago appeared to have the world at his feet. However says Johnson, a mild-mannered, well-spoken and intelligent individual, it has turned out to be a blessing in disguise, allowing himself the time to rediscover his passion for cycling.
"It's hard for me to describe the situation I was in and the reasons behind the decision that I did [make]. It was actually a lot harder than most people think," said Johnson about his decision to leave his current road team at the end of the season. "The team was really cool to me and Micah [Rice] really took care of me. But here came this really good opportunity for two years with the best team in the States... it's really hard to pass that up.
"The Health Net thing is awesome. They called me and they wanted a guy like me who's been around the block and has some experience and is not afraid to show it. You know, a lot of the enjoyment I had at Saturn in 2003 was working for the other guys; it was as hard as hell, but working for [Chris] Horner and Nathan [O'Neill] and [Tom] Danielson was huge, because it showed me what I could do and helped me grow as a rider."
Johnson describes the US market 'post-Lance' as "a really good time to be a bike racer in America", with good salaries on offer and new stage races such as the Tour of California scheduled for February next year. And in the vein of another successful US cycling team, Navigators Insurance, Health Net are also planning a short trip to Europe in 2006, along with the possibility of doing races such as the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under, Malaysia's Tour de Langkawi, and the Herald Sun Tour.
"So even though we lost a few guys, it's still in the game plan to grow and expand into Europe. But they're going to do it the right way; it will just be a few weeks and it's not going to be a four-month slog where the riders we wishing they were at home," Johnson said, perhaps alluding to his time spent in Europe with Saunier Duval. "A fresh, US guy in good form is really, really strong in Europe. I mean, we signed Kirk O'Bee and he's had a lot of good results when he's been to Europe."
Look out for the full interview with Tim Johnson next week on Cyclingnews.
Bomans new Belgian national coach
Carlo Bomans has been appointed Belgian national road coach. 42 year-old Bomans is the successor to Jose de Cauwer after de Cauwer's resignation following Belgium's successful world championships campaign in Madrid. He is a former racer who held the post of Belgian national junior coach for seven years.
WADA chases approval for UNESCO-led doping convention
In other news involving WADA, Chairman Dick Pound has announced their organisation is actively following up the 30 governments around the globe in order to approve the International Convention on Doping in Sport, adopted unanimously by the General Conference of UNESCO on October 19 this year. Under UNESCO procedures for conventions, the 30 countries must ratify the Convention prior to December 31, 2005, in order for it to become effective by February 1, 2006.
"Governments have assured the sports movement that they would adopt this convention in time for it to be in force during the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino," said Pound. "This is a very important demonstration of government commitment to our partnership in the fight against doping in sport."
To encourage prompt responses from the governments concerned, Pound said WADA will create a special recognition for all countries that ratify the Convention by December 31. "We want to establish a permanent Wall of Fame in our headquarters for those countries who delivered on their promises made as early as two and half years ago and who have worked to make this Convention a reality."
WADA will request a progress report from its members at the forthcoming Executive Committee and Foundation Board meetings in November.
Roulston fined after fight, apologises
New Zealand Discovery Channel team rider Hayden Roulston has been fined NZ$300 for disorderly behaviour after an incident outside a bar in Timaru, New Zealand in the early morning of October 16.
According to the New Zealand Herald, the court heard that Roulston joined in the brawl involving up to 20 people outside the Sail Bar after closing time. He was alleged to have thrown several punches at an unidentified man.
Roulston's lawyer, Jared Bell asked the judge to discharge Roulston because he feared the Discovery team would sack him over the incident. However, this brooked little sympathy from Judge Edward Ryan, who said Roulston should have been mindful of the consequences of his behaviour. "If he knew his occupational position was perilous he should have had that in his mind at the relevant time," said Judge Ryan.
However, it seems that Discovery plans to take no action against Roulston, despite warning him over an incident last year. In a Discovery Channel team statement, Roulston admitted to being part of a group numbering "between 20 or 30," but said he had been "in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"I was in Timaru catching up with my mates," Roulston said. "There was a fight that happened in the bar and then when it closed down and a group of people was outside, another tussle broke out there. While nothing serious happened - there was no fighting - there was some pushing and shoving. Honestly, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Roulston added that he was sorry for his involvement. "I deeply regret the incident and the way I acted over the weekend in Timaru which has resulted in being charged with disorderly behavior," he said. "I respect the law and accept the decision. I also want to apologize to those close to me and to all those who see me as a role model."
Tour of Burkina Faso underway
On Wednesday, the Tour of Burkina Faso got underway for its 19th edition in Africa, considered an annual celebration for the Burkinese people. Belgian rider Danny In 't Ven recalled his experiences from a previous edition: "Don't do anything crazy at the beginning of the race. Heat and dehydration are the number one enemy." As for the sprinters; "I am like a snail in sprints therefore I try and escape, but they are really fanatical here - they'd risk their life for 40th place."
As for the dangers coming from off the road, he said: "Unexpected road work, sheep, farmers with chickens on the bandwagon... what is abnormal to us is totally normal to these guys." And then after the day's racing is finished, there's an hour of ceremonies to go through, not to mention the food. "Rice... tomorrow we get muesli and fruit. And for the rest of the time rice; lots of rice. Sometimes there's some meat mixed in but we never know precisely what it is. Perhaps it's better that way."
Along with these hazards, there's the water, the long, hot days and the hotels riders stay in - but In 't Ven doesn't regret his experiences in Burkina Faso. This year's challenges don't look to be any different.
Weissinger joins Skil-Shimano
Next year's Skil-Shimano Pro Continental team will be reinforced with 26 year-old German Ren� Weissinger, currently riding for Austrian-based team Volksbank-Ideal-Leingruber. Weissinger and the team reached an agreement for one year.
After a successful career as a junior and Under-23 rider, Weissinger took a break from cycling to complete his qualifications as a mechanical engineer. He returned to cycling two years ago, demonstrating his ability on the hills and small bunch sprints, achieving seven victories in 2005 including the Berner Rundfahrt in Switzerland. Weissinger also took a third place on a stage of the Settimana Begamasca and 10th in the GP Schwarzwald, as well as seventh place at this year's German road championships in Mannheim.
The Skil-Shimano team intends to sign some more Dutch and foreign riders before the start of next season.
Jamieson and Brammeier to CC Etupes
Photo ©: R�gis Garnier
21 year-old Tasmanian cyclist Mark Jamieson, who rode for French Elite 2 team VC Evreux in 2005, will ride for another French Elite 2 team next season, CC Etupes. Also making the transfer is British rider Matthew Brammeier.
Jamieson, 2002 junior world pursuit champion and current Under-23 road time trial champion, recently finished sixth in the Under-23 world time trial championships in Madrid, which was won by Russian rider Mikhail Ignatiev.
McCauley to Monex?
The Monex team has announced that its 2006 roster is almost finalized and includes the addition of top New Zealand rider Gordon McCauley. Team manager Roberto Gaggioli says the team is "excited" about the signing. "Gordon recently won the New Zealand National Championships and placed second in the TT," added Gaggioli, "We are proud of his accomplishments and look forward to the coming season."
However, McCauley himself said that the deal is not finalised: "I should point out that I have not signed with Monex," he told Cyclingnews. "I have been in talks with Monex for the last month or so, however no final agreement has been made and no contract has been signed."
Australian team for Moscow World Cup
Cycling Australia has announced Australian team that will travel to Moscow for the opening round of the 2005-6 UCI track World Cup, November 4-6. The team will comprise three sprinters and eight endurance riders.
The sprint group is Kristine Bayley, Kerrie Meares and Shane Perkins. In the endurance disciplines Australia will be represented by Sara Carrigan, Simon Clarke, Peter Dawson, Sean Finning, Belinda Goss, Matthew Goss, Ashley Hutchinson and Mark Jamieson.
World's best Madison teams to Revolution
Revolution 10 at Manchester on November 19 will be the scene for a battle between some of the best endurance riders in the world. World Madison champions Rob Hayles and Mark Cavendish will come face-to-face with World Madison silver medallists Danny Stam and Robert Slippens, and bronze medallists Matt Gilmore and Iijo Keisse at the Manchester Velodrome. With the three best Madison teams in the world confirmed to ride and some of the world's best sprinters to be announced shortly, it looks set to be an amazing night of racing.
The Revolution will focus on sprint and endurance events, and plans are afoot to shake up the event programme to add a bit of extra excitement to the action. There will be 14 teams taking part in the endurance events on the night and a special race has been added to the programme to showcase the two best teams in the world. A revenge pursuit Madison will see Cavendish and Hayles fighting it out against Slippens and Stam in a race never before seen at Revolution. Mark Cavendish, who is heading off to ride in the Grenoble Six, is upbeat about his chances, saying, "It's cool that we're going to be doing a race that hasn't been done at Revolution before; it's wicked, and pretty special to be the top Madison team in the world."
Tickets are available online at www.cyclingrevolution.com, by calling 0700 594 2579 or the Velodrome on 0161 223 2244 and selecting option 3.
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Pepsi Refresh Project
HUGEUSA
Torri Eubanks, Angeline Vuong, Kate Watts, Gene Liebel, Joe Stewart, Felipe Memoria, Doug Lemon, Thadeu Morgado, Ross Morrison, Matt Penfield, Rafael Mumme, Muriel Alvarez, Kendra Jones, Stefanie Pitaro, Will Gabrenya
In 2010, for the first time ever Pepsi repositioned the brand from a Super Bowl advertising icon to a catalyst for ideas to refresh the world. The Pepsi Refresh Project was a game-changing pro-social endeavor for Pepsi to position themselves in the minds of consumers as a positive, optimistic force for change in communities, revolving around issues and ideas that people personally cared about. The Pepsi Refresh Project was designed to give millions of dollars in grants in the U.S. to fund good ideas, big and small, that move communities forward.
HUGE laid out a plan for a fully integrated digital initiative that built on an idea initially conceived by TBWAChiatDay and the Refresh Everything program that Pepsi launched in 2009. HUGE completed strategy, design and development for refresheverything.com, the community-focused platform, which allows anyone, anywhere to submit and vote for an idea, big or small, for the chance to receive a monthly-distributed grant. The Pepsi Refresh Project features significant social engagement around people and the power of ideas, with the intention to foster innovation in social good.
HUGE and Pepsi recognized that a new movement was taking hold of the country, not based on geography, ethnicity, or other segregations, but rather, born from a collective optimism.
Studies with the Pepsi Optimism Project found that 94% of Americans agree that optimism is essential in building new ideas to positively impact the world, and a full 66% believe that the best ideas are more likely to come from normal people as opposed to public figures.
To fully cultivate and celebrate this collective optimism, Pepsi needed to capture this new momentum, and not simply broadcast a message. The platform had to encourage users to engage with Pepsi and needed to be trustworthy and seamless for the user.
A standalone website that people visit once and forget later wouldn’t be enough to fulfill Pepsi’s benchmarks for customer loyalty, acquisition and engagement. The primary persona was someone active in social media and in their community.
As a result HUGE developed refresheverything.com and an overarching social media solution for Pepsi. The platform focused on developing functionality that would actually advance the Refresh Project’s mission, deliver value to users to help them accomplish their goals, and use social media in a more meaningful way.
In 2010, the Pepsi Refresh Project directed more than $20 million to fund more than 1,000 great ideas from people across the United States. Among the Pepsi Refresh Projects that secured grants are 108 schools, 68 parks and playgrounds, and 20 children’s homes, shelters and affordable houses.
More than 87 million votes have been cast on www.RefreshEverything.com, with more than 6.5 million voters registered on the site. In 2011, the Pepsi Refresh Project is again giving away more than a million dollars each month on RefreshEverything.com to fund even more fun ideas that move communities forward.
Pepsi will continue to give out more than a million dollars in grants each month, up to 64 grants in total, which is double the number of grants awarded in 2010.
The Pepsi Refresh Project significantly improved Pepsi’s brand attributes including favorability, intent and trust along with intent to purchase among millennials through interaction with RefreshEverything.com. Awareness of the Pepsi Refresh Project is two times more compared to similar cause-marketing programs.
A study in 2010 from Forbes and the Reputation Institute found that Pepsi jumped to the No. 5 spot from No. 16 among the country’s most reputable brands, thanks to Pepsi Refresh.
The Pepsi Refresh Project was about understanding people, and making it fun and easy to help them help each other and their community, while building buzz for Pepsi and ultimately making the world a better place.
HUGE conducted extensive user research to recognize this social movement and shift in optimism. The team started prototyping early on in the project and developed two templates critical to user experience – the homepage and the idea page.
HUGE completed 3-4 full iterations of the platform before launch, keeping user experience at the center of the project. The refresheverything.com platform allows visitors to vote for their favorite ideas and submit and promote their own ideas, on their own terms.
Users can also get inspired by joining a discussion about a particular topic or by reading/sharing articles and videos about others.
We couldn’t simply depend on users visiting refresheerything.com so we developed an action-oriented Facebook application to share and vote for ideas as well as iPhone and Android applications that leverage the voting functionality and community aspects of the main site.
The campaign has been supported with online banners, integrated media campaigns, TV, print, outdoor, college programs and retail display.
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Home » single faculty » Edith Mathiowitz
Edith Mathiowitz
Home » Our Speakers» Edith Mathiowitz
Edith Mathiowitz | Brown University | USA
Dr. Edith Mathiowitz is a full Professor of Medical Science and Engineering at Brown University in the Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology & Biotechnology. She is was the past Director of the Biotechnology Graduate Program. Her extensive experience includes development of polymers that are used in drug and gene delivery systems and tissue engineering applications, including stem cell recruitment. Following her undergraduate degree in physical chemistry and graduate school at the Weizmann institute of science, Dr. Mathiowitz trained as a postdoctoral associate with Professor Robert Langer.
Dr. Mathiowitz directs an interdisciplinary laboratory that focuses on developing smart delivery systems based on bioadhesive polymers, which enhance the non- specific interaction with intestinal mucosa by inducing reversible secondary bonds and prolonging the residence time of traditional and novel oral dosage forms. She has been a pioneer in the area of nanomedicine by developing spontaneously forming biodegradable nanoparticles that in contrast to traditional thinking that mucosal barrier will prevent those particles from even passing the mucosal tissue. They can be engineered by combining hydrophobic polymers with high concentration of carboxylic acid, penetrate mucosal barriers and deliver active biologics. These nanoparticles are being used as cancer vaccines as well as for the oral delivery of peptides and proteins. In addition, she has experience with polymers, vascular grafts and micro/nanoencapsulation. What characterize her work is using combination of basic scientific concepts in interfacial biophysics and applying them to improving health.
During her post doc, she submitted with Professor Langer seven patent applications of which 20 patents were issued and have subsequently been licensed to many startup companies. Her work at Enzytec generated four issued patents that form the basis for the Prolease delivery systems, injectable proteins such as growth hormones. Dr. Mathiowitz’s laboratory serves as a focal point for many inventions and as an incubator for several start-up companies. Some have licensed her technologies. Technologies she has developed have formed the foundation for the launch of four biotechnology companies, two of which Dr. Mathiowitz is a Founder: Spherics, Inc. – Founder; Perosphere, Inc. – Co-Founder. Dr. Mathiowitz was the Editor of The Encyclopedia of Controlled Drug Delivery Systems (1999) and serves as an editorial board member for several journals. In 2005, she was co-Chair of the Controlled Release Society, an international society dealing with drug delivery. To date, Dr. Mathiowitz has authored 120 publications, over 75 patents, and an edited book on bioadhesion; her work has been published in over 120 conference proceedings and abstracts. Her work at Brown University has generated about 56 patent applications of which 40 were issued as patents and have been the basis for two start-up companies and have been licensed to others.
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Courtney Zhu
Courtney is a junior studying Journalism and Global Health, while pursuing the pre-medical track. Passionate about global health policy and management, she wants to better understand the health outcomes of vulnerable populations and how social determinants shape them. At Northwestern, she is involved with the Global Engagement Summit and works at a neonatology lab at the Feinberg Medical School downtown.
Maintaining passion for public health during residency: an alumna interview with Divya Mallampati (Weinberg 2009)
Posted August 12, 2016 by Courtney Zhu
Divya Mallampati graduated from the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences in 2009. She was a pre-medical student majoring in Anthropology and minoring in Global Health Studies. She discovered her passion for anthropology in her Freshman Seminar, “The Anthropology of Violence.” That course spurred a curiosity–one that would resonate till today–about the treatment of women’s bodies and how that affects the way they receive health care. Her thesis explored the use of contraceptives by women in India’s urban and rural areas, which was later expanded into a Fulbright Fellowship to focus on family planning initiatives for HIV-positive women in southern India.
After spending a year in India, she attended medical school at Harvard. Maintaining her passion for global health, she obtained a Master of Public Health. After graduation, she volunteered at the World Health Organization in the Department of HIV/AIDS. She is now an OB/GYN Resident at the McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University.
Q: How were you able to balance your academic, social and extracurricular involvements during your time as an undergrad?
A: It’s always tough to integrate all of those things, particularly for people with many different interests. To see those interests coming to the fore. Something that I continue to remind myself is that people truly matter. People very much matter. In moments when you don’t know where you’re going with your life or when you’re stressed out or you’re falling behind, I center myself by reaching out to people who matter to me.
Q: Take me through what a normal day is like for you.
A: If I’m on an inpatient rotation, my days will start super early, around 5 or 5:30AM. You have to round on your patients, check on the people who were already admitted into the hospital. Then you get together with your team and talk about any issues that those patients may have. Then you may do work for those patients, go into surgeries, if you’re on labor and delivery, you go deliver babies and take care of those women. If I’m on an outpatient rotation, the days are a little nicer because the hours are more nine-to-five. It’s all clinics and all office work.
Q: How did global health at Northwestern influence you?
A: I think there’s a difference between the global health minor at Northwestern and global health at Northwestern. The minor is a set of classes and a group of students and faculty. It’s built to give you a solid foundation. What I loved most about that experience was that it was very multi-faceted. They did a wonderful job gathering a diverse set of topics, the professors were very knowledgable and they gave us a lot of independence to think. It wasn’t formulaic. It wasn’t boring lectures. They pushed you to think about issues beyond just numbers and facts.
As a result, that influences the way global health is done at Northwestern. You get a lot of creative minds, people who are willing to engage in a variety of discourse and a community. I came out with a group of friends who taught me more than I ever taught them. I still keep a lot of those friendships, and those are still the people I turn to today to discuss global health issues.
Q: What study abroad program did you go on, and what was that experience like for you?
A: I did the Mexico program in 2007. It was the first time I had been out of the country, so it was the first time I was dealing with these issues through the lens of global health and social justice. I approached it like an anthropologist, like an observer. I spent most of my time in Mexico taking in what I was seeing. We took classes, did a little bit of research and visited rural clinic sites. The biggest thing I took away was designing a schema to think about these issues rather than memorizing a bunch of facts and statistics.
Q: How has living close to a city–Chicago for undergrad, Boston for medical school, and now back to Chicago–influenced your education and career?
A: As an undergrad, I grossly underappreciated how much Chicago has to teach us about inequities and public health. I don’t think I was truly analyzing what was happening in Chicago because I was so focused on my interests in other healthcare settings. By the time I moved to Boston, I had solidified my interest in how healthcare systems worked and appreciated Boston in a way that I wasn’t able to do with Chicago. It is a city that deals with a lot of race discrimination and inequality. Now that I’m back in Chicago, it has been really wonderful to explore the city, now ten or eleven years later. Now, I’ve been trying to understand Chicago through a different lens.
Q: Any words of advice for Global Health students at Northwestern?
A: First, to be very flexible in life. Be open to things that happen to you because you will find many beautiful things in paths that you didn’t imagine taking. That is a scary piece of advice to receive, but it is so important. Second, figure out what people mean to you. Understand how you value people and how you work with people. It’s okay to make sacrifices for people you care about.
An undergrad’s unforgettable experience: Attending the American Public Health Association’s Annual Meeting
Talking global health equity with NU alum and PIH employee Jonathan Shaffer
Every single one of my experiences abroad took me further into the world of global health – Global Health Alumni Interview with Julia Harris (2007, WCAS)
Finding Synergies Between Public Health and Education: An Alumna Interview with Isabel Garcia (SESP 2015)
Working to Promote Maternal Health in Rural Kenya: An Alumna Interview with Gabriella DelHoyo (WCAS 2012)
Categories: General, Global Health Alumni Series, Global Health Studies, Healthcare Industry, HIV/Aids, India, Maternity Health, Women's Health
Tags: contraceptive use, Divya Mallampati, student research
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Blogging... Walk The Talk
A blog by Walk the Talk creators about history, architecture, identity and collective memory in urban spaces. It's related to the stories they tell about Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore's past on their audio-guided walking tours, on mobile phones. ©2005-2009 Mobile Adventures Ltd
They Call Me Bruce on Elgin Street
No no, this won't be another Bruce Lee post. The subject of today's write up are the successive 7th and 8th Earls of Elgin, otherwise both known as Lord Elgin. We'll also explain the origins of Elgin Street, known to most of you Hong Kongers as one of the two main drags of Hong Kong's SoHo (South of Hollywood Road) district.
Now many of you may have heard of a certain Lord Elgin (Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Elgin) that was the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire from 1799 to 1803. During his tenure, he happened to visit the ancient city of Athens; on it, he saw the horrors that had been inflicted a century earlier on the great classical columns of the Parthenon by warfare between the Venetians and the Turks. Determined to preserve these fabulous treasures, he had then shipped, at enormous expense to himself, back to the United Kingdom.
We've all heard the tired debates about whether or not this was heritage theft, or in fact an enlightened effort to protect antiquities of inestimable value. Obviously there are merits to the arguments of both sides. The Elgin Marbles, as they were known, were being horribly taken care of by the Ottoman Turks whilst they ruled Greece. Lord Elgin's removal of these treasures, at great cost to himself, out of an increasingly restive area that soon was to experience the War of Greek Independence, seemed like an entirely reasonable thing to do. But what happens centuries later, when a country that sees its civilization as being the heirs to the Parthenon, feels they can take care of their own treasures and they'd like it back, thank you very much? It is an argument made more difficult by the destruction of fabulous treasures of Babylon that, for instance, were held in a heavily-bombed museum in Berlin during the Second World War. You also hear no end of such arguments about the European adventurers on the Silk Road if you go to Dunhuang. I am sympathetic to the repatriation of treasures to countries now far more wealthy and able to take care of their treasures than before, but I really don't think there is a right answer. My view is - if the nations are wealthy enough, the museums of the former colonial powers should set prices, and the colonized should just buy the artefacts back.
Speaking of buying things back, as I mentioned Lord Elgin, the 7th Earl of Elgin, repatriated the Elgin Marbles at considerable personal expense. He also had a lousy time of it in the East, losing his nose to a wasting disease. His wife, repelled by him, left for England separately and became the lover of her escort. Lord Elgin tried to sue this lover for the money he spent transporting the Parthenon treasure, to no avail. He eventually married a much younger woman, with whom he had a son called James.
