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The Hangover Part III Comes to DVD and Blu-ray October 8
The Hangover Part III
By Silas Lesnick
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has officially announced that The Hangover Part III will arrive on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital Download on October 8. The film follows the infamous Wolfpack as the gang sets out on a fearless mission to save their kidnapped friend in Sin City.
From director Todd Phillips (The Hangover, The Hangover Part II) and a screenplay by co-writer Craig Mazin, The Hangover Part III stars Bradley Cooper as Phil; Ed Helms as Stu; Zach Galifianakis as Alan; Justin Bartha as Doug; Ken Jeong as Leslie Chow; John Goodman as Marshall; Heather Graham as Jade; and Jeffrey Tambor as Alans father, Sid.
The Hangover Part III will be available on Blu-ray Combo Pack for $35.99 and on 2-disc DVD Special Edition for $28.98. The Blu-ray Combo Pack features the theatrical version of the film in hi-definition on Blu-ray, and the 2-disc DVD Special Edition features the theatrical version in standard definition. Both the Blu-ray Combo Pack and the 2-disc DVD Special Edition include UltraViolet which allows consumers to download and instantly stream the standard definition theatrical version of the film to a wide range of devices including computers and compatible tablets, smartphones, game consoles, Internet-connected TVs and Blu-ray players.
The Hangover Part III Blu-ray Combo Pack and 2-disc Standard Definition DVD Special Edition contains the following special features:
· Replacing Zach: The Secret Auditions
· Outtakes
· The Wolfpacks Wildest Stunts
· Zach Galifianakis in His Own Words
· Pushing the Limits
· Action Mash-Up
· Inside Focus: The Real Chow
· Extended Scenes
On October 8, The Hangover Part III will also be available for download in HD or standard definition from online retailers including but not limited to iTunes, Xbox, PlayStation, Amazon, Vudu and CinemaNow.
Click on the image below for a larger look at the cover art:
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John & Peg Nichols Memorial Library Endowment Fund
John & Peg Nichols
This fund provides annual grants to the Messenger Public Library Foundation.
John Nichols (1936-2005) was born in California. As the son of a career U.S. Navy officer, he was living in Hawaii during the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
His family later moved to Seattle, Washington where he completed his high school education.
Mr. Nichols then enlisted in the U. S. Air Force and was stationed in Morocco. He earned degrees in chemistry and geology before settling into a thirty-year career with the United States Government.
Peg Nichols (1942-2006) was a graduate of Fenn College. She pursued graduate studies at Kent State and the University of Utah.
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The Joe Huber Sr. rail car, formerly a 1921 CP Rail sleeper car, was rebuilt to become a guest room at a hotel in Cranbrook. (Submitted)
Trip to Cranbrook featured as prize on The Price is Right
The contestant who won, however, chose to forfeit it
Jun. 12, 2019 12:52 p.m.
Contestants on the Price is Right game show recently had a chance to win a trip to Cranbrook.
The June 10 episode featured a six-night stay at the Prestige Inn, highlighting its two-room suite inside a rebuilt rail car.
However, the contestant who won decided not to “come on down” and forfeited the prize, according to Prestige Hotels and Resorts.
On an April 4 episode, a contestant played for a trip to Nelson, B.C., including a flight to Castlegar via Los Angeles, a rental car and a six-night hotel stay, valued at US$6,227. No word on whether that person kept the prize.
‘Toe-nation’ eagerly received for Yukon’s Sourtoe Cocktail
Sarah McLachlan set to perform Canadian anthem as Raptors aim for title
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Pagani Automobili
See more Companies in this Industry:Auto & Truck Manufacturers
Pagani Automobili history and history video
“Pagani Automobili History
The brainchild of Italian designer Horacio Pagani, Pagani Automibili is known for making super fast cars and manufacturing a little carbon fibre on the side. The year that Pagani came to be was 1992 but Horacio was dealing with cars and design long before that. In fact, according to some people, his love for cars came very early because at 12 years old he was already making cars out of clay and wood.
That’s why by the time he was 20 he had already designed his first race car under the colors of Renault. He honed those design skills in numerous industrial projects until he was noticed by Juan Manuel Fangio, his personal hero who turned out to be the person to introduce him to the home of the supercars at the time: Modena in Italy, where Ferraris and Lamborghinis played.
It was over at Lamborghini where Pagani found a job as a mechanic at first and later as head of the composite material department. Once there he helped in the design and production of LMA Jeep, the Jalpa, the Countach Evoluzione and Golf Caddy.
By 1988 he had already developed a keen interest in carbon fiber and its applications in the automotive industry. The Pagani Composite Research was set up which contributed to the creation of the Diablo, the Lamborghini P140, the L30 and the Diablo Anniversary. All that experience with exotic cars gave Horacio the confidence to fulfill his dream of building his own supercar, the C8 project as it was called initially.
Later, the car would get the name the Fangio F1, to order Pagani’s hero, the man who won the F1 championship 5 times. With the rising demand in car design, Pagani established in 1991. Basically, heading his own team, Horacio designed, engineered, modeled and moulded prototype cars.
Only in 1992 was he ready to start work on his Fangio F1 prototype and to help him achieve his dream he started the Pagani Automobili company. A year on and the car had already gone from the drawing board to reality as it was being tested at the Dallara wind tunnel. Then Fangio took the project over to Mercedes, the company which provided the cars to help him achieve his victories.
In 1994 the deal came through and Mercedes Benz agreed to power Pagani with V12 engines. Sadly, Fangio passed away in 1995 and that’s when Horacio decided to change the name out of respect. The car then became Zonda C12, after an air current which flows in the Andes in Argentina where Horacio was born. The Pagani Zonda was unveiled at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show.
Based on the Mercedes Group C Silver Arrows and jet fighters design-wise, the Zonda is powered by an V12 DOHC engine made by Mercedes AMG division unique to this model. One of the car’s unique features was the circular four pipe exhaust at the rear. Other models include Zonda F, Zonda Roadster F, Zonda R Clubsport.
A new model was announced by Pagani, the C9 to be launched in 2009. It has been said that this new car will not be based on the Zonda but will still be powered by Mercedes AMG engines. This is due to the fact that even if Pagani is an independent company, it works in close relationship with Daimler AG, especially with Mercedes’ in-house tuner, AMG.”
*Information from Autoevolution.com
**Video published on YouTube by “PaganiAutomobili“
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Alfa Romeo history and history video "Alfa Romeo History "The legend started in 1910, when Cavalier Ugo Stella acquired the shares of Società Italiana Automobili Darraq, the Italian plant of a French car maker. The ...
Aston Martin history and history video "Aston Martin History COMPANY HISTORY 1913 - 1920 An icon is born A rich and prestigious heritage defines aston martin as something truly unique within automotive history. F...
Audi history, profile and history video Audi has been majority owned by Volkswagen for more than 40 years. The Audi brand produced 1.46 million cars in 2012 with sales up 11.7%. Audi announced plans in 2012 to build ...
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Home » Tech News » TCS Pips Reliance to Become The Most Popular Firm
TCS Pips Reliance to Become The Most Popular Firm
Wanda Pasquale August 13, 2018
Tata Consultancy Services today appeared as the most valued company in the country in terms of market evaluation. At the end of today's BSE deal, TCS market capitalization (m cap) is equivalent to rupees. 7.63, 360.4.6 billion rupees, 307.42 billion times more than that of Rs. Reliance Industries Rating Rs 7, 63, 053.04 crore.
TCS increased by 0.98% in BSE and RIL decreased by 1.15% to 1,204 rupees.
Reliance Industries exceeded the main computer equipment of TCS on August 8, becoming the most valuable company of m-cap.
However, his administration today was short-lived because he reached second place in today's m-cap division.
In recent days, TCS and RIL compete vigorously for the titles of the most popular companies.
On July 31, Reliance Industries replaced the Tata group's jewelry, TCS, from the beginning and restored its status as the domestic most popular company with m-cap.
However, on August 1, TCS recovered its status as the country's most popular company with market capitalization and pushed Reliance Industries to No. 2.
More than five years ago, IT replaced RIL with the most popular company.
Last month Reliance Industries exceeded $ 100 billion in market capitalization.
July 13, the cap of RIL temporarily exceeded 7000 rupees, became the second company after TCS. After that, on July 20, the market value of RIL exceeded the second time of 700 million crawlers in a week. The number of firms with variable capital changes every day with stock price movements.
Hope you like the news TCS Pips Reliance to Become The Most Popular Firm. Stay Tuned For More Updates!
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Home » Web Exclusive » Beloved Agricultural Industry Leader, Cotton Producer, Ginner from Louisiana To Be Inducted into Hall of Fame
Beloved Agricultural Industry Leader, Cotton Producer, Ginner from Louisiana To Be Inducted into Hall of Fame
September 1, 2016 in Web Exclusive
Jack S. Hamilton
2016 Posthumous Inductee
Cotton Research & Promotion Program Hall of Fame
The great philosopher, Socrates, once said that “the key to greatness is to be in reality what we appear to be.” Those who had the privilege of knowing Jack Hamilton would most certainly agree that he was the epitome of that statement.
Earlier this year, the Louisiana Cotton & Grain Association was pleased to have the opportunity to nominate Mr. Hamilton for induction into the 2016 Class of the Cotton Research & Promotion Program’s Hall of Fame. As you could imagine, we were so thrilled and honored to have learned that Mr. Hamilton was, indeed, selected to be posthumously inducted this year.
Mr. Hamilton was one of the founding members and the very first president of the Louisiana Cotton & Grain Association (originally the Louisiana Cotton Producers Association) in 1968. In addition to serving the Louisiana Cotton Producers Association, Mr. Hamilton was also the driving force of the Louisiana Independent Cotton Warehouse Association and the Louisiana Agricultural Corporation Self-Insurance Fund, having served as board members and chairmen of both of those organizations, both of which are still active and successful today. It didn’t take long for the national industry spotlights to shine on Mr. Hamilton as he became involved in the leadership of the National Cotton Council and Cotton Incorporated in the early 1980’s through the late 1990’s, having served as the Chairman of Cotton Incorporated from 1988-1990 and Chairman of the National Cotton Council in 1998, as well as serving as President of the Southern Cotton Ginners Association, a director of Cotton Council International and the NCC’s Joint Bale Packaging Committee.
Despite whatever role Mr. Hamilton was serving, in his heart, he remained a simple man. He was born in the “Delta” in Cleveland, Mississippi, served his country in the United States Marine Corps in Korea, went on to earn an accounting degree from Louisiana State University and, ultimately, made Louisiana his home. He began his agricultural career working for the Amacker family, thus becoming a cotton producer and ginner in Lake Providence, Louisiana and helping develop the Hollybrook Gin & Warehouse and Hollybrook Land Company into one of the premier agricultural operations of its time. “Mr. Jack,” as he was most affectionately known, was always humble and always a true, southern gentleman.
We, along with the industry, lost “Mr. Jack” in December of 2001 and, although he is still greatly missed, he and the dreams he had and the work he did will never be forgotten.
Those to be inducted in the Hall of Fame, alongside Mr. Hamilton, will be Mr. Bill Baxter of Arkansas, Mr. Kent Nix of Texas and Mr. Nick Hahn (First CEO of Cotton Incorporated) of New York.
The induction ceremony will be held in New Orleans, Louisiana on December 6, 2016 at the Hotel Monteleon in conjunction with The Cotton Board/Cotton Incorporated Joint Meetings. Mr. Hamilton is the first Louisianian to be inducted and we feel that being inducted in our home state is an even sweeter occasion. Our very own Dr. Jay Hardwick, from Newellton, Louisiana, will serve as the Master of Ceremonies. Like Mr. Hamilton, Dr. Hardwick has also served as Chairman of the National Cotton Council, Cotton Incorporated and as President of the Louisiana Cotton & Grain Association. Mr. Hamilton’s son, Jack Jr., and daughter, Lee, will attend the ceremony and accept the honor in memory of their father.
Previous: Research & Education Rotation, Cover Crops Impact Cotton Yields More Than Tillage
Next: Legislation House Vote Sets Stage For Talks On Drought Relief
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Reports of unwanted sexual contact up at Coast Guard Academy
By Jennifer McDermott
| Associated Press |
New ensigns toss their cadet covers into the air upon graduation from the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn. Wednesday, May 22, 2019. (Jessica Hill / AP)
Almost half of female cadets at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy said they were sexually harassed, and about one in eight women reported experiencing unwanted sexual contact, according to a Pentagon survey released Wednesday.
The anonymous 2018 gender relations survey completed by cadets at the school in New London, Connecticut, shows that 45% of women and 17% of men said they experienced sexual harassment, up from 36% and 11%, respectively, in 2016.
And 12.4% of women said they experienced unwanted sexual contact, up from 8% in 2016.
The percentage of men saying they experienced unwanted sexual contact, which includes sexual assault, attempted sexual assault and unwanted sexual touching, was 3.6%, up from 1% in 2016.
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The percentage of cadets experiencing unwanted sexual contact is the highest since the survey began a decade ago. Officials noted that the increases could at least partially reflect a greater willingness to report misconduct as a result of the Coast Guard's focus on the problem and new training programs.
The survey, conducted every two years, comes after an already tough year for the Coast Guard Academy. Lawmakers have criticized its handling of racial discrimination and harassment, and the college is the subject of a congressional investigation into harassment, bullying and discrimination against minority cadets.
All the U.S. military academies are "facing a sexual assault crisis, and we are asleep at the wheel," Rep. Jackie Speier, a California Democrat, said in June. She is trying to create a four-year pilot program for independent prosecutorial review of all sexual assault reports at the academies.
Most instances of unwanted sexual contact at the Coast Guard Academy involved cadets in the same class year, with 65% of women and 85% of men saying the alleged offender was a classmate, according to the survey. Most occurred in a dorm or living area at the academy. Seventy percent of women and 92% of men didn't report what happened to authorities, the survey said.
About 1,100 cadets attend the academy, and 77% of them filled out the survey in March 2018. It asked about their academy experiences since June 2017.
[Related] Legislators, advocates praise health insurance expansion for breast cancer screenings »
The academy released the survey, which was conducted by the Defense Department's Office of People Analytics. The numbers are in line with data released this year from the other military academies.
That earlier survey found that among female students at the Army, Navy and Air Force academies, 15.8% said they experienced unwanted sexual contact in the past year, up from 12.2% in 2016, and that 2.4% of men experienced unwanted sexual contact, up from 1.7%. An estimated 50% of women and 16% of men experienced sexual harassment in the past year, similar to 2016.
The Coast Guard Academy survey showed that 30% of women who experienced unwanted sexual contact reported it, marking the first time the reporting rate among women climbed above 10%. Men had an 8% reporting rate. In past years, the reporting rate for men was so low it couldn't be counted.
The academy's sexual assault response coordinator, Shannon Norenberg, credited the growing rate to growth in the school's Cadets Against Sexual Assault club, which typically includes about 20% of the student population. Cadets who join are trained to receive reports of sexual assault and be a resource for their peers.
A 2018 campaign to educate cadets about what sexual harassment is may have contributed to the increase in sexual harassment reports, she added. Norenberg, however, said the numbers still concern her.
[Related] If you need a place to cool off this week, check this list of cooling centers in Connecticut »
She talks to all incoming freshmen about how to report sexual assault. Last year, she began also talking to them about what sexual consent means and discussing healthy relationships with juniors.
"I think we're focusing our efforts in the right direction and in the right way," she said.
The head of the Coast Guard, Adm. Karl Schultz, told The Associated Press in March that unwanted sexual contact throughout the service is "unacceptable." Schultz said he had discussed the preliminary survey results with the academy's superintendent, which showed the same increases as the final report.
The Coast Guard, he said, is trying to create an "environment of intolerance" toward sexual misconduct, where no one is allowed to be a bystander.
"Am I concerned about the 12.4% increase? Absolutely. Because I want to drive sexual assault, unwanted sexual contact to zero in the Coast Guard," Schultz said. "Will we do that in my lifetime? I don't know, but we're going to continue to lean in from a leadership standpoint."
Latest Connecticut
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The report also showed that 28% of female cadets reported experiencing gender discrimination in 2018, up from 11% in 2016, while 6% of male cadets reported experiencing gender discrimination, up from 4% in 2016.
On a positive note, the vast majority of cadets reported intervening if they observed a potentially risky situation, and there were fewer cases of unwanted sexual contact involving alcohol than in 2016.
Most cadets, 62% of women and 76% of men, believe the academy's senior leadership make honest and reasonable efforts to stop unwanted sexual contact and sexual harassment, though those percentages are down from 80% and 86%, respectively, in the 2016 survey.
Rear Adm. William Kelly, the new academy superintendent, said officials are focused on providing the safest environment possible and will use the insight from the Office of People Analytics and the Coast Guard’s sexual assault prevention experts to eradicate such behaviors and threats from campus.
Most Read • Connecticut
Fishing boat captain’s report challenges Nathan Carman’s account of his sinking boat, mother’s escape by...
Officials see new transportation center at Bradley International Airport as economic driver for the state
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Scratchtown-Brewery-Ord
Living Purpose, entrepreneur
Living His Passion – Caleb Pollard
Scratchtown Brewing Company partners (L-R): Shay Reilly, Jade Stunkel, Mike Klimek, and Caleb Pollard
When he was a kid growing up outside Nehawka, Nebraska, Caleb Pollard really wanted to be a farmer, just like his dad. But when life took his family in a different direction, Caleb instead attended college, married, and eventually landed roles in the private sector as well as in economic development policy and consultation. Through his work, Caleb interacted regularly with prospective and current small business owners. To witness each of them chase their dreams and work toward goals was incredibly inspirational for Caleb. From that point on, he was hooked on entrepreneurship. In 2008 as career advancement and family led Caleb and his wife, Christine, to the edge of the Eastern Sandhills in Nebraska, he had no idea that a yet-to-be-identified passion was about to begin brewing.
After marveling at the variety of beer in his local bottle shop in the early 2000s, Caleb started home-brewing with a co-worker. His venture into brewing was accidental. Caleb says, “I loved the creativity, independence, and connection to agriculture that was the beer industry.” After traveling extensively and visiting wineries and breweries across the United States, Caleb decided he was ready to pursue a new business venture.
The idea of founding a brewery in Ord, Nebraska, started as any good business does: over beers and a cocktail napkin in 2009. Once he met partners who were as passionate about brewing beer as he was, Caleb knew they had to pursue the opportunity or live a life of regret. Still, he knew that timing was critical and patiently waited for the right opportunity to transform his passion to reality. In 2011, he and his partners formulated their goals and plan of action. In January 2012, they established the company, sought financing, and acquired real estate in downtown Ord. On December 1, 2012, Caleb and his partners broke ground. Ten months later, they opened the doors to Scratchtown Brewing Company. In the summer of 2013, Caleb left his secure job and dived into the business full-time. Inspired by the advice of a former business owner—“You are either all in or you are not. There is no such thing as half-pregnant.”—Caleb accepted that entrepreneurship is not for the uncommitted. He adds, “It was a startling, humbling, and hard lesson to learn.”
Today, Caleb relishes in entrepreneurship that comes with three benefits: creativity is rewarded financially, the buck stops at his desk, and success is derived from a team effort. Whether times are good or challenging, he is thankful for the support he receives, both personally and professionally. “That engagement helps me work through the ups and downs of business ownership,” Caleb states. “Having a solid network of people that help you keep perspective is essential to getting beyond this self-is-my-business mindset.”
