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A new phase in oneM2M standardization
Sophia Antipolis, 31 January 2014
oneM2M has made significant progress in its requirements, architecture and protocol standardization work during its eighth face to face Technical Plenary (TP 8) and Working Groups meeting in Miyazaki, Japan on 9-13 December 2013.
The meeting was hosted by the two Japanese partners in oneM2M, ARIB and TTC and was attended by over 120 delegates representing the 11 partners and the 174 member organizations in oneM2M. Guests representing the Japanese government and government agencies were also in attendance. ETSI is a founding partner in oneM2M, which commenced its work in September 2012.
Following the completion of documents on Use Cases, Requirements and Architecture Analysis, work is progressing well on the Technical Specification of the system architecture and this is expected to be “Frozen” in early February 2014. Once “Frozen”, no new technical functionality will be added and the Working Group will concentrate on finalizing the functionality which has already been included.
TP 8 in Miyazaki also agreed that the protocol work would take account of COAP, HTTP and MQTT. Work Items to produce a Technical Specification of a binding for each were agreed by the Technical Plenary. Detailed specification development is already being undertaken via web conferencing.
Although most of effort was concentrated on progressing the architecture Technical Specification and starting the work on the protocol specifications, there was a very significant step made in the requirements phase. A new Work Item was created opening the use case document for Release 2 of oneM2M, allowing new input for the next phase of the project’s work.
About oneM2M
The oneM2M Partnership Project brings together eleven of the world’s leading ICT Standards Development Organisations and industry consortia to develop globally agreed-upon, access independent, end-to-end specifications for an M2M management system that can be readily embedded within various hardware and software, connecting the wide range of devices in the field with M2M application servers worldwide. These specifications will provide a common means to be used by communications service providers to support applications and services as diverse as the smart grid, the connected car, eHealth and telemedicine, home automation and energy management, enterprise supply chain and public safety. oneM2M is open to interested organizations and parties to provide inputs from all market segments.
Sign up to news from oneM2M: www.onem2m.org/subscribe.cfm
www.oneM2M.org
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Public Release: 25-Nov-2014
Reported link between early life exposure to paracetamol and asthma 'overstated'
Respiratory infections likely to have influential role; current evidence doesn't warrant change in guidance
Respiratory infections are likely to have an influential role, the findings suggest. And the evidence is simply not strong enough to warrant changes to current guidance on the use of this medicine, say the researchers.
The use of paracetamol during pregnancy and/or a child's early life has been implicated in the development of childhood asthma, prompting concerns to be raised about the drug's continued use during these periods.
The researchers wanted to find out if the available evidence was sufficient to rule out the role of common respiratory infections, which paracetamol is often used to treat, and which are themselves risk factors for the development of asthma.
They therefore trawled research databases for published evidence, spanning a period from 1967 to 2013. Out of the 1192 potentially relevant studies, 11 were suitable for inclusion in the analysis.
The seven studies covering the potential link between exposure to paracetamol while in the womb and subsequent childhood asthma reached widely varying conclusions, and only one took account of the potential role of respiratory infections during pregnancy.
Six of the studies looked at exposure to paracetamol during the first two years of life--a critical period for lung development.
Although these studies consistently pointed to a link between the drug and the development of asthma, the association was considerably weakened after respiratory tract infections during infancy had been accounted for.
And while a link was found between the number of times a child had been given paracetamol and that child's asthma risk, this link all but disappeared when respiratory tract infections were taken into consideration, "making it unlikely that paracetamol is a clinically important risk factor asthma," write the authors.
It remains unclear what role, if any, maternal respiratory infection during pregnancy might have, as only one study took this into account.
A proper trial looking at the influence of paracetamol on the development of asthma is highly unlikely as it would require some babies to be given a dummy pill, which many parents would not be willing to do, say the authors.
All in all, the current evidence for a link between the drug's use and the development of asthma is "weak," they say.
And they conclude: "The evidence of an association between early life paracetamol and asthma is often overstated, and there is currently insufficient evidence to support changing guidelines in the use of this medicine."
Emma Dickinson
edickinson@bmj.com
@bmj_company
http://www.bmj.com
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Guidance System in Estonia
Lifelong guidance has been practiced in Estonia for years. Services have been provided for different target groups by different service providers and have also been known by different names – the latest version being karjääriteenused (direct translation in English career services). Content-wise, both lifelong guidance and career guidance are used meaning “A range of activities that enable citizens of any age, and at any point in their lives, to identify their capacities, competences and interests; to make meaningful educational, training and occupational decisions; and to manage their individual life paths in learning, work and other settings in which these capacities and competences are learned and/or used” as agreed by the ELGPN members in 2013[1].
[1] Lifelong Guidance Policy Development: Glossary (ELGPN, 2013)
Estonian Lifelong Learning Strategy 2020 (LLL2020) addresses the most important challenges in the area of lifelong learning. The general goal of the Lifelong Learning Strategy is to provide all people in Estonia with learning opportunities tailored to their needs and capabilities throughout their whole lifespan. This enables them to maximize opportunities for dignified self-actualization within society, in their work as well as in their family life.
The overarching strategy includes lifelong guidance and stresses the most crucial issues, including access to guidance for all, quality of service provision and professional practitioners. The strategy sets five strategic goals of which two are closely tied to lifelong guidance.
Correspondence between opportunities for lifelong learning and the needs of the labour market – easy access to lifelong learning and high-quality career services contribute to increasing the level of qualifications of citizens of all age and their participation in lifelong learning across Estonia.
Equal opportunities for lifelong learning and growth of participation in learning - the Estonian state must ensure all people equal opportunities to get a quality education in accordance with their abilities.
According to the LLL2020, the Ministry of Education and Research and the Ministry of Social Affairs are responsible for the development of lifelong guidance. The aim is to keep a comprehensive, sustainable and user-friendly guidance system in operation. It helps people to pursue further education, learn a new profession or implement changes in their professional life. The main institutions in the provision and development of lifelong guidance in education are schools and the Agency for Lifelong Guidance within Foundation Innove. In the employment sector guidance is provided by the Unemployment Insurance Fund (public employment service).
SERVICES AND PRACTICE
Career guidance, standing in three pillars – career education, career counselling and career information provision, is provided by both education and employment systems. Career education is integrated in curricula at different education levels and has a long tradition. However, career information provision and career counselling outside school has been organised differently over the years and been often influenced by resources available.
Foundation Innove established its regional Rajaleidja centres (Pathfinder centre in English) in 2014 at the service of young people (age 7 – 26) and focusing on the needs of pupils in lower- and upper secondary education (age 15 – 19). Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund (Eesti Töötukassa, the public employment service – PES) supported unemployed, inactive and employed people. In addition, as part of Youth Guarantee there was an extra initiative to support young people while entering the labour market and coping there and to bring those not in education or at work (NEETs) back to education.
It was recognized that the previous system with overlapping target groups caused replication of services and therefore inefficient use of human and financial resources. Starting from 2019 career information and career counselling services are offered by and developed in the PES. In practical terms, it means that the career guidance personnel from Rajaleidja centres were transferred to PES. In line with making the most efficient use of the resources, the reform also aims at joining together expert knowledge about labour market and education.
For more information please see the publication on Lifelong Guidance in Estonia 2019. It was published by the Estonian Euroguidance Centre administered by the Archimedes Foundation.
In Estonia, there is no academic training available for career guidance professionals. Most of professionals have a higher education degree in social sciences.
The occupational qualifications system connects the labour market and the lifelong learning system by enhancing the development, assessment and recognition of a person’s occupational competence. The system is developed and administered by the Estonian Qualifications Authority. According to the Occupational Qualifications Act, the Estonian Qualification Framework has eight levels (level one being the lowest and level eight the highest). The descriptions of the qualification levels are identical with the European Qualifications Framework.
The occupational qualification standard describes occupational activities and provides the competency requirements for occupational qualifications and their levels. Part A of the standard provides an overview of the nature of work, major parts of work and tasks, necessary tools, work environment, including the specificities of work and describes the personal characteristics and skills enhancing occupational activities. This is a source of information for a person upon selection of an occupation and shaping his or her career path. This also contains useful information for career guidance professionals, labour market consultants, human resources managers and trainers.
The competence requirements presented in part B of the standard serve as a basis for the assessment of the applicant for the occupational qualification. These requirements are presented as descriptions of mandatory and optional competences. Competence is an ability to perform a specific part of work or a task together with the knowledge, skills and attitudes required for that. Proceeding from the nature of the occupation, its specificity and traditions, attesting competences related to a specialization or optional competences may be the prerequisite for being awarded the occupational qualification.
In the field of lifelong guidance, the occupational qualification standards are available on two levels, including career specialist on EQF level 6 and 7. The current standards were defined and the requirements on knowledge, skills, experience, values and personal characteristics necessary for the career specialists were established in close co-operation with the main stakeholders in the field in 2017.
The main tasks defined in the standards are:
individual and group career counselling;
information provision of education, labour market and professions for groups and individuals;
networking and cooperation with other service providers;
service development;
informing the public about the services;
training and mentoring of other guidance professionals (only on level 7).
The Association of Estonian Career Counsellors is the authorised organisation for accreditation. The accreditation of occupational qualifications is highly valued by the public employment service as the biggest employer in the field. Thus, these have been incorporated into the requirements in job descriptions and pay extra for the qualified specialists. The costs of acquiring the qualification, if completed successfully, are covered by the employer. Guidance professionals working in the private sector can benefit from the professional qualification while applying for participating in different field-related projects and programmes.
Guidance research in Estonia is procurement based i.e. there is no sustainable funding allocated for any national research units and there are several organisations including universities and private companies, which have experience in the field.
In 2006 and 2011, two major national studies were undertaken by the Foundation Innove to build an evidence-base for career guidance. The aim of the study was to evaluate the citizens’ awareness of career services and their career planning skills, analyse the availability of career services and cooperation between different stakeholders at providing career services in Estonia.
In 2017, the Foundation Innove as the Estonian Euroguidance Centre cooperated with the University of Jyväskylä in Finland to carry out a mapping survey on how ICT is used in guidance across Europe. This mapping exercise generated valuable country-specific evidence for the Estonian EU Presidency conference on lifelong guidance policy and practice held in Tallinn in September 2017. There current challenges and potential strategies were debated by more than 30 European countries. The summary of the mapping survey and other conference materials are available at www.innove.ee/guidanceweek2017.
In May 2014 the Estonian Association of Career Counsellors published the Code of Ethics for Career Guidance (available in Estonian).
Last update by ©Euroguidance Estonia (May 2019)
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North Korea suspected of cyber attack on Sony
Sony Pictures is investigating the hacking of its computer systems ahead of the release of a film about North Korea’s leader.
In the movie, two reporters are granted an audience with Kim Jong-un. The CIA then enlists the pair to assassinate him.
North Korea described the film as an act of war and an “undisguised sponsoring of terrorism” and called on the US and the UN to block it.
Pyongyang has refused to deny any involvement in the cyber attack.
Watch back: Trump meets North Korea's Kim in demilitarised zone
North Korea says U.S. 'hell-bent on hostile acts' despite wanting to talk
U.S. seizes North Korean ship it accuses of violating sanctions
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&bnsp;
Bloodstained Ritual Of The Night Gets Release Dates
by Matthew Kato on May 02, 2019 at 09:33 AM
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night from ArtPlay – former Castlevania producer Koji Igarashi's studio – now has specific release dates. The PS4, Xbox One, PC edition comes out on June 18, with the Switch version releasing on June 25.
The game has undergone multiple delays since it was initially Kickstarted back in 2015, but the title's latest trailer (above) shows that Igarashi and the team have been hard at work to make it look the best it can be.
Matthew Kato
Kato's love of video games started with sports games, but he also enjoys everything from Assassin's Creed to Vagrant Story.
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Foundation aids families in need
Dinner Saturday, concert Dec. 20
Updated: Dec. 13, 2012, 4:43 p.m.
For more information on the Marcus E. & Sharon B. Gunter Foundation, call (770) 889-2859 or go online at www.marcus-sharon-gunter-foundation.org.
Sharon Gunter and husband Marcus will be serving traditional holiday fare, including ham, green beans and a variety of desserts, during a Christmas-themed meal Saturday.
But the gathering isn’t for them, it’s for those in the community who have fallen on hard times, Gunter said. It’s also one of many efforts undertaken by their foundation.
The nonprofit holds monthly Dinners for the Hungry, including the meal Saturday. It also collects food and clothing for families in need.
“We’re really concerned about when children are out of school that they don’t get enough food to eat,” Gunter said. “When they’re not in school to get those free breakfasts and lunches, they go hungry for those meals, so we wanted to supplement those.”
Gunter said she’s been collecting food since September. She’s also gathering clothing, specifically socks.
Working with a private company, she has been able to buy a dozen socks for every $4 donation if she purchased 50 dozen at a time.
She has 150 packages of a dozen socks to give out, along with a bag of food, to families in need.
“We found that most families can find shoes to fit their children, but they don’t usually get socks,” Gunter said. “Socks are a luxury.”
The organization has also joined with North Forsyth High and other local schools for its third annual Coats, Socks and Gloves Benefit Concert.
The two-hour event, set for 7 p.m. Dec. 20, features musical performances from students at North’s performing arts center. Admission is a donation of new or slightly used coats, socks or gloves.
“Last year, it took two large vans to take all the coats, socks, gloves and nonperishable food items to the United Way,” Gunter said. “It would be wonderful if we could get that kind of response again this year.
“It’s important to give back and show you appreciate what you’ve received and how you’ve been blessed. This is one of so many ways people can help the less fortunate.”
How failure propelled Nick Eibler from Forsyth County to the Broadway stage
How the Forsyth County library is celebrating 50th anniversary of landing on the moon
Website ranks Cumming among the top 20 cities in Georgia
Buddhist monk makes annual visit to Forsyth County retreat center
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Sundance 2015: Our 7 Favorite Documentaries - The Best of the Fest
The 2015 Sundance Film Festival has finally come to an end and to put a wrap on things and finalize our nearly two weeks of coverage, it's time to present our Best of the Fest. We're doing things a bit different this year and presenting combined favorites between Ethan and I (since we loved so many of the same movies). Instead of one big list, like year's past, we're splitting up our favorites between the best 7 Feature Films we saw and the best 7 Documentaries we saw. We obviously couldn't see every film playing, but did catch over 40 between us and felt like these films below deserve to be highlighted for standing out over the others. As our final recap of Sundance 2015, which has now concluded, we present our 7 favorite documentaries.
Editor's Note: 2015 was a very, very strong year for documentaries at Sundance. In total I saw 13 different documentaries, and enjoyed pretty much every last one, but a handful of them are some of my favorite films of the fest. Because there were so many documentaries we wanted to feature from Sundance 2015, we've decided to put together a list specifically for docs, focusing on the ones we loved the most and mentioning all the others we saw (see recommendations at the bottom). We didn't get to see everything, and we missed plenty of films, but these are our favorite 2015 documentaries that we did get to see. In no particular order.
How to Dance in Ohio
Directed by Alexandra Shiva
Most documentaries aim to shine a light on something that people don't know much about. In the case of Alexandra Shiva's How to Dance in Ohio, in addition to shining a light on the struggles and lifestyle of young adults on the autism spectrum, the film also weaves a beautiful coming-of-age tale as they approach their first spring formal. Three young women ages 16, 19, and 22 take center stage as they strive for independence and normalcy with a disorder that holds them back from interacting with society without extreme anxiety. So you can only imagine what it's like to endure something as stressful as a spring formal.
But rather than focusing on just the difficulties of having autism as a young adult, the film is full of success, inspiration, and raw emotion. You'll cry tears of frustration and sorrow as one of the young adults struggles to fit into a professional environment with a job at a bakery, but for every one of those moments, there are even more triumphs that bring tears of pure happiness. Whether it's the confidence that comes from these young ladies picking out their formal dresses, or the successful date-pairing of one of the girls who often prefers isolation over any human interaction, even with her family, you'll swell with pride for these kids.
Directed by Bryan Carberry & J. Clay Tweel
This doc rules! The story in Finders Keepers is so bat-shit crazy, but so much fun to follow. One man, named John Wood, had to amputate part of his leg in a plane crash years ago. His family was torn apart by the event and has never been the same since. Years later, another man named Shannon Whisnant found the leg in a storage unit that was auctioned off. John, after hearing about this, tried desperately to get his leg back causing a media mayhem that kept building and building, gaining national attention as the two fought over who was the rightful owner of a disgusting amputated leg (found inside a BBQ smoker grill). Just crazy.
This was produced by Seth Gordon, who broke out with his doc The King of Kong at Slamdance 2007, and is one of the best we saw this year. Finders Keepers is a perfect example of a documentary that takes a seemingly boring (but nonetheless interesting) story and turns it into something entertaining and exciting to watch. It balances both sides of the story with care and compassion, and reminds us that these are people with emotions just like the rest of us. At times it's touching and earnest, yet always on-point. It never drifts too far off track and kept us engaged. I'm so glad we saw this, an unforgettable discovery of Sundance 2015.
Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of National Lampoon
Directed by Douglas Tirola
Many of the comedians who made huge waves back in the 1970s and 1980s launched their careers, before "Saturday Night Live" was even an option, with the comedy magazine known as National Lampoon (see Archive.org to view old issues online). Nowadays, the brand is synonymous with terrible straight-to-DVD movies about sex, drugs, drinking and college. But at one time, National Lampoon was at the forefront of smart satire, irreverent humor and counterculture. This is the story of the rise of the magazine that turned into a media empire that pumped out records, radio programs and eventually classic motion pictures.
With a fantastic line-up of aged comedy writers and familiar faces such as Chevy Chase, John Landis, the documentary chronicles the rise and surprisingly fast fall of this modern literary giant that is more than a footnote in comedy history. Without this era of comedy, it's hard to say where John Belushi, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, Christopher Guest and more would have ended up. Their career paths may have still found their way into the spotlight, but they would be remarkably different without the presence of National Lampoon. This was comedy history in the making, and now it's accessible for everyone, not just those who grew up in the time of National Lampoon's prime, but anyone with an interest in comedy.
Tig about Tig Notaro
Directed by Kristina Goolsby & Ashley York
After working for 15 years as a stand up comedian, Tig Notaro became an "overnight success" when she debuted a bold stand-up comedy set at the Largo about a series of unfortunate events (to put things lightly) in her life. Notaro was first diagnosed with C. diff, not long after that her mother died just a few days after Notaro's birthday, and then the comedienne was diagnosed with breast cancer. But somehow, Notaro ended up finding the dark humor in this and delivered a legendary set that went viral, even though only a small audience had actually seen it. The tweets, Facebook posts and articles written by comedians, comedy fans, journalists and more turned Notaro into a comedy sensation, but she still had a life to live outside of fame.
The self-titled documentary Tig focuses on Notaro as she recounts the rise of her career during this difficult time, and then the cameras follow her as she finds new love with partner Stephanie Allynne, who starred with Notaro in the Sundance selected In a World…, and tries to have the child she decided to have just before all this shit hit the fan. It's an intimate look at the life of a comedian who had fame thrust upon her in an unlikely way, spawning comparisons to the likes of Richard Pryor and other legendary comics. From the evolution of her stand-up after the cancer scare and career boost to the changes in her personal life influenced by these traumatic events, this is a compelling look at tragedy, love and comedy in real life.
Directed by Bobcat Goldthwait
Whoa. This film is comedian/filmmaker Bobcat Goldthwait's first documentary (he also made World's Greatest Dad, God Bless America and Shakes the Clown) and during the introduction he shared a very emotional story about how his friend Robin Williams encouraged him to tell this story. Call Me Lucky is about comedian/activist/satirist Barry Crimmins, and if you don't know who he is, don't read about him until you see this first. It starts out as yet another biopic looking at the life of a talented, trail-blazing comic then half-way through suddenly turns into something much more profound, much more eye-opening. It's a shocking twist, but where it progresses from there is just extraordinary and I was impressed by its empathy.
When I first saw this documentary, it really affected me. It's very powerful, and with heartfelt storytelling shows us how one man overcame his anger and hate to become an inspiration for anyone who struggles. Essentially, it's a beautifully-made, no-holds-barred documentary that shows how anger can be used for good, and that's a huge accomplishment. It's inspiring by showing us how to redirect our own frustrations into something beneficial, that can help others not hurt them, and is also a reminder of the power of comedy. We recommend seeing this documentary as soon as possible knowing as little about it beforehand.
Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck
Directed by Brett Morgen
This is the definitive documentary about Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, and his tortured, remarkable life. Cobain is an iconic figure in the rock world, and has remained a legend thanks to his music. Most know that Cobain died of a drug overdose at the very young age of 27 after having a baby with his wife Courtney Love. This doc isn't so much of a story of "how he got there" as it is an extensive look back at his short life, from his childhood, to the early years of Nirvana, to his family and eventually the global success that he seemed to hate so much. There's an endless amount of footage culled from his private collection and much more.
Even if you're not a fan of Nirvana, this is an impressive and enriching documentary. There are some stellar animated sequences in it, on top of animations created from sketches found in Cobain's own notebooks. Director Brett Morgen does a fantastic job getting into his story, diving deep into the influences in his life and his family, his friends, those that surrounded him on and off the road. It attempts to analyze his mind, what made him feel so tortured by this world, and how Nirvana's exceptional fame started to weigh on him. For some it may be painful to look back at all he was, but for others it will be exhilarating to watch.
Directed by Robert Gordon & Morgan Neville
These two! Best of Enemies is a documentary about two lifelong enemies: Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley, Jr. In the late 1960s just before an upcoming election, ABC hired Vidal and Buckley to debate on national television about the most important political issues at the time. This thoroughly entertaining and effortlessly fascinating doc examines their relationship on and off the screen, similar to the love-hate battle between Ebert and Siskel shown in the doc Life Itself. It goes even further by connecting the end of objective television with their debates, since they set a strong precedent for TV coverage (and got such great ratings).
What I love about this is how perfectly it's crafted, using mostly archival footage and news bits (along with some talking heads) to give us immense insight into these two political pundits. It also goes beyond simply profiling them and frames their story within the context of American history, claiming this was a defining moment in television news. Ever since, all we get (e.g. Fox News) are arguments and debates that don't seem to go anywhere, and this is when it all began. It's captivating to learn about these two and hear directly from them regarding their own feelings about the debates and the impact they had. Another great doc discovery.
Other Great Documentaries from Sundance 2015: Hao Zhou's The Chinese Mayor (our review), Kirby Dick's The Hunting Ground (our review), Michael Madsen's trippy The Visit, Rodney Ascher's sleep paralysis film The Nightmare, Bill Ross IV & Turner Ross' Western, Matthew Heineman's Cartel Land.
For all of our Sundance 2015 coverage, with reviews and more click here. Seek out these films and enjoy.
Find more posts: Documentaries, Feat, Lists, Sundance 15
Wow, the story behind Finders Keepers is one of the strangest things I've ever heard of.
NathanDewey on Feb 4, 2015
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INDEX: Sprint Retail Fixtures And Displays
INDEX: Sprint Retail Fixtures And…
Sprint Retail Fixtures
…to Sprint Retail Fixtures
This Sprint Retail Fixtures index page aggregates links
to all post and photos of tretail merchandising, display, and outfitting
BACKSTORY: Sprint Corporation, commonly referred to as Sprint, is an American telecommunications holding company that provides wireless services and is an internet service provider. It is the fourth largest mobile network operator in the United States, and serves 59.7 million customers, as of April 2017.[8]The company also offers wireless voice, messaging, and broadband services through its various subsidiaries under the Boost Mobile, Virgin Mobile, and Assurance Wireless brands, and wholesale access to its wireless networks to mobile virtual network operators. The company is headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas. In July 2013, a majority of the company was purchased by Japanese telecommunications company SoftBank Group Corp.,[9]although the remaining shares of the company continue to trade on the New York Stock Exchange.[citation needed]
Sprint traces its origins to the Brown Telephone Company, which was founded in 1899 to deploy telephone service to the rural area around Abilene, Kansas. In 2006, Sprint exited the local landline telephone business, spinning those assets off into a newly created company named Embarq, which later became a part of CenturyLink. The company continues to be one of the largest long distance providers in the United States.
Prior to 2005, the company was also known as the Sprint Corporation, but took the name Sprint Nextel Corporation when it merged with Nextel Communications that year. In 2013, following the shutdown of the Nextel network and concurrent with the acquisition by SoftBank, the company returned to using simply Sprint Corporation. In July 2013, as part of the SoftBank transactions, Sprint acquired the remaining shares of wireless broadband carrier Clearwire Corporation which it did not already own.
On August 6, 2014, it was announced that CEO Dan Hesse would be replaced by Marcelo Claure, effective August 11, 2014. Claure is the founder and former CEO of wireless supplier Brightstar.[10]
Sprint Corporation traces its origins to the Brown Telephone Company, which was founded in 1899 by Cleyson Brown and Jacob Brown to deploy telephone service to the rural area around Abilene, KS.[11] The Browns installed their first long-distance circuit in 1900 and chartered their own company in October 1902.
In March 1903, they joined with 14 other Kansas independents to incorporate the Union Telephone and Telegraph Company, which would provide long-distance service to Kansas City.
In September 1911, C.L. Brown consolidated the Brown Telephone Company with three other independents to form the second largest telephone company in Kansas, the United Telephone Company, which controlled seven major telephone exchanges.
C.L. Brown formed United Telephone and Electric (UT&E) in 1925 in order to purchase stock in subsidiary companies across widely scattered geographical areas. Brown’s UT&E eventually controlled more than 68 other companies, more than two-thirds of which were telephone companies.
The Great Depression caused more than three million telephone subscribers to give up their phone service between 1931 and 1933. Consequently, UT&E suffered severe financial strain and had to seek protection to reorganize under bankruptcy laws. All but six of UT&E’s 85 companies survived, with some showing profits again in 1936. During the reorganization, a number of companies were merged and later phased out. The reorganization plan received final approval in late 1937.
UT&E was dissolved, and its assets were placed in a newly formed company, United Utilities, Incorporated, in 1938.
When Paul H. Henson became president of United Utilities in 1964, he almost immediately reorganized the company in accordance with C.L. Brown’s belief that centralizing some of the company’s functions would result in greater efficiency, cost reductions, and growth. In 1972, United Utilities changed its name to United Telecommunications, commonly referred to as “United Telecom”. In 1980, United Telecom launched a national X.25 data service, Uninet. To enter the long-distance voice market, United Telecom acquired ISACOMM in 1981 and US Telephone in 1984. In 1983, United Telecom began offering cellular telephone services in their territories under the brand name “Telespectrum”.
Southern Pacific Communications Company (SPC), a unit of the Southern Pacific Railroad, began providing long-distance telephone service after the Execunet II decision late in 1978. SPC was headquartered on Adrian Court in Burlingame, California, where Sprint still maintains its Sprint Applied Research & Advanced Technology Labs.
Southern Pacific maintained an extensive microwave communications system along its rights-of-way that the railroad used for internal communications. After the Execunet II decision, Southern Pacific expanded its internal communications network by laying fiber optic cables along the same rights-of-way. In 1972, Southern Pacific Communications began selling surplus system capacity to corporations for use as private lines, circumventing AT&T‘s then-monopoly on public telephony. Prior attempts at offering long distance voice services had not been approved by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), although a fax service (called SpeedFAX) was permitted.[citation needed]
Southern Pacific Communications was only permitted to provide private line services, not switched services. After MCI Communications won the court battle giving MCI the right to begin offering Execunet services, Southern Pacific Communications took the Federal Communications Commission to court to get the right to offer switched services, and succeeded (the “Execunet II” decision). Southern Pacific Communications decided they needed a new name to differentiate the switched voice service from SpeedFAX, and ran an internal contest to select a name. The winning entry was “SPRINT”, an acronym for Southern Pacific Railroad Internal Network Telecommunications.[12]
The Sprint service was first marketed in six metropolitan areas: New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Anaheim. The switches were located in Los Angeles and New York. A customer was required to have a private line connection to one of these switches in order to use the service and paid an access fee per private line. Access was also available by dialing an access number to connect to the SPRINT switch. Customers were then billed at 2.6 cents per tenth of a minute increment.[citation needed]
In 1982, SPC and GTE entered into merger negotiations, and in 1983, they merged under the name “GTE Sprint”.
GTE had acquired a national X.25 provider Telenet in 1979. In 1986, GTE Sprint and Telenet merged with the United Telecom properties US Telecom, Uninet, and ISACOMM, forming US Sprint. This was a joint venture co-owned by GTE and United Telecom. In 1988, United Telecom sold Telespectrum to Centel to fund the purchase of an additional 30% of US Sprint. This purchase gave United Telecom operational (SOURCE: Wikipedia)
Open Wire Basket for Umbrella Merchandising
Sprint Electronic Tile Ready to Grab-And-Go
EDITOR’S NOTE: Sprint Retail Fixtures
Topmost posts may be scheduled but not yet live.
Please click further down the list if necessary
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“Sprint Table-Top In-Store Balloon Branding”
“Tile Electronics Grab-And-Go Display At Sprint”
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“LG® Headphone Display Employs Triangular Tower“
For Sprint Retail Fixtures related resources see…
“Sprint Retail Fixtures Pinterest Board” (Pending)
“Sprint Retail Fixtures Index Page”
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Home People David V. Northcutt
See People
David V. Northcutt
dnorthcutt@foley.com
Madison 608.258.4785
Jump To Overview Capabilities
Overview Capabilities
David V. Northcutt is special counsel and a business lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP. His practice focuses in the areas of charitable planning, business succession planning, estate planning, and estate and trust administration. Mr. Northcutt also represents fiduciaries and beneficiaries in tax, probate and trust matters and provides comprehensive legal advice on a wide variety of income, estate and gift tax issues. He is a member of the firm’s Estates & Trusts Practice.
Mr. Northcutt graduated summa cum laude, with honors, from the University of Wisconsin Law School (J.D., 1999), where he received the Constitutional Law Prize and was elected to both the Order of the Coif and Phi Beta Kappa. He received his undergraduate degrees, summa cum laude, in philosophy and political science, with honors in both majors, from the University of Wisconsin - Madison (B.A., 1996).
Mr. Northcutt is admitted to practice in Wisconsin.
Estates & Trusts Corporate
dnorthcutt@foley.com 608.258.4785
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About Foley Estates
Our Winemaker
Sta. Rita Hills AVA
Our Vintner
The Foley Food & Wine Society
Visit Foley Estates
Private Events / Weddings
Shop at Our Wine Store
Foley Estates Wine Club
Bill Foley
Vintner, Bill Foley
Meet the Man Driven by Three of Life’s Biggest Passions
In addition to being a passionate, adventurous vintner, Bill Foley is the Chairman, CEO and Governor of the National Hockey League’s 31st franchise, the Vegas Golden Knights. He helped usher not only hockey but major professional sports to the Las Vegas Valley in 2016.
It is rare in today’s business world when a sports team – and the team’s owner – can be considered innovators and true pioneers, venturing into the unknown and uncertainty of previously unchartered territory in the industry. These opportunities and circumstances simply do not exist as much now as they have in the past. However, thanks to the vision of Foley, the Vegas Golden Knights accomplished an ambitious undertaking in 2017 that had never been done or attempted before – building and launching a major professional sports team from scratch in the city of Las Vegas.
The hockey operations staff scouted players for nearly a year before Foley and General Manager George McPhee announced their selections on June 21, 2017 in front of more than 10,000 fans during the NHL Expansion Draft at T-Mobile Arena. The team took the ice for the first time in Dallas on October 6, 2017 and by midseason was already the most successful expansion team in NHL history, breaking numerous records.
From a business perspective, the team was just as successful off the ice, securing over 14,000 season ticket members. The staff held numerous initiatives throughout the valley to introduce fans to hockey and give locals an opportunity to meet the players, who have been active in the community visiting hospitals, firefighters, police stations, military personnel and first responders.
Foley is also the Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors for Fidelity National Financial Inc. (NYSE: FNF), and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors for Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (NYSE: FIS). FNF is the nation’s largest title insurance company through its title insurance underwriters - Fidelity National Title, Chicago Title, Commonwealth Land Title and Alamo Title - that collectively issues more title insurance policies than any other title company in the United States.
In addition, FNF owns majority interests in Ceridian Corporation, a leading provider of payroll services, Remy International, Inc., the largest manufacturer of automotive alternators and starters in the United States, and American Blue Ribbon Holdings, LLC, an owner and operator of the Village Inn, Bakers Square, 99 Steakhouse, Stoney River, and O’Charley’s.
Foley also serves as Vice Chairman of Fidelity National Information Services (NYSE: FIS), number 301 on the Fortune 500 roster, and a global provider of core processing for financial institutions; card issuer and transaction processing services; mortgage loan processing, as well as mortgage-related information products and outsourcing services.
Under Foley’s leadership, FNF was selected in 2004 by Forbes as one of the 26 Best Managed Companies in the U.S. The company has repeatedly been named to Fortune’s list of America’s Most Admired Companies, Forbes’ list of America’s Best Big Companies and selected for Barron’s list of Best Companies for Investors.
Foley devotes time to many educational and community organizations. He serves as an advisory board member for the University of Washington School of Law, the Florida Forum Advisory Board for Wolfson Children’s Hospital Women’s Board. He also serves Chapman University School of Law both as a member of the Dean’s Council and as an Endowed Chair of the William Foley Chair in Corporate Law & Taxation. In 1997, Foley was chosen as Orange County, California’s Business Person of The Year, honored with the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation’s Semper Fidelis award and inducted into the Florida Council of Economic Education’s First Coast Business Hall of Fame in 2006.
Foley received his B.S. degree in Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point. He received an M.B.A. degree from Seattle University and earned his J.D. degree in 1974 from The University of Washington School of Law. He served in the U.S. Air Force, where he attained the rank of Captain.
Today, Foley and his wife Carol live in Northern California part-time and are active philanthropists for many causes, especially those in support of veterans and children’s education. He also serves as a Trustee on the Boards of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce.
In addition to his numerous professional and philanthropic commitments, Foley is an accomplished golfer, ranked in 2004 by Golf Digest as one of the top five executive golfers in the world and in 2006 as one of Golf Digest’s Top 20 Executive Golfers in the World.
More from Foley Estates
Learn About the Society
Enjoy the best of the Foley Food & Wine Society! Receive invitations to events, tours, tastings, special offers on exclusive wines, and access to our partner properties.
Host Your Next Event at Foley Estates
Whether it’s a wedding, birthday, or other event that requires a beautiful setting and wonderful wine, Foley Estates is the perfect choice. Located next to the iconic winery building, the Hospitality Center affords visitors spectacular vistas of mountain ranges, coastal oaks and contoured hillside vines.
Any visit to Sta. Rita Hills must include a stop at Foley Estates. The property was founded by Bill Foley in the late 1990’s and today is one of the most important in the appellation. The winery’s success can be attributed to strict winemaking protocols and two extraordinary estate vineyards.
Foley Estates Vineyard and Winery
6121 E Highway 246
Lompoc, CA 93436
tastingroom@foleywines.com
© Copyright 2019 — All Rights Reserved.
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Geeksplainer: The M. Night Shyamalan-Verse
By K. Thor Jensen 01.10.2019 :: 3:00PM EDT 01.10.2019
kthorjensen
'Glass' (Photo Credit: Jessica Kourkounis / Universal Pictures)
Few directors have seen highs and lows like M. Night Shyamalan. His 1999 supernatural drama The Sixth Sense was a surprise box office blockbuster that established him as a name to watch, capable of clever visual tricks and unusual twist endings. But that tendency also became a trap, as his middle-period films were haunted by viewers waiting for them. After the dismal nadir of his live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender, M. Night has returned to his roots with audience-pleasing, low-budget horror flicks and the upcoming Glass, a sequel to his 2000 quasi-superhero movie Unbreakable. How do they link up? How did this new universe come to be? Read on, friends, and let us geeksplain it all.
What Was Unbreakable?
Before we begin, it’s important to remember that superhero films were in a very different place in 2000. It would be eight more years before Iron Man kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the genre was in a pretty severe slump. That’s one reason why Unbreakable seemed so revolutionary.
Bruce Willis stars as security guard David Dunn, who is the sole survivor of a train crash that kills 181 people. David comes out from his experience changed — his strength is increased and he has some kind of ESP that lets him see evil deeds people have perpetrated. He’s aided in his embrace of these abilities by art gallery owner Elijah Price, who suffers from a disease that makes his bones as brittle as glass.
Here’s the twist: Price caused the train crash to draw out Dunn’s new abilities, as part of a lifelong quest to prove that such extra-normal humans existed. As swerves go, it was a pretty damn good one. The film did fine in theaters but really took off on DVD, becoming a cult hit.
What About Split?
Now here’s where it gets interesting. Rumors of an Unbreakable sequel started circulating immediately after the movie’s release, with Bruce Willis telling the press he was hoping for a trilogy. But Touchstone Pictures didn’t think it was worthwhile and didn’t put up the funds, so the idea died on the vine.
But one of the original drafts for Unbreakable had an additional antagonist for David Dunn – a man named Kevin Crumb who was host to 24 different personalities, and when they take over they change his body as well. One of those personalities, “the Beast,” had access to extra-normal powers like David’s along with an insatiable desire for human meat, and they would have come into conflict. Split pulled that character out and gave him his own movie, a sort of supervillain origin story that followed Kevin’s kidnapping of three teenage girls. It’s a very different-feeling movie than Unbreakable, much leaner, but it has a twist, as well.
At the end of the film, we cut to a diner where patrons are watching a news report about Kevin… and one of those patrons is David Dunn. And all of a sudden, people were back on board. Split pulled in $278 million on a $9 million budget and M. Night was marketable again. Lo, Glass.
What’s the Story of Glass?
The first two films in the SCU (if we may be so bold) were both essentially origin stories, introducing us to characters and their abilities. These are, in our opinion, almost always the weakest type of superhero movies. Think about how many times the Spider-Man franchise had to do the whole Uncle Ben with great power comes with great responsibility thing? But Spider-Verse can get away with skipping it because at this point Peter Parker’s origins are ingrained in the American monomyth. Shyamalan doesn’t have that luxury. He’s building this from whole cloth, so naturally he had to take some time to set it up.
Glass (see it here), though, as the third film of a trilogy, is all about finally bringing the pieces together. David pursues Kevin as Elijah Price — Mr. Glass — pulls the strings behind the scenes. Taking place a few years after the events of Split, the plot finagles a way to get our three main characters in the same mental institution, being treated by a doctor who specializes in people with delusions of superhumanity. He’s described it as the “first truly grounded comic book movie” which, uh, doesn’t seem terribly accurate to me (ever seen Ghost World?)
We’re not going to spoil everything for you, but critical reception has been pretty poor — as I write this, it’s at 40% on Rotten Tomatoes. And it’s all about the thing he’s had the most trouble with: sticking the ending.
Why Don’t Twists Work?
We talked a little bit about M. Night Shyamalan’s reputation as “the guy who does the twists.” Spoilers ahead: Bruce Willis was dead the whole time in The Sixth Sense. Mr. Glass orchestrated everything in Unbreakable. The Village is set in the present day. But a twist isn’t all it takes to make a good ending — and, in fact, the superhero genre is almost entirely predicated on the absence of twists. We want to see the heroes save the day so they can move on to new adventures. Even Thanos’s finger snap at the end of Infinity War is only there to set up Endgame.
The twist in Split was rewarding because it didn’t negate anything you’d enjoyed about the movie. Instead, it enhanced it — knowing that Kevin existed in this fictional space where other superhumans also were provided context beyond “hey, I know that guy.” It made what you just watched seem bigger and more interesting. Same with his more successful movies. But Glass‘s big second-act twist (sorry, there is one) doesn’t do that. Instead, it serves as a lazy way to explain away the movie’s mysteries without deepening our experience.
That’s an interesting question. In interviews, M. Night Shyamalan has talked about Glass not being the end of the story, and some of the movie’s events certainly leave the door open for another sequel. Spoilers follow for parts of Glass, so if you don’t want to have it ruined scroll away now.
One of the theories raised in Glass is that the presence of a few super-powered individuals like Dunn and Crumb is actually stopping the rest of humanity from embracing their own inner potential. And the people in power know that, so it’s in their best interest to make sure that more superhumans don’t emerge to upset the status quo. Without giving too much away, that happens. There are other superhumans out there. But will there be movies about them?
The issue here is that “superheroes in the real world” isn’t nearly as interesting and clever a spin as it was in 2000. We’re up to our elbows in comic book movies from many different angles, from all-out comedy to grim and gritty vigilantes and cosmic consequences. What can the Shyamalan-verse offer that DC, Marvel, Dark Horse et al can’t? That’s one question that even your trusty Geeksplainer can’t answer.
Geeksplainer: The Spider-Verse
‘Nightflyers’ and the History of Sci-Fi Horror
11 ‘Harry Potter’ Characters Who Deserve Their Own Movie
geeksplainer
07.16.2019 :: 9:54PM EDT :: Jordan Minor
'Legend of the White Dragon' Reunites Original Power Rangers
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From the early stages of the Lagos State Biobank, GET has been a part of the conception of the project. We are now involved in providing the necessary training and we are supporting the development process of the biobank.
On Tuesday 30th, 2018 Lagos State Governor Mr Akinwunmi Ambode was joined by the Governor General of Canada, Rt Hon Julie Payette to inaugurate the new biosecurity laboratory in Lagos.
Mike Awe reports further:
Ambode, Canadian Governor General To Open New Biosecurity Lab In Lagos
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode will on Tuesday join the Governor General of Canada, Rt Hon Julie Payette to inaugurate a new biosecurity laboratory in Lagos.
In a statement on Sunday, the Lagos State Government said the inauguration of the State Biobank, located at the Mainland Hospital in Yaba, where the isolation unit used by the State Government to contain the 2014 Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak was located.
GET E.S. Babatunde Saka at the Commissioning of the Lagos State Biobank
According to the statement, the Laboratory, funded by Canada in partnership with the State Government, would serve as a single repository for all high-concentration pathogens in the State, adding that it would also help the State mitigate post-EVD threats and build capacity for prevention, detection and response to future outbreaks in Nigeria and West Africa.
It said the State’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris would also be part of the delegation to accompany Governor Ambode to receive Hon. Payette at the Muritala Muhammed International Airport and thereafter proceed to unveil the new facility.
According to the statement, after the inauguration of the Biosecurity Laboratory, the Canadian Governor General would also visit students participating in the CodeLagos computer literacy program.
GET P.I. Prof Akin Abayomi at the Commissioning of the Lagos State Biobank
“Her Excellency will visit Akande Dahunsi Memorial Senior High School to interact with students taking part in the CodeLagos program and talk to them about her background in informatics. During this time, members of the Canadian delegation will give presentations on their own experiences and careers in other classrooms,” the statement said.
The CodeLagos programme, currently running in public and private schools in the State, is an initiative of the Lagos State Ministry of Education aimed at educating over one million residents for the future of work – by teaching how to write code and creatively solve problems.The statement added that the
August visitor would have a lunch discussion with members of the Lagos business community, where she would deliver brief opening remarks which would bring the business community together.
It said she would round off her visit with a reception for Arts and Culture Friends of Canada.
The statement further said that the reception would see her meet with individuals who have made and continued to make exceptional efforts in promoting and enhancing the Canada-Nigeria relationship, adding that it would provide an opportunity to celebrate the vitality of the arts and culture scene in Lagos.
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Email From Sandra
Yaa Yaa at Goethe-Abansuro
Date: Sep 28 , 2017 , 11:08
Yaa Yaa
Singer, Yaa Yaa, will on Wednesday, October 4 perform at the Goethe-Institut in Accra as part of a monthly series dubbed ‘Goethe Abansuro’.
Designed for solo and duet acoustic sessions in a tranquil and comfortable environment, ‘Abansuro’ also ensures one-on-one interactions and exchanges between artises and the audience.
Yaa Yaa formerly known as Bertha, has delighted audiences in Accra and other parts of the country with great performances while acting in a number of stage plays.
Apart from singing, she also plays the guitar, xylophone and piano and has featured in performances by top Ghanaian stars like Okyeame Kwame and Sarkodie.
Indeed, her debut single Am I, which featured Sarkodie was well received just like her second, Incredible.
Kae, her third release won several nominations both at the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) and 4Syte Video Awards. She also released a beautiful rendition of R2Bees’ award winning song Life.
Another single Dumb Drum, which was released in 2015, equally picked three nominations at the 2016 edition of the VGMA. Currently working on a new album, Yaa Yaa has just returned from a performance tour of Austria.
‘Goethe Abansuro’ is being sponsored by the Goethe-Institut.
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Spacesuit needed to fly high altitude solar plane
Posted on May 12, 2017 by Maurice Picow in Energy, Green Tech and Gadgets
Solar powered flight has been in the news ever since the sun powered Solar Impulse 2, piloted by Swiss adventurer Bertrand Picard and his associate Andre Borschberg, flew around the world in 2015 to 16. This flight, relying solely on wing mounted solar panels, took over a year to complete before finally landing in Abu Dhabi in July, 2016. Equipped with 4 engines and 17,000 solar cells on its 72 meter wingspan, Solar Impulse 2 was based on an earlier model, Solar Impulse, that made history in June, 2012, when it flew from Switzerland to Casa Blanca Morocco.
Both Solar Impulse flights flew at a relatively low altitude, however; due to the pilot’s cabin being unpressurized. A new solar powered test plane, SolarStratos just completed a successful test flight in Switzerland and is eventually hoped to fly as high as 25,000 meters. Compared to the Solar Impulse models, which weighed 2.3 tons, the much smaller SolarStratos weighs just 450 kg (992 lbs) and is only 8.5 meters in length. The plane is also unpressurized, but the pilot will make up for this during a high altitude flight by wearing a pressurized spacesuit.
Flying to such high altitudes in the Earth’s stratosphere presents a new set of challenges, however. Weather conditions and temperatures as low as -70 degrees Celsius (-94 degrees Fahrenheit) are totally different than those experienced by the flights of Solar Impulse 1 and 2.
This feat will pose huge technical and human challenges says Swiss adventurer Raphael Domjan, who is sponsoring the project. The initial test flight, by Swiss pilot Damian Hischier, only few to an altitude of 300 meters (1,000 ft) and lasted just 7 minutes.
The SolarStratos has a way to go before being able to reach altitudes of over 10,000 meters, however. The idea of doing this is to “harness the sun’s treasure”. The flight aims to do something that up to now has only been possible using technology powered by fossil fuels. We can only wish them well.
Read more about solar powered flight:
Solar powered plane (finally) completes round the world flight
Would You Fly by the Sun and Solar Impulse?
Morocco to Welcome Solar Impulse pilots tonight
solar airplane
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Memorial University of Newfoundland - St. John's Campus
Labrador Institute
Bonne Bay Marine Station
Danger Tree Dedication Ceremony
Ongoing sustainability activities
Outages and Interruptions
People of Grenfell
Storm Closure Protocol
Test Video Size
The Environmental Policy Institute (EPI) is dedicated to excellence in research, teaching and learning and public engagement on environmental policy issues in Newfoundland and Labrador, in Canada, and internationally.
EPI's activities include analyzing current environmental policies, exploring innovative solutions, and conducting, co-ordinating and disseminating research widely to both academic and general public audiences and developing provincial capacity in environmental policy. Since its establishment in 2011, EPI has been very active hosting multiple guest speakers and workshops, participating in various university and government consultations, and hosting public engagement events.
You can learn more about the Master of Arts (environmental policy) program here.
What We Do
In pursuit of its mission, the EPI engages in the following activities:
Research
EPI uses theories, approaches, and methods from social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences to advance excellence in research and analysis on environmental policy issues. The EPI conducts research on environmental policy issues in topics such as water, forests, land, fisheries, minerals, oil and gas, energy, climate change, and biodiversity. It also conducts research on environmental policy issues at and across multiple levels, including individuals, households, communities, regions, provinces, nation-states, and international. EPI communicates and mobilizes research and knowledge to both academic and non-academic audiences.
Teaching
EPI is engaged in both undergraduate and graduate teaching and learning activities. The EPI established the new Masters of Arts in Environmental Policy (MAEP) program, the first graduate program at Grenfell Campus, which started in Fall 2012. The MAEP program educates students to develop research and professional skills in order to become highly qualified personnel in the field of environmental policy. EPI facilitates professional capacity for environmental policy research, development, evaluation, and engagement through the MAEP program and through knowledge mobilization and public engagement activities.
Public Engagement
EPI builds awareness of, and stimulates dialogue and debate on, environmental policy issues within the broader public through initiatives including workshops, panel discussions, the Reel Green Film Series, and other sponsored events. It collaborates with academia, policy makers and governments, industry and businesses, non-governmental organizations, Indigenous peoples, rural and urban communities, and citizens to address environmental issues and problems.
Our Mandate
EPI is a cornerstone of Memorial University-Grenfell Campus’ strategic research theme of Environmental, Energy and Natural Resources, which examines the the interaction of people, industry, and communities with the natural world – locally, nationally and globally.
Office: AS 277
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20th century history American history Archaeology Colonial history Disease history European history Heritage History of science London history Maritime history Medieval history Military history Political History Tudor history Victorian history History - other
House, Shop and Wardrobe in London's Merchant Community
Professor Simon Thurley CBE
Wednesday, 6 December 2017 - 6:00PM
Lenin and the Russian Revolution
Professor Catherine Merridale FBA
Wednesday, 8 November 2017 - 6:00PM
Martin Luther and his Crusade Against the Pope
Professor Lyndal Roper
Discovering the Port of Roman London
Dr Gustav Milne
Wednesday, 27 September 2017 - 1:00PM
Britain and the EU: In or Out - One Year On
Professor Vernon Bogdanor FBA CBE
Wednesday, 21 June 2017 - 6:00PM
Migration: A Historical Perspective
Professor Sir Richard Evans FBA
Tuesday, 16 May 2017 - 6:00PM
Tuesday, 25 April 2017 - 6:00PM
Tuesday, 14 March 2017 - 6:00PM
Tuesday, 17 January 2017 - 6:00PM
Gresham College EU-WEST-1B
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Strange Names Announce Album + Premiere “Ricochet” on Entertainment Weekly
STRANGE NAMES PREMIERE "RICOCHET" ON ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
Announce Debut LP 'Use Your Time Wisely' on Frenchkiss - 5.19
Pre-Order Use Your Time Wisely Now
Listen to "Richochet" on Entertainment Weekly
Strange Names Play Mercury Lounge in New York City on April 8th
It’s only been a few months since Strange Names landed in New York City, but the time for this daring pop trio has most definitely come.
On May 19, 2015, this triumvirate of twenty-somethings—Fletcher Aleckson, Francis Ximenez and Liam Benzvi—is releasing Use Your Time Wisely, a firecracker debut LP jammed with energetic, angular, romantic songs that sound at once ageless and completely contemporary.
The band came together while Ximenez and Benzvi were students at the University Of Minnesota; they were each part of other groups but ditched them to play together. The pair cycled through a series of bassists and drummers, until after their fifth show Aleckson approached them and said, "Francis, you know what the problem is here. Give me a call when you want to upgrade." With that, the group cemented itself as a three-piece and one of the Twin Cities’ most talked-about acts until, with an eye toward bigger things—and graduation over and done with—the band picked up and moved to New York.
While Strange Names’ rambunctious sound and sly take on modern life is completely of the moment, the band, which came together amidst the close-knit Minneapolis music scene, can’t help but see their first record as something of a second chance.
“This record was fully recorded back in Minneapolis and then we re-recorded it when we got to New York,” Benzvi explains. “And this one is so much better. We wanted to get it right; we had to.”
What they ended up with was a collection of TK driving songs that are deceptively simple, raucously compelling and defiantly youthful.
The album’s first single, “Ricochet,” is a prime example. “There are some songs on the record with profound lyrics that come from a place of great pain,” explains Ximenez, “but this song’s lyrics are just about trying to get with someone at a party.” There’s more to it than just getting laid, however: The song addresses the push-and-pull of ideas and of people; it addresses the contradictions of love and lust—and you can dance to it.
Other tracks, like the unforgettable “Neighborhood,” use a similarly easy-to-swallow delivery to take on the idea of finding your place in the world. But nothing ever gets too heavy. Indeed, the guys strive to echo the inclusive vibe of the New Wave bands they love, groups like the B-52s, Human League and the Talking Heads that didn’t leave anyone out of their party. “We’re always fighting the avant-garde within us,” Ximenez says with a smile. “We’re trying to find a middle ground where the music sounds like us but is still accessible.”
The band recorded Use Your Time Wisely at The End in Brooklyn, New York, with producer Andrew Maury, and found the sort of sound they think best fits their music.
“When we first recorded, we did it in a large studio and it came out sounding kind of garage rock, even though that’s not our style,” Benzvi explains. This new process was in a small room, something real cozy like a blown-up version of recording in a bedroom, and we got a really clean and controlled sound.”
Since they first posted demo tracks online, buzz around Strange Names has been growing steadily. Ximenez recalls, “There was a moment in the first semester of our senior year when we were finishing our degrees but didn’t know what we were going to do with ourselves. At the same time, we’d been making music and as soon as we put it up online, we started getting emails asking, ‘What is this.’”
What those early adopters heard was the beginning of something exciting, energetic and undeniably enjoyable. Now, with the release of Use Your Time Wisely, Strange Names has made an album that not only holds on to the dynamism that’s been apparent since those early tracks but also displays their progress and undeniable forward momentum.
It’s something they think has been meant to be since they first started out. “It just seemed right,” Benzvi says. “It was what was supposed to happen.”
01. Return
02. Ricochet
03. I Can't Control Myself
04. Supernatural Silence
05. Only Boy
06. Where & Why
07. Neighborhood
08. Trespassing
09. Brick City
10. Love & Truth (Is There A Place)
11. Overused Phrase
Newer PostStrange Names Premiere “Ricochet” Video On Black Book, Announce New NYC Dates
Older PostThe Bright Light Social Hour’s “Space Is Still The Place” is AVAILABLE NOW!
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Home > U.S. News
Trump Tells Putin: 'Now Is the Time' to Forge an Israeli-Palestinian Peace
The two leaders speak shortly before Putin's meeting with Palestinian President Abbas to discuss the peace process
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Amir Tibon WASHINGTON
File photo: U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladamir Putin at an APEC in Vietnam on November 11, 2017.Jorge Silva/AP
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WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday told his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, that "now is the time" to work toward an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement. The two leaders spoke on the phone shortly before Putin met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
According to statements released by both the White House and the Kremlin, the Israeli-Palestinian peace process was an important part of the conversation between the two leaders.
In the statement, the White House said that after Trump offered his condolences to Putin for the fatal plane crash that took place in Moscow over the weekend, the Russian President noted his meeting with Abbas later in the day, "and President Trump said that now is the time to work toward an enduring peace agreement."
During their meeting, Abbas told Putin he could no longer accept the role of the United States as a mediator in talks with Israel because of Washington's behaviour, the Interfax news agency reported.
"We state that from now on we refuse to cooperate in any form with the U.S. in its status of a mediator, as we stand against its actions," Abbas told Putin at the start of talks in Moscow. He said last week that he hoped Russia could assume a greater role in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, saying the United States "can no longer play a leading role."
Putin mentioned the call with Trump at the start of his meeting with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas on Monday.
He said: "Naturally we spoke about the Palestinian-Israeli settlement" and told Abbas: "I would like to convey to you his best wishes."
Putin met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu two weeks ago in Moscow. Russia has managed to maintain robust relations with both Israel and the Palestinian Authority government, as well as Israeli rivals Syria and Iran.
The region's situation is "far from what we want to see," Putin said in comments carried by state news agency TASS.
Trump honored a campaign promise in December by recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital and vowing to relocate the U.S. Embassy there.
The move outraged Palestinians and others across the Muslim world. Palestinian leaders have said it means Washington can no longer serve as a Mideast peace broker.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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The Klossy Code
Make Your Wildest Dreams Come True Through Curiosity, Courage, and Compassion
by K Floss
Supermodel, founder of Kode with Klossy, and philanthropist, Karlie Kloss, invites readers into her world and shares how, by making bold choices, overcoming the fear of failure, and cultivating curiosity, she was able to make her wildest dreams come true–and how they can, too.
At 15, Karlie Kloss considered herself an ordinary (okay, 6’2″ tall) girl from St. Louis who was presented with the opportunity to live an extraordinary life. In the past decade she’s graced the covers of TK magazines around the world; stomped runways as a supermodel; launched the national non-profit Kode with Klossy and a hit YouTube channel, amassing over 15 million followers along the way. Readers will be surprised to discover the secrets to Karlie’s success: not me-vs.-her calculation, but kindness, curiosity, confidence, conviction, self-love…and cookies. In THE KLOSSY CODE, Karlie opens up about her experiences, both exhilarating and daunting, and reaches out to a wide range of inspiring experts who spill much-needed wisdom and advice for women and girls with powerful aspirations who are determined to make their biggest and wildest dreams a reality. By working hard, digging deep and building on what makes you strong and special (as Karlie did), you will find that you already have the key to your own success: yourself.
Genre: Mind, Body, Spirit / Self-help / Personal Growth / Self-esteem
On Sale: October 6th 2020
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COBS 18
COBS 18 Annex 2 Record keeping: client orders and ...
G Guidance
COBS 18 Annex 2 Record keeping: client orders and transactions
This section applies to:
a firm in respect of non-MiFID business related to commodity derivative instruments;
a small authorised UK AIFM and a residual CIS operator;
an OPS firm when it carries on business which is not MiFID or equivalent third country business; and
an authorised professional firm with respect to activities other than non-mainstream regulated activities.
In accordance with COBS 18.5.3R(1), references to client in relation to a small authorised UK AIFM or a residual CIS operator are to be construed as references to any fund in respect of which the firm is acting or intends to act.
Record keeping of client orders and decisions to deal
A firm must immediately make a record of the details in (2), to the extent they are applicable to the order or decision to deal in question, in relation to:
every order received from a client;
every decision to deal taken in providing the service of portfolio management; and
for a small authorised UK AIFM and residual CIS operator, every decision to deal taken in managing financial instruments held for or within a fund.
The details referred to in (1) are:
the name or other designation of the client;
the name or other designation of any relevant person acting on behalf of the client;
the details specified in points (3), (4), and in points (5) to (8), of the table in 4.1;
the nature of the order if other than buy or sell;
the type of the order;
any other details, conditions and particular instructions from the client that specify how the order must be carried out; and
the date and exact time of the receipt of the order, or of the decision to deal by the firm.
Record-keeping of transactions
Immediately after executing a client order, or, in the case of firms that transmit orders to another person for execution, immediately after receiving confirmation that an order has been executed, firms must record the following details of the transaction in question:
the details specified in points (1) to (10) of the table in 4.1R;
the total price, being the product of the unit price and the quantity;
the nature of the transaction if other than buy or sell; and
the natural person who executed the transaction or who is responsible for the execution.
If a firm transmits an order to another person for execution, the firm must immediately record the following details after making the transmission:
the name or other designation of the client whose order has been transmitted;
the name or other designation of the person to whom the order was transmitted;
the terms of the order transmitted; and
the date and exact time of transmission.
Details to be recorded
Trading day
The trading day on which the transaction was executed.
Trading time
The time at which the transaction was executed, reported in the local time of the competent authority to which the transaction will be reported, and the basis in which the transaction is reported expressed as Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC) +/- hours.
Buy/sell indicator
Identifies whether the transaction was a buy or sell from the perspective of the reporting firm or, in the case of a report to a client, of the client.
Instrument identification
This must consist of:
a unique code to be decided by the competent authority (if any) to which the report is made identifying the financial instrument which is the subject of the transaction; and
if the financial instrument in question does not have a unique identification code, the name of the instrument or, in the case of a derivative contract, the characteristics of the contract.
The price per security or derivative contract excluding commission and (where relevant) accrued interest. In the case of a debt instrument, the price may be expressed either in terms of currency or as a percentage.
Price notation
The currency in which the price is expressed. If, in the case of a bond or other form of securitised debt the price is expressed as a percentage, that percentage must be included.
The number of units of the financial instruments, the nominal value of bonds, or the number of derivative contracts included in the transaction.
Quantity notation
An indication as to whether the quantity is the number of units of financial instruments, the nominal value of bonds or the number of derivative contracts.
Identification of the counterparty to the transaction.
Where the counterparty is an investment firm, that identification must consist of a unique code for that firm, to be determined by the competent authority (if any) to which the report is made; where the counterparty is a regulated market, an MTF or an entity acting as its central counterparty, the unique harmonised identification code for that market, MTF or entity acting as central counterparty, as specified in the list published by the competent authority of the home Member State of that entity.
Where the counterparty is not an investment firm, a regulated market, an MTF or an entity acting as central counterparty, it should be identified as ‘customer/client’ of the investment firm which executed the transaction.
Venue identification
Identification of the venue where the transaction was executed.
That identification must consist of: where the venue is a trading venue, its unique harmonised identification code; otherwise, the code ‘OTC’.
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← A Tale of the Mirror World, Part 2: From Mainframes to Micros
A Tale of the Mirror World, Part 4: A Different Mirror →
A Tale of the Mirror World, Part 3: A Game of Falling Shapes
Alexey Pajitnov
Alexey Pajitnov was the proverbial Russian bear, albeit more of the teddy than the grizzly variety. Big-boned and bearded, loose-limbed and always a little rumpled, his sunny disposition would brook no opposition even from the perpetual gray of the Mirror World. Not that he had much cause to complain, all things considered. Compared to many of his fellow citizens, Pajitnov had an easy time of it, being born into an intellectual family in Moscow; both of his parents were writers. Like many Russians, Pajitnov’s parents harbored no love for the Soviet system, but weren’t willing to die in a gulag in the name of some abstract cause of Freedom either. They taught their son to master the art of remaining quietly noncommittal when politics entered a conversation, and when the day came for young Alexey’s class to visit Lenin’s tomb, his mother wrote a note to the school saying he was sick. For the nonce at least, such small rebellions would have to suffice.
A lover of logic games and puzzles from an early age, Pajitnov excelled at math competitions as a teenager, and went off to university to study the subject. “Mathematicians are usually very strange people,” he admits. This mathematician, however, was a little different from the norm, a kid who loved movies almost as much as he loved numbers, who wasn’t any stranger to vodka and girls. With his big toothy smile, Pajitnov could be ingratiating even when he wasn’t trying to be. It was a quality that would serve him as well as an as-yet latent talent for game design over the course of the very unlikely career to come.
In 1984, Pajitnov was 28 years old, married, and starting a family; his wife was an English teacher, another stroke of luck that would serve him well in his future life. His early interest in pure mathematics had long since passed into a fascination with computers. “It doesn’t matter to a hacker what he is working on,” he says. “It could be a game or an abstract math problem, but if a computer is involved, he is a god and can do whatever he wants inside that world.” Living in the restricted society of the Soviet Union, such a sense of control was very appealing indeed to Pajitnov. He’d therefore managed to get a position at the Moscow Computer Center of the Soviet Academy of Sciences, one of the oldest and most important hubs of computer research in the Soviet Union. (You may recall from the first article in this series how prominently it featured in the first extended visit by an American computing delegation to the Soviet Union back in 1959, or from the second article how it was the workplace of Leonid Genrikhovich Khachiyan when he made a significant discovery in linear programming.)
But with the excitement of Soviet computing’s early, pioneering days and the heyday of the cybernetics dream now well in the past, the Computer Center was limping along, like the rest of the country, without a great deal of direction. Pajitnov was supposed to be doing research into artificial intelligence and voice recognition, but that was difficult given the overcrowded conditions at the Computer Center. There was barely enough physical space to breathe there, let alone get real work done. He took to working a late shift, going in in the afternoon and staying at the office until around midnight, because that was the only way he could get a desk to himself. Nor was he happy about the uses to which the state dreamed of putting his work in voice recognition, such as a bugging device that would switch on automatically if certain words were spoken within a room. Still seeing programming as a form of escape, he started spending much of his time tinkering with games, beginning a friendly competition with a similarly disposed colleague named Dmitry Pavlovsky to see who could make the most popular software distractions. The computer on which they both worked was called the Elektronika 60, a clone of the American DEC PDP-11 minicomputer. Their terminals had no graphics capabilities whatsoever, sharply limiting the sorts of designs they could hope to implement. Initially, the audience they wrote for consisted only of their comrades at the Computer Center.
That began to change when Pajitnov and Pavlovsky added a third programmer to their little game-making collective. Vadim Gerasimov was a 16-year-old hacker who, thanks to the good offices of a high-school teacher, had gotten permission to hang around the Computer Center. Gerasimov became something of an expert in programming a very exotic bit of kit in the Soviet Union of those times: the EC-1840, a Soviet knockoff of the IBM PC, of which the Center had a few examples. As Pajitnov and Pavlovsky came up with promising games on their text-only Elektronika 60 terminals, Gerasimov ported them to the EC-1840, adding real graphics and sound effects.
Later accounts would often paint Pajitnov as a complete babe in the woods when it came to the idea of selling games, but reality paints a somewhat different picture. While they were isolated from goings-on in the West in countless respects, he and his two friends were tuned-in enough to know that plenty of people on the other side of the Iron Curtain were making real money doing exactly what they were doing. Unfortunately, it wasn’t at all clear how they could turn games into a business in the Soviet Union, where business itself in the Western sense was largely illegal, where there was no way whatsoever to buy software even if you had the money to do so. So, Gerasimov distributed their games for free among the few other people in Moscow with access to the computers that were needed to run them, and the trio continued to complain, speculate, and dream.
The game that would change Pajitnov’s life and in its modest way change the world was born when he came across a pentomino puzzle in a toy shop one day. If you’ve played the popular board game Blokus, you have a good idea what such a thing is all about. A set of geometric shapes made up of differing arrangements of five squares — thus the name of “pentomino” — must be arranged onto a grid to fill every space on the grid and/or to use up every shape. For a mind like Pajitnov’s, the attraction was immediate. Indeed, pentomino puzzles were actually a rediscovery rather than a new find for him; he’d spent many hours playing with them as a boy.
His first reaction to this reignited passion was to attempt a fairly literal translation of a pentomino puzzle to the computer, departing from his inspiration in just one significant respect. Pajitnov realized that five-square shapes would be too complicated on the computer, too difficult for the programmer to draw and too difficult for the player to place in the limited screen space available. So, he decided to use four-square shapes — tetrominoes — instead. He called his game Genetic Engineering. The player had to move the pieces around the screen using the arrow keys, assembling them into larger “organisms.” But the concept lost something in the translation from the physical to the virtual. It wound up being, in the words of Vadim Gerasimov, “rather dull” to play.
Then a new idea burst into his imagination with the force of vision. He saw a never-ending stream of shapes falling toward the bottom of a rectangular “glass” at ever increasing speeds, the player trying frantically to arrange them into filled rows. Once filled, a row would be wiped off the screen, buying the player a little time and space in what must ultimately be a fruitless battle against entropy. Pajitnov called his game Tetris, a contraction of “tetromino” with, for reasons nobody could ever quite get him to explain, “tennis.” (One is tempted to imagine the name being some form of homage to Tennis for Two, arguably the first true videogame ever, and/or Pong, the game of electronic table tennis that kicked off the arcade craze in the West, but Pajitnov was nowhere near familiar enough with the Western videogame tradition to draw such inspiration from it. Chalk it up as just one more example of so many early videogame designers’ odd fixation on tennis.)
The very first version of Tetris, as it looked on Alexey Pajitnov’s Elektronika 60 terminal.
Working on his text-only Elektronika 60 terminal, Pajitnov was forced to draw the “graphics” using brackets and spaces. Monochrome, absolutely silent, and possessed of plenty of ugly flicker as the shapes drew and erased their way down the screen, Tetris was a long way from any Westerner’s idea of a cutting-edge videogame. But it didn’t matter. From the first, Tetris captivated.