Now, unfortunately for you, Elgin Street has nothing to do with the 7th Earl of Elgin, but does have everything to do with his son the 8th Earl of Elgin, James Bruce. So bear with me! Elgin Jr. was also a participant in public service - he was Governor of Jamaica in 1842, and later became Governor-General of Canada. How did he enter the picture in Hong Kong? Well, he was appointed High Commissioner to China in 1857 - after the Arrow War, later known as the Second Opium War, had started, and in the year the Chinese tried to poison Hong Kong's entire European population with arsenic in the E Sing Bakery incident.
So he arrived in Hong Kong and in China just in time to oversee the mostly successful campaign waged against China, starting with the siege and taking of Guangzhou (Canton). He teamed up with the French, who, desirous of territorial and economic concessions from China, used the killing of a French missionary as the excuse to attack the Qing empire. When the Chinese reneged on the Treaty of Tientsin in 1858 that gave Western powers the right to send ambassadors to Beijing, Lord Elgin ordered the resumption of war. In 1859, he landed a joint Anglo-French expeditionary force not far from Tientsin (Tianjin) and eventually surrounded Peking. There he and his generals consulted, and decided to burn down the Emperor's Summer Palace.
What an irony for the son of the man accused of stealing the world's most famous heritage treasure in the name of preservation, to burn down ans sack a priceless site of Imperial China! His rationale for the vandalism was that he wanted to discourage the Chinese from using kidnappings of Westerners as a tool of warfare, and in retaliation for the Emperor's forces reneging on a white flag of truce. His successful prosecution of the war led Hong Kong's authorities to name a street in his honor, even though he famously loathed Hong Kong and its stuffy, rigid colonial society (he much preferred Jamaica or Canada). He died shortly after the war ended (1860), in 1863.
So next time you amble drunkenly down Elgin Street, headed for the escalator, think of the man who hated Hong Kong, destroyed the Summer Palace, and forced the legalization of opium in China...and think about what you'll need to do to get a street named after yourself!
Posted by Dave and Stefan at 11:49 AM
World Blog Day and Henry Moore in Hong Kong
How Should We Remember Lin Zexu?
The Treaty of Nanking's Anniversary
Walk the Talk on CNN Next Tuesday
Blame it on the Spain
Thank You, Alfred Eisenstadt
The Trouble With Anniversaries in Hong Kong
Hong Kong Fingerprinting: State of the Art in 1904...
Hong Kong Police Blotter: For 1905
A 19th c. Resident on Penang and Malacca
Rats, Pigs, Horses and the Hong Kong Plague
Ho Chi Minh in Hong Kong
First Official Contact Between China and the West
The 60th Anniversary of V-J Day this Sunday
Libel and The Sordid Details of Early Hong Kong
The Sad, Tortured Life of Rev. Karl Gutzlaff
Tsim Sha Tsui Walking Tour This Thursday (Aug 11)
Nagasaki and the Liberation of Hong Kong
Back To 1982: A Shock Poll About the Handover
The Archaic Land Rules of Hong Kong and Kwun Tong
Hong Kong's Central Government Offices
Place and Memory in Hong Kong
Art, Politics and the Second Opium War
Hong Kong Democracy Axed - Half a Century Ago
Kipling and the High Costs of Hong Kong
Dave and Stefan
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About PAR, General, PAR Staff
PAR Named One of the Healthiest Companies in America
Earlier this year, PAR received national recognition as one of the 2014 “Healthiest Companies in America” by Interactive Health, the country’s leading provider of health management solutions. PAR was one of 158 honorees from across the United States recognized for embracing the mission of implementing life-changing preventive health care in the workplace.
The Healthiest Companies in America award is given to select organizations across the nation that have helped transform—and even save—the lives of employees by offering wellness programs that combine thorough health evaluations with fast, personalized results. With the help of these strategic, flexible initiatives, winning organizations like PAR have accomplished tremendous success in moving employees from high-risk health status to lower risk, achieving remarkably high employee participation.
“We are honored to be named as one of the healthiest companies in America,” said R. Bob Smith III, PhD, CEO of PAR. “The health and wellness of our employees is a high priority, and we will remain committed to helping them improve their quality of life.”
In 2005, PAR created the Swellness Committee, which is charged with creating programs and events that promote health and well-being. The Committee has sponsored a walking contest each year for the past few years and has encouraged employees to join the Commit to Stay Fit Holiday Challenge. In addition, PAR participates in various community walks and other events.
The Swellness Committee offered various health-related classes this past year and has an elliptical machine available to all employees. PAR also provides an employee wellness benefit each calendar year. Many seminars on healthy eating have been provided, and PAR has modified its company-sponsored dining activities to include a healthy food option. A healthy snacks cabinet takes the place of vending machines. Each year, PAR provides free on-site biometric screenings, which include full bloodwork analysis, mental health screening, and blood pressure testing.
“These winners are improving health outcomes throughout America,” said Cathy Kenworthy, president and CEO of Interactive Health. “Preventive care programs are about much more than just losing weight or quitting smoking—they are a catalyst to transform the way people look at health, well-being, and their lives overall. Heathiest Companies in America winners exemplify the long-term positive effects comprehensive wellness programs can have on the health status of large populations. Our work is done exclusively through our people… it’s personal to us.”
About Interactive Health
Interactive Health, the country’s leading provider of health management solutions, creates innovative wellness programs designed to increase overall company health and actively engage employees to make lasting behavior changes. Interactive Health has a 20-year track record of creating the Healthiest Companies in America.
health, Healthiest Companies in America, Interactive Health, wellness
Stress levels highest for youngest adults, study shows
A recent study conducted by the American Psychological Association found that the generation known as Millennials, defined as 18- to 33-year-olds in the U.S., reported the highest stress levels along with the most stress-caused ill effects among the four groups surveyed.
On a 10-point scale, Millennials reported an average stress level of 5.4, the same as that reported by individuals in Generation X (ages 34-47 years). However, more than 52 percent of Millennials reported stress-induced sleeplessness, compared to 48 percent of Generation Xers, 37 percent of Boomers (ages 48-66 years) and 25 percent of Matures (67 years and older). In addition, more Millennials and Generation Xers reported anger and irritability due to stress than Boomers or Matures.
Stress is a risk factor for many health conditions, including high blood pressure, headaches, sleeping problems, heart disease, ulcers, and stroke.
It’s not hard to understand why young Americans are on edge. Work was named as a “somewhat or significant stressor for 76 percent of Millennials,” and the U.S. unemployment rate is 7.9 percent. Thirty-nine percent of Millennials have experienced an increase in stress over the past year. And despite efforts to reduce their stress (i.e., 62% have made attempts to decrease their stress levels over the past five years), 25% of Millennials believe they’re not doing enough to manage it.
The good news? Apparently, we experience generally lower levels of stress as we age—Matures’ average stress level was 3.7 out of 10—and we get better at dealing with stress: 50 percent of Matures think they’re doing an excellent or very good job at managing their stress.
What do you think? Does maturity play a big role in handling stress? What can be done to reduce stress in Millennials and in general? Leave a comment and let us know what you think!
generations, health, mental health, stress
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The “Tax the Rich” Delusion of the Democratic Left
FUZZY MATH
Ever hear anyone on the left spell out exactly how they're going to pay for Medicare for All, free college, and all the rest? Didn't think so.
Brian Riedl
Updated Dec. 01, 2018 9:04PM ET / Published Nov. 30, 2018 9:58PM ET
sibgat
The Democrats’ incoming House majority—and its Senate caucus of presidential wannabes—are about to face fiscal reality.
When confronted with how to pay for their extraordinarily expensive policy agenda, the answer of liberal lawmakers, analysts, and advocates is nearly always the same: tax the rich.
How to close the $12 trillion baseline budget deficit over the next decade (a figure that already assumes the 2017 tax cuts expire)? Tax the rich.
How to pay for the $42 trillion Democratic socialist agenda that includes single-payer health care ($32 trillion), a federal jobs guarantee ($6.8 trillion), student loan forgiveness ($1.4 trillion), free public college ($800 billion), and infrastructure ($1 trillion)? Easy. Tax the rich.
How to offset Sen. Kamala Harris’ proposed $3 trillion tax cut for middle- and lower-income families? Tax the rich.
For those keeping score, that is $57 trillion to be financed mainly through tax hikes on the rich, even after ending the 2017 tax cuts. It would mean more than doubling the $44 trillion in projected federal tax revenues over the next decade.
It is telling that “just tax the rich” almost never extends beyond talking points. Advocates never specify the $12 trillion tax hike that would balance the budget. Sen. Sanders’ “Medicare for All Act” contains none of the promised $32 trillion in offsetting tax increases.
When incoming-Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was asked how to finance the $42 trillion Democratic agenda, she came up with just $2 trillion in tax increases. Other spending proposals recycle the same tax increases, such as repealing the $2 trillion in tax cuts from 2017.
The “just tax the rich” rhetoric remains empty because the numbers simply do not add up. Wealthy families and corporations are not a bottomless ATM available to finance a socialist utopia.
In fact, America’s federal tax code is already the most progressive in the OECD, even adjusting for income inequality. The Congressional Budget Office reports that the top-earning 20 percent of taxpayers earn 53 percent of the income, yet pay 69 percent of all federal taxes, including 88 percent of all income taxes. The bottom 40 percent of earners earn 14 percent of the income while collectively paying no income tax, and less than 5 percent of all federal taxes. Tax code regressivity is not the problem.
So let’s dive into the tax proposals.
Even if the 2017 tax cuts and 2018 defense spending hikes expire, the CBO projects a baseline budget deficit rising to 5 percent of GDP over the next decade. Additionally, the far-left wish list described above totals 18 percent of GDP. That brings a staggering budget deficit of 23 percent of GDP, or the current equivalent of $4.6 trillion per year.
In closing that massive budget gap, tax scores from CBO’s “Budget Options” report show that upper-income tax increases are plausibly limited to one or two percent of GDP.
“It is an illusion that American can finance socialism—or even balance the budget—mainly on the backs of the rich.”
Let’s begin with income taxes. Imagine 100 percent tax rates on all income earned over the $1 million threshold. That’s politically impossible, but for the sake of argument, imagine it. Even that would add just 5 percent of GDP in revenues—until people quickly stop working at that income. Slightly more realistically, doubling the top two tax brackets, to 70 percent and 74 percent, would raise at best 1.6 percent of GDP, and that’s probably optimistic.
Alternatively, the popular liberal Social Security solution of eliminating the payroll tax wage cap of $128,400 would close barely half of the system’s long-term shortfall of 1.5 percent of GDP. It would also bring marginal tax rates (including state taxes) above 60 percent in some states, thus leaving little room for additional income taxes to close the much larger Medicare shortfall or finance new spending.
Nor can corporate tax hikes save the day. America’s total corporate tax revenues (2 percent of GDP) are only slightly behind other developed nations. Even doubling the federal corporate tax rate to 42 percent would raise less than 1 percent of GDP while incentivizing more companies to relocate abroad.
Popular proposals to impose a 30 percent minimum tax on “millionaires” and to more aggressively tax banks, hedge-fund managers, and oil and gas companies would raise a combined 0.1 percent of GDP, according to CBO. A carbon tax of $25 per metric ton would raise 0.4 percent of GDP, until the necessary rebates for low-income households negate those revenues. Returning to the aggressive pre-2000 estate tax policies would raise less than 0.2 percent of GDP.
In short, closing the 5 percent of GDP projected budget deficit from taxing the rich is nearly impossible—even before the liberal spending wish list is added. The temptation to mix and match various upper-income tax increases must be limited by the cumulative economic and revenue effects of pushing combined marginal tax rates well over 70, 80, or even 90 percent.
And those praising the 91 percent income tax bracket under President Eisenhower should note that only eight taxpayers actually paid taxes in that bracket in 1960. Furthermore, income is much more internationally mobile today, and will not stick around to pay punitive tax rates.
As for other popular offsets, slashing defense spending to the European target of 2 percent of GDP would save just 0.6 percent of GDP relative to the CBO budget baseline. Nor has any single-payer health care advocate figured out how to convert all family, business, and state health spending into a “single-payer tax.”
In reality, spending like Europe requires taxing like Europe. This means, in addition to federal and state income taxes, a value-added tax (VAT)—essentially a national sales tax—that affects all families. CBO data estimates that raising 15 percent of GDP would require imposing an 86 percent VAT rate, or hiking the payroll tax from 15.3 percent to 56.5 percent. No wonder many spenders prefer the “just tax the rich” fairy tale.
Surely some large companies and wealthy individuals are escaping their “fair share” of taxes. There may be room to close some loopholes or modestly hike some rates. Yet it is an illusion that American can finance socialism—or even balance the budget—mainly on the backs of the rich. But don’t take my word for it. Just note the lack of specific, scored budget blueprints showing otherwise.
Brian Riedl is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. Follow him on twitter @Brian_Riedl.
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College of Business Administration Admissions & Registration
Bachelor of Sciences in Business Administration
Accounting Study Plan
Finance Study Plan
Management Study Plan
Education Objectives and Outcomes
MIS Study Plan
Marketing Study Plan
MMIS
Preamble:
The College of Business is the backbone of Al Yamamah University. We at the College of Business take tremendous pride in the fact that Al Yamamah University was founded in 2001 as a single college under the name of Al Yamamah College of Business and then it was elevated to a university-wide status in 2008. Currently, Al Yamamah University consists of three colleges (College of Business, College of Engineering & Architecture, and College of Law) and the Interlink English Program. The College of Business is the largest of these three colleges.
We aspire to become a leading college of business in Saudi Arabia and the MENA region that is recognized for its excellence in teaching, research, community services, and building meaningful partnerships.
We develop entrepreneurial-minded leaders and business professionals who shape the future of business, society, and create growth and opportunity. The quality of our business education is assured by our high-impact research and transformative teaching experience that foster entrepreneurship, innovation, and creativity. We serve our community, build meaningful partnerships, and take pride in our core values.
In this context, developing transformative ideas and leaders means:
We expect our programs to be rigorous, transformative, and innovative, at the intersection of technology and business analytics.
We expect the College of Business to be a leader within Al Yamamah University and to play a significant role in connecting the university to the movers and shakers in the Saudi economy; both in the public and private sectors.
We expect the College of Business to take the lead in pushing the frontiers of business knowledge, creating new opportunities, promoting economic growth and business sustainability.
We expect our programs to develop entrepreneurial thinkers and innovative business leaders and professionals who dream big, take risk, and foster innovation and creativity.
We expect our faculty, staff, students, and alumni to take the lead in shaping the future of business, society, and create growth and opportunities that move the Saudi economy to the next level and enhance its regional and international competitiveness.
Excellence: we strive for excellence in everything we do: teaching, research, and services. We set high expectations for ourselves and for our students. We are committed to bring the best in our community and we recognize and celebrate their outstanding contributions.
Integrity: we hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards. We keep our promises and hold ourselves and others accountable for words and actions.
Innovation: we are committed to a culture that fosters ingenuity, curiosity, creativity, entrepreneurial spirt, and risk-taking.
Respect: we are faithful and respectful to our religious values and cultural heritage. We have faith and trust in our people and we treat each other with respect and dignity.
Transparency: we conduct our activities with full disclosure and openness. We take responsibility for our actions and decisions.
Engagement: we build and nurture meaningful partnerships to advance our strategic objectives in serving our local community and enhancing learning and scholarship.
Current Academic Programs:
Currently, the College of Business offers a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with five majors: Accounting, Finance, Management, Marketing, and Management Information Systems. As well, the College offers robust Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) along with Master of Human Resources Management (MHRM) and Master of Management Information Systems (MMIS) programs.
About COBA
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HomeSPECIAL FEATUREPresident Ernest Koroma calls for intensification of South-South cooperation
President Ernest Koroma calls for intensification of South-South cooperation
October 29, 2015 Publisher and Chief Executive Officer KABS KANU SPECIAL FEATURE, Uncategorized 0
By State House Communication Unit
President Dr Ernest Bai Koroma has described the third India-Africa Forum Summit as an excellent opportunity for the African continent and the sub-continent of India to build upon the historic and fraternal South-South cooperation that exists between developing countries.
He made this statement during the second plenary session of the Summit currently underway in the historic city of New Delhi today Thursday 29 October, 2015.
“Africa is inspired by India as a great model of technological advancement, research and development,” he said.
President Koroma further noted that Africa seeks to nurture this inspiration in harnessing the continent’s resources for growth, stability and development, saying that Africa is ready for business, and prepared to build synergies for trade and investment. “We seek a win-win partnership based on public sector facilitation and private sector centrality,” he stressed.
The president commended India’s leadership in advancing the cause of the global South within the frameworks of the Group of 77 and China, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Commonwealth, the G-20 and the United Nations.
“Today the International community is discussing and acting on climate change, environmental degradation, desertification, light weapons and the fights against terrorism, human trafficking, drugs and piracy. These are critical concerns for Africa and India,” he pointed out, and emphasized the fact that Africa’s population is not only the more at risk, but also the least able to weather the devastating effects of these trans-border events.
With nearly half the word’s population, India/Africa synergies on these matters, President Koroma said, is central to the future of humanity.
He went on to explain that because Africa has the biggest youth populations and the people are becoming the mainstay of humanity’s progress as well as the future of the world, he called for cooperation to secure that future. “India and Africa must build a great partnership to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals,” he urged.
Sierra Leone’s President Koroma also urged that the future must be based on democratic and inclusive global institutions. “It is in this light that we seek India’s support, as the world’s biggest democracy, for Africa’s quest for a more inclusive United Nations,” he underscored amidst rapturous applause.
“This is why, Excellencies, as coordinator of the African Union Committee of Ten (C-10) on the Reform of United Nations Security Council, I would like to use this platform to solicit the support of India for Africa’s bid for two permanent seats in the UN Security Council with all the privileges involved, as enshrined in Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration,” he reiterated.
President Koroma also lauded India’s support for peace, stability and growth in Sierra Leone, and noted that India’s contribution to United Nations Peacekeeping operations helped bring lasting peace to Sierra Leone and many other parts around the globe.
“Today, my Government contributes troops and supports peacekeeping operations in Africa and other lands. We seek partnerships with India in furthering this important arm of global stability and peace,” said the Head of State.
On the issue of the devastating effects of the Ebola outbreak, President Koroma informed that Sierra Leone was being commended for its remarkable progress in ensuring peace, stability and steady economic growth when Ebola struck a little over a year ago. The outbreak, he said, has taken a heavy toll on the entire socio-economic fabric of Sierra Leone and its neighbors. He however informed that with support from international friends, the country fought back. “Today, we have almost defeated the evil virus. We have had no cases of the disease for nearly two months now, and we are just days to Sierra Leone being declared Ebola Free by the World Health Organization,” he confidently explained. He therefore called on India as a leading innovator of health products and programs, education, ICT and agriculture in the developing world to support Sierra Leone in ensuring success in these areas.
In conclusion, the president noted that Sierra Leone is ripe for recovery and growth and urged India’s participation in the immense possibilities of the recovery. “Africa is taking off; we applaud India’s partnership in Africa’s re-emergence. Africa is now a champion of reforms, inclusion and growth at continental, sub-continental and global levels; we seek India’s continued cooperation in these worthy causes,” he emphasized.