Scratchtown Brewing Company has evolved into a solid, profitable business. With a growing payroll and forty percent of the brewery’s business now outside of Ord, Caleb is thrilled to see Scratchtown bring much happiness to his community and beyond. He adds, “To have brand recognition in other states, not just Nebraska, tells me we’re building a reputation based on excellence and good storytelling. That’s exactly what we set out to do.”
Caleb has great advice for anyone wanting to pursue their passion in life. “Make sure your passion will actually make you money and make you happy … you can’t perpetuate a business unless it perpetuates itself.”
Steve Jobs once said, “I’m convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance.” When one walks into Scratchtown Brewing Company, sits at the bar, and samples one of their delicious beers while conversing with one of the owners, it soon becomes evident that Caleb and his partners are passionate about what they do and that determination fuels their journey every day.
Life has come full circle for Caleb. Now as a business owner who persistently sets and works toward goals, he is successfully chasing his dream—and perhaps in the process, quietly inspiring another young person who has no idea their own passion is brewing.
For more information about Scratchtown Brewing Company, visit http://scratchtown.beer/.
Tagged: Scratchtown-Brewery, Ord, Nebraska, Scratchtown-Brewery-Ord, Caleb Pollard, Nebraska breweries, Central Nebraska brewery, Ord attractions, Vicky DeCoster, Vicky DeCoster life coach, Scratchtown Brewing Company
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Moussa Joins IBM's Extreme Blue Internship
Nader Moussa, a triple-major senior at North Carolina State University, is participating in IBM’s highly competitive Extreme Blue internship program in Austin, Tex., this fall.
The computer science, physics and electrical engineering major will be joining a team of computer scientists, including Jacob Yackenovich, who works in IBM’s offices in the Research Triangle but is relocating to Texas for the fall, and Greg Studer, who just graduated from Cornell University, as well as a number of fulltime IBM scientists.
“I’ll be working with Tivoli software to help discover relationships among applications and middleware components on high-performance servers that run Java 2 Enterprise applications, such as those deployed in support of the world's largest commercial Web sites," Moussa says. “I’ll be writing code in Java and hopefully learning something about a corporate environment.”
This experience follows on the heels of his summer internship at SRI International’s molecular physics laboratory in Menlo Park, Calif.
There, he had been working with Dr. Joe Marschall, who selected him “because my transcript had a lot of ‘mathy stuff’,” Moussa says. Although selected for his physics background, Moussa had been drawing a lot on his computer science major for his summer’s work, which primarily involved programming for Marschall’s ongoing research with ultra high temperature ceramics being developed for use in next generation space craft.
“My work has been developing a computational model of the heat transfer properties. This information helps us understand many material parameters that might yield ‘troublesome’ wing tips that oxidize or degrade in the upper atmosphere (…bad),” he says. He was coding in FORTRAN 77, applying what he learned by doing the homework for CSC 112—even though he didn’t actually take the course.
“As a physicist with a strong background in computer science, I managed to bring in a few tricks, both directly and indirectly,” he says of the summer internship. “For example, I was asked to run a few simulations and plot the data. I wrote a C-Shell and Bourne Shell Script to generate input parameters and 125,000 thermal simulations across a huge range of parameters in one week, and while these were queued on the servers for execution I wrote a Java applet to graph the data in a useable form.”
It seems he’s got multitasking down pat, but that doesn’t mean he’s fixated on work all the time.
“It’s always worthwhile to remain balanced,” Moussa says. “I try to stay physically active – I started biking to school from Cary because I didn’t have a driver’s license yet. And I’ve managed to put in a few hours of literature classes and scuba diving – there’s no better way to relieve the pressure of two physics exams in one day like breathing pressurized air – and running.”
He also has squeezed in “a few musical instruments” and makes time for video game now and then, “when there’s a fun one out,” he says. “I put exactly enough of these activities into each day so that it doesn’t seem like all I do is schoolwork.”
He’s found plenty of applications for what he does learn at school. Speaking of his summer internship again, he says, “When vectors became too difficult to work with, I ran a simple algorithm from my digital logic class (ECE212),” he says. “My CSC316 graph-traversal algorithms came in handy when trying to describe adjacency of polycrystalline molecular arrangements.”
He learned about his next adventure, IBM’s Extreme Blue internship, while attending the College of Engineering Career Fair this past February. Keri Mamuzic Van Scoyoc, the IBM representative, told him about the program that pairs teams of engineering students with marketing and business students, usually MBAs.
Extreme Blue combines great talent and cutting edge technology that breeds innovation; since 2002, college interns in this program have filed over 170 patent disclosures, according to a company spokesperson. These students have created solutions for key clients and have helped bring to market the next generation of IBM products. Unlike other intern programs that may relegate a student to work on outdated technology, Extreme Blue allows interns to work on leading technology that helps grow their skills and makes them a more attractive candidate in the technology field, the spokesperson said. Interns in this high performance environment get to roll up their sleeves and work with hot technology, like Linux, Grid computing, autonomic computing and Web Services. This summer, there were 44 cutting edge projects led by students in a variety of locations, including Cambridge, MA; Raleigh, NC; Austin, TX; Almaden, CA, and others. Over 50 patent submissions are expected.
Moussa completed an intensive application process for the competitive program, including an online application, essays, a two-hour technical interview which he describes as “three cumulative final exams’ worth of material in a two-hour period, with rapid-fire questions about many obscure programming details and concepts.” That was followed by an online IQ test, with “many questions about matrix mathematics and pattern recognition.”
After several weeks, he was notified that he’d been matched to a team of software engineers in Austin, Tex. He then had one final “far less intimidating interview” during which he met much of the team he’ll be working with this fall.
When asked what prepared him for his internships, Moussa says: “I can’t stress enough how important it is to actually do work. ... It’s entirely astounding to me that one can be enrolled in a calculus class and not stay up until 2 a.m. each night working problems, or in a programming class and not be writing newer, better versions of Tetris with all the nifty things they learn about in lectures that day.
“There’s no way to execute this sort of nonstop exposure to the subject matter unless you’re really passionate about it. This stuff is ‘fun.’ This is the sort of thing you show off to your nerdy friends, ‘Hey, look, I wrote a quine for the LC3!’ Or, ‘Hey look, a fluid dynamics problem which might require some numerical integration!’ And then we can actually build it and test our answer.
“I think these sorts of cross-disciplinary forays are my best explanation for my work on three degrees. Things which are incredibly simple in one field, like my for-loop written in ‘sh’ are entirely unheard of in other fields, like rocket science. The broad base I have really allows me to step back at the end of every day, analyze what I’ve done, and how I can do it better. With a background across so many diverse fields, I think I can bring fresh ideas into whichever field I eventually settle (on).”
- rzewnicki -
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WORTH NOTING ON TV
By Alan Bunce
* THURSDAY
CBS Reports: Victory in the Pacific (CBS, 9-11 p.m.): Since 1991, when it aired a special marking the 50th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, ''CBS Reports'' has been offering programs covering aspects of World War II. The fifth and last in the series is this wide-angled look at the battles fought in the Pacific, the creation and dropping of the atomic bomb, and other events - including social and cultural conditions - leading up to the Japanese surrender 50 years ago this month.
Dan Rather and retired Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf - the latter an old media hand by now - visited many of the sites - islands like Wake Island, Peleliu, Saipan, and Tinian, and cities like Hiroshima, where the first atomic bomb was dropped.
The Japanese also allowed the two on Iwo Jima, which has been mainly off limits to visitors for two years.
The show also airs home movies showing the internment of Japanese-Americans during the war. Lots of period radio coverage is used, and some nine months were spent by the producers going through combat film from the National Archives in Washington, D.C. - much more of it in color than most people realize.
The tone is that of an overview of known facts, but if there's a revelation, it's the horror of the campaign in Manila, where some 100,000 civilians died while the Americans fought the Japanese.
It Came From the '80s
(MTV,10-10:30 p.m.): If pop stars like the Thompson Twins, Men at Work, and Quiet Riot don't ring a bell with you at the moment, they will after watching this revisit to the pop music of the 1980s.
Once belittled, sounds of that decade are now being revived, as seen in new albums by Duran Duran, Boy George, Human League, and others. In this documentary, current interviews and lots of evocative clips recall some of the more eccentric artists of that time and remind viewers of their special sounds.
Please check local listings for these programs.
Global News Blog Nagasaki bombing: Remembering - and starting to forget - its legacy
Review 'Indianapolis' resolves a long uncertain World War II tragedy
First Look Obama plans first presidential visit to Hiroshima: Why now?
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Now Joe Biden Regrets His Segregationist Remarks
"I regret it..."
Scott Olson/Getty Images
By Paul Bois
@paulbois39
Never content to just stick to his guns, "Sleepy" Joe Biden — as the president has named him — has once again flip-flopped on a previous statement in order to appease the woke-scolds.
After a serious shellacking at the hands of Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) at the recent Democratic Party presidential debate, the former vice president now regrets ever praising two white segregationists as examples of political civility.
Giving a speech in South Carolina over the weekend, Biden acknowledged that his remarks may indeed have been hurtful to some people, according to HuffPost.
"Was I wrong a few weeks ago to somehow give the impression to people that I was praising those men whom I successfully opposed time and again? Yes, I was," Biden said. "I regret it, and I’m sorry for any of the pain or misconception maybe I caused anybody."
In the same speech, the former vice president went on to say how he has witnessed America change throughout the decades and how he has grown through that process. "America in 2019 is a very different place than the 1970s, and that’s a good thing," he said. "I’ve witnessed an incredible amount of change in this nation and I worked to make that change happen. And yes, I’ve changed also. I’ve grown and I think it’s good to be able to grow, to progress."
As to why he should be president, Biden noted that while serving under former President Barack Obama he faced severe scrutiny during the vetting process.
"It was the honor of my lifetime to serve with a man who I believe was a great president, a historic figure, and most important to me ― a close friend," Biden said. "I was vetted by he and 10 serious lawyers he appointed to go back and look at every single thing in my background ... and he selected me. I will take his judgment of my record, my character, and my ability to handle the job over anyone else’s."
After announcing his candidacy back in April, Joe Biden quickly rose to become the frontrunner for the 2020 Democratic Party nomination for president. In recent weeks, however, that lead has steadily tightened as more progressive-minded opponents have attacked him for being insensitive on issues like race relations — attacks which reached a fever pitch when he reminisced about his rookie days in the United States Senate, when he worked closely with two Democratic segregationists to get bills passed.
"I was in a caucus with James O. Eastland," Biden said, reportedly in a southern accent. “He never called me boy, he always called me son."
Sen. James O. Eastland (D-MS) fervently opposed civil rights and has been referred to as the "Voice of the White South." Biden also held up Sen. Herman Talmadge (D-GA) as an example of political civility — a man whom Biden described as being "one of the meanest guys I ever knew."
"Well guess what? At least there was some civility," he said of Talmadge. "We got things done. We didn’t agree on much of anything. We got things done. We got it finished. But today you look at the other side and you’re the enemy. Not the opposition, the enemy. We don’t talk to each other anymore."
Following that, both Sens. Kamala Harris and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) seized the opportunity to hit Biden. The attacks came to a head during the Democratic debate when Kamala Harris criticized Biden to his face for those comments. Since then, Biden's numbers have been steadily declining. According to a Morning Consult/FiveThirtyEight poll, Biden's support has dropped ten points since last Thursday — 41.5% to 31.5% — while Kamala Harris has jumped a full nine points — 7.9% to 16.6%.
Read More: 2020 Election Joe Biden Race
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Baylor health system to anchor national push to improve Medicaid patient care
Filed under Health Care at Aug 22
Karen Robinson-Jacobs, Real Estate Reporter
Connect with Karen Robinson-Jacobs
Baylor Scott & White Health, one of the largest nonprofit health systems in Texas, is joining more than a dozen health care providers across the nation to try to reduce the cost and improve the efficiency of caring for Medicaid patients.
Called the "Medicaid Transformation Project," the national effort is designed to "transform health care and related social needs" for the more than 67 million Americans who rely on Medicaid for care, according to Avia, a network used by hospitals and health systems that focuses on innovation. The official announcement of the project was expected Wednesday.
Medicaid, used largely by low-income patients, pregnant women and children, and the related Children's Health Insurance Program or CHIP, provided health care coverage for more than 4 million Texans, as of May.
While Medicaid represents a small portion of Baylor's patient population -- about 8 percent -- rising costs and inefficiencies impact all health care consumers, said Jim Hinton, Baylor's chief executive.
"When people use health care inefficiently, it costs everybody more money," said Hinton in an interview with The Dallas Morning News. "That's the No. 1 issue in health care today, far and away."
Texas helped patients battle over $15 million in medical bills since 2009
Under the program, which will involve sharing best practices, the health systems first will focus on four key areas:
Mental health, which Hinton said is "an area in need of more systematic solutions in this country and state."
Care for women and infants, which could include prenatal care and improved care for fragile infants. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention counted 18 pregnancy-related maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in the U.S. in 2014, more than twice the rate in 1987. And 50 percent of U.S. births are financed by Medicaid, according to Avia.
Substance abuse, a growing concern in light of the opioid epidemic.
Reducing the number of avoidable emergency department visits. Medicaid patients "tend to use the ER room as their primary care center," Hinton said. "It drives up the costs for Medicaid." It also creates a backlog of patients in the emergency room, delaying care for those needing immediate attention.
Hinton said the Baylor system has been touched by each of those concerns. Specifically, it could share procedures it developed to help work with patients "who are at risk for repeated emergency department visits."
Is carrying a baby more deadly in Texas than rest of the developed world? Curious Texas investigates
Eligibility requirements to receive benefits under Medicaid vary by state. And Texas is seen as having more restrictive requirements than other states.
"As a percent of Texans, our Medicaid program covers fewer [patients] than in other states because it's a fairly slim program," Hinton said. "If 23 percent of Americans are covered, you would not necessarily expect to see 23 percent of Texans to be on Medicaid because of the way the [state] program is structured. There aren't as many Texans eligible for these benefits."
The new program is not designed to increase the number of eligible patients -- a tally that is governed by the state. Its aim is to improve care and reduce costs within the existing system.
Baylor will serve as one of five "anchors" for the effort. The CEOs of the anchoring health systems will sit on a leadership council led by Andy Slavitt, former acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
"The leadership council will maintain the project's course by taking ownership for action, prioritizing challenge areas, and supporting key elements of the work," a Baylor spokeswoman said.
The other anchors are Advocate Aurora Health in Chicago and Wisconsin; Dignity Health in San Francisco; Geisinger in Danville, Pa.; and Providence St. Joseph Health in Renton, Wash.
Texas ruling on $11,000 ER bill may have long-lasting effects, experts say
Twelve additional health systems, including Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston, also will participate.
Collectively, the 17 health systems span 21 states, 280 hospitals with more than 53,000 hospitals beds, and bring in $100 billion in combined annual revenue.
Twitter: @krobijake
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A Forgotten Voice in the Alabama Abortion Debate
By Jerry Newcombe, D.Min.
The goal of the new, strict Alabama abortion law is to potentially overturn Roe v. Wade. The law would penalize abortion doctors, and it contains no exception clauses, except for the life and health of the mother.
In all of the brouhaha about the new Alabama law, there is a long-stilled voice that has been forgotten. That of the repentant Roe of Roe v. Wade.
Of course, Norma McCorvey was the Jane Roe of Roe v. Wade. After converting to Christ and the pro-life position (about 15 years after the Supreme Court decision), she proclaimed to the world that the whole case had been based on a lie (a few lies, really). Chief among the lies was that she was raped (gang-raped at that), and that was why she needed an abortion.
By the time, Roe v. Wade was decided on January 22, 1973, Norma had already had her baby (a girl), whom she gave up for adoption. Justice William Rehnquist, one of two dissenters in the decision, voted against it because it was a moot point. Roe’s baby had already been born.
The opinion of Roe of Roe v. Wade is significant for the abortion debate, including the Alabama law, because abortion was accepted on a wide scale throughout the country, only by judicial fiat. It was not something “we the people” voted on.
Look at how divided the country continues to be on the subject of abortion. Well, why not? We the people did not decide that case on that fateful Monday. Dissenting Justice Byron White, the only Justice appointed by JFK, said that Roe was an “act of raw judicial power.”
Those who live by court decisions should die by court decisions. And Roe herself, after her pro-life and Christian conversion, tried to legally overturn Roe v. Wade since it was all based on lies. Therefore, if the new Alabama law helps overturn Roe, so be it.
Yet one person called the Alabama law “a major step towards the death of democracy.” Oh brother. The Constitution shows that the courts, including the Supreme Court, were never designed to legislate or execute our laws.
There obviously was a time when Roe was in opposition to Henry Wade---the pro-life attorney general of Texas, where Norma McCorvey was living at the time of the lawsuit that worked its way up to the high Court.
In an interview with D. James Kennedy Ministries television, she said, “My story began many, many years ago in 1969 when I found myself pregnant, on the streets. I was into drugs, and I really didn’t have any other alternatives in line. I did not believe in God, and I’d fallen away from the church at a very early age.
Jumping ahead, change came about because of new neighbors moving in. Unwelcome neighbors at first. What transformed her in particular was meeting a little girl who truly loved God.
Norma continued, “In retrospect, when I look back on those days, and I see what a sad person I was, I have to really kind of smile and think about little Emily: a little seven year old girl who came up to me at my office one day and told me that if I knew God that I wouldn’t be going to the place downstairs. She befriended me when Operation Rescue moved in next door to the abortion clinic where I worked. And at first I didn’t like them there because they reminded me of what we were doing. I worked in an abortion clinic. We killed children for a living.”
She added, “I was a child-killer. I was an executioner.…There’s a fellow in the Bible; his name was Baal. He was into child sacrificing, and that’s basically what you’re doing out there today---you are sacrificing your child for a career, or high school or college.”
Norma found forgiveness through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, who died for sinners, paying the penalty for our sins, for those who believe: “And I think once you’re forgiven by God, you should forgive yourself. But then you really should not put yourself in that kind of situation either.”
Norma warns against what happens in an abortion: “You are totally different after you’ve had an abortion. Abortion kind of sucks your soul dry; it makes you a very angry person inside, from what I’ve seen.”
This is why for the last several years of her life until her death in 2017, Norma McCorvey fought against abortion on demand. She would have welcomed Alabama’s new law as a way to try to undo the damage of Roe.
She said: “We want the child-killing to stop….There are other alternatives, other than abortion; there’s adoption….We don’t want to see Roe v. Wade to be the law of the land anymore. We want our children back.”
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Home » Diritto costituzionale
An overview about sanctions provided for by the new European Regulation on personal data protection
di Marcoccio Gloria
The European Parliament, Council and Commission, after three years of intense and complex negotiations and revisions, in December 2015 reached an agreement on the final text of the new European General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation[1]): this is the most important change that will affect the laws regarding the protection of personal data in the EU, 20 years after the European privacy Directive 95/46/EC. The Regulation brings the acknowledgment of greater protection for the data subjects, general increased levels of personal data protection with the introduction of new security measures, new requirements, as well as substantial sanctions for infringement of its provisions. The Regulation shall be published in the EU Official Journal after its formal approval by the European Parliament in plenary session, event expected by Spring 2016, and it will be implemented within two years in all the 28 EU Member States (Directives must be transposed in EU national laws, Regulations are directly applicable in all EU countries). The Regulation has significant impacts on businesses of all industries and will require careful review of the existing company privacy posture and rapid adaptation to the new technical, organizational and procedural measures.