Some years later, pop psychologists would take to using the term “Tetris Effect” to describe the state of mental flow, of complete yet almost unconscious absorption, that could cause Tetris players to begin seeing the real world around them as a manifestation of the game. But the phrase could serve equally as shorthand for the effect Tetris has always had on the productivity of people who encounter it. When Pajitnov started to show the game to his colleagues, the sterile confines of the Moscow Computing Center became host to the first ever cases of both versions of the Tetris Effect. “Everybody who touched this game couldn’t stop playing it,” remembers Pajitnov. His fellow programmer Mikhail Kulagin remembers how “people started to gather together and play Tetris. There was a time when the whole Computer Center started to play Tetris.” “The game was compelling, and many of the employees got carried away, often to the detriment of their work,” says Yuri Yevtushenko, the director of the Computer Center. Vladimir Pokhilko, a psychology researcher working on a project with the Computer Center, saw the game there, liked it, and made a copy to play back at the medical institute where he usually worked. Productivity plummeted so badly thereafter that he finally had to erase every copy he had handed out. “I can’t live with your Tetris anymore,” he told Pajitnov, only half joking.
Of course, the Tetris Effect wasn’t wholly unprecedented in the hallowed halls of institutional computing. One is reminded of the unleashing of Adventure upon the world of Western computing in 1977, and the apocryphal claim that it set an entire industry back by two weeks while everyone solved it. Tetris, though, was even more dangerous in that it could never be solved. There was just that never-ending stream of falling shapes, and that never-ending compulsion to clear a few more rows than you managed the last time around.
With Tetris so popular inside the Center, it was inevitable that Vadim Gerasimov would program it for the EC-1840 in short order. Thus Gerasimov’s version became the first of the countless thousands of ports of Pajitnov’s original that were still to come. Writing in Turbo Pascal, a programming language that had been smuggled out of the West and was now as commonplace on Soviet PC clones as it was back where it had come from, Gerasimov not only added color to the game but did much to refine the way it played. In a telling indication that he and his partners continued to harbor grander, more international ambitions than what might be apparent on the surface, Gerasimov also translated all of the text in the game to English. Even if it never left Moscow, doing so would ironically make it more likely to be taken seriously by his fellow Russians. A huge cachet came attached to games out of the West; fascination with the Mirror World applied no matter which side of the mirror you happened to be on. And if Tetris should get beyond Moscow, beyond the Soviet Union even… well, you never knew, right? Gerasimov started passing Tetris around Moscow for free, as he had his previous ports of Pajitnov and Pavlovsky’s creations.
Vadim Gerasimov’s first microcomputer port of Tetris.
The Tetris Effect didn’t disappoint. Pajitnov describes the game spreading across Moscow, then across the Soviet Union, then across Eastern Europe “like a wood fire.” The fire’s spread was limited only by a lack of tinder, in the form of extant IBM PC clones behind the Iron Curtain to run the game. Hackers being hackers, other programmers took up the slack. Within a year, very good versions of Tetris were available on relatively more common homegrown Soviet microcomputers like the Agat and the BK-0010, along with their equivalents in many other Warsaw Pact countries. The Tetris Effect followed in the wake of each new version. For instance, the management of the Scientific Research Institute of Computing Systems, the home of the Agat, complained that further development on the machine’s systems software essentially stopped once Tetris invaded the programmers’ offices.
Tetris on the Agat computer.
A Digression on Design
My task of writing about Tetris as a design is made easier by the game’s sheer ubiquity. In 2010, it was estimated that two-thirds of all Americans had played Tetris at one time or another. Never before have I and never again will I be able to write about a game with more confidence that absolutely everyone likely to read my words has played it. So, I won’t bore you with a detailed description of its mechanics.
Yet the what of Tetris isn’t the why. Why do so many people find this incredibly simple game so addictive?
One answer is its unpredictability. Often classified as a puzzle game, Tetris can just as validly be seen as a throwback to the classic arcade game. Reflexes are as important as logic, and, thanks to the magic of the random-number generator that decides which of the seven possible shapes to drop next, every game of Tetris is different. If Tetris was deterministic in the way of its inspiration, the pentomino puzzle, it could be solved and dispensed with. Ditto if it offered a winning screen of any sort. But a game of Tetris ends always in defeat and that siren call to try again for a higher score. (“Life is hard and unjust, and ends always in death,” my father-in-law loves to say in his deadpan German. Tetris agrees wholeheartedly with that philosophy.)
The sheer simplicity of Tetris is actually its greatest asset, not only for the would-be player but also for the would-be programmer. Requiring as it does no artificial intelligence or advanced algorithms of any stripe, it’s become the first game ever made by thousands upon thousands of programmers over the course of decades. The countless legitimate and illegitimate versions have won it the official title according to Guinness of most-ported videogame in history. Whatever digital gadget you care to name, chances are it plays Tetris.
Yet the game’s simplicity has also been of more subtle benefit. Within the context of its goals, no other game design has ever been more perfect than Tetris. As many disappointing attempts to iterate on the concept proved — including quite a number of attempts by Alexey Pajitnov himself — you can’t add to, take away from, or modify Tetris in any way to turn it into a better game of falling shapes. The first iteration on the Tetris concept remains the definitive iteration, almost a unique phenomenon in the history of videogames.
Tetris is as abstract as any videogame ever made, without even the modicum of context provided by arcade classics like Pac-Man and Centipede. You’re never given any reason why you need to clear row after row of shapes; the game lacks any sense of embodiment or physicality whatsoever. For this reason, it’s often been held up as an ideal by members of the ludological school of game design. By many metrics the most popular videogame ever created, Tetris is also the ultimate in process intensity, proof positive that games are better — or so the ludologists allege — without messy distractions like story. When the narratological versus ludological debate was still in its infancy, academic theorist Janet Murray decided — full speed ahead and damn the torpedoes! — to wrench Tetris into a narratological frame. “The game is a perfect enactment of the overtaxed lives of Americans in the 1990s,” she wrote, “of the constant bombardment of tasks that demand our attention and that we must somehow fit into our overcrowded schedules and clear off our desks in order to make room for the next onslaught.” Even if one forgot that this “perfect embodiment of the overtaxed lives of Americans” was designed by a Russian who had never been to America, it sounded a little ridiculous, and the ludologist contingent justifiably savaged her for it. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, and sometimes an abstract game of falling shapes is just an abstract game of falling shapes.
In its abstraction and its complete disinterest in the experiential side of gaming, Tetris is the extreme opposite of the sort of games I usually write about. As an old literature major, I tend to approach games with an eye to story, texture, theme… all the things Tetris so conspicuously lacks. It may come as little surprise, then, that the Tetris Effect is to a large extent lost on me. Personally, I find Tetris amusing in short bursts, but grow bored in pretty short order. I appear to be immune to its legendary addictive qualities. I can recognize that it’s the quintessential masterpiece of minimalism in game design, even as I also recognize that I’m really not a minimalist sort of guy. Certainly I don’t think that we can take Tetris‘s undoubted success as a game design as proof that other, radically different approaches to the art are illegitimate. Tetris, a game bereft of context — almost bereft, one is tempted to say, of culture — is very nearly the polar opposite of what I personally look for in a game. In that perverse light, perhaps the greatest tribute I can offer to its genius is to note that I can actually enjoy it in short bursts.
If I wished to sculpt a less personal critique of Tetris, I would have to start with the words that always seem to surround it: words like “addiction,” “compulsion”, “obsession.” Writer Jeffrey Goldsmith coined the term “pharmatronic” to describe it — as in, an electronic drug. Pajitnov responded that “many people say that, but my feeling is it’s more like music. Playing games is a very specific rhythmic and visual pleasure. For me, Tetris is some song which you sing and sing inside yourself and can’t stop.” Fair enough — except, as Goldsmith himself countered, a song that gets stuck in your head can start to feel as much like a compulsion as any narcotic. A 2014 study showed that playing Tetris reduced cravings in smokers and drinkers by 24 percent. Could this be a case of one sort of addiction supplanting another?
While a dependence on Tetris is probably preferable to a dependence on cigarettes or alcohol, it is interesting to note how often negative adjectives like “addictive” are used in connection with Tetris in lieu of words with more positive connotations. As I viewed the (highly recommended) film Ecstacy of Order, about a Tetris “world championship,” I couldn’t help but wonder whether most of the eccentric cast of characters on the screen were really better off for having Tetris in their lives. “I’ve been playing Tetris for, like, twenty years” says one; “I don’t even want to know how many hours I’ve played Tetris,” says another; “I play it, like, non-stop,” says a third; “I daydream it during the day and I have Tetris dreams at night,” says a fourth. Perhaps most ominously, one character in the film describes playing Tetris as “programming yourself to do it.” There is, it seems to me, not a lot of joy in Tetris.
Beginning in 1992, University of California, Irvine, professor Richard Haier conducted a series of studies measuring the effect playing Tetris had on subjects’ brain activities. He discovered that as his subjects spent more time with the game and were able to advance to higher levels their brains showed less activity rather than more as they played. There are many ways to interpret these results, most of which I’m eminently unqualified to even broach. It does, however, strike this non-neuroscientist as interesting that Tetris comes to engage less of the mind the longer you play it. All others things being equal, I think I prefer games which do the opposite.
But whatever your opinion of Tetris as a force in gaming and, indeed, in society, few would argue that there’s genius of some sort or other in this simple game of falling shapes. Many more words than those I’ve just spent here have been used trying to come to terms with why so many people find it so irresistible. Call it genius, call it kismet, call it addiction if you must. In the end, it’s grappling with the ineffable.
Tetris had become a sensation within the circumscribed and sparsely populated world of Eastern European computing, but it remained unknown in the West. In 1986, that situation began to change, thanks to a chance encounter in Budapest, Hungary.
The confluence of factors that made Hungary Tetris‘s port of departure for Western climes began with the country’s long pre-communist tradition of scientific and engineering excellence. In the twentieth century alone, this tradition had yielded such pivotal figures as John von Neumann, the most important early computer-science thinker this side of Alan Turing, and Edward Teller, the inventor of the hydrogen bomb. In the Soviet era, Hungary had played a major role in Project Ryad and other joint computer-development projects, and had been officially designated, along with the similarly capable Czechoslovakia, as one of the Warsaw Pact’s two non-Soviet centers of electronics development and manufacture. The Hungarian government took the assignment very seriously; children were required to start taking computer classes while still in elementary school.
Indeed, the Hungarian version of communism in general was progressive in some ways, at least by the standards of most of its Warsaw Pact peers. Years before Perestroika, Hungary had begun allowing a certain degree of private enterprise and private ownership. The result was an economy that worked just a little better than was the norm behind the Iron Curtain, one that could even manifest a modicum of entrepreneurial spirit on occasion.
The final great advantage enjoyed by Hungary was that of simple geographic proximity. Budapest and Vienna were only about 100 miles apart, the shortest distance between any two major Eastern and Western capitals. Alone among their peers living behind the Iron Curtain, Hungarian citizens could slip across the border for a day or a weekend in the West, then slip back into their homeland relatively painlessly. A steady stream of licit and illicit goods flowed into Budapest with them, and from there across the rest of Eastern Europe. For example, the master copies of most of the hand-dubbed cassettes of Western rock music that were at the center of a booming underground trade throughout the Warsaw Pact had their point of origin in the bright shopping districts of Vienna.
By the mid-1980s, the Hungarian habit of smuggling in goods from the West, not officially condoned by the country’s government by any means but not all that seriously prosecuted either, had come to include computer software and even hardware. A fair number of Hungarians managed to secure for themselves Commodore 64 systems, the ultimate gaming machine of the era; again, this made them uniquely blessed among Eastern Europeans. Others had access to the knockoff Sinclair Spectrums that were being produced in several Warsaw Pact nations. Every weekend a huge flea market was held in the courtyard of Budapest’s Petőfi Csarnok concert hall, during which thousands of pieces of software were sold, almost all of it pirated from the West. A Hungarian cracking group who called themselves FBI Crew became a prominent member of the international piracy scene as early as 1984, a first for any Eastern European country. FBI Crew made their name as “importers” from the West to the East, receiving pirated software from Western contacts via the post and then selling or trading it to locals. Thus the group became just one more part of Hungary’s cottage industry of bridging the capitalist and communist worlds.
Along with all of the goods moving eastward, it wasn’t totally unknown for Hungary to send something to the West. In the late 1970s, Ernő Rubik, a Budapest architect, had come up with a three-dimensional puzzle, a cube of colored squares which challenged one to twist and turn them in such a way as to make each face of the cube a single color. Tibor Laczi, a Hungarian entrepreneur who had partnered with Rubik, took it to the Nuremberg Toy Fair in West Germany in 1979, and soon signed a deal with the Ideal Toy Company to sell it throughout the West. The Rubik’s Cube became an early-1980s pop-culture sensation, selling in the hundreds of millions and spawning a whole library of often-bestselling books purporting to describe the best way to solve it. For once, the communists had managed to beat the capitalists at their own game.
Robert Stein saw the story of the Rubik’s Cube as an inspiration. Born in 1934 in Hungary, he’d come to Britain as a refugee following the failed 1956 Hungarian Revolution. There he’d made a successful career for himself in office equipment and electronics, going from selling typewriters to calculators to microcomputers. As managing director of an electronics distributor called Vulcan, Stein played a major role in popularizing Commodore’s first low-cost home computer, the VIC-20, by getting it into department stores across the United Kingdom.
Commodore at the time sold games for their computers as well as hardware, and was keenly interested in acquiring new titles on the cheap. Stein, for his part, still had connections in Hungary; in fact, he had recently inked a deal that let Vulcan import single-purpose chess-playing computers from Hungary for sale on British high streets. He knew there was a treasure trove of eager young programming talent in his homeland with no commercial outlet for their skills. Best of all, he knew that, the differences between the economies of East and West being what they were, he could hire these programmers cheap. He quit Vulcan and started a company of his own, naming it Andromeda Software. He would buy games from a stable of Hungarian hackers and sell them to Commodore and other Western publishers eager for more product to feed the demand of Britain’s big home-computing boom.
Stein had no personal interest in games, and Andromeda didn’t place a big priority on quality as opposed to quantity. Over the course of just two or three years, he imported several dozen cut-price original games and ports, many of which went entirely uncredited to his company on the packaging and none of which are much remembered today.
When the home-computing boom began to tail off circa 1985 and the market settled back toward its natural equilibrium, it was largely the second-tier companies like Andromeda that failed first. Stein’s little venture would doubtless have fallen into the dustbin of history without another peep had he not dropped in on the Institute of Computer Science in Budapest, one of his big sources of programming talent, one day in 1986, just to see if they had anything new and interesting in the works that might save his declining business. Stein:
We were wandering around in a big room with all kinds of computers going, all kinds of software going. And suddenly in a corner I saw a game which consisted of bricks coming down, or some kind of shapes. It was tucked away somewhere in a corner. I was asking, “What is this?” They said, “Oh, ignore it.” So we wandered on, but I kept coming back to it.
Stein eventually sat down to try the game, and promptly had an experience all too typical of many avowed non-gamers’ first exposure to Tetris: he couldn’t stop playing. His tour guides could only sympathize; their Institute was itself in the full thrall of the Tetris Effect. But the reason they’d been so reluctant to show the game to Stein soon became clear: Tetris wasn’t actually one of their games. The Hungarians had ported the game, just for personal pleasure, to the Commodore 64, a far more marketable platform in Britain than the IBM PC on which Vadim Gerasimov’s version ran. Stein would have happily bought that version from them without another thought about its real origins. But the Hungarian programmers were too honorable to take the deal. Tetris simply wasn’t their game to sell to him, they insisted. If he wanted to buy it, he would have to do so from the Russians who had originally created it.
Back in Moscow, a colleague of Pajitnov at the Computer Center handed him a telex message written in English. “It looks like someone is interested in your game,” the colleague said. The message was indeed from a someone in Britain, who said he had seen Tetris while visiting Hungary and wished to license it and sell it in the West. Pajitnov, who had dreamed for years of something like this happening to rescue him from his life of institutional captivity, felt like a Cinderella who had just been handed a glass slipper. Still, as he would soon learn at extensive length, the devil is always in the details. It took him several weeks just to collect the authorizations he needed to send a telex back. “Yes, we are interested,” he wrote. “We would like to have this deal.” There followed a trans-European dance that sometimes resembled a farce more than a serious negotiation, complicated by the limited organs of communication between East and West and the Russians’ sketchy command of English. Most of all, though, the whole situation was just completely unprecedented on the Soviet side. “We had no idea what to do,” Pajitnov says.
Convinced by the Russians’ initial response that they were ready to sign a contract, and convinced by their seeming lack of business acumen that he would be able to dictate the terms of that contract, Stein started to shop Tetris to publishers while the negotiating farce had hardly begun. In a telling sign of his conviction that this game could be huge, he even reached out to American publishers, something he had never bothered to do with his other bargain-bin games. There’s an amusing entry in the diary of Jordan Mechner of Prince of Persia fame, who was working at Brøderbund Software in California at the time he wrote it. It’s dated October 23, 1986: “Everyone in the office has been playing a lot of Tetris — a Russian submission for the IBM PC. It’s a classic, like Breakout.” October 31 finds him beating out his colleagues for the number-one spot on the intra-office Tetris high-scores list. The Tetris Effect had come to Brøderbund, and to plenty of other British and American publishers as well.
Yet Stein found the game to be a harder sell than he’d anticipated. For all that everyone who sat down to play it seemed to have difficulty standing up again, Tetris was just so different from anything else that marketing departments didn’t know quite what to do with it. It was all just so abstract. There was no obvious hook: no starring character, no story line, no explosions. What would they put on the box? Even Brøderbund, home of The Print Shop and Carmen Sandiego, whose instinct for selling software to Middle America was normally unparalleled, took a pass, despite the Tetris Effect taking place right there in their offices. “I don’t think Brøderbund is going to publish it,” wrote Mechner in disgust. “The knaves.” A Brøderbund executive, seeing his programming staff so consumed by the game, had allegedly called it “a game only programmers could like.”
In the end, Stein wound up inking a deal in June of 1987 with the British publisher Mirrorsoft, a well-funded operation owned by the newspaper tycoon Robert Maxwell. Through a Byzantine array of tax dodges involving a charitable trust based in Lichtenstein — the Maxwell business empire was built on the most ethically shaky of foundations, as would become clear when it collapsed in scandal a few years later — Maxwell also owned a controlling interest in the American publisher Spectrum Holobyte, an up-and-comer best known for their complicated, very un-Tetris-like military simulations. Mirrorsoft, who had no presence in North America, brokered a deal to give Spectrum Holobyte publication rights across the pond. But Stein still hadn’t secured the Tetris rights from the Russians; he had sold two separate publishers a game he didn’t yet own. Don’t worry, he assured them; the deal was all but done. But the reality was that a deal with the Russians seemed farther away rather than nearer with each passing week.
Any dreams Pajitnov might have had of profiting from Tetris had been strangled. His managers had gotten word of what was going on with his game, and had taken over the negotiations, such as they were. As an employee of the Moscow Computer Center, Pajitnov was informed, any and all software he created there belonged to the Soviet state. “Nobody gave a shit about my small game,” says Pajitnov — other than, apparently, to make sure he didn’t make any money off it. “Games were absolutely alien to their nature.” The dialog with Stein proceeded at the speed of government. Desperate to get a firm yes, frustrated by the noncommittal and poorly translated replies he continued to receive to his telexes, Stein secured a visa and visited Moscow personally at last. There he encountered a scenario that seemed to confirm every Western stereotype about life in the Soviet Union. In a chilly, undecorated room containing only a single huge table and about fifty uncomfortable chairs arrayed around it, he confronted Alexey Pajitnov, little more than an interested observer at this point, and the half a dozen or so bureaucrats who now controlled Tetris‘s fate. Always more noted for his pugnaciousness in business than his charm, Stein misjudged the power dynamic in the room and played everything wrong. He tried to butter up Pajitnov, the least empowered person there, saying that “in our country the most important person is the one who designs the game. I’m here to listen to his wishes because if we don’t sign a contract, it is he who will suffer.” Not only did this alienate the bureaucrats, who had little interest in attributing credit for what they regarded as the property of the Soviet state, it also had the opposite of the intended effect on Pajitnov. He saw Stein’s words for the clumsy pandering they were, and took an immediate dislike to him that would never abate.
A frustrated Stein flew home no closer to a deal than before, even as the planned release date inched closer. He decided that if the Russians continued to prove difficult he’d just let the game come out anyway. What could do they do about it, trapped behind the Iron Curtain as they were? In the meanwhile, his negotiating tactics didn’t exactly smack of good faith. He offered them what sounded like a preposterously generous royalty of 75 percent — but the fine print revealed that this was 75 percent of the game’s profits after everyone else had taken their cuts, not 75 percent of gross sales. At another point, he offered to pay them in Commodore 64 computers instead of cash, a scheme ripe for accounting tricks on his side. The Russians may not have known much about the videogame business, but one thing life in the Soviet Union inculcated in everyone was a keen instinct for the double-cross. Liking Stein less and less, they dragged their feet more and more.
When a final impassioned letter to the Russians fell on the usual deaf ears in December — he asked for “a simple letter stating that you approve the terms under which we have signed this contract with Mirrorsoft,” but got no such thing — Stein decided to lie to his other partners about the real state of affairs. He told Mirrorsoft and Spectrum Holobyte, who had already missed the Christmas buying season and were making their impatience known in no uncertain terms, to go ahead and release their versions of Tetris, telling them that he now owned all the rights. Maybe, he thought, the Soviets would get serious about negotiating at some point, and they could make a retroactive deal. If not… well, they’d had their chance. And anyway, taking 100 percent of the profits that came back to Andromeda for himself was a lot better than taking just 25 percent.
Alongside rewriting the game for several popular Western computers, Mirrorsoft and Spectrum Holobyte solved the marketing problem brilliantly. They asked themselves what was the most salient point about the game, the thing you’d be most likely to mention first when describing it to a friend. For all the brilliance of the game itself, the answer was of course its origin in the Soviet Union of all places. That’s how they should market it — by playing up its exotic origins in the Mirror World for all they were worth. They designed a commie-red box for the game, with the name written in Cyrillic script, the final character drawn in the form of a hammer and sickle. They replaced the original game’s silence with a soundtrack of Russian folk songs. They replaced its blank backgrounds with iconic Russian and Soviet imagery, some of it ripped straight from the headlines; the imagery included the brave (and probably mentally ill) West German activist Mathias Rust landing his private plane in Red Square, an incident which had garnered huge international attention just the previous May. Timeless though Tetris is as a piece of game design, its first commercial incarnation is as of-its-time as a game can be.
Fortunately, its time was a heady time indeed. Since Pajitnov had programmed his first version of the game, the world had changed dramatically. The Cold War was thawing; Glasnost and Perestroika were the new order of the day. A few years earlier, no publisher would have dared release a game in a box that looked like this one, for fear of being run out of business on a rail as fifth columnists in league with what Ronald Reagan liked to call the Evil Empire. Now, with fear of the Mirror World in the West being replaced by a friendlier but no less abiding sort of curiosity, the Soviet angle was the perfect marketing coup.
The Soviet hockey team on the ice in the Amiga version of Tetris.
Spectrum Holobyte in the United States promoted the game with more energy and enthusiasm than Mirrorsoft in Britain. They spared no expense in emphasizing their theme of cross-cultural communication. Following an appearance at the Winter Consumer Electronics Show, Tetris made a more lavish public bow that same January of 1988 at San Francisco’s Herbst Theatre, the site where the United Nations charter had been signed in 1945. Spectrum Holobyte invited the ambassador to San Francisco’s Soviet consulate to attend the unveiling. On the trade-show circuit, the game was presented by Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev lookalikes.
Robert Stein’s instinct that Tetris could be huge was proved correct. At the 1988 Software Publishers Association Excellence in Software Awards, the game won virtually every category conceivably open to it: “Best Action/Strategy Program,” “Best Entertainment Program,” “Best Consumer Program,” “Best Original Game Achievement.” Yet such recognition among insiders was far from the greatest of Tetris‘s achievements. Spectrum Holobyte had recognized early the potential of Tetris for opening gaming up to a whole new demographic. In a telling demonstration that they expected it to be played in offices at least as often as it was in bedrooms, they had built a “boss key” into the IBM PC version of the game: a hotkey which instantly paused the game and replaced it on the screen with an innocuous-looking spreadsheet, just the thing for when the manager came around peering into people’s cubicles.
Spectrum Holobyte’s expectations weren’t disappointed. The perfect exemplar of a casual game many years before the so-called casual market became a recognized part of the industry, Tetris appealed to people who could never have imagined playing a computer game before encountering it. It garnered glowing write-ups in places where few computer games had ever ventured before, such as the lifestyle sections of newspapers like the New York Times and Chicago Tribune. It was in fact the latter that first coined one of the most potent Tetris memes: that it might just be a plot on the part of the old Soviet hardliners to ruin the productivity of the West, their revenge for losing the Cold War. Knowing good marketing copy when they saw it, Spectrum Holobyte soon worked this angle as well into their presentations and advertisements. Ditto the description of Tetris as “the Rubik’s Cube of software,” which drew a line between the last great Eastern European puzzle phenomenon to strike the West and this latest example of Eastern deviousness.
It all paid off splendidly where it really mattered. The Spectrum Holobyte version of Tetris alone sold over 100,000 copies in its first year, a substantial success by the standards of the time. More remarkably, its sales actually increased rather than decreased over time; its second year brought a figure of 150,000.
For all that, though, sales of the Mirrorsoft and Spectrum Holobyte releases were but the merest shadow of what was still to come. The business of selling Tetris, already a complicated tangle of personalities and cultures, was about to get a lot more complicated for everyone concerned.
(Sources: the books The Making of Prince of Persia: Journals 1985-1993 by Jordan Mechner, Game Design Theory and Practice by Richard Rouse III, Hamlet on the Holodeck: The Future of Narrative in Cyberspace by Janet H. Murray, Freax: A Brief History of the Computer Demoscene by Tamás Polgár, Game Over: How Nintendo Conquered the World by David Sheff, and The Tetris Effect: The Game That Hypnotized the World by Dan Ackerman; the BBC television documentary From Russia with Love; the documentary film Ecstasy of Order; STart of June 1990; Compute! of April 1990; Your Computer of June 1982; Popular Computing Weekly of March 15 1984; Computer Gaming World of September 1993; Compute! of June 1988; The Boston Globe of January 30 1990; The Los Angeles Times of September 24 1992. Online sources include Jordan Mechner’s Prince of Persia postmortem at the 2011 Game Developers Conference, Vadim Gerasimov’s “Tetris Story,” and Jagger Gravning’s “The Man Who Made Tetris.” Once again and more than ever, thank you to Peter Sovietov for being my advisor, translator, and spirit guide to Russian and Soviet computing.)
Posted by Jimmy Maher on June 30, 2017 in Digital Antiquaria, Interactive Fiction
Tags: mirrorsoft, pajitnov, spectrum holobyte, tetris
35 Responses to A Tale of the Mirror World, Part 3: A Game of Falling Shapes
A technical quibble: pentominos are not five-sided; their number of sides ranges from 4 (the long rectangle) to 12 (the cross). Rather, they are composed of five squares. Unfortunately I can’t think of a pithy name like “five-sided” to describe that.
Thanks. Changes made.
I was thinking of pentominoes a bit in the lead-up to this article (I have an impression of them having gained a bit of popularity in the 1970s, and found a little plastic set of them at home that must have dated from around then), and it was interesting to see them acknowledged by the narrative. So far as “Tetris was ported to everything” goes, there was an official version for the Tandy Color Computer 3 I know I played not that long after it had come out, and these days I have a certain fondness for Andrew Plotkin’s “Freefall.” However, I can understand your own opinion in “A Digression on Design.”
AguyinaRPG
It’s always fun when you have a story you already know and recognizing what parts have been omitted for the later sections.
I’m glad you actually gave the game itself some due, as most people just sort of shove the ‘addictive’ phrase in and believe that explains everything. I don’t remember where I first played Tetris or if it was even official, but it’s a sort of satisfaction you can’t get out of your mind. Matthewmatosis really broke down why it works on a fundamental level, and you bringing in the greater context of the psychological studies really rounds that out.
Looking forward to the conclusion of this epic. And for all readers, make sure to check out Jimmy’s new article on the IBM PC at Ars Technica posted earlier today!
TsuDhoNimh
Congratulations on getting your work on Ars Technica, Jimmy!
For the record, I should note that this is just a little side deal I’ve agreed to to allow Ars Technica to occasionally republish articles they think would be of interest to their readers. It could be a nice way to gain the core site here a little extra exposure, and, best of all, requires virtually no effort on my part, as they do all the work. :) So, don’t worry, nothing is changing here. All content will continue to appear here first.
Quibble: The “Tetris effect” is the game reflexes and imagery escaping into everyday life and dreams, not a state of Flow while playing. I have no complaint with your appropriation of the term for Tetris addiction in general, though.
Great article, things are gonna get even uglier next I expect!
Thanks! Added a few more words to clarify.
Awesome read! (as usual.. I have been totally addicted to this site for months now)
Anyone loving this article enough to dive into the comments should also like this music video as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWTFG3J1CP8
Alex Freeman
In 2010, it was estimated that two-thirds of all Americans had played Tetris at one time or another.
I’m surprised it’s that low. I thought it would be more like 98%!
Indeed, the Hungarian version of communism in general was progressive in some ways, at least by the standards of most of its Warsaw Pact peers. Years before Perestroika, Hungary had begun allowing a certain degree of private enterprise and private ownership.
Well, if you really want to get technical, Karl Marx described communism as a form of anarchism that would rise up as the state withered away.
BTW, are you going to cover the GameBoy version of Tetris some time?
Yes, all that’s coming. ;)
Great article, as always.
FYI, that picture of “Vadim Gerasimov’s first microcomputer port of Tetris” is of one of the later versions. The earliest version I’ve found, which is intended for CGA systems only, can be found here: http://cd.textfiles.com/rbbsv3n1/tile/tetris.zip
It has this rather gaudy look:
http://i.imgur.com/RGf6BRc.png
You can see the well background has alternating stripes of black and dark grey, to help the player align drops. This was later replaced with columns of blue periods.
In the statistics display, the pieces are identified only by their colors, rather than their full shapes.
And there’s no pause. Pause is for cheaters.
Thanks for this! Replaced the old image with this one.
P J Evans
As I still ahve a DOS machine, I can play Tetris in the Spectrum Holobyte version without too much trouble. (The trouble being getting machine out and finding a place to connect it, hoping that it will speak to a modern monitor.) A version that runs on Win7 and newer would be appreciated….
I usually got filled up somewhere around 7000 points.
Olof Kindgren
I played Tetris for Windows quite a lot. My high scores were just above 30000 points. Then one day I had a fantastic game, got up to 31000, 32000, 32500, 32600, 32700…and then -32700. Turned out that someone used a 16-bit signed int for high scores. My best game never made it to the high score list, since I got a negative score. Never played it since
Dan Art
In the UK, the prevailing meaning of nonce is:
‘a person convicted of a sexual offence, especially against a child.’
It makes the sentence to me see rather derogatory!
Never heard that meaning. I assume it must be slang? In traditional usage and in the context of this article, it just means the present time.
“Life is hard and unjust, and ends always in death,” my father-in-law loves to say in his deadpan German. Tetris agrees wholeheartedly with that philosophy.
I actually think Missile Command does a better of illustrating that, come to think of it. BTW, I thought your wife was Danish. Is she German like her father?
Anyhow, I came across this interesting little article. Apparently, Tetris is going to be made into a movie! I don’t know how that will work out:
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/avaw94/tetris-the-movie-vgtrn
She’s German, but grew up in the Danish Minority around Flensburg, speaking both languages as her mother tongue. My father-in-law is the only one in her immediate family who doesn’t speak Danish — which is lucky for me, given the state of my German.
I did see the Tetris movie plans. It strikes me as the most hilarious thing I’ve seen since they tried to make a movie out of the board game Battleship. But then, movies based on games have always been pretty much the bottom of the Hollywood barrel when it comes to quality. At least with Tetris, where the source material contributes precisely nothing in the way of characters or plot or setting, they’ll be able to try to make up their own movie from whole cloth. Who knows, maybe it ends up great…
My father-in-law is the only one in her immediate family who doesn’t speak Danish — which is lucky for me, given the state of my German.
I’m not sure what you’re saying here. Are you saying you’re lucky because you know German much better than Danish and thus can communicate with him more easily or because you hardly know any German and thus don’t have to talk with him? Anyhow, he sounds like Hans Beinholtz:
http://www.cc.com/video-clips/8x6lww/the-colbert-report-the-benefits-of-pessimism—hans-beinholtz
I did see the Tetris movie plans. It strikes me as the most hilarious thing I’ve seen since they tried to make a movie out of the board game Battleship.
Speaking of which, Stephen Colbert has covered both to some extent:
http://www.cc.com/video-clips/npdo9z/the-colbert-report-tip-wag—guns-on-amtrak–fake-lesbians—battleship-audition
http://www.cc.com/video-clips/8a0q0r/the-colbert-report-movies-that-are-destroying-america—2010-summer-movie-edition
http://seeheresthething.com/stephen-colbert-tetris/
Neither precisely.
My German is just about sufficient to order food in a restaurant on a good day. My father-in-law and I tend to communicate in some strange hybrid of German and Danish. I can understand more German than I can speak, he can understand more Danish than he can speak, so we can usually get by each speaking our language of choice, as long as we both try to keep our words simple. (I think I’m actually easier for him to understand than most Danes, because, having Danish as a second language, I enunciate more clearly and more slowly than most native speakers and speak quite simply by unfortunate necessity. And you realize that Danish and German have many, many words in common once you pick up on the differences in pronunciation.) It makes for some confused looks from bystanders sometimes. When all else fails, there are always hands and feet. What can I say? We get by…
whomever
Heh. If you’ve ever been to a multi-lingual country (eg India or Singapore) you hear this sort of linguistic shifting all the time. When I was in India you would hear people switch between 3 different languages in the same sentence. As to Tetris the movie, since we’ve already had Angry Birds, the Emoji Movie, GI Joe and as mentioned, Battleship(!) I’ve long ago given up on thinking “They could never make a movie of THAT”.
matt w
I understood Jimmy to say that it was lucky that there’s only one person in his wife’s immediate family (rather than more) who doesn’t speak Danish, rather than that it’s lucky that this particular person doesn’t speak Danish–is that right, Jimmy?
Yes, precisely.
Rowan Lipkovits
“I can’t live with your Tetris anymore,” he told Pajitnov, only half joking.
That sentence brings with it a kind of chill down the spine, presumably intentional (otherwise I don’t know what you mean by the last clause), to anyone who knows how things turned out for Vladimir Pokhilko.
Whoa. Not something to look into if you’re easily disturbed.
CdrJameson
“such as a bugging device that would switch on automatically if certain words were spoken within a room.”
Phew. Good thing that never happened.
Kaj Sotala
He discovered that as his subjects spent more time with the game and were able to advance to higher levels their brains showed less activity rather than more as they played. There are many ways to interpret these results, most of which I’m eminently unqualified to even broach. It does, however, strike this non-neuroscientist as interesting that Tetris comes to engage less of the mind the longer you play it. All others things being equal, I think I prefer games which do the opposite.
AFAIK, this is actually what happens with all skill learning, not just Tetris: as you get better and better with a skill, what happens is that your brain figures out the best way of performing that skill and can just repeat familiar routines without needing to spend much effort on it. The classic example is driving a car: when you’re first learning to drive it’s really effortful and you have to focus all of your attention on it, until eventually it gets so automated that you might drive an extended journey thinking about something completely else.
If you’re interested, a couple of recent-ish pop-psych books that touch upon this are The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg and Peak Anders Ericsson and Robert Pool.
One interesting implication of this (discussed extensively in Peak) is that although people *think* that they must be good at some skill (such as driving) because they’ve done a lot of it, in fact skill development tends to plateau once we’ve reached a point where we feel we’re “good enough”. If we don’t actively challenge ourselves to get better, we tend to just carry out our same old skill routines on autopilot, never improving no matter how many hours we might put into it.
I do think that not all activities are subject to the same effect. While a fairly rote activity like driving can be internalized and off-loaded from the higher consciousness, so to speak, more complicated and multi-faceted endeavors — such as, in my case, writing these articles every week — cannot be. While it’s possible that some of the tasks that go into my work here have gotten easier or more routine, I certainly don’t feel like writing on the whole requires less intellectual effort. Maybe it has something to do with other tasks filling the vacuum left by those that become more rote, or with that striving to improve you mention. Certainly I like to think I’m always trying to become a *better* writer.
Anyway, I can see much the same thing in the case of games. I think some games constantly throw enough novelty and varied challenge at you that they don’t become rote in the way that Tetris can. I tend to prefer that sort of game, and even, if I can wax judgmental for just a moment, think they might be psychologically healthier.
Again, though, I’m no neuroscientist. ;) And I do know that repetitive activities like the playing of Tetris can be therapeutic for those with certain psychological conditions, and that Tetris has even been prescribed for this purpose. So it’s certainly not black-or-white.
DZ-Jay
That’s very easily explained: writing is a creative activity, driving is not. Composing music is a creative endeavor, requiring concentration and active focus; but playing, say, the piano once you are proficient, is not — that is, unless you are improvising and creating at the time.
If you were transcribing a text or copying it from another one or typing dictation, etc.; these are things that get pushed down to lower levels of brain function and performed rather mechanically. However, creating a body of text will always require higher level thinking.
dZ.
Yeah, you’re right – I got caught up with the terminology used in my sources, even though that terminology is not always the most accurate. That is, most of the research that I was referring to has been conducted on skills that are more about performance than creation, and where it’s actually possible to just automate the same performance over and over.
I meant to include this when I said that in order to improve, you have to keep challenging yourself and exposing yourself to new challenges – in writing, each article you write is a new thing, so you keep automatically getting challenged anew with each article. You can’t just completely fall back on rote behaviors there.
… or can you? Here I no longer have any research to cite in my support, but anecdotally I do feel like you can plateau in writing as well, if you stop caring about improvement – at least by judging some authors-who-shall-remain-nameless, who seem to be churning out the same formulaic works year after year… :)
cobbpg
What a great series of articles! I have a minor spelling correction to offer though: it’s “Petőfi Csarnok”.
If I wished to sculpt a less personal critic of Tetris…
critique?
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Meizu M2 Note launched in India for Rs. 9,999, comes with 5.5-inch 1080p display
Meizu which had announced the their m1 note successor the M2 Note back in June has now been launched in India and will be available from next week in market. The M2 Note sports a 5.5-inch 1080p IPS display with resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The Meizu M2 Note will go up against Yu Yureka Plus, Lenovo K3 Note etc, with its specifications.
It is powered by 1.3 GHz Octa-Core 64-bit MediaTek MT6753 processor with 450MHz Mali-T720 MP2 GPU. It is supported by 2GB DDR3 RAM and 16GB internal memory which can be expanded with microSD card up to 128GB. It comes with the Hybrid Dual SIM technology showing up in most devices, where the first SIM card slot can also be used as a microSD card slot. It supports 4G LTE / 3G HSPA+ in both the SIM’s.
It runs on Flyme OS which is based on Android 5.1 Lollipop. It sports a 13MP rear camera with Dual LED flash and 5P lens having aperture of f/2.2. The front facing camera is a 5MP shooter which comes with OmniVision 5670 sensor, 4P lens having aperture of f/2.0, it has 69-degree wide viewing angle. The device measures 150.9×75.2×8.7mm and weighs in at 149 grams. The 5.5-inch fullHD IPS display is protected by Sharp / AUO with Tempered Glass.
On the front of the device below the display a single Button is given, which comes with new technology called mBack touch-sensitive home button which offers difference functions depending on how hard you press the button. With soft press it acts as the back button and with Hard press it acts as the home button. There are touch sensitive keys on the side of this Button for back and options.
The Meizu m2 Note is powered by a 3100 mAh battery. It will be available exclusively on Amazon.in from August 10th and is priced at Rs. 9999. If you are planning on getting this phone do check out its competitors in similar price range with similar features – Yu Yureka Plus and Lenovo K3 Note.
Tags: MeizuMeizu M2 Note
Blackberry Passport Silver Edition Announced with Stainless Steel body
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Meizu 16, 16 Plus with 6-inch, 6.5-inch Super AMOLED displays launched in China
Meizu M6T with 5.7-inch 18:9 display, Dual cameras launched in China
Meizu Super mCharge technology – 0 to 100% charge in 20 minutes
Xiaomi Redmi 4 vs. Redmi 4 Prime vs. Meizu M3s Comparison
Meizu M3s with 2.5D display, metal unibody now available in India
Meizu M3 Note with 5.5-inch display, Helio P10 launched in India for Rs. 9999
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Shah Rukh's Chak De... to be premiered in London
Shah Rukh Khan's much awaited Chak De India, in which he plays an ageing hockey player, will be premiered on August 9 at Somerset House in London.
entertainment Updated: Jun 14, 2007 19:02 IST
Shah Rukh Khan's much awaited Chak De India, in which he plays an ageing hockey player, will be premiered August 9 at Somerset House in London. The entire star cast, including the superstar himself, will attend the world premiere of the movie.
The premiere of Chak De India is part of the Film 4 Summer Screen programme and is also one of the highlights of India Now, a three-month season starting July 17, which celebrates London's growing relationship with India and exploration of India's culture and its contribution to London life.
"We have many wonderful events taking place across London throughout the three month duration of India Now. The world premiere of Chak De India will undoubtedly be one of the biggest and most exciting event," Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, said in a press release.
"It is a great honour for London to host this launch event for a film, which, like so many Bollywood blockbusters, will touch the hearts and minds of millions across the world," he added.
Produced by Aditya Chopra and directed by Shimit Amin, the film sees Shah Rukh fighting his personal demons as he takes a motley group of girls to the pinnacle of world hockey as a coach.
Vidya Malvade makes her debut in the film as a Sikh girl who is keen to join the hockey team but does not get the approval of her parents.
First Published: Jun 13, 2007 19:02 IST
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Children’s Hospital of Soochow University
Healing, Growth Processes Inspire Design
From humble beginnings over 2,500 years ago, Suzhou is now a booming urban centre of over one million people. Famous for its classical gardens, the Children’s Hospital at Soochow University seeks to connect to the city’s verdant heritage to transform the institutional image traditionally associated with children’s hospitals in China.
The design of the new hospital was inspired by the body’s natural way of growing and healing: cell division. Its form is derived to imagine the telophase stage of cell division, and creates an overall building shape that is flexible and efficient, enabling both complex and routine patient-care, research and educational opportunities. The hospital offers a full continuum of care for a vulnerable patient population in efficient inpatient and outpatient settings.
The hospital’s design is distinguished by a number of important elements:
The curvilinear forms of the architecture and the sensitive use of colour and texture make the facility welcoming and approachable.
Because the perception of cleanliness is culturally significant, the uncluttered, minimalist design of the atrium, cloaked in white, conveys a suitably pure and sanitised environment for healthcare, while the curved, light-filled form communicates a soothing environment.
A series of courtyards, inspired by those prevalent in the city, breaks down the mass of the building. These open gardens allow natural light and ventilation to reach the centre of the main hospital, exposing patients and their families to the healing properties of nature.
Gardens also line the southern border of the river canal, providing outdoor areas for leisure and recreation, and a fully accessible green roof creates a place of respite for patients and their families.
Suzhou, Jiangsu
127,905 m²
Animated Rendering Video
University of Montana W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation
HDR Berlin Design Studio
Penticton Lakeside Resort West Wing
RockRidge Canyon Clubhouse
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Roger Frank Adelmeyer
January 4, 1928 ~ February 8, 2019 (age 91)
Roger Frank Adelmeyer, 91, Wausau (formerly of Wauwatosa), died Friday, February 8, 2019 at Azura Memory Care in Rib Mountain under the care of Heartland Hospice.
Roger was born January 4, 1928 in the Town of Theresa, WI to the late Louis and Laura (Sterr) Adelmeyer. Following High School, he honorably served in the US Army during WWII. While serving in Austria, Roger met Edith Reisz and the couple was married on January 25, 1950 in Vienna. The couple returned to the United States following his discharge from the Army and resided in the Milwaukee area. Roger founded Adelmeyer Tool, a tool and die business, that quickly became a family operation and trained many apprentices over many years of service. Roger and Edith celebrated 64 loving years together prior to her death on August 28, 2014.
Roger was a good man and father; he deeply loved his family and cared for Edith during her later years and his son, Roger, referred to his dad as his “hospice nurse” during his battle with cancer. He also had a great sense of humor and was lovingly nicknamed “sassy pants” by his granddaughter, Kari. Roger was a faithful member of American Legion Post 490 in Milwaukee for 44 years and also and was an active member of the Austrian Club and regularly participated in Germanfest for many years. In his free time, he enjoyed working in his garden, canning the fruits and vegetables of his labor, making sausage and wine, hunting, fishing and ballroom dancing with his wife Edith. While serving in the Army, Roger played baseball which grew into a lifelong love for the game and he became an avid Braves and Brewers fans after his return to the US.
Roger is survived by his beloved daughter, Sylvia (Dieter) Stolp; granddaughters, Christy (Marc) Klobucnik and Kari (Jim) Klobucnik; great-grandchildren, Devin, Arianna, Anthony, Cody and Derek; brothers, Louis (Sally) Adelmeyer and Robert Adelmeyer; and extended family and friends. He is preceded in death by his son, Roger James Adelmeyer.
The funeral service for Roger will be at 12:00 PM on Tuesday, February 19, 2019 at First Baptist Church (1500 Roman Road, Waupaca, WI 54981). Rev. Chris Juvinall from Wausau Bible Church will officiate. Visitation will be from 11:00 AM until the time of service at the church on Tuesday. He will be interred at Central Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery, King. Helke Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements; you may sign our family guestbook at helke.com.
Sincere gratitude goes to the nurses and staff of Azura Memory Care in Rib Mountain and Heartland Hospice for their compassionate care for Roger and his family.
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Home/Scholars/Faculty & Emeriti/Caroline Walker Bynum
Professor Emerita
Caroline Walker Bynum
Caroline Bynum’s work has been instrumental in introducing the concept of gender into the study of medieval Christianity. Her path-breaking books, Holy Feast and Holy Fast (1987) and The Resurrection of the Body in Western Christendom (1995), created the paradigm for the study of women’s piety that dominates the field today and helped propel the history of the body into a major area of premodern European Studies. Her essays “Why All the Fuss About the Body?” (1995), “Wonder” (1997), and “Avoiding the Tyranny of Morphology” (2014) are widely cited in discussions of historical method. Her recent work, in Wonderful Blood (2007) and in Christian Materiality (2011), is a radical reinterpretation of the nature of Christianity on the eve of the reformations of the sixteenth century. She is currently working on Christian devotional objects in comparative perspective.
Harvard University Ph.D., 1969
Harvard University M.A., 1963
University of Michigan B.A., 1962
Appointments: American Historical Association, Past President; Medieval Academy of America, Past President
Awards: Federal Republic of Germany, Grand Merit Cross with Star 2013, Order of Merit 2012; Haskins Medal 2011; Gründler Prize 2009; Award for Excellence in the Study of Religion 2007 and 1992; American Society of Church History, Distinguished Career Award 2005; Harvard University, Centennial Medal of the Harvard Graduate School 2001; Barzun Prize 1996; Ralph Waldo Emerson Prize 1995; Trilling Prize 1992; Philip Schaff Prize 1989; MacArthur Fellowship 1986–91; Berkshire Prize 1985
Memberships: American Academy of Arts and Sciences; American Historical Association; American Philosophical Society; British Academy; Medieval Academy of America
Columbia University 1988–2003 University Professor 1999–2003, Professor of History 1988–99
University of Washington 1976–1988 Professor
Harvard University 1969–1976 Faculty
A Continuing Engagement with Endangered and Excluded Scholars
By Alice Crary, Johan Heilbron and Ian Jauslin
IAS News
Faculty and Members Elected to British Academy
Living Blood Poured Out
By Caroline Walker Bynum
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Maldives Government abuses anti-terror law to silence public officials
An opinion piece by Nikhil Narayan, ICJ’s Senior Legal Adviser for South Asia.
The government of President Yameen Abdul Gayoom of the Maldives continues to abuse an overbroad anti-terror law as a blunt-force tool to arbitrarily and indiscriminately silence perceived political threats to his regime.
During a recent visit to the Maldives last month, I was alarmed by the numerous and increasing number of terrorism trials against public officials.
While international attention has relaxed in recent months following former president Mohamed Nasheed’s medical leave to the UK pending appeal of his own terrorism conviction from last year, President Yameen’s government continues to use a deeply politicized criminal justice system to persecute anyone out of favour with the President, be they opposition party members, judges, even former cabinet members and erstwhile allies.
In October 2015, for instance, then-Vice President Ahmed Adeeb was arrested in connection with a suspected bomb blast on a boat carrying the President, even though a US FBI investigation was unable to conclude that the explosion was caused by a bomb.
The then-VP was subsequently summarily impeached and soon thereafter charged with several counts of corruption and terrorism.
During a 15 February 2016 hearing, a terrorism charge based on an alleged firearm seen in the former VP’s residence in April 2015 was formally presented and disclosed to the defense for the first time, though the defense continues to be denied access to the evidence or witness list in this case on national security grounds.
A second charge of terrorism against the former VP, this one in connection with the alleged bomb blast on the President’s boat, was filed on 17 March.
The defense was not formally notified of this new charge, only learning of it through media reports.
Here too, the defense is yet to be given access to any government witnesses or evidence relating to the charge.
Such denial of access to evidence and witnesses contravenes the right to prepare an adequate defence and the right to test evidence, fundamental components of the right to fair trial.
On 16 February, leader of the opposition Adhaalath party, Sheikh Imran Abdullah, was convicted and sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment on terrorism charges in connection with a public speech given during an opposition protest rally.
The disproportionately severe punishment in Sheikh Imran’s case – a 12-year ‘terrorism’ sentence for a political speech – was the outcome of an arbitrary and unfair trial process fraught with apparent fair trial violations, including allegedly doctored evidence.
Two more recent victims of inappropriate ‘terrorism’ charges are Magistrate Judge Ahmed Nihan and former Prosecutor General Muhthaz Muhsin, both of whom were arrested on 7 February in connection with an alleged ‘forged’ arrest warrant against the President for his alleged role in a major corruption scandal involving the embezzlement of several million dollars of state funds.
On 8 March, more than one month after the arrests, both were charged under sections 4(a) and 5(a) of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2015, for conspiring to ‘kidnap’ the President.
Meanwhile, on 15 March, former Defense Minister Col. (retd.) Mohamed Nazim’s conviction on ‘weapons smuggling’ charges (based on the discovery of one pistol and three bullets allegedly found in his home in January 2015) was upheld by the appellate High Court, one year since his conviction and three months since the final hearing in his appeal.
The ICJ has previously documented in detail, in its August 2015 fact-finding report, the substantial fair trial violations in Col. Nazim’s investigation and trial, including indications that the weapons in question were planted, that implicate an arbitrary, unfair and politically motivated proceeding.
There is a clear pattern here of the Maldives government seeking to neutralize certain political actors through arbitrary, heavy-handed and politically motivated abuse of the anti-terrorism law that amounts to a flagrant violation of the basic international principles of fair trial, judicial independence and separation of powers.
It is also a clear breach of the Maldives’ international legal obligation to respect the right to fair trial under article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which the Maldives acceded in 2006.
The misuse of anti-terror laws in the Maldives seems part of an effort to halt and reverse the progress made during the country’s brief democratic transition after 2008.
As the country faces growing political unrest and instability, President Yameen’s government must restore the rule of law, strengthen the judiciary and other democratic institutions, and set the country back on the path towards a more representative and accountable government.
An important first step in doing so is immediately ceasing from using the anti-terror law as a political weapon to chill the actions of public officials and silence real or perceived political opponents, and ensuring that those currently facing criminal charges are provided a fair trial in accordance with the Maldives’ international human rights obligations and its national laws.
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Nepal: human rights must be fully integrated in post-disaster humanitarian assistance – new report
Malaysia: sedition investigation against Malaysian Bar members constitutes inappropriate interference
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2,000 APGA, PDP members defect to APC in Abia
About 2,000 members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from Ohafia local government area of Abia State, on Friday, defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state. This is coming barely [...]
May 12, 2018 Government and politics
Fayose presiding over unprecedented looting of Ekiti – Adeyeye
Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, has called on the people of the state to join hands together and chase Governor Ayo Fayose and his protégé, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, out of the state [...]
Catholic Bishops invite Pope to Nigeria over herdsmen killings
The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, has invited Pope Benedict XVI to Nigeria. It said that such visit will strengthen troubled Nigerians and encourage them to cope with different challenges. The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale [...]
Buhari does not need Obasanjo’s support to win – ACF
Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Friday, said President Muhammadu Buhari does not need the political support of former president Olusegun Obasanjo to win the 2019 presidential election. Anthony NZ Sani, the Secretary General of Arewa Consultative Forum, stated this in Kaduna. [...]
Elizabeth, Ramota, 22-year-old British-Nigerians, become youngest councillors in the UK
Princess Elizabeth Bright, a 22-year-old student, has been elected as the youngest councillor in United Kingdom (UK) to represent Eastbrook ward in Dagenham, during the country’s election on Thursday, May 3. Ramota Lawal, known as Tele, was also elected to [...]
May 12, 2018 International
Hospitals count loses as health workers strike persists
As the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) and federal government failed to reach a consensus, teaching hospitals across the country have lamented on the damage the action posed on the health sector. The health workers who embarked on a nationwide [...]
May 12, 2018 Health issues
NJC approves appointment of 21 head of courts, judicial Officers
The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended the appointment of 21 successful candidates as heads of courts and judicial officers for the Federal and State High Courts and the Code of Conduct Tribunal. The appointment was made at the 86th [...]
Nigeria’s Lassa Fever outbreak contained, says WHO
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has assured that with declining numbers and only a handful of confirmed cases reported in recent weeks, the critical phase of Nigeria’s largest Lassa Fever outbreak was under control. A statement issued by the organisation’s [...]
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INEC announces position on e-voting in 2019
Marie Sana April 12, 2018 Government and politics No Comments on INEC announces position on e-voting in 2019
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, says electronic voting will not be used in 2019.
Prof. Yakubu said this in Abuja on Wednesday at the end opening of a three-day International Conference of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) in West and Southern African countries in Abuja with the theme “Opportunities and Challenges in the Use of Technology: Experiences from West and Southern Africa”.
INEC boss, who is also the President, ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC), however, said that electronics facilities would be deployed in the collation and transmission of elections results.
He said, “The brainstorming was to look at the adoption of technology in all the areas of electoral process and how to provide secure platform for the transmission of election results without hindrance.
“We are to deploy technology within our various legal frameworks within the regions. Election is not just about technology, it is about the confidence of the people in the electoral process.”
He said with the efforts being made to improve the electoral process, elections were going beyond the capacity of the electoral commission to manipulate.
https://www.hopefornigeriaonline.com/nigerians-paid-n163-per-litre-fuel-march-nbs/
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Displaying 1 to 10 of 14 Results for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
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B Douglas Smith, M.D.
Professor of Oncology
Professor of OncologyMaleExpertise: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), Blood Transplant...
Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
Patrick Andrew Brown, M.D.
Associate Professor of Oncology
D.Director, Pediatric Leukemia ProgramAssociate Professor of OncologyMaleExpertise: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), Blood Cancers, Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML), Hodgkin's Disease, Leukemia, Lymphoma, Medical Oncology...
Mark James Levis, M.D., Ph.D.
Program Leader, Hematologic Malignancies and Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
CenterProfessor of OncologyMaleExpertise: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), Chronic Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML), Hematology, Hematology/Oncology, Leukemia, Medical Oncology, Myelodysplastic...
Jonathan Allen Webster, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Oncology
Research & PublicationsClinical TrialsAcute lymphoblastic leukemiaAcute myeloid leukemiaChronic myeloid leukemiaSelected PublicationsWebster JA, Tibes...
Donald Small, M.D., Ph.D.
OncologyProfessor of OncologyMaleExpertise: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML), Hodgkin's Disease, Leukemia, Medical Oncology, Myelodysplastic...
Richard John Jones, M.D.
ProgramProfessor of OncologyMaleExpertise: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), Aplastic Anemia...
Margaret Mary Showel, M.D.
Professor of OncologyFemaleExpertise: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), Hematologic Malignancies, Leukemia, Medical Oncology, Myelodysplastic...
Ivana Gojo, M.D.
English, Croatian Expertise: Acute Leukemia, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), Clinical Investigation...
Alan David Friedman, M.D.
OncologyProfessor of OncologyMaleExpertise: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML), General Pediatrics...
Ephraim Joseph Fuchs, M.D.
Professor of OncologyMaleExpertise: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), Chronic Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML), Hematologic Malignancies...
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Proposed increase of protected coral reefs in the Gulf sent to Trump administration
US & World // Science & Environment
Alex Stuckey May 10, 2018 Updated: May 10, 2018 3:42 p.m.
Proposed increase of protected coral reefs in the Gulf...
1of4Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary at the High Island 389 platform.Photo: James Wiseman
2of4A manta ray swims at Flower Garden Banks National Marine SanctuaryPhoto: Credit: NOAA/FGBNMS/G.P. Schmahl
3of4The Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf is a federally protected underwater area.Photo: James Wiseman
4of4A manta ray swims over the coral reef at the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. The Sanctuary research vessel can be seen about 50 feet above.Photo: Credit: NOAA/FGBNMS/G.P. Schmahl / Credit: NOAA/FGBNMS/G.P. Schmahl
Galveston -- At a time when a quarter of coral reefs worldwide are considered damaged beyond repair, environmentalists are teaming up with researchers and industry leaders to protect some of the Gulf of Mexico's near-pristine reefs.
And multiple steps were taken this week to do just that.
First, a group of stakeholders on Wednesday sent a proposal expanding the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary -- a network of federally protected coral reef systems about 100 miles off the coast of Galveston -- to the Trump administration for approval.
Then, just hours later, a group of about 10 local residents and stakeholders met in League City to discuss another proposal to protect up to 23 coral hotspots in the Gulf of Mexico, several of which are located off the coast of Texas.
Both proposals require further action before becoming the law of the land -- but they show a nationwide push to protect deep sea life in the face of extreme reef degradation.
"I love the Flower Garden Banks and I want my kids to love it," said Scott Hickman, a member of the sanctuary's advisory council — which voted to send the proposal to the feds Wednesday — and owner of Circle H Outfitters and Charters. "But I don't want us to love it to death."
A sanctuary deep in the sea
The Flower Garden Banks was discovered by fishermen in the early 1900s and named for the brightly colored sponges, plants and other marine life visible below their boat.
About 100 years later, it's still, mostly, in good shape. In fact, it's home to some of the healthiest reefs in the region, which scientists say is because of its location: 70 to 115 miles off shore and 55 to 160 feet deep.
But adding more reef systems to the sanctuary would improve its survival chances even more. National Marine Sanctuary status prevents over fishing and harassment of the marine life in the area.
The proposal approved Wednesday by the sanctuary's advisory council would expand the sanctuary to 206 square miles, or 17 banks, from 56 square miles, or 3 banks.
"This is a good product, everyone should be proud of this product and politically we can get this across the finish line," Hickman said.
Though all agreed expanding the sanctuary was necessary, debate on the plan took almost two hours and, at times, got heated. Some environmentalists and researchers on the council were concerned that not enough of the Gulf's coral reefs would be protected.
They felt that, if given more time to ponder the proposal, they could find ways to include more of the reefs in the proposal.
"I have significant questions about ways that we can move the boundaries to get a little bit more of the area in there," said Adrianne Correa, a council member and Rice University marine biologist. "There's got to be places where the staff can compromise more ... there are areas right outside of the lines that could be included."
The process to expand the Flower Garden Banks, one of 13 federally designated underwater areas protected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, began in 2015 when the agency published a notice of intent to expand.
The advisory council then put together a Boundary Expansion Working Group, which has been hashing out the proposed boundaries since 2016 by focusing on the best way to protect the ecological and biological features of the banks while also avoiding conflict with the fishing and oil and gas industries as much as possible.
The proposal now moves to the federal government for approval, though it's unclear how long the process will take.
Coral hotspots
Also on Wednesday — just a few hours after the sanctuary vote — a group of about 10 local residents and stakeholders met in League City to discuss another proposal to protect up to 23 coral hotspots in the Gulf of Mexico, several of which are located off the coast of Texas.
It was the third of nine public hearings being held in the Gulf Coast states through June. The proposal would make these 23 hotspots, identified by scientists as having an abundance of coral or other species, Habitat Areas of Particular Concern under the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council.
By bestowing this designation, council officials are highlighting these hotspots as priority areas to focus conservation, research and management efforts.
The council also is considering putting fishing regulations in place, like no dredge fishing, in 15 of these areas "to conserve essential fish habitat and support sustainable fisheries."
Though these areas currently are not over-fished, Morgan Kilgour, a fishery biologist at the council, said officials want to protect the coral from future fisheries developing.
This idea concerned several fishermen in attendance Wednesday, who said there might be unintended consequences from taking this seemingly unnecessary move.
"I want to protect coral -- the more coral, the more fish," Hickman said. "But I want to utilize those fish. I get real nervous about taking fishermen out of areas where the coral is pristine."
Interested individuals have until the council's June 18 meeting to submit comment on the proposal. They can submit comments online at http://tinyurl.com/CoralComments or attend one of the following meetings, which each start at 6 p.m. local time:
Tuesday, May 22 – Webinar. Register here.
Monday, June 4 – Key West Marriott Beachside, 3841 N. Roosevelt Blvd., Key West, Florida, 33040.
Monday, June 4 – Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Laboratory, 195 Ludwig Annex, Grand Isle, Louisiana, 70358.
Tuesday, June 5 – Holiday Inn Express & Suites St. Petersburg-Madeira Beach, 4816 100th Way N., St. Petersburg, Florida, 33708.
Tuesday, June 5 – Courtyard by Marriott Biloxi North/D'Iberville, 11471 Cinema Drive, D'Iberville, Mississippi 39540.
Wednesday, June 6 – Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel, 64 S. Water St., Mobile, Alabama, 36602.
Alex Stuckey covers science and the environment for the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at alex.stuckey@chron.com or Twitter.com/alexdstuckey.
Alex Stuckey
Follow Alex on:
alexdstuckey
Alex Stuckey is the NASA and science reporter for the Chronicle. Stuckey won a Pulitzer Prize in 2017 for her work on a project examining the rampant mishandling of sexual assault reports at Utah colleges while working for The Salt Lake Tribune. She is an Investigative Reporters and Editors award winner and a Livingston Award Finalist. She has won a Sigma Delta Chi Award for Excellence in Public Service Journalism and a Frank A. Blethen Award for Local Accountability Reporting. She also has won a Society of Professional Journalists Don Baker Investigative Reporting Award.
An Ohio native, Stuckey has lived in five states since graduating from Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism in 2012. She is an avid runner, bookworm and lover of elephants. She shares a birthday with Ruth Bader Ginsburg (girl power!) and the late Alan Bean, fourth man to walk on the moon.
She likes puppies more than people.
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Mental Health Engagement
Reference Group Membership
The Mental Health Division established a Reference Group to make recommendations on the structures and mechanism for Service User, Family Member and Carer Engagement.
Members of the Reference Group and Independent Chair, Jane Clarke pictured with Anne O' Connor, National Director Mental Health Division and Gerry Maley and Catherine O' Grady, Mental Health Division
The membership comprises of nine service users and four family and carer representatives:
Aaron Galbraith:
Aaron is a family member who also has had personal experience of mental distress. He works in the homeless sector, in particular with people that are homeless due to chronic mental distress and/or those with problems of addiction. Aaron works as a volunteer as part of the Youth Empowerment Service (YES) which is a youth lead advocacy service for young people who are inpatients in Willowgrove Adolescent Unit, St. Patricks Mental Health Service.
Anne Foley:
Anne is a service user for 16 years and a Chairperson of Wexford and Waterford consumer panel for mental health. She founded her local peer support group A Better Tomorrow for people who have issues with their mental health and who require peer support. Anne is a member of a local Advancing Recovery Ireland Group.
Anne Tiernan:
Anne is a Family Member. Her daughter has been linked with the Mental Health Services for the past six years. She has been on the Dublin South Central Advancing Recovery Ireland Steering Group and Recovery College Steering Group. She is currently co-facilitating a Family Education/Recovery Course with Shine.
Bernie Bushe:
Bernie is a Carer Family Member who is involved in Trialogue for the last four years. She is a facilitator in a Hearing Voices community group based in Dublin City Centre. Bernie is a strong believer in human rights and feels that our Mental Health Services are too controlling and are not listening enough to the concerns of Service Users or Family Members.
Brian Hartnett:
Brian has personal experience of mental health difficulties. His first job in the area of mental health was with IAN as a Peer Advocate. He founded Hearing Voices Ireland (HVI) in 2006 to promote and foster acceptance of voice hearing as a valid human experience. He also lectures in third level institutions about personal experience and on his mental health work.
Colette Nolan:
Colette has self experience of mental health difficulties and has worked in the field of Service User representation for the past 15 years. She works with the Irish Advocacy Network, which is a service user, service run organisation and is a board member of the Mental Health Commission, Mental Health Reform and Threshold Training Network.
Joan Higgins:
Joan is a Family Member and Carer. She is a member of the Mayo consumer panel. Joan was part of a group that campaigned for Family Friendly Mental Health Services with Shine. She co facilitates the Shine Family and Recovery Course. Joan is involved in a voluntary capacity in various groups, steering groups, advisory groups and projects, both locally and nationally with the HSE. Recently Joan has started working as a BFT (Behaviour Family Therapy) facilitator.
John Kidney:
John has self experience of mental health difficulties. He has been active in the service user movement for the past ten years. John assumed the role of Service User Representative on the Expert Group advising Minister Kathleen Lynch on changes to the Mental Health Act (2001) He is currently a Service User Representative on REFOCUS (Recovery, Experience, Forum of Carers and Users of the Service) which advises the College of Psychiatrist of Ireland (CPI) on Family and Service User issues.
Madge Fogarty:
Madge has had personal service user experience. She set up a Support Group to support women and their families through Postnatal Depression twenty three years ago and is therefore now a carer and supporter. She runs a Voluntary group partly funded by the HSE which runs Support Groups and also gives talks in antenatal classes in the Maternity Hospital. The Support Group provide a help line andon Post Natal Depression in Ireland called Recovering from Postnatal Depression.
Maire Duffy:
Marie is a Service User and has an interest in Service User involvement with a particular interest in youth mental health. She has been an advisor to Headstrong in the past and was part of a working group that helped bring Jigsaw to Donegal. Marie is also a mental health blogger and has a strong interest in using social media to promote mental wellbeing.
Michael Ryan:
Michael has lived mental health and service user experience. Michael has an educational background and has been involved in promoting recovery and working with marginalised groups for a number of years. He is currently employed as a Peer Lead on the Advancing Recovery in Ireland project.
Rory Doody:
Rory has had over twenty years Service User experience and have worked within the Mental Health Services since 2009. Currently his work as a 'Recovery Development Advocate' involves working locally, regionally and nationally with service development and management e.g. Hearing Voices Steering Group, A.R.I., Peer Support, and Service Audit Committee. He works as a lecturer and course co-ordinator in U.C.C. Concurrently Rory manages his caseload with the Home Focus Team and the National Learning Network . He is also a board member of Sli Eile.
The Mental Health Engagement Office
Family, Carer and Supporter Guide
Listening Meetings
eNewsletter – Caidreamh
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A 270 Year Old Mathematical Formula Can Teach Us A Lot About Innovation
by Greg Satell
Accountants tell us that numbers don’t lie, because for them numbers are the same as facts. Mathematicians see it differently though. They see numbers as abstract representations of reality that, when combined with other numbers, have an almost mystical ability to create patterns that unlock hidden truths.
In other words, as the great early 20th century numbers theorist G. H. Hardy put it, “A mathematician, like a painter or a poet, is a maker of patterns. If his patterns are more permanent than theirs, it is because they are made with ideas.” Identifying these hidden truths can open up new possibilities and take us in new directions.