Aftermath of Ambassador McNee’s recent visit : A review of PBC engagement in Sierra Leone
January 25, 2011 Publisher and Chief Executive Officer KABS KANU 0
Published on January 25, 2011 by Cocorioko News · No Comments By Michael Massaquoi, Coordinator, PBC Secretariat, Freetown. The Peacebuilding Commission has had an uninterrupted engagement with the Government of […]
DIASPORA AFFAIRS ENGAGES EX-ASYLUM SEEKERS
August 4, 2016 Publisher and Chief Executive Officer KABS KANU 0
By Alfred Fornah The Office of Diaspora Affairs (ODA) has on Tuesday 2nd August, 2016 had a meeting with some members of the Sierra Leone Network of Ex- Asylum Seekers […]
President Bio returns home after a lengthy and undisclosed two and half weeks abroad
July 25, 2019 Publisher and Chief Executive Officer KABS KANU 0
By Alimamy Issa Kamara President Maada Bio returned home yesterday, after he sneaked out of the country without communicating anything with the citizens of Sierra Leone, staying away for almost three […]
President Koroma in New Delhi
President Ernest Koroma’s statement at India-Africa Summit
SLPP CRISIS SPARKS CONCERN FROM SIERRA LEONEANS AT HOME AND ABROAD
After chaos that almost shook Bo last weekend SLPP CRISIS SPARKS CONCERN FROM SIERRA LEONEANS AT HOME AND ABROAD Tuesday November 22, 2005 By Wilfred Kabs-Kanu Everywhere one went yesterday, whether it was […]
Ambassador Adikalie Foday Sumah excels at UN Decolonization Committee Session
Sierra Leone now has another very strong and authoritative voice at the United Nations. He is H.E. Mr. Adikalie Foday Sumah, the new Permanent Representative and Ambassador, who took office […]
APC must not encourage blame games and politics of destruction
Titus Boye-Thompson Political futures wane when there is a setback of sorts, a loss suffered by a sitting government sends its own message and therefore it is up to […]
New station at Tankoro handed over to sierra Leone Police
SLP Communications Unit The Inspector General of Police Francis Alieu Munu on Saturday 29th August 2015, officially accepted the keys to a newly built Police Station at Tankoro Division, […]
Korea’s assistance to Sierra Leone in its fight against Ebola continues with its deployment of medical workers in time for Christmas
Coming fast on the heels of the recently concluded visit to Freetown of an advance medical team from the Republic of Korea to assist Sierra Leone in its […]
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Adverse Possession California
California law has a procedure to permit an easement owner to preserve an easement that might otherwise be deemed abandoned. Plaintiff claimed a strip of Defendants' real property by adverse possession. McKissock provides industry leading Maryland Land Surveyor Continuing Education. > treated for purposes of adverse possession. (a) For the purpose of constituting an adverse possession by a person claiming title, not founded upon a written instrument, judgment, or decree, land is deemed to have been possessed and occupied in the following cases only: (1) Where it has been protected by a substantial enclosure. In California, it only takes 5 years of continuous use or maintenance for a squatter to make an adverse possession claim (CCP § 318, 325). Insuman Bad Credit Cash Advances California Ca IU/ml in a cartridge. PRESCRIPTIVE EASEMENTS AND CONSIDERATION OF A PROGRESSIVE RULE FOR RELOCATION OF SERVITUDES IN NORTH CAROLINA I. Adverse Possession. California adverse possession laws require at least five years of possession and payment of taxes throughout that period in order to be eligible for legal title. Adverse Possession Affidavit. The occupation must be exclusive, open, notorious, and continuous. Study of California Coastal Commission Work in the Area of Implied Dedication. This transfer is known as tacking under common law, the benefit of this is that the amount of years the property was possessed by the initial possessor, gets added onto the second possessors amount of years possessed. In California, title to property owned by a public entity cannot be acquired through adverse possession. but you can’t take it by adverse possession. A sample Pre-Adverse Action notice is included in this packet. ” The doctrine of adverse possession discourages disuse of property. Introduction One may acquire an easement by prescription over the land of another. WealthHow tells you the difference between color of title vs. Parties trying to establish adverse possession in California must prove several elements: (1) Possession must be by actual occupation under such circumstances as to constitute. Adverse Possession Basics. The husband died in 1988 and the wife died in 1989. The concept of adverse possession in California applies strictly to real property - estates in land. adverse claim in respect of length of possession of any other person who was in possession of the land at the time when the registration of the first owner took place. " With the rise of the Occupy movement, squatting has gained new visibility. MEYER & ASSOCIATES, A Professional Law Corporation, you will find 30-plus years of experience and intimate knowledge of Tustin, California, and Orange County real. Adverse possession requires the actual, visible, hostile, notorious, exclusive, and continuous possession of the property, and some jurisdictions further require the possession to be made under a claim of title. Lawsuits Related to Quiet Title Claims, Adverse Possession and Easements; October 20, 2009 | Author: Andrew D. Adverse possession is a concept which applies only to real property. Just for conviction of possession of any drug, you could face jail time, probation, fines, and a 6 month loss of your driver’s license. The California statutes for adverse possession are very clear, although some local jurisdictions may make their own modifications to the rules. C 10/30/91. Brewer, Esq. Adverse Possession rights are extremely difficult to prove up. Adverse Possession & escheat Post by juniormaven » Sat Sep 08, 2007 8:20 pm Hi everyone, Anyone who is interested in adverse possession should read this it is quite interesting - I have quite randomly stumbled upon it whilst looking at how i can get a day ticket gold panning license from the crown estate!!. RESOLVING EASEMENT AND ADVERSE POSSESSION ISSUES ; Comparison of Prescriptive, Express and Implied Easements ; Tips for Problem-Free Maintenance ; Termination of Easements ; Licenses ; Adverse Possession Distinguished from Prescriptive ; Easement ; RESOLUTION OF BOUNDARY DISPUTES BETWEEN ADJOINING LANDOWNERS ; Party Walls ; Encroachments ; Fences ; Nuisances. The most basic example of adverse possession is when a landowner fences in land that belongs to a neighbor. •Generally, a claim of adverse possession may not be made against a governmental entity absent statutory authority. In California, adverse possession is a method of gaining legal title to real property by the actual, open, hostile and continuous possession of it and payment of taxes on it for 5 years. Under California's definition of adverse possession, John would stand a good chance of claiming ownership to that piece of Jill's property. I am a writer in Livermore, California. Title to land can be acquired by adverse possession, and rights in easements and servitudes on the land of others can arise based on prescription. In 2012, 60 adverse possession filings took place in Tarrant County, Texas. Adverse Possession Against Mortgagees Question (3-27-07) Problem: A has a mortgage on land; B pays the mortgage, but C is adverse possessing against B. Lynch Law Firm: The Lynch Law Firm, LLC - Scottsdale Office A quiet title claim is a claim brought by a plaintiff to establish his or her claim or right to land by forcing an adverse claimant to prove their claim or be prohibited from ever bringing a claim. However, American judges aren’t always sympathetic to adverse possession claimants. Cause of action for adverse possession in California. Herman, better known as Tom, is licensed to practice law in all California courts as well as the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal and the United States Supreme Court. Re: Adverse Possession in Los Angeles, CA -----Here's some California authority: Quoting Dimmick v. 580 Writ of Possession (a) Issuance. PRESCRIPTIVE RIGHTS AND ADVERSE POSSESSION. An easement is a claim to have a right of use to the property. Brewer, Esq. Law Offices of Derek A. The elements for establishing an easement as well as adverse possession are identical with one exception. My possession thereof has at all times been continuous, open, notorious, adverse, hostile, undisturbed, complete, visible, exclusive and peaceable. Called an Affidavit of Interruption, this approach allows the landowner with title to the land to delay an adverse possession claim by resetting the clock. The Land Registration Act 2002 came into force on 13 October 2003 and changed the requirements for successfully applying for Adverse Possession. The lawyer can assess the circumstances of the adverse possession to determine under the law if you have a case. It remains to be determined whether he acquired title to the property in whole or in part by adverse possession, bearing in mind that the trial court found that such a title was acquired to the entire property. Government. The common law, which many states have codified, recognizes adverse possession as a way to acquire title to property. , longer holding period, payment of taxes, etc. The doctrine of adverse possession provides that title to real property may be acquired, without an affirmative conveyance thereof, if the claimant takes actual and uninterrupted possession of the property, intending to claim it as his own to the exclusion of the true owner, and makes an outward showing of such. Since the camps were broken up last fall, the movement has increasingly focused on housing justice—whether it’s helping homeowners fight foreclosure, staging protests against homelessness, or. The idea behind adverse possession, the California Court of Appeals for the Third District wrote in a 1979 decision, “is basically that land use has historically been favored over disuse, and. a claim adverse to the registered owner, no specific provision for the registration of which is made by the land title registration law of Ohio, the character and nature of which said adverse claim and how and under whom derived, are as follows, towit:. Squatter's rights, or adverse possession, allows a trespasser to enter someone else's land and gain anything from a small right-of-way to complete control of the property. 12, 17 [41 P. What is adverse possession in California? On behalf of Law Offices of Daniel P. What is "adverse possession" in Nevada? On behalf of Law Offices of P. 4th 1044, 1054; Code Civ. Adverse possession is the ability to obtain title by occupying land for a statutory time period without the permission of the owner. Cause of action for adverse possession in California. A squatter citing adverse possession took up residence last month in the. He has to openly treat the property as if it was his own for 7 years, without permission from the owner. It also provides cross-references to facilitate related research and includes relevant commentary addressing legal and social trends. Adverse Possession versus Easements The biggest source of confusion among non-lawyers is the difference between adverse possession and easements. Adverse occupation better describes the subject matter of this section without the confusion of the use of a property specific word such as possession. Insuman Bad Credit Cash Advances California Ca IU/ml in cartridges is only suitable for subcutaneous injections from a reusable pen. California SB608 2013-2014 Adverse possession: public entity properties. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. When it appears that the occupant, or those under whom he claims, entered into the possession of the property under claim of title, exclusive of other right, founding such claim upon a written instrument, as being a conveyance of the property in question, or upon the decree or judgment of a competent court,. 76/2004 2 (b) to provide transitional arrangements for certain claims of adverse possession against Councils. Mortensen v. In West Virginia, open dominion must be held over the property for 10 years [source: State of West Virginia]. While an easement is the right to use someone else property, ownership of the property is the result when one establishes a claim by adverse possession. Limitation of Actions (Adverse Possession) Act 2004 Act No. A tenancy in common is a form of joint possession of real property. How can a claim of adverse possession be defended against? Question Details: I recently had my property surveyed and found that the property line is about 10 feet further than previously thought. California appeals courts in the last 15 years or so have reported several cases dealing with the issue of a neighbor’s fence or wall located over on the adjoining owner’s property, and the neighbor’s assertion of an interest in the owner’s land that was enclosed by the fence or wall. Title to land can be acquired by adverse possession, and rights in easements and servitudes on the land of others can arise based on prescription. Boundary Law - A Simple Way to Prevent an Adverse Possession or Prescriptive Easement Claim from a Neighbor Boundary, Fence, & Tree Disputes, Neighbor & Nuisance Disputes, and Real Estate Law by Peter N. A common belief is that to claim adverse possession of real property, all one has to do is pay five years of overdue property tax, and take possession of the property. The law regarding fence and boundary line disputes is a combination of legislative statute and case law. "' 3 Adverse possession generally has five elements that a claimant must establish: the possession must be (1) open, (2) continuous for the statutory. What constitutes adverse possession under claim of title not written For the purpose of constituting an adverse possession by a person claiming title, not founded upon a written instrument,. California law allows for adverse possession where a trespasser complies with several strict legal requirements. In a divorce if there is no equity in real property and the judgment of the court states that petitioner and respondent divide the debt equally between the two, but respondent does not want or is unable to pay his half of the debt, can anyone else pay his half of the debt and file quiet title (adverse possession) for his half of the property at. On appeal, Meher Mount argued that it was a public entity and thus, was immune from adverse possession (in California, the title of property owned by a public entity or public utility cannot be obtained by another through adverse possession). California Adverse Possession; Get any Real Estate form or services you need for your State. The cabin was built in the early 90s, and for about 10 years was believed to be on their property. A co-holder of the power has no adverse interest merely because of his joint possession of the power nor merely because he is a permissible a ppointee under a power. A cause of action for adverse possession against a private party can begin to accrue during prior public ownership of the land. The law allows anyone to trespass and take over an abandoned property. The legal term for this is "adverse possession. Justia - California Civil Jury Instructions (CACI) (2017) 1320. He claimed that Oregon had somehow fallen behind the majority of the states in not mandating a good faith standard. Adverse possession is not recorded in public records. Herman, better known as Tom, is licensed to practice law in all California courts as well as the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal and the United States Supreme Court. Currently, a person who has occupied another’s land for at least 10 years can bring a claim to quiet title through adverse possession. adverse claim in respect of length of possession of any other person who was in possession of the land at the time when the registration of the first owner took place. California is one of the few states that requires the payment of taxes as a condition to asserting title through adverse possession. Adverse Possession Basics. It must be of such character as to put the true owner on notice of the adverse claim. Just as fee title to real property can be lost by adverse possession, the same is true with easements. 060(a), the easement owner may record a notice of intent to preserve the easement. Intent - Free Legal Information - Laws, Blogs, Legal Services and More. Through what is. California is one of the few states that requires the payment of taxes as a condition to asserting title through adverse possession. The legal term for this is "adverse possession. 94C § 32M Possession of 2 ounces or less of marijuana; drug awareness program for those under 18. Adverse possession, DeCaprio says, is the "holy grail of squatting. This does not mean, however, that title is presumed to be proper with the plaintiff who brings an unlawful detainer action to recover possession. The elements for establishing an easement as well as adverse possession are identical with one exception. To the extent that this Article shows that many of the federal question. particular purpose (prescriptive easement). It must be continuous over a period of time. This means that a trespasser must take actual physical possession, openly using and improving the land, for her exclusive benefit. The bill would prohibit a public entity, as defined, from selling real property or conveying a durable interest in real property, except by official. adverse possession: Even if you file an adverse possession claim on a piece of property, if you occupy that property, you are trespassing, possibly breaking and entering, and are subject to being arrested. Adverse Possession is a way to obtain land by simply using it instead of paying for it. Adverse Possession in California. What is adverse possession in California? On behalf of Law Offices of Daniel P. Adverse possession — Reimbursement of taxes or assessments — Payment of unpaid taxes or assessments — Awarding of costs and attorneys' fees. Filing an adverse possession application with the county property appraiser does. The bill would prohibit a public entity, as defined, from selling real property or conveying a durable interest in real property, except by official. Adverse possession essentially allows a trespasser onto a piece of land to gain ownership of that land if the true owner fails to object within a certain period of time and if the trespasser pays faithful property taxes on the subject land. The term undisturbed possession reflect the reference in an earlier case to "an owner in exclusive and undisputed possession. Squatters must not only be occupying the property to gain legal possession of it, but they must also have made the property tax payments for 5 consecutive years to have a claim. A quiet title claim is a claim brought by a plaintiff to establish his or her claim or right to land by forcing an adverse claimant to prove their claim or be prohibited from ever bringing a claim. Adverse possession has a history 600 years deep in Anglo-American statutory and common law. It is also doubtful that California law will recognize adverse possession because of the inability to prove that taxes have been paid by the encroaching property owner. Unclean Hands Defense Defeats Claim Of Adverse Possession. Further, regardless of its adverse impact, when making employment decisions, unless otherwise permitted by law, employers are prohibited from seeking or considering a non-felony two or more year old conviction for marijuana possession, an arrest not resulting in conviction, participation in a diversion program, a judicially dismissed, sealed or. 15-3-12 Actual occupation required for adverse possession under claim other than written instrument or judgment. Fortuna Lawyer - Civil Attorney Thomas M. While an easement is the right to use someone else property, ownership of the property is the result when one establishes a claim by adverse possession. Open and Notorious Possession - The act of trespassing cannot be secret. There are several issues to consider when you are interested in claiming title to land presently owned by another due to abandonment or neglect. Another way to extinguish an easement is through adverse possession. Adverse Possession may be claimed by a party who has occupied land for more than 10 years without the consent of the owner. California Adverse Possession; Get any Real Estate form or services you need for your State. Adverse possession can occur when someone publicly moves into and also improves a property that is otherwise neglected. We also should not that any cutback in the ability of adverse possession to run due to facts in the record owner's title chain may defeat the legitimate title claim of an adverse possessor. Boundary dis-putes constitute one of the most frequently litigated areas of. Requirements for Adverse Possession. PRESCRIPTIVE RIGHTS AND ADVERSE POSSESSION. A tenancy in common is a form of joint possession of real property. Legislation C. California adverse possession and prescriptive easement law has undergone some evolution in California since its rural beginnings. Seven years later an official document arrives in the mail telling you that someone is taking possession of your land. To the extent that this Article shows that many of the federal question. (b) I n no case shall adverse possession be considered established under the provision of any section of this c ode, unless it shall be shown that the land has been occupied and claimed for the period of five years continuously, and the party or persons, their predecessors and grantors, have timely paid all s tate, county, or municipal taxes that have been levied and assessed upon the land for. When a purchaser looks at a piece of property, a quick review of the site usually establishes the expected boundaries—a fence, a hedge, or some other natural point of demarcation. I sent a certified letter to the owner which was returned unopened and stamped "deceased" by usps. By adverse possession, a person obtains actual ownership of real property. ) Otherwise, a claimant could do an end run around the tax requirement for obtaining fee title via adverse possession. However, a coholder of a power is considered as having an adverse interest where he may possess the power after the decedents death. Somewhat counterintuitively, often the best way to keep someone from gaining an adverse interest in your property is to give them permission to use it. Kennedy (1861), 13 Ohio St. Subdividing or other future land uses are complicated by adverse possession rights. RES345 RES/345 RES 345 Week 3 Discussion 2/DQ 2 Acquisition of Title by Adverse Possession [[latest]] Lester, a California resident, owns a parcel of property in Arkansas. Adverse possession is basically a "hostile takeover" of someone else's property. Litigation and Lawsuits Related to Quiet Title Claims, Adverse Possession and Prescriptive Easements. Prescriptive Easements. To obtain title by adverse possession requires possession of the property for five years that is both hostile to the record owner and exclusive. In many instances one in possession would not know of dormant adverse claims of persons not in possession. Lucie and Pasco counties, in Las Vegas, Nev. Vermont adverse possession laws require a 15-year period of occupation before he or she may claim title to the property. Whereas adverse possession is one, very specific way a person can obtain ownership of land that was not his own, quiet title is the proper legal process used to resolve a range of problems that make a parcel of land's ownership uncertain, including adverse possession claims. This means that a trespasser must take actual physical possession, openly using and improving the land, for her exclusive benefit. Mortensen v. However, American judges aren’t always sympathetic to adverse possession claimants. THE STATUTORY WAY In California, creation of an easement by prescription is a matter of statute. Lester has not visited the property in 22 years but has paid taxes on it. Possession, when presumed: Occupation deemed under legal title, unless. Adverse possession is a legal theory used to gain title to another's land through acts of ownership which meet the requirements of state law on adverse possession. Legal Help Right Now offers legal help and legal advice with access to experienced lawyers and attorneys for all legal issues, landlord/tenant rights, employment law, employee rights, wrongful termination, divorce, family law, child custody, child support, consumer law, insurance claims, and IRS issues. In Miami-Dade County, adverse possession applications rose from 30 in 2011 to 70 in 2012. Florida common law provides one of the few cases where adverse possession has been perfected against the U. Adverse possession is obtained by the open and obvious possession of real property, to the exclusion of the true owner. The key to adverse possession is open and notorious possession of property without the title holder taking steps to remove you for a stated period of time. Read more about Squatter's Rights in California > How Does Adverse Possession Happen in Colorado? In Colorado, it takes 18 years for a squatter to take adverse possession of your property if they have the deed, according to Colorado Revised Statute 38-41-101. The elements of adverse possession are the same as a prescriptive easement, with the addition that the neighbor must pay the real estate taxes and assessments levied on the owner's property. To gain ownership of someone else's land, a trespasser must occupy it hostilely, openly, exclusively and continuously for a certain period of. Parties In Possession: Underwriting Guidelines. Constructive Possession: The ownership, control, or occupancy of a thing, most frequently land or Personal Property , by a person. This sample answer to an adverse possession complaint in California is designed to be use by a defendant that has been served with a complaint containing a cause of action for quiet title based on adverse possession. Until the title is actually given to him his claim of adverse title possession isn’t legally enforceable. The courts in California would probably hesitate to force John to rip down the fence after all of the elements described above have been met. May 18, 2017 · In a similar California case, Nellie Gail Ranch Owners Assn. a first-time offense for marijuana possession. Vermont adverse possession laws require a 15-year period of occupation before he or she may claim title to the property. The Program works with judges, courts, lawyers, bar associations, nonprofit legal aid agencies, legal self-help centers, libraries and many others to promote coordinated and quality assistance for persons representing themselves in civil legal matters in Michigan. California Real Estate, Land Use and Development, and Business Attorney. A recent decision by the Ohio Court of Appeals addressed two important legal standards: the proof necessary to claim title to another's land by adverse possession and conditions allowing a trial court to set aside a jury's verdict. Texas is known to have strict illegal controlled substance and narcotics drug possession laws. Adverse possession is the ability to obtain title by occupying land for a statutory time period without the permission of the owner. Biographical information of Craig B. This is an appeal out of Canyon County from a judgment dismissing an action for adverse possession on the ground that the statutory amendment to Idaho Code section 5210, which - increased the required period for adverse possession from five to twenty years, applied to the Plaintiffs, who did not have a cause of action at the time of the amendment. Visit USLegalforms. If the unblock fails you will need to contact the server owner or hosting provider for further information. The Land Registration Act 2002 came into force on 13 October 2003 and changed the requirements for successfully applying for Adverse Possession. Adverse Possession Definition Provides that a trespasser takes title to a property when a trespasser possesses another’s property in a way that is continuous, exclusive, adverse, and open and notorious by clear and convincing evidence for a statutorily defined period of time (usually 10 years). An easement is a claim to have a right of use to the property. The character of the law reflects the pioneer spirit of a growing world in both North America and Europe over the last few centuries. California adverse possession laws on adverse possession are created and revised by the actions of lawmakers and the courts. Some landowners have concerns that if they let people use their land that the people using the land may eventually be able to claim that they own the land through adverse possession. The most basic claim is title by occupancy pursuant to Civil Code Section 1006 where the occupier of land is the presumptive owner. California Adverse Possession; Get any Real Estate form or services you need for your State. Adverse possession is a detailed legal field with complex rules I don't pretend to understand in full, and those rules change from state to state. Because once title by adverse possession vests in the new legal owner, it can support a trespass claim, since you are no longer the owner of that ground or the plantings. , bankruptcy, prize, remissions, and warrants—were in fact adverse, the result renders questionable the purported case/controversy. It sounds to me that you cannot adversely possess it, because you have not been paying the taxes on it. (We still have no proof that it is. California Code of Civil Procedure Section 325 CA Civ Pro Code § 325 (2017) (a) For the purpose of constituting an adverse possession by a person claiming title, not founded upon a written instrument, judgment, or decree, land is deemed to have been possessed and occupied in the following cases only:. Squatter: A person who settles in or occupies property with no legal claim to the property. For example, fences built in incorrect locations often result in the creation of prescriptive easements. How to Acquire Property Through Adverse Possession. POSSESSION: PERSONAL PROPERTY: TACKING AND PAYI-i1T OFTAXES-In the course of a comment in a recent issue of this REVIEW' it was pointed out that the District Court of Appeal in the case of San Francisco Credit Clearing House v. To prove adverse possession under typical state law, a person claiming ownership of land through adverse possession must show that its possession is actual, open, notorious, exclusive, hostile, under cover of claim or right, and continuous and uninterrupted for a period of time defined by statute. Civil actions: adverse possession. Interestingly, a person’s right to acquire real property by adverse possession begins with the wrongful occupation of another person’s property. Clearly the property is unoccupied, and if a person lives at the property. If the owner waits. To maintain a suit, the plaintiff must have an interest. State laws vary with respect to time requirements; however, typically, the possession by the non-owner needs to be open, notorious, and under a claim of right. (c) The adverse claims to the title of the plaintiff against which a determination is sought. instead, said vehicle was sold to. Seven years later an official document arrives in the mail telling you that someone is taking possession of your land. Adverse possession can occur when someone publicly moves into and also improves a property that is otherwise neglected. through adverse possession, because he or she had not paid property taxes for the prescriptive period; and (2) the owner of a servient tenement could not construct any encroachments within an expressly granted, non-exclusive easement of a defined width. 