There are many innovations introduced by the Regulation and those concerning the framework of sanctions are the subject of this short note and related considerations.
Common rules for administrative sanctions
First, we need to consider that the new European legislation, with its nature of Regulation, sets out a unique framework of sanctions at EU level, designed to standardize as much as possible the approach for handling sanctions in case of infringement of the rules provided for personal data processing, so far an issue inevitably and completely anchored to the provisions in this regard by the legal systems of each single EU Member State. In fact, as a result of the provisions of article 24[2] Directive 95/46/EC, amounts of sanctions, provisions concerned, as well as procedures and criteria adopted by the European Data Protection Authorities (DPAs) for their application, show important differences and particularizations at level of individual Member State. A few examples: in UK for serious violations of the Data Protection Act, the DPA may impose a fine up to 500.000 pounds (about 661.000 euro) whereas in Romania the level of sanctions is decided at the discretion of the Romanian DPA; the Italian situation in this regard is quite varied and taking as reference the case of non-compliance with orders issued by the Authority, article162 (2-ter) of Legislative Decree 196/03, the Italian DPA may impose sanctions up to 180.000 euro, a value that can also be increased up to four times, where it is evaluated ineffective because of the economic conditions of the offender (article 164-bis of Legislative Decree 196/03).
Key features of the sanctions provided for by the Regulation
In order to strengthen and harmonize at EU level the administrative sanctions in case of violation of the Regulation, the European DPAs are explicitly empowered to impose fines: for infringement of specific requirements of the Regulation, with a certain maximum pecuniary value, according to a specified set of indications for determining the penalty to be applied in each individual case. This criterion considers a variety of factors including: the nature, severity and duration of the infringement, the number of data subjects involved and the level of damage they suffered, the categories of data subjects involved, the measures taken by the offender to prevent or mitigate the consequences of the infringement and the degree of its cooperation with the DPA, aggravating or mitigating aspects applicable to each specific case of violation.
Regarding the maximum amounts of fines, the European legislator has identified two separate categories taking into account type of offender (person, undertaking) and type of infringed prescriptions. In summary, the resulting framework for administrative sanctions provided for by the Regulation can be schematically represented as follows:
Administrative fine up to 10 million euro, in case of undertaking up to 2% of the total worldwide annual turnover, whichever is higher) for infringement of provisions concerning:
child’s consent in relation to information society services; security; accountability; principles of Privacy by Design and Privacy by Default; DPA Prior Consultation; obligations in general for the Controller, Processor and Representatives of Controllers not established in the Union; Data Breach; Privacy Impact Assessment; Data Protection Officer; privacy certifications (such certifications represent one of the essential news brought by the Regulation, see next paragraph)
requirements about expression and documentation of consent; principles of fairness and lawfulness of the processing; the rights of the data subject (including the data portability and the right to be forgotten); data transfers extra UE; compliance with measures issued by relevant DPA; communication of Data Breach to the data subjects; compliance with specific prohibitions of treatment; compliance with the requirements for specific cases of treatment as those affecting the data of workers in the context of the work relationship
Well evident the strong tightening for the fines and the wide range of requirements involved of the Regulation. Therefore it will be essential that the application of such harsh sanctions regime will be made in an homogenous way and that does not become instead a source of new divergences between EU Member States: at this purpose the coordination between the European DPAs (expressly provided for by the Regulation) has crucial importance for the success and effectiveness of the new European regulations on personal data protection, hoping it can avoid imbalances that would be really difficult to justify from all points of view, and with obvious negative impacts on businesses as well as on the responsibility of the individuals.
As regards the criminal aspects, the Regulation states it is the responsibility of each single EU Member State to determine the measures to be taken, in such a way that penalties to be applied must be effective, proportionate and dissuasive. With reference to the Italian case, it is envisaged, in principle, to hold the current framework of sanctions for criminal offenses outlined with the provisions in Articles 167 – 172 of Legislative Decree 196/03, with the necessary changes as a function of the new framework of obligations and requirements set out by the Regulation..
Applicability of sanctions for particular actors and the case of the public sector
Unlike Directive 95/46/EC, in addition to the Controllers the Regulation identifies other addressees of its requirements.
First of all the Processor (i.e. the entity that performs data processing on behalf of the Controller, it is typically a provider of services involving personal data processing): such privacy role is already defined by Directive 95/46/EC, however whose responsibilities are now greatly broadened since it is explicitly addressee of obligations in terms of: need to define a representative in the EU for the purpose of the legislation in question (if the Processor is established in country extra EU), obligations to inform the Controller and achieve its consent should the Processor intends to involve subcontractors in personal data processing operations (they will be additional Processors), obligations to constrain such additional Processors to comply with the instructions provided by the Controller, maintaining appropriate documentation about treatments carried out (the concept of accountability), obligations to cooperate with the DPA when required, obligations to implement security measures, reporting without undue delay to the Controller in case of Data Breach, obligations to appoint the Data Protection Officer in certain conditions (the same applicable to the Controller), compliance with the certification rules if the Processor adopts a certification for purposes of processing personal data, obligations in case of transfer of data to countries extra UE.
These increased responsibilities evidently entail greater exposure to risk of sanctions also for Processors in addition to the Controllers..
Then there is the case of the Certification body. The Regulation introduces an important innovation: the (voluntary) certification and adoption of ‘privacy seals’ in order to demonstrate compliance with the Regulation in the data processing activities carried out by Controllers and Processors. The introduction of certification for the purposes of privacy legislation is undoubtedly destined to arouse great interest:
in positive, since it opens a market very innovative and wide; furthermore introduces benefit for companies because the adoption of such ‘privacy certifications’ will involve, at least, less red tape (bureocracy is reduced, but still inevitably present in the Regulation)
as an element of concern from various points of view, considering the bond that is created between performance required as a legal obligation and a statement to this effect based on a certificate issued by a third party. This approach could present some ‘logic’ flaw and also result in negative consequences likely to compromise the entire system of setting privacy certification
Then the Regulation identifies specific tasks and requirements for institutions involved in the certification mechanism and related maintenance (certification bodies and relevant control bodies), in violation of which it is provided against such entities a sanction up to 10 million euro (or up 2% of turnover in case of an undertaking, if it is over 10 million eur).
With regard to public authorities and bodies, the Regulation leaves to the EU Member States the determination about whether and to what extent the administrative sanctions can be imposed to such authorities and bodies: on this point the approach is quite different from the one followed with Directive 95/46/EC well depicted by its recital 55 “…. whereas sanctions must be imposed on any person, whether governed by private of public law, who fails to comply with the national measures taken under this Directive” and its Article 24 did not introduced any specific treatment for the case of sanctions for violations committed by the public administration (see footer note 2).
The wide territorial scope of the Regulation and consequent number of addressees of sanctions for failing to comply with its provisions
One of the key features of the Regulation, which has been target of several criticism and change requests from major international operators of services based on personal data processing (social networks, sale of goods and services via the Internet, non-EU suppliers of various services such as ‘data hosting’, advertising companies …) is certainly the wide scope of its application: in fact, besides being applicable to companies (Controller, Processors) established in the EU with their business activities, the Regulation also apply to companies (Controllers, Processors) not established in the EU, who:
process personal data of individuals who are in the EU (not necessarily only resident in EU countries) and the processing is in connection with offers of goods or services, regardless of whether or not a payment is required for them,
perform monitoring on the behavior of these people (online behavior in the Internet but also other monitoring, for example in the use of goods and services) to the extent that the behavior under monitoring takes place within the EU
While bearing in mind the existence of margins for the literal interpretation of the provision regarding the scope of applicability of Regulation (for example, how to delimit and detect, in a way documented and enforceable against third parties, a ‘behavior within the EU ‘ when activity is carried out via the Internet by the person), in any case the number of addressees of the provisions about sanctions provided for by the Regulation will be much wider than the one existing with the current legislation: we shall see. after the next two years and in practice, how the authorities will actually be in a position to detect violations and impose sanctions for recipients belonging to such territorial scope more than wide, boundless.
[1] This note makes reference to the text of the Regulation on which it has been reached the agreement documented by the press-release: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/it/press/press-releases/2015/12/18-data-protection/
[2] Directive 95/46/CE – Article 24 Sanctions “The Member States shall adopt suitable measures to ensure the full implementation of the provisions of this Directive and shall in particular lay down the sanctions to be imposed in case of infringement of the provisions adopted pursuant to this Directive.“
Marcoccio Gloria
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Office of Development & Philanthropy
Why Give to Downstate
Money and You
Profiles in Philanthropy:
Garry S. Sklar, M.D.
Dr. Gerald W. Deas
Funds & Endowments:
Pediatrics Online Giving
Child Life Fund
Dr. Robert F. Furchgott
Alan R. Shalita, M.D. Endowed Chair
Brooklyn Children's Society of SUNY Downstate
Health and Education Alternatives for Teens (HEAT) Program
Infant and Child Learning Center
Library-Giving Tree
Ophthamology Chair
The 20/20 Fund
Temporal Bone Lab Fund
The Doctors Alan and Adele Josephson Memorial Fund
The Eugene B. Feigelson Merit-Based Scholarship
The William McCormack, M.D. Scholarship Fund
Ketan & Nirmala Shevde Scholarships and Awards
Lectureships:
Mildred "Barry" Friedman Lectureship
Doctors Alan and Adele Josephson Memorial Fund
About The Josephson's
The Doctors Alan and Adele Josephson Memorial Fund for 2008
Pictured from left: Edmund Bourke, M.D., Chairman, Department of Medicine; Allen P. Kaplan, M.D., Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina; Jonathan Silverberg, PhD, MS-3; Rauno Joks, M.D., Chief, Division of Allergy & Immunology; Ian Taylor, M.D., PhD, Dean of the Medical School. May 2008
The second Alan S. Josephson Memorial Scholarship (now The Doctors Alan and Adele Josephson Memorial Fund scholarship) given by the Department of Medicine at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, was presented to Jonathan I. Silverberg, MS-3, an M.D., PhD student in the Neuroscience Program of the School of Graduate Studies. Mr. Silverberg worked under the mentorship of Drs. Helen G. Durkin, Mark Stewart, and Vahe Amassian, for his study entitled Blood T and B lymphocytes enter mouse brain after a single seizure and some switch to IL-4+ and IgE+ cells in neocortex: Epilepsy as an allergic disease? The paper was presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in Philadelphia on March 16, 2008. The Josephson Award was given on May 1, 2008, at the 4th Annual Alan S. Josephson Lecture, which was presented by Allen P. Kaplan, M.D., class of '65, Professor of Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina.
Pictured from left: Thomas Platt-Mills, M.D., PhD, Chief, Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of Virginia, Dana Dure, Rauno Joks, M.D., Chief, Division of Allergy & Immunology.
Second-year medical student Dana Dure was the first recipient of the Alan S. Josephson Memorial Scholarship (now The Doctors Alan and Adele Josephson Memorial Fund scholarship). In 2006 she was awarded an Alumni Fund Summer Research Fellowship which resulted in the abstract entitled "Effect of Emergency Room Treatment of Acute Asthma on Plasma levels of Complement Split Products". Dana, as first author, presented it at the 2007 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology in San Diego in 2/07. The Josephson Scholarship will make her attendance possible. Your contributions will make more such scholarships possible.
"I'm writing to thank you for all of your time, help and efforts over the summer. I really could not have asked for a more supportive group to work with. It was an experience that I will carry with me through all my future endeavors, and I am really grateful for it. I want to thank you, too, for the additional opportunity provided by the Alan S. Josephson Memorial Scholarship that will enable me to present my work at the 2007 AAAAI conference. Attending this conference will give me the opportunity to meet with other physicians, students and researchers who share the same enthusiasms. It will also allow me the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the current issues, explore new discoveries and gain further insight into the future of allergy, asthma and immunology. And for this I am truly grateful." — Dana Dure
Find out more about The Doctors Alan and Adele Josephson Memorial Fund »
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An Overview of Louisiana’s Law on Non-Compete
By Amy Duplantis Gautreaux on March 7, 2016
Posted in Employment Law
In any market, but especially in times like these when, particularly in the oil and gas industry, good jobs, and at times good employees, are hard to come by, and information and processes ranging from sensitive business practices to information technology are at risk of being unfairly and/or illegally misappropriated, employers and employees alike should be mindful of the importance of non-compete provisions in the hiring process.
Just the other day some friends of mine were discussing their take on non-competes and whether or not such provisions are even enforceable in Louisiana. Unfortunately, as a result of a friend of ours having lost his job after only about a month of employment, their concern was whether or not the non-compete he had signed would or could prevent him from taking a similar job with another company in the same city. Of course, my take was that the contract be sent to me for review after which I could offer advice on the issue. But what I found interesting about this conversation was that most of the folks at the table (including successful, well-educated and savvy business owners and professionals) believed that non-compete provisions are not valid and enforceable in Louisiana and that our friend therefore need not worry. To the contrary, although Louisiana has long disfavored non-competes for public policy reasons, Louisiana law does not completely prohibit these restrictions. In fact, the employer/employee relationship is the classic exception to the general rule.
In Louisiana, the validity of non-competes is strictly controlled by a single statute and its interpretation and application by Louisiana courts. La. R.S. 23:921 provides, in part:
A. (1) Every contract or agreement, or provision thereof, by which anyone is restrained from exercising a lawful profession, trade, or business of any kind, except as provided in this Section, shall be null and void. However, every contract or agreement, or provision thereof, which meets the exceptions as provided in this Section, shall be enforceable.
(2) The provisions of every employment contract or agreement, or provisions thereof, by which any foreign or domestic employer or any other person or entity includes a choice of forum clause or choice of law clause in an employee’s contract of employment or collective bargaining agreement, or attempts to enforce either a choice of forum clause or choice of law clause in any civil or administrative action involving an employee, shall be null and void except where the choice of forum clause or choice of law clause is expressly, knowingly, and voluntarily agreed to and ratified by the employee after the occurrence of the incident which is the subject of the civil or administrative action.
C. Any person, including a corporation and the individual shareholders of such corporation, who is employed as an agent, servant, or employee may agree with his employer to refrain from carrying on or engaging in a business similar to that of the employer and/or from soliciting customers of the employer within a specified parish or parishes, municipality or municipalities, or parts thereof, so long as the employer carries on a like business therein, not to exceed a period of two years from termination of employment. An independent contractor, whose work is performed pursuant to a written contract, may enter into an agreement to refrain from carrying on or engaging in a business similar to the business of the person with whom the independent contractor has contracted, on the same basis as if the independent contractor were an employee, for a period not to exceed two years from the date of the last work performed under the written contract.
D. For the purposes of Subsections B and C of this Section, a person who becomes employed by a competing business, regardless of whether or not that person is an owner or equity interest holder of that competing business, may be deemed to be carrying on or engaging in a business similar to that of the party having a contractual right to prevent that person from competing.
Louisiana courts almost universally begin opinions on the subject with a statement that public policy disfavors these types of agreements. The stated justification for this public policy is the need to protect a working person from a contractual inability to support him- or herself and to avoid the result of an otherwise capable employee becoming a public burden. Therefore, these agreements are strictly construed. Based on the language in subsection C on the geographic scope of a non-compete, most Louisiana circuits require the agreement to specify the restricted parish or parishes by name. Additionally, Louisiana courts will not enforce non-compete agreements that prohibit competition “anywhere within the United States,” “anywhere within the state of Louisiana,” or the entirety of any other state. Also, courts may not enforce a non-compete if it includes parishes where the employer does not have an office or do business. However, courts may enforce a multistate non-compete if the counties or municipalities of the other state are specifically listed. Moreover, Louisiana courts will not enforce non-compete agreements with geographic limitations defined in terms of distance or miles from a certain area. Finally, the time period for enforcing a non-compete agreement is statutorily limited to two years from the date of termination.
Thus, the statute and Louisiana jurisprudence clearly define the parameters for a valid non-compete agreement. Once the threshold element of the appropriate relationship is satisfied, the next step is to determine whether the geographic scope of the non-compete provision complies with the statute. Additionally, it is critical that the period of enforcement of the non-compete outlined in the contract not exceed two years from the date of termination. Beware that attempts to expand the geographic scope of the agreement to areas that cannot be protected and/or to extend the period of enforcement beyond the statutory two year period could result in the entire non-compete provision being invalid and therefore unenforceable or, in some circumstances, it could result in the entire contract of which it is a part being declared null and void unless saved by a severance or “blue-pencil” provision that allows the court to reform the agreement.
It is important for both employers and employees to be knowledgeable about any non-compete provisions being negotiated as a part of the hiring process. As an employee, you should apprise yourself of any bargaining power you may have in negotiating a non-compete. For example, you may be able to negotiate the breadth of the geographic scope outlined in the agreement or whether or not the agreement goes into effect in the event the company downsizes or your employment is terminated versus your resignation. Additionally, consider whether bonuses or salary increases can be negotiated. Finally, you may try to decrease the term of the non-compete or perhaps seek compensation during the non-compete period. As an employer, first and foremost, you must ensure that your non-compete is valid in the state in which you are operating. A Louisiana based company employing workers to perform work in Louisiana seems to be as simple as complying with La. R.S. 23:921. Note there are countless variables and scenarios that could change the results of the analysis. For instance, a Delaware company employing individuals to perform work in Louisiana may not necessarily be subject to Louisiana’s non-compete law (although most jurisdictions recognize the strong public policy interests that states have to regulate employment in their own states). Be mindful that the laws of other states regarding non-compete provisions are different from Louisiana’s. Whether or not Louisiana law applies to a contract will always depend on the specific facts and parties involved.
An interesting note: in Louisiana, non-competes, by statute, are unenforceable against car salesman. Subsection I of the statute specifically provides:
I. (1) There shall be no contract or agreement or provision entered into by an automobile salesman and his employer restraining him from selling automobiles.
(2)(a) For the purposes of this Subsection, “automobile” means any new or used motor-driven car, van, or truck required to be registered which is used, or is designed to be used, for the transporting of passengers or goods for public, private, commercial, or for-hire purposes.
(b) For the purposes of this Subsection, “salesman” means any person with a salesman’s license issued by the Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission or the Used Motor Vehicle and Parts Commission, other than a person who owns a proprietary or equity interest in a new or used car dealership in Louisiana.
In sum, whether you are an employer or an employee, to the exclusion of a car salesman, the best thing you can do when faced with the uncertainty involved in entering into a non-compete agreement is to discuss the terms of the non-compete and your specific situation with an attorney before entering into the contract. If you find yourself in a situation where you have already executed a non-compete agreement, and you are concerned that you may be violating or in danger of violating the agreement or if you have any other questions or concerns in this regard, please contact Gordon Arata.
Tags: collective bargaining agreements, independent contractor, Non-Compete, restrictions
Your non-compete agreement is probably not enforceable. Here's why.
U.S. Supreme Court Greenlights Expansive Arbitration Clauses in Employment Contracts
Department of Labor Issues Guidance on Misclassification of Employees as Independent Contractors
Recent Department of Labor Enforcement Actions against Oilfield Services Contractors
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Home > Discover > News > Guidance on increasing cycling in Europe will soon be available
Guidance on increasing cycling in Europe will soon be available
By Hannah Figg / Updated: 18 Feb 2019
Submitted by Hannah Figg on 18 Feb 2019
A pan-European Master Plan for Cycling Promotion will be published in the autumn of 2019. The aspiration of the Plan is to double the amount of cycling in the pan-European region, which consists of the 54 countries covered by the European region of the World Health Organisation and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). For many of these countries, once completed the guidance will be the first step in promoting cycling at the national level.