For example, the development of non-Euclidean geometry in the early 1800s paved the way for Einstein’s general relativity a century later. In much the same way, in David Stipp’s new book, A Most Elegant Equation, the veteran science writer describes how deep connections between numbers can help us bridge the gap between intuition and real world applications.
Euler’s Formula
The focus of Stipp’s book is an equation that was first published by Leonhard Euler in 1748 but is still marvelled at today. It looks simple enough, with just five factors, but somehow manages to combine infinite series with geometry and strange “imaginary numbers” and somehow makes it all come out to zero simply by subtracting a one.
Written in its most common form, it looks like this:
eiΠ + 1=0
Yet despite its casual appearance, the equation takes on an almost magical significance in the world of mathematics. In fact, when researchers scanned mathematicians brains, they found that just looking at the equation invoked the same reactions as when most people listen to music or see a beautiful painting.
Richard Feynman called it “the most remarkable formula in mathematics.” Yet the interest is far more than aesthetic. The formula’s real-world applications in electrical engineering and physics make it far easier to convert ideas between separate branches of mathematics. Of course, Euler had none of this in mind when he came up with it back in 1748!
So we are left with a bit of a mystery. How did a solitary mathematician, working with just a quill and paper, come up with something that wouldn’t become applicable until hundreds of years later? It’s almost as if Beethoven or Mozart had written a symphony for the electric guitar.
The Anatomy Of A Hunch
In the early 1990s, researchers at the University of Iowa performed an unusual experiment. Subjects were given four virtual decks of cards on a computer screen, each with cards that would either penalize or reward them in game money. After about 40 or 50 tries, the players got pretty good at choosing which were the best decks, although they couldn’t say why.
In Descartes’ Error, one of the researchers, neuroscientist Antonio Damasio, explains that we partially record experiences as emotional stimuli and later use these somatic markers to make decisions. In a sense, Damasio argues that “gut feelings” are responses to actual, physical stimuli that recall earlier experiences, even if we aren’t consciously aware of them.
Stipp notes in his book about Euler’s formula that the math-related centers of our brain are considerably older evolutionarily than our language centers. He also points to studies that show that even infants show an innate numbers sense long before they acquire the ability to express themselves.
It should also be mentioned here that Euler was truly a genius. Besides his formidable mathematical talents, he also spoke five languages and could recite large works of literature from memory. So with his extremely large cognitive capacity, maybe it isn’t that surprising that he saw connections others didn’t.
Working With Two Minds
Very few of us have the abilities of someone like Euler. In truth, very few in history can match his gifts. Still, we all build up a database of experiences and many of us attain significant expertise in one area or another. This knowledge often leads us to see connections that we can’t verbalize or validate effectively, but we feel strongly about.
Yet how can we make the distinction between a worthy “gut feeling” from one that comes from a bad lunch? In Thinking, Fast and Slow, Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman points to two modes of thinking that we use to make decisions, which he calls “System 1” and “System 2.” The first is more instinctual and automatic, the second more rational and deliberative.
What made Euler’s work more than just conjecture is that he spent countless hours working to prove his hunches. That’s how he was able to use his “System 2” to keep his “System 1” honest. In doing so he inevitably came across more facts that were encoded into his unconscious mind, which led to more and better hunches.
We tend to think of imagination as separate from “real work,” but the truth is that the two are often tightly intertwined. In fact, if we want to create real value, we need to learn how to combine them more effectively.
The Power Of Truth
As noted above, there was no way for Euler to know what the practical value of his famous formula would be. He worked on it because he thought it was interesting and probably had some vague sense that the connections he uncovered were important somehow. Mostly, he was probably just seeking truth for truth’s sake.
In much the same way, Einstein had no idea that there would be any practical applications of his work within his lifetime. Some of his most important discoveries, in turn, were based on the work of mathematicians that had no way of guessing that their work would figure into his. Nevertheless, their combined efforts led to things like nuclear power and GPS satellites.
The problem we often run into in our over-optimized, modern world is that we are too quick to discard ideas that we can’t immediately make use of. Because of this, we often fail to account for the fact that the most useful things often seem useless at first. We idolize those that find a market for gadgets, but take little notice of the discoveries that make them possible.
Yet it is the search for hidden truths that, as Vannevar Bush put it, “turn the wheels of private and public enterprise.” Discovery necessarily resides in the realm of the unknown and, if we are to build better things for a better world, that’s where we need to explore.
An earlier version of this article first appeared in Inc.com
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Greg Satell is a popular author, speaker, and innovation adviser who has managed market-leading businesses and overseen the development of dozens of pathbreaking products. Follow Greg on Twitter @DigitalTonto. His first book, Mapping Innovation, was selected as one of the best business books of 2017 by 800-CEO-READ.
history Mathematics 2018-09-24
Greg Satell
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INSIGHTS > New Articles > EDITORIALS > Insights into Editorial: Agenda for the fourth term in Bangladesh
Insights into Editorial: Agenda for the fourth term in Bangladesh
Category: EDITORIALS
Sheikh Hasina’s party, which leads the Grand Alliance, has romped back to power for an unprecedented fourth term in office.
The general election has given the Grand Alliance, or, more specifically, the Awami League, a huge majority in the Jatiyo Sangshad, the country’s Parliament, to a point where no effective Opposition is in sight.
A glowing example for other democracies:
A group of foreign and local election observers, who monitored the parliamentary election, has termed the election free, fair, peaceful and on a par with major democratic countries in the world.
The foreign observers of Election Monitoring Forum (EMF) and SAARC Human Rights Foundation (SHRF), also said the just concluded election was “much better” than past elections in Bangladesh and could be a “glowing example for other democratic countries”.
Observers opined that this was a world standard election. We can compare this with the elections of major democratic countries.
The significance of this election:
First, for the first time in a decade, all the political parties took part in the election (the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, or the BNP, boycotted the 2014 election). In other words, this time voting was based on an inclusive election.
Second, this was the first time a general election was held under a political government since the fall of the Hussain Muhammad Ershad military regime in 1990.
The earlier stipulation of elections being supervised by a caretaker administration.
It stuck to the justified position that a government elected for five years cannot morally and logically hand over power to an unelected administration for three months before a new elected government comes into office.
India and Bangladesh:
India and Bangladesh, two South Asian democracies, neighbours have the longest common border of over 4,000 km with each other.
India was the first country to recognise Bangladesh as a separate and independent state and established diplomatic relations with the country immediately after its independence in December 1971.
India’s connections with Bangladesh are cultural, social, civilizational and economic.
But, Bangladesh-India relations are perhaps the most complex bilateral equations in the subcontinent.
India welcomed the “successful completion of the parliamentary elections in Bangladesh”. Indian Prime Minister “expressed confidence’’ that the “partnership between India and Bangladesh will continue to flourish under her far-sighted leadership’’.
The prime minister also reiterated the priority India attaches to Bangladesh as a neighbour, a close partner for regional development, security and cooperation, and a central pillar in India’s ‘neighbourhood first’ policy.
However, the India-Bangladesh relations can be summarised as hanging on three ‘T’s- Tackling Terrorism, Trade + Transit, Teesta Treaty.
There is an growing mutual trust and political comfort between Delhi and Dhaka, backed by Kolkata, will have one long-term consequence. It is important for India’s North East as well.
Steering the Bangladeshi economy:
It is the strength of its economic performance that the government has projected before the electorate, to a point where the international community, including the World Bank, has been appreciative of the strides made in the economy.
Remittances from Bangladeshis working abroad have registered a significant rise,
The ready-made garments industry has been performing well,
Growth has gone up, and
Massive infrastructure projects have been undertaken.
Maintaining Balance in the Foreign Policy:
National history of Bangladesh has been massively distorted by those who exercised power between 1975 and 1996, Ms. Hasina has turned out to be the most powerful political leader in the country’s history, after her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
In the field of foreign affairs, the government has based its approach to the outside world on pragmatism, thus successfully preserving a balance in Bangladesh’s relations with India, China and Russia.
The government has also found appreciation from the international community in its treatment of the Rohingya refugees nearly 1 million refugees have found shelter in Bangladesh following their expulsion from Myanmar.
It has gone out of its way to ensure the safety of the refugees even as it tries, rather fitfully, to strike a deal with Myanmar on the return of the Rohingya.
For China, the most desirable long-term outcome would be to manage its relations with Dhaka in such a manner that Indian anxieties are assuaged and a regional win-win framework linking China-Bangladesh-India is a possibility.
The current challenges for Hasina are to consolidate her domestic agenda and balance her country’s relations with India and China the neighbouring giants.
While India enabled the creation of Bangladesh, it is a complex relationship with a number of areas of discord, including illegal immigration.
In the next five years, it will be the government’s responsibility to go beyond an emphasis on economic progress to ensure rule of law and democracy, in the form of a properly functional Parliament, a free judiciary, and an efficient executive.
Ms. Hasina looks to preside over the centenary of the birth of the country’s founder in 2020 and the 50th anniversary celebrations of Bangladesh’s independence in 2021.
Next story Bhima Koregaon anniversary
Previous story Insights into Editorial: The shape of growth matters
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Charlize Theron, Helen Mirren back for new Fast & Furious
Charlize Theron, Helen Mirren returning for new Fast & Furious sequel
Charlize Theron attends the CinemaCon 2019 Big Screen Achievement Awards inside Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on Apr. 4, 2019. Judy Eddy / WENN.com
Charlize Theron and Helen Mirren are buckling up for another high-octane ride in the next Fast & Furious sequel.
Franchise star Vin Diesel has confirmed the two actresses will reprise their respective characters Cipher and Magdalene Shaw from 2017’s The Fate of the Furious for the ninth movie in the film series, which is currently in production in London and features the addition of new castmember, John Cena.
Sharing the news in a video posted on Instagram, Diesel said, “Week 3, Fast 9. Here on set.
“We’ve got a lot of the original cast here, including Oscar winners like Charlize Theron and Helen Mirren. A few new surprises, including John Cena, who I believe is going to completely shine in this movie.”
Theron previously admitted she had “no idea” if she would be invited back for another round as cyber terrorist Cipher, although she was “so humbled” to have a part in the hugely successful all-action blockbuster, which scored the highest-grossing opening weekend worldwide at the time with a whopping $541.9 million US debut.
It has since been overtaken by Avengers epics Endgame and Infinity War.
Meanwhile, Mirren’s return will mark her third appearance in the franchise, after also playing the mother of Jason Statham and Luke Evans’ characters in this summer’s Fast & Furious spin-off, Hobbs and Shaw.
Fast 9, directed by Justin Lin, is set to debut in theaters in May 2020.
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Jones joins Clooney's 'Good Morning, Midnight'
Felicity Jones joins George Clooney's 'Good Morning, Midnight'
Felicity Jones. Gareth Cattermole / Getty Images
Actress Felicity Jones is set to star opposite George Clooney in his upcoming adaptation of Lily Brooks-Dalton’s 2016 novel Good Morning, Midnight.
Clooney recently announced plans to direct the post-apocalyptic drama, in which he will play a lonely scientist stationed in the Arctic, and now The Theory of Everything star Jones has signed on to the film, too.
Details regarding her role have yet to be released, reports Deadline.
The Ocean’s Eleven actor will also produce the project for Netflix with his business partner Grant Heslov, while The Revenant screenwriter Mark L. Smith has been tapped to write the script.
Production is expected to begin in October.
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News & Polls : News
Four in Five (81%) Think There is a Serious Gun Problem in Toronto, Relatively Few (28%) Feel the Issue is Being Blown Out of Proportion
Most Think Social Programs, Not Increased Policing, Should Be Prioritized to Combat the Issue
Crime, Justice, Police
The author(s)
Darrell Bricker Global CEO, Public Affairs
Toronto, Ontario, August 8, 2018 — In the aftermath of a rash of gun violence in Toronto this summer, culminating in the Danforth shooting last week, a new Ipsos survey conducted on behalf of Global News reveals that most believe there is a serious gun problem in the city, and that the issue is not being blown out of proportion. More specifically, four in five (81%) Torontonians agree (40% strongly/41% somewhat) that there is a serious gun problem in their city, while two in ten (19%) disagree (5% strongly/14% somewhat) that a problem exists. Baby Boomers (55+) are most likely to believe there is a gun problem in Toronto, followed by Gen Xers (35-54 year olds) and Millennials (18-34 year olds) at 87%, 80%, and 75% respectively.
Moreover, the vast majority (88%) agree (42% strongly/45% somewhat) that Toronto is becoming more violent compared to 5 years ago, while just 12% disagree (2% strongly/11% somewhat). Interestingly, in 2005, 87% felt that the city had become more violent over the 5 years prior, but 61% strongly agreed at the time, suggesting that concerns about violence were more intense in 2005 than they are today.
The issue of gun violence has been receiving a lot of attention in the news media, and most Torontonians believe this attention is warranted: just three in ten (28%) agree (10% strongly/18% somewhat) that gun violence in Toronto is being blown out of proportion and is not a major problem. Conversely, most (72%) disagree (27% strongly/44% somewhat) that the issue is being blown out of control.
Many Feel Unsafe, Avoiding Certain Areas of City
A majority (55%) of Torontonians agree (20% strongly/35% somewhat) that they are afraid of falling victim to gun violence, led by Millennials (68%), followed by Gen Xers (59%) and Boomers (43%). Residents of North York (61%) are also slightly more likely than those in Etobicoke/York (55%), Scarborough (55%) and downtown/East York (51%) to indicate that they are afraid of falling victim to gun violence.
Many Torontonians are adjusting their behaviour in terms of where they go and what they do in response to the recent spate of gun violence:
Two in three (64%) agree (23% strongly / 41% somewhat) that they avoid certain neighbourhoods because they are scared for their safety, led by those living in Etobicoke/York (71%), followed by North York (68%), Scarborough (64%), and Toronto/ East York (57%). However, a majority (56%) disagrees (15% strongly/41% somewhat) that guns in Toronto are mostly contained to a few neighbourhoods, suggesting that the gun violence in the city is viewed as a more widespread problem.
Half (50%) agree (16% strongly /35% somewhat) that they are making conscious decisions to avoid large crowds and public areas to try and keep themselves safe, a feeling expressed the most (at 59%) by those living in North York, a community shaken by last April’s van attack along Yonge Street, and those under the age of 55 (at 57% compared to just 40% of those 55+).
Three in ten (29%) agree (11% strongly/18% somewhat) that they are considering moving out of the city, specifically because of the crime, including more men (36%) than women (23%), and more Millennials (42%) and Gen Xers (36%) than Boomers (14%).
Toronto Still Perceived as Being Relatively Safe Compared to Most Other Cities
Despite the concern over recent gun violence, Toronto is still seen as a safe city. Eight in ten (78%) agree (33% strongly/ 45% somewhat) that their city is relatively safe, compared to other cities of similar size. In fact, to show their support for the communities rocked by gun violence, nearly two in five (38%) will go out of their way to visit and shop in these neighbourhoods, with men (43%) being more likely than women (33%) to say that they will do this.
A majority (58%) agrees that the city is taking the right steps to curb gun violence, though only 13% strongly agree that this is the case, suggesting that more can be done. Four in ten (42%) disagree (10% strongly/33% somewhat) that the city is taking the right steps.
Overall, eight in ten (80%) Toronto residents feel safe in their city. Virtually all (96%) Torontonians feel safe when at home, the vast majority feel safe in restaurants or coffee shops (86%) or when taking public transit (80%), three in four (74%) feel safe at public venues, and most (69%) feel safe walking alone in their own neighbourhood, after dark, up 5 points since 2005 (64%).
At six in ten (60%), however, a majority do not feel safe (40% feel safe) walking alone in an unfamiliar neighbourhood after dark, including as many as two in five (18%) who claim to feel very unsafe when doing this. Men are more likely than women to feel safe overall (84% vs. 76%), when walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark (74% vs. 65%), or when walking in an unfamiliar neighbourhood after dark (52% vs. 30%).
Most Think Social Programs, Not Increased Policing, is the Best Way Forward
Opinions about how to most effectively combat gun violence have shifted remarkably over the last decade plus. In 2005, two thirds (64%) of Toronto residents felt that increasing police presence should receive priority over social programs, as a countermeasure to gun violence. By comparison, in 2018, nearly six in ten (56%) Torontonians would rather see priority assigned to social programs, instead of increasing the police presence (44%) in the city. Put another way, there has been a reversal of opinion, with a majority now of the view that increasing police presence might not be the right answer to this problem and that increased social problems are the best way forward.
Most Toronto residents think that various laws, regulations, and social programs would be effective at reducing gun violence in their city. In fact, the vast majority are of the belief that having more mental health resources (86%), more social programs for youth (86%), more police patrolling the streets in the late evening/ early morning (85%), more anti-gang programs (84%), stricter gun control laws (84%), tougher sentences for gun crimes (83%), and more anti-drug programs (81%) will prove at least somewhat effective at curbing gun violence. Further, a majority think that having more police patrolling the streets in the daytime (76%), more affordable housing (69%), or “carding”/ arbitrary street checks of people who look suspicious, even if some communities believe they are unfairly being targeted (64%) would be at least somewhat effective at helping to reduce gun violence in the city.
Residents of Toronto’s boroughs are more likely to think that “carding” (71% of Etobicoke/York, 72% of North York, and 69% of Scarborough residents vs. 52% of Toronto/East York residents) and having more daytime police patrols (83% of Etobicoke/York, 80% of North York, and 80% of Scarborough residents vs. 67% of Toronto/ East York residents) would be effective solutions to the gun violence problem. Men are also more likely to support “carding” than women (72% vs. 56%). On the other hand, women are more likely to support having more social programs for youth (89% vs. 82% of men), more mental health resources (92% vs. 79%) and having stricter gun control laws that would further limit the sale of guns (89% vs. 78%). At around nine in ten, Boomers are statistically more likely to prefer both tougher sentences for those convicted of gun crimes (91%) and a greater police presence on the streets in the late evening/early morning (94%), compared to Gen Xers (at 83% & 80% respectively) and Millennials (at 73% and 77%).
Majority of Torontonians Approve of Mayor Tory and Police Chief Saunders, Support Mayor’s Proposal to Ban Handguns
The recent violence in the city does not appear to have shaken the confidence that Torontonians have in their leaders. Approval ratings for the Police Chief, rank-and-file police offers, and the Mayor of Toronto remain strong. The chart below depicts the proportion of Torontonians who approve of each of the following people or groups tested:
% approve (strongly/somewhat)
% disapprove (Strongly/somewhat)
% Don’t know
Rank-and-file police officers
(21% / 52%)
(5% / 12%)
Police Chief Mark Saunders
Mayor John Tory
Your City Councilor
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Premier Doug Ford
Bill Blair, Federal Minister of Border Security & Organized Crime Reduction
Mayor Tory has already introduced the idea of a complete ban on handguns in the City of Toronto, and the federal government has agreed to consider the mayor’s request. It appears that Torontonians are strongly with the Mayor on this issue:
Well over eight in ten (86%) support (61% strongly/25% somewhat) a ban on the possession of handguns in the City of Toronto, while 14% oppose (5% strongly/9% somewhat) it.
Eight in ten (83%) support (60% strongly/23% somewhat) a ban on selling firearms ammunition in the City of Toronto, while just one in six (17%) oppose (5% strongly/12% somewhat) such a ban. Nine in ten (92%) North York residents support banning the sale of firearms ammunition, more than their counterparts living in Etobicoke/York (81%), Scarborough (80%), and Downtown Toronto/East York (80%).
The Drivers of Gun Violence
When asked about the various factors that contribute to gun violence, opinions are markedly different than they were thirteen years ago. Across the board, the intensity of strong opinions has faded, with Toronto residents being less likely to rate most factors as having a major contribution, suggesting an acknowledgement that it is not one issue, but rather a variety of things that contribute to gun violence, making potential solutions complex and multi-faceted.
Seven in ten (71%) view gangs as a major factor (compared to 89% in 2005), two in three (67%) think drugs are a major factor (86% in 2005), four in ten cite poverty (39% vs. 50% in 2005) or the glamorization of gang culture (44% vs. 63% in 2005) as major factors, and one in three the lack of police presence (32% vs. 42% in 2005), affordable housing (34% vs. 38% in 2005), or adequate recreational facilities and youth programs (30% vs. 46% in 2005) as major factors. Additionally, three quarters (73%) think the ability of criminals to acquire guns plays a major role, and most (54%) view a lack of adequate resources to address mental illness as a major factor when it comes to gun violence.
Boomers (55+) are more likely to think that gangs (87%), drugs (79%), and the ability of criminals to acquire guns (92%) are major factors when it comes to gun violence than Gen Xers (67%, 66%, and 71% respectively) and Millennials (55%, 51%, and 50% respectively). Women are more likely to view poverty (45% vs. 34% of men), a lack of youth programs (34% vs. 25%), insufficient mental health resources (61% vs. 46%), and the ability of criminals to acquire guns (81% vs. 65%) as major factors, compared to men.
Assessing the confidence that Torontonians have in their leaders to address this issue, at eight in ten, the highest proportion of Toronto residents trust Police Chief Mark Saunders (79%) or his team of rank-and-file police officers (79%) to take the appropriate actions to reduce gun violence. Around seven in ten trust community leaders (73%), Mayor John Tory (73%), their City Councilor (69%), or former Police Chief and current Federal Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction Bill Blair (67%). Six in ten (61%) trust Prime Minister Justin Trudeau while slightly fewer, and the lowest proportion overall (57%), trust Ontario Premier Doug Ford to take appropriate action. Seven in ten (70%) of those with children trust Premier Doug Ford to take the appropriate action, which only 53% of those without kids say the same.
These are some of the findings of an Ipsos survey conducted between July 25th and 30th 2018, on behalf of Global News. For this survey, a random sample of 800 Toronto residents aged 18+ were interviewed online via the Ipsos I-Say panel and non-panel sources. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics to ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. The precision of Ipsos online surveys is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the survey is accurate to within ±4.0 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, had all Toronto residents over the age of 18 been surveyed. The credibility interval will be wider among subsets of the population. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error.
For more information on this news release, please contact:
Darrell Bricker, PhD
CEO, Ipsos Public Affairs
Darrell.Bricker@ipsos.com
About Ipsos Public Affairs
Ipsos Public Affairs is a non-partisan, objective, survey-based research practice made up of seasoned professionals. We conduct strategic research initiatives for a diverse number of Canadian American and international organizations, based not only on public opinion research, but elite stakeholder, corporate, and media opinion research.
Ipsos has media partnerships with the most prestigious news organizations around the world. In Canada, Ipsos Public Affairs is the polling partner for Global News. Internationally, Ipsos Public Affairs is the media polling supplier to Reuters News, the world's leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals. Ipsos Public Affairs is a member of the Ipsos Group, a leading global survey-based market research company. We provide boutique-style customer service and work closely with our clients, while also undertaking global research.
About Ipsos
Ipsos is an independent market research company controlled and managed by research professionals. Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos has grown into a worldwide research group with a strong presence in all key markets. Ipsos ranks fourth in the global research industry.
With offices in 88 countries, Ipsos delivers insightful expertise across five research specializations: brand, advertising and media; customer loyalty; marketing; public affairs research; and survey management.
Ipsos researchers assess market potential and interpret market trends. They develop and build brands. They help clients build long-term relationships with their customers. They test advertising and study audience responses to various media and they measure public opinion around the globe.
Ipsos has been listed on the Paris Stock Exchange since 1999 and generated global revenues of €1,782.7 million in 2016.
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'Avengers: Endgame' has already broken the global box office record
"Avengers: Endgame" has made an estimated $...
Posted By: CNN
"Avengers: Endgame" has made an estimated $644 million at the worldwide box office. That makes it the biggest global opening in film history.
And the weekend isn't even close to being over yet.
The Disney and Marvel film surpassed the record held by "Avengers: Infinity War," which made $641 million for its opening around the world last April.
"Endgame," which has the Avengers return to take on the evil Thanos, has grossed an estimated $487 million overseas, according to the studio. That breaks the record for the biggest opening weekend internationally, which was held by 2017's "The Fate of the Furious."
"Endgame" also already has the highest-grossing three day start ever in China. The film has so far made $217 million there.
The film rolled out internationally starting on Wednesday.
Back in the states, the records are also racking up.
"Endgame" had the biggest opening day ever in North America with an estimated $156.7 million Friday. That's roughly $37 million more than the previous record's total, which was held by 2015's "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."
Disney said Saturday that it now estimates a three-day domestic total for "Endgame" in the $310 million to $340 million range. The current domestic record belongs to "Infinity War," which made $258 million.
While these numbers are unprecedented for an opening box office, they make sense considering the immense excitement and buzz around "Endgame."
"Endgame" is the epic conclusion to Marvel studio's decade long series of blockbuster films. All together Marvel Studios has made more than $19 billion worldwide.
Movie chains are running around the clock and adding showtimes to meet the demand of moviegoers. AMC Theatres announced on Monday that seventeen locations will stay open for 72 straight hours from Thursday night through Sunday.
The film, which clocks in at roughly three hours, has garnered acclaim from critics and moviegoers. It holds a 96% score on review site, Rotten Tomatoes and an A+ CinemaScore.
Will 'Avengers: Endgame' set new box office records?
'Avengers: Endgame' trailer is finally here
'Avengers: Endgame' crosses the $2 billion mark in record time
'Avengers: Endgame' has $1.2 billion opening weekend
Comic buffs are hitting the theaters to see "Avengers: Endgame"
Netflix may have to say goodbye to 'The Office' and 'Friends'
Mark Zuckerberg says he invented a 'sleep box' to improve his wife's slumber
Broken Arrows, hitting targets
'Black Panther' roars again at box office
Castle Community
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SSPCA’s Drumoak rehoming centre open day on Sunday
For the love of horses...when Graeme Innes left the army, he wanted to work with animals and he's achieved that at the SSPCA's Drumoak rehoming centre which is hosting an open day this Sunday.
Julie Currie
When Graeme Innes was preparing to leave the army after 22 years in the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, he knew he wanted to work with animals.
So Graeme applied to become centre manager at the then new SSPCA Rehoming Centre in Drumoak, Aberdeenshire, and was delighted when he landed the role.
The whole family – Graham, his wife and three boys – moved to Drumoak, where they now live in a house on the grounds.
And it has proved an ideal fit for Graeme who has relished the role of ensuring the Aberdeenshire centre’s success.
He said: “It took a bit of getting used to – the peace and quiet up here, compared to central London.
“But we love it and I was very lucky to get the job.”
While swapping the capital city for rural Aberdeenshire was a shock to the system, sometimes working with the public was an even bigger one!
Graeme (46) said: “It’s pretty sad but you can’t take anyone at face value so you can get a wee bit cynical.
“However, there’s the other side of the coin too – people are so very generous in their support for the centre and will donate food, blankets and money.
“The footfall at the centre is really heavy, helped by its design which enables visitors to wander around themselves.
“It’s great for the 13 members of staff who work here as we don’t always have to be with visitors and can spend that time looking after the animals or out on calls.”
And there are plenty of animals to take care of – last year alone the staff dealt with more than 2000.
The vast majority are cases of cruelty, abandonment or neglect, although some animals are homed at the centre for welfare reasons too – an owner dying with no-one to look after their pet, for example.
A couple of years ago the centre also dealt with an influx of animals from owners who simply couldn’t afford to look after their pets, thanks to the decline in the oil market.
Thankfully, these cases have now diminished.
But the Aberdeenshire centre being one of only two in Scotland which houses neglected horses as well as being a satellite wildlife station, homing wildlife overnight before a driver takes it to Fishcross in Clackmannanshire, means there’s never a dull moment. And the fishing industry sees an influx of exotic stowaways too!
Graeme explained: “We get a lot of stuff in from the boats – we had a call out this morning for a wee gecko.
“The most dangerous call out we got was for a black widow spider found in a container from America.
“There’s no anti-venom for them in this country so it has to be handled very carefully and caught in a double container for safety’s sake.”
The centre is not unused to unusual pets though – it’s currently home to 22 snakes, mostly of the corn variety.
However, there is also a nine foot Burmese python and a six foot Royal python.
Graeme said: “The exotics are sometimes hard to rehome because they fall in and out of fashion.
“The Burmese came to us from responsible owners who were having a baby and it simply wasn’t safe.
“So rather than sell it on Gumtree, which we’d advise people to steer clear of for buying and selling pets in any case, they contacted us.”
However, the centre has limited space and can’t take in every animal people no longer want.
“We have to prioritise,” said Graeme, “because we just don’t have the space.
“But we do belive every animal with us deserves a second chance.
“The centre is currently home to 146 animals, many of whom have been nursed back to health by our staff.
“And there’s nothing more rewarding for us to see them finding loving new owners.”
To celebrate the tenth Scottish Animal Week, which runs from September 4 to 10, the Aberdeenshire rehoming centre is throwing open its doors this Sunday.
A special fun day is being held to let people see what goes on at the centre on the outskirts of Banchory.
A host of fun events have been lined up from noon to 4pm including a bouncy castle, climbing wall, farrier display, BBQ, ice-cream van and Drumoak Primary School’s candy floss stall.
Graeme added: “Town and Country Vets will be staging a dog show from 1pm and, barring a call out, we’ll have a police dog hander too.
“We’re hoping for good weather and lots of visitors.”
Educating future generations
Jacki Donald has a dual role at the centre. In school term, she educates youngsters about the importance of looking after animals. And in the summer, she works as an animal rescue officer, having first signed up at Drumoak four years ago as an animal care assistant.
She now loves touring schools throughout Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City, educating the animal lovers of tomorrow. Jacki (27), of Kemnay, said: “I visited 128 primary schools in Aberdeenshire alone in 2016 and spoke to more than 16,800 pupils.
“We offer talks on a range of subjects to fit in with the curriculum, including pets, farming, wildlife and the work of the SSPCA.
“So the teachers can choose the topic, depending on what work they are doing with the children.”
And these talks are more than paying off for the SSPCA. In the last five years, the number of children alerting the charity to wildlife in trouble or cases of possible cruelty has increased by a staggering 382 per cent.
Jacki said: “Children are certainly getting the message to alert us. Sometimes they call in themselves; other times they get their parents to call in for them.
“But it’s fantastic that our education programme is harnessing such fantastic results.”
If your child is in P1-P7, it’s highly likely they already know Jacki as she’s probably visited their school. She also does talks for youth groups like the Scouts and Guides as well as adult organisations.
But if you would like to find out more about her work or to book a talk, Jacki will be at the open day on Sunday with her rescue van, so members of the public can see some of the equipment used to rescue animals in peril – and she’d be more than happy to say hello.
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Hurricane Rosa off Mexico could bring rip currents, flooding in US
Hurricane Rosa, packing Category 3 winds, moved Friday off Mexico's Pacific coast, with forecasters expecting its swells to affect the Southern California surf this weekend.
"Heavy rainfall associated with Rosa or its remnants is expected to affect parts of the southwest United States by early next week, which could cause flooding in this region," the National Hurricane Center said.
The National Weather Service's San Diego office said Rosa could bring 5 to 8 feet of surf, with highs of 9 to 10 feet. It warned of strong rip currents in San Diego and Orange counties.
As of late Friday afternoon, Rosa had maximum sustained winds of 120 mph and was about 625 miles southwest of the southern tip of Mexico's Baja peninsula. It was plodding along at 6 miles per hour.
Rosa will begin weakening overnight into Saturday. It is expected to be a tropical storm when it nears northern portions peninsula on Monday night.
Still, it will spread rain into the Southwest US by Tuesday and Wednesday, with 1 to 3 inches possible and possible flooding in western Arizona, southern Nevada and Utah.
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Category » Henry Kissinger
Hitler's
Middle East peace treaty
Jewish Heroes & Heroines of America : 150 True Stories of American Jewish Heroism
FUERTH (Heb. פירד, פיורדא), city in Bavaria, Germany. Jewish moneylenders are mentioned there in 1440. They were later expelled, but in 1528 Jews were allowed to resettle in the town. There were 200 Jewish residents in 1582. A rabbi is mentioned in 1607. The Jews were represented on the municipal council by two of their parnasim. The community dispersed during the Thirty Years' War (1618–48). In 1670 refugees from Vienna augmented the Jewish community, which was concentrated around the Geleitsgasse. The "old synagogue" (near Koenigstrasse) was built in 1617, a new one in 1697, and that of the *Fraenkel family in 1707. The first cemetery dates from 1607 and the hospital (hekdesh) from 1653.
In 1719 the status of the community (consisting of 400 households) was regulated by the bishop. In return for annual payments, the Jews were promised protection for their lives and property; they were allowed to build synagogues and to employ a cantor, beadle (Schulklopfer), and gravedigger; cases between Jews were to be tried by a Jewish court, while litigation between Jews and gentiles came under the jurisdiction of the cathedral court. The Fuerth community regulated its internal affairs by a series of takkanot in 1728. The first Jewish orphanage in Germany was established in Fuerth in 1763 and from the 17th century until 1824 there was an important yeshivah in the town. An Orthodox elementary school was established in 1862 and officially recognized as a secondary school in 1899. In 1811 Elkan *Henle of Fuerth published a pamphlet calling for emancipation of the Jews in Bavaria; Gruensfeld of Fuerth became the first Jewish lawyer in Bavaria (1843), David Morgenstern, the first Jewish deputy to the Landtag (1849), and Solomon Berolzheimer, the first Jewish judge (1863). Fuerth Jews contributed much to the economic, cultural, and political development of the city.
Hebrew printing was begun in Fuerth in 1691 by S.S. Schneur and his sons Joseph and Abraham and son-in-law Isaac Bing. From 1691 to 1698 they issued 35 works, including *Sifra with commentaries. Hirsch Frankfurter opened a press which issued nine books, between 1691 and 1701. Confiscations of Hebrew books from 1702 onward account for a pause in printing until it was resumed by the Schneur family from 1722 to 1730. Between 1737 and 1774, Ḥayyim b. Hirsch of Wilhermsdorf published 80 works and his press continued in the family until 1868; their non-Jewish successor issued a Pentateuch with haftarot as late as 1876. Between 1760 and 1792 Isaac b. Loeb Buchbinder (not Bamberg) printed 73 Hebrew books. Joseph Petschau and his son Mendel Beer printed 17 books between 1762 and 1769. S.B. Gusdorfer was active as a printer from 1852 to 1867.
The Jewish population numbered 1,500 in 1720; 2,434 in 1816 (19% of the total); 3,336 in 1880; and 2,000 (2.6% of the total) in 1933. In 1933–1941 1,400 Jews mangaged to leave Fuerth, mainly to the United States and Shanghai. Among those leaving was Henry Kissenger, the first Jewish secretary of state of the United States, who came to New York together with his brother and parents. Kissenger said: "By the time we left Germany it took no foresight, merely opportunity." On Nov. 10, 1938, the main synagogue was burned down; the other six synagogues and innumerable Jewish shops and homes were demolished. One hundred and fifty men were sent to Dachau. By May 17, 1939, only 785 Jews remained; the community was destroyed in three stages. On November 28, 1941, 83 Jews were deported to Riga. On March 24, 1942, 224 Jews, almost all Jews under the age of 65 were deported to Izbica, a way station to Belzec and on September 10, 1942, 153 Jews, mainly the elderly and children in an orphanage were deported to Theresienstadt. After the war some 40 Jews returned. The synagogue was restored and consecrated. There were 200 Jews living in Fuerth in 1970. In 1989 the community numbered 179. The membership increased to 587 in 2003. About 98% of them were immigrants from the former Soviet Union. Fuerth (together with Schnaittach) is one of the sites of the Jewish Museum of Franconia. The museum in Fuerth – which was founded in 1997 – is dedicated to the history and culture of the Jews in Fuerth and Franconia and to the present and future life of the Jewish community.
F. Neubuerger, in: MGWJ, 45 (1901), 404–22, 510–39; M. Brann, in: Gedenkbuch D. Kaufmann (1900), 385–450; L. Loewenstein, Zur Geschichte der Juden in Fuerth (1913, 19672) (=JJLG, 6 (1909), 153–233); S. Schwarz, Juden in Bayern (1963); PK; Nachrichten fuer den juedischen Buerger Fuerths (1961–to date); H. Barbeck, Geschichte der Juden in Nuernberg und Fuerth (1878). ADD. BIBLIOGRAPHY: M. Berthold-Hilpert, Orte der Verfolgung und des Gedenkens in Fuerth. Einladung zu einem Rundgang (2002) (Orte juedischer Kultur); M. Berthold-Hilpert, "Juedisches Leben in Franken am Beispiel der Gemeinde Fuerth," in: G. Och, H. Bobzin (eds.), Juedisches Lebenin Franken (2002) (Biblioteca academica, Reihe Geschichte, vol. 1), 197–212; G. Blume (ed.), Gedenke. Zum Gedenken an die von den Nazis ermordeten Fuerther Juden 1933 – 1945 = Remember (1997); I. Schwierz, Steinerne Zeugnisse juedischen Lebens in Bayern. Eine Dokumentation (1992), 155–158; W.J. Heymann (ed.), Kleeblatt und Davidstern. Aus 400 Jahren juedischer Vergangenheit in Fuerth (1990).
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Cutting Edge: Contact-Mediated Suppression by CD4+CD25+ Regulatory Cells Involves a Granzyme B-Dependent, Perforin-Independent Mechanism
David C. Gondek, Li-Fan Lu, Sergio A. Quezada, Shimon Sakaguchi and Randolph J. Noelle
J Immunol February 15, 2005, 174 (4) 1783-1786; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.174.4.1783
David C. Gondek
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Medical School and Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Lebanon, NH 03756; and
Li-Fan Lu
Sergio A. Quezada
Shimon Sakaguchi
Department of Experimental Pathology, Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences, and Department of Transplantation and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
Randolph J. Noelle
CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Treg) are potent immunosuppressive cells that are pivotal in the regulation of peripheral tolerance. In this report, we identify granzyme B (GZ-B) as one of the key components of Treg-mediated suppression. Induction of regulatory activity is correlated with the up-regulation of GZ-B expression. Proof of a functional involvement of GZ-B in contact-mediated suppression by Treg is shown by the reduced ability of Treg from GZ-B−/− mice to suppress as efficiently as Treg from WT mice. GZ-B-mediated suppression is perforin independent, because suppression by Treg from perforin−/− and WT is indistinguishable. Additionally, suppression mediated by Treg appears to be mediated, in part, by the induction of apoptosis in the CD4+CD25− effector cell. In summary, GZ-B is one of the key mechanisms through which CD4+CD25+ Treg induce cell contact-mediated suppression.
Recent studies have underscored the importance of regulatory T cells (Treg)4 in preventing the emergence of autoimmune disease, dampening the intensity of immune responses to pathogens and mediating peripheral transplantation tolerance. Multiple subsets of Treg have been implicated in these processes and include the thymically derived CD4+CD25+ Treg (1), as well an inducible regulatory T cell (Tr1) subset (2). A major focus of study has been to molecularly characterize the mechanisms that mediate Treg suppression of immunity. It has been shown that Tr1 suppress predominantly by a cytokine-dependent mechanism characterized by IL-10 and TGF-β secretion (3). Similarly, a TGF-β-dependent mechanism has also been implicated in suppression by CD4+CD25+ Treg (4, 5, 6). In addition to suppression via soluble factors, the CD4+CD25+ Treg have been shown to mediate suppression via a contact-dependent mechanism (7). The molecular basis for contact-dependent suppression by CD4+CD25+ Treg is not known.
Glucocorticoid-induced TNF-like receptor (GITR or TNFSF18) is a member of the TNFR family that is constitutively expressed on Treg and inducibly expressed on CD4+CD25− effector T cells (Teff) (8, 9). Triggering of GITR has been shown to extinguish their contact-dependent suppressive activity (8, 10). Based on this overt change in biological function, transcriptional profiling of resting, activated Treg, and anti-GITR-treated activated Treg has led to the identification of a number of candidate molecules that may be involved in contact-dependent suppression. One such molecule that was identified as up-regulated in activated Treg and whose expression was reduced via GITR-triggering is granzyme B (GZ-B).
GZ-B is a serine protease, secreted mainly by NK cells and CTLs (11), and is largely responsible for the induction of apoptosis in the target cell. However, recent reports have shown that human CD4+ T cells are also able to synthesize GZ-B and perforin (12, 13). Furthermore, studies by Ley and coworkers as well as others (14, 15) have shown that GZ-B is highly up-regulated in activated human T cells bearing a Tr1 phenotype. Moreover, Ley and coworkers (16) have shown CD4+CD25+ Treg in the human system mediate suppression with requirement for granzyme A (GZ-A). These results suggest a possible role for granzyme in mediating T cell suppression. The data presented in this study implicate that GZ-B plays a pivotal role in the suppressive capacity of murine CD4+CD25+ Treg.
Mice and materials
Congenic strains CD45.1 or CD45.2 C57BL/6 and perforin−/− mice, 8–10 wk old, were purchased from The Jackson Laboratory. C57BL/6 GZ-B−/− mice (15) were bred and maintained in our facility at Dartmouth Medical School.
Cell isolation, gene array, and real time
Single-cell suspensions were prepared from 8- to 10-wk-old mice and applied to CD4 enrichment. CD4+CD25− and CD4+CD25+ T cells were further purified by magnetic separation with MACS (Miltenyi Biotec) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Enriched cell populations and purified cells were phenotypically analyzed by FACS. The purities of CD4+CD25− and CD4+CD25+ T cells were 90–95%, respectively. Freshly isolated cells have been inoculated (106/ml; complete RPMI 1640/10% FBS supplemented with 100 U of IL2) into a 24-well plate precoated with 10 μg/ml anti-CD3 (clone 2C11) with or without 10 μg/ml anti-GITR (clone DTA-1; Ref.8) cultured at 37°C for 0, 12, and 48 h. Purified RNA were then analyzed by using Affymetrix mouse genome A430 oligonucleotide arrays or by real-time PCR analysis.
Cell culture and T cell suppression assay
GZ-B expression was assessed in freshly isolated CD4+CD25+ T cells or in cells cultured in vitro 24–72 h in the presence of plate-bound CD3 (1 μg/ml) with 100 U/ml IL-2.
Spleens and lymph nodes from wild-type, perforin−/−, or GZ-B−/− mice were magnetic bead sorted as stated above. Further purification of the Teff subset was accomplished with a CD4+ T cell Isolation kit (Miltenyi Biotec). Effector cells were >95% pure at the end of this isolation. In a polyclonal Treg suppressor assay, CD4+CD25− Teff cells (5 × 104) were cocultured with irradiated T-depleted splenocytes (1 × 105), 5 μg/ml anti-CD3, and indicated numbers of CD4+CD25+ cells for 3 days. In some experiments, 5 μg/ml anti-GITR was also added to the wells. Proliferation was assessed by incorporation of [3H]thymidine (1 μCi/well), which was added for the last 8 h of culture.
Cell surface, intracellular staining, and flow cytometry
Approximately 2 × 105 cells from each of triplicate wells were collected and pooled. Cells were labeled with anti-CD45.1-allophycocyanin (clone A20; eBioscience). Samples were then resuspended in 1× annexin staining buffer and treated with Annexin VFITC (BD Pharmingen) and propidium iodide (PI; Sigma-Aldrich). For GZ-B expression assay, following isolation for fresh Treg or 24–72 h for cultured Treg, cells were stained with anti-CD4-FITC (clone RM 4-5) and anti-CD25-PE (clone PC-61). Samples were then fixed and permeabilized (Cytofix/Cytoperm; BD Pharmingen) and stained with anti-human GZ-B-allophycocyanin (clone GB12; Caltag) diluted 1/200 in staining buffer. Throughout all steps, normal rat serum (5% v/v; Invitrogen Life Technologies) was used to block nonspecific binding. Samples were analyzed on FACScan (BD Biosciences). Anti-human GZ-B cross-reactivity with mouse GZ-B has been previously reported (15). For CFSE experiments, CD45.1+ cells were labeled with 5 μM CFSE and added to suppressor assay as described above.
Analysis of proliferation assays and real-time expression between the various treatment groups were analyzed by two-tailed, paired Student’s t test. Values of p < 0.05 were considered significant.
Anti-GITR causes down-regulation of GZ-B in in vitro-cultured Treg
CD4+CD25+ Treg are suppressive to naive CD4+ Teff in vitro following polyclonal and Ag-specific activation. Furthermore, the in vitro suppressive capacity has been shown to be contact dependent and ablated following treatment with anti-GITR (8). Global gene analysis of activated Treg treated or untreated with anti-GITR was used to identify candidate genes involved in suppression. We examined naive and activated Teff (purified CD4+CD25− T cells) and Treg (purified CD4+CD25+ T cells) in the presence of anti-CD3 with or without anti-GITR for 12 or 48 h. Of the ∼22,700 genes examined, 259 were up-regulated >1.5-fold and 99 were down-regulated >1.5-fold in Treg following treatment with anti-GITR and anti-CD3 relative to treatment with anti-CD3 alone. GZ-B, as has been shown previously, is up-regulated with Treg activation via anti-CD3 alone (9, 17). Studies presented herein show that that GZ-B is down-regulated 2-fold with anti-CD3 in combination with anti-GITR (Fig. 1⇓, A and B). The microarray data was confirmed by RT-PCR (Fig. 1⇓C). At both the 12- and 48-h time point, the levels GZ-B expression are 2-fold greater with anti-CD3 alone treatment vs combining with anti-GITR stimulation. Moreover, protein expression of GZ-B recapitulates the results found via RT-PCR by increasing the abundance of GZ-B from 24 to 72 h (Fig. 1⇓D). Additionally, after 12 h in culture, Treg GZ-B mRNA expression is 20-fold greater than Teff with CD3 stimulation alone (data not shown). We also examined expression levels of GZ-A and perforin at all time points. For both molecules, we see similar regulation to that of GZ-B with anti-GITR treatment; however, expression is at a much lower intensity at all time points (Fig. 1⇓, A and B). These data were also confirmed by RT-PCR (data not shown). These data indicate that, immediately following activation, Treg rapidly up-regulate GZ-B; however, GZ-A and perforin remain low in abundance relative to GZ-B expression.
Activation-induced up-regulation of GZ-B in Treg and its regulation by GITR. A, Cells were purified via MACS columns to >90% purity and cultured in vitro with anti-CD3 and IL-2 with or without anti-GITR for 12 h. RNA was prepared and hybridized to the Affymetrix A430 array. Relative expression indicates the mean log 2 ratio of changes in Treg expression between anti-CD3-alone treatment and anti-CD3 with anti-GITR. B, Gene chip signal intensity comparison of GZ-A, GZ-B, and perforin following treatments for 12 or 48 h. C, Real-time RT-PCR analysis of GZ-B expression in Treg treated as described above. Figure is representative of two independent experiments. D, GZ-B expression in freshly isolated Treg or in vitro cultured for 24 or 72 h with plate-bound anti-CD3 and 100 U of IL-2.
GZ-B−/− Treg have reduced suppressive capacity in vitro
Coculture of Treg with wild-type Teff leads to suppression of proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. To functionally evaluate the role of GZ-B in the contact-mediated suppression by Treg, the suppressive activity of Treg from WT and GZ-B−/− mice was compared (Fig. 2⇓A). Data presented show that Treg from WT mice at a 1:1 ratio suppress the proliferation of Teff >90%, whereas Treg from GZ-B−/− mice suppress Teff proliferation <50%. The reduced suppressive activity of Treg from GZ-B−/− mice is observed across a spectrum of Treg:Teff ratios, suggesting a functional role of GZ-B in contact-mediated suppression. A comparison of FoxP3 levels of GZ-B−/− Treg revealed no significant difference from those of WT Treg (data not shown). Because loss of GZ-B does not completely extinguish Treg suppression, additional contact-dependent mechanisms must be important in this system.
GZ-B mediates Treg suppression via a perforin-independent mechanism. A, Treg isolated from wild-type or GZ-B−/− mice were cocultured with CD4+CD25− Teff and irradiated T-depleted APC with anti-CD3 for 72 h. Wells were pulsed with 1 uCi/well 3H for the last 8 h of culture, and analyzed as described in Materials and Methods. B, Treg isolated from wild-type or perforin−/− mice were cultured as above.
Typically, GZ-B requires cytosolic entry via perforin or a perforin-like molecule to induce cell death (18, 19). To determine whether suppression is mediated by the canonical GZ-B-perforin pathway, the suppressor activity of Treg from perforin−/− vs WT mice was determined (Fig. 2⇑B). The suppressive activity of Treg from perforin−/− and WT mice was indistinguishable, suggesting that GZ-B-mediated suppression is via a novel, perforin-independent mechanism. Moreover, studies of perforin−/− mice on the BALB/c background showed similar results (data not shown). Several reports indicate that, at high concentrations of GZ-B, the necessity of perforin to release GZ-B from the endosomal compartment can be circumvented (20, 21). Additionally, Choy et al. (22) have shown that GZ-B is able to induce cell death in a perforin-independent manner mediated by a combination of intracellular and extracellular events.
A recent report by Grossman et al. (16) indicates that human CD4+CD25+ Treg mediate their suppressive effects via death induced by a GZ-A perforin-dependent mechanism. The differences between the use of GZ-A in humans and GZ-B in mice could be due to species differences, or subtle differences in the subsets and/or activation of T cells that were used. With regard to perforin dependency, the study by Ley (16) implicates perforin because of the fact that a calcium chelator relieves suppression. Although this is a reasonable assertion, they also show that CD18 is required, and it is known that this molecule requires calcium to form the tight synapse required for granzyme-mediated toxicity (23, 24, 25). In our studies using perforin knockout mice, suppression was indistinguishable from WT mice.
Induction of Teff apoptosis is a component of contact-mediated suppression
Recent reports have re-examined apoptosis by Treg of Teff as a mechanism for suppression (15, 26). The molecule(s) that mediate the induction of Teff apoptosis have not been resolved, and it is unlikely that FasL plays a central role (27). Based on the finding that GZ-B plays a functionally significant role in Treg suppression, the ability of Treg to induce Teff apoptosis and cell death was re-examined. The induction of Teff apoptosis by Treg was determined following the in vitro coculture of activated Teff and Treg. Briefly, CD45.1+ (Ly5.2+) Teff were cocultured with increasing numbers of CD45.2+ (Ly5.1+) Treg, in the presence of anti-CD3. After 72 h of culture, apoptosis of the CD4+ Teff was determined by multiparameter flow cytometry. The data show that there is a dose-dependent increase in cell death of the Teff cells when cocultured with Treg, such that ∼50% more Teff are dead at a 1:1 ratio than at a 1:16 ratio of Treg to Teff (Fig. 3⇓A). Moreover, addition of anti-GITR relieves the suppression and apoptosis as evidenced by enhanced proliferation and cell survival (data not shown). In parallel experiments, we examined thymidine incorporation in a standard suppressor assay with Treg from wild-type mice treated with anti-CD3 to determine levels of suppressive activity concurrent with PI/annexin staining (Fig. 3⇓B). To distinguish between the antiproliferative and antiapoptotic effect of Treg, we examined suppression and death with CFSE-labeled Teff counterstained with PI. In Fig. 3⇓C, we demonstrate that the Teff have a greater percentage of PI+ cells when cocultured with Treg. Interestingly, in addition to the induction of cell death, the proliferation of PI− Teff was also inhibited, which indicates multiple mechanisms are involved in Treg-mediated suppression.
Treg suppression is mediated by enhanced death in Teff. A, Ly5.2+ Teff and Ly5.1+ Treg and APC were cocultured for 72 h in a standard suppressor assay. Wells were harvested and stained with anti-Ly5.2 to identify the CD4+CD25− Teff. Cells were then stained with PI and Annexin VFITC. B, Proliferation of cells in wells run simultaneously with stained wells. Cells were pulsed with 1uCi/well 3H for the last 8 h of culture. C, CFSE-labeled cells were cultured for 72 h in standard suppressor assay, and then counterstained with PI.
The data presented above suggest that GZ-B is pivotal for complete suppression by Treg. The fact that the expression of GZ-B is up-regulated by Treg activation, and impaired by anti-GITR triggering is consistent with biological activity manifested by Treg under these conditions. Functionally, the role of GZ-B in Treg activities was strongly suggested by the reduced ability of Treg from GZ-B−/− mice to suppress Teff proliferation. Surprisingly, it appears that the GZ-B-dependent suppression of Teff activities is not dependent on perforin, because the Treg from perforin−/− mice suppressed Teff proliferation equivalent to that observed from wild-type mice. Hence, the precise mechanism of GZ-B-mediated suppression is enigmatic. In this context, GZ-B-mediated apoptosis in the absence of perforin has been reported in other systems. Finally, death as a consequence of Treg action was demonstrated by the fact that CD4+CD25+ Treg, in a dose-dependent manner, can induce apoptosis in Teff. The current studies raise many questions as to how GZ-B mediates Teff death, and the role of GZ-B in the in vivo function of Treg.
↵1 This work was supported by National Institutes of Health Grants CA91436-01 and AI48667.
↵2 D.C.G. and L.-F.L. contributed equally to this manuscript.
↵3 Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Randolph J. Noelle, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Dartmouth Medical School, 1 Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03756. E-mail address: rjn{at}dartmouth.edu
↵4 Abbreviations used in this paper: Treg, regulatory T cell; Teff, effector T cell; GITR, glucocorticoid-induced TNF-like receptor; GZ-B, granzyme B; GZ-A, granzyme A; PI, propidium iodide.
Received August 18, 2004.
Accepted December 7, 2004.
Copyright © 2005 by The American Association of Immunologists
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Grossman, W. J., J. W. Verbsky, W. Barchet, M. Colonna, J. P. Atkinson, T. J. Ley. 2004. Human T regulatory cells can use the perforin pathway to cause autologous target cell death. Immunity 21:589.
Herman, A. E., G. J. Freeman, D. Mathis, C. Benoist. 2004. CD4+CD25+ T regulatory cells dependent on ICOS promote regulation of effector cells in the prediabetic lesion. J. Exp. Med. 199:1479.
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Choy, J. C., V. H. Hung, A. L. Hunter, P. K. Cheung, B. Motyka, I. S. Goping, T. Sawchuk, R. C. Bleackley, T. J. Podor, B. M. McManus, D. J. Granville. 2004. Granzyme B induces smooth muscle cell apoptosis in the absence of perforin: involvement of extracellular matrix degradation. Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol. 24:2245.
Somersalo, K., N. Anikeeva, T. N. Sims, V. K. Thomas, R. K. Strong, T. Spies, T. Lebedeva, Y. Sykulev, M. L. Dustin. 2004. Cytotoxic T lymphocytes form an antigen-independent ring junction. J. Clin. Invest. 113:49.
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David C. Gondek, Li-Fan Lu, Sergio A. Quezada, Shimon Sakaguchi, Randolph J. Noelle
The Journal of Immunology February 15, 2005, 174 (4) 1783-1786; DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.174.4.1783
Cutting Edge: Bacillus Calmette–Guérin–Induced T Cells Shape Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection before Reducing the Bacterial Burden
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Yee, George O.M. "Avoiding Pitfalls in Policy-Based Privacy Management." Handbook of Research on Social and Organizational Liabilities in Information Security. IGI Global, 2009. 142-160. Web. 18 Jul. 2019. doi:10.4018/978-1-60566-132-2.ch009
Yee, G. O. (2009). Avoiding Pitfalls in Policy-Based Privacy Management. In M. Gupta, & R. Sharman (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Social and Organizational Liabilities in Information Security (pp. 142-160). Hershey, PA: IGI Global. doi:10.4018/978-1-60566-132-2.ch009
Yee, George O.M. "Avoiding Pitfalls in Policy-Based Privacy Management." In Handbook of Research on Social and Organizational Liabilities in Information Security, ed. Manish Gupta and Raj Sharman, 142-160 (2009), accessed July 18, 2019. doi:10.4018/978-1-60566-132-2.ch009
InfoSci-Social Technologies
InfoSci-Security and Forensics
Avoiding Pitfalls in Policy-Based Privacy Management
George O.M. Yee (NRC Institute for Information Technology, Canada)
Source Title: Handbook of Research on Social and Organizational Liabilities in Information Security
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-60566-132-2.ch009
The growth of the Internet is increasing the deployment of e-services in such areas as e-commerce, e-learning, and e-health. In parallel, the providers and consumers of such services are realizing the need for privacy. The use of P3P privacy policies on Web sites is an example of this growing concern for privacy. Managing privacy using privacy policies is a promising approach. In this approach, an e-service provider and an e-service consumer each have separate privacy policies. Before an e-service is engaged, the provider’s policy must be “compatible” with the consumer’s policy. However, beyond compatibility, the policies may face pitfalls arising from improper specification, misapplication, and improper maintenance (e.g. failing to keep a personal privacy policy up-to-date). This can result in the lost of privacy and even lead to serious safety issues in certain cases. This chapter gives examples of how such pitfalls can arise and suggests ways to avoid these pitfalls.
1.1 The Privacy Problem
The rapid development of the Internet has been accompanied by a growth in the number of e-services available to consumers. E-services, and in particular, web services, are available for banking, shopping, learning, healthcare, and Government Online. However, each of these services requires a consumer’s personal information in one form or another. This leads to concerns over privacy. Indeed, the public’s awareness of potential violations of privacy by online service providers has been growing. Evidence affirming this situation include a) the use of P3P privacy policies (P3P, 2002) by web server sites to disclose their treatment of users’ private information, b) the enactment of privacy legislation and directives by major jurisdictions as a sort of owners’ “bill of rights” concerning their private information, and c) the appointment of privacy commissioners or officials who can assist the consumer in addressing violations of privacy (Canada has a federal privacy commissioner as well as provincial level privacy commissioners). In order for e-services to be successful, privacy must be protected. An effective and flexible way of protecting privacy is to manage it using privacy policies. The objectives of this chapter are a) to show that such use of privacy policies can lead to pitfalls and b) to propose ways to eliminate or mitigate these bad outcomes. This work is based on Yee & Korba (Oct. 2005).
1.2 Approaches for Solving the Privacy Problem
Various approaches have been used to protect personal information, including data anonymization (Iyengar, 2002; Kobsa & Schreck, 2003) and pseudonym technology (Song et al., 2006). Approaches for privacy protection that are in the research stage include treating privacy protection as an access problem and then bringing the tools of access control to bear for privacy control (Adams & Barbieri, 2006), treating privacy protection as a privacy rights management problem using the techniques of digital rights management (Kenny & Korba, 2002), and considering privacy protection as a privacy policy compliance problem, verifying compliance with secure logs (Yee & Korba, 2004). This work is concerned with the latter approach, i.e. the management of privacy using privacy policies. In this approach, the e-service provider and e-service consumer each has a privacy policy that stipulates how personal information is to be handled. The consumer’s policy states how the personal information about the consumer is to be handled by the provider, for example, what the information can be used for, how long the provider can retain the information in its possession, to which parties the information may be disclosed, and so on. The provider’s policy states how the provider will handle the consumer’s personal information, in terms of the same ways of handling information as in the consumer’s policy. Naturally, the e-service can only proceed if both policies agree with each other. Once this agreement is reached, privacy protection relies on the provider upholding the agreed upon privacy policy.
1.3 The Privacy Policy Pitfalls Problem
The use of privacy policies in privacy management can have pitfalls or unexpected negative outcomes. Pitfalls can arise from a) how the matching of policies between consumer and provider was carried out, b) improperly specified policy content, c) whether or not the consumer privacy policy was a good fit for the e-service, and d) whether or not the privacy policy was properly maintained or kept up-to-date. For example, a policy allowing a drug prescription to be given to a provider is unlikely to be a good fit if the provider’s service sells books instead of drugs. In such a scenario, a pitfall could arise if the provider inadvertently discloses the prescription to an individual who is not to receive such information according to the consumer’s wishes (e.g. a mother who the consumer would not wish to worry, if the prescription was for a serious illness).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Privacy Policy Matching: Before a user invokes an e-service, the user’s privacy policy should agree with the provider’s privacy policy. Privacy policy matching is the process of comparing these polices to determine if there is such agreement.
Pitfall: A pitfall in the context of privacy policies is an unexpected negative outcome (see “unexpected outcome” below) resulting from the application of a privacy policy.
Privacy Policy: A user’s privacy policy is a statement that expresses the user’s desired control over an e-service’s collection, use, retention, and distribution of personal information about the user. A service provider’s privacy policy is a statement that expresses the provider’s desired control over the collection, use, retention, and distribution of personal information about the user.
Unexpected Outcome: An unexpected outcome in the context of privacy policies, is an event or result from the application of a privacy policy that was unexpected or unintended. Unexpected outcomes can be positive (e.g. the application of the privacy policy resulted in unexpected financial savings that would not have accrued in the absence of the policy), or negative (e.g. the application of the privacy policy resulted in some unexpected personal loss such as loss of a job – see examples in this chapter).
Privacy: Privacy refers to the ability of individuals to control the collection, use, retention, and distribution of information about themselves.
Specification of Privacy Policy: This refers to the process of constructing the privacy policy. This can best be done through the use of a computer application that guides the user or service provider in constructing the policy and results in a machine readable form of the policy that is amenable to further computer processing (e.g. for privacy policy matching).
E-Service: An e-service or electronic service is a service that can be accessed by users of the service through a network such as the Internet. Two examples of e-services are 1) an online broker such as etrade.com that allows users to obtain stock quotations and trade stocks, and 2) an online book seller such as amazon.com. Web services comprise an important class of e-services that is characterized by the use of XML and SOAP in a Service Oriented Architecture.
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FFVII Remake: Why Did Square Ditch Xbox? - Unlocked 402
Comic Book Villains
100 MODOK
99 Fin Fang Foom
98 Mastermind (Jason Wyngarde)
97 Violator (Spawn)
96 Despero
95 Omega Red
94 Annihilus
93 Omni-Man
92 Parallax
91 The Adversary
90 Carnage
89 Shade
88 Hunter Rose
87 Electro
86 The Govenor
85 Mysterio
84 Doctor Light
83 Grigori Rasputin
82 Soctor Sivana
81 Mandarin
80 Prometheus
79 Mirror Master
78 Lady Deathstrike
77 Proteus
76 Mister Mxyzptlk
75 Magog
74 Saint of Killers
73 Clayface
72 Sandman
71 Thunderbolt Rose
70 William Stryker
69 Cheetah
68 Lucifer
67 Mr. Freeze
66 Herr Starr
65 Kang the Conqueror
64 Poison Ivy
63 The Leader
62 Lizard
61 Parasite
60 Amanda Waller
59 Riddler
58 Scarecrow
57 Hobgoblin
56 Dormammu
55 Sebastian Shaw
54 Abomination
53 Kraven the Hunter
52 Metallo
51 Penguin
50 Cassandra Nova
49 Anti-Monitor
48 Mephisto
47 Thanos
46 Doomsday
45 Harley Quinn
44 Sabretooth
43 Deadshot
42 Talia Al Ghul
41 Mongul
40 Baron Zemo II
39 Shredder
36 Vandal Savage
35 Gorilla Grodd
34 Bane
33 Cyborg Superman
32 Deathstroke
31 Professor Zoom
30 General Zod
28 Doctor Octopus
27 Captain Cold
26 Kid Miracleman
25 Bizarro
24 Apocalypse
23 Ultron
22 Venom
21 Ozymandias
20 Bullseye
19 Juggernaut
18 Mystique
17 Brainiac
16 Black Adam
15 Sinestro
14 Red Skull
13 Norman Osborn
12 Two-Face
11 Catwoman
10 Kingpin
09 Dark Phoenix
08 Loki
07 Ra's Al Ghul
06 Darkseid
05 Galactus
04 Lex Luthor
03 Doctor Doom
02 Joker
01 Magneto
Top Comic Book Villains
It begins...
Start at #24 Get started!
Who would have thought that the shadowy figure pulling the strings of a mostly forgotten group called the Alliance of Evil would turn out to be such a persistent and powerful foe for the X-Men? Apocalypse's first appearances in the original X-Factorseries might not have initially seemed like such a big deal, but it was not long before this villain turned out to be someone very memorable indeed.
Obsessed with the idea of survival of the fittest, Apocalypse's motives can sometimes be murky (and don't get us started on defining what exactly his powers are), but there's no question he is a major player behind the scenes in X-Men history. Shortly after his debut, Apocalypse would transform Warren Worthington from Angel to Archangel, forever altering that character's path - something Apocalypse would do several times again in the future with other notable characters.
His other recruits, both volunteers and those he forced to do his bidding, have included Wolverine, Hulk, Caliban and Sunfire, all of whom served as one of his Horsemen at one point or another. Meanwhile, his ever more elaborate back-story revealed he was born thousands of years ago, in Ancient Egypt, and in fact was the oldest and earlier Mutant on earth, having survived encounters long in the past with everyone from Kang the Conqueror (in his Rama-Tut guise) to Dracula himself.
Apocalypse is also responsible for an 19th century scientist becoming another major X-Men threat, Mr. Sinister, and it was Apocalypse's actions that led to Scott Summers' baby son being infected with the techno-organic virus - thus beginning Nathan's path towards becoming the futuristic hero Cable, who would go on to be one of Apocalypse's greatest foes.
List Continues in descending order below
How can you not love a villain whose name is an acronym for Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing? One of the more bizarre looking characters in the Marvel Universe (and that's saying something), AIM technician George Tarleton found himself transformed into a living computer by the group he worked for--with a giant, mutated head, and the need to be fitted into a hover-chair in order to stay mobile.
With mental abilities, comprehension and memory skills far beyond normal men, MODOK quickly proved to be a powerful presence, whose own goals caused him to kill his AIM masters and take control himself. In the process, he became a notable supervillain threat, though one not as strictly tied to a single hero or team as most. Indeed, MODOK has fought everyone from Captain America to Iron Man to Hulk and even Namor and Dr. Doom along the way.
MODOK has returned from the dead more than once and rebelled against subsequent attempts by AIM to once more gain control of him. While his physical nature makes him easy to mock, his mental powers have proven to be deadly for many who have dared cross him. Recently he's been more pro-active than ever, gathering "MODOK's 11" in a scheme that ultimately gave him a new base of operations and followers.
Fin Fang Foom, by all superficial accounts, is a dragon. He came to earth from his alien world of Kakaranathara, aka Maklu IV in the Maklu system of the Greater Magellanic Cloud, whatever that means, to conquer planets with the help of other members of his race. So where's the best place to go to strike fear in the hearts of people if you're a dragon that's the size of a house? How about China! Is that Godzilla? No, it's Fin Fang Foom.
Some people would argue that hatred is the worst characteristic of the human race, but others swear that it's laziness or apathy. Fin Fang Foom though, has it all wrapped in one. With the help of a mystical herb, Foom can go into hibernation quicker than he can destroy a small village, which is pretty fast, actually.
But don't let his idle exterior fool you; he can be evil too. In one particular story after his body was destroyed, his spirit flew into a statue to reside. Through his power of telepathy, he then willed a small child into bonding with thousands of lizards in a New York sewer to create a new body for him. It's what fairytales are made out of.
Besides his powers of telepathy, he is stronger than the average lizard, can fly, regenerate and has access to advanced alien technology. Oh, and he can project an acidic mist from his mouth. He also can cook a mean General Tso's Chicken since after becoming a follower of Buddhism, he took up a job as head chef at a Chinese restaurant in the Baxter Building. Fin Fang Foom first appeared in Strange Tales #89 (Oct. 1961).
Mastermind (Jason Wyngarde)
Jason Wyngarde, better known as Mastermind, was one of the more important members of Magneto's Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. The only thing known about his past, though, is that he was a mentalist at carnivals. Carnies are pretty screwed up, right?
Mastermind's powers include casting illusions causing people to psionically see, hear and even touch things that don't really exist. He can make people believe that he is another person or even invisible for that matter. He can even do this to mutants as strong as Professor Xavier and Jean Grey. Being somewhat older with graying hair, he uses these powers to appear younger and better looking.