43; Westphal v. Plaintiff claimed a strip of Defendants' real property by adverse possession. The clerk is hereby directed to provide the levying officer with a certified copy of this order forthwith. There are four important factors that are taken into account while legitimizing an adverse possession claim: a) Hostile Claim:. 15 Limitation Act 1980)but goes beyond this as the previous owners rights may be extinguished. The most basic claim is title by occupancy pursuant to Civil Code Section 1006 where the occupier of land is the presumptive owner. The concept of adverse possession rights -- giving a person ownership of property that belonged to another -- has its roots in old English common law. In Miami-Dade County, adverse possession applications rose from 30 in 2011 to 70 in 2012. The Hectors argued that Leander Ruffing, the previous owner of their property, had used the land exclusively for over 15 years. The SoL for B began running when she entered onto Blackacre. 12, 17 [41 P. Adverse possession means claiming full ownership of the land. The adverse owner need not continue use of the property; otherwise, adverse use would be required forever, defeating the statute of limitations. This sample complaint for Quiet Title and Adverse Possession in California also includes a cause of action for declaratory relief and is filed by a plaintiff who contends that they have been in adverse possession of real property for more than five (5) years under color of title. A co-holder of the power has no adverse interest merely because of his joint possession of the power nor merely because he is a permissible a ppointee under a power. Gold Award 2006-2016-. Adverse possession is a legal doctrine that allows a person to claim a property right in land owned by another. Adverse Possession Against Mortgagees Question (3-27-07) Problem: A has a mortgage on land; B pays the mortgage, but C is adverse possessing against B. Where the relation of landlord and tenant has existed, the possession of the tenant is deemed the possession of the landlord until the expiration of ten years after the termination of the tenancy; or, where there has been no written lease, until the expiration of ten years after the last payment of rent; notwithstanding. He claimed that Oregon had somehow fallen behind the majority of the states in not mandating a good faith standard. That twenty years may be accumulated between a current owner and a prior owner. If adverse possession is established, that land can be incorporated onto the adverse possessors' title, at the loss of the actual owner. To terminate easement rights by way of adverse possession, the following elements must be proven: (1) timely property tax payments, (2) open and notorious use or possession that is continuous and. Adverse Possession First, there are the laws pertaining to adverse possession in which the occupier of land claims ownership of the land until proven otherwise. Most people in California do not have and cannot acquire a prescriptive right. Unclean Hands Defense Defeats Claim Of Adverse Possession. A cause of action for adverse possession against a private party can begin to accrue during prior public ownership of the land. California Prescriptive Easements As real property values continue to recover, Californians should be wary of the dangers prescriptive easements pose to their property rights. > treated for purposes of adverse possession. Your possession and use must be “open” meaning that it can’t be hidden where there is no chance for anyone to know of your use. The lawyer can assess the circumstances of the adverse possession to determine under the law if you have a case. Gruen Case Brief - Rule of Law: In order for an inter vivos gift to be valid, there must be intent on the part of the donor to make a gift, delivery by the donor to the donee and acceptance of the gift by the donee. Adverse possession is a legal doctrine that allows a person to claim a property right in land owned by another. In KY the statutory period, that is the duration of such possession, is 7 years for land held under color of title (see below), and 15 years for all other claims. Additional Information: Click Here To Enhance Your Profile in the Directory Click Here To Correct, Update or Expand On This Information Without Charge. Adverse Possession Legal Help No matter how adverse possession occurs, it is in your best interest to consult a Sacramento lawyer who has handled adverse possession cases. Cause of action for adverse possession in California. The Law on Adverse Possession (Squatters' Rights) Welcome to the Official Law Sessions Youtube Channel. The California statutes for adverse possession are very clear, although some local jurisdictions may make their own modifications to the rules. Resolving Boundary Disputes in California: A Radical Reassessment in Light of Proposition 13 By JACK I. California SB608 2013-2014 Adverse possession: public entity properties. Adverse possession is similar to a prescriptive easement, except that title actually transfers to the neighbor. Forry Law Group is located in Mission Hills, California, and provides legal services regarding many practice areas and legal issues. Notice to any bank of an adverse claim (the person making the adverse claim being hereinafter called "adverse claimant") to a deposit standing on its books to the credit of or to personal property held for the account of any person shall be disregarded, and the bank, notwithstanding the notice, shall honor the checks, notes, or other instruments requiring payment of money by or for the account of the person to whose credit the account stands and on demand shall deliver that property to, or. , actual possession, open and notorious use, continuous and uninterrupted for five years, hostile and adverse, and so. “The plain and unambiguous language of Practice Book § 10-19 does not apply to legal conclusions. Property adverse possession is a part of common law that enables a person to gain title to real property, without compensation, to property that may belong to someone else through an adverse possession action. Adverse possession is a means of attempting to gain legal title to property by continuous possession of the property for at least seven successive years in an open, notorious, and visible manner such that it conflicts with the owner's right to. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. While this may seem like an old or seldom used legal theory, it actually has modern day use and consequences. Don’t confuse adverse passion with easements, however. The defendants had openly cultivated and farmed a significant portion of the parcel from 1992 to 2007. Two or more "tenants in common" each possess a fractional share of the entire property. The traditional method in California is to post a sign on the property that reads as follows: "Right to pass by permission, and subject to control, of owner: Section 1008, Civil Code. A cause of action for adverse possession in California is the topic of this blog post. All Rights Reserved. 'The requirement of seisin or possession is met when it is established that the plaintiff was possessed of legal title, and this seisin can be destroyed only by establishing the fact that a title by adverse possession was acquired by the defendant. Sample answer to an adverse possession complaint in California. A squatter. The updated rule — issued by the California Fair…. Adverse Possession in California: How a Trespasser Can Take Part of Your Property September 8, 2016 / in Uncategorized / by Admin As a homeowner, you have the right to keep trespassers off your property. Some states afford rights to squatters. If a piece of property has been used by someone other than the rightful owner for a number of years, the doctrine of adverse possession may apply. When you write the court documents in an action to quiet title, you will have to tell about and show the proof that you satisfied all of your state’s requirements for adverse possession and that you also satisfied your state and county requirements for taking action to quiet title. The key to adverse possession is open and notorious possession of property without the title holder taking steps to remove you for a stated period of time. In such a case, the possession is not considered to be hostile. A squatter can claim rights to a property after residing there for a certain time. The legal doctrine of adverse possession discourages the neglect or abandonment of real property by its rightful owner. Adverse possession is a method of acquiring title to real estate, accomplished by an open, visible, and exclusive possession uninterruptedly for a periodset of time which changes by jurisdiction. ) Accordingly, prescriptive easements have traditionally been granted for rights of way and ingress and egress purposes. on StudyBlue. There are five elements that establish a claim of adverse possession. The common law, which many states have codified, recognizes adverse possession as a way to acquire title to property. Under California's definition of adverse possession, John would stand a good chance of claiming ownership to that piece of Jill's property. ) Buy Your Copy Today!. What is adverse possession in California? On behalf of Law Offices of Daniel P. I will discuss these two concepts — adverse possession and prescription — in this multi-part article. Hi everyone. How to Claim Squatters Rights. If so, the witness may have already waived his or her right to attorney-client privilege. Since the camps were broken up last fall, the movement has increasingly focused on housing justice—whether it’s helping homeowners fight foreclosure, staging protests against homelessness, or. In California, it only takes 5 years of continuous use or maintenance for a squatter to make an adverse possession claim (CCP § 318, 325). According to the doctrine, if property was abandoned, and someone else "squatted" on it for a number of years, the squatter could gain control over the land. Can Trump legally use emergency powers to build a border wall? Experts weigh in; Southern Poverty Law Center fires co-founder Morris Dees; BigLaw co-chair charged in college cheating scandal. If administration by syringe or intravenous injection is necessary, a vial should be used (see section 4. Adverse Possession versus Easements The biggest source of confusion among non-lawyers is the difference between adverse possession and easements. What is adverse possession in California? On behalf of Law Offices of Daniel P. Somewhat counterintuitively, often the best way to keep someone from gaining an adverse interest in your property is to give them permission to use it. An adverse possession claim will be removed if the owner of record or tax collector furnishes a receipt to the property appraiser showing payment of taxes by the owner of record during the period of the claim. Lawyers say the practice is a leftover from a different time. The power to make such an order is discretionary, meaning the court will only make such an order when they feel it is appropriate in the circumstances. The author(s) shown below used Federal funding provided by the U. Adverse Possession Definition Provides that a trespasser takes title to a property when a trespasser possesses another’s property in a way that is continuous, exclusive, adverse, and open and notorious by clear and convincing evidence for a statutorily defined period of time (usually 10 years). It was on January 1, 1990, that ORS 105. not to be published in the official reports California Rules of Court, rule 8. AFFIANT — One who makes an affidavit or gives evidence. Which is it?. In California, it only takes 5 years of continuous use or maintenance for a squatter to make an adverse possession claim (CCP § 318, 325). Texas is known to have strict illegal controlled substance and narcotics drug possession laws. Past Exam Questions for the California Bar Exam and the First-Year Law Students' Exam. Tregger cant use the multibillion pound company years in adverse possession as there adverse possession ended at 12 years under the limitations act. State laws vary with respect to time requirements; however, typically, the possession by the non-owner needs to be open, notorious, and under a claim of right. Adverse possession is a legal theory under which someone who is in possession of land owned by another can actually become the owner if certain requirements are met for a period of time defined in. The key to adverse possession is “open and notorious” possession of property without the title holder taking steps to remove you for a stated period of time. What is Adverse Possession To acquire title by adverse possession the person must show they have had exclusive possession without the consent of the true owner for 12 years. Also, the person seeking to establish a prescriptive easement must prove, by clear and convincing evidence, that the use which they intend to make of the alleged easement is the same as the actual use under which the alleged easement was used by their predecessors in interest. In California, adverse possession requires five years of continued use which is "open and notorious" and "adverse" to the owner's interest. The Town Trustees were permitted to convey the streets to the Association, at the direction of the property owners in Arundel on the Bay.
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Live Review: Outside Lands Festival – Day Two
I run into a friend of mine who is working, in some capacity or another, at the Crowdfire tent. Most of the photos I see on the screens around the park seem taken by the official Crowdfire photographers and not, as the concept goes, by fans who feel like wasting their time in front of a computer screen by uploading photos inside a big tent. I ask him what the Crowdfire tent is all about.
“It’s really hot in there,” he says simply, “and it smells like weed.”
Boots Riley, from the Coup, doesn’t seem to have any more of a handle on the Crowdfire idea either.
“I guess there’s this thing where you film a song on your. . . your phone, or something?” he says to the crowd. “And then you go and. . . upload it in that tent?” The genius of it is that he’s not phrasing his sentences in question form because he’s unclear on how the process works. It’s because he’s clearly asking why anyone would want to do such a stupid thing in the first place.
I interviewed Boots Riley in 2006, shortly after the Coup’s tour bus crashed one week into a nationwide tour. While the bus was sideways on the side of the freeway, everyone scrambled out just in time to watch the bus—and everything on it—become engulfed in flames. Riley was still audibly shaken by the experience, but his personal resolve was strong as ever.
“Different members of the band are like, ‘Well, you know, we survived for a reason.’ This and that. But I have always felt a reason for my life,” he told me, determinedly, “and I’ve searched to make a reason for my life when I didn’t know what it was.”
That’s exactly how Riley is on stage. He’s here for a reason, and he knows it, and he’s not about to let the audience forget that. Moving around the stage using every part of his body but his feet, in a green military shirt with “Revolution Rock” on the back, he even needs to ask for a longer mic cord at one point.
Riley and Silk-E command the live band through a solid set of mostly new songs. “Ride the Fence” goes into a barreling breakdown, and “The Shipment” has the musicians in full-on Band of Gypsys mode. “Ijuswannalayaroundalldayinbedwithyou” makes for a nice breather, and Silk-E delivers a solo song, “Do You Give Her What I Got,” showcasing her Aretha-like vocals.
It around this point that I notice that the foam covering on the speaker, two feet in front of my face, is flapping off of the cabinet with each heavy bass note. My ears are already shot from years of this, but a rare burst of responsibility sets in. Might be a good idea to move.
The last time I saw the Liars was at the Greek Theater in 2006. It was horrible. Just horrible. One of the most grating things I’ve ever sat through.
I have friends who swear by them, though, and I’m willing to give them another shot. They’re on the Panhandle Stage—the smallest stage at Outside Lands—and they’ve got a huge crowd. They seem less on heroin than they did two years ago, which is good.
The most unlikely trend in indie rock: the Second Drummer Playing Not Exactly In Rhythm.
“That song was called Alcatraz and There’s No Place Like Home!” says a smiling Angus Andrew. I’m not sure if it’s a continuation of the song title, but he also says something about it being a beautiful night, which, at three in the afternoon, is sort of strange.
I think about a Gang Gang Dance album that I used to have, and make my way to the Lupe Fiasco stage, which has already amassed a huge throng.
By rights, no one in a goddamned Dodgers cap should be allowed to stand in front of a San Francisco crowd and succeed in getting them hyped. But Lupe Fiasco’s guitarist does just that. Over and over. For ten minutes or so.
You know it’s a hip-hop show when nothing is happening on stage for way too long, there’s some guy telling you to make some noise even though you just did a few minutes ago, and the star doesn’t come out to the stage even remotely on time. Of all the hip-hop acts at Outside Lands, Lupe Fiasco is the only one who does this. I stand there, staring into space, wondering why I still put up with this kind of stuff.
I didn’t really understand the fascination with Lupe Fiasco when he put out Food & Liquor. Maybe it’s because back here in the Bay Area, we already had the Pack, who are of a much more sensible age group to be wearing neon and rapping about skateboards. The production is alright and all, and “Kick Push” is great, but really—“hip hop’s whiz kid”?
It was earlier this year when I was interviewing DJ Ignite for an article on Santa Rosa’s Latino hip hop scene that I changed my tune on Lupe Fiasco. “That song, ‘Hip Hop Saved My Life,’ that’s my favorite song right now,” he told me. I had no idea what he was talking about, but I sought it out and lo and behold, he’s right. It’s a great song.
Lupe Fiasco comes out late but makes quick amends by playing “Kick Push” and “Hip Hop Saved My Life” right off the bat. Dude is smooth as butter. Opening tours for Kanye West will do that to you, I guess. The crowd is in the palm of his hand, and I haven’t seen so many arms windshield-wipering in unison since the 1900s.
When he finishes his set, the P.A. speakers go back to playing the Grateful Dead.
“With all of the money and influence in Washington,” muses Nellie McKay on the Panhandle stage, “it’s a miracle we even have a pseudo-democracy left.”
Last night, we’d gotten the text message from Barack Obama announcing that Joe Biden would be his running mate. And this morning, we’d watched the speech in Springfield, cringing at each blunder by both Obama and Biden. Obama called Biden “the next President. . . the next Vice President of the United States of America!” while Biden kept blowing it, calling Obama “Barack America” and using the word “literally” way too many times.
I’ve been pretty headstrong during this election season. I don’t care how close the media wants to paint this election. There is no way that McCain can possibly win. Even disregarding his asinine policies, he’s still a wooden, blobby multimillionaire who abandoned his wife after she got in a car accident to have an affair and marry a pill-popping, thieving beer heiress. Fuck that guy. He’s a loser.
But watching the speech in Springfield, my faith started to lapse. Especially when I noticed the campaign sign: “Obama Biden.” From a psychological standpoint, it doesn’t look good if your brain factors in an “S,” an “N,” and an “La.” When Biden called this campaign “literally incredible,” I fell apart inside.
The Democratic Party’s biggest obstacle, in my opinion, is its own self-doubt. For some reason, Democrats can’t just come right out and declare themselves the inevitable winners, even though according to all logic, the results of the November election are a totally foregone conclusion. Instead, they have to look at polls and wring their hands and worry about what Hilary supporters are thinking and what black America is thinking and what people in church are thinking.
For all of his blunders, Biden seems to have that extra needed boost of confidence. He also seems like he might make a bad cop to Obama’s good cop when it comes to attacking McCain, which is such a sensible and easy thing to do. In fact, if we care at all about the future of the world, we should all be attacking McCain as often and as gleefully as we can.
I already reviewed Nellie McKay’s show in Petaluma just five days earlier, and you can read it here. But standing in the crowd, watching people fall in love with McKay for the first time, is like seeing it through their eyes. All the zingers that never fail bring a new set of smiles to my face, and her cover of “Vote for Mr. Rhythm” leads into the brightest spot of political hope of the day.
“A lot of people say McCain is too old,” she reports to the crowd. “But it’s not that McCain is too old. It’s that his policies are FUCKED UP.”
Next up is the Walkmen, who I’ve never seen before but who I’ve loved since their impeccable 2004 album, Bows + Arrows. This week, they’re at the top of the Pitchfork ‘Best New Music’ list, for what that’s worth—after all, every single record store has a used, discarded copy of Pitchfork’s #1 album of 2006, The Knife’s Silent Shout, which is a totally faceless pile of boredom that almost single-handedly destroyed Pitchfork’s reputation overnight.
The Walkmen’s new album is called You & Me, and after listening to it a few times, I’m not that into it. It’s wimpy, and too ruminative, and not in the good way that “No Christmas While I’m Talking” is ruminative. I made a tape of it for the car, and skipping over a few songs to conserve space on the 45-minute cassette wasn’t exactly a nail-biting decision to make.
But the Walkmen take the stage and right off the bat, the wimpiness works on me. I’m transfixed. They open with a slow song, just guitar and singing, and it’s an irresistible invitation into their world. When the next song comes in and the band fills out the sound, it’s like heaven. They’re the very definition of a unique aesthetic, playing the same vintage instruments as the Monkees—Vox bass, Gretsch drums—but sounding unlike any other band on Earth.
They play almost all songs from You & Me, and those same songs I’d previously dismissed are immeasurably better live. Hamilton Leithauser plays the perfect frontman, high-rise jeans and all, clutching a beer and crowing at the skies while each song gets stretched and bullied along. Also, in an amazing triumph of stage direction, each member of the band appears to be thinking about algebra, or Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters, or the Spanish Civil War instead of about the fact that they’re playing music. Really—check the additional photos below.
At the end of the set, I’m thoroughly indulged. A screaming version of Bows + Arrows’ “Thinking of a Dream I Had” has me soaring on cloud nine, and I chalk it up as the top experience of the day.
Strolling along Speedway Meadow, I see a fistfight break out right next to me. Seriously, dudes are wailing on each other, trying to punch each others’ lights out. I’ve got this impulse, left over from high school, to break up fights, and it isn’t until I’ve helped push the one guy away from the other that I notice a Four Square court on the ground. They were fighting over a Four Square game. For reals.
When we walk across to Lindley Meadow, we notice that the organizers have thoughtfully widened the corral that was unmanageably bottlenecked the day before. It’s so uncrowded, in fact, that a trio of frat guys marches drunkenly down the path, arms around each other’s shoulders, singing “I Will Survive.” It must be weird to be known for a deadpan cover of a disco song.
Cake is playing, but they’re on the Sutro stage—a.k.a. The Inaccessible Stage—and we can’t see them at all behind the sound tent. They play “Frank Sinatra” and “Sheep Go to Heaven.” John McCrea’s monotone voice, which is so charming on record, is downright condescending in a live context and I can’t explain why.
“We’re Cake and we’re here to serve you!” he says. “This next song is from our very first album, which we’re re-releasing. We got it out of the steely claws of the record company and it’s ours again. Are claws steely? Some of them, I guess.”
They play “Rock ‘n Roll Lifestyle,” we get hungry, and the 100-page Outside Lands Festival booklet lets us know that they’re going “above and beyond the standard festival food.” This has resulted in food booths selling weird items like Three-Cheese and Figgy Jam sandwiches, but we see a hamburger stand and jump on it.
Tom Petty closes out the night. I like Tom Petty a lot, so this is a great thing, tainted only by the long and not very interesting story of our running around backstage trying to figure out why Tom Petty’s management will happily grant a photo pass to some no-name event website but not to an actual weekly newspaper with a large circulation throughout three counties in the Bay Area. Because of this, Tom Petty, you are represented in this review by this totally shitty photo. Hope you’re happy.
The show starts and it’s a steady steam train of Greatest Hits, which is just fine by me. “We got a lot of songs we’re gonna cram in before the curfew tonight!” Petty says. “We’ll play as many as we can!” And sure enough, they keep coming, one hit after another: “Listen to Her Heart,” “I Won’t Back Down,” “Even the Losers,” “Free Fallin’,” “Last Dance with Mary Jane.”
People are flaming up joints. People are singing “Oh my, my, Oh hell yes.” People are twirling and dancing and doing what people do at Tom Petty concerts, and then people are hearing Tom Petty tell them that they have to take a five-minute break so the sound guys can replace a generator or something.
But it isn’t all for naught: “While we were back there, ” Petty says upon returning, “we ran into one of our favorite musicians in the world. Steve Winwood! So we asked him to come help us out on a couple songs. ”
So Steve straps on a guitar and sings “Can’t Find My Way Home” with the Heartbreakers, and then really tears the nonexistent roof off with “Gimme Some Lovin’.” It’s a song I’ve heard a million times, but I think, today, that I have heard the best version of “Gimme Some Lovin’” ever performed—Tom Petty and the band know that song like the backs of their Rickenbackers, and Winwood is on fire all the more because of it.
But when “Saving Grace” goes on and on into a long jam, I feel like maybe Petty was just kidding around by saying they’d try to cram as many songs as they could into their set. “Refugee” lasts forever, with the predictable last-song-before-the-encore guitar jam in full effect.
At this point, after a very long day, all I really want to hear is “Here Comes My Girl.” Instead, to my great shock, Tom Petty plays “Gloria.” As in, the song that every bar band in the world plays on any given night in any given city in the world. I’ve heard of Petty playing some great covers—Count Five’s “Psychotic Reaction” comes to mind—but “Gloria”?!
We bail. Tom Petty is still okay in my book. I’m glad I saw him. Ending the set with “American Girl” is probably the best thing he could have done, and we sing along as we wind our way back out onto 19th Avenue.
Tom Petty:
The Walkmen:
Nellie McKay:
Lupe Fiasco:
The Liars:
The Coup:
Jump to Outside Lands Festival – Day One.
Tags: 2008, Cake, Coup, Elizabeth Seward, Festival, gabe meline, Liars, Live, Lupe Fiasco, Nellie McKay, obama, Outside Lands, Photos, Review, San Francisco, Tom Petty, Walkmen
manatee face
Liars never played Greek Theater!
Gabe Meline
You might be thinking of the L.A. Greek Theater – they played the Greek in Berkeley, 2006.
Live Review: Outside Lands Festival - Day One | City Sound Inertia says:
[…] Jump to Outside Lands Festival – Day Two. […]
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Accounting standards and professional ethics;
Accounting Standards and Professional Ethics
Arthur R. Wyatt
Arthur Andersen & Co.
Over the years accounting standards and auditing practices have become sufficiently divorced that they almost seem to be in separate environments with only negligible overlap. While professional auditors continue to need to evaluate client applications of accounting standards, those auditors today are also frequently involved in seeking loopholes in the standards to exploit for client benefit. Auditors continue to be supportive of the accounting standard-setting process, but many times that support seems to flow more from a concern about the uncertainties associated with any revision to the current mechanism than from a residual satisfaction with recent and current FASB standards.
The increasing complexity of the world in which the auditor operates probably means that a separation of the establishment of accounting standards from the evaluation of their application was inevitable. Greater specialization arises when the environment becomes increasingly complex. Even so, the rather marked change in how auditors seem to approach the evaluations of the application of standards today, as compared to simpler times, appears to be more an attitudinal change than the necessary consequence of greater complexity,
better technology, or increased specialization.
Thus, the relationship between accounting standards and the professional auditor may be less direct today than in the past. A brief look at how this relationship has changed may sharpen the focus of the current relationship. First, it may be useful to consider why accounting standards are developed today in the manner in which they are, rather than in some alternative procedure. We should recognize that when Congress created the Securities and Exchange Commission in 1934 it authorized the Commission to articulate accounting standards. Over the next few years, the SEC was fully occupied in getting organized and in dealing with many inherited problems flowing from the trauma in the stock markets over the preceding four or five years. The need to develop accounting standards did not reach a high enough level of priority for the SEC to undertake any productive activity.
At the same time, many of the leaders on the practicing side of the accounting profession were concerned about the potential ramifications of having accounting standards established by a governmental agency. Leaders of the profession, who, at that time, were also generally the top technical partners in the several leading firms, approached the SEC through the offices of the American Institute of CPAs to offer to assume the authority for the development
of accounting standards. After considerable discussion, and a very close vote within the Commission itself, the Commission authorized the AICPA to
Title Accounting standards and professional ethics
Author Wyatt, Arthur R.
Contributor Srivastava, Rajendra P., ed.
Rebele, James E., ed.