Currently, the Master Plan is in draft form and contains five policy objectives that it would like to see met by 2030:
Double the amount of cycling in Europe and ensure increases in all countries.
Accommodate cycling into health policies.
Enhance cyclist safety in each country and halve the fatality and injury rates, measured in terms of the number of cyclists killed or injured per km cycled annually.
Develop and implement national policies for cycling, backed by national cycling plans, in each country.
Incorporate cycling into land use, urban and regional planning, including that for infrastructure.
The joint initiative of WHO and UNECE (under the leadership of Austria and France) requested the Partnership of Cycling, which is a spin-off of the former National Cycling Officers Network of the European Cyclists' Federation (ECF), to create a draft of a continent-wide strategy to encourage cycling. After 10 partnership meetings, an advanced draft of the Master Plan is now firmly ‘on the table’ in front of the Transport, Health and Environment Pan-European Programme (THE PEP), which is led by UNECE and the European offices of WHO and UN Environment. The final adoption of the Plan is scheduled for THE PEP's 5th high-level meeting that will be held between 22nd and 24th October 2019 in the Austrian capital Vienna.
The ECF has been working with those developing the Plan to ensure that the draft is as comprehensive and as ambitious as possible in order to ensure that it is relevant for countries that have extremely different contexts for cycling.
The draft highlights 30 policy recommendations that signatory states (as well as others) could choose to embrace to promote cycling, depending on national circumstances. Ten broader recommendations have been used to categorise these:
Develop and implement a national cycling policy, supported by a national cycling plan.
Develop user-friendly cycling infrastructure.
Enhance the regulatory framework that promotes cycling.
Promote cycling through incentives and mobility management.
Integrate cycling in planning processes and facilitate multimodality.
Make use of new technology and innovation.
Improve health and safety.
Provide efficient funding mechanisms and sustainable investment.
Enhance cycling statistics for use in efficient monitoring and benchmarking.
Promote cycling tourism.
Numerous benefits have been calculated if these goals were to be achieved. Doubling cycling would prevent 30 000 premature deaths per year, with indirect economic benefits amounting to €78 billion annually (as calculated using WHO’s Health Economic Assessment for Cycling Tool (HEAT)).
The current draft is the culmination of five years' work and also includes a set of cross sectoral policy goals.
Image source: © Connel/ Shutterstock.com - no permission to re-use image(s) without a separate licence from Shutterstock
Source: article first published by ECF on 24/01/2018
54 countries soon to have detailed guidance on how to double cycling across the region by 2030
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Chingford Woodland Land incident sees boy stabbed in the leg
The police cannot confirm whether it is linked to another incident at a fast food restaurant
A boy suffered stab wounds
A teenage boy has been stabbed in the leg in broad daylight on a street.
Emergency services were called to two separate incidents just under two miles apart between 4 and 5pm yesterday afternoon (Saturday, March 2).
The Metropolitan Police first received a all to reports of a stabbing on Woodland Road, Chingford on the Essex-London border at around 4.30pm.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: "Police were called by the London Ambulance Service at 4.35pm on Saturday, 2 March to a report of a young male suffering from stab injuries to his leg on Woodland Road in Chingford, E4.
"The victim, believed to be in his early teens, was taken to an east London hospital where he remains in a stable condition. His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
"No arrests have been made and enquiries continue.
"If you have any information about this incident, call 101 quoting CAD 5207/02MAR or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."
The arrests were made outside this KFC restaurant (Image: Google Maps)
In a separate incident just under an hour later and only 1.6 miles away, police descended on a fast food restaurant after receiving reports of a youth carrying a knife.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: "Police attended a fast food restaurant in Albert Crescent E4 at 5.08pm on Saturday following reports of youths present and suggestions one may have a knife.
"Officers attended and two male youths were arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon. No reported injuries. Enquiries continue."
The police cannot confirm whether the two incidents are related at this moment in time.
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Batman Arkham Collection Steelbook Gets UK Release
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Batman Arkham HD Collection Coming to Xbox One and PS4
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Batman: Arkham Knight October Re-Release Performance Update
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Batman Arkham Knight PC Update Coming August
Batman Arkham Knight was released almost a month ago and by this time there has only been one tiny patch that was released for the PC version which didn’t fix a lot, ...
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Arkham Knight PC Won’t Be Fixed Until Fall 2015
Kotaku Australia has reported that it got its hands on an internal email from EB Games, in which Warner Bros claimed that Batman: Arkham Knight for the PC will not be fixed ...
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Batman Arkham Knight Mod Adds More Playable Characters
Batman: Arkham Knight has only been out for a short time and while the PC port has a had a really shaky start that isn’t stopping modders from tinkering with the game. A ...
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Batman: Arkham Knight Performance Analysis
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New Arkham Knight Trailer Encourages You to ‘Be the Batman’
The latest Batman title developed by Rocksteady Studios is almost here and it looks like they are making a final push on the advertisement side, just to be sure everybody is ...
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Batman: Arkham Knight System Requirements Revealed
The latest Batman title is almost here! To celebrate the impending release of this gaming juggernaut, Nvidia has just revealed the games specifications and they’re a ...
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Batman: Arkham Knight Will Not Have a Physical Release for Windows in the UK
Rocksteady Studio’s latest Batman: Arkham franchise title has been announced not to have a physical release for the Windows platform outside of North America. This means ...
March 30, 2015 at 2:44 pm by Gabriel Roşu
Sony Demoes Batman: Arkham Knight on PC
Rocksteady appears to have confirmed that the Batman: Arkham Knight demo was run on a PC. This is quite interesting, since everyone would have expected it to be demoed on a ...
June 11, 2014 at 8:29 pm by Gabriel Roşu
Batman Arkham Collection Edition Revealed
Batman: Arkham Collection Edition unites Batman: Arkham Asylum, Batman: Arkham City and Batman: Arkham Origins in one seriously awesome trilogy boxset of gaming ...
November 16, 2013 at 12:35 pm by Peter Donnell
Batman Arkham Origins To Release Mobile Edition This Holiday Season
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment have announced at New York’s Comic Con that a mobile version of Batman: Arkham Origins will be arriving ...
October 13, 2013 at 7:03 pm by Gabriel Roşu
How many cores will AMD's next line of CPUs have?
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Romance, after the bloom
June 18, 2016 by Eugene Wei
Ran across two good essays recently, both on later stage romance.
One, by Heather Havrilesky:
But once you’ve been married for a long time (my tenth anniversary is in a few months!), a whole new kind of romance takes over. It’s not the romance of rom-coms, which are predicated on the question of “Will he/she really love me (which seems impossible), or does he/she actually hate me (which seems far more likely and even a little more sporting)?" Long-married romance is not the romance of watching someone’s every move like a stalker, and wanting to lick his face but trying to restrain yourself. It’s not even the romance of “Whoa, you bought me flowers, you must REALLY love me!” or “Wow, look at us here, as the sun sets, your lips on mine, we REALLY ARE DOING THIS LOVE THING, RIGHT HERE.” That’s dating romance, newlywed romance. You’re still pinching yourself. You’re still fixated on whether it’s really happening. You’re still kind of sort of looking for proof. The little bits of proof bring the romance. The question of whether you’ll get the proof you require brings the romance. (The looking for proof also brings lots of fights, but that’s a subject for another day.)
After a decade of marriage, if things go well, you don’t need any more proof. What you have instead — and what I would argue is the most deeply romantic thing of all — is this palpable, reassuring sense that it’s okay to be a human being. Because until you feel absolutely sure that you won’t eventually be abandoned, it’s maybe not 100 percent clear that any other human mortal can tolerate another human mortal. The smells. The sounds. The repetitive fixations on the same dumb shit, over and over. Even as you develop a kind of a resigned glaze of oh, this again in, say, marital years one through five, you also feel faintly unnerved by your own terrible mortal humanness.
Or you should feel that way.
Another, by Alain de Botton:
Given that marrying the wrong person is about the single easiest and also costliest mistake any of us can make (and one which places an enormous burden on the state, employers and the next generation), it is extraordinary, and almost criminal, that the issue of marrying intelligently is not more systematically addressed at a national and personal level, as road safety or smoking are.
It’s all the sadder because in truth, the reasons why people make the wrong choices are easy to lay out and unsurprising in their structure. They tend to fall into some of the following basic categories.
Botton proposes a new form of marriage to follow on the previous two ages of marriage which he terms the marriage of reason and then the marriage of romance. He terms this the psychological marriage.
In the age of the marriage of reason, one might have considered the following criteria when marrying:
- who are their parents
- how much land do they have
- how culturally similar are they
In the Romantic age, one might have looked out for the following signs to determine rightness:
- one can’t stop thinking of a lover
- one is sexually obsessed
- one thinks they are amazing
- one longs to talk to them all the time
We need a new set of criteria. We should wonder:
- how are they mad
- how can one raise children with them
- how can one develop together
- how can one remain friends
Romance/marriage, as with many human institutions, is susceptible to human myopia. People are lousy at anticipating long-term consequences, and romance is particularly seductive with its immediate chemical rush.
June 18, 2016 /Eugene Wei
romance, marriage
The marriage squeeze is hitting China and India
May 02, 2015 by Eugene Wei
Fascinating read on how the marriage squeeze, already established in countries like Japan and South Korea, has finally hit a third of the world's population, namely that of China and India. It's not just that sex selection at birth has led to a large gender imbalance in the population. Other factors exacerbate the problem.
Countries with normal sex ratios can experience a marriage squeeze if their fertility rates are falling fast. Fertility is important, because men tend to marry women a few years younger than themselves. In India the average age of marriage for men is 26; for women, it is 22. This means that when a country’s fertility is falling, the cohort of women in their early 20s will be slightly smaller (or will be rising more slowly) than the cohort of men they are most likely to marry—those in their late 20s (this is because a few years will have gone by and the falling fertility rate will have reduced the numbers of those born later). This may not sound like a big deal. But in fact between 2000 and 2010 the number of Indian men aged 25-29 rose by 9.2m. The number of Indian women aged 20-24 (their most likely partners) rose by only 7.6m.
Even if India’s sex ratio at birth were to return to normal and stay there, by 2050 the country would still have 30% more single men hoping to marry than single women. This is explained by a rapid decline in India’s fertility rate. But in China, where fertility has been low for years, the more gradual decline in fertility still means there will be 30% more single men than women in 2055, though the distortion declines after that. A decline in fertility usually benefits developing countries by providing a “demographic dividend” (a bulge of working-age adults compared with the numbers of dependent children or grandparents). But it does have the drawback of amplifying the marriage squeeze.
The problem is further accentuated by a so-called “queuing effect”. The length of a queue is determined by how many people join it, how many leave, and how long queuers are prepared to wait. In the same way, marriage numbers are a result of how many people reach marriageable age (the joiners); how many get married (the leavers) and how long people are willing to wait. In India and China, marriage remains the norm, so men keep trying to tie the knot for years.
Hence, a marriage queue in India and China builds up. At stage one, a cohort of women reaches marriageable age (say, 20-24); they marry among the cohort of men aged 25-29. But there are slightly more men than women, so some members of the male cohort remain on the shelf. Later, two new cohorts reach marriageable age. This time, the men left over from the previous round (who are now in their early thirties) are still looking for wives and compete with the cohort of younger men. The women choose husbands from among this larger group. So after the second round even more men are left on the shelf. And so on. A backlog of unmarried men starts to pile up. Just as you need only a small imbalance between the number of people joining a queue and the number leaving it to produce a long, slow-moving line, so in marriage, a small difference in the adult sex ratio can produce huge numbers of bachelors.
One can't help but conclude that India and China must prepare for an end to universal marriage. Is that so bad? Could both countries start to shift their policies to prepare for a post-universal-marriage society? Are there any countries with economic policies that can cope with declining birth rates?
Perhaps, but it's difficult to imagine a world in which the consequences are anything but a net negative.
There may be positive side effects: a shortage of brides in India is causing dowry prices to fall in some areas, for instance. Overall, though, the impact is likely to be negative. A study by Lena Edlund of Columbia University and others found that in 1988-2004, a one-point rise in the sex ratio in China raised rates of violent crime and theft by six to seven points. The abduction of women for sale as brides is becoming more common. The imbalance is fuelling demand for prostitution.
May 02, 2015 /Eugene Wei
marriage, economics
The game theory of the toilet seat problem
April 17, 2015 by Eugene Wei
By toilet seat problem I refer to the problem of a couple living together, one man and one woman, sharing one toilet. To be more mathematically specific:
For Marsha the seat position transfer cost is 0 since all operations are performed with the seat in the down position. For John the cost is greater than 0 since seat position transfers must be performed.
Let p be the probability that John will perform a #1 operation vs a #2 operation. Assume that John optimizes his seat position transfer cost (see remark 3 below.) Then it is easy to determine that John’s average cost of seat position transfer per toilet opeation is
B = 2p(1-p)C
where B is the bachelor cost of toilet seat position transfers per toilet operation.
Now let us consider the scenario where John and Marsha cohabit and both use the same toilet. In our analysis we shall assume that John and Marsha perform toilet operations with the same frequency (see remark 4 below) and that the order in which they perform them is random. They discover to their mutual displeasure that their cohabitation adversely alters the toilet seat position transfer cost function for each of them. What is more there is an inherent conflict of interest.
This is one of the more rigorous game theory considerations of the toilet seat problem I've read. The solution proposed at the end seems sensible enough.
Let's not allow our current technological constraints and limited imagination confine our solution set, however. I propose a different, even more ideal solution.
We develop a toilet seat that is in communication with the Apple Watch worn by both the man and the woman. When the woman walks into the bathroom, her Apple Watch authenticates itself to the toilet seat which then automatically lowers itself. Meanwhile, when the man walks in, the toilet seat remains in whatever position it's in, per the widely accepted bachelor toilet seat strategy. One could try to further optimize for the man by learning, Nest-style, the general pattern of #1 and #2 operations and caching the last 24 to 48 hours worth of such operations, but the added complexity may only capture a slight marginal decrease in cost to him.
There is yet another solution, brought to mind by episode 4 of season 4 of Curb Your Enthusiasm, in which Larry David admits to peeing sitting down. Optimal for her, and, David claims, good for him as well.
“If I pee twenty times in a day I can get through the whole New York Times, for god's sake!”
That's two posts today that mention bathroom operations. My mind is really in the toilet.
April 17, 2015 /Eugene Wei
math, gametheory, marriage
Black cards, love, lies, and Force Majeure
February 15, 2015 by Eugene Wei
Speaking of Black Mirror, here's a relevant interview titled Black Cards: All the Lies You Need to Love. A wife interviews her husband after he publishes the book Love and Lies: An Essay on Truthfulness, Deceit, and the Growth and Care of Erotic Love.
Recall what Venkatesh Rao said about such lies we tell ourselves and each other in his critique of Black Mirror:
In each case, the technological driver has to do with information — either knowing too much or too little about yourself and/or others. Each technological premise can be boiled down to what if you knew everything about X or what if you could know nothing about X. In the episodes so far, there has been no simple correlation between choosing ignorance or knowledge and getting to good or poor outcomes. That’s what lends the show a certain amount of moral ambiguity.
White Christmas, the first episode of Season 3 is more complex, wandering into moral luck territory via gaps between intentions and consequences. Gaps deliberately created by consciously chosen ignorance of the block-on-Facebook variety.
This is promising. Hopefully, the show will explore this more, because the straight-up value collisions are not that interesting. They are merely shocking corner-case hypotheticals of the torture-one-terrorist-to-save-humanity variety, in futurist garb. But with moral luck, you have more going on. Where knowledge is the default and ignorance must be consciously chosen, rather than the other way around, the consequences of ignorance becomes less defensible. Especially when you are in a position to choose ignorance for others.
Can't exist when the lies that make for civil society are punctured by technology? Grow up.
In the Black Cards interview, the husband Clancy Martin argues the opposite, specifically when it comes to love. Lie to your lover, and lie to yourself. Truth is the opposite of an aphrodisiac.
Amie: What should a woman do if she has cheated on her husband, whom she loves. She did it impulsively, and it didn’t mean anything. Should she tell her husband, or not?
Clancy: I don’t think she should tell her husband immediately. She might feel better briefly after telling him, but she’s giving him all of her guilt to carry around. And she certainly shouldn’t tell him in anger—as an attack during a fight, or as a response to some mistake he’s made.
Could there come a time when she should tell him? Yes, I think when she can see that the caring thing to do is to admit that this happened. Or if this starts to become a pattern, she’d better let him know that they need to see a therapist and then, in that moderated context, “come clean.” But she’s already done some harm with this one-night stand—don’t exacerbate it.
Amie: Okay, but that’s what everyone says, and your thesis is that people in love have to lie more often than we admit. So shouldn’t you be coming down hard on the necessity of the lie? That a cheater should never tell?
Clancy: Deny, deny, deny is the standard wisdom for men—and maybe for women too. That’s not—
Amie: For cheaters, let’s say.
Clancy: Yes, for cheaters, and this woman has cheated. But that’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying that caring should be her goal—and that caring might sometimes require carrying the burden of a lie for a while. Later, caring might require telling the truth. We have to be subtle epistemologists if—
Amie: Okay, okay.
Clancy: Can I just finish my sentence? We have to work hard to understand each other if we want to be good lovers.
Martin reverses the usual thinking on honesty; to him, it's a form of weakness to tell the truth.
I suspect a sort of Prisoner's Dilemma when it comes to relationships or marriages and truth. The optimal outcome is for both people in the relationship to select truth or lies (which of those you select depends on your philosophy), but the temptation is for one or the other person to defect to obtain the moral high ground at the cost of harmony in the relationship.
The interview contains a fascinating analysis of the Swedish movie Force Majeure which I saw at TIFF last year and found to be amusing in an acerbic and, well, Swedish way.
Amie: That reminds me of the movie we saw the other night, Force Majeure. A family on a ski trip is hit by a controlled avalanche. The smoke from the avalanche pours over their table at lunch on the mountaintop. But as it’s coming, the smoke looks like snow, and they think they are going to die. The mother wraps her arms around her children. The father picks up his gloves and his iPhone and runs. The two spend the rest of the movie dealing with the “truth” that has been revealed. And it seems manifestly true: the man is a coward and the woman has seen clearly. When friends try to encourage her to see it differently, suggesting for example that they are all okay, and that maybe they should move on, she is intractable. In the final scene, they are on a bus going back down the hillside, and the driver is taking sharp turns and having trouble with the gears. She forces him to stop so she can get off, and everyone on the bus follows her. But then on the roadside, night falls, and thirty people are on foot in the middle of nowhere, with nowhere to go. For the first time in the movie, it is manifest that this woman does not know what to do. That she has been alarmist. That she has caused a ruckus over nothing. It was a movie that presented two equally valid “truths.” And showed the way the self-righteous adhesion to one truth could tear apart a good marriage.