Mastermind once helped the Brotherhood take over a whole South American country, by creating the illusion of thousands of soldiers. He was part of the Hellfire Club during the "Dark Phoenix Saga," and is basically the main person responsible for turning Phoenix into Dark Phoenix. He manipulated her into believing she was a Victorian aristocrat, married to Jason Wyngarde, and that she was Black Queen of the Hellfire Club. He then basically killed Cyclops in battle. This pissed her off and got her out of Mastermind's control. She then turned him catatonic. When he came back to his senses, he manipulated Rogue into leaving her foster mother Mystique while giving Mystique horrible nightmares. He made the X-Men think Cyclops' fianc Madelyne Pryor was the Dark Phoenix and also compelled Mariko Yashida to reject Wolverine on their wedding day.
Although Mastermind is dead, his powers live on through his daughters Martinique Jason and Regan Wyngarde who are apparently stronger than he ever was. Be afraid.
Violator (Spawn)
The number one cause of coulrophobia (the abnormal or exaggerated fear of clowns) is not, as you might initially think, a bad childhood experience at a birthday party or the circus. Mental health experts believe it may have more to do with children seeing sinister portrayals of clowns in the media. If true, Spawn creator Todd McFarlane may have psychologically damaged an entire generation with the Violator.
A Hell-born demon whose purpose is to groom Hellspawn's in the service of evil, the gruesome Violator's most iconic physical form is the Clown, a disgustingly overweight, short, balding man who wears blue face-paint. His demonic powers include super-strength, shape-shifting, healing, teleportation, and the ability to breathe fire... just to name a few. And if being a real bastard was a superpower, we'd have listed that, too.
Sent to Earth by Malebolgia, the powerful ruler of the Eighth Circle of Hell, Violator is tasked with monitoring Al Simmons. But the foul-mouthed Clown harasses and taunts Simmons, feeling that he is far superior to this newest Spawn. And while he cannot kill any Spawn without an order from his superiors, that hasn't stopped him from making Simmons life a (literal) living Hell.He has been killed numerous times, only to be sent back to Hell and restored to life by his master.
Violator first appeared Spawn #1 (May 1992), he was prominently featured in the popular HBO miniseries, and was main antagonist in the oft-maligned 1997 live-action movie (played by John Leguizamo). The Violator has also made an appearance in every Spawn videogame ever released.
Despero
He bathed himself in the Flame of Py'tar and is fueled by an all-consuming hatred for the Justice League. What's not to love to hate?
Despero has undergone as many variations as the very group he wishes to inflict fatal injury upon, which accounts somewhat for his lower status on the totem pole. His ambition his high, but one note - kill the Justice League.
Initially conceived as a weak tyrant, prone to psychologically playing with the fates of his enemies, Despero evolved into more of a physically threatening presence; a thug with delusions of grandeur and with some potent muscle to back it up. His run in Justice League America, leading to a showdown brawl at the United Nations, is a fun read - one has to admire a baddie who decides to wear the UN's flag as a cape. But ultimately, Despero's goals are hindered by his one-track approach to achieving them. Consistency is good, but he'll need more than great physical strength and myopic vision to join the ranks of real DC threats.
Omega Red
It depends on who you ask, but Omega Red, aka Arkady Rossovich, was just your average Russian soldier/serial killer/child rapist. One story says he was captured by Interpol agent and X-Man Banshee. Another tells that his fellow soldiers executed him for his child-related transgressions and he somehow survived. Either way, the KGB gets Rossovich and tries to make a super soldier out of him. Think Captain America but the opposite.
Scientists had the bright idea of giving Rossovich retractable carbonadium (a more malleable form of adamantium) tentacles instead of his less useful arms. Although quite practical for killing and probably not shaking hands, the carbonadium ended up being poisonous and he had to drain the life out of people just to survive. Besides that great quality which surely makes making new friends a breeze, Omega Red's body can also produce pheromones called Death Spores, which kill normal humans in seconds. He has superhuman everything normal that you have like strength and speed and reflexes and etc. and his body tissue is also harder than yours.
One flaw of Omega Red's is the need for the Carbonadium Synthesizer, which stabilizes his weakness for the alloy. Wolverine, with the help of Sabretooth and Maverick once stole this device, just to make his life a little harder.
Due to Omega Red's unpredictability, the Soviet government (who made him) once froze him in cryogenic animation. He's worked alongside The Hand, Neocommunists, Russian gangster Ivan Pushkin, drug lords like the General and has been the head of the Red Mafia posing as a businessman. He is still looking for the Carbonadium Synthesizer. So if you know of its whereabouts, please contact him. He'll probably kill instead of provide a ransom, though.
Once upon a time, an advanced humanoid species was planting seeds with life spores. A meteor hit one of their ships and hurled it into the planet Arthros. Generations later, one of the spores evolved into an insect-like creature, which somehow was extremely intelligent and found a knowledge transference helmet to get even smarter. Thus is the story behind Annihilus. This same old story again?
Since he came from humble beginnings being a seed spore and all, Annihilus turned out to be somewhat paranoid about his survival and set out to destroy anything he saw as a threat - aka everyone. With help of the power of flight, an insectoid exoskeleton with armor that can withstand blasts from even Galactus, super strength and a guard of 100 aliens by his side it wasn't so hard.
Annihilus' most important tool though and the one which leads to much strife, since he won't share, is his Cosmic Control Rod. With it he can manipulate cosmic energy to change the molecular structure of matter and project gigantic amounts of destructive energy.
Annihilus wouldn't let the Fantastic Four borrow the Rod when Sue Storm had cosmic ray-related pregnancy complications. They just stole it. Annihilus even abducted the Richards' son Franklin to tap into his powers to further his own. Reed Richards had to shut down his own son's brain for a while just to protect the Earth's Solar System. Oh, and he would have killed Thor once if Odin hadn't intervened.
Omni-Man
It's all about the 'stache. Omni-Man, the former premier superhero-turned-villain in Image Comics' Invincibleuniverse, is notable not only for his superhuman abilities (strength, speed, and invulnerability), but also for his sweet moustache. Moustaches, as it turns out, are customary among males of the Viltrumite race, an alien civilization from when Omni-Man (AKA Nolan Grayson) comes.
Arriving on Earth under the guise of helping our planet, Omni-Man took on the secret identity of a best-selling author named Nolan Grayson. He married a woman whose life he had saved, and had a son, Mark Grayson -- Mark would become Invincible, the series' protagonist.
Father and son came to cataclysmic blows when Omni-Man revealed his true intentions to his son -- he was sent as a conqueror by the Viltrumite Empire. Omni-Man flees when he realizes he is unable to kill his son, and takes refuge on another planet.
As a result of his failure on Earth, Omni-Man is captured by his own people and sentenced to death. But he is rescued just before execution by former foe Allen the Alien, to whom he reveals that the Viltrumite race is actually near extinction. The pair then set out on a crusade to destroy the Viltrumite Empire, moustaches and all.
Nevermind that he looks like a really pissed off cockroach, this sentient organism made of fear is responsible for turning one of DC's most beloved heroes into an intergalactic mass murderer.
The original storyline to position Green Lantern Hal Jordan as a villain was so controversial (in a good way), that it was repurposed by writer Geoff Johns as means to re-invent Jordan's brief but bloody reign as Parallax.
Originally designed as a creature to be more monster than symbiotic threat, the thing evolved into a major player, especially in the events making up the Sinestro Corp's offensive. The evil fear monger's new license on life has continued to engage fans by contributing consistently satisfying drama to the epic universe that belongs to the Green Lantern Corps.
Fables, the Vertigo/DC comic created and written by Bill Willingham, fascinatingly tells what happens when all of the Fables, characters from fairy tales and folklore, are forced out of their homelands by a mysterious, tyrannical villain known as the Adversary. He launched the first attack on the Mundy world with his army of wooden soldiers. The Adversary's forces are under his total control as they roll across the homelands conquering everything in their path.
What is The Adversary's true identity? Those unfamiliar with Fables might be surprised to learn that he is none other than Geppetto -- yes, from the tale of Pinocchio. But he's no longer a kind old woodcarver. His mind twisted, Geppetto is now the ruthless, magic-wielding ruler of an Empire seeking complete conquest of Fablekind.
The Adversary is rarely glimpsed in the comic, but he is the driving force behind the entire narrative. By overtaking the characters' homelands, he forces them out into the "real" mundane world where they migrate to New York and go underground.
Also known as Cletus Kasady, Carnage was born killing. As a child he pushed his grandmother down the stairs, tortured his dog and burnt down his orphanage. After getting put in prison for being oh, a serial killer, his cellmate ends up being a one Eddie Brock (Venom). Brock's Venom symbiote has a baby, since they can produce asexually and all, and bonds with Kasady through a cut. Kasady becomes Carnage, Carnage escapes and then the real fun begins.
The Carnage symbiote ends up being stronger than Spider-Man and Venom combined. He can shape-shift, create weapons like knives and axes with its web substance and plant ideas in people's heads. He can crawl like Spider-Man, regenerate and is immune to infection and disease. This comes in handy since Kasady, without the symbiote, has a form of cancer. He feeds on his victims by just touching them and can see from any part of his body. Carnage even at one point develops immunity to the sonic booms symbiotes usually are vulnerable to. For every murder, Kasady writes "Carnage Rules" on the walls with his own blood.
Carnage is so powerful that Spider-Man has to make a truce with his arch nemesis Venom just to fight him. Even when Venom re-absorbs his child's symbiote, Kasady just can't stop killing. He paints himself red and goes to town as a regular human murderer. Carnage even has a psychological streak, believing that everybody wants to kill, he just has the guts to do it. He doesn't want money or power, he just likes killing. First introduced in Amazing Spider-Man #344 Carnage was modeled after The Joker to be a darker version of Venom.
There aren't very many people who can rock a top hat and not come off looking like a complete idiot. In fact, unless you're Fred Astaire, Slash, or Johnny Depp, we would absolutely advise against it. Just don't tell The Shade, one of DC Comics' oldest supervillains, that we bagged on his headwear of choice.
The Shade, created by E.E. Hibbard and first appearing in Flash Comics#33, was introduced as a thief with the power to manipulate shadows using a magical cane. He is notable for battling two generations of superheroes -- crossing paths with the original Flash, and later with the Barry Allen incarnation.
The character was significantly retooled after Zero Hour, into a morally ambiguous Victorian-era immortal by the name of Richard Swift who acquired his ability to manipulate shadows and his immortality from an unexplained mystical accident. The unexplained catastrophe killed over a 100 people, but left Swift with only a loss of all memory before the event. In the aftermath, Swift was caught up in a scheme by members of the criminal Ludlow family who tried to kill him. It was then that Swift's deadly shadows were first unleashed.
While his feud with surviving members of the Ludlow family continued, Swift settled in Opal City, where he worked as a paid assassin. He relocated for a time to Keystone City where he first encountered the Flash (Jay Garrick), toying with him under the guise of a gimmicky villain as a smokescreen for his truly important crimes.
Hunter Rose
One has to admire Grendel's tenacity. For being such a minor player and number 88 on our list, his ego is bigger than most. Case in point: Hunter Rose came to Gotham City to looking for crime, but mostly wanting to challenge Batman to a match of wits - just to see if he could.
A corrupt youth named Eddie turned assassin Hunter Rose, Grendel operates best when pushing the limits of what he can and cannot do. Which makes his challenge to Batman even more fitting, given how arguably similar they are.
Hunter is a man of culture and learning, much like Bruce Wayne, who doesn't hesitate to strike down those who oppose him - much like Batman. But unlike Batman, Grendel is a debonair monster, a murderer who wears a mask because it's easier to exact justice when no one can see who their executioner really is. That power, the choice to use it in such away, combined with his electric fork (think a utility belt in the form of a twin-bladed spear) make Grendel a welcome addition to the list. If only he would get more play opposite Batman, and in the mainstream in general.
Max Dillon's father left when he was eight years old. His mother became overprotective, which led to an inferiority complex. But we'll get to that later. He took a job as a lineman for an electric company to someday become an electrical engineer. One day, while he was repairing a power line and holding a wire, lightning struck and mutated his nervous system making him a living electrical capacitor. Thus Electro was born.
Electro's powers include shooting up to one million volts of electricity from his fingertips. When his body is charged, he is superhumanly strong and fast, can glide over power lines and can even ride lightning bolts. Doctor Octopus once got him to ionize metals for a science experiment. He can also absorb electrical equipment and manipulate those devices with his mind. But do not get him close to water. Well, unless you want to stop him.
He almost killed Spider-Man in their first meeting, just by being touched. He has been in basically every incarnation of the Doctor Octopus clubs-the Sinister Six, Sinister Seven and Green Goblin's Sinister Twelve. He's been part of the Chameleon's Exterminators and the Hood. As part of the Frightful Four, he used Spider-Man as bait to trap the Fantastic Four. He attacked Sue Storm and Reed Richards at their wedding of all places. He blew up cars with children in them, tried to take over New York's power supply and was even hired by J. Jonah Jameson to beat up Spider-Man on TV.
The Govenor
How would humankind adapt to life in the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse? Would survivors ban together to fight for their lives, or would they turn on each other, taking advantage of the downfall of civilization to accomplish their own selfish ends? These are some of the questions posed by Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead, questions whose answers manifest in The Governor, a sadistic evil that The Road Warrior forgot, a monster of a man who pits himself against protagonist Rick Grimes and his band of survivors.
Upon realizing the dead were beginning to rise, The Governor fortified and secured a four-block area and called it Woodbury, where he gathered with a group of nearly 40 survivors. He declared himself the "Governor" of the settlement. And while he initially appeared to be a decent leader, Philip's true nature was soon revealed; he helped people in situations that would only benefit him, and only when they would fully submit themselves to his commands. To run afoul of Philip was a death sentence -- those who displeased him were dismembered and fed to the zombie daughter whom he kept in chains.
When Rick and a group of survivors enter Woodbury, Philip is welcoming but later turns on them. Particularly brutal treatment is reserved for the female of the group, Michonne, whom he strips and repeatedly rapes. But when Michonne finally manages to escape, the tables are turned. She ties Philip down, and tortures him by cutting off his arm, removing an ear, gouging out his eye, and, gulp, castrating him. The Governor survives, however, and later leads his "army" in an attack on Rick and his group's prison base. In the aftermath of the battle, however, Philip's people turn on him and kill him. He is shot in the head before having his corpse ripped apart and consumed by a horde of zombies.
Mysterio, who first came on the scene in Amazing Spider-Man #13, has made it his life goal to piss off Spider-Man, and he's done a good job of it. Also known as Quentin Beck-he faked Aunt May's death, scared her into thinking she was being attacked by aliens, convinced Spider-Man he was 6 inches tall using hypnosis and tricked Spidey into believing he killed a guy.
After believing Spider-Man was a clone, he turned his interests over to Daredevil. Like Spider-Man, Mysterio's goal was to turn him insane. He almost got him to kill a baby he falsely believed was the Antichrist, convinced Matt Murdock's secretary/love interest Karen Page that she had contracted HIV from her time as a porn star and manipulated Murdoch's law partner Foggy Nelson into having an affair, and then frames him for killing the girl. Like any good magician though, he doesn't like to be called a copycat. After Daredevil exposed Mysterio and told him Kingpin had already done all that stuff, he shot himself. There were two other Mysterios but they aren't all that interesting. A stunt man and guru of special effects, he was on the fast track to becoming a major player in Hollywood but saw it as a dead end career. Through his magic and hypnotism past and with the help of a general knowledge of chemistry and robotics, on top of the combat techniques he learned as a stuntman, these abilities together make the otherwise regular human Quentin Beck a qualified opponent of Spider-Man. He created a gas that could cancel out his spider-sense and his suit had that well-known helmet with a holographic projector and gloves armed with hallucinogenic gas. You can call him Fish Bowl Head Guy, though.
Dr. Light started out as a lark - a joke of a villain - but thanks to Identity Crisis, he earned his day of infamy and caused a ripple effect throughout the core of DC heroes. He forced their hand to do something they had never done before, to protect the greater good, and to protect their identities from being exposed, by wiping Dr. Light's memory - and thus leading the good doctor to have such a not-so-good career as a villain.
Dr. Light raping Elongated Man's wife is a very real threat, a very real crime, for DC's heroes to deal with. That event, and the polarizing punishment that followed, made Dr. Light a relevant evil, and reminded the Justice League that some evils need to be met with necessary ones.
The fan reaction to both the crime and the punishment is still the topic of much debate years later, so we'll give Light credit. But wiping Light's memory only to have him later regain it, while an interesting development on paper, was overshadowed by the incident that caused it to begin with. At number 84, Dr. Light is an insignificant player who delivered a very significant blow to DC.
Grigori Rasputin
Based on the Russian mystic of the same name, Rasputin is a principle villain in Mike Mignola's Hellboy series.
After being assassinated in 1916, Rasputin is revived by the Ogdru Jahad -- the biblical Dragon of Revelation -- who intend to use him to help bring about their release from captivity and the end of the world. He soon began working with the Nazis on Project Ragna Rok, and opened a doorway to the void from whence Hellboy entered our dimension.
When the Nazis were defeated, Rasputin made his way to the Arctic and took refuge in a temple dedicated to the Ogdru Jahad. There, he remained for fifty years until setting out on a mission to free the Dragon, which can only be released using Hellboy's stone right hand. Rasputin's scheme was foiled, however, by Liz Sherman and Abe Sapien of the BPRD. And the villain was killed (again).
Death didn't stop him the first time, so why should it a second? Rasputin reappears in spirit form and delivers Hellboy into the hands of the goddess Hecate, who later reveals to Rasputin that he has been manipulated and used as a pawn. Upon hearing this, Rasputin turns on Hecate and attacks her. The goddess virtually destroys him, placing what's left of his soul in a tiny acorn.
Soctor Sivana
Doctor Thaddeus Bodog Sivana first appeared in the February 1940 Whiz Comics #2. He's been the bane of Captain Marvel's existence ever since, even affectionately calling him "Big Red Cheese". The quintessential mad scientist, his trademark phrase "Curses! Foiled again!" is legendary. He's short, he's bald, he has an evil laugh and he's pissed.
Becoming a doctor with the best intentions (as always), his ideas were panned by the medical community - So he took his family to Venus of all places. While there, he slowly turned bitter and created a radio silencer to disable all communications permanently. Captain Marvel didn't like this, seeing as he is radio broadcaster Billy Batson by trade, so he stopped Silvana. Thus began their years of struggle. Once Sivana was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics, due to Captain Marvel revealing these inventions. But Sivana considered it an insult and would only care if he were awarded the title of Ruler of the Universe.
Doctor Sivana's character transcended the comic pages once as being the excuse for Captain Marvel's 20-year absence and relaunch of the Shazam! character. In the comics, he trapped the Marvels in suspended animation through a sphere of Suspendium. Sivana reorganized the supervillain group the Fearsome Five, appointing himself leader. There were six, but he killed Gizmo when he challenged him about being a genius. He was also the Attorney General of the United States somehow. On a platform of stomping out terrorism, he secretly has more of an interest in getting technology from Mr. Mind to develop weapons. He is only stopped because he's caught on television throwing Mary Marvel off one of Mr. Mind's war machines.
The Mandarin's father died when he was very young. In China, he was extremely wealthy, as well as a descendant of Genghis Khan. Raised by a resentful aunt, she taught him to hate the world. With his inheritance, he studied hard and became a high government official. But when the Communist revolution came about, he lost everything.
Due in part to his love for technology, The Mandarin had an axe to grind with Tony Stark. He tried to discredit him numerous times, almost discovered Iron Man's identity and tried to kill his girlfriend Janice Cord. Once Stark attempted to set up a Stark Enterprises branch in Hong Kong, and Mandarin pretended to be Zhang Tong, a financial leader. He pretty much thwarted those business efforts after that. In one ironic twist though, The Mandarin lost his memory and became a janitor at Stark Enterprises. Karma?
The Mandarin has also tried to control the Hulk, even allying himself with Sandman to do so. He's infiltrated the U.S. government and almost released a spray into the air stream that would have had a 97.5% fatality rate.
His powers include a highly advanced teleportation device, an elevated skill set of martial arts and a mastery of chi. He also callused his entire body to prevent weakness if attacked. His most important tools though are his ten rings. They all have one specific duty, such as emitting intense cold, amplifying mental energies, emitting electricity, emitting infrared radiation, rearranging molecules, projecting neutrons, causing the air to become a vortex and so on and so forth. No one can wear the rings but him, unless he lets them. And if he lets you, he is definitely watching you.
Prometheus (real name unknown) was the son of a pair of hippie criminals - Bonnie and Clyde types - who went on a robbery and killing spree before being gunned down by the police. His hair turned white from the shock of the event. It was then and there that he vowed to destroy all forces of justice.
Leaving home at the age of 16, Prometheus honed his skills studying with the evil monks in the Himalayan city of Shamballa. It was there that he was transported to "The Ghost Zone" (AKA The Phantom Zone). There, he was free to build up a resistance to the Justice League, whom he would later take on and nearly single-handedly defeat.
Prometheus penetrated the Watchtower, shot Martian Manhunter, disabled Steel, hypnotized Huntress, neutralized Green Lantern, trapped Zauriel, tricked the Flash, laid the smackdown on Batman, and may have brought the Man of Steel to an end were it not for Catwoman unexpectedly cracking her whip at his bathing suit area.
Through his possession of the "Ghost Zone" key, he has the ability to teleport. And he's equipped with some sweet technology that greatly enhances his abilities. He carries a tonfa (a baton-like weapon) that allows him to deliver superhuman blows. The greatest weapon in Prometheus' arsenal, however, is a helmet he invented that allows him to download the knowledge of others directly into his brain. This has allowed him to access and combine the fighting skills of the best fighters in the world.
Mirror Master
This is one guy that you don't want to run into in that funhouse at the fair. Mirror Master, a recurring enemy of the Flash. There have actually been two incarnations of the villain: Sam Scudder and Evan McColluch -- because he is just that cool.
Scudder's Mirror Master has the power of (you guessed it!) controlling mirrors to create effects like hypnotism, invisibility, holograms, physical transformations, communications, and even travel to other dimensions. And, get this, he even used a mirror that allowed him to switch legs with the Flash. Mirror Master II, an Irish mercenary named Evan McCulloch, took on the identity after Scudder's death in the Crisis. He, too, used mirrors in fantastic ways to wreak havoc. He also possessed a mirror pack, which gave him the power of flight, and the ability to see 20 seconds into the future. His weapon of choice? A mirror-powered laser blaster. And an 8-ball...We forgot to mention that this villain is a cokehead. Yes, the irony of "Mirror" Master being a cokehead is lost on no one.
Random trivial notes: David Cassidy played Mirror Master in the '90s Flash TV series. And the incarnation of the character on The Batman animated series was voiced by and modeled after actor John Larroquette - something we should all aspire to.
Lady Deathstrike
She could have just been a one-off character, having been introduced in an issue of Daredevil and seemingly forgotten afterward. Instead though, Yuriko Oyama would go on to become one of the most formidable threats the X-Men and Wolverine would face.
The daughter of the man who invented the process of bonding adamantium to human bones, Lady Deathstrike targeted Wolverine, perceiving him as someone who had stolen her father's work and must pay for his actions. After her first defeat, she willingly allowed her body to be horribly transformed, becoming a powerful cyborg in the process, and gaining her own adamantium-laced skeleton and claws to battle Wolverine with.
Lady Deathstrike's loyalties have shifted through the years, as she's worked with groups like the Reavers, the Sisterhood of Mutants and even a brief stint with the Thunderbolts during the superhuman Civil War - along with hooking up with Reverend William Stryker in a romantic pairing of the twisted. The kind of enemy who has the will and ability to slice your legs off in battle (as poor Sunfire learned), Deathstrike continues to plague the X-Men and their allies time and again.
Kevin MacTaggert, son of Dr. Moira MacTaggert and her politician husband Joseph, is better known as Proteus or even Mutant X. Kevin was born out of some rather dire circumstances. His father raped his mother and then forced her to marry him. This led to Kevin's birth and Moira ran away before John could get to him.
Forced to live in seclusion in his mother's Muir Island research facility, due to his uncontrollable hunger for energy, she locked him in a cell sustained by isoteric energy fields to keep herself and others safe. This also kept his body from burning itself out as well. At one point he escaped the cell after the X-Men and Magneto had a battle damaging the facility. He took over the body of Angus MacWhirther to disappear unnoticed.
Speaking of taking over bodies, Kevin once took over his father's just so he could kill him. After Proteus came into contact with Colossus in a battle, due to his weakness to metal, his energy was dispersed all over the world thusly killing him. Years later a mutant by the name of Piecemeal tried to absorb all of Proteus' dispersed energy. Piecemeal was so unhappy in this state that he decided to commit suicide.
Proteus, who named himself after a Greek god, can alter reality, has telepathic abilities and can bend the laws of physics. He can also change the weather, take mutant's powers, turn anything into liquid and possess other humans. Only creatures with metal in their bodies are immune.
Mister Mxyzptlk
We can't really pronounce his name either, but this little trans-dimensional circus carnie pest is just as trying on our patience as he is on Superman's. Mxyzptlk is not one of Superman's most interesting or dynamic rogues, but he is one of the most consistent and annoying ones the Man of Steel faces.
Arguably, his appearance in the Alan Moore story "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" is his best, allowing the character to become more than just a trickster and provide some major torment for Superman during his last days.
This fifth-dimensional sorcerer, made up of "other things" than just a funny derby hat, was a welcomed addition to "Tomorrow"'s inventive "what if" storyline, and most fans consider that to be his biggest glory. That, and a few extended appearances here and there, are all that prevent us from saying his name backwards and making him go away.
First appearing in the Elseworlds mini-series Kingdom Come, Magog is a kind of semi-villain who works for the cause of good, but with few boundaries.
In Kingdom Come, Magog's rise as a postmodern "hero" is contrasted with Superman's fall. He kills the Joker (who is in custody for the killing of Lois Lane), and is subsequently acquitted. Unable to deal, Supes goes into hiding. It's then that Magog becomes the leader of a new group of more ruthless heroes called the Justice Battalion.
When a catastrophic battle between the Battalion and the villainous Parasite decimates American's heartland, Superman and his new Justice League have a violent confrontation with Magog.
He is captured by the League and ultimately has a change of heart, saving as many lives as he can in the subsequent battle before retiring to Paradise Island.
The character has since been introduced into the DCU mainstream. In this iteration, Magog is a former Marine who becomes metahuman after interacting with a mystical artifact while on a mission in Iraq. He is then recruited by the Justice Society of America, but is later killed in an attack led by the JSA and Gog.
Gog reanimates Reid, dubbing him "Magog," and empowers him by replacing his shattered arm and eye with golden versions. Magog then leads half of the fractured Justice Society in support of Gog, before realizing the error of ways. Infuriated by Gog's horrific treatment of his fellow heroes, Magog joins with the rest of the JSA to defeat Gog and cuts off his head.
Saint of Killers
Once, the Saint of Killers was just a man. After serving in the Confederate Army - he was feared for his mercilessness on the battlefield - the grizzled man became a bounty hunter in the West. It was there that he met a woman who cracked his harsh exterior. The two made a life together and had a child.
But this isn't a story with a happy ending. The woman and child fall ill and his attempts to save them are foiled by a gang of outlaws. Driven to rage by the death of his family, the man slaughters the outlaws, kills an innocent bystander, but runs out of bullets as he confronts the gang's leader. The leader kills him and the man is sent to Hell, where he is ultimately banished by the Devil - his hate causes Hell to literally freeze over. The Angel of Death allows him to return to Earth on the condition that he undertakes the duty of collecting the souls of those who die by violence.
Now he's the new face of Death, and woe be it to anyone who crosses his path.
This angel of death is straight out of an old spaghetti western. He wields two enormous revolvers that never miss their mark and never fail to kill their target.
Clayface
The villainous Clayface is one of Batman's oldest foes. The first iteration of the character, Basil Karlo, first appeared in Detective Comics #40 (1940).
Perhaps the Caped Crusader has been unable to rid Gotham of this threat because he doesn't know where to start. There have been more versions of Clayface than drummers for Spinal Tap - there have been six, actually.
The original, re-emergent, and ultimate incarnation, is a failed actor named Basil Karlo. He was the star of a classic horror film that was scheduled for a remake. While remakes of horror movies are rarely good news, Karlo took it especially hard. He donned the mask of Clayface, the villain he played in the movie, and began killing the new cast and crew. Before long, he was apprehended by the dynamic duo and left to rot in Arkham Asylum.
Other criminals adopted his persona, but with a strange twist. Sondra Fuller's clay-like body was able to change shapes, and Preston Payne's corrosive body could melt others with a touch. This duo eventually broke Karlo out of prison. Through a blood transfusion, Karlo gained their powers and suddenly became a very real threat to Gotham. Batman has faced no shortage of Clayfaces over the years, but Karlo could be the most dangerous.
Born William Baker, Flint Marko is one of Spider-Man's biggest foes: Sandman. As his name would imply, Sandman's body is formed with sand, allowing him to manipulate his body into any shape.
Victim of a poor environment, Marko grew up in the slums and quickly found his way into organized crime. Long before he had his incredible powers, he was a no good thug. During a stint in prison, Marko's girlfriend, Marcy Conroy, left him for another member of gang. This infuriated Marko, who, upon release from prison, killed Conroy's new lover and then went on a crime spree.
It wasn't long before Marko found himself back in jail. He managed to escape, an act which would change his life forever. Marko took refuge on a beach near a nuclear test site. One reactor malfunction later and Marko was bathed in radiation, fusing his molecules with the sand. In real life, this event would have looks a bit more like the ending of Raiders of the Lost Ark, but in the world of comics, it meant Marko was now a super-villain.
When in sand form, Sandman can take any shape he wishes and increase his density and strength to lift up to 85 tons. Marko can form his hands into weapons, such as a hammer or mace, form a near-impenetrable wall of sand or create a dust storm. He has long been a fan-favorite foe of Spider-Man.
Thunderbolt Rose
Lots of people don't get along with their father-in-laws. But when that father-in-law is partly responsible for turning you into a giant green monster where every time you stub your toe or someone cuts you off in traffic and you get really mad, things could become a little strained at Thanksgiving.
General Thaddeus E. "Thunderbolt" Ross is best known as the father-in-law of Dr. Bruce Banner, who sometimes goes by The Incredible Hulk. Ross was the head of the Gamma Bomb Project, which turned Banner into the hero that he is today. He takes it upon himself to try and kill the monster with the aid of his Army battalion the "Hulkbusters," and at one point MODOK. He has committed treason chasing the Hulk and has even been discharged from the military.
At one point, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Clay Quartermain recruited Ross to merge with a lesser-known Hulk villain Zzzax. In the aftermath, the former General was fatally wounded. He realized his longtime foe was actually a force for good, and gave his blessing to Bruce and Betsy on his deathbed.
Over the last several years, Thunderbolt has been resurrected and is once again leading the crusade against the Hulk. His popularity has led to his inclusion in both Hulk films and he is currently involved (somehow) in the Red Hulk case in monthly comic books.
William Stryker
Few villains are scarier than those who truly believe they are doing God's work. Such is the case with William Stryker, a televangelist who uses his position of influence to turn as many as he can against Mutants, a species he believes is an abomination that should be wiped off the face of the Earth.
For 20 years, Stryker was known only for a single appearance, in the X-Men graphic novel "God Loves, Man Kills." However the storyline was so powerful it directly influenced the excellent X2: X-Men United. The film took the general framework from that graphic novel - in which Stryker kidnaps Professor X and attempts to use him to unwittingly help set off a machine that can kill all mutants on Earth. The film revised Stryker to be a corrupt United States Army General.
Thanks to X2's hype and success, Stryker has played a major part in modern X-Men comics, where he's proved to be just as dedicated to his cause as ever, targeting every last mutant on Earth as his "holy crusade" continues.
As is the case with so many longtime DC characters, the Cheetah has undergone many revisions throughout her seven decades of existence. This classic Wonder Woman villain has seen no less than four incarnations, including one where the furry bombshell babe was replaced by a man.
The third, and current, Cheetah is British anthropologist Dr. Barbara Ann Minerva. Heiress to a vast fortune, Minerva was selfish and raised by her parents' servants. Throughout her childhood she grew to be very neurotic. At seventeen her parents were killed in a car accident, which permanently disabled Ann as well. She decided to visit Africa to search for the powers of the cheetah to heal herself. Ingesting a combination of human blood and berries of the plant-god Urzkartaga, she became Cheetah, but not without a catch. The Cheetah host was supposed to be a virgin, and Minerva wasn't. Her transformation was part curse and part blessing, as she experienced severe pain in her human form and bloodthirsty elation in her cat form.
As one of the most iconic and oldest Wonder Woman villains, Cheetah was an absolute must for our villains list.
Neil Gaiman is responsible for creating one of the more complex and, dare we say, sympathetic portrayals of the devil is quite some time. Lucifer's adventures on Earth following his exit from Hell are methodical and patient, poetic in their simplicity and always underlined with a sense of menace.
Part of Lucifer's appeal as a villain is that he doesn't brow beat readers over the head with his villainy. His intellect is matched by his ability to manipulate creation into what he imagines. Any being that can marshal demons to battle angels and still find time to stir humanity from indifference is a threat no one can ignore. Yet somehow, Lucifer's ability to stay below the radar and simultaneously impact mankind is both a gift and a curse.
Being mostly confined to the Sandman universe has not stopped this character from making an impact, but it has prevented Lucifer Morningstar from making the epic one he deserves. But we like his less is more approach. Lucifer doesn't have to lie to make you do what he wants. Worse, he tells the truth and allows people to find their own way to Hell.
Victor Fries had an obsession with freezing things even as a small child, which led him into the field of cryogenics. When his wife Nora fell seriously ill, he discovered a way to cryogenically freeze her body until a cure could be found.
Fries' colleague attempted to stop the process, and the ensuing struggle doused Fries with hazardous chemicals. These chemicals induced strange physical changes in his body: his skin grew pale, he could only survive in sub-zero temperatures and his mind became fractured. Fries created a containment suit that served to protect his body and augment his strength, as well as a gun capable of flash-freezing anything in its sights.
With his wife gone and his grip on humanity shattered, the newly dubbed Mr. Freeze began terrorizing the citizens of Gotham City. His gun became a way of inflicting on others the pain he feels in his own heart. Though his crimes typically serve little purpose, Mr. Freeze is still coldly ruthless and one of Batman's most deadly foes.
Pathos is a key ingredient in any great villain, and Freeze has tons of it. This man dedicated his life's work to curing his cryogenically-frozen wife's cancer, and just happened to fall victim to one of those unfortunate accidents that seems to always befall comic book characters. Who can't relate to that?
More importantly, Victor Fries' loss is as deep as Bruce Wayne's, which makes him such a dynamic antagonist. To up the stakes even further, the comics have progressed Mr. Freeze into a truly deranged lunatic, one who has given up all hope of reviving his dead wife and accepted a career of unadulterated murder. Good stuff.
Herr Starr
Writer Garth Ennis created one of the most colorful comic book villains of all time when he conjured up Herr Starr, foe of Preacher protagonist Jesse Custer. A former German special forces solider, Starr is recruited by the Grail and tasked with recovering Custer - but he has plans of his own. He intends to use Custer in his own scheme to overthrow the leadership of the Grail.
Starr's countenance is marred by a series of scars around his right eye that form star shape - they were put there by bullies in his youth whom he has long since dispatched with. He is a skilled marksman, despite not having sight in one eye, but is not especially adept at unarmed combat - his justification for this is that he has "no intention of being unarmed."
Through a bizarre string of punishment that is meted out to Starr, a running gag in the series, the character becomes even more disfigured. He loses a leg after being attacked by three hillbillies, he has his right ear shot off, and Jesse cuts a penis-shaped gash in his forehead. Oh, and to add insult to injury a Rottweiler bites off his genitals. After each humiliating incident, Starr merely utters a glib, "S***." That's his final word, in fact, as he's killed by Tulip who shoots a bullet through his chin and blows off the top of his head.
Kang the Conqueror
Although he has no superpowers, Kang is a genius, history scholar, physicist and engineer. Due to his expertise in time travel, he is trained in 40th century combat and has battle armor that has sweet hologram and force field capabilities. With the help of his time ship, he also has access to technology of any century.
Born Nathaniel Richards, Kang is an ancestor to the Fantastic Four's Reed Richards. Bored with his time, he travels back to ancient Egypt and becomes Pharaoh Rama-Tut. Luckily, the Fantastic Four and Doctor Strange just so happened to be time traveling as well, and stopped him.
Calling himself the Scarlet Centurion, he somehow manages to manipulate the original Avengers into fighting the Avengers of the actual time. After he is thwarted, he goes back to his home century and becomes Kang the Conqueror and starts his own empire. Most of his problems seem to stem from women though, as he tries to impress Princess Ravonna by defeating the Avengers. He also tries to woo Celestial Madonna, which leads to the death of Avenger the Swordman.
Kang later battles Hawkeye and Thor in the Old West. He ends up drawing too much energy, and destroys himself. But Kang somehow returns. Even though the original was dead, a number of flawed Kangs were created due to his constant time travel, The more-stable Kangs form a council to stop the stupider ones.
Poison Ivy, AKA Pamela Isley, first appeared in Batman #181. Her blood is quite literally toxic, but her pheromone scent is absolutely intoxicating.
It takes true sex appeal to have a name reminiscent of uncomfortable itching but to still have men falling all over you. Some villains strike at Batman's loved ones, some at his partner, but Poison Ivy goes straight for the Bat. Coy, sexy and very deadly, we can see why so many men fall under her spell.
All of Batman's foes wield a certain advantage over the Dark Knight that makes them a formidable opponent. For the Scarecrow, that advantage is fear. For Two-Face, it's the feelings of guilt he inspiress. Pamela Isley lands on this list because she employs two deadly weapons that are as old and primitive as time itself: Sex and mind-control (or are they the same thing? We can never be sure).
Ivy adds some much needed estrogen to Batman's rogues' gallery, proving that terrorizing Batman and Gotham City isn't a job for men alone. With her hypnotic powers and her ability to control plant life, she's also one of Bats' few super-powered foes. Whether she's turning Gotham's version of Central Park into her own twisted jungle playground, tearing up the town with Harley Quinn, or terrorizing Gotham's elite industrialists or brain-washing Superman to kill Batman, Ivy always proves a worthy adversary. The point is that a relatable, sympathetic person exists deep within the Poison Ivy character, and that's the most essential ingredient for any great antagonist. Plus, she's deadly, ruthless and sexy as all hell.
Once known as Samuel Sterns, a chemical plant employee of Boise, Idaho, he was moving radioactive materials one day. Somehow they exploded and Sterns was subjected to gamma radiation. After recovering, he became a green-skinned giant-brained genius who called himself The Leader, due apparently to his subconscious desire to be as smart as his physicist brother Philip.
After the radiation, The Leader could predict outcomes of things in advance, had a perfect memory, superhuman intelligence and could control normal humans by only touching them. He is sophisticated in weaponry, computers, humanoids physics and genetics. He also has an army of plastic Humanoids, which he used to try and rewrite Earth's history, overthrow the US government and capture the Hulk to study him and steal Bruce Banner's Absorbatron to absorb the energy of a nuclear explosion.
At one point, The Leader rescues the Hulk from a battle and operated on him to save his life. Indebted, The Hulk goes to the home world of The Watcher and raids his "Ultimate Machine, which contains all the knowledge in the universe. This ends up being too much knowledge for The Leader and he collapses. The Leader then joins forces with General Ross to fight The Hulk. He has created android duplicates of the President and Vice President while trying to kidnap them and he even gamma-radiated Manhattan's water supply to mutate the human race into being like him. He even bombed Middletown, Arizona, killing thousands and built his own society called Freehold in the Arctic which was populated only with people dying from radiation poisoning.
Dr. Curt Connors was once a skilled surgeon who enlisted in the army to help wounded GIs. After a blast injured his arm, it had to be amputated. When he got back to the states as a research technologist, he became obsessed with the secrets of reptiles and their limb regenerating abilities. Connors created an experimental serum from reptile DNA and made himself the guinea pig. His arm did grow back but not without side effects-the main one being turning into a giant human lizard.
As Lizard, Dr. Connors has superhuman strength, speed and agility. He can scale walls, regenerate limbs and whip his tail at high speeds. The Lizard can also mentally command all reptiles within a one-mile radius. What makes Lizard so hard to deal with is the man inside the monster. Peter Parker continually uses his own scientific prowess to change him back into his friend Curt Connors. But with stress or chemical reactions, he always seems to go back into remission. Even though he shows no love for humans, you can also still tell that Dr. Connors is inside there somewhere, as he never seems to harm his wife Martha or their son Billy. Aww.
As Connors, he's sacrificed turning back into Lizard to help Spider-Man many a time. He's saved Aunt May's life, developing a formula to dissolve the Rhino's costume and etc. all to later become the Lizard again since he had to deal with chemicals. He also let Parker be his teaching assistant at Empire State University for a time, and you know how unreliable Parker can be.
Parasite has taken several forms in the Superman comics. This DC supervillain, as his name suggests, has the ability absorb energy, knowledge, and superpowers simply by touching another being. As you can imagine, that makes him a formidable adversary to the Man of Steel.
The character's original Silver Age origin introduced him as a simple plant worker who became exposed to hazardous material -- junk that was brought back from space by Superman -- that transformed him into a purple-hued parasitic entity (who rocks sweet green briefs).
Parasite's Modern Age revamp introduced the character in a similar manner, but an epic lunar battle with Superman resulted in the new Parasite being mutated into a grotesque monster with a gaping leech-like maw. He later absorbed a shapeshifting being, granting him the ability to mimic any of his victims. Superman defeated Parasite once and for all after he kidnapped Lois Lane. In the Kingdom Come graphic novel, it is Parasite who is responsible for the cataclysmic events that destroy much of the American Midwest. In a battle with Magog and his Justice Battalion, Parasite rips apart Captain Atom, unleashing a devastating nuclear explosion.
She may not possess the dangerous feminine charms or impressive superpowers of a villain like Poison Ivy, but Amanda "The Wall" Waller is as deadly a foe as any in the DC pantheon.
Waller, who first appeared in Legends#1, is a widow from Chicago who used her bright mind to escape a hard life in the Cabrini-Green housing projects -- her daughters and her husband were murdered there. She studied political science, and became a congressional aide. Early in her career, she discovered the existence of the Task Force X/the Suicide Squad, an undercover group of supervillains who are contracted out by the government in return for amnesty. Waller saw an opportunity to improve the program, made a pitch to the White House, and was placed in charge of the Squad.
President Lex Luthor promoted Waller to Secretary of Metahuman Affairs, but Waller was jailed when his administration collapsed. She is soon released, however, and becomes involved in the covert-ops Checkmate organization -- first as Black King, and then as White Queen. She is later implanted with nanotechnology which allows her to control Chemo during missions.
Some comic book villains are motivated by greed, or the need for revenge, or pure and simple insanity. The Riddler is a little different - you might say he embarked on a career in crime for the fun of it, at least in a very specific way. Obsessed with puzzles, mind-games, and elaborate death traps, he's compelled to commit crimes that involve some form of complex mental challenge. (What compels him to dress in bright green, though, is anybody's guess.)
In his early days, Edward Nygma was a bright young boy who enjoyed showing off his mental acuity. This led him to a career as a carnival con-man, where he could easily dupe fair-goers out of their money with his schemes. Eventually, this proved far too easy to satisfy his boundless ego. He embarked on an escalating series of crimes in search of a more worthy opponent - of course, he found exactly that in Batman.
The Riddler is a classic example of the "talking killer." He can't simply commit a crime - he has to create an elaborate scheme with which to pull off the job. Proving the worth of his superior brainpower is his real goal, which is why he's occasionally taken on less legally questionable challenges as well. For instance, he offered his services as a consultant to Carmine Falcone, when the mob boss sought to determine the identity of the Holiday killer. While his stock as a villain may have dropped in recent times, Riddler has had more than his fair share of greatest hits over the years - the most noteworthy being his deduction of Batman's secret identity (which he has since forgotten after a head injury). When it comes down to it, the Riddler is one of the few rogues capable of rivaling Batman's knack for detection and deduction. If only he'd drop the whole legit lifestyle and get back to wreaking havoc on Gotham City.
Few villains have done more with less. The pencil-thin Crane has one of the most effective attacks of DC's Rogues Gallery. How many other villains have routinely made Batman afraid? Crane's downfall is his own shortsightedness. But as the creepy figure in the night, he helps open up interesting avenues into the Dark Knight's psyche. That's true power.
Dr. Jonathan Crane is one of the most formidable and thematically intriguing Batman villains of all time. As a child, he was bullied and tormented, so he decided to research the human psyche and how people dealt with fear. After being fired from a teaching position, Crane decided to use his knowledge to literally scare people to death for the supposed trauma he suffered in his life. Scarecrow wants nothing less than everyone in Gotham to be as afraid as he once was.
The Dark Knight's single greatest weapon in his war on crime is fear, and the Scarecrow is the only villain truly capable of taking that advantage away from him. The sole fact that the Scarecrow is often capable of bringing the Dark Knight to his knees by inducing hallucinations of his greatest tragedies - his parents' murder, Jason Todd's death at the hands of the Joker, etc. - makes him a no-brainer for this list. That he also happened to play such a huge role in revitalizing the Batman film franchise makes him rank even higher on our evaluation of best comic baddies.
Created because they wanted the Green Goblin back but didn't want Norman Osborn or Bart Hamilton involved, or have Harry Osborn become him again, creators instead decided to make a new character in the Goblin heritage. With a secret identity as convoluted behind the scenes as it was on the comic pages, Roderick Kingsley ended up being the first incarnation of Hobgoblin. A billionaire fashion designer with underworld connections, he came into his riches rather unethically.
After Kingsley was almost murdered by fashion rival Narda Ravanna aka Belladonna, he decided to protect himself a little better. Luckily, one of his thugs stumbled across Norman Osborn's Green Goblin lair. Kingsley then killed him so he wouldn't tell anyone.
He perfected Osborn's strength potion since he was a whiz at chemistry and biology. None of those pesky side effects Osborn had like blacking out for long periods of time. And he updated Greeny's gadgets, like the glider and the Jack O'Lantern bombs. He was also a huge narcissist. Kingsley ended up wanting to leave the Hobgoblin behind, so he decided to frame Spider-Man advocate Flash Thompson. But Jason Philip Macendale Jr., also known as Jack O'Lantern, got in the way by trying to break him out of jail for the framed crimes. Kingsley then pretended that Daily Bugle reporter Ned Leeds was the Hobgoblin by brainwashing him. Macendale paid Foreigner to take him out. People believed he was the Hobgoblin for years after his murder.
Dormammu
You couldn't miss Dormammu if you saw him. Flames coming out of his head, he and his sister Umar were part of the energy-based extra-dimensional Faltine race. Their greed got the best of them, though, and they began bonding matter to themselves to further gain power.
Dormammu is composed of pure energy and his raw magical power as a sorcerer is basically unmatched. He can replenish these powers by worship in different dimensions. He can also transmutate matter, teleport through those dimensions, time travel, and he is said to be even more powerful than Mephisto. He's a genius too and also has mystical strength and speed. He also looks like Ghost Rider if Ghost Rider would be caught dead in something purple and red.
Being a representative of Lord Chaos, he battled Odin in cosmic chess to a draw. Odin wanted the draw, mind you. Dormammu would have kept playing. He even once beat Eternity in chess. Eternity, like the time and space eternity. Yeah.
His biggest nemesis is Dr. Strange, and he has allied himself with Baron Mordo against the good doctor. Strange is the love interest of Dormammu's sister's daughter, Clea, so maybe that has something to do with it. He's just being a good uncle! Dormammu has also allied with Loki in a war with the Avengers. He's taken possession of Doctor Strange's body, he along with his sister once beat Eternity and remade the universe and he also is the demon behind the powers of The Hood.
Sebastian Shaw
Sebastian Hiram Shaw is the leader of the New York branch of the Hellfire Club, an exclusive secret society bent on world domination. Although to the public, he is a legitimate businessman and ordinary human. Shaw created Shaw Industries and was a billionaire by 40, after being a successful engineering student at Carnegie Mellon University. He used some of his billions to fund the mutant-hunting Sentinel program. His fiancé Lourdes Chantel was killed by a Sentinel but let's not be conspiracy theorists.
She is so evil that his own son, Shinobi Shaw, who can alter his body's density, phased his hand into his father's chest to try and induce a coronary. Not happy with that outcome, Shinobi then set off a bomb in Shaw's mountain chalet.
Shaw is also partly responsible for Phoenix becoming Dark Phoenix. After Professor X was "outed" as a mutant, Shaw apparently returned to his capitalist roots and converted the New York branch of the Hellfire Club into a strip club. Said to be a safe haven for mutants, he used telepathic strippers to gain secrets from his patrons.
Shaw's mutant powers include the ability to absorb kinetic energy, which thusly increases his strength. So if you hit him, he gets more powerful. You can even shoot him or stab him and he still gets more powerful. Shaw also doesn't need to sleep if he gets punched enough. Just don't touch him, how about that?
When you have a character built up to be as incredibly (forgive the term) strong as the Hulk, it becomes nearly impossible to give him a credible threat. Enter the Abomination - created, for all intents and purposes, as the evil version of the Hulk.
Emil Blonsky might have begun as a Cold War era Russian spy, but after he was exposed to Gamma Rays, he became the same kind of huge, green, impossibly strong creature as the Hulk, giving the Hulk his first true equal in battle. More so, Blonsky had a couple of notable apparent advantages the Hulk didn't have, including keeping his own intelligence and personality while transformed, and a "normal" strength level that was even greater than the Hulk.
Still, thanks to the old "madder the Hulk gets, the stronger the Hulk gets" rule, Abomination was on the losing side of most fights. But in recent years, his approach became more psychological and cunning. In one of the more direct and scarring attacks a comic book arch enemy has achieved in comics, Abomination killed Bruce Banner's wife, Betty - and framed Bruce in the process. While Bruce's innocence would eventually be revealed, Abomination's actions would have longtime repercussions.
Kraven the Hunter
Also known as Sergei Kravinoff, Kraven was a big game hunter who set his eyes on Spider-Man to prove to the world that he was the best hunter around.
Instead of using guns, he chose to take his prey down with his bare hands. That sounds like an even fight and al,l but he definitely had preparation and a magic jungle potion for strength, speed and game tracking on his side. He also has a great knowledge of pressure points and knows how to create poisons and tranquilizers better than the average bear. And sweet leopard pants. Despite being over 70 years of age, he has the physical appearance of a 30-year-old man. It's probably the sweet leopard pants.
At one point, Kraven actually does end up defeating Spider-Man. He shoots the wall crawler with a tranquilizer dart and then buries him alive, even though he thinks he's dead. Kraven, who then puts on an outfit similar to Spider-Man's costume, ventures into New York to, ironically, attack criminals. He then captures Vermin, who Spider-Man needed to defeat with the help of Captain America. Spider-Man revives himself, digs out of the grave and attacks Kraven. Once confronted, Kraven doesn't fight back since he already accomplished what he set out to do. Kraven releases Vermin, who defeats a weak Spider-Man to the point of death before Kraven intervenes and separates the two.
Kraven then tells Spider-Man his hunting days are over, retires to his home finally at peace with his work and commits suicide by a self-induced shotgun wound. Hopefully he didn't get any blood on his sweet leopard pants.
Superman could rip a cyborg into tiny pieces and use its fingers as a toothpick, unless that cyborg is powered by kryptonite. Enter Metallo.
A human brain with a cyborg body and a kryptonite heart, he has super strength and agility and can absorb any mechanical or metal object and make it an extension of his exoskeleton.
The first incarnation was George Grant. Then came journalist John Corben, who doubled as a thief and murderer. He suffered an accident while running from the scene of a crime and his body was mangled because of it. A professor by the name of Vale took Corben's brain and put it into a robotic body with fleshlike skin. Terminator much?
Corben, or "Corben's brain in a robot with fake skin on it," got a job at the Daily Planet, tried to "get" with Lois Lane and then decided to try and kill Superman as a hobby. He created a kryptonite trap for Superman but accidentally put the wrong metal in his power supply. He died because of that. Superman escaped. Corben's brother Roger then decided to avenge his brother's death by going through the same process, since it worked out so well the first time.
A "gentleman of crime," The Penguin is one of the few Batman villains that is actually in complete control of his actions - he's mostly sane, but we think he'd still do better on some meds.
Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot was born into a wealthy family and tormented throughout his childhood due to his freakish appearance - his paunchy belly, short stature, and elongated nose earned him the Penguin nickname. And his overbearing widowed mother forced him to always carry an umbrella - convinced he would die of pneumonia like his father were he caught in an unexpected downpour.
Cobblepot's oddball nature caused him to be rejected by his upper-crust family, an experience which turned him to a life of crime -- one that suits him just fine. A master strategist, Penguin uses his considerable intellect, wit, and wealth to manipulate every situation to his advantage. And he executes it with a hoity toity style all his own.
The Penguin is not universally appreciated by Bat-fans, but his place in the pantheon of great comic villains is secured by pop cultural impact alone.
Cassandra Nova
Cassandra Nova was born without a body. So to fix this problem, she decided to copy Charles Xavier's DNA, effectively becoming his twin sister. They grew together all happy-like in the womb until X sensed her evil thoughts. He tried to kill her, but she survived as cell matter and clung to a sewer wall for years, rebuilding herself physically and imitating humans. Out of this brother-sister love, she decided to destroy Professor X's X-Men and his love Lilandra.
Cassandra Nova basically has the powers of Professor X like telekinesis and telepathy. Another more important tool in her arsenal is her ability to block his thoughts from entering her mind. She can mimic the voice and DNA of others, which comes in handy when she pretends to be Donald Trask and gets the Sentinels to kill 16 million mutants on Genosha. She is so powerful that she once took over Professor X's body through the help of Cerebra (an updated version of Cerebro). Then she shot him.
Still in Professor X's body, she forced Xavier Institute student Beak to beat Beast into a coma. She was so powerful, Jean Grey had to split X's conscience into pieces and store them into every mutant's mind.
Anti-Monitor
Villains come in all shapes and sizes, Anti-Monitor comes in one: Epic. Before playing a key role in the threat posed by Sinestro's Corps, his unique brand of evil made a permanent mark on the DCU during the Crisis on Infinite Earths, a storyline considered to be a classic. Here, Anti-Monitor became the Multiverse's most significant threat, earning a permanent spot on the Green Lantern Corps' Most Wanted list.
The science of Anti-Monitor's villainy makes even die-hard comics fans go cross-eyed - weaponized antimatter waves, absorbing the energies of positive matter universes - but the consequences of his actions leave us understandably in awe of his effect on the brave heroes who set out to stop him. Some of which, like Barry Allen Flash and Supergirl, gave their lives to save this world from his menace.
Unfortunately, Anti-Monitor has only appeared in two major story lines. But when he does show up, it is an Event. He changes things, forever. Which may explain why, unfortunately (or fortunately), he is used so sparingly.
Besides moonlighting as a Marvel villain, Mephisto is also the ruler of Hell and the comic book version of Satan. Spooky. He can shape shift, change time and has superhuman strength. You can try to kill him, but he will regenerate, so don't waste your time. His strongest ability though is his power of manipulation.
He is also buddies with Death. The two made a pact where Mephisto would be allowed to keep the souls of the dead. He can also keep the souls of the living but only with their permission. He is not buddies though with Silver Surfer or Thor, seeing as they're sort of opposing examples of what mankind could become if positivity and good cheer got its way.
He pissed off Doctor Doom by holding the soul of his mother, Cynthia von Doom, captive. He took the soul and brains of Mister Fantastic, his wife Invisible Woman and even their son Franklin Richards when they screwed up an exorcism.
That's not even the good stuff. When the Scarlet Witch tried to use magic to have babies with her husband Vision, she accidentally summons two shards of Mephisto's soul, which then became her infant twins. When she finds their true origin, Mephisto sucks them back into his body. Scarlet Witch then goes nuts because of it. Clearly, Mephisto is not one with whom to mess with.
Thanos, who made his debut on Iron Man #55 (Feb. 1973), has only one goal, and that goal is to conquer the galaxy. Building a base on Earth, he has an army of alien mercenaries with a quest to find the Cosmic Cube, which has the power to grant any wish.
Thanos also has a thing for "bad girls" since he fell in love with the "mistress" Death. And to prove his love, instead of roses or writing her a poem, he was going to destroy all the life in the universe. How romantic.
At one point, Thanos finds the Cosmic Cube and wishes to be in control of everything. Obviously, Captain Marvel takes some issue with this and destroys the Cube, thus taking away his newfound power. Then, since he isn't powerful anymore, Death dumps him.
Born on Titan, a moon of Saturn, Thanos comes from the race of the Eternals. But he had a Deviant gene in him somewhere and started to resemble them more. Like many odd-looking youngsters, Thanos distances himself from his society and becomes a recluse. He's so much of an outsider, that he starts his own nuclear attack and kills millions of his race. Oh and he once kidnapped his mother and dissected her. He also even trained his daughter to become an assassin.
He has the power of telekinesis and matter manipulation, has superhuman intellect, can master any technology, time travel and even teleport. He also looks like a gorilla.
One has to admire how Doomsday rolls. If we were genetically engineered to be murdered repeatedly, in an attempt to become immune to death and destruction, just so we could kill Superman, then we would phone it in for the rest of our days, too.
It's not like he has anything left to prove, it's not like Lex Luthor and company can give him a whole lot of static. All he has to do is ask the room to raise their hands if you've killed a superhero and count his as the only one showing.
The character arguably peaked way too early in his villainous career, and hasn't done anything as epic since, hence his ranking here at number 46. He delivered a devastating blow to DC's most iconic hero, in one of the most well-known comics of all time. But the powers at be have yet to drop him in a story as memorable or worthwhile as the Death of Superman arc.
Despite his crowning achievement coming at the beginning of his infamous career, attention must be paid to this miracle of evolution. He can adapt to anything that comes at him in the field, from sound guns to plasma swords. The more others try to stop him the more unstoppable he becomes (Darkseid and his Omega Beams learned that one the hard way). He does not eat or sleep and his body is made out of bone protrusions he can use as weapons. On the surface, he may seem like a one-trick pony. But we wouldn't recommend saying that to the face of the thing that murdered the Last Son of Krypton.
Despite being a character born from the classic Batman: The Animated Series, you would think she has been around since minute one of Joker's détente with the Batman. A testament to Harley's villainy and appeal is the fact that she turned what was a solid supporting role on a TV series into a canon-worthy DC mainstay. Her upcoming role in Gotham City Sirens, alongside Poison Ivy, is further proof of our welcomed investment in Harley.
She is not the strongest of rogues in Batman's gallery, and she is not necessarily the most malevolent. But she is quick to turn on the crazy, and even quicker to please her Mr. J. That combination alone makes her a constant threat, and an integral part of Batman's series, which more than any other original character from TAS can say.
Harley Quinn is unpredictable yet most comfortable in the role of Joker's misunderstood number two, despite certain storylines trying to put more responsibility upon the character. Harley works best in small to moderate amounts, yet we never tire of her antics and conflict. That's saying a lot for a character who didn't start out as a Batman staple, but will forever be one going forward.
Talia's origin has never been all too important in regards to her vital role in the Batman mythos. What's important is that she's Ra's Al Ghul's daughter, and she's madly in love with the Dark Knight. She may be the head of the infamous League of Assassins, but Talia al Ghul is a little more complicated than your average villain. Her motives are usually pure, even when her methods are not, and she's been of great help to Batman and other heroes from time to time.
Her mother having died when she was very young and Talia was raised by her father, who trained her to become his assistant in the running of his vast operation. She's a talented martial artist, capable of defending herself with or without a weapon, and like her father she can be resurrected in his network of hidden Lazarus Pits.
Talia first encountered Batman when her father sought to determine whether Bruce Wayne would prove a fitting match for his daughter, and thus inherit his empire. Batman refused to have any part of the deal, but not before Talia fell in love with him.
Since then, the two have had several run-ins, both direct and indirect. In particular, it was Talia who used a Lazarus Pit to revive Jason Todd, the second Robin, and helped him embark on a campaign of vengeance as the Red Hood. More to her credit, Talia happens to be one of the few people who've successfully double-crossed Lex Luthor - installed as the head of LexCorp after Luthor was elected president of the United States, she used the opportunity to reveal Luthor's crimes to the world.
Mongul
Question: Who managed to not only come close to defeating Superman (in Kal-El's own home, no less), but Batman, Robin and Wonder Woman as well? Answer: Mongul. Don't let the purple and awkward yellow attire fool you, Mongul is someone to tread very lightly around. He is also one whose brute strength is only rivaled by his brooding ego.
Always trying to get his hands on a super weapon of sorts, whether it be Warworld or a planet destroying death ray, Mongul has fought with Superman and murdered his way to detente rather than absolute victory. In his efforts to best those he deems beneath him, Superman has routinely become a frequent opponent.
Arguably, Mongul's closest thing to true victory came in Alan Moore's "For the Man Who Has Everything". There, he decided to end Kal-El's life on ironically his birthday, using a plant-like device to put Superman in a permanent dream state - one where the victim's vision of their ideal desires traps them in a prison of illusion. His plan would have worked, were it not for Batman & Robin and Wonder Woman's efforts. But the fact that he even tried it, let alone came this close to succeeding, is why the DCU should always fear him… even ranking at 41.
Baron Zemo II
Helmut J. Zemo, the son of Baron Heinrich Zemo, followed in his father's footsteps to become a supervillain. How proud he must be. Beginning his career as an engineer, he was livid when he heard the news that Captain America was coming out of retirement. Why was he so mad? Oh, Mr. America sort of killed his father.
He started out under the moniker The Phoenix, not to be confused with Jean Grey, and quickly captured Captain America. He then accidentally fell into a vat of boiling Adhesive X (the most powerful bonding agent invented) and was thought to be dead. He wasn't. He just looked like a wax figure. Think Joan Rivers.
Years later, he appeared again, allied with Primus, and kidnapped Captain America's friend Arnold Roth to lure the hero into a trap. It didn't work. Later, Zemo was trained under the tutelage of Red Skull and his daughter Mother Superior. Apparently he has a thing for kidnapping Captain America's friends since his buddy David Cox was next. This time, he brainwashed Cox and got him to battle the Captain.
Zemo even once formed an updated version of the group Masters of Evil. They invaded the Avengers Mansion, capturing Captain America and the Black Knight and brutally beating Hercules and Jarvis, in one of the Avengers darkest hours. He then subsequently fell off the roof. He also fell into a volcano once.
Excluding all the falling, Zemo is known for being a genius, skilled in combat and is an excellent marksman. The Moonstones even granted Helmut superhuman powers including but not limited to light and gravity manipulation, molecular phasing, flight and the ability to create spatial warps. In recent years, his plans grew more diabolical, including his formation of the Thunderbolts - in actuality all members of the Masters of Evil, whom Zemo had pose as superheroes in order to conquer from within the system. While that plan ultimately failed, the Thunderbolts have continued on, in various incarnations - some seemingly noble, others extremely dangerous.
Shredder, AKA Oroku Saki, is the arch-nemesis of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and their rat-master Splinter. A master in the art of Ninjutsu, Shredder is the leader of the Foot Clan, a fearsome group of warriors and assassins involved in organized crime.
In the original Mirage Comics, revered ninja Hamato Yoshi, once owner of Splinter (pre-mutation), played a key role in Shredder's corruption when he killed his brother in a feud over a woman. Hellbent on revenge, Shredder rose up through the ranks of the Foot Clan and ultimately travelled to New York where he destroyed the powerful Yoshi.
What Shredder didn't count on (we don't really blame him), is that Yoshi's pet rat would mutate into anthropomorphic form and become Sensei to a group of highly-skilled turtle ninjas (also anthropomorphic) and seek to avenge his death.
The Turtles' actually defeated Shredder during their first encounter with him, but a Foot Clan mystic brought the villain back to life using the worms that fed on his body. And lest you forget, the reanimated worm-Shredder's defeat was only short-lived, as he was brought back to life yet again as a Shark-like monster.
Shredder's classic look is samurai-inspired armor, with metal plaques on his shoulders, forearms, hands, and shins. The armor, creator Kevin Eastman says, was inspired by cheese graters. He sports a cape. And Shredder's face, except for his eyes, is obscured by a metal mask.
The Archie Comics version of Shredder, whom most children of the '80s would have come to know before discovering Eastman and Peter Laird's early work, is more of a goofball bad guy.
These issues were initially based on the animated series which saw Shredder take on several different wacky incarnations, including the Ch'rell Utrom version (a gooey stomach-brain creature who lived inside a fighting robot), in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series.
Shredder has appeared in all of the original TMNT videogames, often as the "boss" of the final level.
The X-Men have faced a lot of enemies who fear them simply for being different, but most of these foes have some sort of humanity that can be appealed to or reasoned with. Not so for the Sentinels. Giant, powerful robots, the Sentinels are perhaps the most frightening symbol of hatred against Mutants - machines created to hunt down those born different.
In their very first appearance, the Sentinels decided that the best way to protect humanity was to rule over it and that inclination was taken to its limit in the classic "Days of Future Past" story. There, we saw a future where the Sentinels are essentially the masters of humans and the scourge of Mutants, keeping them locked up in internment camps or simply murdering them outright. Who can forget the visual of a Sentinel disintegrating Wolverine himself?
Though they're mostly known for their uniformity and lack of individuality, there have been a couple of notable Sentinels, including their leader Master Mold and one particularly nasty version from the "Days of Future Past" timeline, Nimrod, who followed Rachel Summers back through time. Eventually, Master Mold and Nimrod would bizarrely be fused into another great X-Men threat, Bastian, whose seemingly human guise allowed him to spearhead Operation: Zero Tolerance, one of the most vicious government programs aimed against Mutants.
The X-Men version of the Terminators, the Sentinels are highly symbolic of the fear and hate Mutants must face.
Hunter Zolomon's turn from troubled youth, to friend and colleague of Wally West, to Zoom is both tragic and inevitable. With his pride getting his way, and the desk he sat behind, it only took a very violent, very breaking, push from Gorilla Grodd to help him become Zoom.
Paralyzed from the waste down, an accident with (ahem) the cosmic treadmill gave Hunter the ability to defy his physical limits and make up his own. He celebrated his newfound powers by extracting revenge on Wally West for refusing to help him when he needed Wally most. Rather, he took his anger out on Wally's wife and tried to murder her.
Wally West saved Linda's life, but Zoom's attack caused Linda to miscarry. This event forever paved the way of what our heroes could expect from Zoom, as did his ability to wield Personal Time Manipulation, which is just a fancy way of saying do evil things, faster than the Flash can maybe move to stop them. His speed is fueled by an ability to bend time itself, something only the fastest of Scarlet Speedsters can do is hope that they can keep up.
Vandal Savage
With a name like Vandal Savage, this guy isn't cut out for being anything else but a villain. Or in his case, a supervillain whose crimes date back, well, before we even wrote dates down.
An equal-opportunity offender to a range of superheroes (Flash, the JSA and Martian Manhunter to name a few), Savage's immortality has allowed him to become quite the foe in the DC Universe. His violence is only matched by his brilliance; a tactician who comes close to matching Luthor's superior intellect. In between becoming a founding member of the Injustice Society and the events of Final Crisis, Savage found time to travel through time, and target the legacies and blood ties of several Golden Age superheroes.
Vandal Savage's genius is a product of a millennia of combat and warfare; a life spent defying boundaries and redefining what a threat really is. In short, he is a very bad man whose only limit is that he has none.
Gorilla Grodd
He might not be as tall as King Kong, or as talented a stage performer as Mighty Joe Young, but Flash comic villain Gorilla Grodd has one over on his big-screen cousins. This would-be world-conquering ape was granted extraordinary intellect and powerful psionic abilities after he and his tribe were exposed to a space-rock (an alien spacecraft in the character's retconned origin) that crashed into the African jungle.
Grodd's lust for power pits him against Solovar, ape-leader of the utopian Gorilla City. When Solovar is captured by humans, Grodd tracks him to Central City (with sinister intentions, of course) where he runs afoul of The Flash.
Since first appearing in The Flash #106 (May 1959), Grodd has assumed a dominate role in the DC Universe. He was once a leader in the short-lived Secret Society of Super-Villains, and is one of the few baddies to have nearly incapacitated Superman.