Subject Accounting -- Standards -- United States
Auditors -- Professional ethics
Citation Auditing Symposium IX: Proceedings of the 1988 Touche Ross/University of Kansas Symposium on Auditing Problems, pp. 139-146
Identifier Auditing Symposium IX 1988-p139-146
Description-Abstract 8 Accounting Standards and Professional Ethics Arthur R. Wyatt Arthur Andersen & Co. Over the years accounting standards and auditing practices have become sufficiently divorced that they almost seem to be in separate environments with only negligible overlap. While professional auditors continue to need to evaluate client applications of accounting standards, those auditors today are also frequently involved in seeking loopholes in the standards to exploit for client benefit. Auditors continue to be supportive of the accounting standard-setting process, but many times that support seems to flow more from a concern about the uncertainties associated with any revision to the current mechanism than from a residual satisfaction with recent and current FASB standards. The increasing complexity of the world in which the auditor operates probably means that a separation of the establishment of accounting standards from the evaluation of their application was inevitable. Greater specialization arises when the environment becomes increasingly complex. Even so, the rather marked change in how auditors seem to approach the evaluations of the application of standards today, as compared to simpler times, appears to be more an attitudinal change than the necessary consequence of greater complexity, better technology, or increased specialization. Thus, the relationship between accounting standards and the professional auditor may be less direct today than in the past. A brief look at how this relationship has changed may sharpen the focus of the current relationship. First, it may be useful to consider why accounting standards are developed today in the manner in which they are, rather than in some alternative procedure. We should recognize that when Congress created the Securities and Exchange Commission in 1934 it authorized the Commission to articulate accounting standards. Over the next few years, the SEC was fully occupied in getting organized and in dealing with many inherited problems flowing from the trauma in the stock markets over the preceding four or five years. The need to develop accounting standards did not reach a high enough level of priority for the SEC to undertake any productive activity. At the same time, many of the leaders on the practicing side of the accounting profession were concerned about the potential ramifications of having accounting standards established by a governmental agency. Leaders of the profession, who, at that time, were also generally the top technical partners in the several leading firms, approached the SEC through the offices of the American Institute of CPAs to offer to assume the authority for the development of accounting standards. After considerable discussion, and a very close vote within the Commission itself, the Commission authorized the AICPA to 139
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October 19, 2018 by David Wake
I’ve been having a problem with my colons. Yes, plural.
You see, I like this: “I say.”
But my recent editor (who I shall keep nameless to avoid Andy getting embarrassed) objects to them. Colons. Really objects. So much so that he removed them all and went for full stops and commas.
This is the more traditional way of punctuating dialogue.
Let me show you, I could say, “This is a second example.”
It’s that awkward comma followed by a capital. The sentence starts with ‘Let’, but then there’s a second full sentence starting with ‘This’.
I could say. “This and use a full stop.”
But the speech tag ends and isn’t connected to the dialogue. In theatre, you just give the character’s name and then what they say.
David: Like this.
But that doesn’t signify the actual words spoken aloud. Whereas:
Earnestine: “One could say this.”
Works fine, I think. (Yes, double quotes rather than single, but then that’s another debate.)
It’s a reaction against ‘said bookism’. This strange expression derives from when door-to-door salesman used to go around America selling books of alternative words for ‘said’. With this volume, you could then articulate with greater eloquence and therefore sound educated. It’s nonsense, because people don’t actually read the word ‘said’, it’s a form of punctuation. Indeed, alternatives culled from the thesaurus stick out and break the flow. They should be used sparingly if there’s a really good reason, say, if the character SHOUTS or whispers.
So, why not go the whole hog and use punctuation: “Like this.”
Having had a go at Americans, their method of punctuation when the speech tag follows makes more sense.
“This is how we do it,” said the Limey, “and there’s no argument.”
“Uh-uh, put the comma after the quotes”, said the Yank, “and not before.”
You see, the phrase spoken in both those examples doesn’t have a comma in the middle. If you remove the speech tag, you also need to exorcise the comma. Whereas, across the pond, the commas bracket the sub-clause of the speech tag. It makes more sense.
However, I went to a posh school, so there’s no way I can do that.
So, colons then, I say: “What you do you think?”
← Truth is Stranger Than Fiction
Genre Part 1 – A Genre Defining Moment →
2 thoughts on “Colonoscopy”
David Etheridge | October 27, 2018 at 10:00 am
Pulling a couple of novels off my shelf at random, I found examples of the following use:
I turned to the doctor and said, “What you done to my colon?”
I turned to the doctor and said: “What you done to my colon?”
I couldn’t find anything in Strunk and White, but Giles Brandreth in his excellent book Have You Eaten Grandma? gives an example using the comma.
David Wake | October 27, 2018 at 10:22 am
Was the colon example one of my books though?
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The Prevalence, Etiologic Agents and Risk Factors for Urinary Tract Infection Among Spinal Cord Injury Patients
56343-pdf.pdf (115.5Kb)
Togan, Turhan
Azap, Ozlem Kurt
Durukan, Elif
Arslan, Hande
Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are important causes of morbidity and mortality in patients with spinal cord injury and 22% of patients with acute spinal cord injury develop UTI during the first 50 days. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, etiologic agents and risk factors for asymptomatic bacteriuria and symptomatic urinary tract infections in patients with spinal cord injury. Patients and Methods: This was a prospective investigation of spinal cord injury patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria and symptomatic urinary tract infections in Baskent University Medical Faculty Ayas Rehabilitation Center and Ankara Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Center between January 2008 and December 2010. The demographic status, clinical and laboratory findings of 93 patients with spinal cord injury were analyzed in order to determine the risk factors for asymptomatic or symptomatic bacteriuria Results: Sixty three (67.7%) of 93 patients had asymptomatic bacteriuria and 21 (22.6%) had symptomatic urinary tract infection. Assessment of the frequency of urinary bladder emptying methods revealed that 57 (61.3%) of 93 patients employed permanent catheters and 24 (25.8%) employed clean intermittent catheterization. One hundred and thirty-five (48.0%) of 281 strains isolated form asymptomatic bacteriuria attacks and 16 (66.6%) of 24 strains isolated from symptomatic urinary tract infection attacks, totaling 151 strains, had multidrug resistance (P > 0.05). One hundred (70.4%) of 142 Escherichia coli strains and 19 (34.5%) of 55 Klebsiella spp strains proliferated in patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria; 8 (80%) of 10 E. coli strains and 4 (80%) of 5 Klebsiella spp. strains were multidrug resistant. Conclusions: The most common infectious episode among spinal cord injury patients was found to be urinary tract infection. E. coli was the most common microorganism isolated from urine samples. Antibiotic use in the previous 2 weeks or 3 months, hospitalization during the last one-year and previous diagnosis of urinary tract infection were the risk factors identified for the development of infections with multi-drug resistant isolates. Urinary catheterization was found to be the only independent risk factor contributing to symptomatic urinary tract infection.
https://neoscriber.org/cdn/serve/313ea/5f760dfe350a1f80167ca8672e9476d3184c5c51/56343-pdf.pdf
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Witches, The: Special Edition (Blu-ray Review)
Review Date: Feb 08, 2018
Luchino Visconi/Mauro Bolognini/Pier Paolo Pasolini/Franco Rossi/Vittorio De Sica
1967 (January 30, 2018)
Dino de Laurentiis Cinematografica/United Artists/MGM/20th Century Fox (Arrow Academy)
Film/Program Grade: B-
Video Grade: B+
Audio Grade: B+
Extras Grade: C+
The product of five Italian directors and a talented and beautiful actress, The Witches (aka Le streghe) is a 1967 anthology film featuring five stories starring Silvana Mangano. The Witch Burned Alive is an up close and personal look at how a movie star’s public persona is unmasked, then reconstructed. In Civic Duty (aka Civic Spirit or Civic Sense), a woman coming across a car accident uses it to her speedy advantage. In The Earth as Seen from the Moon, a father and his son search for a new mother, landing upon a deaf mute woman with otherworldly qualities. In The Sicilian Belle, a young woman with a voodoo doll is discovered by her father, quickly admitting to an unwanted gentlemen caller as bloodshed ensues. And finally, in An Evening Like the Others, a house wife fantasizes about her reactions to her apathetic husband during a common evening at home.
The Witches, as a title, implies something much different than what it actually is, which is an episode by episode study through artistic expression of the various qualities of women; their roles in society, their wants and desires, and their reactions to the opposite sex (all of that is a gross oversimplification, obviously, as the film is more textured than that simple description of it). Only one segment enacts any of sort of “witch” behavior, being less bombastic and more thematic springboard than literal. The Witches is also not an overly successful film in what it’s trying to achieve, coming off a bit more negatively towards women than perhaps intended.
Silvana Mangano gives unique and magnetic performances, but The Witches is also highly unusual in that it features Clint Eastwood as Mangano’s husband in the final segment. Although obviously miscast, Eastwood was a big star in Italy at the time, as well as a rising star in the U.S., so his participation makes sense. The fact that the film was never given a proper release stateside, even to exploit Eastwood’s presence in it, just goes to show how much United Artists actually cared about it at the time. My personal favorite of the five segments is The Earth as Seen from the Moon by Pasolini, which I would venture is most viewers’ favorite upon seeing it for the first time. Not only is it the most positive, but it’s also bittersweet and comedic as well.
Arrow Academy’s Blu-ray release of The Witches comes armed with a new 2K restoration from the original 35mm interpositive element. It’s an incredibly natural presentation with a variety of styles, meaning that there are different lighting schemes, methods of cinematography, and even an opening animated credit sequence. Because of this, there are variances in visual quality throughout. Many moments of differentiation include out of focus sequences and opticals. The Earth as Seen from the Moon is perhaps the most even presentation as it contains almost no inconsistencies, while adversely, the final segment, An Evening Like the Others, features the most inherent visual flaws. Grain levels tend to spike during this sequence, which is well-resolved for the most part elsewhere. Detail is also a bit all over the map, but appears precise and innate to its corresponding story. Color reproduction is often quite lush in many sequences with hues that really pop, including natural skin tones. Black levels can sometimes be crushed, but overall brightness and contrast is excellent. No digital anomalies or enhancements seem to have been applied, but there is some occasional leftover damage mild scratches and speckling, as well as sporadic instances of film gate debris, which hasn’t been touched up.
The main presentation is presented in Italian mono LPCM, but alternately included in the extras is an English language presentation, also offered up in mono LPCM, both containing optional subtitles in English SDH. While these are extremely narrow and boxy presentations, they represent the film quite well. Dialogue is clear, but the overdubs on the English track are a bit more pronounced. Sound effects, which have many vintage qualities (including the Dollars trilogy-era shotgun blasts) are also thin but clear. The various musical score materials by Piero Piccioni and Ennio Morricone are mixed in well with the rest of the presentation. There are no major distortion problems, nor are there any hiss, clicks, or pops to be heard. I actually found the Italian track to be the more naturally-sounding of the two, even though both tracks are ultimately limited.
Other than the aforementioned alternate dubbed and shortened version of the film (which is only missing about 7 minutes and is a lower quality presentation than the Italian original, utilizing alternate elements to complete it), there’s also an excellent audio commentary by author and critic Tim Lucas, which is always an entertaining listen on every film he accompanies. He offers a copious amount of background information and insight into many of the film’s main players, as well as my favorite bit, a personal moment of him relating his childhood to one of the film’s musical numbers. Also included in this release is a 32-page insert booklet with the essays “Omnibus Films, Italian Style” by Pasquale Iannone and “The Manifestation of Dreams & Desire: Commedia all’italiana, The Witches and the Female Perspective” by Alexander Jacoby and Kat Ellinger, as well as restoration details.
I would classify The Witches as more of a curiosity than a film worth recommending. It’s for a very specific audience, which is not a horror crowd wondering if they’ve stumbled upon an unknown Italian portmanteau with Clint Eastwood in it. It’s far from that, but devoted film fans, especially fans of Italian cinema, will find something of value here. Between the excellent A/V presentation and Tim Lucas’ illuminating audio commentary, Arrow Academy’s release of the film is a wonderful new discovery.
- Tim Salmons
1967, 20th Century Fox, Age & Scarpelli, An Evening Like the Others, anthology, Arrow Academy, Arrow Video, arthouse, Bernardino Zapponi, Blu-ray, Blu-ray Disc, Cesare Zavattini, Civic Duty, Civic Sense, Civic Spirit, Clint Eastwood, Dino de Laurentiis, Dino de Laurentiis Cinematografica, Ennio Morricone, Enzo Muzii, Fabio Carpi, Franco Rossi, Giuseppe Patroni Griffi, Le streghe, Luchino Visconi, Luigi Magni, Mauro Bolognini, MGM, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Piero Piccioni, review, Roberto Gianviti, Silvana Mangano, The Digital Bits, The Earth as Seen from the Moon, The Sicilian Belle, The Witch Burned Alive, The Witches, Tim Lucas, Tim Salmons, Totò, United Artists, Vittorio De Sica
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The root of all evil? Money fosters a spirit of COOPERATION by encouraging strangers to trust each other, claim experts
Academic economists discover what market advocates have long said
Money may be considered the root of all evil, but it fosters a spirit of cooperation in modern society, according to new research.
Scientists conducted experiments which showed how spontaneous cooperation ebbs away as societies get larger. Money overcomes this tendency by encouraging anonymous strangers to trust each other.
Without it, large industrialised societies may never have evolved, the research suggests.
The team, led by Professor Gabriele Camera, from the Economic Science Institute at Chapman University in Orange, California, wrote: ‘This study has identified a behavioural reason for the existence of money.
‘Our research suggests that norms of voluntary co-operation are difficult to use in a society of strangers, unless they are mediated by some institution.'
Historically, humans have only survived by binding together in close-knit groups - yet modern society depends on the cooperation of complete strangers.
The U.S. study involved 448 volunteers playing a ‘helping game’ designed to examine the impact of money.
In one of a series of experiments, participants could choose whether or not to offer ‘help’ to fellow players in the form of gifts of ‘consumption units’ (CUs). Later the CUs were swapped for real money, providing an incentive to acquire more of them.
Being generous increased the chances of receiving reciprocal help and units in the future.
But this voluntary ‘give and take’ system only worked when groups were small and individuals dealt personally with each other.
Co-operation fell from almost 80 per cent in groups of two to 49.1 per cent in groups of four, 34.2 per cent in groups of eight and 28.5 per cent in groups of 32.
The introduction of worthless tokens brought about a dramatic change. Volunteers instinctively started using the tokens as ‘money’ - rewarding help with a token or demanding one in exchange for help.
With tokens included in the game, the average rate of co-operation remained a constant 52.1 per cent even when groups increased in size, the scientists reported in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Professor Camera said: 'In the experiment, monetary exchange, one of the most basic economic institutions, emerged endogenously and supported a stable level of co-operation in small as well as large groups.
‘Inherently worthless tokens acted as a catalyst for co-operation, acquiring value because of a self-sustaining belief that they could be exchanged for future co-operation.’
But the study also exposed the dark side of money, showing how it led to a social cost. Voluntary helpfulness was replaced by mercenary values.
‘Once the convention of money took hold, participants replaced norms of voluntary co-operation with a norm of exchange, i.e. trading co-operation for a token, quid pro quo,’ said the researchers. ‘This damaged co-operation whenever monetary trade was unavailable.’
When 'never again' turns into 'yet again'
DURING A VISIT last week to Dachau, the former concentration camp near Munich, German Chancellor Angela Merkel laid a wreath in memory of the tens of thousands the Nazis murdered there. The memory of their fate, she said, "fills me with deep sadness and shame."
Dachau — the original concentration camp, established in March 1933 — radiates a constant reminder about the bottomless human capacity to commit evil, or to look away when evil is committed. "How could Germans go so far as to deny people human dignity and the right to live?" Merkel asked. "Places such as this warn each one of us to help ensure that such things never happen again."
Never?
As Merkel spoke, Copts and other Christians in Egypt were reeling from a wave of attacks more savage than any in modern Egyptian history. Islamist mobs across the country torched scores of churches — some more than 1,000 years old — along with convents, monasteries, and Christian-owned homes and businesses. A Franciscan school near Cairo was looted and burned, said Sister Manal, the principal; then she and other nuns were paraded through the streets "like prisoners of war" to the jeers and abuse of the mob.
Shades of Kristallnacht.
Merkel's speech also coincided with the latest evidence of a chemical-weapons attack by the regime of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. Graphic video clips posted online by anti-Assad rebels east of Damascus showed rows of corpses, including those of women, children, and babies. Hospitals in the area described a sudden influx of patients gasping for breath and suffering from convulsions, nausea, and vomiting — symptoms consistent with chemical-weapons poisoning. The humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders put the death toll at 355; other estimates ranged far higher. The massacre took place one year to the week after President Obama's warning that any use of chemical weapons by Assad would be a red line. In fact, as even the Obama administration has conceded, Assad crossed that line months ago. Last week's attack was not the first, only the most brazen.
Shades of Halabja.
While Merkel was recalling the lessons of history in Dachau, a United Nations commission of inquiry was holding hearings on human rights abuses in North Korea. Survivors of Pyongyang's ghastly network of slave-labor camps recounted the horrors that take place there: starvation, torture, rape, public executions. There is nothing secret about the camps' existence or location; detailed satellite images have long been available in the West. So have accounts of unspeakable atrocities the North Korean regime inflicts on its victims. Among those testifying before the UN panel was Shin Dong-hyuk, who spent the first 22 years of his life in the North Korea's notorious Camp 14 before a miraculous escape in 2005. Shin told the harrowing story of a six-year-old girl, a classmate, who was publicly beaten to death by her teacher for stealing five kernels of corn. Other witnesses testified to other savageries, from forced abortions to medical experiments performed on dwarfs.
Shades of Auschwitz. Of the Gulag. Of the Cambodian killing fields.
"Can this really be happening? In the 21st century?" exclaimed the Israeli columnist Ari Shavit as news broke last week of the latest chemical-weapons attack in Syria. "No decent person can ignore what's happening."
That's what we always tell ourselves when "never again" turns into "yet again." But man's inhumanity to man is no more unthinkable in the 21st century than it was in the 20th. Decent people can and usually will ignore what's happening, and the indecent count on their apathy.
"Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?" Adolf Hitler is said to have remarked in 1939.
There are always reasons not to act in the face of a growing evil. There are always reasons to believe that atrocities are being overstated, or that tyrants can be persuaded to reform, or that common sense will prevail, or that meddling in the "internal affairs" of others will only make things worse. Then we are shocked to find we have enabled monsters.
The burning of houses of worship didn't end with Kristallnacht, nor the gassing of civilians with Halabja, nor concentration-camp butchery with Dachau. And we aren't finished building memorials to the dead, and solemnly declaring, as we lay our wreaths, that next time we won't forget the lessons of history.
Judge Strikes Down Obama’s ‘Improper’ NLRB Recess Appointment
A federal judge struck down one of President Obama’s highly controversial recess appointments to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle ruled in a case involving a Washington State firm charged with unfair labor practices that that “the Board is without power to act because it lacks a properly appointed quorum.”
On August 12, four new NRLB members appointed by President Obama and confirmed by the Senate were sworn-in, but Settles' August 13th decision invalidates all previous actions taken by Obama’s recess appointees.
In July, Obama was forced to withdrew his 2012 “recess” appointees, Sharon Block and Richard Griffin, because they were named to the NLRB while the Senate was still in session and their appointments were subsequently ruled unconstitutional in federal court.
Obama named Lafe Solomon acting general counsel in 2010, then re-nominated him as the agency’s top lawyer in 2011 and 2013, although he was never confirmed by the Senate. (See NLRB press release.pdf)
But Settle ruled that Solomon’s appointment was invalid because the Federal Vacancies Reform Act requires that the appointee serve “as a personal assistant to the departing officer” within the year prior to the appointment, which Solomon did not do.
The ruling “recognizes what the NLRB has failed to acknowledge: that former acting general counsel Lafe Solomon’s authority was questionable and came at an extreme cost to America’s job creators, like Boeing and Wal-Mart,” Dan Epstein, executive director of government accountability organization Cause of Action, commented.
Solomon came under fire by business groups after filing a 2011 complaint against Boeing, claiming that the aviation giant’s opening of a production plant in right-to-work South Carolina was an improper response to threats of a strike by its unionized employees in Washington State.
Judicial Watch released documents revealing emails about a deal the NLRB offered Boeing, in which it would drop the complaint if Boeing agreed not to lay off unionized workers. The union employees were later granted a contract extension and the complaint was formally withdrawn.
Last year, the NLRB’s Office of the Inspector General reported on a conflict of interest case involving Solomon, who held a substantial amount of Wal-Mart stock but participated in a decision on whether to file a complaint against Wal-Mart’s social media policy.
NLRB personnel polices prohibit individuals “from participating personally and substantially” in matters in which they have a financial interest.
Noting that “The DOJ can bring criminal or civil actions against Solomon,” Cause of Action condemned the OIG’s decision not to hold Solomon accountable because of “defects in the ethics process at the NLRB."
Are you a “potential terrorist?”: "Are you a conservative, a libertarian, a Christian or a gun owner? Are you opposed to abortion, globalism, Communism, illegal immigration, the United Nations or the New World Order? Do you believe in conspiracy theories, do you believe that we are living in the 'end times' or do you ever visit alternative news websites (such as this one)? If you answered yes to any of those questions, you are a 'potential terrorist' according to official U.S. government documents."
The French model: "Sometimes the impact of a set of policies is not obvious immediately. When Japan was riding high in the late 1980′s, a lot of people suggested that their model was one to emulate. Their public/private partnership with lifetime employment seemed to be working well. Japan had high growth rates and their future seemed limitless. It was only a matter of time before their economy surpassed America’s. It didn’t turn out that way. France is another example."
FL: Zimmerman will seek to recover legal fees from state: "George Zimmerman's attorney said Tuesday that he is going to ask the state of Florida to pay for some of his client's non-lawyer legal bills, including for experts, printing and court reporters, and that the price tag could reach $300,000. Zimmerman was acquitted last month of all charges in the 2012 fatal shooting of Miami teenager Trayvon Martin. The decision in the nationally televised trial touched off protests across the country. Since he was found not guilty, Zimmerman is entitled under a Florida law to recoup the defense costs, minus private attorney fees, said his lawyer Mark O'Mara. It also says that any costs already paid can be refunded with the approval of a judge, he said."
For more blog postings from me, see TONGUE-TIED, EDUCATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL, GREENIE WATCH, POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH, FOOD & HEALTH SKEPTIC, AUSTRALIAN POLITICS, IMMIGRATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL and Paralipomena (Occasionally updated) and Coral reef compendium. (Updated as news items come in). GUN WATCH is now mainly put together by Dean Weingarten.
A Truly Great Phony
Many years ago, I was a member of a committee that was recommending to whom grant money should be awarded. Since I knew one of the applicants, I asked if this meant that I should recuse myself from voting on his application. "No," the chairman said. "I know him too -- and he is one of the truly great phonies of our time."
The man was indeed a very talented phony. He could convince almost anybody of almost anything -- provided that they were not already knowledgeable about the subject.
He had once spoken to me very authoritatively about Marxian economics, apparently unaware that I was one of the few people who had read all three volumes of Marx's "Capital," and had published articles on Marxian economics in scholarly journals.
What our glib talker was saying might have seemed impressive to someone who had never read "Capital," as most people have not. But it was complete nonsense to me.
Incidentally, he did not get the grant he applied for.
This episode came back to me recently, as I read an incisive column by Charles Krauthammer, citing some of the many gaffes in public statements by the President of the United States.
One presidential gaffe in particular gives the flavor, and suggests the reason, for many others. It involved the Falkland Islands.