Clancy: For me the question becomes: When we learn things about our loved ones that cause us to dislike—or even to hate—those loved ones, what should we do? It will vary from case to case, which matters: there shouldn’t be one simple answer to the toughest questions about relationships. One friend says in Force Majeure, when the married couple has left the room, “They need therapy!” People always say, “Go to therapy!” We have become very simpleminded in how we think about love, and yet it matters to us more than anything. But here’s my answer: the woman in the movie thought she was seeing the naked truth. She even had it on video. But I would ask her, “Are you being as tough on yourself as you are on your partner? Can you withstand the same withering scrutiny? Look at your own motivations: Do you admire your motivations?” It’s a very good case study, because this woman in the movie, like many of us, was completely blind to her own failings. Forgiveness, care, commitment: that’s what we demand from our parents, what I hope we offer to our children, and I think ought to give to our spouses.
Once the avalanche occurs, the movie is a bit on the nose for a good long period. It's funny, but it's blunt, and it beats the same punch line with a hammer in scene after scene.
But then the movie ends with that scene on the bus driving down the mountain, the most oblique and intriguing part of the film. It's no coincidence that the one woman who stays on the bus is the same woman who had spoken openly about the many extra-marital affairs she's had. She rides the bus down the mountain uneventfully while all the others in the bus walk down the mountain, resigned by their (bourgeois) caution to a suboptimal outcome.
If the entire movie had that concluding scene's sly, understated sense of mystery, that would have been something.
February 15, 2015 /Eugene Wei
love, marriage, movies
Bible Belt Big Data
December 17, 2014 by Eugene Wei
“[O]ne of the strongest factors predicting divorce rates (per 1000 married couples) is the concentration of conservative or evangelical Protestants in that county,” the researchers explain. Religiously conservative states Alabama and Arkansas have the second and third highest divorce rates in the U.S., while religiously liberal New Jersey and Massachusetts have two of the lowest. Full graph below shows the regional correlation:
Describing their findings as a “puzzling paradox,” the researchers explained that the higher divorce rate among religious conservatives is tied to early marriage and early childbearing — factors already known to contribute to strained marriages and divorce. “Starting families earlier tends to stop young adults from pursuing more education and depresses their wages, putting more strain on marriages,” Glass stated.
Full piece here.
In America, religiosity and conservatism are generally associated with opposition to non-traditional sexual behavior, but prominent political scandals and recent research suggest a paradoxical private attraction to sexual content on the political and religious right. We examined associations between state-level religiosity/conservatism and anonymized interest in searching for sexual content online using Google Trends (which calculates within-state search volumes for search terms). Across two separate years, and controlling for demographic variables, we observed moderate-to-large positive associations between: (1) greater proportions of state-level religiosity and general web searching for sexual content and (2) greater proportions of state-level conservatism and image-specific searching for sex. These findings were interpreted in terms of the paradoxical hypothesis that a greater preponderance of right-leaning ideologies is associated with greater preoccupation with sexual content in private internet activity. Alternative explanations (e.g., that opposition to non-traditional sex in right-leaning states leads liberals to rely on private internet sexual activity) are discussed, as are limitations to inference posed by aggregate data more generally.
So by the transitive property...
December 17, 2014 /Eugene Wei
sociology, religion, marriage
Esther Perel on infidelity
In America, infidelity is described in terms of perpetrators and victims, damages and cost. We are far more tolerant of divorce with all the dissolutions of the family structure than of transgression. Although our society has become more sexually open in many ways, when it comes to monogamy, even the most liberal minds can remain intransigent. When discussing infidelity, we use the language of moral condemnation. And it isn’t only the act that’s reprehensible; the actor, too, is judged by the strictest standards. Adultery becomes a moral failing as we move to a description of character flaws: liar, cheater, philanderer, womanizer, slut. In this view, understanding an act of infidelity as a simple transgression or meaningless fling, or a quest for aliveness is an impossibility.
An affair sometimes captures an existential conflict within us: We seek safety and predictability, qualities that propel us toward committed relationships, but we also thrive on novelty and diversity. Modern romance promises, among other things, that it’s possible to meet these two opposing sets of needs in one place. If the relationship is successful, in theory, there is no need to look for anything elsewhere. Therefore, if one strays, there must be something missing. I’m not convinced.
The current view is that infidelity depletes intimacy and is a breach of trust and commitment, both emotional and sexual, that can never be fully recouped. Even the psychological literature focuses almost exclusively on the ravages of infidelity. I’d like to offer a view that challenges this premise and encompasses both growth and betrayal at the nexus of affairs.
Though affairs often result in deep emotional crisis, deception and betrayal are not the prime motivation. I suggest we look at infidelity in terms of growth, autonomy, and the desire to reconnect with lost parts of ourselves. Perhaps affairs are also an expression of yearning and loss.
Lots more here from Esther Perel on infidelity, all of it fascinating. Though I've never been married or had an affair, this passage had a ring of familiarity:
Sometimes, we seek the gaze of another not because we reject our partner, but because we are tired of ourselves. It isn’t our partner we aim to leave, rather the person we’ve become. Even more than the quest for a new lover we want a new self.
The pressure on the institution of marriage is higher than it's ever been because we now expect our spouses to provide so many different forms of fulfillment. In an interview with Slate, Perel notes:
What’s changed is, we expect a lot more from our relationships. We expect to be happy. We brought happiness down from the afterlife, first to be an option and then a mandate. So we don’t divorce—or have affairs—because we are unhappy but because we could be happier.
This reminded me of two of my recent posts about the new definition of marriage: marriage is now all-or-nothing, and hedonic marriage.
marriage, love
Marriage is now all-or-nothing
As the expectations of marriage have ascended Maslow’s hierarchy, the potential psychological payoffs have increased — but achieving those results has become more demanding.
HERE lie both the great successes and great disappointments of modern marriage. Those individuals who can invest enough time and energy in their partnership are seeing unprecedented benefits. The sociologists Jeffrey Dew and W. Bradford Wilcox have demonstrated that spouses who spent “time alone with each other, talking, or sharing an activity” at least once per week were 3.5 times more likely to be very happy in their marriage than spouses who did so less frequently. The sociologist Paul R. Amato and colleagues have shown that spouses with a larger percentage of shared friends spent more time together and had better marriages.
But on average Americans are investing less in their marriages — to the detriment of those relationships. Professor Dew has shown that relative to Americans in 1975, Americans in 2003 spent much less time alone with their spouses. Among spouses without children, weekly spousal time declined to 26 hours per week from 35 hours, and much of this decline resulted from an increase in hours spent at work. Among spouses with children at home, spousal time declined to 9 hours per week from 13, and much of this decline resulted from an increase in time-intensive parenting.
Eli Finkel in the NYTimes on the third age of marriage we're living now, one he calls the self-expressive marriage, the first two being institutional and companionate.
What caught my eye was the distribution of marriage quality as measured by divorce rates.
One of the most disturbing facts about American marriage today is that while divorce increased at similar rates for the wealthy and the poor in the 1960s and ’70s, those rates diverged sharply starting around 1980. According to the sociologist Steven P. Martin, among Americans who married between 1975 and 1979, the 10-year divorce rate was 28 percent among people without a high school education and 18 percent among people with at least a college degree: a 10 percentage point difference. But among Americans who married between 1990 and 1994, the parallel divorce rates were 46 percent and 16 percent: an astonishing 30 percentage point difference.
It's not just household income or venture capital returns that show this signature barbell distribution anymore, it has extended to marriage.
Fascinating read, and not surprisingly, the most emailed article on the NYTimes right now.
love, marriage
My favorite new TV show this season was The Americans. It took me a bit of time to fully embrace the show, though.
Halfway through the season, I was hung up on how Philip and Elizabeth, especially Elizabeth, didn't really seem credible in their loyalty to mother Russia. This was Keri Russell, for god's sake, how could she turn against the U.S.? She doesn't even look the slightest bit Russian.
[Yes, they're supposed to be able to blend into the U.S., that is the point of being a spy, but All-American Keri Russell is not a species native to Russian soil, especially as compared to the much more Russian faces seen at the Soviet embassy in the show.]
But the best TV shows, the ones that rise above being high end soap operas, are ones that have a larger point to make, and the longer the season ran, the more the show's casting works in its favor. What are national loyalties, after all, than arbitrary "us versus them" distinctions implanted in us by chance and circumstance?
What better way to illustrate that by having an American sweetheart playing a Russian mole? In one life, born in the United States, Keri Russell would be Felicity Porter. In another life, born in Russia, she became Nadezhda, a KGB agent. How unaware we all are of the group affiliations we subscribe to purely because they were the ones most available to us in formative years of our lives.
That Elizabeth and Philip are playing the role of husband and wife extends this theme out beyond spy games to the very household institution of marriage. When Elizabeth attends the marriage of Philip to Martha Hanson, one of his informants, she asks Philip, after the wedding, if their marriage might have been different had they actually had a real wedding. In asking that, she cuts to the heart of the power of ritual.
That their fake marriage initially seems stronger than the actual marriage of Stan (Noah Emmerich) and Sandra Beeman, their neighbors (one of which happens to be an FBI agent hot on their trail), is a wry comment on the entire institution. Elizabeth and Philip had no choice in their marriage early on, it was their cover, and they had to make it work, despite both of them having been attracted to other people earlier in their lives.
Stan and Sandra went into their marriage with different expectations, romantic ones, and the show is rather harsh about the sustainability of a relationship centered around such notions. When Elizabeth and Philip start to see their relationship strained, what seems to draw them back towards each other is not any abstract ideal of romance but instead a pragmatic life and death dependence. It's easy to love someone when they're literally saving your life on a regular basis.
As with Mad Men, the audience knows how the plot at large turns out since The Americans is set during a Cold War that ended long ago. But what we're curious about is not that larger context but the smaller scale drama of Elizabeth and Philip's relationship. Of all the backdrops for a show about marriage, the Cold War must rank among the most unlikely.
tv, marriage
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From cybercops to cybercrime: developing tools to spot online radicalisation
Why do some radicalise, while others don’t? Whoever finds the answer, may well be able to prevent a lot of victims and internet-based crimes. To help them zero in on the issue, the European Commission granted 200,000 Euros to the Centre of Excellence in Public Safety Management (CESAM) in line with the Horizon 2020 project called ‘PROPHETS’. Supplying family and friends with indicators that their loved ones are getting desensitised, and providing law enforcers with tools to identify potential offenders, CESAM co-director Saskia Bayerl of Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) hopes to address cybercrime before it takes place.
Cybercrime is on the rise. It’s not just identities being stolen, or orders getting paid, but never delivered. It’s the same system behind the sexual exploitation of children, human trafficking and terrorism. Issues that are intertwined and all use similar mechanisms, Bayerl explains. Nevertheless, it’s hard to predict who will join these networks and who will not.
No clear indicators
Identifying those vulnerable to crime is challenging. Neither nationality, education nor social-economic status can determine who will become radicalised and who will not. There are groups that may be prone to a certain type of criminal activity, but these are often very specific cultural or social networks, she stresses ‒ findings within those groups cannot be extrapolated to include wider communities. As the infamous crime boss Willem Holleeder does not represent the entire Dutch male white population, so IS jihadis do not represent all Muslim immigrants.
There are, however, certain psychological and behavioural traits that may give some clue as to whether someone is becoming open to radicalisation, Bayerl notes. Often, these are people who feel they’re not valued in society. There’s a process that often starts with demoralisation and becoming ethically desensitised, which may then lead a dehumanised view of others. People’s networks narrow, they’re no longer open to alternative views, and gradually become susceptible to influencers who will offer them anything from an ideology to money.
Characterising cybercrime
A lot of research is currently being done into various kinds of cybercrimes, but most of it focuses on specific streams of information through the perspective of a particular discipline. IT specialists are working on software that automatically identifies child pornography, while the police follows human as well as drug trafficking, and psychologists study lone-wolf attacks. The three-year Preventing Radicalisation Online through the Proliferation of Harmonised ToolkitS (PROPHETS) project aims to combine the efforts of CESAM and 15 other academic, justice and police partners in 10 EU countries. By joining the project, Bayerl hopes to get a better idea of the underlying features that define all these different forms of cybercrime, and develop tools to improve the support of law enforcement agencies that will ultimately safeguard citizens.
Dr. Saskia Bayerl
Petra Saskia Bayerl is Associate Professor of Technology and Organizational Behaviour. Her research interests lay in the fields of human-computer interaction, the implementation of information systems, new media and communication. Her current research focuses on privacy, surveillance and emerging technologies als tools for citizen participation in the creation of public safety.
Photo Eye (CC): C.C. Chapman
Read more about CESAM's research projects here
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$1.3 million grant bolsters aerospace research in Montreal
Project led by Concordia University will propel Canada's aerospace industry forward by minimizing waste
Montreal, November 25, 2014 -- More than 170,000 Canadians work in the aerospace sector. Universities graduate around 3,000 qualified aerospace workers every year. Harnessing this know-how is crucial. That's where a $1.3 million grant for Concordia University and its academic and industry partners comes into play.
Thanks to $680,000 from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), and a matching amount from collaborating companies Bombardier and Bell Helicopter, a new project called Lean Aerospace Value Streams is set to keep Canada at the forefront of aerospace research and development.
At the project's helm is Concordia's Nadia Bhuiyan, leading a team of researchers from École de technologie supérieure and Polytechnique Montreal, with the collaboration of the Consortium de Recherche et innovation synergétiques en aérospatiale (CRIAQ).
Helping Canada take off
Ten years ago, consulting firm KPMG ranked Canada's aerospace industry number one in the world for cost effectiveness. With new rivals now emerging, among them China and India, Canadian companies must find ways to become even more efficient.
Bhuiyan and her colleagues are proposing an innovative approach to keep Canada among the world leaders: go "lean." That is, use lean principles -- a manufacturing method that can be applied through the lifecycle of the product, from concept to delivery, to create more value for customers with fewer resources.
Bhuiyan plans to apply lean principles, originally adopted by automotive companies, to the aerospace sector, where they have not yet been widely implemented.
It's not easy being lean -- but it's worthwhile
Being lean means taking a systematic approach to eliminating waste -- anything that does not add value to the customer. It has been estimated that only about five per cent of work in a company actually adds value; 35 per cent of work is considered necessary; and a staggering 60 percent is waste -- defined as things such as excess inventory, redundant tasks and rework.
"I'm particularly interested in how lean principles can be applied to the design process," says Bhuiyan. "Engineers formulate an idea or concept, design it, build a prototype, and test it and it typically takes many years to get the final product or service to market. A lot of waste is generated during this process, including engineers' time, for example, and we want to see how to remove such waste and speed up this process and still deliver the best possible product to the customer."
Research will also be conducted in lean management, the supply chain, human resources and the manufacturing process itself. Several of Bhuiyan's colleagues in Concordia's Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science are participating in the various investigations, including Yong Zeng and Kudret Demirli.
Beyond the potential applications of Lean Aerospace Value Streams, Bhuiyan is also happy that Concordia students will receive highly relevant new training under the project.
"Graduate and undergraduate students will be learning how to apply lean principles in local aerospace companies," she explains. "It's a win-win situation: improved efficiency in industry and unparalleled experience for our future graduates."
Concordia's Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science http://www.concordia.ca/encs.html
École de technologie supérieure http://www.etsmtl.ca/
Polytechnique Montreal http://www.polymtl.ca/
Consortium de Recherche et innovation synergétiques en aérospatiale http://www.criaq.aero/
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/index_eng.asp
Bombardier http://www.bombardier.com/en/home.html
Bell Helicopter http://www.bellhelicopter.com/
Cléa Desjardins
University Communications Services
Email: clea.desjardins@concordia.ca
Web: http://www.concordia.ca/now/media-relations
Twitter: @CleaDesjardins
Clea Desjardins
clea.desjardins@concordia.ca
51-484-824-245-068
@ConcordiaUnews
http://www.concordia.ca
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
BUSINESS/ECONOMICS
GROUP ORGANIZATION
POLLUTION/REMEDIATION
http://www.concordia.ca/news/media-relations/news-releases/cunews/main/releases/2014/11/25/grant-bolsters-aerospace-research-in-montreal.html
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Kevin Frisch: On a wing and an overpriced beer
Kevin Frisch
Sometimes the only thing you’d rather do less than the last thing you want to do in the world, is not do the last thing you want to do in the world. You know what I mean? Well, then, let me explain.
Sometimes the only thing you’d rather do less than the last thing you want to do in the world, is not do the last thing you want to do in the world.
You know what I mean? Well, then, let me explain.
I traveled last month to Chicago on business. This is one of the changes in our company in the past year. When we were family-owned, a corporate venture might require, oh, a drive over to the dining area of Wegmans. Now it means flying to another time zone.
I’ve never been the most casual of flyers but, over the years, I’ve managed to at least become a bit more seasoned. I can walk onto the plane under my own power now, and I almost never need those flight bags anymore.
I didn’t even blanch when I learned I was seated in the MD-80’s bulkhead — the single seat at the very front of the plane that’s across from the area where the flight attendant readies the beverage cart. Said seat offered an all-but-unavoidable view of the flight attendant’s tush as the beverages were being prepared, which would have been a welcome diversion had the flight attendant not been named Ken.
Other than that, the flight proceeded without incident and I soon found myself wandering the terminals at O’Hare International Airport (motto: What’s Your Hurry?).
Several days of corporateness ensued and, before I knew it, it was time to trek home.
Unfortunately, the Flying Gods weren’t in as sunny a mood on this day. Literally. A winter storm was bearing down, and by noon the flakes were already flying. Around lunchtime, I called the travel agency to see whether my flight was still on time. Good thing I checked in, because it was going to be late. Very late. It was canceled.
Fortunately, there was one other flight scheduled to depart for Rochester and, even more fortunately, she was able to get me on it.
Not an auspicious start, but better than being trapped overnight. Perhaps.
The scene at the airport was what you’d expect at one of the nation’s busiest hubs on a particularly snowy day. Long lines. The air a mixture of confusion and desperation. Terminal screens filled with bad news. It’s a little known fact but if you die and are sent to hell, you transfer at O’Hare.
I checked the Departures screen for my flight. There amid the long, red-lettered listings of Delayeds and Canceleds was my flight: 4241 to Rochester. In white letters. On time. I scanned the screens of arrivals. No 4241s. This was good news: If we didn’t have to wait for the plane to arrive from elsewhere, there was a much better chance of getting off the ground. So I thought.
I snaked my way through the ticket counter, came the closest I would the entire trip to having sex in the form of a frisking at the security checkpoint and made my way toward the terminal. It was, by then, an hour later, so I darted to another Departures screen. Flight 4241 to Rochester. On time.
This called for a cocktail.
A pricey one, as it turned out. What is this strange rule where, the more people there are in a venue, the higher the cost for drinks? You go into a bar with only two stools filled, a beer cost you a buck-fifty. You order the same beer at Yankee Stadium — or O’Hare International Airport — and you’re out nine bucks.
No matter. The flakes were flying and the drinks were overpriced, but we were still slated for an on-time departure. Until about 45 minutes before takeoff, when it as announced our gate had changed. Never a good sign. Arriving at the new gate, we learned our flight had been delayed.
This called for another cocktail.
The plane was already here, I wondered, what could be the hold-up? I found out by loitering near the ticket counter. “You’ve got a plane,” I heard the airline rep tell an inquisitive would-be flyer, “but you haven’t got a crew.”
That made sense. If the planes were late getting in, so were the people flying them.
A few delays later and I was pretty much resigned to a night of terminal boredom (get it?) and $9 beers. Then a flight made it in at an adjoining gate. A brief tete-a-tete at the ticket counter and the flight crew made a U-turn and headed up the walkway to our plane. An over-tired flight crew and a blizzard. Thank goodness for those cocktails.