Much of Grodd's existence has been spent imprisoned in Gorilla City, but he's had little trouble breaking out at will -- seeking freedom each time he formulates another sinister plan to destroy humankind and take over the world. On numerous occasions, Grodd has sought out his old foe, The Flash, in hopes of killing him before he could foil his plans.
Over the years, Grodd has become more and more savage. In an especially gruesome incident, he ravages the African city of Kinshasa (see JLA Classified #103) and eats many of the inhabitants.
Outside of the comics realm, Gorilla Grodd is a recurring villain in the DC Animated Universe, and was featured in the Justice League Heroes videogame.
He broke the Batman's back. That's why he is here, but like Doomsday, he also achieved true villainy very early in his career. Bane has yet to match his Knightfall efforts, which lead to shattering Bruce Wayne. But DC still continues to view him as a valuable player, a character they seem to be quite interested in expanding upon, if his reported role in Sinister Six is any indication.
A hulking figure fueled by Venom, a drug pumped directly to his brain for all his hulking, super-strength needs, Bane seems like a feckless thug on the surface. However, unlike Doomsday, Bane emerged as one of Batman's most intelligent foes.
His plan to break the Bat was methodical, and worst of all, patient. Bane realized something his fellow Rogues did not: A full frontal assault against Batman is futile. Instead, Bane takes the long way around to weakening the Bat, by breaking down Arkham's walls, letting its prisoners infect Gothamn once again and leave Batman on an exhausting three-month mission to lock them back up. During that time -- and here's where "being patient" comes in -- Bane manages to find the Batcave and wait there to administer the final blow, whose impact still echoes today.
Cyborg Superman
Good ol' Hank Henshaw, managing to get into both Superman and Green Lantern's Rogues' Gallery is no small feat. Suffering from a cosmic accident that left Hank cursed with immortality, and drove his wife to madness, The Cyborg is a tragic figure who elicits our sympathies to a point. And then we realize just how evil he truly is.
Hank made his first appearance in Reign of the Supermen, soon after Kal-El's death by Doomsday's hands. If Hank wanted people to really believe he was Supes resurrected…ish, then he should have came up with a better look than half Last Son and half T-800. But in the end, convincing the President that he was Supes' heir was just one step toward his end game, which climaxed with his role in the destruction of Coast City, Hal Jordan's hometown.
Downloading his consciousness into a device planted on Doomsday is just one of the reasons why Hank is still alive and plaguing Superman; he may not have Anti-Monitor epic consequences for his villainy, but he is consistent. Which means he's most likely not going anywhere. Like he said himself during the Sinestro Corps campaign against the GL corps: "Over the years, I have been detonated, burned and disintegrated. Yet I continue to survive."
Assassin and mercenary Slade Wilson, born of humble New Teen Titans beginnings, has proven to be a force to reckon with. Ranking 32 on our list, Deathstroke the Terminator is a product of secret army experiments that managed to survive without suffering from being a one-note cliché of a villain.
Family man and assassin by day, the Teen Titans' threat and sometimes anti-hero fighting on the side of quasi-good proves to be a fascinating character -- one made of darker parts fans of DC don't usually get such generous helpings of.
Deathstroke's appearances in both Identity Crisis and Infinite Crisis are quick and to the point, providing further evidence that his popularity can only get better with age. Any guy who can go hand-to-hand with Batman, and leave the Dark Knight with a stalemate and not a victory, is clearly not a force to take lightly. The character's appeal stretches into the animated series realm as well, and one day, we hope, onto the big screen.
Professor Zoom
Super speed for Reverse Flash Eobard Thawne may be his only superpower, but Zoom has not let that slow him down. Obsession drove him quickly to developing a plot to "become" and replace Barry Allen. He was so committed to taking over Allen's duties as Flash, he decided to play house with Allen's wife, Iris. When she didn't take to it, Zoom did what any man in his situation would have done: Vibrate his hand into her head, killing her.
Subtlety is not one of Zoom's strong suits (he is a member of the Secret Society of Super Villains, after all), but he does get results. Also, his time traveling ways help him get around certain things like schemes not going according to plan, or even his own death.
Zoom may be a villain too localized for his own good, but his murdering of Iris is an event people still talk about. We can see him getting an arc just as good as his turn as Barry Allen's nemesis, and we hope it happens sooner rather than later.
General Zod
Let's get this out of the way: Terrance Stamp is Zod. His interpretation of the Phantom Zone's most repeat offender in Superman II is an underlining force for folks giving a damn about the General. But outside of the Donner-directed sequel and an inspired rebirth of sorts in Last Son, Zod remains a character with some potential still left untapped.
Whatever your thoughts on his new look (the goggles and such), there is no denying that Zod's offensive upon Metropolis and its hero was one for the books. It gave Superman something to do other than, well, whatever it is he does when not engaging in yellow-sun fueled CQC with Zod, Ursa and Non. Zod even used his own son as a pawn in his campaign to turn Earth into New Krypton - we're not even sure Stampy could pull that one off.
Luthor, Zod and Bizarro are what it boils down to when trying to figure out a serious triple threat for Superman, and Zod's contribution is one that seems on target to receive its due. Zod's arc in the "New Krypton" books continues where "Last Son" left off, furthering the notion that this Zod is welcomed thorn in Superman's side. Kneel before Zod, indeed.
Like Apocalypse, who made him into the super powered menace he is, Mr. Sinister is obsessed with the Darwinian idea of survival of the fittest - but this genetic manipulator goes to some extremely dark and cruel places to further his beliefs and experiments, sometimes outdoing Apocalypse himself when it comes to truly evil acts.
Once upon a time he was a 19th century scientist named Nathaniel Essex, who had no quibbles experimenting on the homeless and those he saw as societies (and humanities) refuse. Transformed by Apocalypse and now known as Sinister, he's now lived decades past what should have been the end of his life, continuing to manipulate and destroy mutants and humans as he sees fit.
While he wouldn't physically appear for another year, the first time his name was mentioned was during one of the darkest times in X-Men history - the Mutant Massacre, in which he sent his team, the Marauders, on a merciless mission to kill the Morlocks, which also resulted in severe injuries for Kitty Pryde, Colossus, Nightcrawler and Angel. Later, we'd learn of Sinister's obsession with Scott Summers and the Summers genetic line, which led to him creating a clone of Jean Grey - Madelyne Pryor - with the sole purpose of breeding with Scott. The result of that successful quest led to the birth of Nathan Summers, AKA Cable.
Having survived seeming death multiple times, Sinister has most recently been reborn in a female body, Miss Sinister. But regardless of his/her exact name or genetic makeup, this is a twisted individual you don't want to turn your back on.
It began with a slap to the face. Spider-Man was feeling pretty confident early in his career, when he first encountered Otto Octavius, a scientist whose invention of robotic arms had become fused to his body - in an accident that also took his sanity. Very quickly, Spider-Man learned that the heavyset man with poor eyesight was not to be underestimated, and in a memorable moment, Dr. Octopus grabbed Spider-Man with his mechanical limbs and effortlessly subdued the young superhero - and then slapped him hard in the face with his very human hand. Tossing Spider-Man aside (and out a window) like he was absolutely nothing to him, Dr. Octopus instantly had a physical and mental impact on his foe and this encounter led to Spider-Man's first real occasion of self-doubt and fear, so shaken was Peter Parker by this encounter with a villain who truly was his match.
Along with Green Goblin and Venom, Doctor Octopus has secured his place as one of Spider-Man's greatest and most dangerous foes. From organizing the Sinister Six, to causing the death of George Stacy, to his vicious (and nearly fatal) assault on Black Cat, Doctor Octopus has a long legacy in Spider-Man stories, which Peter Parker would like to forget. Though how can he forget the man who very nearly married his Aunt May?!
Whether his plans involve his brilliant knowledge of science or his desire to become a gang leader, "Doc Ock" has proven to be remarkably versatile in his talents, which has been bad news for Spider-Man over and over again. Like many great Spider-Man characters, there's tragedy to this villain too, as we, and Peter Parker, sometimes get a glimpse at the good intentioned man he once was, only for his dark side to take over once more.
Captain Cold
Leonard Start began his criminal career like most do: Come up with an evil weapon of evil, aim it a superhero, and see what happens. Well, what happened was said weapon, originally designed to cripple the Flash's super speed, accidentally wound up freezing air molecules instead.
The poor man's Mr. Freeze Captain Cold is not, although we understand why some would and do write him off as such. Get past the stylized parka of doom, and you will see a cold-hearted, murder-motivated baddie. He even managed to survive the 1990s The Flash TV series relatively unscathed, so that has to say something.
But what may speak louder than that resume filler are his contributions to plaguing the Barry Allen Flash and helping kill the Bart Allen Flash. Once he assumed the role of leader for Flash's Rogue's Gallery, Lenny found his thirst for power, money, women and more power becoming all-encompassing, and a bit too much for even his biggest fans to handle. But that's also why we love to hate this villain; he keeps things simple and maintains the pole position as the primary cause of doom for guys named Scarlet Speedster. Not bad for a guy in a parka, huh?
Kid Miracleman
Despite being a character surrounded by protracted legal battles outside the panels we read, Miracleman is another DC character made all the more interesting with the help of Alan Moore and others.
AKA Marvelman, AKA Micky Moran, AKA Johnny Bates, number 26 on our list had quite the rise to his villainous ranks. Starting off as a hero of sorts, Kid Miracleman turned a darker corner with the help of Alan Moore taking the character way past the point of no return.
Whether the character is penned by Moore or later by Neil Gaiman, Kid Miracleman's violent streak remains intact, and moreover, something to fear. If only we could find his books to help others see our point…
The living antithesis of Superman is more than just backwards talk and an inverted "S" shield on his chest. Bizarro and the reversed world he hails from have become vernacular for anything flipped or not how it should be for novice comics fans.
Fans know that at the core of his brute is a tragedy, most recently explored to entertaining and dramatically satisfying effect in Last Son. A brief appearance, yes, but a near-perfect encapsulation of who the character is, constantly fighting that which he will never be.
Bizarro is a very popular villain, in terms of those that regularly challenge Superman. He is not Lex Luthor, and he doesn't have to be. His range might be limited, and his fight first, think later approach to things might get tiresome, but his story never ceases to provide conflict for Kal-El. As long as he delivers, we hope DC will keep the blue kryptonite away.
One of the biggest regrets in Hank Pym's life -- and the man, sadly, has several notable ones to choose from -- Ultron exists because of Pym's experiments with artificial life. The robot Pym first created could initially be called a success, since it did indeed achieve intelligent and sentience -- to a very dangerous degree, causing it to strike out at its creator and set out to become one of the Avengers greatest threats.
From his early days posing as the Crimson Cowl and leading one of the many incarnations of the Masters of Evil, Ultron has proved to be cruel, clever and resourceful. Constantly upgrading himself, his frequent name changes (Ultron 5, Ultron 6, etc.) predicted the modern era 'Version 2.0' idea of the ever-improving and streamlined piece of technology, here represented in the scariest way possible. The early upgrade that turned his entire metal body into adamantium only increased Ultron's strength and made it more difficult to stop him.
The Avengers have found that they can only temporarily stop Ultron. Able to exist within computers and other technology, Ultron always comes back; more difficult to defeat than the last time. His lack of humanity and disrespect for life makes him all the more intimidating -- Ultron is the kind of foe who can rarely be reasoned with and trying to find his sympathetic or compassionate side is a fool's errand (Ultron 12 aside).
Ultron's cold view of humans led to one of his most brutal and despicable acts, as he slaughtered an entire Eastern European country, Slorenia, showing no mercy and certainly no regret over his actions. More recently, Ultron's threat has become a cosmic one, as he took to the stars and led the Phalanx quest for conquest.
Superhero books are often about exploring alter egos, and it doesn't get much more direct in that regard for Spider-Man than when he faces Venom. Spider-Man's dark, violent and murderous counterpart, Venom came to be when Eddie Brock, a reporter with a vendetta against Spider-Man, found the alien symbiote costume Spider-Man had picked up during Secret Wars, only to discard it when he discovered its true nature.
With his hulking physique and monstrous, alien like mouth (complete with fangs and a drooling tongue), Venom, who has all of Peter Parker's powers, is like a distorted and scary funhouse mirror version of the black costumed Spider-Man, and his knowledge of Peter's secret identity allowed him to target his enemy in particularly cruel and dangerous ways.
Venom's popularity right out of the gate was huge - he was easily the most talked about new Spider-Man villain in years, which went hand in hand with the sensation caused by the evocative work of the incredibly buzzed about young artist who first drew Venom in The Amazing Spider-Man, Todd MacFarlane. The character was so popular that he suffered from over-exposure for a time, popping up so often in Spider-Man books and various mini-series that his impact was diluted. That over-exposure thankfully eventually stopped, and what remains is still one of the most notable and iconic Spider-Man villains ever.
Eddie Brock has gone through many changes and identity shifts through the years, and the Venom persona has not always been his. But while Eddie himself has gone back and forth between fighting for what he perceives to be right -- the "Lethal Protector" -- and outright villainy, it's inevitable that he eventually succumbs to his dark side, and fans are treated to another Spider-Man Vs. Venom battle.
"I did it 35 minutes ago." With that simple line, Ozymandias cemented his place as a comic book villain to remember. The fact that he himself, and perhaps many reading this, would argue he's not even a villain in the first place makes him all the more fascinating. The Smartest Man in the World, Adrian Veidt felt that the normal kind of physical super heroics he'd engaged in for years were not enough to truly change the world. No, he plotted to do something much grander.
The fact that this grand plan involved killing millions of people is of course what makes him such a chilling character. From his perspective, what he did - faking an alien attack in New York that killed all in the path of its psychic shockwave - was the ultimate example of doing something for the greater good. Veidt felt that this kind of horrific attack from a perceived outside threat was the only thing that could unite a world on the brink of nuclear war. And notably, Veidt appeared to be correct, and would argue that this act of forced sacrifice stopped billions more from dying in the long run.
Brilliant and able to deal with almost every curve ball thrown his way, Veidt succeeds in his plan at the end of Watchmen, only explaining the details to Rorschach and Nite-Owl after he's sure it's gone off without a hitch. But as noble as Veidt may say he is, the fact is that he has the blood of millions on his hands…
Bullseye has never been about subtlety, nuance or emotion. He's a killer, through and through, with a disputed history that may or may not be true given some stories being narrated by Bullseye himself. The only clear information fans have at this point is that the man's first name is Lester. The rest… it's hard to say. Did he have an abusive father and a mother who was a prostitute - and did he kill them? Did he have a brother? Was he a baseball player and involved in ops where he ran across Frank Castle? Nothing is entirely clear.
Enigmatic characters are often hits with readers, and Bullseye is no exception. Through his involvement with the Kingpin, Bullseye gained notoriety, killing Elektra in an infamous and brutal scene. The assassin quickly became one of Daredevil's archenemies, and has even returned in recent years to kill another one of Matt Murdock's lovers, Karen Page. Bullseye has moved away from Daredevil's corner of the world in recent years, most notably becoming part of Norman Osborn's grand plans, first as a part of the Thunderbolts and later as a member of the Dark Avengers.
Even more remarkable is that Bullseye has no superpowers. That's noteworthy as the hit man confronts his powerful opponents physically and often in close quarters. Though his marksmanship borders on being power-based, Marvel has never provided an explanation for his abilities. Regardless, his ties to the Kingpin, major moments in Daredevil history and current high profile storyline make this one successful assassin. The sky is the limit for this relentless psychopath.
Cain Marko is a relatively straight-forward villain, but an iconic and important one nonetheless. Though his recent history has been filled with a failed attempt to be heroic, most IGN readers - and the editors at IGN for that matter - see him as a classic X-Men foe.
Marko served in the Korean War alongside his step-brother, Charles Xavier. When the two ran across an enchanted cave, Marko managed to acquire the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak and became the Juggernaut. Years later, Marko would arrive at the doors of Xavier's mansion, seeking revenge. Over the years the Juggernaut's history was developed to portray the villain in a more sympathetic light. He wasn't simply evil - he had a dark childhood and hated his step-brother for the advantages he perceived Xavier had.
Throughout his career, Juggernaut has clashed with the X-Men, Hulk, Thor and, in some ways most notably, Spider-Man in a classic two-part arc. His motivations might be a bit simple, but it's hard to argue against the character's popularity, design and impact on the X-Men and their founder.
Not every great villain has to be a world-conquering, war-mongering, super-powered bad ass. Some of them are simply great at manipulating events to their liking, bending the world to their desire and getting away with it. Mystique is one of those villains, and is absolutely one of the greatest female villains ever created.
Raven Darkholme's history is a bit convoluted, particularly as she relates to the complex X-Men history, but that's not necessarily what makes her important. The key points would be these - she is the mother of Sabretooth's son, the mother of Nightcrawler and a foster mom for Rogue. Her history with these various characters has given her a prominent seat in the future of the mutant race, and she even played a critical role (despite being revealed as a traitor) in the 2006 storyline Messiah Complex, which kicked off a major new era in the history of the X-Men franchise.
Due to her age (which is estimated at over a century), Raven has played a role on many teams, involving herself in many causes including the X-Men, Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, X-Factor, Marauders and more. Most recently she was involved in clashes with Wolverine (who sought revenge for her betrayal in Messiah Complex) and Iceman, where she apparently died. Given the number of times she's allegedly been killed, it's hard to imagine this espionage master will remain missing in action for long.
In essence, over the years X-fans have been treated to a kick ass femme fatale who has found herself at several key turning points in the history of the mutant race. Oh, and you have to love her design, both in film and print. 'Nuff Said.
To be quite honest, the Man of Steel doesn't have the best gallery of rogues. Superman might be a legendary hero but his villains… not so much. But through its repeated appearances over the decades culminating in one incredible, history-altering storyline last year, one particular city-collecting cyborg has become one of our all-time favorites.
Brainiac has had multiple incarnations over the years, some consistent and some diverging radically from previous stories. Geoff Johns streamlined all of that last year, putting forth the idea that every iteration in fact originated from one master that had never been seen by fans. This original Brainiac's purpose was to capture cities and assimilate knowledge in order to gain power. Part of its operating procedure was to destroy planets and galaxies in its wake to prevent that knowledge from spreading.
As part of this reimagining, Johns also revealed that General Zod was a fierce defender of Krypton when Brainiac arrived to acquire the city of Kandor, adding layers to a character that prior to Johns' involvement was a stereotypical megalomaniac. Beyond his implications for other villains and his legacy within Superman's rogues, Brainiac's most important traits are these - it has a very personal connection to Kal-El and can directly challenge him both physically and mentally. There are very few that have that distinction, allowing Brainiac to rank up there with the best of them.
Teth-Adam is yet another major DC villain that has skyrocketed in popularity, power and complexity in recent years. Though the character has been around for over 60 years, it's only been through the efforts of Geoff Johns, David Goyer and other modern writers that he's deserved a place on our list.
In modern storylines, Adam is a magically powered citizen of Kahndaq, one who brutally removes a dictator from power and seizes control of his country. Adam's dedication to his home and family is what has helped redefine the character, making him someone who does reprehensible things but within strict moral boundaries. Over time Adam's family grew, and his wife, Isis, began to reform a man many consider to be an anti-hero. Sadly rivaling interests sought to crush Kahndaq's influence in the world. These actions led to the death of Isis and her brother, Osiris. Adam, in his rage, managed to single-handedly instigate a third World War, clashing with many of the world's heroes.
Despite these actions, Adam will stand up for the greater good when it serves his interests. During the Final Crisis, Teth stood up to Darkseid's forces, nearly dying in the process. Despite his vicious instincts, Adam's people still worship him, as he is one of the few who have stood up for them. Even some of the greatest villains have benevolent interests and causes at heart, and few exemplify this better than Black Adam.
This is one villain whose clout has really risen in the past couple years. Originally one of the greatest Green Lanterns, Sinestro has always had a dark side and a overwhelming lust for power and control. After his actions were discovered by his masters, he was exiled for punishment. Unfortunately the Guardians only managed to embolden their former student, and he became their greatest nemesis.
Despite being sentenced to death on several occasions and even suffering a broken neck at the hands of Hal Jordan's Parallax entity, Sinestro has always found a way to crawl back to the surface. With the creation of his own Corps, Sinestro now has power to rival the Guardians, and is a constant threat to the order of the universe. What was once a rather simplistic character has evolved into a true force of evil and in some ways might be compared to an intergalactic Adolf Hitler.
Sinestro's interference in the affairs of DC's heroes is about to reach critical mass. Though he is currently on his home planet of Korugar, the Black Lanterns are coming. Sinestro is unlikely to care about the plight of innocents, making his role in the Blackest Night event unpredictable and, in all likelihood, bad for the Guardians and remaining members of the Green Lantern Corps.
There are two big components to what makes the Red Skull such a classic villain as far as we're concerned - and one of them just happened a couple years ago. First thing is first - the Skull is a Nazi and, just like in gaming, it's tough to find a better villainous group outside of zombies and perhaps vampires. It's a simple way to categorize and create a villain, but it's effective, particularly set in opposition to Captain America. Toss in an incredible visual and you have a character that is arguably the greatest fictional Nazi ever.
The second point is absolutely the most important. When you think about it, arch nemeses rarely succeed. The Joker never killed Batman. Lex Luthor has yet to beat Superman. But the Skull managed to outwit and outplay Cap, and in the end, he watched from afar as his master plan came to fruition. Steve Rogers was assassinated and the Marvel Universe lost its only true beacon of hope.
The Skull might seem a cliché figure now, but he was one of the original uses of villainous Nazis in comic books. Combine that with his successful track record and great design and you have one legendary character.
Norman Osborn
Even before Dark Reign, the Green Goblin had been terrorizing the lives of Spider-Man and many Marvel superheroes. Though he originally died after slaying Gwen Stacy in one of the most infamous Spidey stories of all time, Osborn returned in the late '90s and was revealed to be an instigator in many dark moments of Peter Parker's life, including the "death" of Aunt May. Osborn's corruption has even reached his son, Harry, who is one of Parker's best friends.
Though Osborn was once merely a great foe in his Green Goblin guise, he's evolved beyond that. With the end of Secret Invasion, Norman has seized control of many United States resources, including what's left of Tony Stark's SHIELD and Avengers teams. And unlike many of his wicked peers, Osborn has done this without the use of his Green Goblin persona. What's fascinating about this turn of events, and what has drastically added to the appeal of this character, is that Osborn's power depends on his ability to keep his sanity together, something that appears more and more unlikely as time goes on. By giving in and letting the Goblin take over, Osborn might fail in retaining the power he has craved for so long.
One thing is for sure - Osborn's star is on the rise. By the time Dark Reign is finished evolving, we might be ready to reconsider where this foe deserves to be placed on our list.
In many ways The Dark Knightarticulated and demonstrated the importance of Harvey Dent better than we ever could. Dent is, in so many ways, the biggest failure of Batman's career, and is a constant reminder of the price that can be paid in the battle against evil. Two-Face is a character that has been best served by time, evolving throughout the years from a relatively simple gimmick (similar to many of Batman's foes) to one of the most layered, tragic figures in superhero fiction.
Despite having a dark past, Dent rose through the ranks of Gotham to be a respected District Attorney, working with Jim Gordon and the Caped Crusader to wage a war on crime. Dent falls to a plot organized by the criminals he had been breaking down, and thus was born a new crime figure, one who can't distinguish between right and wrong without the help of his lucky coin.
Like many on this list, Two-Face isn't always a criminal. Several storylines have healed Dent's madness, and scarring, only to have him pulled back into the darkness. These struggles between "Dent" and "Two-Face" only serve to demonstrate the loss Gotham has suffered. The first major victory of organized crime may have been the only one it ever needed. Without Dent consistently on the side of light, Gotham might not stand a chance - Batman or not.
Yet another villain that has stood the test of time as a mirror to the Dark Knight, Catwoman has a bit of a unique angle when compared to her rivals. Outside of Talia Al Ghul, Selina Kyle is likely the closest thing to love that Bruce Wayne has ever experienced. In fact Kyle is one of the few distinguished characters to know Wayne is in fact Batman.
That connection alone is enough to propel Catwoman high up on our list, but it's also worth recognizing her fantastic, layered characterization. In fact her conduct over the years has allowed her to straddle the line of hero and villain, and in recent years she's been more of an anti-hero of sorts, despite constantly breaking the law and defying authorities. (She makes the list because of her decades of villainy mixed with DC's dedication to keeping her just on the darker side of the morality line.)
It's her willingness to play any side to her advantage that makes Catwoman such a compelling character. She serves herself and no other cause or master. She'll clash with Batman if she's executing her latest heist, but isn't afraid to exact her revenge on Hush, stealing his great wealth and leaving a vicious enemy of Batman with nothing but whatever is in his pockets. Her unpredictable nature combined with her unwillingness to play within the rules (which she could easily do given her many superhero contacts and pseudo-allies), makes her certainly one of the most entertaining baddies in the business and one of the strongest female leads in the industry.
Wilson Fisk has no powers. He has no immense global influence when compared to some of his rivals on this list. He barely ranks as a blip on the radar of some of the most powerful heroes. But the Kingpin of Crime is in many ways indicative of what makes Marvel characters so appealing. He's grounded. He's realistic. Most of all, in some ways, you can understand what made this man and what drives him to this day.
Fisk grew up poor and picked on. He never seemed the type to rise through the ranks of any organization let along the criminal underworld. Yet rise he did, eventually lording over New York City with an iron fist, using assassins like Elektra and Bullseye with ruthless efficiency. Over the years Fisk has attempted to back out of his dark role in the world, but is continuously dragged back. He's lost multiple families due to his connections and poor dealings over the years, and these tragic events only seek to remind readers that underneath his muscular exterior is the heart of a man who might have been good were it not for the brutal events in his life.
And now, despite first appearing in a Spider-Man comic book, Fisk is the darkness to Daredevil's light. In fact if he's not somehow involved in Matt Murdock's life or superhero antics, we feel like something is missing from his series. You'll see us say it again later on, but that's the truest sign of a brilliant villain, one that has benefited from years and years of excellent storytelling.
Quite honestly, the combined efforts of a half dozen villains on this list aren't likely to surpass what the Dark Phoenix accomplished in a brief moment. While most evildoers scheme and contemplate the destruction of the world, the Phoenix Force, through Jean Grey and in its most savage state, has simply acted and destroyed billions of lives.
As one of the most powerful entities on this list, the Dark Phoenix has immense telepathy and telekinetic abilities, but more importantly control over matter itself. This power level, combined with the classic nature of the original "Phoenix Saga" storyline, has largely prevented Marvel from revisiting the concept, despite teasing it in a limited capacity on numerous occasions through Jean Grey's resurrection or various mini-series that explored the nature of the Phoenix Force itself.
Despite having limited exposure when compared to many of the other villains in the upper ranks of our list, the Dark Phoenix is still one of the most accomplished and legendary. To this day, the Phoenix Saga is regarded as one of the best X-Men stories ever created. That accomplishment alone was a huge factor in our rankings.
The God of Mischief has been around far longer than Marvel Comics, but we can't help but love the incarnation that Stan Lee and Jack Kirby conjured up several decades ago. Since that time, Thor's half-brother has become a pivotal character in comic books, and is actually the villain that caused the creation of the Avengers. If that isn't an important event, we're not sure what is.
Important moments aside, Loki is a character that writers must simply love to write as he's been involved in some fantastic stories, the current run of Thor just being the latest of those. His hatred and jealousy of Thor runs so deep that Loki will stop at nothing, including the corruption and destruction of Asgard itself. Loki has even recently inhabited the body of Sif in order to deny the God of Thunder his love.
Loki has never been more important than he is now. As a member of Norman Osborn's villainous cabal, the Asgardian god is now in a position of influence, one that he is exploiting in numerous ways. Osborn's own agreement with Loki is to return Asgard to the heavens. An alliance with fellow Cabal member Victor Von Doom is yielding new control over Asgard. Manipulation of a sect of Avengers is even proving useful as a way to keep Osborn's personal interests under watch and influence.
There are many master manipulators, but this god has proven he has no equal. Marvel's Dark Reign may prove in the end to be the reign of one wicked Norse god.
You'd expect an immortal, international terrorist to want many things, but perfecting the Earth isn't one of them. And yet that's been Ra's Al Ghul's goal during his many lifetimes. He tears down societies to have them rebuilt in a more ideal fashion, bent on crafting his version of a utopia. "The Demon's Head" has spent centuries slaving away at this vision, and even he has lost track of his exact age. Fueled by the life-giving Lazarus Pits, which have the side effect of driving a person mad, Ra's will likely haunt the DC Universe for centuries to come.
Though Ra's has taken on the entire Justice League of America in the past - and beaten them - his principle opponent throughout his decades of tales has been Batman. Ra's considers the Dark Knight to be his only worthy opponent, and in an ironic twist is actually the grandfather of Bruce Wayne's son, Damien. Best of all is that the Demon Head's ultimate goal, the betterment of the world, is one that speaks to Batman and strikes a bit close to home.
Ra's Al Ghul is easily one of the most unique villains ever crafted. By taking a desire that all of us have and warping it, he is truly a character we love to hate.
The DC Universe is packed with powerful entities that could destroy worlds at a time, but none are as feared or brilliantly executed as Darkseid, Lord of the war planet Apokolips. The evil god has had quite a legacy crafted for himself since being created by Jack Kirby. Not too shabby for a character that first appeared in a Jimmy Olsen book, eh?
Darkseid's motivations are rather simple - conquer and control all life by unlocking and solving the Anti-Life Equation, something DC fans saw him achieve in last summer's Final Crisis event. Though the storyline technically took the New God's life, it's hard to imagine the heroes of DC won't find themselves face to face with the ultimate embodiment of evil at some point down the road.
Perhaps the most appealing trait of Darkseid is his lack of interest in direct, physical confrontation. The being formerly known as Prince Uxas has immense strength, endurance and eye beams that can disintegrate, teleport or torture opponents, yet he chooses to manipulate events from the shadows, allowing his minions to act on his behalf. Darkseid's involvement with the New Gods, including his rivalry with the Highfather, the planet New Genesis and the diplomatic exchanges of sons Orion and Mister Miracle add multiple layers to a being that might otherwise be yet another generic worldwide threat. We're certainly glad DC wouldn't allow Kirby to kill off this fantastic villain as he originally planned. Decades of spectacular tales would have been left on the table otherwise.
Death. Eternity. The origins of the universe. These concepts and beings are fundamental to the existence of the Marvel Universe. Equal to these, however, is the next member of our Top Villains list - Galactus. Despite his rather garish appearance, the being formerly known as Galan lived before the birth of the modern cosmos, and is as fundamentally important to it as entities responsible for the creation and elimination of life. Galactus, in his destruction of planets, brings balance to the universe, just as life is given and taken every day on Earth.
It's this larger than life presence which makes Galactus one of the more important villains ever created, but it's his ties to Earth and its heroes that make him one of the greats. Through the creation of his heralds, destruction of the Skrull Empire and attempts to devour the Earth, this being is one of the greatest threats ever known to our beloved heroes. Most other villains pale in comparison.
Lastly, though it seems like something small, we can't overlook it. Galactus is one of the few villains on our list to really defy the definition of an evil-doer. He's compelled to destroy worlds because of one simple fact - he's hungry. Can't blame a guy for wanting a little snack… can you?
Superman is arguably the greatest superhero ever created. He is the personification of all that is good in our world, the one beacon of light when all else is dark. He is the one hero that cannot falter in the face of evil.
Such an entity of peace and justice needs an equivalent response. In Lex Luthor, the Man of Steel has that perfect match, and best of all, Luthor isn't just a simple creature of darkness (hello, Doomsday!). What makes Lex such a fantastic character becomes evident when you look at the world from his point of view. He's not necessarily trying to rule the world; in his eyes he's saving it. Think about that for a second - Luthor is trying to savethe world from the unwieldy, crushing rule of an alien from Krypton. This man craves to be the world's savior, yearns to have "his" people worship the ground he walks on and refuses to see that birthright seized by another.
Like many villains on our roster, Luthor is a man physically outmatched by his foe. Rather he must conjure up ways to outsmart his opponent, relying on his resources to attempt to reshape the world to his satisfaction. One can only wonder what the world would be like if Lex actually applied his knowledge to making the world a truly better place rather than obsessing over one man. Would he be the great savior he claims to be? The mere fact that we ask that question is a sign of a well-written, deeply layered villain.
Victor Von Doom is, above all odds, a star in his own right. We don't know about the rest of you, but we consider him to be the fifth member of the Fantastic Four - a member of the series so integral that when he's not involved, we're decidedly less interested.
Doom boasts neither powers nor inherent abilities - a rarity for any being in his genre of comic books. Victim of a troubled past, Victor's mother was taken from him early in life. Seemingly since that time, Doom has sought to prove himself to his peers. Chief among those is Reed Richards, the one man who has proved equal and better to Victor's astonishing intellect. Doom's irrational obsession and animosity towards Mr. Fantastic and his family might be his only fault, the one obstacle keeping his from truly achieving his larger desires - the conquest of all his surveys. The Latverian monarch's ambition might be kept in check by the Fantastic Four and their friends, but if anything, his lust for power grows every day, becoming more and more brazen.
If his depth, characterization and legacy in the Marvel Universe weren't enough, Doom has one other accomplishment that few in the industry have managed - he's one of the inspirations for one of the most infamous characters in pop culture - Darth Vader.
There was never any doubt in our minds the enigmatic, psychopathic Clown Prince of Crime would yield the top spot amongst DC Comics' villains. The Joker is the definition of a scene-stealing, deliciously wicked character, one that is quite possibly more interesting than his superhero counterpart.
A year ago we argued Joker wasn't necessarily Batman's greatest enemy, a fact which would clearly make his high rank here a bit of a mystery. Over the past year, however, three high profile projects reminded us why this character is absolutely one of the best ever created and developed throughout the history of superhero comic books. The Dark Knight, Joker and Batman R.I.P. are not only three of the greatest Batman stories ever created, but perfect examples of why the Joker is the quintessential comic book villain. He exists because of his enemy, and without creatures like the Joker, there would be no Batman. More importantly, this villain is capable of reinventing himself in various iterations, whether it's the savage, sadistic one in R.I.P., the chaos agent in Knight or even the light-hearted comedian from the animated series some 15 years ago.
A great villain isn't just capable of wicked deeds or murder. Depth and layer matter. Heroes and villains are inextricably linked, and just as the sign of a great hero is a great villain, the opposite is true. The Joker must stand up to and alongside the Caped Crusader. This is one of the rare villains to possibly do even more than that. As his movie role last summer proved, he can even surpass one of the greatest heroes of all time. That takes a special something.
Like many characters of his era, Magneto did not immediately stand out as someone who would endure the test of time. His powers were relatively unimpressive, his motivations and depth were weak and his costume design… let's face it - the guy wears a bucket on his head. But the archenemy of Charles Xavier has proven over the decades that he's not only worthy of his infamous status, but worthy of a much greater accolade - being the greatest villain ever created. The Master of Magnetism doesn't just operate well along stereotypical bad guy parameters, but can actually sustain engaging, masterful storylines of his own.
As a Jewish child in Germany during the height of Adolf Hitler's reign, Max Eisenhardt discovered humanity was capable of the worst crimes and actions. What's remarkable is despite seeing genocide first hand and enduring the terror of concentration camps, Max has matured into exactly what took his family and loved ones from him. To protect his kind from the fate of a similar Holocaust, Eisenhardt persecutes any and all humans who dare cross his path.
Magneto has become bigger than his peers and virtually all of his enemies. It's the sign of a great character when his presence dominates a story and his absence creates a vacuum that cannot be filled by any other. Through his legendary role in Marvel Comics over the years as well as fantastic portrayals in film and animation, it's hard to argue that there has ever been a villain more complex, nuanced, sympathetic and yet irrevocably evil.
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Oakland City Council bans coal
Posted: 10:06 PM, Jun 27, 2016
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Arguing health risks, the Oakland City Council unanimously voted to ban coal shipments Monday night, killing a plan to transport Utah coal to Asia through a proposed marine terminal. Backers maintained the proposal would bring badly needed jobs to an impoverished area.
The vote prohibits the transport, handling and storage of coal and petroleum coke at bulk material facilities or terminals in Oakland, part of a California area that is a hotbed of environmentalist activism.
City leaders have wrestled with the issue for at least a year as detractors and supporters of the proposed marine terminal argued over the environmental dangers of bringing millions of tons of coal through the area and the economic benefits of good-paying union jobs.
The terminal is part of a larger makeover of an army base that closed in 1999, eliminating thousands of jobs. City leaders approved the project before the coal proposal was made.
The proposed terminal is in West Oakland, a historically black neighborhood that's among the poorest and most polluted in the region.
Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and Councilmember Dan Kalb introduced a proposal Monday to ban the shipping of coal, in advance of a hearing to determine whether coal presents a public safety and health hazard.
"As passionate stewards of the environment who are committed to equity, Oaklanders know that it's a false choice to say we have to pick between jobs and this community's health and safety," Schaaf said in a prepared statement before the vote. "We can, and we will do both."
Jerry Bridges, chief executive of the potential marine terminal operator, said jobs are the biggest issue and any environmental impact will be mitigated by transporting coal in covered rail cars that are unloaded underground.
Bridges and Phil Tagami, the project's master developer, have said that coal is a legal product and that council attempts to ban coal amounts of an illegal taking of their rights.
Before the meeting, more than 150 people on both sides held boisterous rallies full of song and chants.
Even the project's developers conceded early on that the council was likely to vote to ban coal shipments. A lawyer for the Oregon Bulk and Oversized Terminal on Monday sent the council a letter detailing potential legal consequences.
"Politically, no quantity of handling coal or petcoke under whatever extraordinary standard will be tolerated," said David Smith. "While that may accomplish a political outcome, it is only the first steps towards an unfortunate legal outcome."
State Sen. Loni Hancock, D-Berkeley, who has introduced bills to slow or derail the project, said putting the largest coal export depot on the West Coast in the middle of a disenfranchised community that already suffers from environmental pollution is "devastating on so many levels."
California Gov. Jerry Brown last year signed legislation requiring two massive public pension funds to sell off stocks from companies that get more than half their revenues from mining coal. He is a vocal advocate of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
In 2012, Brown signed a resolution urging the federal government to restrict the export of coal to any country that fails to adopt regulations for greenhouse gas emissions.
But Brown, a former Oakland mayor and friend of Phil Tagami, the project's master developer, has been silent. A spokeswoman for Brown declined to comment.
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Austin police officers don’t wear body cameras during some high-risk operations
by: Jacqulyn Powell
AUSTIN (KXAN) — The city of Austin is raising concerns about high-risk situations in which officers aren’t allowed to wear body cameras. The discussion came as police and council members were discussing a recent audit into the police department’s roll-out of body cameras Tuesday.
Police supervisors say the footage has helped with investigations into a number of cases where officers used deadly force.
“Our officers being able to wear body cameras, I think really helps with trust in our city, and one of the reasons why we’re one of the safest big cities in the country is that we enjoy a really high level of trust between our officers and folks throughout our community,” said Mayor Steve Adler, who brought up his concerns Tuesday as body camera audit results were being discussed.
“It’s that one incident that happens when a camera is turned off that then becomes a defining moment,” Adler told the full room. “We see that happening right now in South Bend, Indiana.”
Adler says he worries that could happen to Austin officers who work on joint task forces with federal agents. Citywide, 38 officers work on 7 different task forces with four federal agencies– the FBI, U.S. Marshals, the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Secret Service. Those federal agents aren’t allowed to wear body cameras to protect things like informants and in some cases, national security, so when Austin police officers are working with them, they can’t either.
“Some of their tactics and procedures that they use at the federal level, they don’t want becoming public,” said APD Assistant Police Chief Joseph Chacon.
Austin Police Chief Brian Manley is just one of a number of chiefs around the country who’ve been negotiating to change that for more than a year now. After all, task force operations are some of the most dangerous cases police work.
“We certainly don’t want one of our officers being involved in a critical incident and it not being on video,” Chacon said Tuesday following the audit meeting.
The city of Atlanta pulled all of its officers off all federal task forces for that reason. It’s an option APD’s chiefs have considered, but they say they don’t want to resort to that just yet.
“They’re all important things that we do for our community to take bad people off the street,” Chacon said, referring to work done in task forces. “We don’t want to just walk away from that, because that certainly doesn’t make us any more safe.”
Chief Manley told KXAN that in his negotiations with the Department of Justice, he has requested that his officers be allowed to wear their body cameras during planned operations, when they’re executing a search warrant or an arrest warrant. Those are the dangerous situations in which Manley feels officers really need them.
Manley says officers they don’t need their cameras on during any classified conversations or interviews with informants.
Manley says he does feel that the feds have been open to considering that compromise. He says APD won’t consider pulling out of any task forces as long as those conversations are still moving forward.
Audit: lack of oversight for APD’s body camera program
More Top Stories Stories
by Russell Falcon / Jul 18, 2019
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin Police Department recently released some new details around a deadly crash on July 14 that resulted in a man's death.
According to APD, a 43-year-old man was crossing I-35 from west to east in the 300 block of the interstate, when a 2007 Ford Explorer hit him. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
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Merkel will visit Greeces former finance minister: see the country you destroyed by your own hands
Merkels visit to Greeces former finance minister: Come and see the country you destroyed by your own hands (Source:)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is about to visit Greece for a two-day visit.
But the country, which suffered from the financial curse of the European Union after the financial crisis, welcomed her with a violent demonstration.
The former Greek Finance Minister, Yanis Varoufakis, attacked German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Twitter on Jan. 11, the Russian website reported today.
He wrote that Mrs Merkel came to Greece to visit the desert she had built herself, and then praised its recovery. Ironically, her success on Greece has also made Germany suffer from deflation, ruining her own political career. No German chancellor has ever wasted so much political resources.
In Greece, street people protested more fiercely, even calling Merkel Nazi.
Varufakis said that Germany suffers from deflation as well, probably referring to the red line led by Germany and France, the European Unions leading goat, that the fiscal deficit rate of European Union countries should not exceed 3%. Observers reported earlier that in order to meet the red line requirement, Marklong had to work hard to open source and reduce expenditure, increase taxes and triggered many rounds of yellow vest protests.
This is Merkels first visit to Greece since 2014 and the first since Alexis Tsipras, the countrys left-wing prime minister, took office in 2015. Before arriving in Greece on Thursday, Merkel said Greece could continue to rely on partnership and friendship with Germany.
For many Greeks, this dependence is not mutually reinforcing.
After the outbreak of the financial crisis in 2008, Greeces economy collapsed. German-led (EU) austerity measures led to a one-third contraction in GDP, which put one-third of Greeks at risk of living in poverty. The unemployment rate rose to 18.6%, the highest in the euro area.
Greek Reporter.com reported in October 2018 that 34.8% of Greeks lived below the poverty line at that time, and 14.6% of them were at risk of extreme poverty, according to data released by the European Statistical Office. Only Romanians and Bulgarians in Eastern Europe fared worse.
At the same time, German banks acquire 2.9 billion euros a year from buying Greek government bonds through the European Central Bank.
Greece finally withdrew from the European aid program last year, but will face at least 10 years of government budget austerity and heavy economic reform tasks.
Merkel is expected to congratulate the Ziplos government on withdrawing from the bailout plan and urge the government to stick to the reform line when it meets on Thursday (17). It is expected that the two leaders will also discuss the change of former Yugoslav country Macedonia to the Northern Republic of Macedonia.
Source: Observer Network Responsible Editor: Ji Guojie_NBJ11143
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Movie Genres and Movie Lists
Here are some Movie Genres and Movie Lists plus other Recommended Movies
A Canterbury Tale (1949)
- Set in wartime Britain, A Canterbury Tale begins with rural justice of the peace Eric Portman adopting a "lock up your daughters" policy when the American soldiers are stationed nearby....
Read Full Review Here!
Christmas Carol
Christmas Carol (1984)
- Charles Dicken's immortal masterpiece, "A Christmas Carol" is giving the royal treatment here with wonderful and authentic Bristish performances that truly inspire and deliver a truly heartwarming experience...
- A delightful portrayal of Sir Thomas More. Directed by Fred Zinnemann. ( High Noon, From Here to Eternity ) Honored for six academy awards. Its noted for its conservatism concerning Sir Thomas More's...
A Midnight Clear (1992)
- A Midnight Clear is the story of a group of American Soldiers who are entrenched behind enemy lines in war torn Germany. Having been sent to occupy a rural farmhouse, the soldiers readily discover they are not alone...
- IT WAS THE BEST OF TIMES...IT WAS THE WORST OF TIMES, A Tale of Two CitiesEpic film adapted from Charles Dickens' book that bears the same name; Ronald Colman is ...
- Harrison Ford is superb in Air Force One; In a world of terrorism, as the USA president, he takes a bold stand against this evil and as a consequence terrorists highjack Air Force One . . .
Animal Farm (1999)
- Hallmark Home Entertainment -
Watch Animal Farm and let me know what you think!For me, I don't really know know what to make out of this movie. I don't think there are many conservative values in the film. . .
- Tom Hanks -
Apollo 13 is based on the true story of the astronauts that flew a mission to the moon, the film tells of the disaster that almost caused these three men to be forever lost. During their flight the part of the ship exploded ...
Bruce Willis -
In Armageddon as in many other movie and as the world knows it the United States one more time saves the world from meteor that threatens to destroy the human race...
Band of Brothers -
Band of Brothers is an excellent mini-series, perhaps the best ever. With an obvious reverence for its subject, it follows Easy Company from boot camp through many...
Battle of the Bulge (1965)
- Henry Fonda -
Many critics say Battle of the Bulge is probably the least accurate but most enjoyable of the spot-the-star WW2 roadshow epics. Many find it to tell a compelling tale that is true in spirit if not in fact...
Behind Enemy Lines (2001)
- Owen Wilson -
In Behind Enemy Lines owen wilson is a Navy pilot who's shot down in enemy territory in Southern Europe. He ends up fighting to survive as he waits to be rescued. Meanwhile, his commanding officer...
Black Hawk Down (2002)
- Josh Harnett -
R For intense, realistic, graphic war violence, and for language PROFANITY & VULGARITY: SEX, NUDITY (MORAL):
The Black Stallion (1979)
- Kelly Reno -
Rating: G General audiences. All ages admitted. PROFANITY & VULGARITY: NONE SEX, NUDITY (MORAL): NONE
Bobby Jones Stroke of Genius
- Jim Caviezel -
Bobby Jones Stroke of Genius (Jim Caviezel), was the first amateur to win the British Amateur, the British Open, the U.S. Open and the U.S. Amateur; all major golf championships...
Braveheart (1995)
- Mel Gibson-
In Braveheart Mel Gibson plays William Wallace, a real-life thirteenth century Scottish hero who sought to free his people from the oppression of the English...
The Bridge On
the River Kwai
- the Bridge on the River Kwai, an exciting film that reminds us of those brave men who sacrificed so much to defend the freedoms of this nation taking place during WWII...
- Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant Not rated.
This movie has not been rated by the MPAA.Bringing Up Baby, a very funny comedy and a classic. Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant deliver a great performance within a hilarious script...
Casablanca-
PG Parental guidance suggested.
Some material may not be suitable for children.Casablanca as all of us know is Humphrey Bogart's finest performance; while the film clearly portrays the greatness and virtues of America...
Charade (1963) -
Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn - UR Unrated.
This movie has not been rated by the MPAA.Charade is a stylish comedy-thriller; Peter Joshua (Cary Grant) meets Reggie Lampert (Audrey Hepburn) in Paris and offers help when she discovers her husband has been murdered...
- Ian Charleson and Ben Cross - PG Parental guidance suggested.
Some material may not be suitable for children.Chariots of Fire is based on a true story, internationally acclaimed Oscar-winning drama of two different men who compete against each other as runners in the Paris Olympics of 1924...
Cheaper by
the Dozen
Cheaper by the Dozen (1950)
- Clifton Webb, Jeanne Crain, Myrna Loy -
Cheaper by the Dozen is a fresh and hilarious movie and among the best that Hollywood ever produced. The film is based on Frank Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey autobiographical novel...
Clear and Present Danger (1994)
- Harrison Ford, William DaFoe -
In Clear and Present Danger Harrison Ford returns to the Ryan role who is assigned to an anti-drug investigation and finds himself fighting drug lords as well as government corruption...
- Paul Newman -
Cool Hand Luke is sentenced to a stretch on a chain gang after having been arrested for drunkenly decapitating parking meters. While in prison he figures out a way to get the work done in half the usual time...
The Crucible (1996)
- Winona Ryder -
The Crucible is supposed to play as a warning against the dangers of political and religious extremism but mostly it seek to warn against communism...
DC 9 11
DC 9 11: Time of Crisis
- DC 911: Time of Crisis made-for-cable docudrama recreates the events following the devastating terrorist attack on New York City and Washington, D.C., on September 11, 2001...
Disclosure (1994)
- Michael Douglas, Demi Moore -
In Disclosure Michael Douglas plays Tom Sanders, an executive at DigiCom who finds himself in a sexual harassment lawsuit against his boss, Meredith Johnson (Demi Moore)...
Dr. Zhivago
Dr. Zhivago (1965)
- Omar Shari -
Doctor Zhivago is number 36 on the American Film Institutes (AFI)'s Top 100 Films of the Last 100 Years.This visually rich film plunges the viewer into the totally different, exciting, and dangerous world of the early twentieth century...
Enemy at
Enemy at the Gates (2001)
- Jude Law -
Enemy at the Gates portrays the 1942-1943 battle of Stalingrad which marked the defeat of Germans by Russians. The film though, turns it attention on on the rivalry between...
Enemy of the State (1998)
- Will Smith -
Enemy of the State is the story of a man (played by Will Smith) accidentally caught up in political corruption stunt. After a U.S. Senator is murdered, the film portrays some government officials trying to ...
- Drew Barrymore and Henry Thomas -
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial is the story of alien coming to earth. Elliot (Henry Thomas), a young boy living with his single mother often seems lonely, kind of lost in the world until one day ...
The Family Man (2000)
- Nicolas Cage-
In The Family Man Jack Campbell (Nicolas Cages), a workaholic bachelor who gets to see what his life could have been had he stayed with his old sweetheart Kate (Tea Leoni) 13 years earlier. He then realizes that he had made the wrong choice...
Far and Away (1992)
- Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman -
Far and Away is a classic American Dream movie where Joseph Donelly (Tom Cruice) an Irish tenant farmer who recently lost both his father and his home to the agents of his mean landlord. As always ...
- inding Nemo takes place in Australia's Great Barrier Reef and a Sydney dentist's aquarium. After a human diver scoops up Nemo, his father Marlin in company of his friend Dory who has short-term memory...
Fort Apache (1948)
- John Wayne -
Fort Apache Not rated. This movie has not been rated by the MPAA.PROFANITY & VULGARITY: EXEMPLARSEX, NUDITY (MORAL): EXEMPLARVIOLENCE: EXCELLENT...
Gallipoli (1981)
- Mel Gibson -
Gallipoli tells the story of two idealistic young friends, Frank (Gibson) and Archy (Mark Lee), who join the Australian army during World War I and fight the doomed Battle of Gallipoli in Turkey...
- Russell Crowe -
Gladiator, is the story of a man in ancient Rome who is robbed of his earned placed as Marcus Aurelius' (Richard Harris) successor by the emperor's son. This frivolous man is Commodus ...
The Godfather Trilogy (1972, 1974, 1990)
- Al Pacino, Robert De Niro -
The Godfather trilogy can hardly be called a conservative series of movies; an epic (very well done, I might add) of killing, betrayal and total disrespect for the sovereignty of the United...
Gods and Generals (2003)
- Jeff Daniels, Stephen LangGods and Generals focuses on the early military encounters between the North and South during the Civil War recreating numerous battle scenes. Within that...
-Leslie Howard Gone With the Wind, an American epic and a story about a spoiled Southern girl's hopeless love for a married man. In the month April of 1861, at the Southern estate ...
- The Great Escape-
UR-Unrated.
This movie has not been rated by the MPAA.PROFANITY & VULGARITY RATING: 3. BARELY - obscenitiesSEX, NUDITY (MORAL) RATING...
Harry's War (1981)
- Harry's war tells the story of Harry Johnson and what he faces after his aunt dies and he inherits her ongoing battle with the Internal Revenue Service. Uncle Sam has ...
Henry V -
Henry V (Kenneth Branagh) received Oscar nods for both directing and starring in Shakespeare's homage to the English king who united France and England. The French greatly outnumbered...
- Gary Cooper -
High Noon is a Western classic staring Gary Cooper, as retiring Marshall Will Kane, who is about to go on his his honeymoon with his new Quaker bride, Amy...
The Hunt for
The Hunt for Red October -
Hunt for Red October stars Alec Baldwin a CIA analyst Jack Ryan and Sean Connery as Soviet submarine commander Marko Ramius. The Red October...
In the Face of Evil
In the Face of Evil: Reagan's War in Word and Deed (2004)
- In the Face of Evil -
Reagan's War in Word and Deed, a two time award winner in 2004, is a documentary about the 40th president of the united States in a...
Independence Day (1996)
- Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum -
In Independence Day, a group of humans attempt to save the earth from total destruction by aliens and a giant spacecraft. Scientist played by...
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
- Harrison Ford -
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark staring Harrison Ford, is the first of the Indian Jones series and the movie that threw Harrison Ford in the lime light of Hollywood....
- Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Staring Harrison Ford and Sean Connery is the last of the Indiana seres. The opening of the movie takes place when Indy is a young teenager on a boy scout outing with his troops. They come across a...
- James Stewart, Donna Reed -
It's A Wonderful Life staring James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, in this amazing film. George Baily (James Stewart) is the long missed character of this day and age...
Into the West (1993) - Gabriel Byrne
Key Largo (1948)
- Humphrey Bogart -
Key Largo is a story about Frank McCloud (Humphrey Bogart), an war veteran who travels to Key Largo in Florida to meet Nora Temple (Lauren Bacall), the widow...
Knute Rockne, All American (1940) - Pat O'Brien
Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) - Dustin Hoffman
- The Last of the Mohicans tells the story European-born adopted son of Mohican scout Chingachgook, Hawkeye (Daniel Day-Lewis) and his adopted brother who join a group of British ...
The Last Supper (1996)
- The Last Supper is about five graduate students Jude (Cameron Diaz), Pete (Ron Eldard), Paulie (Annabeth Gish), Marc (Jonathan Penner) and Luke(Courtney B. Vance) who are radical members of the liberal left, anti- conservative....
Lean on Me (1989)
Little Women -
Little Women, the Beloved Novel by Louisa May Alcott, has come alive in this 1994 classic movie about four sisters living in cold and poor times during the civil war. Staring, (Winona Ryder), (Claire Danes), (Kirsten Dunst), (Trini Alvarado) and (Susan Sarandon)...
The Longest Day (1962) - Richard Burton
Fellowship of
Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
- Elijah Wood -
The Lord of the Rings ( Fellowship of the Rings) by J.R.R. Tolkein is one of the best stories brought to the screen by director Peter Jackson. The first in the trilogy, Fellowship of the Rings the beloved children's ...
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers, Peter Jackson continues into the second seres of the J.R.R. Tolkiens The Two Towers. As more new characters of middle earth are introduced and more of the story is unfolded...
The Man from
Snowy River
The Man from Snowy River (1982)
- Tom Burlinson -
The Man From Snowy River is a classic favorite in family house holds today. After Jim Craig (Tom Burlington) is pushed off his land when his father is killed in a fatal accident, and no longer...
Marie Antoinette (1938) - Norma Shearer, Tyrone Power
The Matrix (1999) - Keanu Reeves
Midway (1976) - Charlton Heston
Minority Report (2002) - Tom Cruise Miracle
- Maureen O'Hara -
Miracle on 34th street staring the famous Maureen O'Hara as Doris walker and Edmund Gwenn, as Kris Kringle, tells a story of a single mother with a 6 year old daughter who doesn't believe in santa clause...
Mr. Smith Goes to
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
- Jean Arthur, James Stewart- Mr Smith Goes To Washington is a family entertainment film every conservative American must see. Staring James Stewart as Jefferson Smith, a young innocent enthusiast for America...
Not Without
Not Without My Daughter (1991)
- Sally Field -
Not Without My Daughter is based on Betty Mahmoody's true story of her plight in Iran, Staring Sally Field as an American wife married to (Alfred Molina) an Iranian doctor. Moody (Alfred Molina) decides to take his...
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (1988) - Tom Courtenay Pearl Harbor (2001) - Ben Affleck
The Passion (2004)
- The Passion Of The Christ, " The ultimate hero story for all mankind, Jesus suffered, died and still won" Mel Gibson's words for the block buster film The Passion of the Christ, inspired by the Holy...
The Patriot (2000)
Coming soon! Check back for full Conservative Review of the Movie "The Patriot" - !
In Patriot Games, a political thriller. Written by Tom Clancy who brought us The Hunt For Red October has now produced a sequel that by no means is common but brilliant! Staring Harrison Ford as Jack Ryan...
Patton (1970) - George C. Scott
Pelican Brief (1993)
- Julia Roberts - The Pelican Brief staring Julia Roberts, as Darby Shaw, a University law student finds herself a target for assassination on the grounds of a brief she wrote for school. Her theory was based on the assassination of two...
Prince of Egypt (1998)
The Princess Bride (1987)
Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
Red Corner (1997)
Red Dawn (1984)
- Red Dawn is a story of a Colorado raised high school kids who witness Soviet and Cuban attacks on their school ground. The whole town is invaded by the the soviet. Jed Eckert ( Patrick Swayze) and a few others run to the mountains ...
The Rookie (2002)
- The Rookie, based on a true story of Jim Morris ( Dennis Quaid ) who's dream was to have a successful career in major league baseball. He was disappointed 12 years earlier...
Rudy (1993) Movie Genres Section & Review Coming Soon!
Saving Private Ryan (1999) Movie Genres Section & Review Coming Soon!
The Secret of Roan Inish (1995) Movie Genres Section & Review Coming Soon!
Sergeant York (1941) Movie Genres Section & Review Coming Soon!
Shenandoah (1965) Movie Genres Section & Review Coming Soon!
Shane (1953) Movie Genres Section & Review Coming Soon!
Signs (2002) Movie Genres Section & Review Coming Soon!
Singin' in the Rain (1952) Movie Genres Section & Review Coming Soon!
Star Trek: First Contact (1996) Movie Genres Section & Review Coming Soon!
Star Wars (1977, 1980, 1983, 1999, 2002) Movie Genres Section & Review Coming Soon!
The Sum of All Fears (2002) Movie Genres Section & Review Coming Soon!
Tears of the Sun The Ten Commandments (1956) Movie Genres Section & Review Coming Soon!
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944) Movie Genres Section & Review Coming Soon!
Three Kings (1999) Movie Genres Section & Review Coming Soon!
The Three Muskateers Movie Genres Section & Review Coming Soon!
To Have and Have Not (1945) Movie Genres Section & Review Coming Soon!
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) Movie Genres Section & Review Coming Soon!
Tucker: A Man and His Dream (1988) Movie Genres Section & Review Coming Soon!
Trainspotting (1996) Movie Genres Section & Review Coming Soon!
The Truman Show (1998)Movie Genres Section & Review Coming Soon!
Undercover Brother Wag the Dog (1997) Movie Genres Section & Review Coming Soon!
We Were Soldiers (2002)Movie Genres Section & Review Coming Soon!
White Fang (1991)Movie Genres Section & Review Coming Soon!
The Winslow Boy (1999) Movie Genres Section & Review Coming Soon!
Witness (1985) Movie Genres Section & Review Coming Soon!
The Yearling (1947) Movie Genres Section & Review Coming Soon!
Life With Father (1947)Movie Genres Section & Review Coming Soon!
from the Movie Genres Section
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Tree specialist’s new FUSO Canter puts the competition in the shade
Ross Woodley won’t be turning over any new leaves when it comes to the trucks he relies upon to support his business – Romsey Tree Surgeons’ latest 3.5-tonne FUSO Canter is its sixth in a row!
Mr Woodley established his business in the Hampshire market town of Romsey in 1998, and bought his first Canter six years later. He’s been running them ever since.
The most recent arrival from south coast Dealer Marshall Truck & Van, which also represents Mercedes-Benz Trucks, is a Canter 3C13 model with Comfort day cab and economical 96 kW (130 hp) 3.0-litre turbo diesel engine.
Acquired with competitive funding support from Mercedes-Benz Finance, it has a high-sided tipping body by Solent Bodybuilders & Repairs, of Fareham, a roof-mounted flashing light bar, and bears the personalised registration plate, FEII ASH.
Mr Woodley explained: “I buy a new Canter every three years, and always have two at any one time – my other truck has been on the road since 2015. When they’re due for change I sell them privately. We don’t do a lot of miles but when I come to replace them I’m always impressed by their residual values.”
Romsey Tree Surgeons serves domestic and commercial customers in Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire. Members of its team are qualified to undertake a broad range of services, including pruning and thinning, but the firm specialises in the safe removal of trees, or parts of trees, which are large and dangerous, often as a result of storm damage.
Key to the Canter’s appeal for Mr Woodley, are the strength and rugged durability which owe much to its ladder-frame chassis. “Most of its 3.5-tonne competitors are based on vans, which simply aren’t robust enough for our operation,” he observed.
“But the Canter is a proper little truck. It’s very well built and, as we know from long experience, extremely reliable – I can honestly say that in the 15 years we’ve been running them we’ve never had a single breakdown.”
He continued: “We always send at least two but often three men out in the trucks. The Canter’s cab has three full-sized seats, so they travel in comfort and safety.
“The vehicle’s handling when carrying a full load is also totally reassuring. It sits really well on the road and has a great turning circle, because you sit right over the front wheels. That’s another important attribute when we’re on and off residential driveways, and other sites at which access is restricted.”
As it has done with Romsey Tree Surgeons’ other FUSO trucks, Solent Bodybuilders and Repairs also fabricated and installed a toolbox with locking shutter doors on both sides immediately behind the new vehicle’s cab, while a mesh-sided tray beneath the body on the nearside is used to carry signage and other equipment. The truck is also fitted with a hitch, and used to tow a wood chipper.
In addition to its two Canters, Romsey Tree Surgeons runs a Mercedes-Benz Citan van which was also supplied by Marshall Truck & Van, last year. “I can’t fault the Dealer,” reported Mr Woodley.
“They handle all of the liaison and movements with the bodybuilder, while we also utilise FUSO Service Contracts – we drop the vehicles off at the end of the day and the work’s done overnight so we’re ready to roll again next morning.”
He added: “I like my trucks to look smart because they double as mobile advertisements for the business. We’ve picked up quite a few jobs over the years, from people who’ve seen us out and about, and followed up with a phone call.”
http://treesurgeonsromsey.co.uk
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Classic Garden Design for the Modern Romantic
How green roofs are aiding the urban environment
As a modern romantic, you tend to go for a classic garden design. Lush plants and soft, pastel coloured flowers,...
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Trump: My plan will favor 'brilliant' immigrants
President Donald Trump, Photo Date: 3/15/2019 / Photo: C-SPAN / (MGN)
Posted: Thu 9:59 AM, May 16, 2019 |
Updated: Thu 2:17 PM, May 16, 2019
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is laying out a new immigration plan to convince the public and lawmakers that the U.S. legal migration system needs to be overhauled.
Trump, speaking Thursday in the Rose Garden, says his plan aims to create a "fair, modern and lawful system of immigration for the United States." He says: "It's about time."
Trump says the immigration plan he's proposing would prioritize "totally brilliant" immigrants.
The latest effort, spearheaded by Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, focuses on beefing up border security and rethinking the nation's green card system.
Under the plan, the country would award the same number of green cards as it now does. But far more would go to exceptional students, professionals and people with high-level and vocational degrees. Factors such as age, English language ability and employment offers would also be considered.
Far fewer green cards would be given to people with relatives already in the U.S. Fifty-seven percent would be awarded on merit as opposed to the current 12%.
The plan is not yet embraced by his own party — let alone Democrats — and faces an uphill battle in Congress.
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Home | Latest at the Library | Book Reviews | The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
Monday, June 5, 2017 10:21 am
The Irish playwright, Oscar Wilde, was especially known for his witty control of and deft use of the English language, and nowhere does he demonstrate this facility with English better than in the play, The Importance of Being Earnest. The title itself, with its pun on “earnest” and “Ernest,” with all its characters often very “earnest,” but not always or consistently truthful, gives a hint to the reader and viewer what craziness will ensue.
The plot is roughly as follows. Jack Worthing, a wealthy young man with a great estate in the country has invented an alter ego, Ernest. Jack is careful with money, and thoughtful, but Ernest is a spendthrift and a layabout. He uses Ernest and his troubles as an excuse to go to London from time to time and have some fun. In London, he uses the name Ernest. His friend, Algernon Moncrieff, has a similar device to get out of social engagements he wants to avoid. Moncrieff has invented an invalid friend, Bunberry, whom he always has to go visit whenever he wants to get out of any social engagement he finds dreary. Jack is in love with Gwendolyn Fairfax, but his lack of social connections (he was a foundling left at a railway station) and the problem of his name (Gwendolyn knows him as “Ernest” and loves him under that name) may keep him from marrying her. While Jack tries to win Gwendolyn, Algernon uses Bunberry as an excuse so he can go to the country and see Jack’s ward, Cecily Cardew. Algernon poses as “Ernest” to court Cecily, who also happens to love the name, and can only see herself marrying someone by that name. Various confusions arise when Gwendolyn comes down to see Ernest in the country and happens to meet Cecily, and then Jack returns home…
The play is a comedy of errors, with mistaken identity making up a large part of the humor. But a lot of humor comes from the various characters use of language to poke fun at the various, very, very “British” conventions. For instance, when Jack as Ernest tells Lady Bracknell that he has lost both his parents, she retorts famously. “To lose one parent may be seen as a misfortune, but to lose both looks like carelessness.” As a clever Irishman living among the British upper class, Wilde knew a lot about the use of language in society, and just what it meant to be an outsider.
Both film versions available from the library, that of Asquith (1952) and of Oliver (2002), are well made. Asquith chooses to emphasize the theatricality of the play and with its clever use of language and insistence on language as opposed to action, this is a play that works better as a play than as a film. And so Asquith’s production, done in technicolor, which adds a brilliance to the scenes, but which has an artificial feel to it, begins with a playbill, and two people in a theater box, looking down at a proscenium arch stage, with the curtain about to go up. The actors, as well, deliver their lines with a precision and emphasis one finds in stage productions of classic drama. All of this adds to the feeling that we are watching a play. Of course, though Asquith chooses to focus on the production’s theatricality, he does have a very mobile camera, which lets us know that we are not sitting in a playhouse looking at a stage production. It’s as if we are on stage, walking through the play as it takes place.
Parker’s version cannot hide the theatrical origin of the work (the language is wittier than one finds in everyday life, and there is the theatrical absurdity of much of the conversation), but aims at making the film seem more natural. The actors do not deliver their lines with the heightened precision of the stage we see in Asquith’s version. Judi Dench as Lady Bracknell and Frances O’Connor as Gwendolyn come the closest to playing their parts as if on stage.
Parker’s version is also tightly edited, so that the film, which is not an action drama, still moves along at quite a clip. This is most evident in the final scene, where the truth comes out about Jack Worthing’s origins and how he came to be left in a carpet bag at the train station – there seems a mad dash to the finish of the story.
If you want to know what it must have been like to see the play in 1890s London, look to the Asquith treatment; if you want a quicker paced “Earnest,” check out Parker’s version. In either case, you’ll like what you see, and laugh.