Argentina has recently been demanding that Britain return the Falkland Islands, which have been occupied by Britons for nearly two centuries. In 1982, Argentina seized these islands by force, only to have British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher take the islands back by force.
With Argentina today beset by domestic problems, demanding the return of the Falklands is once again a way for Argentina's government to distract the Argentine public's attention from the country's economic and other woes.
Because the Argentines call these islands "the Malvinas," rather than "the Falklands," Barack Obama decided to use the Argentine term. But he referred to them as "the Maldives."
It so happens that the Maldives are thousands of miles away from the Malvinas. The former are in the Indian Ocean, while the latter are in the South Atlantic.
Nor is this the only gross misstatement that President Obama has gotten away with, thanks to the mainstream media, which sees no evil, hears no evil and speaks no evil when it comes to Obama.
The presidential gaffe that struck me when I heard it was Barack Obama's reference to a military corps as a military "corpse." He is obviously a man who is used to sounding off about things he has paid little or no attention to in the past. His mispronunciation of a common military term was especially revealing to someone who was once in the Marine Corps, not Marine "corpse."
Like other truly talented phonies, Barack Obama concentrates his skills on the effect of his words on other people -- most of whom do not have the time to become knowledgeable about the things he is talking about. Whether what he says bears any relationship to the facts is politically irrelevant.
A talented con man, or a slick politician, does not waste his time trying to convince knowledgeable skeptics. His job is to keep the true believers believing. He is not going to convince the others anyway.
Back during Barack Obama's first year in office, he kept repeating, with great apparent earnestness, that there were "shovel-ready" projects that would quickly provide many much-needed jobs, if only his spending plans were approved by Congress.
He seemed very convincing -- if you didn't know how long it can take for any construction project to get started, after going through a bureaucratic maze of environmental impact studies, zoning commission rulings and other procedures that can delay even the smallest and simplest project for years.
Only about a year or so after his big spending programs were approved by Congress, Barack Obama himself laughed at how slowly everything was going on his supposedly "shovel-ready" projects.
One wonders how he will laugh when all his golden promises about ObamaCare turn out to be false and a medical disaster. Or when his foreign policy fiascoes in the Middle East are climaxed by a nuclear Iran.
15 Moronic Things Liberals Call Racism Since Obama Was Elected
Bizarrely, racism in America is no longer mainly about race. Sure, race is involved in a peripheral manner, but racism has mainly become an excuse, a dodge, a way to escape responsibility.
When a black liberal is criticized, he cries racism. When liberalism fails, liberals cry racism. When the Democrat Party gets in trouble, liberals cry racism. It has become the ever present background noise of politics, like birds chirping in the forest.
Racism does still exist and always will, but once the Democrat Party joined the GOP in being opposed to racist policies, appealing to racism became a dead dog political loser in this country. The very fact that we've become so hypersensitive about it as a country is evidence of how far it has been pushed to the fringes.
Keep in mind that we live in a nation with a black President and a black Attorney General. Furthermore, the government is legally allowed to discriminate against white Americans based on the color of their skin and it happily does so; yet you can't go a day in this country without hearing liberals howling about what a racist country they live in. It has almost become a circular, faith-based argument. America is racist because so many liberals say it's racist because they've heard other liberals say the country is racist.
Well, if our country is so racist, why is it that the Left has to reach so far to find examples of racism? People didn’t have to do any reaching to find examples of racism in the fifties and sixties, did they? So, if racism is such an all powerful force in America today, how is it that liberals have gotten so desperate to see race in every issue that they've had to latch on to pitiful issues like these to support their claims?
1) Criticizing the IRS: "Republicans are using [the IRS scandal] as their latest weapon in the war against the black man. ‘IRS’ is the new 'N****r.'" -- Martin Bashir
2) Having a Republican National Convention during a hurricane: "They are happy to have a party with black people drowning." -- Yahoo News Washington bureau chief David Chalian on the Republican National Convention, which was going on at the same time as Hurricane Isaac.
3) Wanting to own a gun to prevent break-ins: "I am loathe to bring up what is in our head because we don’t like to talk about it so much. But on this particular day, on Martin Luther King Day, I think this needs to be said. That imaginary person that’s going to break into your home and kill you, who does that person look like? You know, it’s not freckle-faced Jimmy down the street, is it really? I mean, that’s not what really, that’s not what really people, we never really want to talk about the racial or the class part of this, in terms of how it’s the poor or it’s people of color that we imagine that we’re afraid of. Why are we afraid? What is that, and it’s been a fear that has existed for a very, very long time." -- Michael Moore
4) Mentioning the "Constitution" or "respect for the Founding Fathers:" "The language of GOP racial politics is heavy on euphemisms that allow the speaker to deny any responsibility for the racial content of his message,” Williams wrote. “References to a lack of respect for the ‘Founding Fathers’ and the ‘Constitution’ also make certain ears perk up by demonizing anyone supposedly threatening core ‘old-fashioned American values.’" -- Juan Williams
5) Calling Obama "angry:" "That really bothered me. You notice (Romney) said anger twice. He’s really trying to use racial coding and access some really deep stereotypes about the angry black man. This is part of the playbook against Obama, the ‘otherization,’ he’s not like us. I know it’s a heavy thing, I don’t say it lightly, but this is ‘n*ggerization.’" -- Touré
6) Saying that Barack Obama lies: "Surrounded by middle-aged white guys — a sepia snapshot of the days when such pols ran Washington like their own men’s club — Joe Wilson yelled “You lie!” at a president who didn’t. But, fair or not, what I heard was an unspoken word in the air: You lie, boy!" -- Maureen Dowd
7) Noting that Obama is privileged: "Spotlighting his elite education is tantamount to racial bigotry because it insinuates that 'he took the place of someone else through affirmative action, that someone else being someone white.'" -- Jonathan Capehart
8) Saying that unions boss Obama around: "The Republican Party is saying that the President of the United States has bosses, that the union bosses this President around, the unions boss him around. Does that sound to you like they are trying to consciously or subconsciously deliver the racist message that, of course, of course a black man can’t be the real boss?" -- Lawrence O’Donnell
9) Supporting voter ID: “If you go back to the year 2000, when we had an obvious disaster and – and saw that our voting process needed refinement, and we did that in the America Votes Act and made sure that we could iron out those kinks, now you have the Republicans, who want to literally drag us all the way back to Jim Crow laws and literally – and very transparently – block access to the polls to voters who are more likely to vote Democratic candidates than Republican candidates. And it’s nothing short of that blatant.” -- Debbie Wasserman Schultz
10) Saying "I want my country back:" "Do you remember tea baggers? It was just so much easier when we could just call them racists. I just don’t know why we can’t call them racists, or functionally retarded adults. The functionally retarded adults, the racists – with their cries of, ‘I want my country back. You know what they’re really saying is, ‘I want my white guy back.’ They apparently had no problem at all for the last eight years of habeas corpus being suspended, the Constitution being [expletive] on, illegal surveillance, lied to on a war or two, two stolen elections – yes, the John Kerry one was stolen too. That’s not tin-foil hat time. ” -- Janeane Garofalo
11) Being fans of Herman Cain: "One of the things about Herman Cain is, I think that he makes that white Republican base of the party feel okay, feel like they are not racist because they can like this guy. I think he(he’s) giving that base a free pass. And I think they like him because they think he’s a black man who knows his place. I know that’s harsh, but that’s how it sure seems to me." -- Karen Finney
12) Fighting for the 2nd Amendment: "I believe the NRA is the new KKK. And that the arming of so many black youths, uh, and loading up our community with drugs, and then just having an open shooting gallery, is the work of people who obviously don’t have our best interests [at heart]." -- Jason Whitlock
13) Republicans trying to keep Obama from being reelected: "Look at, look, the Tea Partiers, who are controlling the Republican Party….Their stated policy, publicly stated, is to do whatever it takes to see to it that Obama only serves one term. What’s, what does that, what underlines that? ‘Screw the country. We’re going to (do) whatever we (can) do to get this black man, we can, we’re going to do whatever we can to get this black man outta here.’… It is a racist thing." -- Morgan Freeman
14) Disliking the fact that Obama is President: "They can’t stand the idea that he’s president, and a piece of it is racism. Not that somebody in one racial group doesn’t like somebody in another racial group, so what? It’s the sense that the white race must rule, that’s what racism is, and they can’t stand the idea that a man who’s not white is president. That is real, that sense of racial superiority and rule is in the hearts of some people in this country." -- Chris Matthews
15) Disliking Barack Obama: "I think an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man, that he’s African-American." -- Jimmy Carter
North Korea Shows The Pervasive Evil of Communism…and the Moral Bankruptcy of Communist Apologists
I spoke earlier today at the 2013 Liberty Conference in Lausanne, Switzerland. But I don’t think anybody is going to remember my speech about the collapse of the welfare state, even though I presented lots of powerful data from the BIS, OECD, and IMF, and also shared a very funny cartoon showing what happens when there’s nothing left for interest groups to steal.
At a normal conference, my remarks may have resonated, but I freely admit that I was completely overshadowed by the presentation of Shin Dong-Hyuk, who is the only person to have successfully escaped from the North Korean gulag.
In the future, if I ever get discouraged and think the fight for freedom is too difficult, I will watch this video and realize that nothing in my life will ever compare to the horror of living under communism. It’s not nearly as powerful as today’s first-person presentation, but the video will give you some sense of the utter barbarity of the North Korean government.
Keep in mind, by the way, that North Korea is an awful and repressive country even for the people who aren’t in the gulags. Malnutrition is such a problem, for instance, that children are stunted and the North Korean army had to lower its requirements to allow soldiers as short as 4’8?.
So perhaps now you understand why I get so upset when people in the west glorify communist thugs such as Che Guevara, or use the Soviet hammer and sickle as a cutesy marketing gimmick.
I hope nobody would ever think to wear a Hermann Göring t-shirt or use the swastika in a value-neutral fashion, so why should it be okay to whitewash and/or rehabilitate communists?
MLK's 'Dream' at 50
Is THIS the dream?
Tens of thousands of people descended on the National Mall Saturday for the coming 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech. In King's 1963 speech, he eloquently declared, "I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." Unfortunately, that day has not yet come.
The biggest reason for that is the professional race baiters like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton who arose from MLK's socialist ranks to keep the embers of racial animosity burning. Martin Luther King III, MLK's grandson, shamefully pointed to Trayvon Martin's death as evidence that "the task is not done." King also decried the Supreme Court's June ruling striking down Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA), which the Court did because the law's formula for federal intervention in state election law hasn't been revised in 40 years. In many ways, that's the essence of the movement today -- it's still living in 1963.
Further evidence of that arrested development comes from Attorney General Eric Holder, whose Justice Department filed suit against Texas last week for allegedly violating the Constitution and the VRA through recently passed voter ID and redistricting laws. Holder justifies the suit under Section 2 of the VRA, which prohibits any voting qualification that "results in a denial or abridgement of the right of any citizens of the United States to vote on account of race or color." Pursuant to Holder's hostility toward voter ID laws, the Justice Department claims Section 5 authority to reimpose preclearance on Texas for the next decade.
Fortunately for Texas, the Supreme Court in 2008 upheld Indiana's similar voter ID law, and a lower court likewise upheld Georgia's. Neither law suppressed minority turnout, which certainly makes Holder's discrimination claim on that count difficult to prove. Voter fraud favors Democrats, which is why they oppose voter ID. It's also clear that Holder and the miscreants marching on the mall have turned King's dream on its head.
Why Your Boss is Dumping Your Wife
The United Parcel Service UPS +0.24% will no longer cover employees' spouses on the company health plan. And while it's not the only company to have adopted the policy, it's among the largest. Some 15,000 UPS spouses who can obtain health coverage through their own jobs will be dropped from the plan. In a memo to employees, the company explained that the change was intended to offset the effects of the Affordable Care Act, which were expected to increase its health care costs by 4%. See: New Obamacare effect: working spouses taken off UPS health plans
By denying coverage to spouses, employers not only save the annual premiums, but also the new fees that went into effect as part of the Affordable Care Act. This year, companies have to pay $1 or $2 "per life" covered on their plans, a sum that jumps to $65 in 2014. And health law guidelines proposed recently mandate coverage of employees' dependent children (up to age 26), but husbands and wives are optional. "The question about whether it's obligatory to cover the family of the employee is being thought through more than ever before," says Helen Darling, president of the National Business Group on Health. See: When your boss doesn't trust your doctor
While surcharges for spousal coverage are more common, next year, 12% of employers plan to exclude spouses, up from 4% this year, according to a recent Towers Watson survey. These "spousal carve-outs," or "working spouse provisions," generally prohibit only people who could get coverage through their own job from enrolling in their spouse's plan.
Such exclusions barely existed three years ago, but experts expect an increasing number of employers to adopt them: "That's the next step," Darling says. HMS, a company that audits plans for employers, estimates that nearly a third of companies might have such policies now. Holdouts say they feel under pressure to follow suit. "We're the last domino," says Duke Bennett, mayor of Terre Haute, Ind., which is instituting a spousal carve-out for the city's health plan, effective July 2013, after nearly all major employers in the area dropped spouses.
But when employers drop spouses, they often lose more than just the one individual, when couples choose instead to seek coverage together under the other partner's employer. Terre Haute, which pays $6 million annually to insure nearly 1,200 people including employees and their family members, received more than 20 new plan members when a local university, bank and county government stopped insuring spouses, according to Bennett. "We have a great plan, so they want to be on ours. All we're trying to do is level the playing field here," he says.
Abbott & Costello updated
COSTELLO: I want to talk about the unemployment rate in America .
ABBOTT: Good Subject. Terrible Times. It's 7.8%.
COSTELLO: That many people are out of work?
ABBOTT: No, that's 14.7%.
COSTELLO: You just said 7.8%.
ABBOTT: 7.8% Unemployed.
COSTELLO: Right 7.8% out of work.
COSTELLO: Okay, so it's 14.7% unemployed.
ABBOTT: No, that's 7.8%.
COSTELLO: WAIT A MINUTE. Is it 7.8% or 14.7%?
ABBOTT: 7.8% are unemployed. 14.7% are out of work.
COSTELLO: If you are out of work you are unemployed.
ABBOTT: No, Congress said you can't count the "Out of Work" as the unemployed. You have to look for work to be unemployed.
COSTELLO: BUT THEY ARE OUT OF WORK!!!
ABBOTT: No, you miss his point.
COSTELLO: What point?
ABBOTT: Someone who doesn't look for work can't be counted with those who look for work. It wouldn't be fair.
COSTELLO: To whom?
ABBOTT: The unemployed.
COSTELLO: But ALL of them are out of work.
ABBOTT: No, the unemployed are actively looking for work. Those who are out of work gave up looking and if you give up, you are no longer in the ranks of the unemployed.
COSTELLO: So if you're off the unemployment roles that would count as less unemployment?
ABBOTT: Unemployment would go down. Absolutely!
COSTELLO: The unemployment just goes down because you don't look for work?
ABBOTT: Absolutely it goes down. That's how it gets to 7.8%. Otherwise it would be 14.7%.
COSTELLO: Wait, I got a question for you. That means there are two ways to bring down the unemployment number?
ABBOTT: Two ways is correct.
COSTELLO: Unemployment can go down if someone gets a job?
ABBOTT: Correct.
COSTELLO: And unemployment can also go down if you stop looking for a job?
ABBOTT: Bingo.
COSTELLO: So there are two ways to bring unemployment down, and the easier of the two is to have people stop looking for work.
ABBOTT: Now you're thinking like an Economist.
COSTELLO: I don't even know what I just said!
ABBOTT: Now you're thinking like Congress.
When Jews And Arabs Sunbathe Together
Just as there are observant and unobservant Jews in Israel, there are all sorts of Arabs. Just as some Jewish women wouldn’t ever be seen in a bikini on the beach, there are plenty of Israeli Arab women who take advantage of Israel’s liberal nature and sunbathe on Israel’s many fine beaches.
So while the picture of the woman walking on the beach in a burka that did the rounds on social media a few weeks ago is accurate, it’s quite possible the girl in the bikini is an Arab too.
It’s normal. Here’s a typical story from one of my Facebook acquaintances, Bat Zion:
Shabbat in Eretz Yisrael and as is my custom on this Shabbat and every Shabbat, I go to the beach to enjoy the cooling water and the refreshing sea breeze.
Next to me in bright colourful skimpy bikinis, there situated themselves two beautiful young Israeli Arab women.
We exchanged common greetings (I talk to anyone:-)) and set to deepen the already evenly golden brown tan all three of us seem to have acquired.
One of the city inspectors, patrolling the beaches, approached us and reminded us to drink water so that we do not get dehydrated.
I told him I had forgotten mine. My beautiful beach neighbours seem to have also forgotten theirs.
“I will get a popsicle as soon as the vendor gets here,” I answered.
“So will we,” answered one of the young ladies next to me.
“Ok, ” said the inspector, “I will send him your way.” And left.
A few minutes later, all three of us were left with out mouths open.
There, in front of us was the city inspector negotiating his way barefoot on the hot sand, coming towards us.
In his hands were three popsicles!
Welcome to an “Apartheid” state called Israel!
The truth is, when girls are wearing bikinis, it’s hard to tell if they’re Jew or Arab and few people really care. You’d only notice if you spoke or listened for an accent and then again, most of them speak perfect Hebrew and with far less accent than my crappy Hebrew.
Another fine tale of normal, intermingled life in Israel. It’s not quite what you may have been mislead to believe.
The Price of a Preposterous Presidency
Just how much are we paying for the gooey warm glow of sanctimony liberals derive from Barack Obama’s “historic” presidency? The total cost is incalculable, but The Economic Collapse lists 33 documented facts that give a general idea in monetary terms, including:
* When the Obama era began, the average duration of unemployment in this country was 19.8 weeks. Today, it is 36.6 weeks.
* During the first four years of Obama, the number of Americans “not in the labor force” soared by an astounding 8,332,000. That far exceeds any previous four year total.
* Median household income in America has fallen for four consecutive years. Overall, it has declined by over $4000 during that time span.
* The poverty rate has shot up to 16.1 percent. That is actually higher than when the War on Poverty began in 1965.
* When Barack Obama entered the White House, there were about 32 million Americans on food stamps. Today, there are more than 47 million Americans on food stamps.
* When Barack Obama took office, the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline was $1.85. Today, it is $3.53.
* Electricity bills in the United States have risen faster than the overall rate of inflation for five years in a row.
* Health insurance costs have risen by 29 percent since Barack Obama became president, and Obamacare is going to make things far worse.
* During Obama’s first term, the federal government accumulated more new debt than it did under the first 42 U.S presidents combined.
* When you break it down, the amount of new debt accumulated by the U.S. government during Obama’s first term comes to approximately $50,521 for every single household in the United States.
Meanwhile, the media that put Obama in power and keeps him there despite his growing list of impeachable offenses tells us that we are in a recovery.
Does a police officer's race matter?
CAN YOU judge a police officer's abilities by the color of his skin?
When Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis earlier this month promoted five officers to sergeant, the commotion it generated had everything to do with the officers' race. All five happened to be white, even though the pool of 21 officers eligible for promotion on the basis of their Civil Service test scores had included nine nonwhite candidates. The commissioner was blasted by a minority officers' advocacy group, which accused him of making a "conscious effort" to keep minorities from moving up.
Boston's mayoral hopefuls jumped on the issue. "How can we have a city of Boston that's 53 percent people of color," demanded City Councilor Charles Yancey, "and not have one person of color heading up any of the 11 police districts in the city of Boston?"
Davis pleaded in vain that there is more to police leadership than color. "I'm not going to promote every single time based on race, which is what they want me to do," he said. "I'm going to pick the best people for the positions." Nevertheless, he quickly added two black officers to the promotion list, and vigorously affirmed his commitment to a "diverse" police force. If his hands weren't tied by state law, which restricts most promotions to candidates who score well on the Civil Service exam, "our police force would look much more like the city in terms of diversity," the commissioner insisted.
The racial makeup of Boston's police force has long been a source of stress and frustration. For years critics have argued that the Civil Service exams —multiple-choice tests that reward memorized book knowledge — can't measure many of the qualities that effective police supervisors need, such as a knack for leadership, good communication skills, integrity, and sound judgment. Davis isn't the first commissioner to complain about the tests' inadequacy; his predecessors were vexed by them too. Last year Davis proposed spending $2 million on a project to overhaul the BPD's promotion system to advance more minority officers. Meanwhile, when it comes to his command staff — where he is free to disregard Civil Service scores — Davis has named the most diverse group in the department's history: White men account for fewer than half of the chiefs, superintendents, and deputy superintendents on his team.
The arguments for a more holistic means of screening officers for promotion sound plausible. Yet I never see the subject raised other than in the context of "diversity." The deficiencies of the existing test become an issue only when there are complaints about too few racial minorities being promoted. Does that mean that there is something wrong with the test? Maybe.
Or maybe what it means is that Boston's police department cannot readily escape the persistent racial gap in learning and test scores that has been so extensively documented in American life. The average black high school graduate reads and writes at the level of the average white 8th-grader; black students taking the SAT college entrance exam score (on average) 200 points below white students taking the same exam. It's easy to blame a test for the achievement gap it reveals. It's a lot harder to implant the educational values, habits, and skills necessary to actually close that gap.
It has become an unchallenged truism that police departments must "look like" the communities they serve, especially in cities with large minority populations. Plainly there is great value in having police officers who can move easily in minority neighborhoods or interview crime victims in a language they're most comfortable with. When there are minority cops patrolling the beat in minority neighborhoods, residents are less likely to resent the police as alien occupiers — and perhaps more likely to come forward with information that can prevent or solve a crime.
Yet it's one thing to say that a racially mixed police force can reduce public suspicion of law enforcement, or help in practical ways to make a city safer. It's something very different to suggest that racial diversity should be pursued for its own sake, and that there is something inherently foul about a promotion list that doesn't include a certain number of blacks or Hispanics. If the Civil Service test needs improving, improve it. But let's not be seduced by the false assumption that, ideally, the demographics of a police department should match those of the population.
On the contrary: Ideally, the demographics of a police department shouldn't matter. No one imagines that Boston's cops should mirror Boston's population in terms of religion or party registration. Boston needs to recruit and promote skilled, honest, and committed police officers; most residents would agree that it's irrelevant whether they happen to be Methodists or Mormons, Republicans or Democrats. Maybe it's still not possible to be quite so nonchalant when it comes to race. But shouldn't that be the goal? Fifty years after the March on Washington, shouldn't public officials be able to acknowledge that there is always a serious moral objection to treating skin color as a job qualification? Even if, for the moment, there is no easy way around it?
Yes, Black Is the New ‘Transparency’
Cass Sunstein is on the NSA "review board" so Federal spying on Americans will only be done judiciously -- or will it?
The recently released secret FISA [Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act] court opinion is supposed to promote the idea that the administration elected on a promise of "transparency" is now making good on that pledge. There’s just one problem: a good 20 percent of the 83-page document is redacted, including some key paragraphs. It is to a large extent unreadable. But what else are we to expect from this Bizarro World administration – the most secretive in our history – where black is the new "transparency"?