We boarded a short time later and eventually taxied out into the snows. And as we waited for the plane to be de-iced, I had to admit: The prospect of being trapped in a cavernous, quickly crowding airport — they eventually canceled 600 flights — for the next night or two was none too inviting.
The only thing I would rather have done less that night than fly out of O’Hare was not fly out of O’Hare.
See? It makes perfect sense.
Messenger managing editor Kevin Frisch’s column, Funny Thing ..., appears each week in the Sunday Messenger. Contact him at (585) 394-0770/Ext. 257 or by e-mail at KFrisch@ MPNewspapers.com.
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Big boost to Make in India! Boeing to set up a new facility for F/A 18 Super Hornet production in India
By: Huma Siddiqui |
Updated: May 2, 2019 6:09:33 PM
The Advanced Medium Combat aircraft (AMCA) could be a fifth-generation plane being developed by the state owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
According to Gillian, “The Company through its Indian partners has been building parts for helicopters and aircraft here in India. And we have more than 160 Indian suppliers.”
US aerospace major Boeing has offered to set up a new production facility in India for the production of its F/A-18 Super Hornet fighters if the company gets contracts for large number of fighters for both the Indian Air Force as well as the Indian Navy. Also, since the Indo-US defence and security ties have been on an upswing, the company does not foresee any issues related to transfer of technology (ToT).
Dan Gillian, vice president of F/A-18 and E/A-18 programs at Boeing, while discussing the Block III Super Hornet’s capabilities, with Financial Express Online, said that “India-US relationship is uniquely positioned and we are working on setting up a new production facility for building the next generation aircraft in India. We have a robust ToT plan.”
Also read: Act East Policy: First India-South Korea 2+2 dialogue expected to take place next month
With the US Navy making major investments in Block III, F/A-18 Super Hornet has a long life ahead. “The Super Hornet is the most advanced fighter that India could manufacture here and this will help the Indian side to make the AMCA (Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft) air plane,” he said.
Since the time India has been designated as “Major Defence Partner” by the Trump administration in 2016, the defence trade and technology sharing with India has been elevated to a level of its trusted allies and partners.
To a question if the company is focusing on the Indian Navy’s planned acquisition of 57 multi-role carrier-borne fighters, the company official said that F/A 18 Super Hornet would be the ideal machine for the Navy’s carrier, as no modifications will be required.
Companies including the French Rafale of Dassault Aviation, F/A-18 Super Hornet of US based Boeing MIG-29K of Russia, F-35B and F-35C of Lockheed Martin, US and Gripen from Saab, Sweden are in race for the Naval order.
According to Gillian the company is also offering F/A 18 Super Hornet for the Indian Air Force requirement of 114 fighter aircraft.
Boeing Company which has been present in India for several decades has been working to set up 21st century ecosystem for aerospace & defence manufacturing in India, which will help in making Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ initiative in the defence and aerospace sector a success.
According to Gillian, “The Company through its Indian partners has been building parts for helicopters and aircraft here in India. And we have more than 160 Indian suppliers.” This will lead to also lead to maximizing indigenous content in the production of the F/A-18 in India for its armed forces.
And, he added that there are tie ups with state owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Mahindra Defence Systems (MDS) for manufacturing the F/A-18 Super Hornet in India for its armed forces and will also work towards jointly developing of future technologies.
“Depending on the order from the Indian side for the F/A-18 Super Hornet, the number of suppliers can go up higher and we are already in talks with them as all of this depends on the requirements,” he added.
Latest Technologies:
The infrared search and track system (IRST), already in development as part of the earlier Block II upgrade, to give the advanced fourth generation aircraft an additional means to detect hostile low-observable aircraft at long distances.
New Distributed Targeting Processor-Networked (DTP-N) and Tactical Targeting Network Technology (TTNT) data link.
A single Block III Super Hornet will be able to passively scan with the IRST, spot targets, and present the pilot with a rough bearing overlaid on the aircraft’s radar screen.
To further enhance this flexibility, along with DTP-N and TTNT systems, the Block III aircraft will also have an updated satellite communications system, another hold-over from the Block II programme.
Information from the aircraft’s own sensors and mission systems, as well as the data it receives from other sources, to feed into different displays on a single 10-inch by 19-inch flat panel touch screen that replaces the existing multi-function displays.
The completely redesigned cockpit architecture, known as the Advanced Cockpit System, will also include additional backup displays and manual buttons in case this single screen fails in part or in full.
Dual seat F/A-18Fs can have this practicality in each the front and rear cockpits.
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Bharti Airtel plea against DoT demand: TDSAT reserves order
By: Kiran Rathee |
At the time of Telenor’s merger with Bharti Airtel, the DoT had raised a demand of `1,700 crore in bank guarantee, which was challenged by the company.
DoT has already given a conditional approval to the merger, asking the company to pay the charges.
The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) has reserved its order on a plea by Bharti Airtel challenging the department of telecommunications (DoT) demand of `9,500 crore for clearing its merger with Tata Teleservices. The DoT had asked the company to deposit about `1,300 crore as a fee for merging of Chennai and Tamil Nadu circles and another about `8,200 crore in bank guarantee for one-time spectrum charges (OTSC).
A similar notice was also sent to Tata Teleservices. However, the company challenged both the demands in the tribunal, citing wrong calculation for the charge of Chennai circle. Regarding the OTSC, Airtel had earlier also challenged the demand when it acquired Telenor and got an order in its favour. DoT has already given a conditional approval to the merger, asking the company to pay the charges.
At the time of Telenor’s merger with Bharti Airtel, the DoT had raised a demand of `1,700 crore in bank guarantee, which was challenged by the company. After, TDSAT gave an order in favour of the company, the DoT approached the Supreme Court, which also asked the government to clear the merger without any payment. The DoT approved the merger in May last year.
Bharti announced its decision to acquire the consumer wireless business of Tata Teleservices in 2017. As part of the deal, Airtel will get 178.5 MHz spectrum (of which 71.3 MHz is liberalised) in the 850, 1800 and 2100 MHz bands across 19 circles. The customers of Tata Teleservices will also join Airtel network.
The National Company Law Tribunal in January had approved the merger on the condition that it would be subject to the approval by the DoT.
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Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings CEO Mark Butler's 2018 pay rises 8% to $4.1M
Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings reports 2018 executive compensation
By ExecPay News
Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings reported fiscal year 2018 executive compensation information on May 14, 2019.
In 2018, five executives at Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings received on average a compensation package of $1.7M, a 12% increase compared to previous year.
Average pay of disclosed executives at Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings
Mark Butler, Chief Executive Officer, received $4.1M in total, which increased by 8% compared to 2017. 28.65% of Butler's compensation, or $1.2M, was in non-equity incentive plan. Butler also received $1M in option awards, $795.4K in salary, $1M in stock awards, as well as $19.7K in other compensation.
For fiscal year 2018, the median employee pay was $13,538 at Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings. Therefore, the ratio of Mark Butler's pay to the median employee pay was 301 to one.
John Swygert, Chief Operating Officer, received a compensation package of $2.1M, which increased by 16% compared to previous year. 26.65% of the compensation package, or $550K, was in non-equity incentive plan.
Jay Stasz, Chief Financial Officer, earned $910K in 2018, a 21% increase compared to previous year.
Omar Segura, Senior Vice President of Store Operations, received $900.8K in 2018, which increases by 13% compared to 2017.
Kevin McLain, Senior Vice President of Merchandising, earned $726.1K in 2018, a 12% increase compared to previous year.
Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings' fiscal year ends on February 2.
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Carolina Panthers' Steve Smith says competition among receivers heating up
Steve Reed The Associated Press
CHARLOTTE - Steve Smith said the competition at the Panthers wide receiver position this year is "cut throat," and the 13-year veteran receiver plans to stick around to see how it shakes out.
Smith, 33, said Thursday he wants "to play 15 or 16 years" in the NFL, which would take him through the 2015 or 2016 season. Smith said he's drawn inspiration from former Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Ronde Barber, who retired earlier this month after 16 seasons in the league.
"Physically, I feel great right now," said Smith, who said he battled through knee injuries last season for the first time in his career.
Panthers coach Ron Rivera doesn't doubt Smith has plenty left in high-revving motor.
He said Smith is still at the top of his game and considers him the team's "pacesetter" each day at practice.
Last week at OTAs Smith went horizontal, stretching his body out to make a diving grab. Then Rivera said Smith made another leaping catch from Cam Newton in the back of the end zone.
Rivera has said he's had to remove Smith from practice drills so he doesn't injure himself because "he only knows one speed and that's full go."
Rivera said Smith, who has been to five Pro Bowls, will remain a huge fixture in the offense.
"If you get the ball to Steve Smith, something is going to happen," Rivera said.
Which receivers are going to get the ball remains a mystery.
Brandon LaFell returns as the starter opposite Smith, but the competition beyond that is wide open and nothing like Smith has ever seen before in his previous 12 seasons with the Panthers.
The Panthers signed free agents Domenik Hixon from the New York Giants and Ted Ginn Jr. from the San Francisco 49ers. They also have four other former draft picks on the roster -- Armanti Edwards, Joe Adams, Kealoha Pilares and David Gettis, a former 15-game starter in 2011 before knee and hamstring injuries sidelined him for most of the past two seasons.
"This is the most competition I've seen and it's real, legitimate competition," Smith said. "The first day I walked into the receivers' room I could feel the thickness in there. It's kind of this uneasy feeling. You could feel the competition. You could feel the seriousness. No one was loose."
But Smith said that's a good thing.
He believes the competition will push everyone to become better and improve the entire team.
Smith said new general manager Dave Gettleman's decision to cut defensive end Thomas Keiser earlier this offseason "created a buzz" in the locker room and served as a wakeup call to some players.
Keiser was viewed as a solid role player and try-hard guy before injuries sidelined him for most of last season.
"When that happened guys were like, 'Oh my gosh,'" Smith said. "It shows that you're not on scholarship. Everybody doesn't get a jersey or a number. The competition here, it is cut throat right now and some of these guys haven't been through anything like that before. Some of the guys have been drafted and might think they're going to fine. But when there's a new GM he can easily say you're not my guy."
Hixon, for one, is a Gettleman guy.
He played the last five seasons with the Giants - where Gettleman was previously employed - and helped them win two Super Bowls.
Hixon came to Carolina looking for more playing time. He caught 39 passes for 567 yards and two touchdowns last season for the Giants.
"The good thing is the teams that you see making the playoffs, they have a lot of guys that can play," Hixon said. "And believe me, we have a lot of guys that can play, or have shown they can play. That's a good recipe."
Ginn is another player looking for an opportunity.
He was a first-round draft pick by the Dolphins in 2007, but quickly fizzled out in Miami. He spent the last three years in San Francisco serving mostly as a returner.
He caught only 33 passes the past three seasons.
"You can tell he's really thirsty and wants that opportunity," Smith said of Ginn. "He's acting like 'Hey I want to win somebody's job.' And there are other guys like, 'I'm not going to let you win this job.'"
Smith said it all should make for an interesting training camp when the Panthers report to Spartanburg, S.C. on July 25.
"There is an open competition at the receiver and DB (defensive back) spots," Smith said. "One thing I'm going to do this summer is sit back and watch those 1-on-1 drills because they're going to be intense. It should be cool to watch."
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FAYETTEVILLE - Wayne was an educator, teaching primarily middle and high school throughout his 34-year career, 16 of which were spent at Fayetteville Academy. While at the small private school, Wayne started the Key Club, headed the yearbook committee and produced plays each year through his formation of the Fayetteville Academy Drama Club. He was a strong advocate for the arts, which eventually led him to a position on the board of Cape Fear Regional Theater. Additionally, he supported the community as a member of the Fayetteville Jaycees and Fayetteville Kiwanis Club.
Wayne was a member of First Presbyterian Church, and had been since his baptism there in 1935. He maintained a close relationship with the church, eventually becoming a deacon and later an elder, as well as a dedicated Stephen Ministry leader and Sunday school teacher. Wayne was also active in working with the Men of the Church in their efforts to provide assistance and mentoring to the youth of the church.
A loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, great-uncle, and friend, Wayne was loved and respected by the many people he touched during his life. He was kind, generous, selfless to a fault and uncommonly funny. With the love of spouses and children, he and his twin sister, Janet, though separated by distance, were able to celebrate all 78 birthdays together. He was adored by countless people and made countless more smile and laugh, and for that he will be remembered, always.
Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013, in First Presbyterian Church, with burial following in Cross Creek Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service in Eller Hall at the church.
Surviving are his wife, Betty J. Lewis of the home; sons, Michael Wayne Lewis and wife Carol Robayo of Prescott Valley, Ariz., and James Philip Lewis of Charlotte; brother, James Oliver Lewis and wife Kathryn Paton of Southern Pines; twin sister, Janet Lewis Rice and husband Dr. William Rice Jr. of Winston-Salem; and grandson, Michael Wayne Lewis III.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Jobe and Elizabeth Lewis; brothers, J.D. Lewis Jr. and Leon Lewis; and sisters, Lillian Lewis Loyd and Mary Elizabeth Lewis.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Third Century Campaign, First Presbyterian Church, 102 Ann St., Fayetteville, NC 28301.
Services enstructed to Jernigan-Warren Funeral Home of Fayetteville.
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Laser-sensitive drug seals blood vessels in a flash
By Belle Dumé (Image: Nature/H Anderson) A way to close off diseased blood vessels with unprecedented accuracy using a zap of laser light has been tested in mice. The technique developed by Canadian, British and American researchers could be used to shut off blood vessels to treat certain tumours or a common eye disease. It is a significant upgrade to an existing treatment called photodynamic therapy (PDT), which involves injecting a light-sensitive compound into diseased tissue. Exposing the compound to laser light generates a high-energy form of oxygen that is toxic to cells. Using standard PDT, it is very difficult to focus the effect onto diseased cells without destroying adjacent healthy tissue. And the laser light needed can only penetrate 1 centimetre into the tissue. A new compound made by Harry Anderson and colleagues at Oxford University can tackle both those problems. Each molecule of the new drug is able to absorb two photons instead of just one, as for current PDT compounds. The drug displays a physical phenomenon known as two-photon excitation, which means much less energy is needed to perform the procedure. As a result, low-energy near-infrared light can be used, which can penetrate two or three times deeper into living tissue, depending on the particular tissue. That would allow many more uses for PDT. The process is also more accurate, explains Anderson. The underlying physics means the amount of two-photon excitation declines extremely rapidly with increasing distance from the focus of the laser beam. In tests on living mice, Brian Wilson of the University of Toronto, Canada, and colleagues, were able to close blood vessels with “exquisite spatial selectivity”, using pulses of laser light to “draw” along vessels they wanted to close. “The most immediate application is treating [advanced] age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by closing off unwanted blood capillaries,” Anderson told New Scientist. “It might also be used to treat certain tumours, particularly where improved accuracy is required.” The team will now go on to investigate the toxicology of the new photosensitive drug, and test its efficacy against tumours. “We are also experimenting with related compounds in an attempt to improve uptake by cells,” adds Anderson. “This paper is a breakthrough in two-photon PDT and I would mark it as in the top five important results for biophotonics in the past year,” commented David Cramb of the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, who also works on PDT. Attempts to make drugs capable two-photon excitation have faltered in the past, says Cramb. “There are many possibilities for this [new] technique – with the most obvious being for treating AMD.” Journal reference:
上一篇 ：安阳在心里
下一篇 Space station to be quantum communications hub?
面部识别排在右边，以识别你在街上
Computer learns to out-munch humans at Pac-Man
孩子们可以在市中心的COSMO世界自助餐中以1英镑的价格用餐
菲利普哈蒙德警告说，保守党叛乱分子不会投票反对军队改革
永利电玩城显示出意识的迹象
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Hillsburn – PAST EVENT
nigel@laughingheartmusic.com
http://www.hillsburn.com
Paul Aarntzen, one of Hillsburn’s three singers and the songwriting force behind the group, remembers clearly the first time they got together in the spring of 2014: “We crammed four people and six or eight instruments into my two-door hatchback, drove down to Hillsburn —the village on the Bay of Fundy where I used to live — and spent three straight days playing together.” After two or three such sessions, Aarntzen sold his house and moved to Halifax to work on the band full time.
Hillsburn released a self-titled, self-produced EP in October 2014. “At that point, we’d only been rehearsing seriously for a month, but we were excited to share what we’d been working on,” recalls Rosanna Burrill, another of Hillsburn’s singers and its de facto front person. “We rented a hundred bucks’ worth of gear and recorded the EP in one weekend.”
“We have a method of choosing songs and of putting arrangements together that’s emerged naturally over a year or so of playing together,” explains Jackson Fairfax-Perry, Hillsburn’s jack-of-all-trades keyboardist, saxophonist, and mandolin player. “I think there’s a feeling of settledness about our sound that comes out of that.”
The quartet also credits producer Jon Landry with helping to pull the project together. “We were a bit nervous about inviting a fifth voice into the process,” concedes Clayton Burrill, the third of Hillsburn’s singers and Rosanna’s older brother. “We all tend to have strong opinions and we weren’t sure if having another person involved would make it more difficult to get everyone on the same page.”
Sponsored by The Grand Banker.
All session by Hillsburn – PAST EVENT
Paul Aarntzen, one of Hillsburn’s three singers and the songwriting force behind the group, remembers clearly the first time they got together in the spring of 2014: “We crammed four people and six or eight instruments into my two-door hatchback, drove down to Hillsburn —the village on the Bay of Fundy where I used to live
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Book Design - W. David Powell
Summary:
Sue D. Burton's Little Steel is a poem of praise and lament. It praises two steelworkers who took a stand during an infamous 1937 strike at Republic Steel in Burton's hometown, Massillon, Ohio. It laments the refusal of others to take a stand against injustice or violence, in the community, in the family. The poem is the story of Massillon itself, once a thriving “company town,” now — in the aftermath of the mill's closing — struggling to rejuvenate itself. It weaves the poet's voice (sometimes passionate, sometimes ironic or edgy) with testimony from a number of sources: newspapers, oral history interviews, imagined interviews (St. Dymphna, Patroness of Sleepwalkers, whose national shrine is at the Massillon State Hospital).
Sue D. Burton has been awarded the Two Sylvias Press Poetry Prize (BOX, 2018), Fourth Genre’s Steinberg Prize, and a Vermont Arts Council grant. Her poetry has appeared in Beloit Poetry Journal, Blackbird, Green Mountains Review, Mudlark, New Ohio Review, and Shenandoah. She apprenticeship-trained as a physician assistant at the Vermont Women’s Health Center and has an MFA in Writing from Vermont College.
Praise:
The American Midwest, and especially the industrial Midwest, has become for too many of us a place characterized by snide pejoratives: it is the buckle of the Rust Belt, or a bundle of interchangeable Flyover States. Sue Burton’s masterly long poem reminds us that those who toiled in the Rust Belt factories played a pivotal role in the creation of what used to be called the American Dream, and were among the earliest victims of its betrayal. In a poem that is part documentary in the mode of Muriel Rukeyser’s The Book of The Dead and part a biographical study of the author’s parents that recalls Rita Dove’s Thomas and Beulah, Burton searchingly—and searingly—explores the impact of a bloody 1937 steel strike on her hometown of Massillon, Ohio: the lives that it changed, the lives that it ruined, and the ongoing legacy of that event, one that continues to haunt the poet. Little Steel is a work of fierce tenderness and consummate ambition, one in which the personal and the historical commingle and fuse. And, as Burton repeatedly reminds us, we cannot read Little Steel as a form of elegy: it is instead a work of hard-won—and deeply resonant—praise.