The Importance of Being Eearnest (1952), dir. Anthony Asquith, w/ Michael Redgrave (Ernest Worthing/Jack), Michael Denison (Algernon [Algy] Moncrieff), Edith Evans (Lady Bracknell), Joan Greenwood (Gwendolyn Fairfax), Dorothy Tutin (Cecily Cardew), Margaret Rutherford (Miss Prism), Miles Malleson (Canon Chasuble)
The Importance of Being Eearnest (2002), dir. Oliver Parker, w/ Colin Firth (Ernest Worthing/Jack), Rupert Everett (Algernon [Algy] Moncrieff), Judi Dench (Lady Bracknell), Frances O’ Connor (Gwendolyn Fairfax), Reese Witherspoon (Cecily Cardew), Anna Massey (Miss Prism), Tom Wilkinson (Canon Chasuble)
Bernard Norcott-Mahany, a library technical assistant at the Lucile H. Bluford Branch, is our resident connoisseur of classic literature. He is also the leader of the Black Classics and In the Heat of the Night book groups.
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JMC Students Report on National Issues at Internships
Wednesday, March 22, 2017 - 3:47pm
Students in Kent State’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication (JMC) have internships that are giving them the opportunity to report on national issues and share them on big platforms.
Kent State and Rock Hall Team up to Create a New Class Celebrating Rolling Stone Magazine’s 50th Anniversary
Tuesday, March 21, 2017 - 10:47am
Students will study the magazine's history, impact on American culture, and how it continues to innovate.
Learning Advocacy Communication in the Heart of Europe
Monday, March 13, 2017 - 7:25pm
Starting in Fall 2017, College of Communication and Information (CCI) students can spend a semester studying in a truly international environment for what they would spend on the Kent Campus – while taking journalism courses that will apply to their degree programs and other rele...
Kent State to Offer Journalism Class in Conjunction with Rolling Stone’s 50th Anniversary
Friday, March 10, 2017 - 10:50am
As Rolling Stone magazine nears its momentous 50-year anniversary this fall, Kent State students will be studying the history of the magazine, its impact on American culture and how it continues to innovate, in a new course “Music, Movements and Media: Rolling Stone @ 50.”
Five College of Communication and Information Women Honored with Mothers, Mentors and Muses Recognition
Thursday, March 9, 2017 - 11:39am
The Women’s Center named 46 women, including five women from CCI, as part of
Alumnus Covers Oscars for Arise Entertainment 360
Tuesday, March 7, 2017 - 4:04pm
Kent State School of Journalism and Mass Communication alumnus Shannon LaNier, recently took the red carpet for the 2017 Oscars. LaNier, who graduated with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in media production and media management in 2003, is a television host and author. For the...
Kent State to Host Journalism Workshop on Better Storytelling About Suicide
Tuesday, February 28, 2017 - 11:29am
Reporting on suicide may cause others to take their lives by suicide. That’s the premise behind a series of six workshops around Ohio that will teach campus and professional journalists the strategies and language they should use to report suicides in an informative, accurate an...
Navigating the Noise
The Kent State School of Journalism and Mass Communication (JMC) hosted a panel discussion Feb. 23 2017, to discuss how professional communicators can best serve during divided and fractious times.
Students Gain Film Production Experience on Set of 'The Bye Bye Man'
Friday, February 24, 2017 - 12:17pm
Kent State students in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication (JMC) recently took their learning outside of the classroom and to set of the thriller movie, “The Bye Bye Man.” Five students and alumni from JMC and the College of Communication and Information - many of t...
JMC Assistant Professor Leads Audio Production for Women’s Suffrage Documentary
Tuesday, February 21, 2017 - 4:11pm
From working as a touring and studio musician for artists like Donna Summer to recording and editing audio for a variety of broadcasts, assistant professor Scott Hallgren has led a wide-ranging musical career. Most recently, he was the musical composer and audio supervisor for a...
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Education Minister Peter Fassbender addresses students at the official opening of Goldstone Park Elementary
Little movement as school strike starts
Education Minister Peter Fassbender says teachers' union could be called on to pay benefits if school disruption continues
Jeff Nagel
The provincial government is so far holding off on a threat to try to force the B.C.Teachers’ Federation to pay $5 million a month to cover the cost of its members’ benefits in response to their limited job action.
That possible financial weapon was broached earlier in the month by negotiators with the B.C. Public School Employers’ Association and Education Minister Peter Fassbender said it remains an option, particularly if the union escalates its tactics.
“The BCTF has said they’re taking this action to put pressure on us,” Fassbender said Thursday in an interview. “We may need to add some commensurate pressure to the BCTF if we find we’re not getting any solid options from them.”
The union has demanded pay hikes estimated at 13.5 per cent over three years, while the government has offered 6.5 per cent over the first six years of an intended 10-year deal.
Fassbender said the BCTF has made some movement in negotiations, but not a significant amount.
He expressed disappointment that despite continued talks the union opted Wednesday to begin its first-stage strike action – restricting administrative duties and supervision of students outside of class time – a move that has prompted several rural districts to cancel recess.
The BCPSEA had notified the union any strike action could trigger a call for it to cover health and welfare benefits for B.C.’s 40,000 teachers, estimated at $5 million a month.
“I don’t want to inflict pain on anybody,” Fassbender said. “But there are tools available to government as there are to the union.
“I don’t think we want to put out any threats but by the same token we need to ensure that we have stability in the classrooms. That’s our goal.”
BCTF president Jim Iker said he doubts the Labour Relations Board would approve a request ordering the union to pay benefits, noting a similar effort to make the union pay 15 per cent of wages was denied in the last teachers’ strike.
“We would see that as retaliatory and punitive for them to even think about or threaten that the union pay the cost of the benefits when teachers are in the classroom working as hard as they normally do with students,” Iker said.
Iker said it is the government that has not moved much off its position, including a refusal to bargain smaller class sizes and more access to specialist teachers.
“Our hope is we can get this deal done by the end of June and not be going into September still at the bargaining table.”
Overshadowing the labour dispute is last year’s B.C. Supreme Court ruling that the province must restore class size and composition to what existed in 2001.
The province has appealed the decision, saying it would impose enormous costs and disrupt programs.
Waiting until the fall for an appeal court ruling would be unfortunate, said Dan Laitsch, an associate education professor at SFU.
“It really is kind of an all-or-nothing case,” Laitsch said. “They’re playing a fairly high stakes poker game because either side could lose big depending on the outcome of the appeal.”
Ideally, he said, the two sides would recognize it’s too risky to wait and instead craft a settlement that doesn’t subject schools to a months-long strike action.
Laitsch said budget shortfalls now surfacing at many districts mean the province will be under pressure to find more money for the school system regardless of the outcome of the teachers’ dispute.
Earth Day clean up
Village opts for hydro-excavation to deal with water issues
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How France balances the right of free speech against obligations owed to an employer - The Gus Poyet case
Published 28 November 2018 | Authored by: Christophe Bertrand
In France, recent events have illustrated the possible excesses of athletes/coaches when they are interviewed by the media. The case concerns the coach of the Girondins de Bordeaux Football Club, Gustavo Poyet. In August 2018, during a press conference following a Europa League Championship match, Gus Poyet made direct criticisms1 of the club's management regarding the sale of one of their players, Gaetan Laborde, against his will. Poyet even went as far as mentionning his possible resignation during the quite extraordinary interview:
It is a shame that they did this against me, against the players, against the fans. I can't accept that. I need explanations from the owners and the president. When they explain this to me, we'll see if I can keep going. I don't care about the Bordeaux leaders who talk from behind, they try to kill me from behind. It is up to them to talk with you.2
In light of the events, this piece examines the balance that France strikes between an individual’s right to free speech, and the simultaneous duties that they owe to their employer.
Freedom of speech in the work place
In French law, two legal concepts are weighed against each other: freedom of speech on one hand, and the obligation of loyalty towards your employer on the other.
Freedom of speech is governed by the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (Article 10):
Everyone has the right to freedom of speech. This right includes freedom of opinion and the freedom to receive or impart information or ideas without interference from public authorities and regardless of frontiers. This article shall not prevent States from subjecting broadcasting, cinema or television undertakings to a licensing regime.
The exercise of these freedoms involving duties and responsibilities may be subject to certain formalities, conditions, restrictions or sanctions, provided for by law, which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, territorial integrity or public safety, for the prevention of disorder and crime, for the protection of health or morals, for the protection of the reputation or rights of others, for preventing the disclosure of confidential information or for guaranteeing the authority and impartiality of the judiciary.
The freedom of expression is also guaranteed by Article XI of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789) which has constitutional value.3 Only the violation of public order justifies the restriction of this freedom by law.
Regarding the freedom of speech in labour law, Article L. 1121-1 of the French Labour Code provides:
No one may impose restrictions on the people rights and on individual and collective freedoms that are not justified by the nature of the task to be performed or proportionate to the intended purpose.
The courts have however expressed certain limits to this freedom, including the condition that it cannot turn into abuse:
If the exercise of freedom of expression in and outside the company cannot justify dismissal, it is on condition that it does not turn into abuse4.
Consequently, employees enjoy, within and outside the company, freedom of speech5, except in cases of abuse of rights, characterized when the terms used by the employee are abusive, defamatory or excessive.
The French Supreme court has ruled that the freedom of speech includes the right of the employee to criticise the employer6. In the landmark case of Clavaud, it held that an employee may criticise his/her employer in a statement quoted in the press.7
However, if the employee systematically expresses his/her disagreement with the decisions made by the employer, this may be considered as an abusive behaviour.8
The French Labour Code also has a title which specifically deals with the “right of direct and collective expression of employees” (Title 8).
More particularly in sport, it has been judged that:
Whereas, unless abused, the employee enjoys, within and outside the company, his freedom of expression, to which only restrictions justified by the nature of the task to be performed and proportionate to the intended purpose may be applied; (...) that the alleged statements are part of a media controversy with the trainer, the Court of Appeal may have decided that the employee did not abuse his freedom of expression; (...)9.
Whereas the Court of Appeal found that the employee had made outrageous and unfounded public statements challenging the honesty and loyalty of the majority shareholder and that he had proposed that the majority shareholder transfer his shares and leave the club; that, in the light of these findings, the Court of Appeal could decide that the employee had abused his freedom of expression.10
In addition, even though the National Collective Agreement on Sport and the collective agreement on professional football (Charte du football professionnel) remain silent on this matter,11 the 2018/2019 Disciplinary Regulation of the Professional Football League (Article 2 – Skill) mentions:
violations of the Football Ethics Charter as well as violations of sporting morals, serious breaches affecting the honour, image, reputation or consideration of football, the LFP or one of its officers attributable to any natural or legal person subject to the jurisdiction of the FFF, whether or not committed during a match, including during statements, attitudes or behaviour brought to the attention of the public (media, social networks...).
This Football Ethics Charter mentions "Any breach of the duty of confidentiality in public statements" (Part 2).
The General Regulations of the French Football Federation 2017/2018 also sanction the use of "any abusive term or contempt, any offensive expression, any allegation or imputation of a fact (...)" (Article 204 – Damage to sporting morals), or its Annex 2 entitled "Disciplinary Regulations" which specifies that
"Any behaviour contrary to morals, ethics or damaging the honour, image or consideration of the F.F.F., its Leagues or Districts, the Professional Football League, one of their managers, a taxable person or a third party, or, more generally, French football".
However, to remedy this failure, some French clubs have the practice of inserting in the players’ contracts:
so-called "Discretion and confidentiality" clauses, which may stipulate that "the player undertakes a duty of loyalty and reserve and refrains in all circumstances from making any criticism or statements likely to damage the image of the Club and its officer", and/or
ethics bonuses, conditionned by the respect of certain criteria such as "the absence of any negative public comment on his club, those who work there and those who support him, the absence of any negative public comment on his club's tactical choices, courtesy, friendliness and availability in particular towards supporters and partners, the exemplarity of his behaviour, in particular during competitions towards referees and official delegates and off the field during his working time with any other person", etc.
In the case of Gustavo Poyet, he was dismissed12 by the Club des Girondins de Bordeaux on the grounds, in particular, of serious misconduct and the abuse of freedom of speech. The President of the Club stated that: ‘
There has been a drift in behaviour and such remarks towards the institution cannot be tolerated. The limits were crossed yesterday.
Mr. Poyet’s case has not yet been heard.
1 Adam White, Eric Devlin, ‘Gus Poyet melts down as Bordeaux go from crisis to crisis’, theguardian.com, 20 Aug 2018, last accessed 18 Nov 2018, https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/aug/20/gus-poyet-bordeaux-ligue-1
2 Planet Football, ‘Watch: Gus Poyet’s incredible press conference rant: ‘What you say is bullshit’, planetfootball.com, 18 Aug 2018, last accessed 18 Nov 2018
https://www.planetfootball.com/videos/watch-gus-poyets-incredible-press-conference-rant-what-you-say-is-bullshit/
3 According to this text, “The free communication of thoughts and of opinions is one of the most precious rights of man: any citizen thus may speak, write, print freely, except to respond to the abuse of this liberty, in the cases determined by the law”.
4 Cass. soc. 29 Nov. 2006, n° 04-48.012
5 Cass. soc. 14 Dec. 1999, No. 97-41.995; Cass. soc. 22 June 2004, No. 02-42.446
6 Cass. soc. 21 September 2010, No. 09-42382
7 Cass. soc. 28 April 1988, No. 87-41804
8 Cass. soc. 11 February 2009, No. 07-44127
9 Cass. soc. 28 April 2011, n°10-30.107
10 Cass.soc. 28 January 2016, n°14-28.242
11 The collective agreement on professional football (“Charte du football professionnel”) also remains silent on this issue.
12 Josh Lawless, ‘Gus Poyet Suspended By Ligue One Side Bordeaux After Incredible Post-Match Presser’ sportbible.com, 17 August 2018, last accessed 28 Nov 2018, https://www.sportbible.com/football/news-poyet-given-the-boot-by-ligue-one-side-bordeaux-after-one-league-game-20180817
Tags: Charte du football professionnel | Disciplinary Regulation of the Professional Football League | Employment | European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms | Football | France | Free Speech | French Labour Code | Labour | National Collective Agreement on Sport | Sport
Free speech vs. athletes’ right of publicity: The Supreme Court’s Madden NFL decision
How much privacy can sports stars now expect in the UK?
Christophe Bertrand
Partner, Bertrand & Associates
Christophe has been a sports lawyer since 1998 in Paris (France) at Bertrand & Associate law firm (partner).
https://www.bertrand-sport-avocat.com
@CabinetBertrand
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World Indian media body asks govt to withdraw restrictions on journalists
Indian media body asks govt to withdraw restrictions on journalists
by Arun Gautam on July 10, 2019 in World
NEW DELHI: The Editors Guild of India, which represents the country’s newspapers, urged the government on Wednesday to withdraw curbs that have reduced journalists’ access to officials in the finance ministry.
It criticised restrictions imposed by newly appointed Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on the entry of journalists to the finance ministry building in New Delhi.
Sitharaman says she is trying to streamline the system and has denied there is any blanket ban. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has previously been accused of undermining freedom of the press in India.
“This order is a gag on media freedoms and can even result in a further fall in India’s global press freedom rankings, especially as the contagion can easily spread to other ministries as well,” the Editors Guild said in a statement.
The restrictions will confine journalists to a porch at the front of the main finance ministry building rather than allowing them to move freely within its corridors, meaning they will only get unscheduled access to officials when they arrive or depart.
Indian journalists say that will reduce the number of source-based stories they are able to produce from the ministry seen as second only to the prime minister’s office in importance because its decisions influence the whole scope of government.
Journalists who met with Sitharaman on Tuesday failed to persuade her to reconsider.
“Entry of media persons, including those holding a PIB (Press Information Bureau) accredited card, will be on the basis of prior appointment,” her office said afterwards in a statement.
Critics have said that freedom of the press has been under attack since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government first took office in 2014 and journalists have complained of intimidation for writing critical stories.
In more than five years in power, Modi has not held one news conference in India. The prime minister’s office is also not accessible for journalists without a scheduled appointment.
India’s ranking fell by two points to 140th out of 180 in the 2019 World Press Freedom Index, lower than countries such as Afghanistan, Myanmar and the Philippines. It ranked 80th out of 139 countries surveyed when the index was started in 2002.
The post Indian media body asks govt to withdraw restrictions on journalists appeared first on The Himalayan Times.
from World – The Himalayan Times https://ift.tt/2Y0iM0d
By Arun Gautam at July 10, 2019
Labels: World
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Osram Sylvania wins 2009 Energy Star Sustained Excellence Award
Date Announced: 03 Apr 2009
Lighting manufacturer OSRAM SYLVANIA has been awarded the 2009 ENERGY STAR® Sustained Excellence Award by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy in recognition of the company’s continued leadership in protecting the environment through energy efficiency. The company has been an ENERGY STAR partner since 1999 and is a four-time winner of the Sustained Excellence Award, which is given to a select group of organizations that have exhibited outstanding leadership year after year.
Richard Karney, of the U.S. Department of Energy, presents the 2009 ENERGY STAR® Sustained Excellence Award to Jim Jubb, OSRAM SYLVANIA vice president of retail sales. The award was presented at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. on March 31 and honors the lighting company’s efforts to promote energy efficient products and programs. Photographed left to right: Phil Rioux, Jim Jubb, Richard Karney, Jennifer Dolin, Michael Colotti and Stephanie Anderson.
E-mail:Michelle.huang@sylvania.com
Web Site:www.sylvania.com
Lutron Electronics Announces Senior Leadership Team Evolution
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Is the lighting industry now in the mood for OLEDs? (MAGAZINE)
OLEDs are evolving as complementary sources for indoor lighting, says Verbatim’s JEANINE CHROBAK-KANDO, who provides an overview of technology, desirable characteristics and the current status of today’s OLED lighting products.
This article was published in the June 2011 issue of LEDs Magazine. View the Table of Contents and download the PDF file of the complete June 2011 issue.
Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) now appear in a host of commercial electronics applications, most commonly in mobile phones, MP3 players, radio display panels in high-end cars, tablet PCs, and other consumer gadgets. An understanding of OLED technology has been with us for over half a century since researchers at Nancy-Université, France, first observed electroluminescence in organic materials in the 1950s. The affect was only apparent when relatively high voltages were applied to the materials.
The technology currently employed is attributed to W. Tan and A. VanSlyke, and was invented while these researchers were working at Kodak. The breakthrough was to produce a technology that operated at a low voltage and was relatively economical to manufacture. Today’s OLED construction is based upon a Kodak patent, and in November of 1997 Touhoku-Pioneer started the first mass-production of OLEDs, initially for car dashboard displays.
The first OLED screens in personal digital assistants (PDAs) appeared in 2004. By 2008 consumer electronics companies were demonstrating large-screen televisions with high resolution, high contrast ratio and peak luminance of 600 cd/m2.
The drivers of OLED development in these display applications have been the need to reduce cost, weight and power consumption and to provide a better user experience through improved contrast and viewing angle. But what about OLEDs as general light sources? To understand the potential for OLEDs in lighting, let’s start with a little technical background.
How OLEDs work
OLEDs work by sandwiching a layer of organic material between two electrodes, an anode and a cathode, and depositing the whole thing onto a substrate, typically glass or plastic. When a low DC voltage is applied to the electrodes (positive to the anode, negative to the cathode), light is emitted when electrically-charged particles (holes and electrons) combine within the organic film. The characteristics and intensity of light emitted, and how it is extracted from the OLED assembly, determine its suitability for lighting applications.
One challenge for OLED development engineers has been how to create large panels. In general, the larger the panel that can be printed in one process, the lower the cost of the OLED light – there’s no need to fix a lot of individual panels together to achieve sufficient luminous intensity. Limitations in processes and materials determine how large a panel can be made. Another important consideration is the operating life of OLEDs. The higher the light output, the more limited the life of the device, so the most appropriate trade-off for each application has to be made.
OLEDs can be made in one of 3 ways, as shown in Fig. 2. Some leading manufacturers favor the multi-layer type on the left, and this is the simplest process. The tandem construction (right) is a little more complex but delivers more intense light output. It also allows larger formats to be created. Tandem construction is sometimes combined with the multi-layer structure.
The approach taken by Mitsubishi Chemical, which markets OLEDs under the Verbatim brand, is shown in the center of Fig. 1. Narrow stripes of adjacent red, green and blue OLEDs are deposited. This method of production is more complicated but yields two advantages. The first relates to light extraction. Each layer within an OLED has a different refractive index. This causes internal reflections within the device that limit out-coupling – the proportion of light generated that reaches the outside environment. The RGB stripe construction is the most effective in maximizing the light output for a given energy consumption. The second advantage is that the OLED is not only dimmable, as with other types of construction, but also color tunable and white-tone tunable. Dimming does not affect color.
Manufacturing processes for OLEDs seek to maximize light output and minimize pixel defects. To achieve these aims, in place of the dry process of vapor deposition of the layers that make up the OLED, Mitsubishi Chemical uses a wet process. This avoids defects in the OLED structure when microscopic particles of foreign material are encountered.
Desirable characteristics of OLEDs
As mentioned earlier, OLEDs need a large emission surface to be suitable for lighting applications so that they emit sufficient light to be useful. The quality of light, usually expressed as its color rendering index (CRI), is important in rendering colors accurately. Low-power operation, meaning high efficiency in converting electricity to light, is vital in a world focused on reducing energy consumption and CO₂ emissions. Also, in common with the requirements of OLED displays, OLED lights should not contain hazardous substances, need to be simple to operate, and must exhibit fast on/off response.
The CRI of a light source is determined by shining the light onto eight different-colored tiles, numbered R1 to R8, and analyzing the spectrum of the light reflected from the tiles. In general, CRI is quoted as the Ra value, which is the average figure across all of the test colors (R1-R8). R9, the color red, is not used in the calculation of Ra, but is important within the spectrum of human vision, so a high R9 figure is also desirable in OLED lighting. The wavelength of light above R9 (approximately 650nm) contributes little to human vision. Today’s OLED panels exhibit an R9 value of 84 and an Ra of greater than 80.
What’s available today? The latest dimmable, color-tunable and white-tone-tunable OLED panels are available in sizes up to about 140 x 140 mm, as shown in Fig. 1. They offer luminance of approximately 1000 cd/m2 at a color temperature of 3000K, enhanced by a light-extraction film on the luminous surface. Power consumption is about 2W. Panels are typically between 3.6 mm and 8.65 mm thick and have an operating life of over 8000 hours before the output falls to 70% of its initial value.
The white tone is tunable from 2700K – a typical warm-white figure – to about 6500K, equivalent to bright sunlight. Using a simple 3-channel electronic controller located on the back of each panel, the color can be tuned virtually instantaneously. Using this feature, together with dimming, the emotional impact of a lighting scheme based on OLED panels can be changed to reflect the mood required for the environment. For example, bright, white light may be desirable in the morning but more subdued, relaxing lighting with muted colors may be preferable towards the end of the day.
The technical protocols for RGB color tuning (DMX) and dimming (DALI) are well established, and low-cost controllers are widely available. Panels are easily calibrated and matched using the controllers to compensate for differences between panels cased by manufacturing process variations. In the near future, there is an expectation that the DALI protocol will be extended to include all aspects of color control, as well as dimming functions.
OLEDs are not yet ready to replace general indoor lighting, as has been suggested by some enthusiasts. However, they are now at the stage where they complement ambient lighting and task lighting to produce beautifully-balanced lighting schemes both in places of work and in the home. Their potential in retail environments and other public spaces is unlimited, and their low power requirements meet the demands of the most ardent environmentalists.
Acuity promises affordable OLED luminaires in OLEDWorks alliance
DOE releases new report on OLED panel longevity and performance
More in OLEDs
STRATEGIES IN LIGHT SPOTLIGHT — Strong services and distribution focus will sustain the SSL business
Jan 22nd, 2019
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Apple’s next iPhones might all use OLED screens
DOE announces new SSL research funding, formally ends Lighting Facts program (UPDATED)
Read all about it: OLED now embedded in print material
Apr 23rd, 2018
OLED lighting - A glass half empty or full? (MAGAZINE)
Fraunhofer says its new OLED bracelet can heal wounds
Modular Drivers
Zhaga Consortium
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Back to Little Wonders site Aoraki
Evolve named NZ’s Most Trusted Kindergarten Centre Operator
Evolve Education Group has been named New Zealand’s Most Trusted Kindergarten Centre Operator in the 2019 Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands awards.
Results were officially announced yesterday during a special awards ceremony at Okahu on Auckland’s Tamaki Drive. The win is considered to be the ultimate seal of approval, as 100 percent of votes are made by consumers.
Evolve CEO Rosanne Graham said the accolade was excellent recognition of the hard work the organisation is doing to make a positive difference in New Zealand’s ECE sector.
“We are delighted that New Zealand parents have given us their greatest vote of confidence by naming us their most trusted early learning brand,” she said.
“We pride ourselves on delivering the highest quality early childhood education so that every child can fulfil their potential. We are constantly striving to understand the needs and aspirations of our children and families, and to exceed their expectations. It means a lot to have the efforts of our teachers recognised and celebrated in this way.”
Evolve Education Group operates 128 centres across New Zealand, with highly regarded brands including Active Explorers, Lollipops, Pascals, Learning Adventures, Little Wonders, Little Lights and Little Earth Montessori.
The Trusted Brands award further cements the Group’s reputation as a leader in New Zealand’s early learning sector. According to Reader’s Digest, Trusted Brands awardees are considered to be reliable, full of integrity, affordable and high quality. They are the “right choice” for an overwhelming number of consumers, stay true to their promises and hold fast to their core principles. This year the well-known awards shone a light on 68 categories of products and services across a broad range of industries. Data was collected by leading research company Catalyst Research who surveyed 1400 adults nationwide.
307 Wai-iti Road, Timaru
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Pro-life movie ‘Voiceless’ holds world premiere in front of U.S. Supreme Court
By Josh Denton | October 4, 2016 , 02:03pm
The producers of a pro-life movie opening in theaters nationwide this weekend chose to give the film its debut outside the Supreme Court of the United States.
“Voiceless,” a pro-life film opening Oct. 7, held its premiere Sunday evening outside the nation’s highest court, which legalized abortion nationwide in 1973. Organizers pointed out that this is the first time the court has allowed a movie to be shown on the sidewalk in front of the building.
Jason Jones, co-executive producer of “Voiceless,” told TheBlaze in an interview that the film’s aim is “to tell the truth about the human person.”
“We’ve been demoralized lately with the latest Supreme Court ruling,” Jones said, citing the court’s decision in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt earlier this year, which struck down a Texas law requiring abortion facilities to have basic health and safety regulations.
The movie centers around Jesse Dean, a recently discharged soldier who had a rough upbringing, but because of his wife, found God. Dean and wife move to Philadelphia so he can take a new job as an outreach leader at an old church, and as he begins connecting to the community, he discovers there is an abortion facility directly across the street.
Dean approaches the pastor and church members for help, but to no avail. Finally, Dean comes to the point when he begins to take action himself; and the more involved he becomes, the more resistance he gets from those inside his church, his family, and his community. Dean must make a choice: will he back off, which is what everyone wants him to do, or will he face a major confrontation which will require him to put everything on the line?
This film encourages people to stand up for what they know is right, and addresses the spirit of retreat as it pertains to engaging the culture.
Jones, who likened showing the film outside the court to “art versus the law,” said he “couldn’t think of a better place” for its premiere. He said the event at the U.S. Supreme Court was one of the “most moving experiences” of his life, because he lost a daughter to abortion in 1989. Ever since, Jones has considered the Supreme Court the site of her death.
“How beautiful that we can show our film that wants to be a voice for the voiceless on these very steps,” Jones said.
The co-executive producer expressed optimism that the film will be successful in theaters even though “we’re fighting for shelf space.”
“There are only so many screens in America, and we’re fighting with big, giant movie companies,” Jones said. “And they are big, lumbering giants, and we’re little David trying to get our screens.”
Jones credited Rev. Patrick Mahoney of Church on the Hill in Washington, D.C., with the idea of showing the film outside the Supreme Court. Mahoney, who told TheBlaze that “it’s as if this film is a voice for those who don’t have a voice,” added that the Court required them to use a smaller screen than they wanted, and barred them from using chairs.
“We just thought it was absolutely critical to come to the Court,” he said. “We wanted to make history here.”
Prior to the film’s showing on Sunday, Mahoney and Jones welcomed those in attendance to its “world premiere.”
Visit the Voiceless website to find out a theater near you on Friday, October 7. Watch the trailer.
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Shriram Refrigeration Industries Ltd. Vs. Commissioner of Income-tax, Delhi-i - Court Judgment
Subject Direct Taxation
Court Delhi High Court
Decided On Aug-01-1980
Case Number Income-tax Reference No. 67 of 1972
Judge Leila Seth and; S. Ranganathan, JJ.
Reported in [1981]127ITR746(Delhi)
Acts Income Tax Act, 1961 - Sections 35A
Appellant Shriram Refrigeration Industries Ltd.
Respondent Commissioner of Income-tax, Delhi-i
Cases Referred L) and Musker (H. M. Inspector of Taxes) v. English Electric Co.
direct taxation - expenditure - section 35 a of income tax act, 1961 - whether amount paid by assessed to collaborator represented expenditure of capital nature - payments made to have access to knowledge and information necessary to carry on and run business from day to day - in view of above conclusion question whether agreement entered into at time of commencement or in course of business already being carried on not of much significance - concerned amount represents expenditure of revenue nature and allowable in concerned assessment year - question answered in negative. - - the assessment years concerned are, as already stated, 1966-67 and 1967-68, for which the corresponding previous years are the years which ended on september 30, 1965, and september 30, 1966. at the outset, it.....ranganathan, j.1. the assessed is the applicant in this matter under the i.t. act, 1961, which is a consolidated reference relating to the assessment years 1966-67 and 1967-68. the assessed, shriram refrigeration industries ltd., is a public limited company carrying on business in the manufacture of sealed compressors for air-conditioners and refrigerators. the assessment years concerned are, as already stated, 1966-67 and 1967-68, for which the corresponding previous years are the years which ended on september 30, 1965, and september 30, 1966. at the outset, it must be mentioned that the business of the assessed-company was set up only in the accounting period relevant to the assessment year 1966-67. the income-tax appellate tribunal has clearly found that it was clear from the evidence.....
Ranganathan, J.
1. The assessed is the applicant in this matter under the I.T. Act, 1961, which is a consolidated reference relating to the assessment years 1966-67 and 1967-68. The assessed, Shriram Refrigeration industries Ltd., is a public limited company carrying on business in the manufacture of sealed compressors for air-conditioners and refrigerators. The assessment years concerned are, as already stated, 1966-67 and 1967-68, for which the corresponding previous years are the years which ended on September 30, 1965, and September 30, 1966. At the outset, it must be mentioned that the business of the assessed-company was set up only in the accounting period relevant to the assessment year 1966-67. The Income-tax Appellate Tribunal has clearly found that it was clear from the evidence produced that the commercial production started only in October, 1964, and that the business was set up only in the accounting period which ended on September 30, 1965.
2. On June 26, 1961, a technical assistance agreement for sealed unites was entered into between Westinghouse Electric International Company and India Refrigeration Industries Ltd., which was apparently the previous name of the assessed-company. The collaborator (hereinafter referred to as 'the Westinghouse') was a division of Westinghouse Electric Corporation incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States of America. The said Corporation and a number of its subsidiary companies are referred to in the agreement as 'associated companies'. Westinghouse, the technical adviser, was in charge of administering all patents and patent rights belonging to the associated companies in countries outside the U.S.A. and was authorised to grant licenses under such patents and patent rights and also to furnish technical, manufacturing and other information of the associated companies. The above agreement which became effective from May 21, 1962, was promoted by the desire of the assessed to obtain patent rights, rights under technical manufacturing and other information and services necessary to enable it to manufacture, use and sell certain types of electrical and other apparatus and material manufactured by the associated companies in the U.S.A. Westinghouse was willing to license the assessed under patents and patent rights and technical information administered by it.
3. Article I of the agreement provided that the term of the agreement, and of any and all licenses and rights granted and obligations assumed there under, was to be for a period of ten years from the effective date but was to continue, unless terminated, as provided for in the agreement. Under art. I, either party could terminate the agreement at the end of the said ten-year period or at the end of any succeeding five-year period, upon written notice to the other given in the prescribed manner and arts. XIII and XIV provided for the termination of the agreement in certain eventualities.
4. Article II, which is important is captioned 'licenses'. Under this article Westinghouse granted to the assessed, (a) an exclusive license to manufacture in India the apparatus and material described in Ex. 'A' attached to the agreement, and (b) a non-exclusive license to use and sell, in all countries of the world except the United States and Canada, apparatus and material so manufactured by the assessed under the licenses granted under this article. The licenses were to manufacture apparatus and material covered by patents and patent rights administered by Westinghouse with the help of the information furnished from time to time by Westinghouse to the assessed. The licenses, however, did not include any right to manufacture in the U.S.A. or Canada, or to use in, sell in or sell for export, to those countries, the apparatus and material manufactured under the agreement. The licenses were also not to cover the apparatus and material described in Ex. 'B' attached to the agreement even thought used in the production of or as a part of apparatus and material described in Ex. 'A'. Westinghouse on its own behalf and on behalf of the associated companies reserved the right to import into and to use and sell in all countries in respect of which licenses were granted to the assessed and also reserved the right to grant non-exclusive licenses to other companies, firms and persons to import into and to use and sell in such countries. The article further made it clear that the licenses granted 'shall be non-divisible, non-transferable, non-assignable' (subject to one exception) and without the right to grant sub-licenses except with the written consent of Westinghouse. With respect to the sale, transfer or consignment of parts the licenses were limited to the sale, transfer or consignment of such parts as were used as spares or replacements in connection with the complete apparatus. The article further provided that if at any time the assessed discontinued the manufacture of any particular type or types of licensed material or failed to manufacture the same in reasonable commercial quantities, Westinghouse could, at its discretion, after written notice to the assessed, convert the exclusive license with respect to such type or types of material into a non-exclusive license.
5. Article III describes the technical and manufacturing information which Westinghouse was to provide. It states that Westinghouse, in so far as it has the right, shall communicate in duplicate to the assessed upon request the kinds of information set out in the article in relation to licensed material as shall from time to time be in current use by any of the associated companies in the manufacture of licensed material which may be of use to the assessed in its licensed operations. The information to be furnished consisted of any or all of the following :
(a) calculation and design sheets
(b) basic design data including design manuals where available
(c) drawings
(d) process specifications
(e) material specifications
(f) performance specifications
(g) test data
(h) apparatus instruction books
and similar data generally known as engineering and manufacturing information.
6. Westinghouse at its option could also supply information relating to designs and specifications relating to manufacturing equipment, tools, dies, jigs and fixtures to the extent available in the records of the associated companies and communicated by them to their own manufacturing plants and to the extent they were applicable to the operations of the assessed together with reasonable written technical assistance with respect to the use of information in the manufacture of licensed material. Westinghouse could also, at its discretion, undertake engineering development with respect to licensed material at the request of the assessed and provide special or additional information to the assessed resulting there from. Engineering development assistance included the furnishing of the services of technical experts to the extent possible to be spared by Westinghouse from the works of itself or its associated companies. The assessed could also depute a reasonable number of visiting representatives at its expense to visit such plants of the associated companies as may be designated by Westinghouse for reasonable periods. One of the important provisions of article III was :
The licensee shall not communicate, cede, grant, dispose of or give, and shall take reasonable precautions to prevent the communication, ceding, granting disposal or giving of, any information (other than such information as shall have become generally known in the industry) to any third party in any way whatsoever, without the prior written consent of the technical adviser. This obligation shall survive any termination of this agreement.'
7. Article IV entitled the assessed to require Westinghouse to give two month's training to two trainees in the techniques and operations relating to the manufacture of licensed material. Additional training could be provided on payment.
8. Article V made it clear that the agreement should not be considered as granting any privilege to assessed to use in any manner whatsoever the Westinghouse trade mark or any other trade marks belonging to or registered in the name of Westinghouse or the associated companies. All these trade marks were admitted to be the property of the associated companies. The agreement only permitted the assessed to use the term 'Licensed by Westinghouse' or its equivalent in connection with the manufacture, use and sale of licensed material in the manner and to the extent from time to time authorised, approved and directed in writing by Westinghouse and even this liberty was to cease on the termination of the agreement.
9. Article VI is important as it provided for the nature of the payments to be made by the assessed to Westinghouse under the agreement. It is unnecessary to set out this article in full. It is sufficient to extract only a portion of this article. It says :
'Payments : In consideration of the Licenses, option, information, rights and services granted, furnished and rendered, and to be granted, furnished and rendered by the technical adviser hereunder, the licensee shall pay to the technical advisor :
(a) Fifty thousand dollars ($ 50,000), payable as follows :
1. Upon signing of this agreement, sixteen thousand six hundred seventy dollars ($ 16,670);
2. Sixteen thousands six hundred seventy dollars ($ 16,670) within twelve months after the signing of this agreement;
3. Sixteen thousand six hundred sixty dollars ($ 16,660) within twenty-four months after the signing of this agreement.
(b) From time to time upon receipt of invoices thereforee, all amounts which shall become due and payable by the licensee pursuant to articles III, IV, VIII, IX, X, XI or XII; and
(c) From time to time royalties in respect of licensed material computed as follows :
1. Five per cent. (5%) of the selling price of licensed material and apparatus and parts of the same general character as licensed material, whether or not made under patents and information of the technical adviser, sold, transferred or consigned by the licensee for use in India; and
2. An additional one per cent. (1%) of the selling price of such licensed material, apparatus and parts sold, transferred or consigned for export from India.'
10. Article VII which contains a reciprocal provision is interesting. Under this article, the assessed grants in favor of Westinghouse, a corresponding non-exclusive license to manufacture, use and sell directly or through sublicensees, apparatus manufactured with the aid of the license and information provided by the assessed regarding material covered by patents or patent right owned or controlled by it. But the clause says :
'Regardless of any termination of this agreement, such licenses shall be for full life of the respective patents and patent rights and any renewals or extension thereof and without limit as to the information so licensed.'
11. Article XII can next be referred to. This article provides that except as otherwise mentioned in the agreement all information communicated to the assessed by or on behalf of Westinghouse or any of the associated companies (except to the extent they were common knowledge in industry) was to remain the legal and absolute property of Westinghouse or the associated companies, as the case may be. However, the assessed, even after the termination of the agreement, could continue to operate under such information but only in accordance with the terms and conditions to be agreed at the time of such termination.
12. It may be observed that under art. VI(a) of the agreement the assessed had to pay $ 50,000 to the collaborators in the manner prescribed in that clause. Accordingly, the assessed paid Westinghouse a sum of Rs. 79,433 on May 21, 1962, Rs. 79,766 on June 21, 1963, and Rs. 79,885 on May 21, 1964. In order words, these payments were made long prior to the commencement of the previous year in which the business of the assessed was set up.
13. For the assessment year 1966-67, the assessed originally submitted a return showing a loss of Rs. 8,34,366. In this return the assessed had claimed, as a deduction, 1/14th of the amount of Rs. 2,39,084 paid by it to Westinghouse in May, 1962, June, 1963, and May, 1964, respectively. This claim was based on a circular of the Central Board of Direct Taxes dated May 31, 1961, in respect of the write-off of expenditure on technical know how in the nature of copyrights/patents. However, subsequently, the assessed addressed a letter to the ITO claiming a deduction of the entire sum of Rs. 2,39,084 for the assessment year 1966-67 as revenue expenditure. This claim was said to be based on the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of CIT v. Ciba of India Ltd. : [1968]69ITR692(SC) . In line with the original return, the assessed also claimed in its return for the assessment year 1967-68, the deduction of a sum of Rs. 17,078 being 1/14th of the total payment made to Westinghouse under art. VI(a) of the agreement.
14. The ITO disallowed the claim made by the assessed. He pointed out that the amounts in question were payable and paid before the beginning of the previous year. He was also of opinion that while the royalty payments made under art. VI(a) of the agreement were allowable as claimed, the liability incurred by the assessed under art. VI(a) was in the nature of a capital liability not admissible for income-tax purposes. He also disallowed the claim for distributing the expenditure over a period of 14 years since the payments had not been made for the purchase of patents as envisaged in the Board's circular (and subsequently incorporated in s. 35A of the I.T. Act, 1961). For the same reason, the claim for the deduction of Rs. 17,078 in the assessment year 1967-68 was also disallowed.
15. The assessed appealed to the AAC for both the years. The AAC dealt with this matter in the order on the appeal for 1966-67. He was of opinion that the amount claimed could not be allowed as deduction though he accepted the assessed's contention that the expenditure, being of the same type as in the Ciba's case : [1968]69ITR692(SC) , was in the nature of revenue, and not of capital expenditure. This was for the reason that the payments had been made and expenses had been incurred prior to the commencement of the previous year relevant for the assessment year 1966-67, i.e., prior to October 1, 1964. It was sought to be urged on behalf of the assessed that the business of the assessed had been set up only in the accounting year which ended on September 30, 1964, and that, thereforee, the expenditure could be claimed by the assessed only in the assessment year 1966-67. This argument was met by the AAC by holding that the business of the assessed must be deemed to have been set up even in the year which ended on September 30, 1964, (i.e., assessment year 1965-66) because the company had received certain machining charges during that accounting year and had also purchased some raw material in that year. In view of his conclusion that the expenditure was of revenue nature, the AAC also rejected the alternative claim of the assessed for the spread-over of the expenditure over a period of 14 years in accordance with the circular of the Board.
16. There were further appeals to the Appellate Tribunal by the assessed. The Tribunal came to the conclusion that the assessed's appeals should be dismissed and the orders of the ITO upheld for both the years as in its view the payments in question constituted expenditure of a capital nature. The Tribunal examined the agreement for technical assistance in the light of the decisions in the cases of CIT v. Ciba of India Ltd. : [1968]69ITR692(SC) , Mysore Kirloskar Ltd. v. CIT : [1968]67ITR23(KAR) and Strick (Inspector of Taxes) v. Regent Oil Co., Ltd. : [1965]57ITR716(Cal) . It pointed out that the agreement contemplated three types of payments. The first type of payment which was in dispute was the payment of 50,000 dollars, a payment made once and for all as consideration for inducing Westinghouse to enter into arrangements and for the grant of license, option information, rights and services. The second payment was in respect of material supplied or training given by Westinghouse. The third class of payment was related to the selling price of the licensed material and based on the sales inside the country or on export. The two later categories, about which there was no dispute, were clearly payments of revenue nature but it was not possible to accept the contention of the assessed that the payment of the first category would constitute a revenue payment. The Tribunal pointed out that the Supreme Court in its decision in the case of Ciba of India Ltd. : [1968]69ITR692(SC) had relied upon six facts to come to the conclusion that the expenditure in that case was of revenue nature. These facts were :
(1) the license was for a period of five years liable to be terminated in certain eventualities even before the expiry of that period;
(2) the object of the agreement was to obtain the benefit of technical assistance for running the business;
(3) the license was granted to the assessed subject to rights actually granted or which may be granted after the date of the agreement to other persons;
(4) the assesse was expressly prohibited form; divulging confidential information to third parties without the consent of the Swiss company;
(5) there was no transfer of the fruits of research one for all; and
(6) the stipulated payment was recurrent dependent upon the sales and only for the period of the agreement. According to the Tribunal, out of these six aspects the crucial sixth aspect was conspicuously absent in the payment in dispute in the present case. Moreover, in the present case, the license was for a period of ten years renewable up to a further period of five years and was an exclusive license to manufacture in India certain specified apparatus and material. The object of the agreement was to obtain the benefit of technical assistance not merely in running the business but for giving it a start. In these circumstances, the Tribunal held that the decision of the Supreme; Court in the Ciba's case : [1968]69ITR692(SC) was not applicable and the expenditure incurred by the assessed had to be considered to be capital expenditure.
17. The Tribunal proceeded to reject the assessed's claim for spread over of the expenditure under s. 35a, firstly, because that section permitted only the spread over of expenditure incurred after February 28, 1966, and, secondly, because the expenditure under consideration could not be said to be expenditure for the acquisition of patent rights as required by the section.
18. Having held that the amount was rightly disallowed as capital expenditure the Tribunal also proceeded to express its opinion on the alternative claim of the assessed on the assumption that the expenditure was in the nature of revenue expenditure. On this aspect of the matter, the Tribunal disagreed with the AAC and held that the business of the assessed had been set up only in the accounting year relevant to the assessment year 1966-67, and that the expenditure in question, though incurred prior to the setting up of the business, was, if it were in the nature of revenue expenditure, in the nature of prepaid expenditure which would be considered only in the first assessment of the company for the assessment year 1966-67. Since, however, the Tribunal had taken the view that the expenditure in dispute was of capital nature the question of allowing it on the basis that it was revenue expenditure did not arise either for the assessment year 1966-67 or for the assessment year 1967-68. The assessed's appeals were, thereforee, dismissed.
19. At the instance of the assessed, the Tribunal has referred for our decision the following two question :
'(1) Whether, on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, the amount of Rs. 2,39,084 paid by the assessed to Westinghouse represented expenditure of a capital nature
2. If the answer to question No. 1 is in the affirmative, whether, on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, any portion of the amount is allowable as a deduction in each or either of two assessment years 1966-67 and 1967-68 ?'
20. It seems to us that Mr. Ravinder Narain, counsel appearing for the assessed, is right in pointing out that the principles applicable to cases of this type have been laid down by the Supreme Court in Ciba's case : [1968]69ITR692(SC) . In that case the assessed was an Indian subsidiary of a Swiss company engaged in the development, manufacture and sale of medical and pharmaceutical preparations. The pharmaceutical section of the Swiss company in India was taken over by the assessed from January 1, 1948. Under an agreement dated December 17, 1947, the Swiss company undertook to deliver to the assessed all processes, formulae, scientific data, working rules and prescriptions pertaining to the : manufacture or processing of products discovered and developed in the Swiss company's laboratories. It also agreed to forward to the assessed as far as possible all scientific and bibliographic information, pamphlets or drafts, which might be useful to introduce licensed preparations and to promote their sale in India. It granted to the assessed full and sole right and license under the patent listed in the agreement to make, use, exercise and vend the inventions specified therein in India. It also granted to the assessed a license to use certain specified trade marks in the territory subject to any existing license which third parties held at the date of agreement, or which the Swiss company might grant to third parties thereafter. In consideration of the right to receive scientific and technical assistance the assessed agreed to make contributions of 5%, 3%, and 2%, respectively, of the net sale price of the products sold by the assessed towards technical consultancy and technical service rendered and research work done, towards cost of raw material used for experimental work and towards royalties on trade marks used by the assessed. Under the agreement the assessed agreed not to divulge to third parties any confidential information received under the agreement without the consent of the Swiss company. It also agreed not to assign the benefit of the agreement or grant sub-licenses in respect of the patents and trade marks without such consent. It was also agreed that, upon the termination of the agreement for any cause, the assessed would cease to use patents and trade marks and to return to the Swiss company all copies of information, scientific date or material sent to it and to refrain from communicating any such information, scientific date or material received by it to any person. The agreement; was; to be in force for a period of 5 years from January 1, 1948, and was liable to cancellation by either party if the other party failed to perform or observe the provisions of the agreement, by giving 3 months' notice. By a subsequent agreement the contribution payable was reduced from 10% to 6% of the net selling price of the pharmaceuticals. The question which arose was as to whether the contribution other than the part paid as royalties was admissible as an allowance either under clause (xii) or under clause (xv) of s. 10(2) of the Indian I.T. Act, 1922. After analysing the provisions of the agreement and disposing of a contention based on s. 10(2)(xii), the court pointed out that, under the agreement, the assessed did not become entitled exclusively, even for the period of the agreement, to the patents and trade marks of the Swiss company; it had merely access to the technical knowledge and experience in the pharmaceutical field which the Swiss company commanded and was a mere licensee for a limited period of the technical knowledge of the Swiss company with the right to use the patents and trade marks of that company. The assessed's contention was that the contribution for this permission to have access to the technical knowledge for the purpose of running the business during the period of the agreement was revenue expenditure wholly and exclusively laid out for the purposes of the business. On the other hand, on behalf of the revenue, it was contended that the expenditure was of capital nature. Reliance was placed on the decision of the House of Lords in Moriarty v. Evans Medical Supplies Ltd. [1959] 35 ITR 707 (HL), where the majority had ruled that money received by a taxpayer for making available to another person a right to 'technical know-how' was in the nature of a capital receipt.
21. The Supreme Court was of opinion that the revenue's contention could not be accepted. It was pointed out that in Evans' case [1959] 35 ITR 707 (HL), the question was regarding the true character of a receipt, but this was not always determinative of the nature of the outgoing in the hands of the person who paid it. Moreover, the speeches of the Law Lords in that case disclosed a remarkable divergence of opinions and the view of the majority reached on different and somewhat contradictory premised was of little assistance in deciding the case before them. Further, the case of Evans [1959] 35 ITR 707 (HL) had been distinguished in Rolls-Royce Ltd. v. Jeffrey (Inspector of Taxes) [1965] 56 ITR 580 (HL) and Musker (H. M. Inspector of Taxes) v. English Electric Co., Ltd. [1964] 41 TC 556 (HL). In Rolls-Royce Ltd.'s case [1965] 56 ITR 580 (HL), payments received for licensing a foreign Government to manufacture aero-engines with the accumulated technical knowledge of the taxpayer, supplying information and drawings, advising the foreign Government as to improvements and modifications in manufacture and design and giving instructions to the licensee was held to be revenue receipt. Similarly, in English Electric Co., Ltd.'s case [1964] 41 TC 556 (HL) the fixed lump sum payments received as consideration for imparting manufacturing technique to the licensee was held to be income. Having thus dealt with the decisions relied upon by the revenue, the court observed (p. 701 of 69 ITR) :
'In the case in hand, it cannot be said that the Swiss company had wholly parted with its Indian business. There was also no attempt to part with the technical knowledge absolutely in favor of the assessed.
The following facts which emerge from the agreement clearly show that the secret process were not sold by the Swiss company to the assessed; ......'
and proceeded to refer to the six aspects extracted and referred to in the order of the Tribunal in this case. The above observation of the Supreme Court show that the crucial question for consideration in such cases is whether the agreement merely confers on the assessed a right to draw, for the purposes of carrying on its business, upon the technical knowledge of the foreign company for a limited period or whether by virtue of the agreement the foreign company has absolutely parted with or sold its secret processed and technical knowledge to the assessed. If it is the former, then the assessed cannot be said to have acquired any asset or advantage of enduring nature for the benefit of its business and the payments would be revenue in nature. On the other hand, if there is an absolute transfer or sale of patent rights or secret or technical knowledge absolutely in favor of the assessed, the payments made in respect thereof would be payments for the acquisition of a capital asset and hence capital in nature.
22. We have referred earlier to the six features of the agreement before it which have been listed by the Supreme Court as clearly showing 'that the secret processes were not sold by the Swiss company to the assessed'. Mr. Ravinder Narain's grievance is that in the present case the Tribunal has erroneously considered the six points mentioned by the Supreme Court as cumulative conditions necessary to be fulfillled in order to claim the payment as a revenue expenditure. According to him, the Tribunal has erred in holding that the present assessed is not entitled to the deduction claimed because one of the six aspects referred to by the Supreme Court (viz., a dependence of the payment on the sales or output) was not fulfillled in the present case.
23. It will be clear from the above discussion that the question for consideration here is as to how far the decision in the Ciba case : [1968]69ITR692(SC) would be applicable to the facts here. The Tribunal has sought to distinguish the facts of the present case from those considered by the Supreme Court in four respect :
(a) The payment under consideration is a flat lump sum paid once and for all, not for the use of license, information or facilities, but for inducing Westinghouse to enter into the arrangement;
(b) The payment is neither recurrent nor dependent upon the sales;
(c) The period of the agreement is ten years with a provision enabling renewal for a succeeding period of five years; and
(d) The object of the agreement was to obtain the benefit of technical assistance not merely for running the business but for giving it a start.
24. We are, however, of opinion that the payment of $ 50,000 under art. VI(a) was also only in the nature of revenue expenditure. The principle laid down by the Supreme Court in the above decision is that if the agreement results in the absolute transfer of technical knowledge to the assessed, the assessed could be said to have acquired an asset of enduring advantage but where the payment is made only for obtaining access to information which does not become its own, the payments cannot be elevated to the status of payment of a capital nature. Looked at from this point of view, it seems to us that there is no significant or material difference between the agreement in the Ciba's case : [1968]69ITR692(SC) and that in the present case. Under the terms of the present agreement also, the assessed does not acquire absolutely any information or knowledge from Westinghouse. What is it that the assessed gets under the agreement Firstly, it gets a license for manufacturing certain types of apparatus and material and to sell the same. The license is partly exclusive and partly non-exclusive and even the former can be converted into the latter in certain circumstances. There is no right for granting any sub-license or for assigning the license to any other person except with the consent of Westinghouse. The license to any which covers the apparatus in Ex. A does not extend to the apparatus and material described in Ex. B even where they are used in the production of or as part of the apparatus listed in Ex. A. As in the Ciba's case : [1968]69ITR692(SC) , here also the license granted to the assessed is subject to rights in fav our of other persons to whom licenses were granted earlier or will be granted later. The second advantage derived by the assessed is the access to technical and manufacturing information. Here again Westinghouse is only to communicate to the assessed from time to time such information as it may be having in current use either in its factories or with the other associated companies. The information thus received from the Westinghouse, again as in the Ciba's case : [1968]69ITR692(SC) , is not be parted with by the licensee to any third parties whatsoever either during the currency of the agreement of after the termination thereof. Westinghouse has a discretion to impart or decline to impart some types of information particularly that relevant to engineering development. In contrast with these restricted and limited rights of the assessed, art. VI confers wider liberty to Westinghouse in utilising the licenses and information supplied to it by the assessed. The third advantage which the assessed obtains is a permission not to use the trade-marl of Westinghouse or the associated companies, but only to acknowledge the license granted in favor of the assessed for this purpose. The only other provision which ensures to the advantage of the assessed is the benefit of technical advice by the collaborator, training to the employees of the assessed and permission to send visitors on the assessed's behalf to the factories of Westinghouse. Taking all these together, it is clear that the whole object of the agreement was only to obtain the benefits of technical assistance for running the business, a restricted license to the limited use of the patent rights of Westinghouse and the use restricted to the assessed alone and for the duration of the agreement of such technical information as may be supplied by Westinghouse. In the light of these features of the agreement it can be appropriately said of this agreement as well that it does not attempt to part with technical knowledge absolutely in favor of the assessed and that Westinghouse have not 'sold' their secret processes to the assessed.
25. In view of our above conclusion, we decided on not think that the period of the agreement in the present case is of much significance. In the case before Supreme Court, the license was for a fixed period of 5 years while in the present case it is for a period of 10 years in the first instance. The agreement no doubt contemplates that it will continue unless otherwise terminated and enables the agreement being renewed thereafter. But at the same time it also contains provisions for terminating the agreement at the end of the 10 year period as well as at the end of every succeeding 5 years period at the option of the other party and there are also other circumstances set out in arts. XIII and XIV under which the agreement could be terminated. The decided cases (referred to later) show that period of 10 years and 15 years have not been considered to be so unduly long as to warrant an inference that some lasting advantage is obtained by the assessed as result of such contracts. The Supreme Court in the Ciba's case [1968] 69 ITR 692 cannot be taken to have indicated that and agreement for a period longer than five years should be construed differently. Moreover, as already pointed out, the conclusion in Ciba at p. 699 was that the assessed was 'a mere licensee for a limited period of the technical knowledge'. It will be appreciated that once the conclusion is to be based on the difference in principle between the payments made for the acquisition of a certain asset and the payments made for its use, the period of user pales into insignificance. Payments made for the use of an asset, for however long period, will only be a payment of revenue nature.
26. The principal difference on which the Tribunal has emphasised is that the payment to the Swiss company in the Ciba case : [1968]69ITR692(SC) was made as a percentage of the net sale price of the products sold by the assessed whereas, in the present case, the agreements only two types of payments based on production, sales or services which are not in dispute and the question is only regarding the payment of the lump sum under art. VI(a). From this, the inference has also been drawn that the fixed payment was not consideration for the services under the agreement but a consideration to induce Westinghouse to enter into the agreement. We are unable to agree. The periodical recurrence of the payments or their correlation to the production may be indicative but not conclusive of the nature of the payment. Purchase price of a capital asset can also be made in annual or periodical Installments or by reference to profits, sales or turnover. The crucial question, thereforee, is : what is the amount being paid for The answer to this question cannot be different in the absence of anything in the agreement itself, for purposes of clause (a) from what it is for purposes of cls. (b) and (c). But, even assuming that the Tribunal is right in its inference that the payment under clause (a) was paid to induce Westinghouse to enter into the agreement, we do not think the position will be different, for, whether such a payment would be capital or revenue would again depend upon the nature of the agreement. As explained above, the whole object of the agreement is only to obtain technical assistance and the entire payment made under the agreement, whether under one category or the other, was only with the object of enabling the assessed to have access to the technical knowledge available with We house. If the nature of the agreement itself is such that, as pointed out by the Supreme Court, it cannot be said the assessed has absolutely acquired any knowledge or asset, it is difficult to see how even a payment made by way of a lump sum to obtain this agreement or, as the Tribunal puts it, to persuade Westinghouse to enter into this agreement, could itself have a different character. If as a result of an agreement an assessed acquires a capital asset or an enduring advantage then a payment made to obtain that agreement would be capital in nature. On the other hand, if the agreement itself does not confer any permanent or lasting advantage and is merely an agreement which enables the assessed to more efficiently run its business, then it is difficult to see on what principles the nature of the lump sum payment could be said to differ from that of the other payments. We are, thereforee, of opinion that there being no controversy regarding the recurring payments made by the assessed, there can equally be no controversy that the sum of $ 50,000 paid under the agreement is a payment of revenue nature.
27. One more aspect referred by the Tribunal is that this is an agreement entered into by the assessed-company when it is about to start its business. In our opinion, this fact also does not make any difference. In the Ciba's case : [1968]69ITR692(SC) also, the position was the same and it was held that the payments made under the agreement were of revenue nature. In view of the conclusion that the payments are being made to have access to knowledge and information that is necessary to carry on and run the business from day to day, it is not of much significance whether the agreement is entered into at the time of commencement of a business or in the course of a business which is already being carried on.
28. We are, thereforee, of opinion that the principle of the decision in Ciba's case : [1968]69ITR692(SC) is applicable here and that the assessed is entitled to the deduction of the sum of Rs. 2,39,084 as revenue expenditure. The Tribunal has held that, in case this is viewed as revenue expenditure, it is rightly deductible in the assessment year 1966-67 and on this aspect there is no reference before us. We have, thereforee, to hold that the sum of Rs. 2,39,084 represents expenditure of revenue nature and that it is allowable in the assessment year 1966-67.
29. The second question referred to us proceeds on the footing that the answer to question No. 1 is in the affirmative. Since we have answered the first question in the negative, no answer need be given to the second question. However, since we have held that the entire amount is allowable as revenue expenditure it is obvious that the entire amount should be allowed in the assessment year 1966-67 and no question of apportioning it over a series of years can at all arise. There can, thereforee, be no question of allowing any deduction in respect of the whole or any part of this amount in the assessment year 1967-68.
30. Before concluding, we may only point out that there are a large number of decisions of various High Courts on this issue. We have not considered it necessary to discuss these cases at great length because cases of this type will depend upon the terms of the agreement in each case and the question has to be decided ultimately on the basis of the principles laid down by the Supreme Court in Ciba's case : [1968]69ITR692(SC) . Reference may be made to the following cases in which the expenditure claimed was allowed : CIT v. Hindustan General Electrical Corporation Ltd. : [1971]81ITR243(Cal) ; British India Corporation Ltd. v. CIT : [1973]89ITR138(All) ; Sayaji Iron & Engineering Works Pvt., Ltd. v. CIT : [1974]96ITR240(Guj) ; CIT v. Associated Electrical Industries (India) P., Ltd. : [1975]101ITR844(Cal) ; CIT v. Lucas-T.V.S. Ltd. (No. 1) : [1977]110ITR338(Mad) ; CIT v. I.A.E.C. (Pumps) Ltd. : [1977]110ITR353(Mad) and CIT v. Indian Oxygen Ltd. : [1978]112ITR1025(Cal) . The Gujarat High Court in CIT v. S. L. M. Maneklal Industries Ltd. : [1977]107ITR133(Guj) , has also explained the Ciba decision : [1968]69ITR692(SC) and pointed out that it makes no difference whether a stipulated payment is a lump sum or is recurrent.
31. On the contrary, in Mysore Kirloskar Ltd. v. CIT : [1968]67ITR23(KAR) , rendered before the decision in the Ciba's case : [1968]69ITR692(SC) , the Mysore High Court disallowed certain lump sum payments as capital expenditure. This was on the ground that the know-how was to be utilised for producing new types of machines and also on the ground that the know-how was to become the property of the assessed at the end of the period of the agreement. A similar conclusion was arrived at by the Andhra Pradesh High Court in Hylam Ltd. v. CIT : [1973]87ITR310(AP) and by the Madras High Court in Fenner Woodroffe & Co., Ltd. v. CIT : [1976]102ITR665(Mad) and Addl. CIT v. Southern Structurals Ltd. : [1977]110ITR890(Mad) . Mysore Kirloskar : [1968]67ITR23(KAR) has, however, been overruled by a Full Bench of the same High Court in another case of the same assess ee in Mysore Kirloskar v. CIT : [1978]114ITR443(KAR) and this decision has been reiterated in Indian Telephone Industries Ltd. v. CIT : [1979]117ITR682(KAR) by the same High Court. Hylam : [1973]87ITR310(AP) has also been overruled by the Full Bench of the same High Court in Praga Tools Ltd. v. CIT : [1980]123ITR773(AP) .
32. We answer the question referred to us by saying that the assessed is entitled to the deduction of Rs. 2,39,084 in the assessment year 1966-67 and nil in the assessment year 1967-68. As the assessed has succeeded, it will be entitled to its costs. Counsel's fee Rs. 300.
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LenDenClub > Financial Express: RBI classify P2P platform as NBFC business
Financial Express: RBI classify P2P platform as NBFC business
September 21, 2017 By: Admin
Peer-to-peer lending (P2P) platforms will be treated as non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and thus regulated by the RBI, the central bank said in a notification.
Peer-to-peer lending (P2P) platforms will be treated as non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and thus regulated by the RBI, the central bank said in a notification. P2P lending is a form of crowd-funding used to raise loans which are paid back with interest. It can be defined as the use of an online platform that matches lenders with borrowers in order to provide unsecured loans. “The Reserve Bank of India…specifies a non-banking institution that carries on ‘the business of a peer to peer lending platform’ to be an NBFC,” the notification said.
As per the RBI, the business of a P2P lending platform mean that the service of loan facilitation, via online medium or otherwise, to “the participants who have entered into an arrangement with that platform to lend on it or to avail of loan facilitation services provided by it”. The RBI had floated a consultation paper in April 2016 on the such lending platforms.
The borrower can either be an individual or a legal person requiring a loan. The interest rate may be set by the platform or mutual agreement between the borrower and the lender.
Fees are paid to the platform by both the lender as well as the borrower. Borrowers pay an origination fee — either a flat rate fee or as a percentage of the loan amount raised — according to their risk category.
Credit: Financial Express
India Today: RBI classify P2P platform as NBFC business
My Iris: RBI to treat P2P lending platforms as NBFCs
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The war will be televised
The First World War ' Life on the Home Front in North West England
Rare footage of bayonet training and life on the Home Front being screened in Preston pub
The First World War will be brought to life in Preston this autumn.
The Continental, on New South Meadow Lane, is hosting a North West Film Archive screening of ‘The First World War – Life on the Home Front in North West England’.
The film marks the centenary of the start of the First World War.
Narrated by Maxine Peake, this rare archive footage reveals its stories of those who stayed behind, and of how lives were changed dramatically in this dark period of our history.
The film includes the crushing despair of daily life of the workers and key events during the hostilities.
The promotors say: “This evocative footage includes the recruitment and departure of soldiers going to the front, and the poignant memorials for those who did not return.
“Entirely without combat footage, this early film record is a powerful testament to the lives of people on the Home Front, and the losses and changes they endured, a century ago.
“The documentary-style production begins by painting a vivid picture of the period immediately before the outbreak of war – a time of relative peace and prosperity – with work in mines, mills and markets across the region.
“Recognition of the industrial success of the North took the form of a Royal Tour by King George V and Queen Mary in 1913, where thousands can be seen turning out to cheer as their motorcade swept through Lancashire.”
The footage also includes recruiting in Liverpool, exercising and training in trenches and with bayonets near Bury, troops being inspected by various dignitaries from Blackpool to Bolton, and marching to the Lancaster railway station to board trains taking them to active service on the Western Front.
The North West Film Archive was established at Manchester Metropolitan University (then Manchester Poly) in 1977 and has works to ensure the survival of films recording life in the North West. Films from the early 20th century are fragile and precious survivors from the pioneering days of the industry, and the NWFA is fortunate to have significant holdings from these early decades, including many rare examples from 1914 to 1918. It now holds in total almost 40,000 items from the 1890s to the present day, and makes the footage available through public film shows around the region, and working with many different organisations and individuals.
The Continental screening is on Wednesday, September 3.
Avengers: Endgame - These are the cinemas where you can see the new movie first in Preston, Blackpool and across Lancashire
Tickets : £5 online from Skiddle & SEE Tickets.
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Geri Horner gives sneak peek of Spice Girls tour before it kicks off
Iain Lynn
Geri Horner has given fans a sneak peek of the Spice Girls reunion tour days before it kicks off.
The group will reunite on stage for the first time in seven years for their comeback tour, which starts on Friday in Dublin.
Geri Horner posted a picture of herself on stage rehearsing alongside Mel C
Horner, also known as Ginger Spice, posted a picture of herself rehearsing on stage alongside Melanie Chisholm (Mel C) on her Instagram page.
She also shared a shot of the stage, complete with large screens on either side and a large Spice World setpiece in the centre of the stage with backing dancers in front.
She wrote: "Spice World Production rehearsals done! Welcome to Spice World 2019! See you in Dublin! #3daystogo #HouseofGinger."
Horner and Chisholm will be joined by Melanie Brown (Mel B) and Emma Bunton for the tour while Victoria Beckham has decided not to take part.
The stage for the Spice Girls reunion tour
The Spice Girls have been preparing for the tour for the past few weeks but in April they were forced to deny a rift between them as Brown missed the start of rehearsals.
The speculation of a row came after Brown's claims that she previously had a one-night stand with Horner.
The Spiceworld Tour was announced last November with six dates, but it was later was extended to 13 dates due to popular demand.
The Spice Girls will first perform on May 24 at Dublin's Croke Park, and will then head to Cardiff's Principality Stadium (May 27), the Etihad Stadium in Manchester (May 29 - June 1), the Coventry Ricoh Arena (June 3 - 4), the Sunderland Stadium Of Light (June 6), the Edinburgh BT Murrayfield Stadium (June 8), the Bristol Ashton Gate Stadium (June 10) and London's Wembley Stadium (June 13 - 15).
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Morris Adjmi Architects (MA) interprets the forces that shape our cities to design buildings that are both contextual and contemporary. The firm’s team of architects and interior designers is guided by a shared belief that timeless ideas about beauty and harmony can be integrated into the modern built environment, but the expression of those ideas must reflect the way we live today. MA’s collaborative, research-based approach has helped establish the firm as a leader in the revitalization of post-industrial neighborhoods and historic districts with commercial, residential, and cultural projects that are imbued with a distinct sense of place and purpose.
Morris Adjmi established MA in 1997 following a 13-year collaboration with Pritzker Prize-winning architect Aldo Rossi. On that strong foundation, he built a practice inspired by the arts and by new technologies that is recognized for its thoughtful engagement with context, creative use of materials, and sophisticated designs.
Based in New York City, MA recently opened an office in Adjmi’s hometown of New Orleans. With a combined staff of more than 100, the firm has completed over 5 million square feet of built space, with another 10 million square feet currently underway in Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Tampa, and Washington, DC. The firm has won more than 25 design awards for its work.
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Strategic Cousins Redux - Canada and Australia in the Age of Trump: John Blaxland for Inside Policy
In the age of Trump, Canada and Australia need to re-examine their strategic relationship as middle powers and “strategic cousins,” writes John Blaxland. Both countries need to work together to remain trusted and close allies of the United States.