Yet that’s just the beginning of the White House’s weirdly inverted response to the public outcry against its massive domestic surveillance program. At his press conference promising to "reform" the spying machinery, President Obama announced a "review board" to be appointed that would supposedly reassure his critics there really is no domestic spying program: the goal, as he put it, would be to strike a "balance" between civil liberties and the safety of all Americans. A week or so later he made some appointments to this panel: former Counter-Terrorism Czar Richard Clarke, former special assistant for economic policy Peter Swire, former CIA Deputy Director Mike Morrell – and Cass Sunstein, a very close friend and confidant of the President.
Sunstein formerly headed up the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs: now a Harvard law professor, he has made something of a name for himself as an outspoken advocate of government spying. Being one of those really highbrow types, he calls it "cognitive infiltration." Sunstein wants paid government agents to penetrate ostensibly subversive “conspiracy minded” social networks: in other words, he wants to set up a police state system of government spies and provocateurs.
Sunstein is a singular figure: no one else in government (or academia, as far as I know) has pushed for measures so openly totalitarian in their implications. Here is part of the summary of an academic paper Sunstein published in 2008:
"Many millions of people hold conspiracy theories; they believe that powerful people have worked together in order to withhold the truth about some important practice or some terrible event."
What person in their right mind could possibly believe that powerful people are working together to withhold the truth about some important practice? Oh, wait! Isn’t that what the Snowden revelations have proved beyond what any "conspiracy theorist" I know of ever asserted? Thanks to the Snowden "leaks" we now know that is precisely what’s been happening.
According to Professor Sunstein, if you believe that, you’re creating "serious risks" for society at large, "including risks of violence." The mere existence of such people "raises significant challenges for policy and law."
James Clapper didn’t lie to Congress and the American people – you’re just imagining that, you conspiracy theorist wacko! Moreover, you’re a danger to society, and have to be combated by law enforcement agencies operating online and undercover. Sunstein proposes sending government spies into "chat rooms, online social networks, or even real-space groups" to provide a bit of Attitude Correction.
These agents would be paid to infiltrate and counteract any "conspiracy theories" the Harvard Professor and his co-thinkers deem "dangerous." Sunstein stresses the importance of the covert aspect of this program: these Attitude Correctors must at least appear to be independent, all the while taking their marching orders (and their checks) from Washington. Think of it as a "stimulus" job-creating program. Their targets: anyone who "attempts[s] to explain an event or practice by reference to the machinations of powerful people, who have also managed to conceal their role." In short, the enemy is anyone who believes the government has covered up illegality and egregious violations of the Fourth Amendment for years – and anyone who suspects what Sunstein and his online KGB are up to.
As an exercise in ideological ambidexterity, Sunstein’s proposal is Olympic quality stuff: he is, after all, the author of an entire book about the necessity for dissent in a free society. Well, then how can he possibly advocate the creation of a covert government program to infiltrate, combat, and discredit these very same dissenters? Well, you see, there are good dissenters and bad dissenters, and as long as the Good Guys are in charge of the government, it’s cool to deploy government resources against those who believe in the wrong "conspiracy theories." As he puts it in his paper, imaginatively titled "Conspiracy Theories":
Rulers throughout history, including especially the worst tyrants, have touted their virtuous motives, and proclaimed themselves the guardians of "social welfare" – an oleaginous phrase that’s a code word for those ideologues (left and right) who long for a system of effective social control. Yes, there must be dissent – there’s the "liberal" gloss on a very illiberal idea – but it must be the right kind, our kind. Those crazy Ay-rabs, Sunstein avers, are rife with conspiracism, it oozes from their very pores, and here in America we have the homegrown "antigovernment" types, the very kind who hate Harvard professors and are potentially just as violent as Al Qaeda: indeed, perhaps more dangerous in the long run.
Well, then, "What can government do about conspiracy theories?" he asks:
"Among the things it can do, what should it do? We can readily imagine a series of possible responses. (1) Government might ban conspiracy theorizing. (2) Government might impose some kind of tax, financial or otherwise, on those who disseminate such theories. (3) Government might itself engage in counterspeech, marshaling arguments to discredit conspiracy theories. (4) Government might formally hire credible private parties to engage in counterspeech. (5) Government might engage in informal communication with such parties, encouraging them to help. Each instrument has a distinctive set of potential effects, or costs and benefits, and each will have a place under imaginable conditions. However, our main policy idea is that government should engage in cognitive infiltration of the groups that produce conspiracy theories, which involves a mix of (3), (4) and (5)."
In Sunstein’s world, censorship is just another option, but "cognitive infiltration" of targeted groups – and the public square at large – by paid "credible" government covert agents on the Internet is definitely on the table. This is the person the President is appointing to his NSA review board, a body set up to reassure us that there’s no reason to fear for our privacy and that Big Brother isn’t watching us. Really?
And it isn’t just the Fourth Amendment the new authoritarians are after: Sunstein opposes the First Amendment as presently constituted. Instead, he says, we need a "New Deal for speech," one that would recognize that technological changes have made the old marketplace-of-ideas conception of free speech outdated. What we need, says Sunstein, is a reformulated First Amendment because the current version isn’t "adequately serving democratic goals." And, no, he didn’t capitalize the "d" in democratic, but you get the idea.
Sunstein, in short, is the single most consistent academic representative of barefaced authoritarianism one could possibly find, short of unearthing some aging New Left Stalinist. Certainly he is the most highly placed, shuttling from Harvard to government and back again. His appointment to the NSA review board is an unabashed middle finger aimed directly at the Obama administration’s civil libertarian critics.
Sunstein’s extremism is on full display in an article published by Bloomberg News just the other day, which the editors gave the rather skeptical-sounding title of "Could Bowling Leagues and the PTA Breed Nazis?" In it, Sunstein tells us "social capital" – the links that bind us together socially – is not necessarily a good thing. There is a "dark side" to it. Citing a recent study by one of his fellow nutty professors, he avers that a "high level of social capital" led directly to the rise of …. wait for it! … Hitler and Nazism!
Citing this crackpot study, Sunstein points to a correlation between membership in the Nazi Party and membership in private social organizations – those German drinking societies! – to "prove" a definitive link between bowling leagues and the Holocaust. And, no, you can’t make this stuff up. Utilizing the methods of "sociological" pseudo-science and progressive anxieties about the rise of right-wing fascism, Sunstein posits that "dense social networks" in the US are a problem for our democracy:
Sunstein’s argument of last resort, you’ll note, is always the alleged threat of "terrorism": this is the Get-Out-of-Jail free card for our post-9/11 authoritarians, whether they be outright neocons or else "progressives" of Sunstein’s ilk: the deus ex machina of all their ideological morality plays is always the same. That theme is wearing a little thin, however, as the upsurge against the Surveillance State takes on momentum and the revelations continue – thank you, Edward Snowden! – in spite of recently stepped up strong-arm tactics to stanch the leaks.
In a halfway healthy society, Sunstein would be laughed out of polite society, and consigned to the margins, where fruit-juice drinking sandal-wearers and founders of utopian communes plot revolution in cheap cafeterias. In Barack Obama’s America, Sunstein divides his time between the halls of government and the lushest groves of academe, whispering in the ear of the President that the number of bowling leagues has grown quite alarmingly.
Dead Souls of a Cultural Revolution
Last Friday, Christopher Lane, a 22-year-old Australian here on a baseball scholarship, was shot and killed while jogging in Duncan, Okla., population 23,000. He died where he fell.
Police have three suspects, two black and one white. The latter said they were bored and decided to shoot Lane for "the fun of it."
As Lane was white and the shooter black, racism has surfaced as a motive. Thursday came reports that killing a white man may have been an initiation rite for the black teens in joining some offshoot of the Crips or Bloods.
What happened in Oklahoma and the reaction, or lack of reaction to it, tells us much about America in 2013, not much of it good.
Teenagers who can shoot and kill a man out of summertime boredom are moral barbarians, dead souls.
But who created these monsters? Where did they come from? Surely one explanation lies in the fact that the old conscience-forming and character-forming institutions — home, church, school, and a moral and healthy culture fortifying basic truths — have collapsed. And the community hardest hit is Black America.
If we go back to the end of World War II, 90 percent of black families consisted of a mother and father and children raised and disciplined by their parents. The churches to which these families went on Sundays were stronger. Black schools may have been largely segregated, but they were also the transmission belts of patriotism and traditional values rooted in biblical truths and a Christian faith.
Though such schools graduated hardworking, law-abiding and productive citizens, today they would be closed as unconstitutional.
Indeed, all of those character- and conscience-forming institutions of yesterday are in an advanced state of decline today.
Seventy-three percent of black kids are born to single moms. Black kids who make it to 12th grade may often be found reading at seventh-, eighth- or ninth-grade levels. In some cities the black dropout rate can hit as high as 50 percent.
Drugs are readily available. And among black males ages 18 to 29, in urban areas, often a third are in prison or jail, or on probation or parole, or walking around with a criminal record.
Where do the kids get their ideas of right and wrong, good and evil? In homes where the father is absent and the TV is always on. From radios tuned in to rap and hip-hop. From films where Hollywood values prevail and the shooting never stops. From street gangs that sometimes form the only families these kids have ever known.
Still, crime has fallen since 1990, we are told. And so it has. But that is only because the baby boomers, the largest population cohort in our history, passed out of the high-crime age group a quarter of a century ago, and because the jail and prison population in America has tripled.
What kind of leadership do we see today in Black America?
What can be said for an NAACP that was lately demanding a Justice Department investigation of a rodeo clown running around a bull ring in rural Missouri in an Obama mask, but cannot find its voice to address a black-on-white atrocity in Middle America?
When Trayvon Martin was shot to death in a murky incident in Sanford, Fla., Jesse Jackson rushed there to declare: "Blacks are under attack. ... Killing us is big business." Trayvon was "shot down in cold blood by a vigilante ... murdered and martyred."
After Chris Lane's cold-blooded murder, Jesse tweeted: This sort of thing is to be "frowned upon."
If I had a son, said President Obama, he would have looked like Trayvon; 35 years ago, I could have been Trayvon. Can the president not find his voice to speak to the parents of Chris Lane?
Since Lyndon Johnson took office, 50 years ago, we have spent trillions on his programs for health care, housing, education, food stamps, welfare and civil rights. Are we living in that Great Society we were promised?
In that same decade, we were told that the social, cultural and moral revolution bursting forth on the campuses would rid us of the repressive old-time morality and Old Time Religion, and lead to a more equal, just, humane and better America, a beacon to mankind.
Yet, are not the killers of Chris Lane who shot him for the fun of it the "do-your-own-thing!" children of that cultural revolution?
The death of Trayvon was said to be reflective of the real America, a country where black folks live in constant fear of white vigilantes and white racist cops. What nonsense.
In the real America, interracial violence is overwhelming black-on-white. Even if the media will not report it, everybody knows it.
And journalists will not dig into the numbers that prove it, for the truth would undermine their ideology and contradict the narrative that governs and gives meaning to their lives.
For liberals, America is always "Mississippi Burning." It just has to be that way.
It's Left-wing prats who are defending Britain's freedoms
The visit by national security agents to smash up computers at the Guardian newspaper is shocking, like something out of East Germany in the 1970s
A few weeks ago, a British national newspaper was visited by a detachment of national security agents who demanded that its computers and hard drives be destroyed. The security men then stood over its staff while they smashed their equipment to pieces.
In the peace-time history of a free country, this incident is about as shocking as it gets. And yet, a remarkable consensus has grown up, including – I’m sorry to say – many on my side of the political fence, to the effect that this is no big deal.
The reasons that this scene – which looks, on the face of it, like something out of East Germany in the 1970s – is apparently perfectly acceptable seem to be: a) the data in the computers was a threat to the national security of this country and to that of our American allies; b) this information was stolen from the US government and published illegally by people who are narcissistic/eccentric/of dubious political judgment, and c) the newspaper in question was the Guardian, which is full of annoying Left-wing prats. Let’s consider these points in order of importance.
Taking a hammer to the hardware in the Guardian’s basement will make scarcely any difference to the dissemination of this data since duplicates reside in other locations around the globe. So presiding over the physical destruction of the newspaper’s property could only constitute a form of rather theatrical intimidation.
The official excuse for getting rid of the equipment – even though the data was known to exist elsewhere – was that the paper’s system might be insecure, so obliterating it meant that at least one source of potential leaks was eliminated. This would be far more credible if the National Security Agency (whose mass surveillance programme had been exposed) was as diligent in carrying out its prescribed function as it is in vindictively pursuing anyone who reports its unconstitutional activities to the world.
It is now an established fact that the US security agencies – while they were presumably busy trawling through the email traffic and telephone records of the general population – ignored explicit warnings that the Tsarnaev brothers were potential terrorists. In spite of the Chechen pair being specifically identified by Russian security experts, these dangerous young men – living in plain sight – were allowed to prepare unmolested for the Boston marathon bombings.
And in addition to such serious lapses of concentration, the NSA has had moments of comic ineptitude: at one point, it seems it confused the international dialling code for Egypt (20) with the area code for Washington DC (202) and ended up hauling in the records of every phone call that went through the nation’s capital. Indeed, the fact that Edward Snowden, who was an employee of an outside contractor, had access to its top-secret data, suggests that the standards of security at the agency were pretty lax.
Which brings us to: b) the individuals who transmitted and received this information. The personalities of these people, however self-righteous or psychologically flawed they may be, are of no relevance.
What Snowden exposed was a gross abuse of power by a secret policing agency. What the NSA was (is) doing is strictly prohibited by the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution, which states that the citizen shall be free from “unreasonable searches and seizures” without probable cause. That is why the 2008 anti-terrorism law, which allows warrantless surveillance on domestic networks, specifies that this must be targeted at non-citizens abroad. (Reader, this means you if you have any digital or telephone contact with the US.)
In reality, this programme now involves the indiscriminate mass monitoring of innocent communications on a scale that is unprecedented in history. What we should be concerned about are not the personal quirks of Mr Snowden or his opportunistic embrace by Vladimir Putin, but the significance of what he revealed with the help of some journalists.
So here we are at c) and the particular problem that some commentators have with the Guardian newspaper. As regular readers will know, I do not balk at any opportunity to ridicule the self-regarding Left-liberalism of the Guardian. Nor do I support its attempt to place legal limits on the activities of the press – the irony of which is not lost on those who are now unconcerned about its fate.
But that is neither here nor there. When James Rosen, the White House correspondent of Fox News, was being threatened by the Obama administration’s Department of Justice, he was defended in the most robust and uncompromising terms by none other than the New York Times (which has now entered an agreement with the Guardian to share the Snowden data).
So a newspaper that was the quasi-official Obama fanzine, and which detests Fox News with every fibre of its being, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Fox’s persecuted reporter against illegitimate bullying by the federal government. Neither his views, nor the political orientation of his employers, were of any consequence in the matter. That is how it has to be if freedom of expression is to survive these dangerous times.
And this is the justification of it all: that the dangerousness of the times means that we must temporarily suspend our basic freedoms and even our concept of private life. So let me make this clear. I recognise the unfathomable danger of a deranged, nihilistic enemy. If anything, the threat to civilian life seems greater now than during the Cold War, when both sides were quietly dealing all the time.
But where are we going with this? How much are we prepared to compromise with our idea of a life worth living in order to pursue the chimera of perfect safety?
An awful lot of people are saying that they don’t mind if their emails, Skype calls and mobile phone records are being collected. If that helps the state to protect them and their families, it’s OK.
Well, suppose we park a security officer at the door of every household to monitor who enters and leaves, who visits whom and how many hours they stay? The security men won’t actually enter the house, of course, unless they have reason to believe that there might be some activity taking place inside that could facilitate or incite terrorism – but they will keep records of all the comings and goings from every address. Will that be OK too?
The British degree of trust in their security agencies startles many other countries (like Germany and the US) where liberty is taken less for granted. An editor of the US National Review wrote last week of those “who steadfastly refuse to express anxiety unless they can actually hear jackboots”. Note: once you hear the jackboots, it’s too late.
Economic Ignorance OR Marxist Bona Fides?
Friday, President Obama said Republicans are spending too much time trying to repeal Obamacare. That won’t create jobs, that won’t help the middle class, and that won’t build ladders to the middle class.
Pure socialist rhetoric when we know businesses by the thousands have laid off full time employees, cut full to part time, and most announced new hires will be part time only ALL due to Obamacare mandates.
We also know about the jobs created since Obamacare passed in 2010, 7 of 8 jobs have been part time. Incomes are down 4.4% since the end of the recession.
This has resulted in the worst economic recovery in history. We are in the midst of the longest stretch of sub 3% GDP growth since 1929.
Health insurance costs have increased 29% since Obama became president, food costs are up 30%, gas has doubled, and electricity rates have risen faster than inflation every year since 2009.
Fewer jobs, fewer hours, lower wages, and skyrocketing costs of living. 76% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck and a record 16.1% are living in poverty.
Although the BLS says the unemployment rate for August was 7.4%/14.7% underemployed, Gallup polling indicates it is much higher at 8.9%/17.9% underemployed with an astounding 8,332,000 workers no longer counted.
Any reasonable person would understand this economy is an abject disaster for the working family, middle class, and the nation.
The reason we have this disaster is due precisely to the Marxist Obamacare law. For the president to say the Republicans are wasting time and it won’t create jobs or opportunity to repeal Obamacare is an insult to any thinking American.
President Obama is either economically ignorant or a dedicated Marxist intent on a government takeover of health care to fully implement the fundamental transformation of America into a socialist welfare state.
Posted by JR at 11:33 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Avoiding prewar Germany’s Fate
Egypt’s military did not repeat the ghastly mistakes of its German counterparts in the 1930s.
I don’t often agree with a top Egyptian diplomat, but I thought Egypt’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, Ashraf el-Kholy, was right on target when he compared Egypt’s Moslem Brotherhood to the Nazis. As he told the Telegraph on August 19:
“Morsi was elected president and held office for one year, but in that time he tried to make everything Moslem Brotherhood-controlled…The Moslem Brotherhood are like a Nazi group that demand[s] that everything changes and people [do] everything their way.”
Fortunately the Egyptian army did not emulate the pre-World War II German army, which failed to overthrow Hitler after he came to power through democratic elections in 1933. Although the army was led by traditional conservatives who regarded Hitler and his Nazi thugs as little more than proletarian riff-raff, they continued to support him, even as it became increasingly clear that he was bent on dragging Germany into a potentially ruinous war.
Why did Germany’s generals fail to mount an anti-Hitler coup? After the war, German officers cited their oath of loyalty to Hitler, but that, I think, was a relatively minor reason. A more compelling consideration was that Hitler was immensely popular with the German people — a political rock-star of sorts — and that overthrowing him would lead to massive protests and considerable bloodshed. The German generals didn’t want to have rivers of German blood on their hands.
Another reason the generals didn’t act is that they couldn’t take the loyalty of the German army for granted. Germany’s senior officers might have despised Hitler, but junior officers idolized him. Would they obey orders to overthrow him, and turn their guns against his enraged civilian supporters? The generals weren’t sure.
For all these reasons the generals, despite their reservations, went along with Hitler, and the fact that — initially, at least — he went from one successful gamble to another appeared to justify their judgment. In the long run, however, the army’s failure to act brought about the most terrible war the world has ever seen.
But as I said, the Egyptian army didn’t follow Germany’s example. It overthrew Morsi knowing full well that far from meekly vanishing from the stage, the Moslem Brotherhood would never accept such a “humiliation,” and that the army would have to act forcefully and violently against Brotherhood supporters. I assume Egypt’s generals also recognized that the Muslim Brotherhood enjoys significant support among the army’s junior officers. After all, it was an Islamist army cell, led by Lt. Khalid Istambouli, that assassinated Egyptian President el-Anwar Sadat in 1981.
Nonetheless, the army decided that preventing Morsi from completing his Islamicization of Egyptian society justified their coup. It was a brave decision, and it has already transformed the politics of the region. Before the coup, it seemed that the spread of Islamist radicalism was irreversible. Today, that’s no longer the case. As the Chinese might say, the Islamists no longer enjoy “the mandate of heaven.”
It’s probably too much to expected to expect the Obama administration — and the American political class in general — to understand the stakes in the Middle East, to recognize that Egyptian politics (like Arab politics in general) is a zero-sum game in which compromise is despised, and to give Egypt’s generals the support they need and deserve.
But of all people, the Germans should know better. That’s why I was surprised by Germany’s decision to suspend arms exports to Egypt. Germany’s Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle justified the suspension by saying that there must be “consequences” to the bloody military crackdown. But in this wicked world of ours, there are also consequences to the military’s not cracking down bloodily, and it is a foolish person indeed who assumes that inaction is invariably the wisest course.
Putting Bicycles Ahead of People
This is a story of raw power, collusion and government corruption. A story that is taking place in countless towns all over America. A story of “reinvented” government, where self-proclaimed private “stakeholders” and pressure groups set the rules, local elected officials rubber stamp them, and non-elected regional governments enforce them, sometimes with an iron fist – all with no input from citizens, and apparently no rights for private citizens and property owners to stop them or even have a say.
It’s the story of the destruction of private property rights in America. Of injustice and tyranny. Of unaccountable government run amok. We need to take action! (See below, in blue, for what you can do.)
Jennie Granato is a tax-paying citizen of Montgomery County, Ohio. She and her family own a 165-year-old historic house and farm just outside of Dayton. They’ve lived there forty years. On July 31, Jennie’s front yard was demolished – thanks to local, county and planning commission bureaucrats!
The Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission (MVRPC) has begun seizing people’s private property for its latest “essential” project – a $5-million bike path extension! It has seized almost all of Jennie’s front lawn. The bike path will come within just a few feet of her front door!
Jennie and her family tried for over a year to negotiate and reason with this unelected planning commission. Unfortunately, their neighbors were advised by lawyers not to say anything publicly about the pending land grab, so the media viewed it as a non-story. The county and its appraisers kept stalling, saying they wanted a meeting with Jennie, even as they ignored her pleas and offered a pittance for taking her front yard, and likely driving the value of her home down by tens of thousands of dollars.
The meeting never came – and officials didn’t even allow Jennie’s uncle to speak at a hearing. But the bulldozers certainly came! Last week, with no warning, they just started demolishing trees. Jennie and her family still own the property – BUT the county has barged in, torn out their trees and destroyed their front yard! They will never be able to walk out their front door again, without worrying that they will be run over by bicyclists roaring by at 10 or 20 miles per hour, just inches from their bottom step.
The government trucks and bulldozers also precipitated an even worse tragedy. Jennie’s 85 year old mother became so upset over seeing the government’s heavy machinery destroying her yard and favorite trees that she suffered a heart attack and died.
Of course the government refuses to accept any responsibility for this tragedy. It was just promoting the “public welfare” of the private “stakeholders” and pressure groups it works with.
That too has become far too common. The government and these groups want more and more control over our lives, more power to tell us what we can and cannot do with our property and lives. But they accept no transparency and no accountability, responsibility or liability when their actions hurt … or even kill … someone – or when they destroy the property values, peace and integrity of a home.