—David Wojahn, author of For the Scribe
Sue Burton’s Little Steel gives vivid color and beautiful form to the lives of those who extracted metal from the rocks of the earth and to the bygone world they created. Sometimes so gentle, sometimes so angry, but always intimate and intricately well-informed, this honest and moving study in verse is at once a great gift to the reader and a noble tribute to its subjects. It should be read and read closely by all who wish to understand how labor and labor struggles have shaped our world.
—Ahmed White, author of The Last Great Strike: Little Steel, the CIO, and the Struggle for Labor Rights in New Deal America
Little Steel is amazingly successful in its project of interweaving social and political history with private family drama. Through many acts of investigation and many painful memories, Burton leads us to feel depths of political and moral and psychological significance in the story of a labor strike in Massillon, Ohio, in 1937. She shows us how the arenas of the public and the personal intersect, and mirror each other. She is a bold and resourceful poet, bravely seeking meanings in charged images from the past, and her obsessive quest becomes very moving—as a search for renewal of love between daughter and father, as a struggle for “women’s health” in the largest sense, and as an affirmation of belief in community. Little Steel is a long poem of rare ambition and cumulative power.
—Mark Halliday, author of Thresherphobe
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Making America 'Crude' Again: U.S. Oil And Gas Industry Feels The Trump Effect
Gaurav Sharma Contributor
Commodities & Currencies
I cover commodities, mostly oil & gas, often debunking risk premiums.
By any stretch of anyone’s imagination, it is fair to say the lead up to, as well as the first few days of the Donald Trump administration have been nothing short of spectacular for U.S. Oil and Gas Inc. Barely hours after Trump had taken office as the 45th President of the USA, an overhauled White House website proudly declared its new found pro energy industry credentials. Guidance on climate change – a key feature of the Obama administration's policy framework – was swiftly erased from the site.
Then three days into his presidency, Trump gave his explicit backing to two controversial pipeline projects – Keystone XL and Dakota Access – provided American steel is used in their construction giving his "America First Energy Plan" a novel dimension. How could you possibly trump the wider appeal of projects boosting the country's energy industry, providing jobs and utilizing domestic steel to boot.
On the campaign trail, Trump always maintained that he wants to see America's "hurting" coal industry firing on all cylinders and expressed views that supporting the U.S. shale revolution would boost tax receipts and create jobs. There is no reason to doubt he won't follow through on his words with actions. In case you had forgotten, former ExxonMobil Chief Executive Rex Tillerson is his Secretary of State, and former Texas Governor Rick Perry is in the Energy Secretary’s chair.
US President Donald Trump speaks before signing executive orders on 24 January 2017 reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines - Keystone XL and Dakota Access. (Photo: Nicholas Kamm / AFP / Getty Images)
Away from the Trump Train, it is an added bonus that 24 leading crude producers, including members of oil cartel OPEC and non-OPEC Russia, have delivered 80% of the oil production cuts they promised back in December. The 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd) taken out of the global daily supply pool by the 24 has at the very least ensured that both Brent and West Texas Intermediate futures are a respectable distance above $50 per barrel and hold the promise of stabilizing around $55.
Bjarne Schieldrop, chief commodities analyst at Nordic bank SEB, says in 2016 there were huge doubts about the extent to which U.S. shale players were hurt and weakened by the downturn. “Would they be able to respond to higher prices or would they just slowly limp along with little response despite higher prices? Few placed faith in any OPEC action as production from that side was rising strongly. Now however, the uncertainty around both of these factors has cleared to a large degree. American shale oil producers are alive and kicking.”
Rig data, gathered in the wake of the recent oil price stability, had already been indicating that the U.S. industry’s mojo was back. But Trump’s soundbites and actions have put the industry on steroids as it attempts to shake off a two-year long downturn in an era of ‘lower for longer’ oil prices and discovers a new normal.
Issuing an executive order backing Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipeline might have infuriated environmentalists, but was widely cheered by the industry and not to mention Trump's core supporters.
The move also highlighted the necessity of energy infrastructure during trying times for the industry, says Deborah Byers, Oil & Gas Leader and Managing Partner of EY’s Houston practice. “President Trump’s executive orders on the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines as well as the Senate Democrats infrastructure plan (which includes $100 billion for energy infrastructure) points to an emerging consensus that the U.S., as a country, needs to invest more in energy infrastructure.
“However, on both fronts, there are obviously many details that need to be ironed out. Hopefully President Trump and Congress will work together to find a consensus for moving energy forward.”
The decision is likely to have a much broader impact extending beyond a few pipelines, and the message matters too. “The executive order demonstrates the current administration's strong intention to smooth out Federal regulatory hurdles for energy infrastructure projects and to promote domestic energy production,” notes Kathleen Connelly, Director of Midstream Energy Corporates at Fitch Ratings (North America).
Consensus on Wall Street also suggests Trump’s tactics should help move larger scale energy infrastructure projects forward and assist in alleviating industry concerns around the potential cost impact from regulatory delays at the very least.
Away from downstream and midstream, ratings agencies, while acknowledging the challenges faced by upstream players, also note that U.S. exploration and production transactions are picking up.
According to Fitch data, the Permian shale basin continues to exhibit considerable activity and has seen valuations rise on an acreage and drilling location basis. “Average acreage values are up about 50% from the first half of 2016 to over $35,500 per acre, while average drilling location values are up 57% to $2.2 million, with some approaching $3 million per location,” the ratings agency wrote in a recent client note, although it did add a caveat that “evidence of acreage flipping suggests valuations could be getting overdone, introducing the potential for lower full-cycle returns.”
Nonetheless, whichever way you look at it, the American oil and gas industry in general, and shale players in particular, would rather be where they are in January 2017, than January 2016 when the oil price slid below $30.
To quote the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA): “Current crude oil prices near $50 have led to increased investment by some production companies, particularly those operating in the Permian Basin in Texas and New Mexico. A price recovery above $50 could contribute to supply growth in US tight oil regions.”
And the EIA’s latest modeled projections of what may happen in the market in the future, point to the U.S. becoming a net energy exporter by 2050. Trump’s presidency would have been long consigned into the history books by then, but the ‘crude’ decisions the man in the White House takes during his time in office could well shape what might follow.
The author is an oil market analyst and Business Editor of IBTimes UK. Follow him on Twitter @The_Oilholic
I am a UK-based oil & gas sector analyst and business news editor/writer with over 20 years of experience in the financial and trade press. I have worked on all majo...
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Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Rosamund Pike, Eddie Marsan, Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine, Pierce Brosnan, Bill Nighy
Synopsis: Approaching middle age, Gary King (Simon Pegg) is an aimless alcoholic stuck trying to recapture the glory days of his teenage years. His four best friends from high school, Peter (Eddie Marsan), Oliver (Martin Freeman), Steven (Paddy Considine), and Andy (Nick Frost) have long since moved on and have normal ives and jobs.
Gary tracks them down one by one, and persuades them to reunite with him in their home town of Newton Haven. Gary's plan is to complete the "Golden Mile," a pub crawl consisting of twelve specific bars. After drinking a pint of beer at each location, the journey is to conclude at a pub called The World's End. The only voice of reason amongst the group is Oliver's sister Sam (Rosamund Pike), who just happens to be visiting.
The crawl was attempted during their teenage years, but never finished. And for some reason, Gary seems hell-bent on completing the task. But halfway through, the five happen upon a bizarre extraterrestrial plot to conquer earth. Too drunk to escape Newton Haven by car, Gary and his friends find themselves not only fighting for their lives, but also coming to terms with the compromises, disappointments, and broken dreams that come with growing up.
The Good: It's great seeing the minds behind Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz reunited again. And for the most part, The World's End delivers. The strongest elements are the characters and screenplay, this time with Nick Frost playing the straight man to Simon Pegg's wildly irresponsible protagonist.
The dialogue and jokes are quick paced, clever, and often hilarious. The zany plot is fun, but it's not the action that makes the movie so much as it is watching how the characters react to all the things happening to them.
As with Edgar Wright's previous two films, The World's End has some genuinely moving and emotional moments as well. Although the subject of middle age, midlife crises, and happiness are nothing new, this comedy does take time to explore them with some degree of depth.
The Bad: The movie would have been plenty funny with just the endless amount of jokes and verbal jabbing between the main characters. The action, although necessary, almost slows the story down at times. Fight sequences go on a little too long, and the abundance of digital effects got a little tedious. Also, the movie gets a bit carried away with itself by the final act.
Who would like this movie: If you enjoyed Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, you'll definitely want to see this one. The humor and characters are the movie's strongest elements, although the physical comedy has its moments as well. It's fun to see Pierce Brosnan in the picture as Gary King's old high school teacher, but unlike fellow former bond actor Timothy Dalton (who appeared in Hot Fuzz), Brosnan is underutilized.
The ending is a bit far-fetched and a jarring contrast to rest of the story's feel, but Simon Pegg and Nick Frost have an onscreen chemistry that manages to carry the picture through.
Review written by: Joe Yang
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Feds: Michigan man charged with threatening to assassinate Trump
A Michigan man allegedly told U.S. Secret Service agents he was going to kill President Trump. Days later, he threatened to kill a woman he met online
Feds: Michigan man charged with threatening to assassinate Trump A Michigan man allegedly told U.S. Secret Service agents he was going to kill President Trump. Days later, he threatened to kill a woman he met online Check out this story on Freep.com: http://on.freep.com/2gEUxRE
Tresa Baldas, Detroit Free Press Published 6:22 p.m. ET Oct. 24, 2017 | Updated 10:26 p.m. ET Oct. 24, 2017
President Trump did follow through on his promise to send a personal check for $25,000 to a Gold Star family. However, it was dated on the same day as a Washington Post report that said the family was still waiting. Veuer's Nick Cardona (@nickcardona93) has that story. Buzz60
President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 24, 2017.(Photo: JIM LO SCALZO, EPA)
A Michigan man has been charged with threatening to assassinate President Donald Trump, allegedly saying he would blow his "white brains out" in a series of rants to federal agents.
According to a criminal complaint unsealed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Detroit, the accused is James Anthony Jackson, a professional truck driver who in the last year has threatened Trump, his relatives and a woman he met online.
The U.S. Secret Service started investigating Jackson on Oct. 12, when Jackson allegedly called the agency's Detroit and Chicago field offices and said, "better watch Donald Trump ass ... ya'll think someone playing ... I am going to blow white brains out ... his mother (expletive) head."
"It appeared as if Jackson was spoofing his phone number," Secret Service agent Matthew Lariviere wrote in an affidavit.
Neither Jackson's hometown nor age were provided.
According to court records, on Oct. 18, Jackson made more nuisance calls to Detroit's Secret Service office, saying "why ya'll messing with my wires" and "I'm going to blow Trump's brains out."
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The phone number he was calling from had a 616 area code, which is western Michigan. It was traced to James Jackson Profit Group LLC in Grand Rapids. The address was for an outreach group that Jackson had last visited on Oct. 6, asking about mail services, court records show.
According to court records, cell phone data showed that Jackson frequently called a specific phone number with a 517 area code that belonged to a woman he met on an online meeting site. He started communicating with her on Oct. 18 and started to harass and threaten her as well, telling her he was "going to cut off her head and parade it in front of the White House for Trump" and that he was going to "Kill President Trump."
On Oct. 20, a U.S. Secret Service agent spoke with Jackson's uncle, who stated that "neither he nor his family has spoken with Jackson over a year." The uncle also said that Jackson has been calling family members, cursing and threating them, court records show.
That same day, the federal agent interviewed Jackson's sister and played a recording for her. She confirmed that it was her brother's voice -- the same one that threatened the president's life. Jackson was arrested in Idaho.
An attorney of record is not yet known for Jackson. It is not clear from court records if he has been arrested. He is charged with threatening the President of the United States, a felony punishable by up to five years in prison, and faces a detention hearing on Friday.
The U.S. Attorneys office declined comment, noting the case is still evolving.
Tresa Baldas can be reached at tbaldas@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @Tbaldas
Read or Share this story: http://on.freep.com/2gEUxRE
Critics of massive Birmingham development silenced at city meeting
Michigan adopts deer hunting rules to halt chronic wasting disease
After years of complaints, Michigan women's prison getting big fix
I-94 reopened after street sweeper crash shuts down highway
3-car crash in Lyon Township kills 1, injures 2
Ann Arbor boy, 13, drowns in Lake Michigan
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Lori Culwell is making observations.
« Hilarious and disturbing, all at once... | Main | Things, and stuff, and The Cougar... »
This Just In: Billy Bob Thornton is an Ingrate.
I've been busy doing publicity for my two books that are coming out on May 5th, so I apologize I haven't been posting very much over here. By "publicity," I of course mean radio shows, arranging giveaways and doing interviews, coordinating book signings, and stuff like that. Maybe it's just me, but I still feel so incredibly lucky that people like reading what I write, and that I have two publishers for two books that doing publicity is absolutely no problem at all. Of any kind. No matter what. In fact, someone asked me during an interview the other day if I mind if my novel is called "chick lit," and I'm like "HELL NO-- call it whatever you want, as long as you buy it and read it." Because dude, I don't even want to tell you how hard it was to get here. Or maybe I will tell you, if you want to use it as publicity. Let's just say it involved alot of writing, and alot of crying.
Maybe that's why Billy Bob Thornton's recent antics have rubbed me the wrong way so much. Have you been following this whole thing? I keep meaning to mention it, then I forget, and then it makes the news again and I am once again reminded of what an incredible douchebag Billy Bob Thorton is, and how he has forgotten all about the "crying" phase of his career where he couldn't get anyone interested in him, and when no one would return his phonecalls, and how he lived in his car (or whatever, I don't know his story). So, if you’re just joining us now, here’s a recap:
April 8th: BBT, on tour with his band the Boxcutters, goes on a Canadian radio show, where his “people” instruct the host not to mention the fact that he’s an Academy Award winning screenwriter and actor. Because right, a 48 year old drummer in a random band is really going to be able to get publicity for himself and his band based totally on his music. When the radio host does what any reasonable person would do and tries to ask Thorton how his MUSIC CONNECTS TO HIS CAREER, he totally stonewalls and starts talking about how he built a monster from a kit when he was a kid, and how he doesn’t know Willie Nelson even though he’s out on tour with him, and then he makes some weird references that basically compare all Canadians to bland gravy, and then when the radio host actually asks his band to play music, he acts all offended and condescending and says that he’s not going to play since he’s the drummer and they don’t cart the drum kit around at 6:30 in the morning, which basically says to me that the whole reason his bandmates brought him with for the interview was because he’s BILLY BOB THORTON AND PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW WHAT HE’S DOING.
Here’s that interview, in case you didn’t see it. It really starts to get uncomfortable around…well, the whole thing is kind of sucky, actually. If this doesn't make you totally despise Billy Bob Thornton, who in case you've forgotton, IS THAT GUY FROM SLINGBLADE, I don't know what will: http://www.youtube.com/qtv
Bottom line: Billy Bob Thorton needs to get right over himself. He obviously has an incredible sense of entitlement and has lost any sort of connection with the struggles of real artists and how grateful we should all be if our work gets even a shred of attention, for any reason. Every moment of this interview makes me want to punch him in the face.
OK, then word gets out that BBT is such a jerk, and Canadian audiences start to boo him at his concerts, and instead of just manning up and apologizing for acting like an a-hole, he cancels the rest of his band’s Canadian appearances, claiming that his whole band and crew have the flu. So, nice. Now you’re upset because someone called you a SUCCESSFUL ACTOR and you threw a tantrum, and some Canadians called you on it, and you’re running away instead of facing the music (no. pun. Intended) and causing your bandmates (and crew) to miss out on paying gigs. Dude, again, you’re a drummer in a band that would be totally unknown without your fame. Give up the attitude. Give it up!
Then I forget about it for a little while and stop wanting to put my high-heeled shoe in his ass for being so ungrateful, and THEN he goes on Jimmy Kimmel Live (which, um, he couldn’t even do if he wasn’t BILLY BOB THORNTON, THE GUY FROM SLING BLADE) to say that he’s ASTOUNDED that this is news, but that he’s glad it gives “humpback geeks” something to do. Notice that he knows better than to correct Jimmy Kimmel for calling him an “Academy Award Winning Actor.”
This sends me over the edge into a Culwelll-sponsored episode of “REALLY? With Billy Bob Thornton.” That goes like this:
Billy Bob Thornton. REALLY? You’re a 48 year old drummer on a promotional tour that you’re only on because you’re an actor, and then you command a radio host not to mention the very reason people know you, then people get upset, and you’re surprised that this is news? REALLY? Have you not noticed the economy falling down around us? You are fortunate enough to have one career everyone in the world wants, you’re married six times (one of them to ANGELINA JOLIE), you’re a multimillionaire, you’ve won an Academy Award, all despite a marginal amount of education and a total lack of handsomeness. THEN you feel like switching careers mid-stream, and by some MIRACLE you are granted a record deal and start living YET ANOTHER DREAM JOB of so many, and then you act like an absolute, entitled a-hole to a poor hardworking radio host. Then you are SURPRISED that people are upset? REALLY. Let me make it clear for you: YOU LOOK LIKE YOU SHOULD BE WORKING IN A TIRE STORE IN ARKANSAS. You were deserving of our love in Slingblade, but if you keep going like this, we are going to take our love away. You are so lucky to be where you are, you literally should be living inside a bubble of gratitude that makes you bake a cake for everyone who even wants to consider you in your role as “musician.” You are an embarrassment to hard-working, big-dreaming artists everywhere, and you are making all of us look bad, and we want you to go away.
Get over yourself, Billy Bob Thornton. Don’t make me smack you. I couldn't care less if you're weird and skinny and afraid of food and antiques.
Monday, April 27, 2009 in People Baffle Me Sometimes | Permalink
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El Niño swept away huge chunks of the west coast last winter
Haberkip Fred MooreCalifornia CoastDuring the strong El Niño event during the winter of 2015-2016 the West Coast's shoreline eroded precipitously.In January of last year, drones captured video of houses perched perilously on rapidly-eroding cliffs along California’s...
Fred MooreCalifornia CoastDuring the strong El Niño event during the winter of 2015-2016 the West Coast's shoreline eroded precipitously.In January of last year, drones captured video of houses perched perilously on rapidly-eroding cliffs along California’s...
Fred Moore
During the strong El Niño event during the winter of 2015-2016 the West Coast's shoreline eroded precipitously.
In January of last year, drones captured video of houses perched perilously on rapidly-eroding cliffs along California’s coast. Those houses in Pacifica, California weren’t alone, as waves driven by El Niño tore away huge chunks of the shoreline over the winter of 2015-2016.
Now, researchers have had a chance to take stock of the damage, and found that in many places, the shoreline eroded far past the normal beating taken during winter storms.
In a study published Tuesday in Nature Communications, researchers found that the shorelines eroded 76 percent more than normal, a dramatic increase.
“Typically, we have larger waves in the winter and you lose about 20 meters of beach, then in the calmer summer and fall, the beach builds back up,” Patrick Barnard says. Barnard is a coastal geologist with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the lead author of the Nature Communications study.
He found that last winter, some beaches lost as much as 35 meters (114 feet) of sand. Long-buried bedrock and pilings from old piers reappeared as sand was swept away, exposing cliffs like the ones in Pacifica to the full fury of the waves.