This article is part of a new series of Inside Policy posts that will explore different aspects of global security - in a continuation of MLI's Global Security Look Ahead project.
By John Blaxland, March 1, 2017
For more than seventy-five years, Australia and Canada have looked to the United States as their primary security guarantors. Increasingly both have also looked to the Asia-Pacific for their economic prosperity.
As predominantly English-speaking, New World melting pots of largely Western, liberal, democratic, and free-trading societies, Australia and Canada have much in common. Historians, economists, anthropologists, and political scientists have mined the commonalities of these ‘strategic cousins’ for decades.
Both Canada and Australia have long sought close security ties with the United States. In Canada’s case, this has been largely as a means to ensure "defence against help" from its much more powerful southern neighbour. In the case of Australia, with a deep-seated sense of insecurity, it has been about keeping them close by – a relationship in which Australia is a dependent ally. The end result is that Australians and Canadians have bumped into each other in places as far and wide as the South African Veldt, the battlefields of Flanders, in the Second World War and Korea, on peacekeeping operations from Egypt to East Timor, and again more recently in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Inspired by Canadian political scientist Kim Richard Nossal, my colleague Andrew Carr has written about Australia as a middle power. As notes, for middle-sized countries, like Canada and Australia, “periods of flux and uncertainty are the times of greatest opportunity.” He further observed that, with the end of the Second World War and again with the end of the Cold War, middle powers enjoyed their greatest influence. “New ideas, new institutions and new relationships are formed at times like these.” Given the state of flux in early 2017, it is worth re-examining Australia’s ties with Canada to consider relationships that merit further development.
The risk of regional instability in the Pacific has been growing due to China’s re-emergence as a great power, continued speculation about US strategic engagement in Asia, and increased competition over maritime boundaries.
The risk of regional instability in the Pacific has been growing due to China’s re-emergence as a great power, continued speculation about US strategic engagement in Asia, and increased competition over maritime boundaries. These developments were explored in more depth in a paper that I co-authored in 2014, Facing West Facing North. What is clear, however, is that these trends have only accelerated in the last few years.
More to the point, they also provide opportunities for collaboration between countries like Canada and Australia. Non-traditional security threats, including natural disasters, climate change, food security, and cyber security point to a range of areas where the two countries can work more closely together. Together, Canada and Australia could help strengthen regional security, bolster regional governance mechanisms, enhance bilateral defence cooperation, and boost defence industry and economic cooperation.
The Australia-Canada Leadership Forum, for example, provides one avenue to bring business, government, and academia together. Canada and Australia are part of the ‘five-eyes’ intelligence community that dates back to the Second World War. The links associated with this network have profound significance in the way Canada and Australia interact with each other and the options for closer collaboration. Their military chiefs often meet either in Ottawa or Canberra, and Canadian and Australian contingents participate together in a range of exercises and operations. Yet there remains room for closer collaboration, particularly as both countries look to develop a new generation of naval vessels, integrate the next generation of military aircraft, and continue to operate far from their own shores in remote places including in the Middle East but also in the Pacific.
It is more accurate to observe that Australia, like Canada, acts largely as an independent player, albeit with the weight of the alliance hanging on its shoulders.
Despite rhetorical criticism of Australia’s purported blind allegiance to the United States from some quarters, it is more accurate to observe that Australia, like Canada, acts largely as an independent player, albeit with the weight of the alliance hanging on its shoulders.
As Australia and Canada consider their options they need to be mindful of the nature of their alliance ties with the United States. Both are heavily invested in their US security ties, with a breadth and depth to their respective bilateral relationships that most people do not realise. Reflecting an investment that spans generations, Australia and Canada today have highly-capable, sophisticated, and versatile (albeit small) defence forces able to respond rapidly to a wide range of contingencies. This is possible to a considerable degree due to close collaboration with their US counterparts, which enables ready access to US technologies, intelligence, communications, and logistics networks. The emphasis on interoperability with the United States also means they are highly interoperable with each other.
Australian and Canadian politicians recognise that their respective US alliances are about shared national interests, yet their public declarations almost invariably focus on the idea of shared or common values. Commonalities in culture, language, and security ties are compelling and enduring. That commonality is particularly evident when witnessing these countries’ military forces working together. And yet, the Trump administration’s focus only on "America first,” with its emphasis on a transactional approach to national interests above all else, appears to have weakened the strength of this argument.
In practical terms, as Australia considers the rise of China, one of the most pressing issues concerns the situation in the South China Sea today. Most in Canada and Australia recognise there is little prospect, short of war, in undoing China’s achievements there – achievements that include the construction of military-grade facilities on several human-made islands atop contested shoals. Following its “century of humiliation,” China’s rise this century points to a future of which the country can be immensely proud. But recovering from its past humiliation does not mean the South China Sea’s contiguous states and the world’s principal security guarantor need to be subject to a commensurate humiliation either. There is a fine line to be drawn.
Despite the uncertainty generated by the Trump administration, there is a broad consensus within Australia’s national security apparatus that the best way for Australia to influence events and avoid the prospects of escalation of tensions into open conflict is to remain a trusted and close partner of the United States, able to share its views frankly and firmly. This seems to be the approach the Canadian government under Justin Trudeau seeks to take as well.
Australia and Canada must work to assist the United States to recognise peacefully the limits to its power and influence without triggering a more isolationist impulse.
Australia and Canada must work to assist the United States to recognise peacefully the limits to its power and influence without triggering a more isolationist impulse and without appearing to undermine the importance of America’s role in global security affairs. In the past, Australians and Canadians have tended to pursue this approach directly with the United States. In these uncertain times, and with more in common than many realise, the imperative for cross-pollination of ideas between these middle power strategic cousins is greater than ever.
At the same time, Australia and Canada must continue to engage with China constructively, respectfully and with an open hand, with a view to more fully understand China’s intentions and to encourage a mutually beneficial accommodation.
John Blaxland is Professor of International Security and Intelligence Studies at the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, in the Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs, College of Asia and the Pacific at the Australian National University. Twitter: @JohnBlaxland1
Centre for Advancing Canada's Interests Abroad, Columns, Foreign Affairs, In the Media, Indo-Pacific, Inside Policy, Latest News, Recent News, Security studies / counterterrorism
Australia, Canada, middle powers, Trump
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Featured book: Kilimanjaro
Reviews and feedback for Kilimanjaro
“While this is a book about reaching the summit of one of the largest mountains in the world, it is actually the story of so much more: courage, commitment, strength, and kindness.”
“Once I picked it up I was hooked”
“Deb is the female Hemingway.” <– could be Deb’s favorite 😉
“Her warm compassion, light-hearted humor and soul-baring honesty will take you on an inner journey too, bringing laughter and tears, along a trail that opens you to the endless possibilities of life. Like a trusted friend, this caring and adventurous woman will help you discover what it means to follow your heart and live with courage.”
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“I’m on vacation . . . with Deb Denis’ book. I’m @ the beach, but every night I’m in Tanzania.”
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“I find myself being drawn back into the story . . . provoking me with some old unanswered questions and some new unexplored questions.”
“The experience of challenging the mountain became so real to me as I read word by word the ascent and descent.”
“Of all the books I have read about climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, yours by far had the greatest impact on me”
“the most comprehensive account of one person’s climb I’ve come across”
“An inspiration to many other Kilimanjaro climbers.”
“I now [feel] inspired with a renewed sense of excitement. . . I’m going into this with an open mind, open heart, and sheer will.”
Send me your review of Kilimanjaro!
“Determined to be a ‘lighter presence in the world,’ Newtown Square’s Deb Denis made the ascent of Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro in the summer of 2011. Faced with her mother’s brain cancer diagnosis, and despite athletic shortcomings, Denis forged ahead with her journey to East Africa, overcoming fear and pushing her physical limits. Kilimanjaro chronicles all the things that made the climb possible, from meditation and diet to intense reflection and, ultimately, hope” -Emily Riley, Main Line Today Magazine
The book is chock full of references and research and even reflection after the fact to again provide insight for those wishing to make the trip in the future. While this is a book about reaching the summit of one of the largest mountains in the world, it is actually the story of so much more: courage, commitment, strength, and kindness.
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Taiwan becomes first in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage
Same-sex-marriage supporters cheer outside the Legislative Yuan in Taipei on Friday.
AssociatedPress
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan’s legislature voted Friday to legalize same-sex marriage, a first in Asia and a boost for LGBT rights activists who had championed the cause for two decades.
Lawmakers pressured by LGBT groups as well as by church organizations opposed to the move approved most of a government-sponsored bill that recognizes same-sex marriages and gives couples many of the tax, insurance and child custody benefits available to male-female married couples.
That makes Taiwan the first place in Asia with a comprehensive law both allowing and laying out the terms of same-sex marriage.
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, a supporter of the law, tweeted: “On May 17th, 2019 in Taiwan, LoveWon. We took a big step toward true equality, and made Taiwan a better country.”
“It’s a breakthrough, I have to say so,” said Shiau Hong-chi, professor of gender studies and communications management at Shih-Hsin University in Taiwan.
Thousands of people, including same-sex couples, demonstrated Friday morning in the rainy streets outside parliament before the vote. Many carried rainbow-colored placards reading “The vote cannot fail.” About 50 opponents sat under a tent outside parliament and gave speeches favoring marriage between only men and women.
Taiwan’s Constitutional Court in May 2017 said the constitution allows same-sex marriages and gave parliament two years to adjust laws accordingly.
The court order mobilized LGBT advocacy groups pushing for fair treatment, as well as opponents among church groups and advocates of traditional Chinese family values that stress the importance of marriage and producing offspring.
Religion, conservative values and political systems that discourage LGBT activism have slowed momentum toward same-sex marriage in many Asian countries from Japan through much of Southeast Asia, although Thailand is exploring the legalization of same-sex civil partnerships.
“This will help spark a debate in Thailand, and hopefully will help Thailand move faster on our own partnership bill,” said Wattana Keiangpa of the Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health.
Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch, said Taiwan’s action should “sound a clarion call, kicking off a larger movement across Asia to ensure equality for LGBT people and pro-active protection of their rights by governments throughout the region. No more excuses!”
Taiwan’s acceptance of gay and lesbian relationships began in the 1990s when leaders in today’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party championed the cause to help Taiwan stand out in Asia as an open society.
Although claimed by China as its own territory, Taiwan is a self-governing democracy with a vibrant civil society dedicated to promoting rights for sexual and ethnic minorities, women, the handicapped and others.
Mainland China, ruled by the authoritarian Communist Party, remains much more conservative and officials have repeatedly discouraged even the discussion of legalizing same-sex marriage.
Despite that, news of Taiwan’s new law was a major trending topic on social media in China, with more than 100 million views on the Twitter-like microblogging site Weibo.
Opponents in Taiwan raised fears of incest, insurance scams and children confused by having two mothers or two fathers. Both sides of the issue have held colorful street demonstrations and lobbied lawmakers.
“This is going to cause a lot of morality problems,” said Lin Shih-min with the Taiwan political action group Stability of Power, which opposed the law. “From the point of view of the children, they have the right to grow up with both a mother and a father.”
In November 2018, a majority of Taiwan voters rejected same-sex marriage in an advisory referendum. However, legislators favoring the bill, and voting separately on each item largely along party lines, said it followed the law as well as the spirit of the referendum.
“We need to take responsibility for the referendum last year and we need to take responsibility for people who have suffered from incomplete laws or faced discrimination,” ruling party legislator Hsiao Bi-khim said during the three-hour parliament session.
At least 20 same-sex couples are planning a mass marriage registration in Taipei on May 24, a spokesman for the advocacy group Marriage Equality Coalition Taiwan said. The newlyweds and hundreds of invitees will hold a mass party a day later on a blocked-off boulevard outside the presidential office, the event organizer said.
The law will give a boost to Jay Lin and his partner, who hope to marry and assume joint custody of their two 2-year-old sons. They plan to register after May 24.
“A lot of gay parents are excited about that already,” said Lin, a Taipei-based online streaming service founder.
“I think once more people are married and more families are more comfortable being out in public, that will naturally have a beneficial impact on society and on people’s minds,” Lin said.
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Departments > Police > Service Divisions >
Clark A. Pennington has been named Chief of the Matthews Police Department. Pennington has over 25 years of law enforcement experience, including nearly 20 years with the Frederick Police Department in Frederick, Maryland of which he served over 10 years as a Commander.
Pennington’s career includes assignments as the commander of the Patrol Division, overseeing 82 patrol officers; the Criminal Investigations Division; the Special Operations Division; the Special Response Team and Crisis Negotiations Team Commander; and assignment as the Deputy Chief of Police.
Most recently Pennington served as the Commander of the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) consisting of approximately 50 detectives and six civilians. His duties included overseeing all long-term criminal investigations for the Frederick Police Department. The CID includes the Violent Crimes and Special Investigations Unit, Crime Scene Unit, Victim Services Unit, Drug Enforcement Unit, Street Crimes Unit, K9 Unit, Crash Teams, and Special Response Team (SWAT). Pennington has also served as the Public Information Officer for the Frederick Police Department since 2008.
“Being chosen as the new chief of police for the Matthews Police Department is the high point of my career,” Pennington said. “I am honored by the confidence the town leadership has placed in me. I plan to continue the standards recognized in professional law enforcement organizations and lead this agency based on trust and transparency – the Matthews Police Department will be a department that partners with its community to provide a safe environment for all of our residents and visitors.”
Pennington began his career in public service in 1992 when he joined the United States Army. Following his military service, Pennington joined the Frederick Police Department in 1998. During his police service, Pennington graduated from Mount Saint Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Maryland with a degree in Criminal Justice and went on to earn a Master’s degree in Management from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. Pennington is an adjunct Criminal Justice Professor at Hood College,Frederick Community College, and Mount Saint Mary’s University.
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关于注册/登录/ ePortfolio
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Foundations for the Future
I have had the privilege of leading our incredibly talented group of creative developers for the last two decades. We’ve been fortunate to have a consistent, loyal and dedicated team. All but one of our original core developers are still working on Cinema 4D. Few software companies can assert this kind of stability. So I’m honored to give you a peek into the great work our development team has and will be doing.
Cinema 4D has enjoyed great success, and it’s exciting to see how you, our customers, are using our software to create visual effects, futuristic user interfaces in movies like Avengers, Spectre and Mockingjay, countless motion graphics across television and the web, for architectural and scientific visualization, gaming, designing new consumer products, and so much more. It’s your artistic vision and passion that drive us to create a Cinema 4D that’s robust, easy to use, feature-rich and modern.
Keeping any software package modern is indeed a struggle, especially in the fast evolving, cutting-edge arena of 3D. Cinema 4D was introduced over 20 years ago and is still one of the top 3D packages on the market today. That wouldn’t be the case if we hadn’t been constantly updating and enhancing Cinema 4D.
The core architecture our developers put in place 16 years ago with Cinema 4D R6 has served us incredibly well and we are working to ensure Cinema 4D’s long-term future. What you don’t know is that work has already been underway for a few years, with those same core developers joined by many others to build a strong new foundation for Cinema 4D’s future. We’ve been gradually incorporating these efforts for several releases, and here are some of the results:
A rich foundation of groundbreaking fundamental technologies have been created, including a highly-efficient threading system for massive data-parallelism and new optimized data structures, to name just a few. We are using the latest state of the art algorithms, compilers, tools and technologies to build the foundation that will drive Cinema 4D's progress and innovation for the next decade.
Everything is based on a highly modular architecture that allows us to combine the current Cinema 4D with the new core. This in fact took place in Release 16 and means that you are in part already experiencing the future of Cinema 4D today!
Our development team is adopting these advanced capabilities into the products we are creating today. While new developments are based on the new core, existing functionality continues to work seamlessly and will become even more powerful once it's transitioned natively to the new architecture.
We’ve progressed deliberately - and yes, quietly. We wanted our team to have space to carefully consider the best path for the future, to avoid pitfalls and to keep Cinema 4D moving forward throughout the process.
Transitioning Cinema 4D fully to the new core will still take several more releases. Lots of existing code will need to be tweaked and tested, both internally and by our third-party development partners.
With this ongoing effort, we have still been able to refresh aspects of Cinema 4D and to deliver outstanding new features. To maintain these efforts, we've hired quite a number of new programmers in the last two years and we are actively recruiting. Last year, we opened an office in Canada specifically for recruiting and hosting the excellent 3D development talent in Montreal.
Above all, we will maintain the essence of Cinema 4D and further improve its workflow, ease of use, legendary stability, and provide you with great tools to achieve your artistic goals.
Harald Schneider
CTO and Managing Partner
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Login to Health September 7, 2018 Liver Section 741 Views
“Hepatitis calling, check into the liver of Ms. Sneh Pandey, checking in right now at 20:00hrs.”
There’s no such knock or warning call. A person is unsuspecting of this liver disorder until after a few weeks when the virus reveals itself through a blood test.
Both Hepatitis B & C reveal alarming statistics:
1) Prove to be fatal for 2 out of 3 liver deaths
2) Combined deaths are more than those caused by TB, HIV/AIDS, or malaria.
Not just Hepatitis B and C, but also Hepatitis A, D and E pose a huge threat to the general population globally, as they can lead to the outbreak of an epidemic.
According to Hepatologist and Gastroenterologist, it is not just a fancy term that means inflammation of the liver but is caused by a mere viral infection. 28-year-old Jyotsna, a software operator living as a Paying Guest, (PG) in a far-flung Mumbai suburb, recalls with dread and horror. “A snakebite would have all the people from our building gather in alarm, rush the person who is bitten, to the nearest doctor. Everyone knows time is crucial and would make the difference between life and death. There are no taking chances. But how does one know of this type of disease, which shows up much later?”
Her 23-year-old sister adds, “It shows up in your blood test, but why would a person go for a check-up when he or she is fit and fine? There’s no way of knowing that you are harboring these germs. Isn’t that terrible?” The two sisters were seated on the bed, grim and worried. They weren’t from the city and the rest of their family resided at faraway Kanpur. They didn’t know too many people or their way around Mumbai, still. And they were now baffled with the next course of action as they awaited Jyotsna’s blood test results.
Their concerns are valid, typically, a person who is experiencing symptoms akin to flu, abdominal pain, unexplained loss of weight at times accompanied by similar inexplicable loss of appetite, yellow eyes and skin as in the case of jaundice, would visit a doctor. This is the best time to diagnose the disease.
Understandably, Kirti and her sister are baffled – just like thousands of others who contact Hepatitis and are flummoxed as to how they contracted it and its treatment. This is a paradox because treatment mainly depends on self-care and certain simple preventive measures or home truths and of course immunization.
Primary cause
Viral infection of the liver.
Secondary cause
Autoimmune hepatitis which results due to medication, alcohol, toxins, and drugs. What is meant by an autoimmune system response? Hepatologist and Gastroenterologist say, it basically implies that the body identifies the liver as a villain and begins to act against it, by attacking it. The horrible result? Inflammation in the liver preventing it from functioning properly. More women are likely to suffer from this condition than men, almost three times more.
Types of the virus
While Hepatitis A is largely short-term that is a duration spanning six months or less but can be acute. On the other hand, Hepatitis B, C, and D can become chronic as they are long drawn out. Hepatitis E can prove to be dangerous during pregnancy.
Consuming contaminated food or water of an infected person spreads Hepatitis A. Contact with infectious body fluids such as semen or blood helps spread Hepatitis B. Even sharing razors can increase the risk of a person getting Hepatitis B.
Known as HCV, Hepatitis C virus has already affected almost 3.9 million Americans, currently. This is because this virus spreads rapidly through direct contact with body fluids especially since injection drug use is rampant in the Big Apple. Hepatitis D, on the other hand, is uncommon in the US – it needs Hepatitis B to spread.
Hepatitis E, being a waterborne disease typically breeds and multiplies in areas with extremely low sanitation and hygiene standards.
Different treatment for different types of Hepatitis
Bed rest can generally counter Hepatitis A, and chronic Hepatitis B with antiviral medication but has long drawn out, the course of treatment can work out to be expensive. Hepatitis C is requires testing. If there’s a possibility of liver cirrhosis has already set in; a liver transplant would be needed. Unfortunately, the D variant of the disease seems to have no cure. But a drug, alpha interferon has indicated mild improvement in an insignificant number of cases. However, since it develops in conjunction with Hepatitis B, Hepatitis B can prevent it to a certain extent. Patients suffering from Hepatitis E, need to refrain from alcohol, and stock up on rest, fluids and nutritional food
Looking for treatment for Hepatitis? Book your appointment with Hepatologist and Gastroenterologist today.
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The iconographic and photographic reproductions of works presented on the site with a signature or a © are protected under intellectual property law.
Of the cultural public sector information provided, only the photographs and texts that meet the conditions outlined below can be re-used under Article 11 of French law no. 78-753 dated 17 July 1978:
Photographs credited © Musée du Louvre / [etc.] are the exclusive property of the Musée du Louvre and are used by the Musée du Louvre with the permission of their authors or rightsholders.
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Non-commercial re-use is authorized, provided the source and author are acknowledged.
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THE ART OF WRITING AND LIVING
By Daniel Lammin
Artistic creation often feels a need to turn back and look on itself for inspiration - what compels someone to be creative, their source of inspiration, the gains and losses from that art. Cinema has produced a number of real gems in depicting such trials, especially those of writers, including 'Adaptation' (2002) and 'Stranger Than Fiction' (2006). These same concerns and questions are at the heart of 'Ruby Sparks', the second feature from directing team Jonathan Dayton and Valeire Faris, as well as, in a charming and unexpected way, the very sub-genre of film that it belongs to.
Calvin (Paul Dano) wrote an incredible coming-of-age novel as a teenager. He's been hailed as a genius. Calvin is now in his late twenties, and while he has a number of short stories under his belt, he hasn’t yet produced that long-awaited second novel. Depressed, alone and wallowing in self-pity, he takes on a writing challenge from his therapist. Just write something, even and especially if it is bad. Suddenly, his creative juices are flowing again - he writes madly, never sleeps, and begins concocting from his typewriter a quirky, beautiful young woman - his perfect woman, a character named Ruby Sparks. To him, she is as real as any person, someone he knows and understands intimately, even though she doesn’t exist except on the page... until he walks in the door and finds Ruby Sparks (Zoe Kazan) cooking in his kitchen.
'RUBY SPARKS' TRAILER
At first glance, the film seems like a logical follow-up to Dayton and Faris’ Oscar-winning debut 'Little Miss Sunshine' (2006), and for the first half, it seems to tick all the boxes of that quirky, off-centre drama/romance/comedy that that film so beautifully represented. However, ‘Ruby Sparks' takes a very unexpected turn in its final act, and proves itself as not just another twee bit of quirky independent American cinema. What appears to be a romantic comedy suddenly becomes something much darker: a disturbing interrogation of the act of artistic creation. 'Stranger Than Fiction' had already (marvelously) explored the idea of a character on a page becoming a living entity, but 'Ruby Sparks' takes this one step further, placing Calvin in the position of God and Creator over Ruby with at first endearing and hilarious results, and then devastating ones, the inevitable outcome of a person having complete control over another. In many ways, Dayton and Faris surpass their work on 'Sunshine' with a much more mature, aware and self-confident piece of filmmaking. While 'Sunshine' was a film constructed out of almost-composed compositions, 'Ruby Sparks' is frenetic, invasive and unrelenting. The camera isn’t afraid of anything, of pushing right into Calvin’s personal space. Nick Urata’s stellar score help lift the film to almost operatic heights, allowing the depth and weight of the film to soar, and making 'Ruby Sparks' an almost intimidating act to witness.
In front of the camera, not a foot is put wrong. Paul Dano refuses to take the easy road with Calvin, giving us the expected image of the depressed genius hipster, before blasting apart to present a character with real depth and darkness. It is, at times, hard to like Calvin, but this isn't a fault of the performance or the character, rather the dilemma he puts to the audience, the unnerving question of what they would do in his situation. At perfect balance with Dano is Chris Messina as older brother Harry, the uber-male contrast to the disaffected youth. Messina delivers a surprising and passionate performance, a terrific combination of male bravado, realist comedy and tremendous heart. The relationship between brothers isn't thwart or difficult, rather considerate and supportive. Also of note are Annette Bening as their hippie mother and Antonio Banderas as their stepfather, both of whom milk the comedy for every ounce of its worth. Their lifestyle and philosophy are wonderfully at odds with Calvin’s uptight conservatism, and while mined for its comic potential, for once the character of the embarrassing mother is there first and foremost to serve the plot, an offering to Calvin to help him understand this woman he has created.
'Ruby Sparks' is really the supreme achievement of Zoe Kazan.
'Ruby Sparks', however, is really the supreme achievement of Zoe Kazan. The granddaughter of legendary director Elia Kazan, Zoe is both the writer of the film and its female lead Ruby, and her work is, by far, the most impressive of the film. The screenplay is spectacular, perfectly structured and intelligently written, taking an axe to the hipster teen move genre and the stereotype of the waif-like quirky dream girl. Her understanding of the creative process, as well as the trials and confusions of new love and relationships, is mature and intelligent. As Ruby, she steals the film. She blazes through the film with so much energy and dynamism, arresting the screen every moment she appears. Ruby is a deeply likeable and complex character, and Kazan’s natural charm only adds to this. She also proves herself as both a fearless writer and actor, with one of the most distressing and upsetting climaxes of any film this year. When awards season comes around, and this film is inevitably recognised, it will be Zoe Kazan that will be rewarded for her work. This is a woman to watch very carefully.
'Ruby Sparks' only proves that old adage that you can’t judge a book by its cover. At first, you might be able to anticipate it, and the intelligence of the cast and crew will trick you into thinking that, only to take you on a surprising and utterly fulfilling detour into new and exciting territory. This is certainly one of the real surprises of the year, and one you really cannot afford to miss.
CAST: Paul Dano
Chris Messina
Alia Shawkat
Aasif Mandvi
DIRECTORS: Jonathan Dayton
Valerie Faris
PRODUCERS: Ron Yerxa
Albert Berger
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Trade press speculate Bond 25 release date slips to 2020
24-Aug-2018 • Bond 25
Leading film industry trade publications, The Hollywood Reporter and Variety, both ran articles today claiming that the release date for Bond 25 will likely slip from its announced October/November 2019 window to some time in 2020 due to the departure of director Danny Boyle with just 14 weeks until the planned start of principal photography.
Variety: "After Boyle exited, MGM and Eon, the film’s backers, sent out the word that they are looking for a writer or a writer-director to come on to the film, according to insiders. The companies are not simply eyeing a director for hire, which signals that a major rewrite will have to be undertaken. It is also telling that the producers seem more eager to find a screenwriter than a person willing to slide behind the camera. That has many believing that the Boyle script will be scrapped. It may also be a sign that Broccoli and Craig aren’t interested in returning to an earlier draft that was submitted by Neal Purvis and Robert Wade."
"However, the need for a new script makes that start date difficult to achieve, according to rival studio executives. Bond films are notoriously complex productions, involving pricey set pieces that are often shot in exotic destinations. They require a rigorous pre-production process that takes months. Any delay in filming could have a domino effect because locations that have been scouted and secured could fall out of place, wrecking havoc on the rigidly controlled shooting schedule. In order to hit Bond 25’s Nov. 9, 2019, release date, rival executives say that MGM and Eon must be in production no later than January. "
The Hollywood Reporter: "With the abrupt exit of director Danny Boyle, the next installment in the James Bond film franchise — the untitled Bond 25 — will miss its Nov. 8, 2019, release date in North American theaters, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter. It's possible Bond 25 may not hit theaters until late 2020, according to sources. No recent Bond film has ever opened in summer. Even before Boyle departed, there was talk of pushing the movie's release to early 2020."
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Youth Poetry Contest
We proudly support a new Belle Haven library
We believe in lifelong learning
We believe in a thriving Menlo Park for all
Menlo Park Library Foundation is a proud sponsor of our community libraries. From the Belle Haven Branch to the Main Library, our mission is to support and enhance Menlo Park's public library facilities, fundraising, and community network.
Your support helps us keep Menlo Park moving forward. Our city is the best in the Bay Area, and it continues to grow and evolve for a new century. Like so many other communities across the nation, our public library is a cornerstone of our community that will play a key role in our city's future health and success.
The need for 21st century community learning spaces for children, families, teens, adults and seniors to come together and share ideas and inspiration is self-evident. We are committed to helping Menlo Park keep apace for the benefit of generations to come.
Menlo Park Library Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 2005. We seek and secure grants; leverage private partnerships; and accept donations to support library system improvements in Menlo Park for the benefit of the entire community.
We proudly support Menlo Park's public libraries. We speak out in the community about the value of the public library, and we advocate for positive library improvements including the current efforts to build new 21st century libraries in Belle Haven and the civic center campus.
We are a grassroots, all-volunteer nonprofit organization. 100% of the funds we raise are used to:
Enrich children's lives through innovative services and projects
Provide capital funding for Library equipment and technology
Raise awareness about the Library's positive impact to the community
Support projects that celebrate Menlo Park's identity as a hub of learning and innovation.
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Donate Volunteer Share your story
Menlo Park Library Foundation, 800 Alma St., Menlo Park CA 94025 · (650) 321-1084 · contact@menlolibrary.org · Tax ID #470-950709 · Website terms of use
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Dyke to quit Brentford to take charge of FA
BRENTFORD FC’s chairman Greg Dyke is to become the head of the Football Association (FA) it has been announced today (Thursday).
Chris Longhurst
uploads-mar21 Image 3
The 65-year-old, will be stepping down from his Board of Director's role with the Bees at the end of the current season in May - having been in the hot seat since 2006. He will succeed David Bernstein at the FA who will be leaving once he turns 70 in July after two-and-a-half years of being in charge.
Mr Dyke’s appointment follows a recruitment process led by FA Independent Director Roger Devlin (Chairman of the Nominations Committee) with fellow board members Roger Burden and Keith Lamb. The decision was unanimously approved by the board and will take effect provided the FA Council agrees as well.
Speaking following the announcement he said: "I am very excited to take on this role with The FA. Football has always been a big part of my life whether playing 11-a-side on Sunday mornings or six-a-side on Thursday evenings. Obviously as Chairman of The FA it is imperative that I am neutral so that means giving up my current role as Chairman of Brentford which I will miss.
"However I shall be staying on until the end of the season. As I leave I would like to pay tribute to everyone at Brentford, the staff, the players and manager and particularly the fans. I hope their loyalty is rewarded with promotion, it deserves to be."
In a high profile broadcasting industry career, Mr Dyke has worked as Director General of the BBC and Managing Director of London Weekend Television.
He was a director of Manchester United in the late 1990 and was appointed non-executive Chairman of Brentford in 2006.
Speaking about his successor Mr Bernstein said: “I would like to congratulate Greg Dyke on his nomination to succeed me in July as FA Chairman. I wish him every success in this stimulating but demanding role. I will ensure that the handover is dealt with efficiently to help in maintaining the stability that has been achieved by The FA since 2010."
Following today’s FA Board meeting at Wembley, Chairman of the Nominations Committee Mr Devlin said: “We have every confidence we have got the right appointment in Greg Dyke. He has an outstanding understanding of football, strong relationships across the industry and Government, while retaining a great empathy for the game.
"I am confident that Greg will be a successful Chairman, who will lead The FA from the front and be respected by the football community. We have an excellent staff at The FA and I know that Greg is looking forward to working with them.”
Mr Dyke lived at Cerne Close, Hayes, before moving to Cedars Drive, Hillingdon aged nine, attending Yeading Primary Scool and then Hayes Grammar, which became Hayes Manor in 1974, and later Rosedale College.
He was a trainee reporter at the now-defunct Hillingdon Mirror, before moving into broadcast journalism.
Wembley CC
Rosedale College
Hayes CC
Wembley FC
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Stars showing signs of growth in tough division
by Kevin Weekes
As those who read this blog know, I enjoy shifting the spotlight onto players or teams that might not be getting the credit or attention that they deserve. This week, I'm able to do both.
Having said that, let's talk about the Dallas Stars and Ryan Garbutt, a guy who is doing a heck of a job this season.
The Stars may be stuck in the incredibly competitive Central Division, which boasts top teams like the Chicago Blackhawks, St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild. But Dallas has managed to hold its own and even beat the defending champion Blackhawks on Tuesday night in Chicago. That is impressive, especially when you look at how young Dallas' roster is. But all of Dallas' young players are coming along. From Antoine Roussel, who scored the winner in Chicago on a penalty shot, to Alex Chiasson to Cody Eakin.
NHL Network analyst Kevin Weekes says the Dallas Stars will benefit from tough competition in the Central Division. (Photo: Bill Smith/NHLI)
The Stars are a fast team. Talking to different players and coaches around the League, the feeling is they are a very difficult team to play against and they're a better team than their record would indicate. Those guys fly and really push the pace with a lot of skill.
But the player I really want to talk about is Garbutt. This guy started in the Central Hockey League with Corpus Christi. He worked his way up through the minors and is now playing with the Dallas Stars. It's an unbelievable story. Just the way he's able to win footraces, I've seen him win so many footraces just in the past few games. I really think he is a great example for a lot of aspiring young players, and maybe some guys in the minors right now who need to see what possibilities are out there if you really believe in yourself and are willing to put in the work.
I really want to highlight that this week because I think it's a great story.
We already know about Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn, and Ray Whitney being a 1,000-point scorer. The core offensively is there and for the most part is quite young. Towering 18-year-old Valeri Nichushkin has been impressive, especially when playing alongside Benn and Seguin. All of those young guys are impressing me and I like the direction the Stars are going in right now.
A lot of people think the Stars are at a disadvantage competing in a division with so many great teams, but I actually think it will work to their advantage in the long run. Because the level of competition is so high, they have no choice but to continue their development on a nightly basis. That’s what is so great about the West right now. It's so deep and the teams are so good that it forces you to be really good. It forces you to take your game to the next level.
Naturally, a lot of the credit has to go to coach Lindy Ruff. I think he's done a really good job. For the most part, there is a lot of on-the-job training in the NHL for his players. They've tried to grasp what he's teaching. But he's also allowing them to play an up-tempo game and there is an element of risk involved in playing that kind of game. He hasn't played it safe and it's a good decision to not do that, just based on the skill there.
The real test for this club will be if their defense can survive the loss of veteran defenseman Stephane Robidas, who is out 4-6 months with a broken leg. Time will tell how Dallas does with that loss. He's a steady veteran defenseman that can skate. He makes simple plays and competes. He does a lot of things that go unnoticed but not undervalued for that team. He'll be missed, but this is a great opportunity for young defenseman Jamie Oleksiak, who was recalled from the American Hockey League. They have high hopes for him and he's a tall, rangy defenseman who can skate. This opens up a great opportunity for him and gives another great young Dallas player a chance to develop.
They'll be in tough most of the season in a very competitive division, but I like a lot of what I'm seeing deep in the heart of Texas.
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Neo Performance Materials
Neo Chemicals and Oxides
Neo Magnequench
Neo Rare Metals
NEO Rare Earths
NEO Powders
2019 AGM
Neo Performance Materials Announces First Quarterly Dividend
by Neo Admin | Mar 8, 2018 | News Releases | 0 comments
Toronto, Canada (March 8, 2018) — Neo Performance Materials Inc. (the “Company“) (TSX: NEO) announced today that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend totaling $0.095 per share on each of its common shares.
The quarterly dividend declared today will be paid on March 29, 2018 to shareholders of record on March 22, 2018.
Quarterly dividends are only payable as and when declared by the Company’s Board of Directors and there is no entitlement to any dividend prior thereto.
Unless indicated otherwise, all dividends paid by the Company are designated as “eligible” dividends for the purposes of the Income Tax Act (Canada) and any similar provincial legislation.
About Neo Performance Materials
Neo Performance Materials is a global leader in the innovation and manufacturing of rare earth- and rare metal-based functional materials, which are essential inputs to high technology, high growth, future-facing industries. The business of the Company is organized along three segments: Magnequench, Chemicals & Oxides and Rare Metals. The Company is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; with corporate offices in Greenwood Village, Colorado, US; and Beijing, China. The Company operates globally with sales and production across 10 countries, being Japan, China, Thailand, Estonia, Singapore, Germany, United Kingdom, Canada, United States, and South Korea. For more information, please visit www.neomaterials.com.
Ali Mahdavi
a.mahdavi@neomaterials.com
News Media:
Jim Sims
j.sims@neomaterials.com
Tags: dividend, Neo, neo materials
ir@neomaterials.com
media@neomaterials.com
© 2018 NEO. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use. Privacy Policy.
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PREVIEW: Jets brave the cold for warm-up fixture
@newcastlejetsfc 1503962948
The Newcastle Jets have sent a full strength squad to the nation’s capital for an intensive program of training and a pre-season friendly.
Their opponents for the clash – Capital PS4 National Premier League (NPL) table-toppers – Canberra Olympic.
The current NPL champions pose strong opposition, having won the league in 2013 and 2014. Olympic were also recently knocked out of the FFA Cup Round of 32, following a 1 – 0 defeat to Sorrento FC.
The Jets have been making the most of the nation’s sports training institute, with coach Ernie Merrick keen to maintain a strong training schedule during this away trip.
“We wanted to ensure the boys got the most out of this trip, so we’ve put together an intensive training program for the next few days,” said Merrick.
“The boys will be training the day before, the day of and the day after the game to get some quality run in their legs for the A-League opposition that awaits us in the coming weeks.
“This sort of workload is what pre-season is all about, and the boys are relishing the challenge.”
Merrick spoke highly of the Jets NPL opposition, predicting a tough match for his visiting team.
“I think it will be a really competitive game, they’ve been together for a few years now and had some success,” he added.
“It’ll be a great challenge for the guys as we continue to work on playing consistently to our game plan moving forward.
“We’re also beginning to turn our focus to refining our restarts and set pieces, so tonight will be a good opportunity to put that practice into play.”
The match with Canberra Olympic is the first in a string of pre-season matches as the Jets prepare for the Hyundai A-League.
Upcoming pre-season fixtures are scheduled against Sydney FC (9 September) and Wellington Phoenix (16 September).
Tonight’s match will kick-off at 6.30pm at Deakin Stadium and we’ll be live-tweeting all the action, so follow @newcastlejetsfc to keep up with the results as they happen!
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One doctor’s experience in the world’s largest refugee camp
Since December 2018, New Market Goods has been raising funds by selling our enamel “Cha Pin” for OBAT Helpers, a Bangladeshi humanitarian organization working with the thousands of Rohingya refugees who’ve fled persecution in Myanmar since 2016. While the refugee camp where they live is now one of the largest in the world, life in the camp is likely something few of us are familiar with here in the US. We sat down with Dr. Meggie Woods, a Bay Area-based medical doctor, to learn more about their experience on two medical trips to the refugee camp. They answered questions by email, edited here for clarity.
Stephen Kennedy: How and why did you volunteer as a medical doctor in a Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh?
Dr. Meggie Woods: I first heard about the Rohingya refugee crisis in August 2017, when 700,000 people fled Myanmar due to attacks against their people. Many villages were burned, thousands were killed including women and children, and many women were brutally raped. Like when so many other horrible events that happen in the world, I felt powerless to help. Then my friend, Dr. Naz Uddin, went to Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh to volunteer as a doctor. After she came back and told me about her experience, I decided to go.
In March 2018 I spent a week at the Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar. I went with a group called MedGlobal that provides medical care and international medical volunteers to the Rohingya refugees. That trip changed my life. I had never been to a refugee camp before, and didn’t really know what to expect. I was amazed at the vast expanse of bamboo and plastic tents as far as the eye could see. There were people everywhere. The level of poverty was like nothing I had seen before. Most children were naked, without shoes and clearly malnourished.
But children were shouting and playing all around us as we walked to the clinic every day. They greeted us with, “Hi, how are you? I am fine!”
In just a week, I felt like I had been able to provide access to medical care that many would have never received before—it reminded me of why I became a doctor. I decided to return for a three-week visit in October 2018 with OBAT Helpers, which was one of the first non-governmental organizations to work in the camp. They operate a large medical clinic and also work on infrastructure development, education and community empowerment. Their model impressed me because of their deep commitment to sustainable community development and empowerment. They work with the Rohingya to develop their skills and build capacity within the community.
What are the biggest health needs of the people there? What are the biggest non-health needs to address?
As a doctor in the Kutupalong refugee clinic, I provided basic healthcare to men, women and children. Most of the diseases I treated are diseases of poverty: malnutrition, gastrointestinal worms, diarrhea, skin infections and respiratory illnesses. Some of the diseases, like mumps and diphtheria, I had never seen before because there are vaccines to prevent these devastating conditions. Unfortunately, the Rohingya were denied access to these vaccines in Myanmar.
Many of the illnesses are caused by contaminated water and inadequate hygiene. The camp was not planned — it grew quickly and spontaneously. So now there are wells for drinking water next to latrines that have no sewage system.
The Rohingya refugees need more permanent structures to live in and infrastructure to prevent diseases. They need a pathway to a future because right now they are stuck in a kind of limbo in the camp. It’s not safe to go back to Myanmar and they are not allowed to leave the camp. There are now 1 million people in the camp — the largest in the world.
How do you describe the attitudes of people living there? What are their biggest fears or hopes for the future?
Most people ran for their lives through the forest between Myanmar and Bangladesh. It took people anywhere from a few days to two weeks. There are many elderly Rohingya who walked or were carried by family members to the camp. Many women were pregnant when at that time. Almost no one had proper shoes. They fled at a moment’s notice when angry mobs came to their villages.
It can be hard to ask people about their experiences in Myanmar because it brings up their trauma and can re-traumatize them. I usually try not to ask about it unless it’s clinically relevant. However, I have seen a number of patients with suicidal ideation because of their experiences, and then it can be therapeutic for them to talk about what happened. Once we have identified the issue, we can refer them to mental health resources.
Many of the people I met are depressed and traumatized by their experiences in Myanmar. Many saw family members killed or raped. They lost everything they had. Their biggest fear is that they are going to be forced to return to Myanmar where they do not have citizenship nor basic rights. Many would like to return but only if they can be safe and have citizenship.
Others want to stay in Bangladesh and integrate into society which is, unfortunately, not possible right now due to Bangladesh’s government policies. Bangladesh is one of the poorest countries in the world, so they don’t have the same resources as developed countries to assist refugees. Many refugees want to go elsewhere, to Europe or the US, and make new lives for themselves.
People are just trying to live their lives. There is a guy who has a TV and for 1 taka [about a US penny] he lets people watch whatever soccer game is on. My translator, Yasein, stays up late watching soccer most nights. He says it makes him happy to do normal things that he used to do in Myanmar.
What surprised you most about life at the camp?
The best way to describe the camp is “humanity.” It is humans stripped down to their barest essentials: food, shelter, water, sanitation. Clothing, medicine, soap and books are all luxuries. All of their resources are brought in by NGOs. The Rohingya are not allowed to leave the camp. They are not allowed to have a job or a cellphone.
One of the things that struck me the most was how resilient the children are. They laugh and play just like children everywhere else in the world. Their toys might be different, but the joy is the same. They are the future of the Rohingya people, so it’s important that they grow up knowing their history and get an education.
To learn more about the work of OBAT Helpers and the various programs they run in Bangladesh, visit obathelpers.org. You can join our fundraiser at newmarketgoods.com/products/cha-pin or through our collaboration with the Good Pin Club, a non-profit that partners with illustrators to create pins for meaningful causes.
info@newmarketgoods.com
© Copyright 2019, New Market Goods
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Drake Is Suing A Music Company For "Offensively" Stereotyping Jewish People
Drake is suing Hebrew Hustle for using his image.
A music production company called "Hebrew Hustle" used Drake's image without his permission and now the Canadian rapper is suing them. He is not only "highly offended" that they would use his photo without consent, but also that they are perpetuating a Jewish stereotype, according to TMZ. Hebrew Hustle used his name and image on their website, leading it to seem like they were associated with the rapper.
READ ALSO: The Floor Plan For Drake's Master Bedroom In His New Toronto Mansion Was Just Leaked And It's Unbelievable
New documents have now been filed for a lawsuit from Drake against Hebrew Hustle. The legal documents from the rapper's lawyers state, "The very name of Hebrew Hustle is offensive, as it perpetuates stereotypes regarding persons of Jewish heritage, such as [Drake]," according to TMZ. It sounds like Drake is definitely not a fan of their company.
@champagnepapiembedded via
Drake's legal team says the rapper "would never have allowed the company to use his image due to its offensive name," according to TMZ.
The legal documents show that the rapper wants damages for the "mental distress" and "humiliation" that he has experienced due to Hebrew Hustle trying to associate themselves with him. He also is suing for any profits made from the company by using his image.
This isn't the first time the rapper has gotten into a legal battle with this music publishing company. The company first sued Drake for a sample in his song, "Pound Cake/Paris Morton Music 2", according to TMZ. Now, the rapper is clapping back by countersuing.
Hebrew Hustle is a "is a multi-dimensional music based production and publishing company providing specialized creative, advisory and administration support to our talent roster of songwriters and producers", according to their website.
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Born Out of My Firsts
The National Forest System
Category: The National Forest System
by Monica Curiel
This past fall, the NFF sponsored a blog contest to celebrate local community connections the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument outside of Los Angeles. Special thanks to REI for helping to sponsor the contest and providing prizes for the winning entries. Read Monica's second place entry here.
I don’t remember a time in my life when I wasn’t hiking, camping, biking, or riding off-highway-vehicles (OHV). Does that seem strange to hear from the daughter of two Mexican immigrants?
Let me tell you why it shouldn’t.
To tell the story of my first experiences outdoors, I have to tell you about my parents. My dad and mom honeymooned in 1976 by visiting California’s National Parks and Monuments, including Yosemite. As the family grew, they organized big camping trips with friends and family.
Then they had me and on weekends, we visited our backyard, the Angeles National Forest (we lived in Highland Park) to hike in what is now part of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. When they weren’t camping or hiking, they still went outside, loading up their daughter and their dog to spend Sunday’s rolling around the OHV area in Azusa Canyon, getting muddy.
My parents started taking me out so young that I didn’t even know where we were half the time, and now that I hike as an adult, it’s fun to check in with my dad to see if I am actually on a trail I may have hiked as a kid.
I grew up, majored in Conservation and Resource Studies and have made a career outdoors because my parents planted that seed when I was very young. They were the architects of my firsts. My first hikes. My first trips to the ocean. My first lessons on being clean (yup! Clean! in my mother’s words). My sense of responsibility and, very importantly, my love of the space, time and the connections I made in the outdoors, all of this came from my parents. And I am proud that they were able to teach me this because they brought it with them, or rather in them, from Mexico.
But where did they get the ethic, the interest, heck, even the knowledge of where to go, where to hike, where to camp? When I talked to my mom about it, she reflected a bit and told me about my grandfather. He ventured into the forest around his hometown, Talpa in the state of Jalisco in Mexico, to gather, hunt and walk. It was as natural as breathing. My mom shared stories about her youth as well, running around, picking flowers to make crowns with her sister or wandering around picking fruits from the trees.
My father told me about the iguanas and the jungle in Puerto Vallarta where he was born. Then, the forests of Nayarit where he was sent to live after his parents died. His grandmother would send him and his brother outdoors. There they ventured into the jungle with friends. They hunted little birds and cooked them for food; they used branches in epic “sword” fights; and they climbed trees and picked mangoes. Both my parents came here as young teenagers, and when they met, it was natural to simply go up into the forest and spend time there…and to take the family with them.
This sharing with family is such an important aspect of my connection to the outdoors. I remember big breakfasts, carne asada, music, tree swings, the river and the family with which we shared it all. Being outdoors was a family occasion. It was time to bond, laugh, and joke! These are the roots of stewardship. It is in these experiences that we grow a desire to protect our mountains and rivers.
This is how deep connections are fostered because the connections are multifaceted and tapped into many different emotions. Joy, laughter, fun, good food, singing and dancing mix with peace, exercise, challenges and accomplishments to create an experience that is long lasting. I can remember trails I thought I couldn’t cross and then would! Or big climbs that I thought were too long, but then made it to the top. When I go out now, I return to the places I first felt this connection and there, I find it again.
Being outdoors was a family occasion.
My parents are 61 this year. When I begged my dad to do Mt. Baldy a few years back, he didn’t feel like he could (he did it plenty of times as a young man). Nevertheless, my dad finds a way to stay with me on the trail. When I did Mt. Whitney for the first time this year, he went hunting around for a hat for me to take as a way to show his support.
Being on those trails, he wasn’t with me physically anymore, but he and my mom were with me in spirit and in my memory, telling me all the things they told me as a kid: that I could do it, that I had a responsibility to take care of it, and that I should enjoy and appreciate every moment that I was there. That is what was born out of my firsts.
Five Reasons Wildlife Appreciate National Forests
A Pilgrimage to Mount Baldy
Five Overlooked Facts about California’s Water Supply
California is in its fourth year of a record-breaking drought. As leaders struggle to find a sustainable future for California’s water, it’s important to consider the source of our water.
Summer of Trails Photo Contest Winners
See the stunning photos of trails on our National Forests that won the 2018 Summer of Trails photo contest.
Balancing Fires and Fun - White River National Forest
Part of a blog series taken from "America's Great National Forests, Wildernesses & Grasslands", Char Miller looks at Colorado's White River National Forest
“Fire and Water: Restoring Arizona’s Forests” Behind the Scenes of the Documentary Film
Rebecca Davidson, NFF Director of the Southern Rockies Region, sat down with friend and film producer Kristin Atwell to discuss the film "Fire and Water."
14 Most "Instagram-able" National Forests
Each National Forest is full of Instagram-worthy locations. We picked a few of our favorites that always shine thanks to their incredible setting and the adventures that await.
A National Forest and A National Park in California: It’s All Dry
My family spent some time last week on the Sierra National Forest and in Yosemite National Park. Leading up to the trip, I had read about the multi-year drought in California and how the snow this past winter in the Sierra amounted to only six percent of the average. I knew things were going to be pretty dry. But it wasn’t until I put boot on ground that it really hit me.
Give back to our National Forests
Support our National Forests and Grasslands for generations to come with a gift today.
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Ted Cruz: Obama Plans on Border Surge ‘Continuing Indefinitely’
By Joel Gehrke
About Joel Gehrke
Follow Joel Gehrke on Twitter
President Obama’s request for $3.7 billion in supplemental funding amounts to an “admission” that he plans for the influx of immigrant children to “continue indefinitely,” according to Senator Ted Cruz (R., Texas).
Cruz said that only five percent of the funding would provide for “boots on the ground” along the southern border. “This is an HHS and social services bill that is entitled border security to make it appear as if it’s responding to the problem,” Cruz told National Review Online.
“But this supplemental bill is an admission by the president that he has no intention of solving this problem, and, indeed, that he anticipates it continuing indefinitely, because he is simply asking for money to deal with those kids who are coming after they’ve been brutalized, rather than taking the necessary steps to prevent them from coming here in the first place, to prevent them from being victimized,” Cruz also said.
The Center for Immigration Studies points out that almost half of the money requested would pay for resettlement of the immigrants.
“Of the $3.7 billion being requested, fully $1.8 billion (about 49 percent of the total) is for resettlement costs to be appropriated to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) — not just for the UACs, but for entire family units, including adult men and women,” Dan Cadman writes. “There is no reason to think that the accommodations will be temporary, insofar as the funds include authorization ‘for acquisition, construction, improvement, repair, operation, and maintenance of real property and facilities.’”
Joel Gehrke — @Joelmentum
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Article | Open | Published: 13 June 2019
Association between subfoveal choroidal thickness and leakage site on fluorescein angiography in Behçet’s uveitis
Shintaro Shirahama1,
Toshikatsu Kaburaki ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-1132-61481,
Hisae Nakahara1,
Rie Tanaka1,
Keiko Komae1,
Yujiro Fujino2,
Hidetoshi Kawashima3 &
Makoto Aihara ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-6810-05831
Scientific Reportsvolume 9, Article number: 8612 (2019) | Download Citation
This study aimed to clarify the association between the retinal leakage site on fluorescein angiography (FA) and subfoveal choroidal thickness (SCT) measured using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT). Twenty-two patients with Behçet’s uveitis were retrospectively selected in this study. They underwent EDI-OCT and FA in both the active and convalescent phases. The associations of the changes between the active and convalescent phases in SCT and in FA leakage in various retinal areas (total retina, peripheral retina, macula, and optic disc) were examined. The changing rates of SCT between the two investigated phases were significantly associated with the changes in total FA leakage scores (y = 1.79X+ 11.7, r2 = 0.210, p < 0.05). Furthermore, the changes in FA leakage scores in the macula were correlated with the changing rates in SCT (y = 3.72X+ 13.9, r2 = 0.219, p < 0.05). By contrast, there were no significant associations between the changes in SCT and those in leakage from the peripheral retina or the optic disc on FA. These findings demonstrate that SCT may reflect macular vasculitis as determined using FA, and SCT measurement could be a non-invasive method to investigate inflammation near the macula in Behçet’s uveitis.
Behçet’s disease (BD) is a systemic inflammatory disease characterised by oral and genital mucous ulcers, uveitis, and dermic lesions1. The ocular involvement is characterised by recurrent sudden attacks of intraocular inflammation, and has been reported to affect between 47.4% and 69.0% of BD patients in Japan2. The disease activity with ocular involvement is usually evaluated by the frequency of ocular attacks, the location of the inflammation site, and scales, such as the BD ocular attack score 24, which determine ocular inflammatory signs3.
Fluorescein angiography (FA) is a valuable tool for the assessment of inflammatory fundus conditions due to posterior uveitis4. A previous study demonstrated that both the frequency of ocular attacks and the background leakage from the peripheral retina, macula, and optic disc were significantly decreased with infliximab therapy5. Therefore, the leakage on FA may serve as an important surrogate marker for the inflammatory activity in BD uveitis5. However, FA is an invasive examination using an intravenous infusion of the dye fluorescein, which may be associated with serious complications such as an anaphylactic shock6. Thus, frequently in clinical practice, FA cannot be performed to evaluate the disease activity in ocular BD patients.
In contrast, optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive tool used to visualise the posterior areas of the ocular fundus and is frequently used for the assessment of retinal diseases. However, conventional spectral-domain OCT devices have limitations in imaging the choroid because of decreased sensitivity and resolution due to several reasons such as wavelength-dependent light scattering and signal loss in the image path7,8. Enhanced depth imaging OCT (EDI-OCT) has made it possible to easily obtain detailed images of the choroid8. This technique has been used for the evaluation of disease activity and treatment effectiveness in choroidal inflammatory diseases such as the Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease9. Moreover, a recent retrospective study demonstrated that subfoveal choroidal thickness (SCT) measured with EDI-OCT is increased in the active phase compared to that in the convalescent phase in BD posterior uveitis10. In particular, the SCT reduction in the convalescent compared to the active phase was significantly correlated with an improvement in retinal vascular leakage revealed using FA10. This result suggests that SCT is correlated with retinal vascular leakage identified using FA. Thus, SCT measurements may be potentially useful for monitoring the activity in Behçet’s uveitis, rendering FA assessments redundant10.
To date, it remains unclear whether retinal FA leakage sites are correlated with SCT. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the leakage site in FA and SCT to examine whether SCT changes reflect FA extravasation in BD uveitis.
In this retrospective study, the clinical records of 80 consecutive ocular BD patients who arrived at the Uveitis Clinic of the University of Tokyo Hospital from January 2013 to March 2019 were initially reviewed. BD was diagnosed based on the criteria established by the BD Research Committee of Japan11. The inclusion criteria of this study were as follows: (1) BD uveitis with evidence of inflammation involving the posterior segment (posterior uveitis) based on the Standardization of Uveitis Nomenclature (SUN) working group classification12, (2) treatment with colchicine, cyclosporine, or tumour necrosis factor-α inhibitors to prevent the recurrence of posterior uveitis, and (3) EDI-OCT and FA imaging performed in both the active and the convalescent phase. The active phase was defined as an acute exacerbation of posterior uveitis within 3 months according to the SUN working group definition12: an increase of at least two steps in the vitreous haze score with or without anterior chamber cells, new retinal exudates with or without haemorrhages, or a decrease of more than three lines in the Snellen visual acuity measurement. In contrast, the convalescent phase was defined as an inactive disease persisting for more than 3 months after resolution of an acute inflammation and without signs of a uveitis exacerbation including the development of retinitis, vasculitis, papillitis, macular oedema, and retinal haemorrhage. Exclusion criteria were as follows: absence of active posterior uveitis, lack of clear images of the eyes, chorioretinal atrophy, high myopia (spherical equivalent refractive error lower than 8 diopters or axial length ≥28 mm), indication for ocular surgery within 1 year, and presence of other retinal or choroidal diseases.
At every visit, the spherical equivalent refractive error, best-corrected visual acuity, and ocular pressure were measured in all patients. In addition, they underwent a slit-lamp biomicroscopic examination, a fundus examination, and a spectral domain OCT (SpectralisTM; Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany). In contrast, FA was performed as necessary, once or twice per year.
The subfoveal choroidal thickness (SCT) was measured with EDI-OCT in the active and the convalescent phase. SCT was defined as the vertical distance at the fovea between the hyperreflective line corresponding to the retinal pigment epithelium and the chorioscleral interface. Digital callipers provided by the Heidelberg Spectralis OCT software version 5.3 were used to measure the SCT.
The extent of FA leakage was graded on a scale of 0 to 3 (0: none, 1: mild, 2: moderate, 3: severe) for the peripheral retina, macula, and optic disc as previously reported5. The total FA leakage score was calculated for the active and convalescent phases as the sum of the scores for the peripheral retina, macula, and optic disc. Two experienced uveitis specialists (SS and TK) who were blinded to each other’s assessments and the clinical data of the patients evaluated the FA leakage score independently. If their scores differed, the final score was determined by agreement after discussing the FA images.
In this study, we compared both SCT values and FA leakage scores in the active phase with those in the convalescent phase. Furthermore, we investigated the changes in SCT and FA leakage score between the active and the convalescent phase. The SCT changes were calculated according to the following formula: (SCT in active phase – SCT in convalescent phase)/SCT in active phase × 100 (%). The changes in FA leakage score were defined by the following formula: FA leakage score in the active phase – FA leakage score in the convalescent phase. Additionally, the changes in FA leakage scores at each location of the retina (peripheral retina, macula, and optic disc) and those in SCT were compared between the active phase and the convalescent phase.
For the control group, age-, sex-, and spherical equivalent-matched subjects who underwent EDI-OCT examination because they had advanced cataract with invisible fundus were included from the patients who visited the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Tokyo Hospital from January 2013 to July 2018. Exclusion criteria for the control group in this study were as follows: (1) abnormal findings in EDI-OCT image, (2) systemic diseases affecting the retina or choroid, and (3) insufficient quality of the EDI-OCT images for measuring the SCT.
Informed consent was obtained from all subjects. This retrospective study was permitted by the Ethics Committee of the University of Tokyo Hospital (No: 2217-(5)) and was conducted in accordance with the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki.
Clinical characteristics including sex, age, and spherical equivalent refractive error were analysed using the chi-square test, unpaired t-test, and Mann-Whitney U test between groups, respectively. Comparison of the SCT and the FA leakage score between the active and convalescent phases was analysed using the paired t-test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test, respectively. Comparison of the SCT between active phase and control eyes was analysed using the Mann-Whitney U test. The relationship between the changes in SCT and those in FA was evaluated using linear regression analysis. The level of significance was determined as p < 0.05. All statistical analyses were conducted using the Graph Pad Prism Software version 7 (Graph Pad Software, San Diego, California, United States of America).
A total of 51 eyes in 30 patients were included in the present study after excluding patients from the initial study population of 80 subjects according to the criteria outlined in the methods section. For the control group, 51 eyes of 51 subjects, who were sex-, age-, and spherical equivalent refractive error-matched with those in the BD group, were included (Table 1).
Table 1 Clinical characteristics of ocular Bechet’s disease patients and controls.
Figure 1 shows the SCT values determined for the active phase and the convalescent phase in the patient group, and the normal condition in the control group. The mean SCT values were significantly higher in the active phase compared with those in the convalescent phase (284.2 ± 71.5 vs. 241.5 ± 62.9, p < 0.05) and in normal eyes (284.2 ± 71.5 vs. 241.5 ± 62.9, p < 0.05); in contrast, there was no significant difference between BD eyes in the convalescent phase and normal eyes (241.5 ± 62.9 vs. 223.2 ± 55.6, p = 0.170).
Subfoveal choroidal thickness (SCT) in the active and convalescent phases of Behçet’s uveitis and in normal eyes. SCT is significantly higher in the active phase than in the convalescent phase or in control eyes. Data are presented as mean ± SD. Statistical analyses were performed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test (SCT in the active phase vs SCT in the convalescent phase, *p < 0.05) and the MannWhitney U test (SCT in the active phase vs SCT in the control eyes, **p < 0.05), respectively.
Figure 2 shows the change in FA leakage scores between the active and convalescent phases in the total retina area, peripheral retina, macula, and optic disc. The FA leakage scores in each of these four sites were significantly higher in the active phase than the corresponding scores in the convalescent phase (total retina: 5.90 ± 2.46 vs. 2.06 ± 1.96, p < 0.05; peripheral retina: 2.23 ± 0.91 vs. 0.88 ± 0.73, p < 0.05; macula: 1.71 ± 1.17 vs. 0.89 ± 0.91, p < 0.05; optic disc: 1.96 ± 1.00 vs. 0.67 ± 0.66, p < 0.05).
Changes in fluorescein angiography (FA) leakage score in the total retina (a), peripheral retina (b), macula (b), and optic disc (d) between the active and convalescent phases. In all areas investigated, the FA leakage scores are significantly higher in the active phase compared with the convalescent phase. Data are presented as mean ± SD. Statistical analyses were performed using the paired t-test (*p < 0.05).
Figure 3 shows the FA and EDI-OCT images of the active and convalescent phases in a representative eye of an ocular BD patient. In the active phase, FA demonstrates an extensive dye leakage from retinal vessels and EDI-OCT shows subfoveal choroidal thickening. In contrast, there is only limited dye leakage in FA and reduced SCT in EDI-OCT during the convalescent phase.
Fluorescein angiography (FA) and enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT) images of the active and convalescent phases in a representative eye with Behçet’s disease. In the active phase, FA reveals dense retinal vascular leakage in all retinal locations (peripheral retina (a), macula (b), and optic disc (b)), and the subfoveal choroidal thickness (SCT) was determined to be 453 μm (c). In the convalescent phase, the retinal vascular leakage improved in all parts (d,e), while the SCT was decreased at 364 μm (f).
Next, we examined the relationship between the change rate in SCT and that in FA leakage score (Fig. 4). The SCT change rate (y) correlated significantly with the change (x) in total FA leakage score (y = 1.79X+ 11.7, r2 = 0.210, p < 0.05). Finally, we investigated the relationship between the SCT change rate and the changes in FA leakage score according to the location (Fig. 4). In the macula, the SCT change rate was correlated significantly with changes in the FA leakage score (y = 3.72X+ 13.9, r2 = 0.219, p < 0.05), while no significant correlations were detected between those parameters for the peripheral retina (y = 2.52X+ 14.7, r2 = 0.0659, p = 0.069) or the optic disc (y = 2.91X+ 15.3, r2 = 0.106, p = 0.061).
Association between the changes in subfoveal choroidal thickness (SCT) and those in the fluorescein angiography (FA) leakage score of the total retina (a), peripheral retina (b), macula (c), and optic disc (d). The associations between these parameters were evaluated using linear regression analysis for the total retina (a), peripheral retina (b), macula (c), and optic disc (d). The changes in SCT are significantly correlated with those in the FA leakage score of the total retina (r2 = 0.210, p < 0.05, linear regression analysis) and macula (r2 = 0.219, p < 0.05).
This study investigated the relationship between SCT and FA leakage scores in ocular BD patients. In addition, the FA leakage score was measured in the peripheral retina, macula, and optic disc separately to clarify the locations reflecting the FA leakage and SCT change association. This study clarified that the changes in SCT between the active and convalescent phases are correlated with the corresponding changes in the FA leakage score. This is particularly prominent in the macula.
Previous studies have shown that the choroid is thicker in the acute phase than in the quiescent phase in ocular BD10,13 and Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease14,15 patients. These studies suggest that SCT measurement using EDI-OCT is useful to evaluate and monitor the disease activities in uveitis. In contrast, a previous retrospective study reported that infliximab therapy reduces vascular leakage as established using FA5. Vascular FA leakage has also been useful to evaluate the disease activity in ocular BD patients5.
As expected, the current study demonstrated that both SCT and FA leakage scores in ocular BD patients were significantly higher in the active phase compared with the convalescent phase (Fig. 1). For FA leakage, this finding was confirmed for all investigated retinal locations, i.e., the peripheral retina, macula, and optic disc (Fig. 2). Our investigation of the relationship between the changes in SCT and FA leakage scores in the active and convalescent phases demonstrated that the changes in vascular FA leakage from the macula, but not the peripheral retina or the optic disc, were significantly correlated with the corresponding changes in SCT (Fig. 4).
It is well-known that atrophy of the macula or optic disc is one of the complications leading to vision deterioration in ocular BD patients16. Macular and optic disc atrophy are assumed to be attributed to retinal vasculitis and papillitis, which can be identified using FA17. The current study demonstrates that SCT measurement may be a useful tool to monitor the inflammatory activities in the posterior pole of the fundus, raising the possibility to detect early signs of macular atrophy in ocular BD patients. Furthermore, SCT is a non-invasive examination technique that does not depend on the use of a fluorescein dye. Consequently, SCT measurement using EDI-OCT may be a valuable choice to evaluate retinal vasculitis near the macula in BD uveitis.
This study has several limitations. First, this investigation was conducted retrospectively. Second, the study results may not be applicable to subjects who have undergone ocular surgery or those with chorioretinal atrophy, highly myopic eyes, and other retinal or choroidal diseases. Third, this study was performed at a single institute, and the number of enrolled study subjects was low. Further investigations are necessary to clarify the site-specific relationship of SCT and leakage in FA in BD uveitis.
In conclusion, SCT and FA leakage scores were significantly increased in the active compared with the convalescent phase. The changes in SCT were significantly associated with the changes in FA leakage scores, especially in the macula region. Therefore, SCT measurement may be a potentially valuable and non-invasive approach for evaluating inflammation near the macula in Behçet’s uveitis.
The datasets used and analysed during the current study can be obtained from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Mendoza-Pinto, C. et al. Etiopathogenesis of Behcet’s disease. Autoimmun. Rev. 9, 241–245 (2010).
Nakae, K. et al. Recent epidemiological features of Behçet’s disease in Japan in Behçet’s disease (eds Godeau, P. & Wechsler, B.) 145–151 (Amsterdam: Excerpta Medica, 1993).
Kaburaki, T. et al. Behçet’s disease ocular attack score 24: evaluation of ocular disease activity before and after initiation of infliximab. Jpn. J. Ophthalmol. 58, 120–130 (2014).
Adl, M. A., LeHoang, P. & Bodaghi, B. Use of fluorescein angiography in the diagnosis and management of uveitis. Int. Ophthalmol. Clin. 52, 1–12 (2012).
Keino, H., Okada, A. A., Watanabe, T. & Taki, W. Decreased ocular inflammatory attacks and background retinal and disc vascular leakage in patients with Behcet’s disease on infliximab therapy. Br. J. Ophthalmol. 95, 1245–1250 (2011).
Yannuzzi, L. A. et al. Fluorescein angiography complications survey. Ophthalmology 93, 611–617 (1986).
Hassenstein, A. & Meyer, C. H. Clinical use and research applications of Heidelberg retinal angiography and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography – a review. Clin. Exp. Ophthalmol. 37, 130–143 (2009).
Spaide, R. F., Koizumi, H. & Pozzoni, M. C. Enhanced depth imaging spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 146, 496–500 (2008).
Maruko, I. et al. Subfoveal choroidal thickness after treatment of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease. Retina 31, 510–517 (2011).
Kim, M. et al. Choroidal thickness in Behcet’s uveitis: an enhanced depth imaging-optical coherence tomography and its association with angiographic changes. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 54, 6033–6039 (2013).