The MVRPC is an unelected regional government force driven by federal Sustainable Development grant money. It never faces voters over its actions or positions of seemingly unbridled power. It simply deals with other government agencies – local, state and federal – and with private groups like the American Planning Association, ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability, and a hoard of other organizations that represent faux “conservation and environmental” interests whose real motivation is money, and the power to control our lives.
They are “stakeholders” only in the sense that they want something – and are holding the stakes that their government friends are driving through the heart of our constitutional rights.
With the assistance of Federal and State grant programs and willing politicians, who see another way to build their own power and get elected over and over, they rule over us like unaccountable dictators. It’s the same story in nearly every community in our nation.
Neither Jennie nor any of her neighbors voted to institute the agency or its policies.
* There was no vote for this bike path.
* There was no referendum on the ballot to approve this project or the spending of their tax dollars.
Yet the MVRPC imposed itself on privately owned property, giving the owner no say in the matter and giving her a pittance in exchange for the land it is taking away. Soon, strangers on bikes will be crossing her land, passing within seven feet of her front door. And she fears there is nothing she can do about it.
How does she secure her home? How can she ever hope to sell it? Who will compensate her for the loss of value, now that her once lovely and private front lawn is gone? Certainly not the MVRPC.
My American Policy Center has warned Americans over and over about the dangers of this fraud called “Sustainable Development” – and the enforcement of top-down control through non-elected boards and regional governments. Here is that reality, in all of its outrageous raw power.
Jennie’s neighbors, property rights activists and Tea Party leaders are joining forces to support her fight to stop this outrage. They have gathered at the property, to protest and take the issue to the news media – and will do so again. To its credit, the media are finally starting to notice what is happening. But if that is the extent of it, you know full well that these government officials will simply laugh, ignore the protests and news stories, wait for the attention to go away, and then grab someone else’s property.
That’s why concerned citizens across the nation need to join this fight and put power behind this effort to stop these bureaucrats from taking Jennie’s property. Freedom fighters need to build a huge protest fire and turn this into a national property rights issue.
Corrupt government officials use taxpayers as doormats, pawns, bank accounts and land holders for their agendas and power plays. If we continue doing nothing to stem the rising tide of government tyranny and corruption, we will watch our rights and property disappear, one by one.
Here’s what you can do to help
As the local Dayton area residents do all they can with sign waving, demonstrations and protests to call attention to this blatant property theft, outraged Americans from across the country can bring an avalanche of phone calls and emails on the perpetrators – the scoundrels who think they can prey on any citizen without consequences. Make them feel heat for their actions!!
Click here for the names, phone numbers and emails of the Montgomery County, Ohio Commissioners, the Washington Township Board, and the members of the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission. Then call them and let them know what you think!
Americans concerned for their own liberties need to bury these officials in calls and emails of protest. We need to make these dictators and thieves aware that what they are doing is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. We need to inform them that We the People have rights, and will fight for them.
Feds Threaten To Arrest Email Provider for Closing Rather Than Snoop on Customers
Big Brother doesn't like being thwarted
Recently, encrypted email provider Lavabit closed its doors rather than spy on its customers at the command of the United States government. Lavabit's action was almost immediately echoed by Silent Circle, which preemptively shuttered its encrypted email service and purged users' stored data without warning so that it couldn't be subject to a similar order.
Unfortunately, the government's position seems to be the same as that of the Mafia: If you're told to do business with the mob, you don't get to decide otherwise. Lavabit owner Ladar Levison reportedly faces arrest for his decision to shut down rather than cooperate.
From NBC News:
"The owner of an encrypted email service used by ex-NSA contractor Edward Snowden said he has been threatened with criminal charges for refusing to comply with a secret surveillance order to turn over information about his customers.
"I could be arrested for this action," Ladar Levison told NBC News about his decision to shut down his company, Lavabit LLC, in protest over a secret court order he had received from a federal court that is overseeing the investigation into Snowden.
Lavabit said he was barred by federal law from elaborating on the order or any of his communications with federal prosecutors. But a source familiar with the matter told NBC News that James Trump, a senior litigation counsel in the U.S. attorney’s office in Alexandria, Va., sent an email to Levison's lawyer last Thursday – the day Lavabit was shuttered -- stating that Levison may have "violated the court order," a statement that was interpreted as a possible threat to charge Levison with contempt of court."
Among the people supporting Lavabit and its owner is Ron Paul. The former congressman and presidential candidate is championing Levison in statements to the press and on his new online news service. According to NBC News:
"Among those now backing him is former Texas congressman and Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, who told NBC News on Tuesday that Levison's legal battle "should be in the interests of everybody who cares about liberty."
Levison may need that support. He says he has been "threatened with arrest multiple times over the past six weeks."
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26 August, 2013 Dead Souls of a Cultural Revoluti...
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SALVETTI v. ITALY About Project
AS TO THE ADMISSIBILITY OF
Application no. 42197/98
by Ilaria SALVETTI
against Italy
The European Court of Human Rights, sitting on 9 July 2002 as a Chamber composed of
Mr C.L. Rozakis, President,
Mr G. Bonello,
Mr P. Lorenzen,
Mrs N. Vajić,
Mrs S. Botoucharova,
Mr V. Zagrebelsky,
Mrs E. Steiner, judges,
and Mr E. Fribergh, Section Registrar,
Having regard to the above application introduced with the European Commission of Human Rights on 5 May 1998,
Having regard to Article 5 § 2 of Protocol No. 11 to the Convention, by which the competence to examine the application was transferred to the Court,
Having deliberated, decides as follows:
The applicant, Mrs Ilaria Salvetti, is an Italian national, who was born in 1969 and lives in Caprino Veronese, Italy.
A. The circumstances of the case
The facts of the case, as submitted by the applicant, may be summarised as follows.
In 1971 the applicant was struck down by paralysis, blindness and dysarthria as a result of the compulsory polio inoculation provided by Law no. 51 of 4 February 1966.
Section 2 of Law no. 210 of 25 February 1992 provided that people struck down by permanent illnesses as a result of compulsory inoculations were entitled to an allowance from the first day of the month following the claim and to a lump-sum payment. In fact, by a judgment of 22 June 1990 the Constitutional Court had declared Law no. 51 of 4 February 1966 unconstitutional because it did not provide for any fair compensation for illnesses as a result of compulsory polio inoculation.
On 13 January 1993 the applicant requested the compensation she was entitled to.
On 26 April 1995 the Ministry of Health established, on the basis of the applicant’s claim, that she was entitled to an allowance of 14,107,590 Italian lire (ITL) per annum from 1 February 1993.
On 18 May 1995 ITL 32,917,655 were paid in arrears for the period from 1 February 1993 to 31 May 1995.
By a judgment of 18 April 1996 the Constitutional Court declared section 2 of Law no. 210 of 25 February 1992 unconstitutional because it did not provide for any compensation for the period between the date on which the cause of action arose and the award of the allowance.
In 1996, after the Constitutional Court’s judgment, several decree-laws were issued and re-issued in order to resolve the matter of the retrospective compensation. The last decree-law no. 548 of 23 October 1996 converted into Law no. 641 of 23 October 1996 and later Law no. 238 of 25 July 1997 amended section 2 of Law no. 210 of 25 February 1992. According to the new section 2, in addition to the principal allowance and lump-sum payment already awarded, people injured by compulsory inoculations were entitled to a further compensation for the period between the date on which the cause of action arose and the award of the allowance, calculated for every year at 30% of that allowance, without statutory interest and monetary revaluation. Moreover, section 2 provided that people injured by multiple illnesses as a result of compulsory inoculations were entitled to additional compensation, to be determined by a decree of the Ministry of Health, of not more than 50% of the principal award.
On 20 July 1997 the applicant lodged an application with the County Court (Pretura) alleging that the decree-law’s provisions were unconstitutional on the grounds of the arbitrary reduction of the retrospective compensation and requesting a declaration of her right to obtain it without any reduction. The applicant also alleged that the provision in relation to the additional award was unconstitutional, because it was determined in a different way from the sum awarded to disabled workers and ex-servicemen. In any case, the applicant requested a provisional order against the Ministry of Health to pay the retrospective compensation as determined by Law no. 210 of 25 February 1992 (that is, 30% of the principal award) and statutory interest from 1 February 1993 to 31 May 1995 on the principal allowance arrears.
The Ministry of Health asked for the applicant’s requests to be dismissed.
The County Court provisionally ordered that Ministry of Health pay ITL 89,386,881 in retrospective compensation as determined by Law no. 210 of 25 February 1992.
By judgment of 30 January 1997 the County Court found the applicants’ arguments concerning constitutionality to be manifestly ill-founded and ordered the Ministry of Health to pay ITL 88,877,817 in retrospective compensation as determined by Law no. 210 of 25 February 1992 and ITL 4,368,881 in statutory interest from 1 February 1993 to 31 May 1995 in principal allowance arrears. The Court also declared that the applicant was eligible for the additional compensation because of the multiple illnesses following the compulsory inoculation but did not fix the amount because the Ministry of Health’s decree had not yet been issued.
The Ministry of Health lodged an appeal against the County Court’s judgment.
The applicant asked for the appeal to be dismissed and her previous requests confirmed.
By judgment of 24 September 1998 the Labour Court upheld the County Court’s judgment and ordered the Ministry of Health to pay additional compensation of 50% of the principal award.
B. Relevant domestic law
By judgment no. 307 of 22 June 1990 the Constitutional Court declared as follows:
Law no. 51 of 4 February (polio compulsory inoculation) is unconstitutional insofar as it does not provide, outside section 2043 of the civil code, for any fair compensation to be charged to the State for damage as a result of infection or other serious illness following compulsory polio inoculation which have struck down inoculated children or people who have personally and directly taken care of them.
This unconstitutional declaration (...) introduces a compensation for damage as direct result of compulsory medical treatment within the limits of a fair settlement which considers all the aspects of damage. This compensation is justified (...) by a balanced consideration of the principles of section 32 of the Constitution in relation to the solidarity between individuals and the collectivity, which justifies the imposition of medical treatment.
According to Section 1 of Law n. 210 of 25 February 1992:
Everyone struck down by illnesses or infirmities as a result of compulsory inoculations (...) is entitled to a compensation to be charged to the State on the conditions and in the ways established by the present law.
Section 2 of Law no. 210 of 25 February 1992 provided as follows:
The compensation (...) starts from the first day of the month following the claim.
By judgment no.118 of 18 April 1996 the Constitutional Court declared as follows:
Section 2, par. 2 and 3, par. 7 of Law no. 210 of 25 February 1992 is unconstitutional insofar as it denies the right of people struck down by illnesses as a result of polio compulsory inoculation or of people who have personally and directly taken care of them to a compensation to be charged to the State -outside the provision of section 2043 of the civil code- for the period between the date on which the cause of the action arose and the award of the allowance determined according to the law above.
(...) The individual cannot be expected to sacrifice his own health for the benefit of the whole community. The coexistence between the individual and the collective aspect of constitutional discipline of health as well as the duty of solidarity, established by section 2 of the Constitution, which ties the individual to the collectivity, but also the collectivity to the individual, imposes a proper supporting measure of fair compensation for damage to be arranged for people who have suffered damage as a result of compulsory medical treatment. The compensation must be paid independently of the one claimed by the part concerned, if the conditions of section 2043 of the civil code are satisfied. Whereas the defence against tort provided by the section above necessarily and fully pays also for health damages -(...)- the compensation at issue is not concerned with guilt but with the unbreakable duty of solidarity overhanging in this case on the collectivity and, in its place, on the State. Though this compensation could not be derisory and -(...)- must consider all the aspects of damage, it has equitable nature.
(...) This is a special duty. The issue for the collectivity is not only the duty to help people in trouble for any cause, but also the duty to compensate the sacrifice that someone can suffer for a benefit to the collectivity. It would be against principles of justice, such as results from section 32 of Constitution, in the light of the duty of solidarity of section 2 of Constitution, that people struck down were left to their own destiny and resources or that the damage at issue was considered an unforeseen event to be compensated with general instruments of public assistance, or that satisfaction for compensation requests of damaged people was subordinated to the existence of others’ negligent behaviour which could be missing.
Section 2 of Law no. 210 of 25 February 1992, revised by Law no. 641 of 23 October 1996 and later by law no. 238 of 25 July 1997, provides as follows:
2. The allowance of par. 1 is integrated by a lump-sum payment corresponding to the special additional compensation of Law no. 324 of 27 May 1959 (...) and starts from the first day of the month following the claim (...) By claim and even if the allowance has been already given, a compensation is paid to people indicated in Section 1, par. 1 for the period between the date on which the cause of action arose and the award of the allowance, calculated for every year at 30% of the allowance, without statutory interest and monetary revaluation.
3.4.5.6 (...).
7. People injured by multiple illnesses with distinct disabling effects are entitled to an additional compensation, to be determined by a decree of the Ministry of Health, of not more than 50% of the allowance of par. 1 and 2.
The applicant complains that Italian law imposes compulsory inoculations but does not provide for fair compensation for illnesses or infirmities as a result of them. In particular, she complains about the ceiling established by Law no. 210 of 25 February 1992 of the amount of the retrospective and additional compensation for which she is eligible. She relies on Articles 2 § 1, 5 § 1, 12 and 17 of the Convention.
The applicant complains about the obligation to undergo compulsory inoculations without fair compensation for damages as a result of them. In particular she complains about the ceiling established by Law no. 210 of 25 February 1992 of the amount of the retrospective and additional compensation for which she is eligible. She relies on Articles 2 § 1, 5 § 1 and 17 of the Convention.
The Court considers that no issue arises under the Articles referred to by the applicant. However, it recalls that private life includes a person’s physical and psychological integrity (No. 32647/96, decision 1/7/98, D. R. 94, pp. 91-93). Consequently the Court has examined the application under Article 8 of the Convention which provides as follows:
“1. Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence.
2. There shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right except such as is in accordance with the law and is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic well-being of the country, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.”
The Court considers that compulsory inoculations as non-voluntary medical treatments amount to an interference with the right to respect for private life as guaranteed by Article 8 § 1 (see Matter v. Slovakia judgment of 5 July 1999, § 64, unpublished).
Insofar as the applicant’s complaint should be understood as concerning the obligation to undergo compulsory inoculation as such, the Court notes that the circumstances relating to the inoculation at issue date back to 1971.
The Court observes that the recognition of the right of individual petition under Article 34 of the Convention took effect in respect of Italy on 1 August 1973. It recalls that, according to the generally recognised principles of international law, for all Contracting Parties, the Convention governs only facts which arose after it came into force in respect of the Party concerned.
Consequently, the circumstances relating to the inoculation in 1971 will not be taken into consideration by the Court as they fall outside its competence ratione temporis.
As to the complaint concerning the amount of compensation for health damages as a result of the compulsory inoculation, even assuming that the level of compensation is a relevant element when examining the necessity of the interference under Article 8 § 2, the Court nevertheless considers that this issue also falls outside its competence ratione temporis.
It remains to be examined whether the claim for compensation could raise an issue under Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 to the Convention which, insofar it is relevant, provides as follows:
“Every natural or legal person is entitled to the peaceful enjoyment of his possessions. No one shall be deprived of his possessions except in the public interest and subject to the conditions provided for by law and by the general principles of international law”.
In this respect the Court recalls that the Convention does not guarantee, as such, social and economic rights (see Godfrey v. United Kingdom, application no. 8542/79, Commission decision of 4 February 1982, Decisions and Reports (DR) 27, p. 94 and Pančenko v. Latvia, (dec.), no. 40772/98, 28 October 1999, unreported). Nor does the Convention grant a right to compensation for a health damage which took place before the Convention entered into force with respect to a particular State or before the right of individual petition was recognized with regard to that State.
It is true that the applicant is already entitled to a specific allowance because of her health damage. However, the Court considers that Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 cannot be interpreted as guaranteeing to the applicant an increase of this amount.
In all circumstances, the Court considers that even if the applicant could be said to have a right to compensation, it would not imply compensation of a specific level.
It follows that this complaint is incompatible ratione materiae with the provisions of the Convention within the meaning of Article 35 § 3 and must be rejected in accordance with Article 35 § 4.
For these reasons, the Court unanimously
Declares the application inadmissible.
Erik Fribergh Christos ROZAKIS
Registrar President
SALVETTI v. ITALY DECISION
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EdwardRingwald.com
About EDR
All About Edward Ringwald
You are probably asking yourself this question: Who is this Edward Ringwald?
Well, your answer is right here. In fact, you're looking at it as you read this web page!
Educational Experiences:
High School: Thom Howard Academy, St. Petersburg, Florida. Studied general high school subjects. Graduated with honorable mention in June of 1983.
Colleges:
St. Petersburg Junior College (now St. Petersburg College), St. Petersburg, Florida. Studied office education. Graduated with a certificate in Machine Transcription in May of 1986 and an Associate in Science degree in Word Processing Management (formerly Word/Information Processing) in May of 1987.
Hillsborough Community College, Tampa, Florida. Studied legal assisting. Graduated with an Associate in Science degree in Legal Assisting in December of 1997.
Employment Experiences:
First started out as a student assistant at St. Petersburg Junior College in August of 1986, initially working in the campus library reference department. A few weeks later into the fall 1986 term I was transferred to the Social & Behavioral Science Division office to function as their student assistant in the division director's office. At the beginning of the spring 1987 term I was transferred to the Business Division to function as a student assistant running one of the typing labs; I held that position until my graduation from St. Petersburg Junior College in May of 1987.
Full-time work did not come about until September 1987 (28 September 1987, to be exact) when I was hired by the City of St. Petersburg to function as an Office Systems Assistant (which was Clerk Typist II) in the Engineering & Capital Imprpovements Department (which was just the Engineering Department back then). My first duties was primarily data entry and some routine clerical tasks, working my way to more responsible tasks such as payroll processing and (much later) records management. I held this same title until March of 1997 when an examination of my duties and responsibilities called for my reclassification to Engineering Clerk, of which I am today.
Edward Ringwald's resume
For security reasons, my resume is not available online. A copy of my current resume may be obtained by contacting me via the feedback page.
Edward Ringwald tidbits (aka favorites)
I don't have a whole lot here, but I have a few I would like to share:
Avid polka music listener - however, I don't know much more other than listening to it but there is a site on the Internet dedicated to polka music, click here to learn more. There used to be a polka program from 2 to 4 PM Sundays on WMNF 88.5; however, the polka program - known as the Polka Party Express - was cancelled and the last show was on 20 March 2011.
Favorite Motion Picture: Little Man Tate (1991)
Favorite Motion Picture Actress: Jodie Foster
Favorite TV Show: ER
Favorite TV Actress: Laura Innes (Dr. Kerry Weaver on ER)
Page Highlights
This page is all about me, for the adventurous few.
Copyright © 2000-2015 Edward Ringwald. All Rights Reserved.
Web Templates by CoffeeCup Software
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UK road test charging cars while driving.
The British government is getting ready to test out new road technology that would allow electric cars to charge as they drive. The goal is to help drivers with electric and hybrid cars avoid frequent stops to recharge their vehicles.
Most electric cars get charged via plug-in chargers at home or while parked on the streets. Wireless power charging "pods" are also available, but they too require the car to stop to get more juice.
The new charging roads proposed by the U.K. government will work kind of like wireless phone chargers, using magnetic induction technology.
The initiative is slated to begin later this year, and engineers will install wireless technology in test vehicles and place special equipment under the roads.
Cables buried underneath the highway would generate electromagnetic fields that could be picked up by a receiver in the car and transformed into electric power. The system would include a communication system, so that the roads can detect that a car is coming and start the process.
For now, the trials will be restricted to test areas where regular drivers aren't allowed. The government is committing £500 million ($779 million) to the project over the next five years.
"Vehicle technologies are advancing at an ever increasing pace and we're committed to supporting the growth of ultra-low emissions vehicles on England's motorways," said the government's chief highways engineer, Mike Wilson.
Ref: http://money.cnn.com/2015/08/18/technology/uk-electric-cars-roads/
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Countries involved in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) have begun a legal review aimed at signing the trade pact this year in Vietnam, said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh at a press conference held in Nha Trang city on January 17 to unveil the outcomes of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting.
Representatives from Prey Veng, Tboung Khnum, Svay Ring, Kam Phong Cham and Otdor Mean Chay provinces of Cambodia on January 19 paid a visit to the southern province of Tay Ninh.
Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong has exchanged greetings with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Vietnam-China diplomatic ties.
Vietnamese Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of the Vietnamese Permanent Mission to the United Nations (UN), on January 15 presided over a meeting of the UN Security Council (UNSC) which looked into issues regarding Mali’s political and security situation.
Permanent Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son paid a visit to the European Parliament (EP) from January 13 to 16 to discuss the ratification process of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).
Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Tran Ngoc An has affirmed that Vietnam, as Chair of ASEAN in 2020, supports stronger collaboration between ASEAN And the UK across trade and investment, as well as cooperation for peace, security and development.
70th anniversary of Vietnam-China diplomatic ties marked
The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) and the Vietnam-China Friendship Association (VCFA) on January 14 co-hosted a reception in observance of the 70th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic relations (January 18).
Ukraine highly values Vietnam’s initiative on UNSC debate
Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergiy Kyslytsya recently had a meeting with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh at the United Nations headquarters in New York to discuss a number of current issues on bilateral and international relations.
NA Vice Chairwoman stresses significance of multilateral parliamentary diplomacy
Multilateral parliamentary diplomacy plays an important role amidst the rapid and complex developments in the regional and global situation, Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Tong Thi Phong has said.
ASEAN Chairmanship: For a cohesive and responsive ASEAN
Advancing ASEAN’s contribution to maintaining regional peace, security and stability has been identified as one of five key priorities for Vietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship 2020, wrote Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh in an article. Below is a translation of the article.
Vietnam attends APPF annual meeting in Australia
A delegation of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) led by its Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong has been attending activities within the framework of the 28th Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum Annual Meeting (APPF-28) in Canberra, Australia, from January 13-16.
PM Phuc meets with former officials of central region
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc had a cordial meeting with former high-ranking officials of the central region in the central city of Da Nang on January 12, on the threshold of the traditional Lunar New Year, the biggest yearly festival in the country.
PM urges Ha Nam to make development breakthroughs
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on January 11 urged the northern province of Ha Nam to further carry forward its potential and advantages as a gateway of Hanoi capital city, and make breakthroughs in development.
UN leaders, countries highly value Vietnam’s international stature
Leaders of the United Nations and officials of some countries highly valued Vietnam’s international stature while meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh in New York on January 9 – 10.
Prime Minister examines guard force’s combat readiness
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc examined the combat readiness of the guard force under the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) in Hanoi on January 11.
Vietnam chairs first meeting of ASEAN Committee in New York
The first meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Committee was held in New York on January 10, focusing discussion on activities and priorities of ASEAN member states this year.
Vietnamese Deputy PM chairs open debate on observance of UN Charter
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh chaired an open debate of the UN Security Council on January 9 that focused on adhering to the UN Charter to maintain international peace and security.
Politburo takes disciplinary actions against Party officials
Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong chaired the Politburo’s meeting in Hanoi on January 10 on disciplinary actions against two Party officials.
Tra Vinh farmers harvest mud crab for Tet, earn high profit
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