Suzuki Kurokawa, M. & Suzuki, N. Behcet’s disease. Clin. Exp. Med. 4, 10–20 (2004).
Jabs, D. A., Nussenblatt, R. B. & Rosenbaum, J. T. Standardization of Uveitis Nomenclature (SUN) Working Group. Standardization of uveitis nomenclature for reporting clinical data. Results of the First International Workshop. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 140, 509–516 (2005).
Ishikawa, S. et al. Changes in subfoveal choroidal thickness associated with uveitis activity in patients with Behçet’s disease. Br. J. Ophthalmol. 98, 1508–1513 (2014).
Nakai, K. et al. Choroidal observations in Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease using high-penetration optical coherence tomography. Graefes Arch. Clin. Exp. Ophthalmol. 250, 1089–1095 (2012).
Nakayama, M. et al. Enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography of the choroid in Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease. Retina 32, 2061–2069 (2012).
Evereklioglu, C. Current concepts in the etiology and treatment of Behçet disease. Surv. Ophthalmol. 50, 297–350 (2005).
Tugal-Tutkun, I. et al. Review for Diagnostics of the Year: Multimodal Imaging in Behçet Uveitis. Ocul Immunol Inflamm. 25, 7–19 (2017).
This study was supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid for Science Research for BD from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan (No. 50056096).
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
Shintaro Shirahama
, Toshikatsu Kaburaki
, Hisae Nakahara
, Rie Tanaka
, Keiko Komae
& Makoto Aihara
Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Shinjuku Medical Center, 5-1 Tsukudo-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8543, Japan
Yujiro Fujino
Department of Ophthalmology, Jichi Medical University, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke-shi, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
Hidetoshi Kawashima
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S.S. was involved in study design, data collection, analysis of the results, and drafting of the manuscript. T.K. participated in the study design, data collection, and reviewing and editing of the manuscript. H.N., R.T., K.K., Y.F. and M.A. participated in data collection and reviewing and editing of the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Correspondence to Toshikatsu Kaburaki.
The authors declare no competing interests.
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Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons license and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-45149-4
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An "Office" Without Steve Carell
With Steve Carell reportedly mulling leaving after next season, it might be time to say goodbye to all our friends at Dunder Mifflin
Published Apr 29, 2010 at 11:51 PM | Updated at 12:42 AM EDT on Apr 30, 2010
Getty / Stephen Lovekin
Steve Carell's "Office" hours could be running out.
The original British version of "The Office," starring Ricky Gervais, lasted all of 12 half-hour episodes, with an hour-long special that provided a coda to the series.
The show ranks among the best seven hours of comedy aired anywhere, and was time enough to ingrain Gervais' grating and clueless office manager David Brent into the pantheon of great TV characters.
Now Steve Carell, who plays Brent's American counterpart, Michael Scott, in the U.S. version of the program on NBC, reportedly is mulling leaving when his contract is up after next season, the show's seventh.
"I think that will probably be my last year," Carell told BBC radio.
There's a certain amount of sadness prompted by news that one of TV's most consistently smart and funny shows – or at least one of the medium’s enduring characters – could be winding down a successful run by this time next year.
But unlike bumbling Michael Scott, who turns mismanagement of Dunder Mifflin into a comedy of errors, Carell would be making an intelligent decision to pursue a burgeoning movie career while the show is still strong.
It's a tribute to Carell – and some great writers – that Michael Scott has proven durable for more than 100 episodes. Carell has imbued his often dense and sometimes infuriating character with a smidgen of decency and likeability that keeps us watching. When we cringe at Scott's latest buffoonery, we feel at least a tad of sympathy for him as we wince along with his victim.
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Case in point: the recent episode in which he morphs into the obnoxious, beret-wearing "Date Michael" after a friend of Jim and Pam's takes a liking to his usual, goofy unguarded self. He blows a chance at love by humiliating the woman and himself, in a segment that was difficult to watch and even harder to forget.
Scott’s on-the-spot transformation from amiable dope to crude jerk came during a season in which the show itself is in transition.
Jim and Pam's wedding, a potential shark-jumping moment, has given way to a baby and a mixed bag of domestic jokes and plots. Ellie Kemper's flaky receptionist Erin is showing hints of deep-seeded neurosis, taking her beyond the quirky gal who won tightly wound salesman Andy Bernard’s heart. Kathy Bates provided a hurricane blast of fresh air as the blustery new owner of the paper firm – a reflection of workplaces all over the country buffeted by corporate instability.
Twist of Kate: Say Goodbye to "Kate Plus 8"
But amid all the changes at “The Office,” the (crazy) glue of the show remains Carell’s Scott.
There could be a temptation to keep the program going without Carell, but it wouldn’t be “The Office” without him. There could be spinoffs (“Welcome to Schrute Farm,” perhaps?). But it’s worth noting that for every “Rhoda” and “Lou Grant,” there are far more failures, like “Joey” and “After MASH.”
Speaking of “Rhoda” and “Lou Grant,” let’s revisit the ending of the greatest office sitcom of them all: “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” Moore called it a day after the seventh season, bowing out while the show was creatively vibrant. And when the brilliant ensemble cast walked out of the doors of the WJM-TV newsroom for the last time, they left together – literally, in a shuffling group hug.
Whether or not Michael Scott leaves Dunder Mifflin by himself, his exit would signal it’s likely time to close the doors of “The Office” for good.
Hester is founding director of the award-winning, multi-media NY City News Service at the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism. He is the former City Editor of the New York Daily News, where he started as a reporter in 1992. Follow him on Twitter.
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The Island Isn’t Hell, But it Feels Like it on "Lost"
By Ree Hines
Published Mar 24, 2010 at 1:20 AM | Updated at 3:40 AM EDT on Mar 24, 2010
Richard Alpert's tale of woe provided one of the best storylines of "Lost's" final season.
The fine writers of “Lost” know a thing or two about telling a tragic tale of woe and despair. In the flashback days of seasons yore, little by little viewers learned nearly every island character had a history that either involved murder, abuse, deception or a frightening cocktail of all three with a bad dad thrown in for good measure.
Sawyer, who lost both of his parents after a con man’s actions drove his father to murder-suicide, had one heck of a backstory. The again, Locke, who’s father was the aforementioned con man, as well as a kidney-thief and window-pusher, may have had him and everyone else beat.
It seems the writers saved their most brutal backstory for tall, dark and handsome mystery man Richard Alpert. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. In fact, it made for one the best “Lost” nights in a long time.
Taking a well-earned break from the sideways action, we joined Richards’ (or at the time, Ricardo’s) past during one of its many low points — his wife’s deathbed. Yes, long before his single days on the island, the long-eyelashed Other was wed to Isabella, a beautiful but very ill woman.
Poor Richard scraped together a handful of coins and his bride’s gold cross, but it just wasn’t enough to pay off a greedy doctor who had the cure in hand. With no health care reform on the horizon in the 19th century, our desperate hero lashed out at the medicine man, accidentally inflicting a fatal wound with one grand gesticulation. At least he walked away with the medication.
Not that it did Isabella any good. It seems she gave up the ghost moments before Richard returned. The man barely had time to let out a painful sob before the authorities came to lock him up for his earlier desperate measures.
Think that’s bad? That’s nothing.
A priest paid Prisoner Alpert a visit and explained there was no time for him to do penance for his sin before he’d hang from the gallows, so Richard couldn’t avoid a one-way ticket to hell. Whether the man of the cloth meant his later action as a way out of that fate or further punishment remains uncertain, but before the rope took Richard, the priest swapped his jail cell for a spot on the slave ship the Black Rock.
Of course, as one might expect, the life of a chained ship slave was hardly an improvement. Not that Richard had much time to contemplate that. His first time at sea saw the vessel shipwrecked on an island. The island.
As if to illustrate just how much worse the soon-to-be ageless man’s life could still get, he was forced to look on as his fellow surviving slaves gave up their survivor status one by one. Seems the few living officers left didn’t want to compete with the below decks’ crowd for sustenance, so one of their ranks stabbed each man in the stomach until he came to Richard. He would have given Richard the kebab treatment, too, had an angry plume of smoke not swooped in and killed the officer and his pals.
A parched and starving Richard remained chained to the ship, even as his wife paid him a final visit. Well, it wasn’t really his wife, but faux Isabella informed Richard they were both dead and now residents of hell all the same. She couldn’t tell him much more than that, as the smoke overtook her. Yes, once again he lost his beloved. Or so he thought.
Thank goodness a friendly face came to save Richard. Too bad it was the face of the Man in Black (the old-timey, pre-Locke version). He presented himself as just another resident of hell, tormented by the devil, desperate for a way out. He even set Richard free from his chains — with one catch. He wanted Richard to kill the devil, otherwise known as Jacob, so the Man in Black could be set free.
It should come as no surprise to learn that Richard didn’t kill Jacob or that Jacob isn’t the devil. Well, given the info-bomb Jacob was about to drop, he wasn’t exactly a good guy, either.
Jacob explained that he was the reason Richard’s ship crashed on the island, which means he’s also the reason so many lost their lives — but he sort of glosses over that part. Besides, he’s done it before. Why? He and his archenemies have an ongoing challenge of sorts. The Man in Black believes “everyone is corruptible, because it is in their nature to sin.” Jacob disagrees, so they play out their theories with real, live puppets.
Oh, and as for this whole mystery island place, it’s not hell. It’s a “cork.” Employing a bit of metaphor, but who really knows just how much, Jacob held up a wine bottle and explained the reveal. The island is the cork that holds the evil juice inside the bottle. Ooh.
Now that Richard was stuck in the middle of Jacob and MiB’s little morality play (in a bottle), Jacob offered him the job as his personal assistant. In exchange, he’d give Richard whatever he wanted. Except for Isabella, because he couldn’t bring her back from the grave, or absolution, as that’s also outside of Jacob’s skill set. He could, however, make sure that Richard avoided ever going to hell by making sure he’d live forever. And so it was.
That’s the tragic tale of Richard Alpert or part of it, only made slightly easier to bear by a future footnote. When an emotionally worn Richard briefly considered switching sides to Team Smokey, Hurley channeled the ghost of Isabella and gave the Other man, who still dearly missed his wife, a message of hope from her: “We are already together.”
Ree Hines isn’t crying. There’s just something in her eye. Follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/ReeHines.
Copyright MSNBC
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The day’s top national and international news
Charities Say They Never Got the Donations Jeffrey Epstein Claims he Made
Epstein claims he donated to over 100 charities after he reached a deal with federal prosecutors in Florida and registered as a sex offender
Published Jul 11, 2019 at 9:04 AM | Updated at 9:11 AM PDT on Jul 11, 2019
Louis Lanzano/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Geoffrey Berman, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, speaks while standing next to a poster displaying the image of fund manager Jeffrey Epstein during a news conference in New York on July 8, 2019.
Press releases from Jeffrey Epstein's foundation paint the wealthy registered sex offender as a generous donor to large American hospitals, top research universities and children and youth charities in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where he owns an island.
But Epstein's largesse was much smaller than what he represented, according to an NBC News review of public records and interviews with officials at the institutions named as recipients of his gifts. In reality Epstein's contributions, whether personal or via his foundation, were a drop in the bucket compared to the donations of other wealthy philanthropists like Bill Gates and Warren Buffett.
In press releases for the Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation, Epstein claims he donated to over 100 organizations after he pleaded guilty to a state charge in a deal with federal prosecutors in Florida and registered as a sex offender in 2008. From 2015 to 2017, Epstein's foundation, Gratitude America Ltd., which was first revealed by the Daily Beast, gave away $1.84 million to charities around the country, according to federal tax filings. Epstein also said he gave $30 million to Harvard University prior to his 2008 plea deal.
Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein Indicted in NYC
Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein has been indicted on federal sex trafficking charges of underage girls; he's due in federal NYC court Monday. Katherine Creag reports.
Get More at NBC News
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Justin Timberlake, Ariana Grande, More Play for Unity at Charlottesville Benefit Concert
By Liz Lane
Published Sep 25, 2017 at 12:07 AM | Updated at 3:24 AM PDT on Sep 25, 2017
Thousands of people packed the University of Virginia's Scott Stadium for the "Concert for Charlottesville" in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Sept. 24, 2017. The show was intended to raise money for charity and promote unity in the aftermath of the violence in the city last month. Dave Matthews hosted the gig, with performances from Ariana Grande, Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams, Chris Martin, The Roots and more.
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Scrapping the Cap: National Committee endorses Bernie’s new Social Security Bill; Marks the Day Millionaires Stop Paying payroll taxes
NCPSSM2018-05-15T13:08:31-04:00February 17th, 2017|Max Richtman, Social Security|
Senator Bernie Sanders and Rep. Peter DeFazio introduced landmark legislation yesterday to keep Social Security solvent for the next six decades — without cutting anyone’s benefits. The National Committee endorses the bill, titled the Social Security Expansion Act, introduced on the day when the average millionaire reaches the payroll tax income cap of $127,000 per year.
National Committee President Max Richtman joined Senator Sanders, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Rep DeFazio and other dignitaries and advocacy groups on Capitol Hill to mark the day and support the new legislation, which would require high-earners to pay Social Security taxes on annual income over $250,000.
The bill doesn’t “scrap the cap” right away; but for now only income between $127,000 and $250,000 would be exempt from payroll taxes. Eventually the cap would phased out and completely scrapped. The expanded payroll taxes (which only affect the top 1.5% of earners) would keep the Social Security Trust Fund flush until at least 2078.
“We can expand the life of Social Security for 61 years, if we have the guts to tell millionaires and billionaires they’re going to have to pay more in taxes.” – Sen. Bernie Sanders
Senator Warren passionately defended the bill, saying it is necessary because, under current law:
“…Once [the wealthy] hit the cap, they can earn and earn and earn without paying into the system. We want a Social Security system that works of all America, not just the millionaires and billionaires.” – Sen. Elizabeth Warren
NCPSSM President Max Richtman referred to a favorite metaphor involving a high-earning NBA superstar paying into Social Security. “He’s already hit the cap and is done contributing before the first quarter of the first game of the season is over.” On a more serious note, he continued, “We are here today to say that for those who have so much, it is only right that they pay their fair share into the Social Security program.”
Richtman used the occasion to recall the words of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who started the Social Security system:
“The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much, it is whether we provide enough for those who have little.” – FDR
In addition to lifting the cap, the Sanders-DeFazio bill increases Social Security benefits by an estimated $65 a month, improves the Special Minimum Benefit by making it easier for low-income workers to qualify for benefits, and links the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) formula to a new Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E) to factor in costs seniors traditionally face such as prescription drugs, utility bills and property taxes.
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Gary Judd QC
Gary Judd QC is a former Chairman of the ASB Bank and the Ports of Auckland, and has been a member of the APEC Business Advisory Council.
Free trade, protectionism and the TPP
By Gary Judd QC
The Trans‐Pacific Partnership has again been in the news, this time because initially President Obama was unable to get Congress to give him authority to fast track negotiations because of a revolt within his own party. He overcame that difficulty in the House of Representatives (which had initially rejected it) and then got approval from the Senate.
As I understand it, the aim of the law is to enable the President to conclude negotiations and to put the agreed outcome to Congress for a Yes or No vote (to avoid the horse trading that US Congressmen engage in).Some of the broadcast excerpts from speeches by Congressman opposing the ‘fast track’ legislation have been a disgrace to a country which once prided itself on being the land of the free because they put protectionism and the perceived interests of the unions and other pressure groups ahead of free trade. It is ironic that the US is now more unfree and less capitalistic than many other countries and in particular New Zealand, whereas if we go back to the days of Muldoon’s fortress New Zealand economy the reverse was very much the case.
In the early days of civilisation when markets started to develop people from tribal groups would venture out to seek goods which were unavailable to them but others had. Trade developed with goods being exchanged for goods and over time with money being developed to serve as a medium of exchange to facilitate trading activity. In an unhampered global market economy, anyone could trade with anyone else irrespective of where they both lived and their terms of trade would be the agreement they made.
But in due course rulers started to interfere with trade when they saw the opportunity of raking off something for themselves. In cross border trade this included customs duties (hence smuggling to avoid the duties). Then they thought they could make their own country wealthier by protectionism
— impeding imports by tariffs and preventing imports by prohibitions, licensing and quotas. This led to retaliation. Over time tariffs and quotas and subsidies developed as rulers sought to protect their own patches. With the advent of election of rulers (democracy), governments set about seeking to
protect parts of their economies in the complex of bribery and corruption brought about by pandering to the popular vote, special interest groups and to those who owe allegiance to governments and vice versa. These measures were justified by spurious arguments as to the purported beneficial nature of such policies.
In relatively recent decades it has come to be realised by some that the purported benefits are illusory, that restrictions on free trade are harmful to consumers and producers alike and that they are of benefit to no one save narrow interest groups who seek to gain at the expense of others by utilising the coercive powers of government to promote their own ends. At best such measures may confer a temporary advantage to some parts of an economy but others end up paying the price.
Cross‐border, benefits to particular countries are short‐lived before adjustments are made within others to ratchet up protection to counteract the short‐lived benefit. Overall such measures are detrimental to the interests of the citizens of all countries as production and productivity are harmed and consumers pay the price. The realisation that the purported benefits are illusory has led to attempts to dismantle the restrictions and restore free trade. Globally, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has as a primary object: “Lowering trade barriers is one of the most obvious ways of encouraging trade; these barriers include customs duties (or tariffs) and measures such as import bans or quotas that restrict quantities selectively.”1
The WTO’s processes are cumbersome and hampered by the necessity to get agreement of members — which means, agreement of virtually all countries. So we see, for example, India’s insistence on maintaining agricultural protection impeding agreement. In frustration at the lack of WTO progress, countries whose governments have come to believe in the benefits of free trade have taken matters into their own hands. They have sought to do this incrementally by bilateral trade agreements, usually known as free trade agreements (FTAs). Sometimes what is attempted is a multilateral FTA. Such is the Trans‐Pacific Partnership (TPP) which was originally entered into by four members of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). (To accommodate China’s sensitivity in relation to Taiwan and Hong Kong when APEC was formed in 1989 the member countries were referred to as economies, rather than countries). It is not coincidental that four members of APEC formed the TPP because APEC’s objectives are the promotion of free trade and investment even though many members have dragged their feet and have paid lip service to the objectives at best.
APEC has 21 members who are countries on the Pacific rim. Its current mission statement says “We are united in our drive to build a dynamic and harmonious Asia‐Pacific community by championing free and open trade and investment, promoting and accelerating regional economic integration, encouraging economic and technical cooperation, enhancing human security, and facilitating a favorable and sustainable business environment. Our initiatives turn policy goals into concrete results and agreements into tangible benefits”2. APEC has been a driving force to make the Asia‐Pacific region the standout economic performer of the global economy.
The TPP was initiated by New Zealand, Singapore and Chile in discussion at the APEC Leaders’ Summit in Mexico in 2002. Before the negotiations concluded, Brunei joined the three initiators – so there were four signatories to the agreement. It was then called the Trans‐Pacific Strategic
Economic Partnership and a link to the agreement itself is given in the footnote below3. The TPP was signed in June 2005 and entered into force in 2006. It is 160 pages long so it is impossible to do other than highlight the aspects which are important for this article.
Article 1.1, clause 3 of the agreement provides that “The Parties seek to support the wider liberalisation process in APEC consistent with its goals of free and open trade and investment”.
Clause 4 contains objectives including “(b) eliminate barriers to trade in, and facilitate the crossborder movement of, goods and services among the territories of the Parties”. Article 1.2 is headed Establishment of the Free Trade Area and provides that the Parties “hereby establish a free trade area” in consistency with provisions of WTO agreements.
Article 3.4 provides for the elimination of customs duties imposed by the respective parties. Customs duty is defined in Article 2.1 to include any duty or charges of any kind imposed in connection with the importation of a good, but with some exceptions. Article 3.8 — clause 1, prevents the parties from introducing or maintaining any non‐tariff measures on the importation of any good of another Party or on the exportation of any good destined for the territory of another Party, except in accordance with WTO provisions or any specific provision in the TPP. With an exception, export duties are prohibited: Article 3.10. Article 3.11 agrees to the elimination of export subsidies for agricultural goods.
Article 20.6 is of crucial significance in relation to the current position. It provides that the agreement is open to accession on terms to be agreed among the Parties by any APEC economy or other State. It provides further that the terms of such accession shall take into account the circumstances of the APEC economy or other State, “in particular with respect to timetables for liberalisation”. Article 20.6 is consistent with the last item in the Preamble at the beginning of the agreement which in stating the objectives of the agreement provides: “PROMOTE common frameworks within the Asia‐Pacific region, and affirm their [i.e., the Parties’] commitment to encourage the accession to this Agreement by other economies”.
It is important to note that the TPP is in force and has been since it was signed in 2006. Its terms bind the parties to it — New Zealand, Singapore, Chile and Brunei. No other country will be bound to it unless it accedes to the agreement.
In 2008, the US indicated it was going to enter into negotiations to accede to the TPP. This was under President Bush but by the end of 2009 President Obama had endorsed the initiative and negotiations commenced. A number of other countries followed suit. 12 are now in negotiation.
Obviously with such a large number of countries the negotiations are difficult and have been protracted. Each country will be seeking terms of accession which suit it. But the overall objectives are those contained in the existing TPP as agreed to by the four original parties. At this time, that 2005 agreement is the only agreement. If the parties currently negotiating are able to reach agreement there will be a new agreement replacing the original one but at the moment the existing agreement is the one containing the provisions referred to above.
Until those negotiations are concluded and a new agreement signed the terms of the new agreement are unknown, although there have been leaks of texts said to have been put forward as drafts for consideration.
As can be seen from the above description the existing (2005) TPP agreement provides for unhampered cross‐border trade between the Parties, with only minor qualifications. Although the
TPP involves only four relatively small countries, any steps taken to roll back restrictions on trade and investment are steps in the right direction. If larger economies accede to the agreement without fundamental departure from the principles embodied in the existing agreement the prize for all participants will be much bigger.
The principles of free trade embodied in the existing agreement may be eroded away by each country wanting its own exceptions or additional provisions which run counter to those principles. It would be better to hold the line and wait them out than to sign up to a substandard agreement under time pressure. Brunei, Chile, New Zealand and Singapore should stick together on this and refuse to accept any departure from those principles. After all, the status quo is the existing agreement which cannot be amended without the agreement of those who are already the parties to it. If they don’t agree and the other countries still wish to proceed to make an agreement, they would have to start from scratch.
Article 20.6 of the existing agreement recognises that particular circumstances of other economies and States are to be taken into account, particularly with regard to the timetable for liberalisation. That’s fair enough because particular circumstances in a particular country may make it necessary for the timetable to be longer. But it is essential for the commitment to freedom to be made and given unequivocably without compromise other than in relation to timing. That is plainly intended by Article 20.6 in the context of the agreement as a whole. Article 20.6 envisages only minor departures and in the main with regard to the timetable. Anything beyond that would mean not amendment to the existing agreement but the discarding of it and replacement by a completely new one. Surely Brunei, Chile, New Zealand and Singapore would not want to jettison the grand vision shown by the existing agreement and replace it with a tawdry half baked substitute.
1 https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/what_stand_for_e.htm
2 http://www.apec.org/About‐Us/About‐APEC/Mission‐Statement.aspx
3 http://www.mfat.govt.nz/downloads/trade‐agreement/transpacific/main‐agreement.pdf
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Editorial: Mutual respect key to solving coastal conflict
Christchurch 'zone four' business owners get CBD access
Brian Rudman: Hide plans a liveable city for trucks
Mayor Len Brown is hosting a one-day 'summit to start the discussion about Auckland's future.' Photo / Supplied
By: Brian Rudman
Brian Rudman is a NZ Herald feature writer and columnist.
brian.rudman@nzherald.co.nz
Mayor Len Brown is hosting a one-day "summit" of "the best minds from Auckland and New Zealand" in 10 days "to start the discussion about Auckland's future".
The talkfest is to launch the development of the Auckland spatial plan which, says the mayor, will help achieve his vision of Auckland "as the world's most liveable city".
But in declaring "this is where it starts" Mr Brown is ignoring the dark shadow of the Government which, a week ago, issued a series of Cabinet papers declaring what it wants in the spatial plan.
Auckland's future, as outlined in the papers issued by Local Government Minister Rodney Hide, is a rather different vision to that envisaged by the mayor.
He talks of a future that integrates social and economic prosperity with the recreational and cultural wellbeing of Aucklanders. The Government's emphasis seems to be on economic prosperity alone. It also wants to muscle into the planning of the region in a way not seen before.
Noting how urban form has a significant influence on achieving government objectives in the areas of housing affordability and choice, transport, economic development and environmental outcomes, the report writers say the creation of the spatial plan is a good time for the Government to abandon its usual backseat role.
"Until now, the Government has played a relatively passive role in Auckland's urban planning," they say. "This has left Government in the position of reacting to the policy decisions of local government ... rather than adopting a more proactive approach towards achieving its objectives."
The advent of the Super City, it says, is "an opportunity to change this approach and to positively engage with Auckland Council on urban form issues".
What the report is proposing though, will not come as "positive" in the eyes of many Aucklanders.
What is being proposed as a new start reads very much like old policies Aucklanders have tried and rejected.
The authors criticise the existing regional growth strategy, and in particular the metropolitan urban limits and other planning regulations, suggesting they weren't working because, among other things, developers and property owners didn't like being constrained. Which, one would have thought, was a sign the rules were working.
What is proposed is "a more realistic approach to regulation (zoning and district plan rules) ... that would encourage appropriate development rather than tell people where to locate".
They want new housing developments outside the existing metropolitan urban limits - which would presumably go.
They believe the way to encourage inner city renewal is to "incentivise higher density development" by "reviewing" development contributions policies. Which is shorthand, presumably, for dropping charges the council levies to pay for the community infrastructure costs involved in new developments.
The business-centric emphasis is at its most obvious in the Transport Trends document which opens with the bare admission that "the Government's top priority for transport is to maximise the sector's contribution to economic growth and productivity". It wants more roads, and more capacity on existing roads. And when trucks are being held up, the rest of us should get out of the way.
"The performance of the motorway and arterial network is critical to effective freight distribution. Freight movements should have priority in key freight corridors."
Without denying the importance of economic growth, a transport system designed to put trucks first is hardly the stuff of Mayor Brown's "world's most liveable city" dream.
The paper also calls for a "realistic" approach to transport investment.
It concludes, no surprises here, that cars will continue to be king. But more fundamentally, it gives a quick survey of the decline of public passenger transport over the past 50 years - not mentioning that was the result of a deliberate government policy to pander to the public love of cars. It then predicts, based on this record, that this pattern won't change, so we'd better keep building roads.
It's right that the Government has an input into the creation of what in effect will be the guide book to the city's long-term development.
But it's equally right that Aucklanders should have the final say. It's we who know, for example, whether a city that gives priority rights to trucks, and is let free to ooze unchecked across farmland to Whangarei and Huntly, is a liveable one.
Editorial: Act needs to show it's worth saving
Deborah Coddington: National must pull the curtain on Hide's Act
Aaron Bhatnagar: Super City structure just new kind of gridlock
Members of the public are advised to avoid the area.
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Candace (C L.) Talmadge
Boomer women seeking a powerful inner shift take their intuitive skills to an entirely new level by meeting their spirit guides with help from Candace L. Talmadge. Trained as an energy-healer, Candace has been taking clients to meet their guides since 1988. Candace has been a professional writer since 1976. She has written for numerous media, including Adweek, Business Week, the Dallas Times Herald, Forbes, the International Herald Tribune, The New York Times, and Reuters America. She has also been a syndicated political columnist whose works have appeared in publications such as Liberal Opinion Week. Nearly three decades ago, Candace encountered an alternative healing method called Sunan therapy that enabled her to resolve many of her emotional and spiritual wounds. This therapy also helped her become familiar with the intimate link between spirituality, energy, and healing. It introduced her to some of her past lives and those of family and friends. Based on these experiences, she co-authored and published Hope is in the Garden—Healing Resolution Through Unconditional Love. This nonfiction explores emotional and spiritual healing resolution based on the Sunan method of working in the energy of human consciousness. In this book, she provides an expanded definition of energy that demonstrates the connection between matter, spirit, mind, and heart. Candace and her co-author, Jana L. Simons, have penned new nonfiction titled, The Healing Circle—How Anyone Can Contact the Other Side. This spiritual self-help book, scheduled for June 2015 publication by New Page Books, teaches readers how to contact not only departed loved ones but children who are not yet born.
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Call for Applications Jun 13, 2019
The Salzburg Global Forum 2018 for Young Cultural Innovators (Fully Funded to Schloss Leopoldskron in Salzburg, Austria)
Application Deadline: 26 June, 2018
The Canada Council for the Arts has partnered with the Salzburg Global Seminar to give young cultural innovators from Canada an opportunity to build their leadership skills and engage with others from around the globe.
From 2017 to 2020, the Canada Council and the Salzburg Global Seminar will make an annual selection of five young Canadians to attend the renowned Salzburg Global Forum for Young Cultural Innovators (YCI Forum).
The YCI Forum offers an opportunity for five participants from Canada to be part of an intensive program taking place at Schloss Leopoldskron in Salzburg, Austria, from October 16 to 21, 2018. Combining theory and practice, with keynote presentations focusing on “big picture” issues facing the cultural sector and with skills-building sessions on entrepreneurial thinking ; human-centered design processes; strategic planning and organizational development; and leadership and values. Selected participants will receive a full scholarship to participate in the YCI program, including the session fee, room and board, and travel costs.
To qualify, all applicants must:
Be 25-35 years of age;
Be proficient in English, the working language of the Forum;
Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident;
Have at least 2–3 years of professional experience in arts sector;
Want to become an active member of the Canada YCI Hub and global network, and be prepared to commit time, energy, and resources to sustaining these;
Aim to create social change and strengthen the position of the arts and cultural institutions within your community;
Demonstrate creativity in approach to work, openness to innovation and risk-taking, action-orientation, and entrepreneurial inclination;
Have a cross-sectoral approach to work and demonstrate an interest in building cross-sectoral alliances/partnerships beyond the cultural sector;
Exhibit passion, enthusiasm, and leadership potential with prizes, awards, recommendations, citations confirming this.
All applicants must submit the following information online using the registration form at my.salzburgglobal.org.
A personal statement (approx. 500 words) detailing:
Your motivation for applying to the Young Cultural Innovators Forum;
What you hope to take away from the program;
What you will contribute to the local and global YCI network;
How your participation will have an impact on your local community.
A brief bio (sample on application form).
A headshot photo of yourself.
A CV/Resume including name and email address of two references.
For questions concerning the application please contact Bernadette Prasser (bprasser@salzburgglobal.org). Please include only the information outlined above. All applications should be directed to Salzburg Global Seminar.
How funding decisions are made
Candidates will be jointly selected by Salzburg Global Seminar and the Canada Council. Selection will take into consideration regional and cultural diversity as well as a range of artistic disciplines.
Visit the Official Webpage of the Salzburg Global Forum 2018 for Young Cultural Innovators
By Rushmore
Fellowship May 15, 2018
Government of Maharashtra, India- Chief Minister Fellowship Program 2018
Application Deadline- 24 / 05 / 2018 (23.59 hrs)
Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri. Devendra Fadnavis has launched a drive to rope in young graduates in the administration. The objective is to gain from youthful energy, passion of technology and fresh perspectives of the youth. In return, the Fellows earn valuable experience of working within the government.
The eligibility criteria to apply for the Chief Minister Fellowship Program is age between 21 to 26 years, graduation with first class, one year work experience and knowledge of Marathi. It is an 11 months program with remuneration of Rs. 40,000 per month. We are looking for responsible, enthusiastic and enterprising youths to join us.
The Chief Ministers Fellowship Program is designed to provide valuable experience to youth interested in social development sector. This program is designed to cultivate young leaders, strengthen their understanding of the public administration and prepare them for greater leadership roles in future.
The Chief Minister Fellowship program offers a unique opportunity to work with Government. It enables meaningful participation in policy making, execution, monitoring and evaluation of programs. It provides opportunities to visit various knowledge institutions in the state. Interactions with legends in industry, art, literature, journalism, entertainment make the fellowship a rarest experience.
To apply for Chief Minister Fellowship 2018, the eligibility criteria are as follows:
The candidate has to be in age group 21 to 26 years,on 1st April 2018 (that is youth having birthdate between 01/04/92 to 01/04/97, inclusive of both days).
Candidate should be graduate with first class from any discipline. Candidate with relevant PG degree or professional diploma would have an added advantage.
Candidate should have work experience of minimum 1 year. Full time internship or article ship or apprenticeship as part of professional courses will be considered as experience.
Candidate should have basic proficiency in Marathi language, ability to work on computer and internet. The sufficient knowledge of English and Hindi is also necessary.
The position of Fellows will be equivalent to that of Grade – A officer in the government service.
Fellows will be provided I Card and Email ID for official purpose during the period of fellowship.
Fellows will be paid the stipend of Rs. 35,000 and Rs. 5,000 for travel and related expenses i.e. in all Rs. 40,000 per month
Fellows are entitled for 10 days of leave during the period of fellowship.
Fellows will be provided with accidental insurance cover during the period of fellowship.
Fellows successfully completing fellowship of 11 months will be awarded with a Certificate.
How to Apply?:
Read the advertisement, details on website and government resolution (GR) carefully and check your eligibility for Chief Minister Fellowship Program, 2018. Keep scanned copy of signature and photo ready. Size of the file should be less than 50 kb (each).
Click “Apply for CM Fellowship Program 2018” link on the home page to start filling online application form. You will be redirected to the application portal.
On Application Portal click on ‘Register to Get Login Id / Password’. After scrutiny of primary eligibility and registration, Login Id and Password will be generated.
You will receive your login ID and password on SMS and Email. Take print out of the login details by clicking on “Print Login Details”
Click on proceed and then click on “Fill Application Form” link to fill all your details. Please fill required personal information, educational qualification and work experience. Recheck complete application form carefully.
Complete the self-approval of the online application. After self-approval you will not be able to modify any details.Submit the application fee online.
After self-approval and online payment click on ‘Fill Application Form’ tab to get print out of the application form for future reference. Your application process is complete.
Applicant will receive an email with detailed instructions and information about the online exam and further selection process. The details can also be checked on the website and in candidate’s login.
Please check the website for regular updates
Visit the Official Webpage of the Chief Minister Fellowship Program 2018
Fellowship May 1, 2018
Research Fellowship Scheme at NCHMCT in India, 2018
The Research Fellowship (RF) scheme of the National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology (NCHMCT) is open to candidates who qualify the Eligibility Test for enrolment in to Ph.D program particularly in the field of Hospitality Management/ Administration. However, please note that these are qualifying tests only and do not bestow a fellowship upon the candidate.
This is a three year fellowship for Ph.D. in Hospitality subject and academic criteria in force for selection of Ph.D. programme. The duration of fellowship is as under:-
Minimum duration of fellowship for doing Ph.D. is for three years from the date of joining.
Fellowship can be granted till the period of submission of Ph.D. Thesis subject to fulfilment of other clause of the scheme, or maximum of 5 years, whichever is earlier.
Candidates who have qualified in the Eligibility Test for enrolment in to Ph.D program particularly in the field of Hospitality Management/ Administration.
Candidates who have qualified in the Eligibility Test for enrolment in to Ph.D program particularly in the field of Hospitality Management/ Administration. However, the registration for the Ph.D is made by IGNOU or NCHMCT within stipulated period of declaration of result or date of issue of award letter/date of joining the fellowship.
In addition, candidates must meet the following:
Candidate should have regular Master’s degree in Hospitality or allied subject, after a basic UG degree in Hospitality Management/ Administration subject with an aggregate of more than 55% marks (in UG and PG).
Qualified in the eligibility examination to get admission in the the Ph.D. program in Hospitality field.
Agreed to become the full time Research Fellow at the NCHM or any of Institute, under its umbrella.
Not drawing salary/ remuneration/ fellowship from any other Organisation/ Agency
Have the valid Adhaar Number and PAN number
The tenure of fellowship is strictly for three years or completion of research study, whichever is earlier, under the Research Fellowship scheme. Upon expiry of this period and on the event of not completion of research study, the work of the Fellow will be evaluated by experts. If the research work is found satisfactory, his/her tenure will be extended for a further period of one year under the scheme. In case the work for the first three years is not found satisfactory, no further extension of the fellowship will be considered. After fourth year, there is no further provision of extension.
Fellowship at Rs.25,000 per month
Total Contigency of Rs.20,000 Yearly (can be taken in instalments or at one go).
Visit the Official Webpage of the Research Fellowship Scheme at NCHMCT in India, 2018
Fellowship Oct 6, 2017
Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program 2018 for U.S citizens
Funded by the U.S. Department of State and administered by The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars, the Thomas R. Pickering Fellowship Program provides undergraduate and graduate students with financial support, mentoring and professional development to prepare them academically and professionally for a career in the U.S. Department of State Foreign Service. Women, members of minority groups historically underrepresented in the Foreign Service, and students with financial need are encouraged to apply.
Only individuals who are United States citizens.
Applicants must be seeking admission to a U.S. graduate school beginning in fall 2018.
Applicants must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.2 or higher on a 4.0 scale at the time of application and this grade point average must be maintained throughout participation in the program.
Applicants must enroll in a two-year, full-time master’s degree program, at U.S. based graduate institutions only, in an academic field relevant to the work of the Foreign Service (public policy, international affairs, public administration, business, economics, political science, sociology, or foreign languages) and be prepared to enter the Foreign Service in Summer 2020.
Applicants must be able to attend June 2018 orientation in Washington, D.C. if selected.
Applicants must be available to fulfill the summer internship obligations (summer 2019 & summer 2020)
Pickering Fellowship Program Benefits
Up to $37,500 annually for tuition, room and board, books, mandatory fees and some travel expenses for a two-year master’s degree in fields related to the Foreign Service such as business administration, economics, public policy, international affairs, and other relevant fields.
Up to $21,500 will be provided each academic year for two years for a Fellow’s tuition
Up to $16,000 stipend per academic year for two years for room and board, books/laboratory fees, and travel between the Fellow’s residence and university location (not to exceed $600 per academic year)
Two summer internships, one at a domestic office of the Department of State in Washington, D.C. and one overseas at a U.S. embassy or consulate. The program provides stipends, transportation and housing for these internships.
Orientation to the Program and the Foreign Service at the Department of State.
Mentoring from a Foreign Service Officer throughout the duration of the fellowship.
Employment in the Department of State Foreign Service for those who successfully complete the program and Foreign Service entry requirements in accordance with applicable law and State Department policy.
2018 Pickering Fellowship Timeline
Pickering Application Deadline:
Pickering Selection Interviews:
Notification of Selection as a Fellow:
Deadline for Accepting Fellowship Offer:
Orientation for 2018 Pickering Fellows:
Begin first Pickering-funded year of school:
Domestic Internship:
Begin second Pickering-funded year of school:
Overseas Internship:
Enter Foreign Service:
Visit the Official Webpage of the Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program
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E-mail and Behavioral Changes by Fernando Lagrana
First published 2016 in Great Britain and the United States by ISTE Ltd and John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms and licenses issued by the CLA. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside these terms should be sent to the publishers at the undermentioned address:
ISTE Ltd27-37 St George’s RoadLondon SW19 4EUUK
www.iste.co.uk
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.111 River StreetHoboken, NJ 07030USA
www.wiley.com
© ISTE Ltd 2016
The rights of Fernando Lagraña to be identified as the author of this work have been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2016930386
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication DataA CIP record for this book is available from the British LibraryISSN 2051-2481 (Print)ISSN 2051-249X (Online)ISBN 978-1-84821-850-5
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Home Lifestyle Health 4 Undiscussed But Serious Side Effects of Sleep Apnea
4 Undiscussed But Serious Side Effects of Sleep Apnea
Frank Butler
Sleep apnea affects between 5 and 20 percent of adults and 10-20 percent of children
It’s estimated that 22 million Americans have sleep apnea, and that 80 percent of moderate to severe cases are undiagnosed.
Also known as Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS), the condition affects between 5 and 20 percent of adults and 10-20 percent of children. While many are familiar with some side effects – loud snoring, disturbed sleep, and daytime sleepiness – other related issues are talked about less, but can be quite severe.
“The disruption of nasal breathing can affect digestion, brain function, mood, attention, growth, heart health, head pain, metabolism and much more,” says Dr. Edmund Lipskis (www.drlipskis.com), director of the Centre For Integrative Orthodontics and co-author with his wife, Dr. Lynn Lipskis, of Breathe, Sleep, Live, Smile: Integrative Treatments for TMJ/TMD, Sleep Apnea, Orthodontics.“But sleep apnea in children can be treated at a young age. The symptoms include irritability, lack of concentration, poor school performance, pseudo ADHD, and nighttime bed wetting.”
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when a blocked airway prevents the body from getting the oxygen it needs. Breathing can stop for several seconds numerous times during the night.
“This causes the brain to wake up so the sleeper can breathe,” Dr. Lipskis says. “People with OSA usually don’t remember every instance of waking up, but the result is fragmented sleep.”
Dr. Lynn Lipskis adds that proper diagnosis, combined with advanced technology, can lead to successful treatment. She says there are more than 100 FDA-approved appliances for treating sleep apnea and proper selection is key to addressing the individual’s special needs.
“For adults, that can mean therapy using an oral appliance,” she says. “For children, it can mean orthopedic orthodontics for airway development and correction.”
The Lipskis team points out four of the less-discussed but serious side effects of sleep apnea:
Depression. Depression is linked with OSA and works both ways. “That is, people who are depressed are more likely to develop OSA, and people with OSA are more likely to develop depression,” Dr. Lynn Lipskis says. “One study found that slightly less than half of people with OSA showed depressive symptoms. This is not so surprising, considering that restful sleep is so important for physical and mental health.”
Chronic pain. As with depression, chronic pain may be a cause of, or may be caused by, OSA. A study found that over half the people with OSA had chronic widespread pain and that the risk was higher in women than in men.
Hormone disruption. Sleep is a critical time for the body to regulate hormones. “An important one to note is the growth hormone HGH, which is produced during Stage 3 sleep,” Lipskis says. “It helps with cell reproduction, cell regeneration, and metabolism. If Stage III sleep is cut short, or never reached, HGH can’t perform its job. So rather than repairing itself during sleep, the body continues to break down.”
Nocturia. This is the frequent need to urinate at night. “People with OSA are more likely to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom,” Dr. Edmund Lipskis says. “That’s because it affects the release of antidiuretic hormone (ADH), which prevents fluid from filling the bladder and prevents the need to urinate during the night. When ADH can’t do what it’s supposed to, the bladder fills and the urge to urinate appears. This is yet another way that OSA disturbs proper bodily functions and compounds disordered sleep.”
“If you suffer from OSA or suspect you do, have a sleep study done, which includes a diagnosis by a medical physician,” Dr. Lynn Lipskis says. “This is the only way to correctly diagnose OSA or other sleep disorders. OSA should be treated as a serious medical condition because the consequences go far beyond daytime fatigue.”
About Dr. Edmund Lipskis, DDS, MS and Dr. Lynn Lipskis, DDS
Dr. Edmund Lipskis (www.drlipskis.com) is the director of The Centre for Integrative Orthodontics and co-author, with his wife, Dr. Lynn Lipskis, of Breathe, Sleep, Live, Smile: Integrative Treatments for TMJ/TMD, Sleep Apnea, Orthodontics. He is a Master Senior Instructor in the International Board of Orthodontics and board-certified by the International Board of Orthodontics and the American Board of Craniofacial Pain. Co-founder of St. Charles Family Dentistry Ltd. and the TMJ & Sleep Therapy Centre of Chicago, he has lectured internationally on phase-two treatment (via orthodontics) of chronic-pain individuals and airway-focused orthodontics.
Dr. Lynn Lipskis (www.drlipskis.com), a graduate of Loyola University School of Dentistry, is director of the TMJ & Sleep Therapy Centre. She co-founded St. Charles Family Dentistry Ltd. with her husband, with whom she has practiced dentistry for 30 years. She was a clinical instructor in pediatric dentistry at Loyola University School of Dentistry until it closed in 1993. She is a Diplomat of the American Board of Craniofacial Pain and the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. Since 2011, she has concentrated her professional attention on the practice of dental sleep medicine and the treatment of TMJ and chronic pain. The Lipskis’ host a doctors’ course on airway-focused orthodontics on an annual basis.
nasal breathing
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Moderate or Severe Sleep Apnea Doubles Risk Of Hard-to-Treat Hypertension in African-Americans
Disability: Ignorance is NOT Bliss
Birth Control Still Widely Supported as Basic Part of Women’s Health Care
Health Risks Differ Among Hispanics in the US
Knowing the Difference Between an Ophthalmologist and an Optometrist Can Save...
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American Indians in the Twentieth Century
American Indians faced much heartache in the twentieth century, including assimilation and racism, but continued to persevere. Despite mistreatment by the US government, American Indians served in both World Wars, built up tribal communities, and reclaimed their sovereignty by joining together across tribal lines.
Comanche Code Talkers Monument at the Comanche Nation Complex (19687.IN.CO.28.13. Chester R. Cowen Collection, OHS).
Tobias Frazier, Code Talker (22190, Oklahoma Historical Society Photograph Collection, OHS).
Joseph Oklahombi (2296.1, Czarina Conlan Collection, OHS).
Around 10,000 American Indians served their country during World War I. The most decorated of these was Joseph Oklahombi.
Joseph Oklahombi
Joseph Oklahombi was a fifteen-year-old soldier in World War I and a member of the Choctaw Nation. He served in Company D, 141st Regiment, 1st Battalion, 1st Brigade, 36th Division. He, along with his other tribal members, used their native language to send messages throughout the 71st Brigade so that German intelligence could not understand what they were saying. They later were called Code Talkers. Not only was Joseph Oklahombi a Code Talker, he also fought with his fellow soldiers and has been identified by some as "Oklahoma's Greatest Hero." He is the recipient of a Silver Star and the French Croix de Guerre. He came back to Oklahoma after the war and was struck by a truck and killed in 1960.
Code Talkers
American Indians served as "Code Talkers" in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. The first Code Talkers were a group of Choctaws in the 141st, 142rd, and 143rd Infantry Regiments of the 36th Infantry Division in World War I. During the Meuse-Argonne campaign of 1918 in France, Germans broke Allied communication codes, monitored radio and telephone lines, and captured one of every four runners between companies. Needing a more secure means of communication, an American army officer overheard some Choctaw soldiers conversing in their native language. The most famous Code Talkers are likely the Navajo Code talkers who served during World War II. The Navajo language is the only military code that has never been cracked by the enemy.
The attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 encouraged many American Indians to enlist. Oklahoma American Indians, many of whom were already members of National Guard units, filled a noticeable portion of the ranks of the US Army's famed 45th Division. It is estimated that around 44,000 served during the war. Like World War I, many American Indians who served in the Second World War were also honored for their heroism. Ernest Childers, a Muscogee Creek, and Jack Montgomery, a Cherokee, received Medals of Honor. They were the only American Indians to be awarded the nation's highest military honor in World War II.
Ernest Childers
Ernest Childers (photograph courtesy of the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame).
Ernest Childers was born on February 1, 1918, in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. He attended the Chilocco Indian School before enlisting in the Oklahoma National Guard in 1937. During World War II he was promoted to First Sergeant, Company C, 180th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division. Childers took part in Allied assaults on Sicily and Salerno in 1943 and Anzio in 1944. For his bravery during those battles, he was appointed to 2nd Lieutenant. Childers' awards include the Medal of Honor, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Italian Cross of Valor, Combat Infantryman's Badge, and the first Oklahoma Distinguished Service Medal ever awarded. Lt. Col. Childers was the first American Indian to earn the Congressional Medal of Honor in World War II.
Jack Montgomery
A member of the Cherokee Nation, Jack Montgomery was one of the few American Indians to be awarded the Medal of Honor for his service during World War II in 1945. During the war he attacked German positions, killing eleven enemy soldiers and taking many prisoners in February of 1944. He is from Sallisaw, Oklahoma, and died in June 2002. Montgomery was inducted into the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame in 1999.
Clarence Tinker
Clarence Tinker was the first American Indian in the history of the United States Army to attain the rank of major general. He was one-eighth Osage and was born in the Osage Nation, Indian Territory, in 1887. He was given command of the Hawaii Department following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 and in 1942 was promoted to major general. Clarence Tinker led four bombing attacks on Wake Island on June 5, 1942; upon leaving Midway Island on June 6, his plane crashed at sea, killing all on board. Tinker Air Force Base in Midwest City is named after him.
Red Power and the Rise of a New Age
Clyde Warrior: Tradition, Community, and Red Power by Paul R. McKenzie Jones (image courtesy of the University of Oklahoma Press).
The opportunities for higher education, jobs, and travel that came with World War II became an important moment for the newest generation of American Indians in the 1960s and 1970s. Many were inspired by the African American civil rights movement and decided to fight for their people's sovereignty and an end to racism. According to Standing Rock Sioux historian and American Indian leader Vine Deloria Jr., Red Power is a uniquely American Indian idea that puts human beings before money and goods. The Red Power movement was also used to contradict the media's portrayals of American Indians as "noble savages," a stereotype that was often used to depict American Indians as less modern or ignorant.
Clyde Warrior
Clyde Warrior was born in Ponca City, Oklahoma, and raised by his traditional Ponca grandparents. While attending Northeastern State University in Tahlequah in 1966, Warrior began organizing the National Indian Youth Council (NIYC). The NIYC was the first student-led Indian activism group and became famous for their 1964 "fish-ins" in Washington State that demanded local tribes be given back their fishing rights. Clyde Warrior was important to the Red Power movement across the nation and has been called the "prophet of Red Power."
Wilma Mankiller, 1987 (image courtesy of the Tulsa World).
Wilma Mankiller, born on November 18, 1945, in Tahlequah, was highly inspired by the Red Power movement and the idea of bettering her tribe through unity.
Mankiller became the first female Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation in 1985. Though up against the male-dominated world of the Cherokee Nation when she became principal chief, she managed to create a sense of community within the nation and assisted in providing the help it needed to become self-sufficient. She also authored many books, including Mankiller: A Chief and Her People.
OHS Kids!
E-exhibits
For Parents and Teachers
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Barrage Download (1998 Arcade action Game)
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Download full Barrage:
Download (45.7 MB)
Manual (1.31 MB)
Barrage screenshots:
Barrage sounds like a lot of fun on paper. You jet around large levels in a hovercraft blowing up anything and everything you see. The catch is you have to do things in a specific time frame. The clock is always ticking against you and there are goals to be met.
Each level takes place in a different geographical location such as a canyon or city. The levels are grand in scale and give you lots of freedom to complete them. In some levels, you'll have to fly around pillars that have been set up. If you do so successfully, you'll get time added to your grand total. Also strewn about are hourglass pick-up items that add time to the clock. Your power meter works against you. Each time you get hit or run into something, the meter goes down. Once your power has been completely drained, you are hit with a ten-second penalty and it is deleted from your overall time.
You are supplied with a nice arsenal of weapons. There are lasers and plasma guns to use; you'll need them to fight end-level bosses as well as fend off your foes. Basically, you get a new weapon every level, which is a nice design feature.
So far, so good, right? Unfortunately, there is one significant problem keeping Barrage down and that is the control. Controlling this game is very frustrating; the mouse control is horribly flawed. Not only is it slow and sluggish but it is almost impossible to line up shots and hit anything with accuracy. You'll have to rely on luck far too often.
Also, the multi-player support is very disappointing. It's pretty much a straightforward death match in which you fly around aimlessly while looking for random targets or foes to hit.
Because of the poor control, it is almost impossible to hit anything with accuracy. The developers tried to justify themselves in the instruction manual but I don't see the point. If you go through all the trouble to make a game in the first place, why would you want to make it absolutely frustrating to control?
What you're left with is a game that could have been a world of fun but is marred with abysmal controls and boring, poor multi-player support. There are far better shooters out there than this one. If you can find it in the bargain bin at your local software store and are a shooter fan, then you may want to look at this game. For everyone else, pass on it.
Graphics: The frame rate is solid and the game engine is fast. The graphics are also pleasantly detailed and look nice.
Sound: All of the sound effects, such as explosions, really sound good and the soundtrack is fairly good.
Enjoyment: Because of horrible controls, Barrage is a real turn-off in the enjoyment department. It's not very fun trying to ignore the unresponsive and sluggish controls while trying to be at least somewhat accurate (which you need to be at times).
Replay Value: Unfortunately, the game just isn't fun enough to hold your attention very long and the multi-player support is weak.
Barrage is an excellent but little-known 3D shooter created by small developer Mango Grits, the same team behind two outstanding "rail shooters/adventure hybrids" Cyberia and Cyberia 2, and published by Activision. While Cyberia fans will be delighted with the same well-designed action in Barrage, they will be disappointed to discover that the game is much shorter. Expert action gamers will be able to finish the entire game in only a few hours.
While the levels are short by action genre standards, Barrage is simply a blast to play. Piloting a futuristic aircraft, you will shoot your way through 5 levels including Prairie, Tunnel, Canyon, Chicago, and finally Ocean. Each level features its own enemies and, of course, scenery graphics, and objectives (although they are simply variants of what you need to do to activate/collect five power buoys, and always pit you against a big end-level boss). The gameplay is similar Terminal Reality's Terminal Velocity or Rage's Incoming, but in my opinion even better than both games. To lengthen the woefully short game length, you could try to play it on the highest difficulty level (there are 3 total), but even that is little consolation, because the levels are still the same length - you just face tougher and more numerous enemies.
The controls are intuitive and easy to learn. Barrage is not a strict 'rail shooter' like Cyberia or Rebel Assault, although your freedom of movement is still much more limited than real 3D games like Wing Commander. The game also includes multiplayer support, but no random levels - so the longevity problem still persists here. The levels are fun to play more than once to see if you can beat your previous high scores, or when you are pressed for time. Overall, Barrage is an excellent action game that will entertain you while you play it, but the short length makes Activision's decision to market the game as a regular-price commercial title a flawed one - and one that doubtless led to its commercial failure. Highly recommended, but don't expect a lot of play value out of this game.
People who downloaded Barrage have also downloaded:
Beast Wars: Transformers, Adrenix, B-Hunter, Bio F.R.E.A.K.S., Battle Arena Toshinden 2, Ares Rising, Battleship 2: Surface Thunder, Ashes to Ashes
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Opinion: Trump infrastructure plan takes the wrong exit
Guest contributor Paul Sarlo writes of how the Trump infrastructure plan seems like nothing more than a shell game.
Opinion: Trump infrastructure plan takes the wrong exit Guest contributor Paul Sarlo writes of how the Trump infrastructure plan seems like nothing more than a shell game. Check out this story on northjersey.com: https://njersy.co/2od6ttp
Paul Sarlo Published 5:00 p.m. ET Feb. 16, 2018 | Updated 9:16 p.m. ET Feb. 16, 2018
Josh Gottheimer introduces legislation to kick start the Gateway Project. Sarah Nolan/NorthJersey.com
Jan. 30, 2018; Washington, DC, USA; President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address from the House chamber of the United States Capitol.(Photo: Jack Gruber-USA TODAY NETWORK)
President Donald Trump’s long-awaited infrastructure plan is a travesty that fails to meet New Jersey’s and the nation’s critical transportation needs, from repairing our crumbling roads and bridges to building the Gateway rail tunnel.
Like the disastrous federal tax law passed by the Republican Congress and signed by Trump, it is a partisan attack. By slashing federal matching funds, it requires New Jersey and other “blue states” to pay at least 80 percent of the cost of their projects and prove that they can attract private investment, while giving away $50 billion for rural highway, sewer, broadband and other infrastructure projects in “red states” with no strings attached.
In fact, it is little more than a shell game: The Trump administration is short on details, but the $200 billion in total federal infrastructure money that it promises to spend over the next 10 years may come in large part from diverting federal money from other programs. Targeted for elimination is the New Starts program we were counting on to help fund the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Extension to Englewood and the TIGER grants that helped pay for early work on plans to replace the Portal Bridge that carries NJ Transit trains over the Hackensack River. Any elimination of existing transit grant programs hurts urban states like New Jersey.
Furthermore, it is based on a flawed premise – that America can build a 21st century transportation infrastructure by attracting $1.5 trillion in private investment for money-making projects.
Paul Sarlo (Photo: Mitsu Yasukawa/Staff photographer)
As a Licensed Professional Engineer and the chief operating officer of a major heavy highway construction company who has overseen $500 million in transportation-related construction projects over my career, let me be clear just how ludicrous this proposal is.
Private investment in infrastructure only works in two cases. The first is when a specific project benefits a specific company that is willing to contribute to the cost of the project, such as when a company is willing to pay for a highway exit that runs directly to its parking lot.
The second case is when citizens and their government are willing to give up control and ownership of an asset – such as a highway, an airport or a bridge – to a private company to build, expand or repair. Unlike government, the private company is motivated to make as a much of a profit as it can on its investment and is inclined to raise its prices by hiking tolls or user fees or by cutting back on its costs by doing less snow plowing of its roads, for example, or deferring maintenance by filling potholes less often.
The most egregious example of how badly the Trump plan would disadvantage New Jersey and our region is the Gateway rail tunnel project – which the Obama administration rightly characterized as the most important transportation project in the nation because the shutdown of the century-old Superstorm Sandy-damaged two-tube Hudson rail tunnel would slice the Northeast Corridor in two, devastate a New York-New Jersey economy that is the backbone of the American economy and contributes a disproportionate share of the nation’s tax revenue.
The train schedule at Newark Penn Station. (Photo: TARIQ ZEHAWI/NorthJersey.com file photo)
New Jersey is the nation’s No. 1 donor state: We get back just 67 cents from the federal government for every dollar we send to Washington – money that goes to poorer “red states” to pay for opioid addiction clinics in West Virginia, farm subsidies in Kansas, and disaster relief in Louisiana.
That’s what makes the Trump administration’s abandonment of the commitment to have the federal government fund 50 percent of the cost of Gateway as politically short-sighted and disastrous an idea as the Christie administration’s decision to cancel the ARC rail tunnel and send back $3 billion in grant money to the federal government.
The federal government has just $20 billion set aside for “transformative” transportation projects over the next decade, and it isn’t clear that any of that money is coming to the Gateway project. The Trump administration on Monday issued a “Medium Low” rating to the $13 billion construction of the new Gateway rail tunnel – the second-lowest rating on its five-point scale – and the same to the $1.6 billion replacement of the Portal Bridge, the biggest cause of delays for both NJ Transit and Amtrak trains.
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Even if the federal government provided the $2.6 billion grant that would be the maximum allowable under the new 20 percent federal share limit proposed by the Trump administration, the remaining $10.4 billion cost would have to be paid for by New Jersey and New York taxpayers and Port Authority bridge and tunnel users.
And that would actually be the best-case scenario because the Trump administration is virtually requiring major projects to attract private-sector money, which would mean that the new tunnel would be paid for largely through ticket surcharges on New Jersey Transit and Amtrak riders.
That is a non-starter for New Jersey’s abused rail commuters, who have been suffering for years due to Amtrak budget cuts and rural passenger line requirements imposed by a Republican Congress that crippled the ability of Amtrak to make needed repairs to its Northeast Corridor Line and its New York Penn Station track and switching systems until trains started derailing. The Northeast Corridor is the only Amtrak line that turns a profit – a profit that gets diverted to money-losing lines in the South and in the West.
Also infuriating is the Trump administration’s decision to change a policy enabling states to cash in by putting tolls on interstate highways built with federal tax dollars that were paid disproportionately by taxpayers from states like New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts whose transportation needs are now being ignored.
Because our state paid to build our New Jersey Turnpike, we were allowed to levy tolls on our portion of Interstate 95, while I-95 in states like Florida, Georgia and South Carolina stayed toll-free because they were built with federal tax dollars. Now the president wants to let those states privatize their interstates and charge us to ride on roads we have already paid for.
The Trump administration’s infrastructure plan – like his federal tax plan – is bad for New Jersey and bad for America. We need to block it.
Maybe New Jersey DOT can lend us some concrete barriers.
Paul Sarlo, D- Wood-Ridge, represents the 36th Legislative District in the state Senate and chairs the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee.
Read or Share this story: https://njersy.co/2od6ttp
Opinion: NJ on right path for pedestrian safety
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Child Safety Seats and Booster Seats for Your Toddler
This video explains the importance of child restraints in vehicles. The segments include:
Child Safety Seats Provide the Best Protection
When Should You Use a Forward-facing Car Seat for Your Child?
Always install the child safety seat in the back seat of your vehicle.
Forward-facing Child Safety Seats and Restraints for Toddlers
Convertible safety seat
When you switch this seat from the rear-facing to the forward-facing position, it can be used fo
How the Arctic Ecosystem Might Change
In this video segment adapted from the National Film Board of Canada, learn why the unique Arctic ecosystem may be replaced if global warming continues to melt sea ice.
Zoom into Olympic National Forest Time Lapse: 1984 to 1995
Zoom into a 1 mile square area in the Olympic National Forest showing appearance on dates: 26 July 1984, 13 July 1985, 29 May 1986, 29 March 1987, 21 September 1987, 21 July 1988, 13 September 1990, 16 September 1991, 2 March 1992, 11 September 1995
Author(s): Darrel Williams,Jesse Allen
San Francisco with elevation (753), x 3 exaggeration
San Francisco Bay flyby, using Landsat imagery from September 27, 1997
HoloGlobe: Filling the Atlantic Ocean
This is one of a series of animations that were produced to be part of the narrated video shown in the HoloGlobe exhibit at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and the Earth Today exhibit at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.
Author(s): Horace Mitchell,Jim Strong,Tom Watters
Buffalo True Color Time Lapse from SeaWiFS
Transitions between relatively cloud free true color scenes of the Buffalo region from SeaWiFS
Author(s): Gene Feldman,Jesse Allen
Hurricane Erin from MODIS: September 5, 2001
Terra-MODIS is one of many satellites that NASA has that helps us here on the ground. Keeping track of Hurricane Erin, the instrument MODIS gives us a birds-eye view.
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Ground Photographs from Southern China: Road Development in the Delta
Road development in a delta, requiring significant gravel build-up
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Contributions of Mises and Rothbard to Economic Thought
<img src="http://mises.org/media/poster/6633" vspace="4" hspace="4" style="margin: 10px;" /><br />
Author(s): Robert P. Murphy
Mises University Graduation Ceremony
Founding Mothers
Sharp quills did the bidding of the even sharper intellects of the Revolution's founding mothers. Listen to the words of Mercy Otis Warren and Abigail Adams, voiced by Abigail Schumann. Author(s): No creator set
Transient Heat Conduction - Lumped Capacitance from the course Heat Transfer
This course covers transport processes of mass, momentum, and energy from a macroscopic view with emphasis both on understanding why matter behaves as it does and on developing practical problem solving skills. The course is divided into four parts: introduction, conduction, convection, and radiation.
Public Lectures (July 26, 2011)
Glimpsing the Fly in the Cathedral: Ernest Rutherford and the Atomic Nucleus - Brian Cathcart
Rutherford's Legacy in Particle Physics: Exploring the Proton - Jerome Friedman
Authors@Google: John Dau
John Dau spoke to Googlers in Mountain View on July 12, 2011 about his book God Grew Tired of Us: A Memoir and his foundation: http://johndaufoundation.org. About the book: "This unforgettable book is the first-person account of a miracle—indeed, a whole series of miracles. One of the uprooted youngsters known as the Lost Boys of Sudan, John Bul Dau was 12 years old when civil war ravaged his village and shattered its age-old society, a life of herding and agriculture marked by dignity, res
Science and Cooking
This is a public physics lecture vidoe, one of the Boulder Summer School 2011 lecture videos. The lecturer is Professor Michael Brenner from harvard. You can find the lecture notes on the BSS2011 website under the link of "Lecture Notes": http://boulder.research.yale.edu/Boulder-2011/index.html
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Parents And Teens Aren't Up To Speed On HPV Risks, Doctors Say : Shots - Health News Only one third of teenage girls have gotten the recommended three shots of HPV vaccine to protect against cervical cancer. Doctors are trying to figure out what will get them in the door.
Parents And Teens Aren't Up To Speed On HPV Risks, Doctors Say
Parents And Teens Aren't Up To Speed On HPV Risks, Doctors Say 3:43
February 19, 20144:10 PM ET
Patti Neighmond
Convenience may be one reason why most teens haven't gotten all three HPV shots. VCU CNS/Flickr hide caption
VCU CNS/Flickr
Convenience may be one reason why most teens haven't gotten all three HPV shots.
You would think that a vaccine that could prevent cancer would be an easy sell, but that's hasn't proven to be true so far with the vaccine to prevent cervical cancer.
Just 33 percent of girls and less than 7 percent of boys in the U.S. have gotten all three recommended doses of the vaccine to protect against the human papillomavirus, which causes cervical and other cancers. Compare that to the tiny African nation of Rwanda, where more than 90 percent of sixth-grade girls were vaccinated in 2011, or Australia, where 73 percent of 12- and 13-year-old girls have gotten all three vaccines.
"This is a vaccine that protects against cancer; what could be better than that?" asks Shannon Stokley, an epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She and other public health officials are trying to figure out the best ways to persuade American teenagers and preteens to get the HPV vaccine.
The argument for it is simple: HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection. Most HPV viruses are harmless. But a few types can cause cervical, anal and penile cancer, as well as genital warts.
"We don't know who is going to develop cancer or who will clear infection," Stokley says, "which is why it's so critical to protect adolescents with the vaccine long before they're ever exposed to the virus."
The federal government recommends that the first of three HPV vaccine doses be given to children when they turn 11 or 12. A second dose is given about one month later, with a third and final dose within six months. HPV vaccine has been recommended for routine vaccination for girls since 2006 and for boys since 2011.
HPV Vaccine Doesn't Promote Riskier Sexual Behavior In Teens
A recent CDC study found HPV prevalence was reduced by 56 percent among teenage girls between the ages of 14 and 19 who were vaccinated, suggesting the vaccine is highly protective. But as many as two thirds of 11- and 12-year-old girls don't get the HPV vaccine when they are at the doctor getting other vaccines.
About one quarter of parents say they don't plan on getting their daughters vaccinated in the next year, according to a survey published in July 2013 by the CDC. The most common reasons parents gave were thinking that the vaccine wasn't necessary (19.1 percent); the doctor didn't recommend it (14.2 percent); and safety concerns (13.1 percent).
Vaccine Against HPV Has Cut Infections In Teenage Girls
Studies to date have shown no significant safety problems.
Then there are logistical issues. In countries like Australia and Rwanda with high rates of coverage, children are vaccinated at school. In the U.S., parents have to take children to a doctor or clinic three times to get all three shots.
Younger kids routinely go to a doctor for well child visits, but teenagers typically don't see a doctor regularly. And Stokley says "doctors may feel uncomfortable" talking about a vaccine that protects against sexually transmitted disease with teens or with parents of kids as young as 11.
The fact that one-fifth of parents think the vaccine isn't necessary shows that doctors have to be more vigilant in recommending the HPV vaccine, says Dr. Jeffrey Duchin. He is chief of the Communicable Disease Epidemiology & Immunization Section at the Seattle & King County Department of Public Health. "Our research showed that parents did not have a lot of knowledge about how widespread HPV was, how readily it was transmitted, how easy it is to acquire and also about the severity of illness it can cause," he says.
People often mistakenly think the vaccine is targeted at teens who are sexually active, which Duchin says is simply not true. "Once you become sexually active, you can acquire HPV infection quite readily. The entire strategy is based on protecting kids before they get infected, just like it is with all our other vaccine preventable diseases."
Earlier in February, the President's Cancer Panel said that more need to be done to get the public educated about HPV and cancer. The panel also called for more efforts by health care providers to recommend and give vaccines, and to make sure the vaccines are available where teenagers get their health care.
Convenience is key, Duchin says. And that may include offering the HPV vaccine in school-based health clinics, or at pharmacies, similar to the flu vaccine.
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