Along with high sea surface temperatures and other climatic factors, those waves made the El Nino event of 2015-2016 one of the largest in recent history, ranking with El Niño heavyweights of 1982-1983 and 1997-1996. In the paper, Barnard and colleagues show that this was one of the strongest events in the past 145 years.
Gary Griggs (no relation to the author), is another coastal geologist who studies the erosion along the coast, and wasn’t involved with the current study. Griggs is more hesitant to compare the events of 2015-2016 with events so far back in the past. Wave strength data has only been collected for about 40 years, and while early settlers in California might have enjoyed the beach, they weren’t mapping it seasonally. “We don’t have 100 years of beach profiles,” Griggs says. But, the unavailability of longer data sets notwithstanding, “I think they’ve done everything they can with the data available.” Griggs says, agreeing that this was a very large and powerful event that affected the entire West Coast.
Both Barnard and Griggs worry that the future of the beaches could be grim.
“During the last very large El Niño in 1997-1998 the beaches took a decade to recover,” Barnard says.
After last winter, the beaches only bounced back by about 60 percent in the summer, as calmer seas pushed some of the sand that had been excavated back towards shore. Beaches also get a helping hand from the land.
Sediment and sand to replenish the beaches is washed out to sea by rivers, and California's unusually wet winter this year is helping in that regard. Griggs says that flooding just a few weeks ago in some areas was powerful enough to sweep cars down onto a beach. Anything that carries SUV's can also carry sand.
But recovery is a slow process. While strong storms sweep sediment towards the beach from the land, they can also bring powerful waves that eat away the coast even more. While runoff from recent storms could be a boon to the beaches, the shorelines remain vulnerable, and could get more vulnerable in the future.
“The science is settled,” Barnard says emphatically. “The climate is changing, and it's changing more rapidly. Sea levels are rising they’re rising more rapidly.”
“The big question for us is what's going to happen when we have an El Niño event like this and a meter of sea level rise."
Even without a strong El Niño event like last year’s, a meter of sea level rise could have a significant impact on coastline and people that live on the coasts around the world.
“There are about 150 million people living within 3 feet of high tide,” Griggs says, adding that eight of the 10 largest cities in the country are located along coasts. While natural systems like mangroves or seagrasses might eventually respond to sea level rise, “You can't move cites very easily,” Griggs says.
“In some sense this is an indication of what's to come,” Barnard says. “With sea level rise it wouldn't take as much of an El Niño event to have this kind of impact.”
Publish Date : 15 Şubat 2017 Çarşamba 17:49
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University of Waterloo develop fuel cell technology
By Molly Burgess2019-05-10T14:21:00+01:00
The University of Waterloo has made advancements in zero-emission fuel cells which they believe could make the technology cheap enough to replace traditional gasoline engines.
The newly developed fuel cell has the ability to last at least ten times longer than currently technology.
“With our design approach, the cost could be comparable or even cheaper than gasoline engines,” said Xianguo Li, Director of the Fuel Cell and Green Energy Lab at Waterloo.
“The future is very bright. This is clean energy that could boom.”
Source: University of Waterloo
Implementation of current fuel cell technology has experienced draw backs due to high pricing; the researchers have now solved that problem with a design that makes fuel cells more durable by delivery a constant, rather than fluctuating, amount of electricity.
The fuel cells produce electricity from the chemical reaction when hydrogen and oxygen are combined to make water means the process is much simpler and cheaper.
“We have found a way to lower costs and still satisfy durability and performance expectations,” said Li, Professor of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering.
“We’re meeting economic targets while providing zero emissions for a transportation application.”
“This is a good first step, a transition to what could be the answer to the internal combustion engine and the enormous environmental harm it does.”
Researchers hope the introduction of fuel cells in hybrid vehicles will lead to mass production and lower unit costs.
GAWDA provides discount to University of Innovative event
GAWDA invites members to attend a concentrated educational programme focused on the unique needs of the industrial wholesale distribution industry.
Air Liqude releases study on H2 mobility in UAE
Air Liquide, Khalifa University of Science and Technology and Al-Futtaim Motors have released a joint study outlining the contribution of hydrogen (H2) to the energy transition and demonstrating the prospects for H2 mobility in the UAE.
Imperial University receives hydrogen car
The Faculty of Engineering, a department within the Imperial College London, has taken delivery of a Toyota Mirai, the world’s leading hydrogen (H2) fuel cell car, to assist research into the potential of H2.
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German Cartoon Riots: Clubs, Bottles and Stones
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/3052/german-cartoon-riots
Rather than cracking down on the Muslim extremists, however, the German authorities have sought to silence the peaceful critics of multicultural policies that allow the Salafists openly to preach violence and hate.
In an explosion of violence that reflects the growing assertiveness of Salafists in Germany, on May 5th more than 500 radical Muslims attacked German police with bottles, clubs, stones and other weapons in the city of Bonn, to protest cartoons they said were "offensive."
Rather than cracking down on the Muslim extremists, however, German authorities have sought to silence the peaceful critics of multicultural policies that allow the Salafists -- who say they are committed to imposing Islamic Sharia law throughout Europe -- openly to preach violence and hate.
The clashes erupted when around 30 supporters of a conservative political party, PRO NRW, which is opposed to the further spread of Islam in Germany, participated in a campaign rally ahead of regional elections in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). Some of those participating in the rally, which was held near the Saudi-run King Fahd Academy in the Mehlem district of Bonn, the former capital of West Germany, had been waving banners depicting the Islamic Prophet Mohammad (see photo here), to protest the Islamization of Germany.
The rally swiftly disintegrated into violence (photos here and here) when hundreds of angry Salafists, who are opposed to any depiction of their prophet, began attacking the police, whose job it was to keep the two groups apart.
In the final tally of the melee, 29 police officers were injured, two with serious stab wounds, and more than 100 Salafists were arrested, although most were later released. A 25-year-old German protester of Turkish origin, suspected of having stabbed the two police officers, remained in custody on suspicion of attempted homicide.
According to Bonn's police chief, Ursula Brohl-Sowa, "This was an explosion of violence such as we have not witnessed in a long time."
Germany's intelligence and security agencies say they are closely monitoring the Salafists, who are increasingly viewed as posing a threat to German security.
Salafism, a branch of radical Islam practiced in Saudi Arabia, seeks to establish an Islamic empire (Caliphate) across the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, and eventually the entire world. The Caliphate would be governed exclusively by Islamic Sharia law, which would apply both to Muslims and to non-Muslims. Salafists also believe, among other disconcerting doctrines, that democracies -- governments made by men as opposed to theirs, which was made by the almighty -- legitimately deserve to be destroyed.
According to German Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich, "Salafism is currently the most dynamic Islamist movement in Germany as well as internationally. Its fanatic followers represent a particular danger for Germany's security. The Salafists provide the ideological foundation for those who then turn violent."
The interior minister of the German state of Lower Saxony, Uwe Schünemann, said, "The violence of the Salafists in Bonn has once again shown what is behind the mask of supposed religiosity: nothing but brute force." He also said that the violence was "a direct challenge to liberal democracy as a whole."
The interior minister of Bavaria, Joachim Hermann, said that: "We cannot tolerate violent retribution and revenge. We apply the rule of law, not Islamic vigilante justice." He added that Salafists should be "brought to justice and severely punished," and that "We have to monitor the Salafist scene even more. And we have to be more diligent in cracking down on hate and violence. We cannot allow that terrorists and violent criminals are free to operate under our noses. We need to take action against Salafism and its intolerant, fanatical ideology with all legal means."
Despite these and many other pronouncements, Salafists still have free reign in Germany: Salafist preachers are known regularly to preach hatred against the West in the mosques and prayer centers that are proliferating across the country.
In recent weeks, Salafists have been engaged in an unprecedented nationwide campaign to distribute 25 million copies of the Koran, translated into the German language, with the goal of placing one Koran in every home in Germany, free of charge.
The mass proselytization campaign -- called Project "READ!" -- is being organized by dozens of Islamic Salafist groups located in cities and towns throughout Germany, as well as in Austria and Switzerland.
According to the German newspaper Die Welt, the Salafists have launched a "frontal assault" against people of other faiths and "unbelievers." Die Welt has reported that German authorities view the Koran project, which fundamentalists are using as a recruiting tool, as a "most worrisome" campaign for radical Islam. Security analysts say the campaign is also a public-relations gimmick intended to persuade Germans that the Salafists are transparent and "citizen friendly."
A spokesperson for the Berlin branch of Germany's domestic intelligence agency, the Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz (BfV) told Die Welt that "the objective of this campaign is to help bring those who are interested into contact with the Salafist scene to influence them in the context of extremist political ideologies."
In response to Project "READ!" PRO-NRW launched a cartoon contest under the motto "Freedom Instead of Islam." The contest, which ended on April 25, generated dozens of submissions. The winning entry was a cartoon depicting a Christian church surrounded by six minarets (Muslim prayer towers) with the caption: "I think the church in Germany has integrated itself very well." Some of the other submissions can be found at a German free-speech website called Politically Incorrect.
As Muslims have said they feel offended, and as Europe prides itself on being multicultural, left wing politicians have converted the "Freedom Instead of Islam" cartoon contest into protest against free speech. After releasing all but two of the Salafists responsible for the brawl on May 5th, the Interior Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Ralf Jäger, cast blame on the democratic -- and peaceful -- PRO NRW. He ordered police to prevent PRO NRW from displaying anti-Islam any more cartoons during the final phase of the state's regional election campaign, to be held on May 13th.
Jäger, who is a member of the center-left Social Democrats, characterized PRO NRW as a "far- right extremist group" and said the group's cartoons had been a "deliberate provocation" that had triggered the attacks by the Salafists.
The guardians of German multiculturalism, enabled by the German mainstream media, invariably label PRO NRW "far-right" – presumably to dismiss its views rather than examine them. Ironically, most of the PRO NRW group's members, including its senior leadership, hail from the center-right Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) and could never -- even with the most extreme exertion -- ever be considered extremists.
PRO NRW's members have, in all likelihood, just been frustrated by the refusal of the mainstream center-right parties to push back against the steady Islamization of Germany; they describe themselves as a citizen's movement (Bürgerbewegung), possibly akin to the Tea Party movement in the United States. The group's members say they love their country and are upset about the direction in which politicians are taking it.
On May 6th, administrative courts in the towns of Arnsberg and Minden ruled that Jäger's ban on PRO NRW freedom of speech was unconstitutional, and authorized the group to continue its campaign activities.
PRO NRW, in a statement, declared that the favorable court decisions were "predictable, because the law and our Constitution have not changed overnight. The only amazing thing is that an Interior Minister who has sworn to uphold the Constitution keeps enacting unlawful decrees."
PRO NRW also reminded politicians that they have "the responsibility to provide the police with sufficient human, financial and material resources" for them to do their job. Spokesmen for the organization said, "It is unacceptable that, as was the case in Bonn, too few police officers were exposed to an aggressive mob. Where were the water cannons or the dogs? Unfortunately, 29 injured police officers have paid a bitter price. They have our sincere sympathy. To Mr. Jäger and other responsible politicians, we have only one thing to say: Resign immediately."
Free speech lives on in Germany... for now, at least.
Soeren Kern is Senior Fellow for European Politics at the Madrid-based Grupo de Estudios Estratégicos / Strategic Studies Group. Follow him on Facebook.
Follow Soeren Kern on Twitter and Facebook
Related Topics: Germany
Recent Articles by Soeren Kern
Germany: Nest of Middle Eastern Spies, 2019-07-17
European Union: Toward a European Superstate, 2019-07-08
Europe's Missing Islamic State Fighters, 2019-06-29
Britain's Back-Door Blasphemy Law, 2019-06-08
Making Sense of the European Elections, 2019-06-03
FREE ATENA DAEMI!
Atena Daemi, a popular 29-year-old women's rights activist and campaigner against the death penalty, was violently re-arrested by Iranian authorities on November 26, 2016. In September, an Iranian appeals court sentenced Ms. Daemi to seven years in prison for her peaceful activism.
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Home > Browse the GEICO Insurance Information Center > Car Insurance Requirements And Laws By State > New York Car Insurance
Upstate New York Car Insurance
Upstate New York Auto Insurance—The Basics
If you're looking for Upstate New York auto insurance, you've come to the right place. GEICO has great rates and superior auto insurance in areas such as Albany and Utica to keep you safe while driving in the great state of New York.
Where Exactly Is Upstate New York?
Although many people refer to anything outside of New York City and Long Island as "Upstate New York," New Yorkers know that's a misnomer. New York State contains several distinct regions, each with its own unique identity and culture.
The real "Upstate New York" is more accurately Northern New York, or the North Country, including places like the Adirondacks, Plattsburgh, and Thousand Islands. This region has close economic and cultural ties to its northern neighbors of Quebec and Eastern Ontario as well as western New England.
The Capital District, sometimes called the Tri-Cities Area, refers to Albany, Schenectady, and Troy and their surrounding areas. Centrally located just three hours from Boston, New York City, and Montreal, this lively and energetic region is considered the epicenter of New York's "Tech Valley," as it boasts one of the nation's fastest growing high–tech job markets. It is also home to many world-renowned academic and research institutions.
Central New York encompasses places west of the Capital District area, such as Syracuse, Cooperstown, Rome, Utica, Ithaca, Auburn and the surrounding areas. The self-described "Heart of New York," the Central New York Region is a virtual microcosm of New York State, including everything from big city attractions to small town appeal.
Western New York is a region rich in natural beauty and abundant resources, where you'll find areas like Buffalo, Niagara, Jamestown and Rochester. If St. Louis, Missouri, is considered the Gateway to the West, perhaps Western New York can be considered the Gateway to the Midwest, as it has cultural and industrial ties to both the Midwest and the Northeast.
Major Highways Of New York State
The primary thoroughfare of New York State is the Governor Thomas E. Dewey (New York State) Thruway. Traveling from Exit 1 to Exit 61 on the NYS Thruway will take you 495.5 miles through the Empire State (and cost you more than $20 in tolls). The NYS Thruway runs north/south as Interstate 87 through Westchester and the Hudson Valley up to the state capital of Albany; there it turns westward and becomes Interstate 90, passing through (or near) Utica, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo. At Buffalo Niagara International Airport, near Cheektowaga, the Thruway cuts southwest and runs parallel with the shoreline of Lake Erie to the New York-Pennsylvania border.
Other large highways in New York State include the Adirondack Northway, which is the continuation of Interstate 87 from Albany north beyond Plattsburgh.
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New York Car Insurance
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Climate policy heats up after the Great Recession.
Michael T. Burr, Editor-in-Chief
Michael T. Burr is Fortnightly’s editor-in-chief. Email him at burr@pur.com
Fortnightly Magazine - February 2014
It’s been smoldering for a while.
Last decade, climate regulation seemed inevitable. The year 2003 saw the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative emerge in the Northeast. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed California’s AB32 in 2006. Dozens more states established their own climate action plans. And in 2009, early in the Obama administration, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued its famous “endangerment finding,” setting the stage for federal regulation of greenhouse gas (GHG) under the Clean Air Act.
Still we watch for sparks of flame.
The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) in 2009 lent support to the Waxman-Markey cap-and-trade bill, which passed in the U.S. House but went nowhere in the Senate. Climate change got pushed to the back burner, usurped by TARP, ARRA, and Obamacare – not to mention the backlash from a newly elected House Republican majority.
Nevertheless, the smoldering continued. The courts upheld EPA’s endangerment finding, while turning away nuisance lawsuits in the context of impending regulation. Hundreds of cities across the country advanced separate efforts to reduce GHG emissions. RGGI grew (and shrank when Gov. Chris Christie took New Jersey out of the group). And renewable and clean energy initiatives at federal and state levels proceeded and (mostly) expanded, with GHG-abatement lurking as a key policy driver.
Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
Clean Air Act
EEI
Waxman
Cap-and-trade
Coal-fired
David Littell
111(d)
David Farnsworth
Regulatory Assistance Project
Steve Beshear
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Trump rails against illegal immigration, says 'women are raped at levels nobody has ever seen before' on journey to US
By Brooke Singman, | Fox News
Trump on caravan: Women raped at levels never seen before
Speaking to supporters in West Virginia, President Trump addresses illegal immigration, references controversial 'rape' remark from presidential campaign launch.
President Trump railed against illegal immigration Thursday, claiming that “women are raped at levels nobody has ever seen before,” in reference to the journey north to the United States.
At a round-table event in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia -- slated to discuss tax reform -- Trump instead started his discussion with a focus on the border and illegal immigration.
“Remember my opening remarks at Trump Tower when I opened—everybody said ‘oh, he was so tough.’ I used the word ‘rape,’” Trump said, referring to his controversial comment at the start of the presidential campaign when he said “rapists” were coming across the U.S.-Mexico border illegally.
“Yesterday, it came out and this journey coming up, women are raped at levels that nobody has ever seen before,” Trump said. “They don’t want to mention that. So we have to change our laws.”
When asked what the president was referring to in regard to the “levels” of rapes, a White House official said the president was referring to “a stat.”
“There is extensive and extreme victimization of those making the journey north with coyotes/smugglers in general,” a White House official told Fox News on Thursday. “This has been widely reported for years.”
The White House official directed Fox News to an article initially published in September 2014 by The Huffington Post titled “80% of Central American Women, Girls are Raped Crossing into the U.S.”
According to a report by Amnesty International, a staggering six out of ten migrant women and girls are raped during their journey north.
"Not sure why the media is acting like this isn't a well-established fact --women and young girls are brutally victimized on the journey north," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement to Fox News Thursday evening. "Strikes me as quite bizarre that reporters would try to cover up the gross atrocities perpetuated by smugglers and coyotes."
Sanders referred to a Los Angeles Times article published earlier this week, which stated that "robberies, rapes and assaults--perpetrated by smugglers, cartel members and Mexican immigration agents--are common."
Earlier in the day Thursday, the president said the caravan of more than 1,000 Central Americans traveling through Mexico had been “largely broken up” by Mexican authorities, avoiding a “giant scene” at the U.S. border.
“The Caravan is largely broken up thanks to the strong immigration laws of Mexico and their willingness to use them so as not to cause a giant scene at our Border. Because of the Trump Administrations actions, Border crossings are at a still UNACCEPTABLE 46 year low. Stop drugs!” Trump tweeted Thursday morning.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen said this week that the administration would not allow illegal immigration levels to “become the norm.”
“More than 1,000 people a day, 300,000 a year violating our sovereignty as a nation will never be acceptable to this president,” Nielsen said.
At the round-table event, though, Trump went further to talk about strengthening the U.S.-Mexico border.
“We have to have strong borders. We’re going to have the wall. We’ve already started building it and we have a billion-six,” Trump said referring to the $1.6 billion in funding for the wall along the southern border. “We’ve started building and fixing miles and miles of wall that’s already up and fence and we’re gonna have our wall and we’re gonna get it very strongly and the military is going to be building some of it.”
Trump on Wednesday signed a proclamation to send the National Guard to the southern border immediately, a senior White House official told Fox News, in response to what the administration has described as an “unacceptable” flow of drugs, criminal activity and illegal immigrants.
Fox News' Adam Shaw contributed to this report.
Brooke Singman is a Politics Reporter for Fox News. Follow her on Twitter at @brookefoxnews.
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Harvick breaks own Kansas Speedway record, captures pole to begin next round of Chase
Brad Keselowski (2) takes a NASCAR auto race practice lap at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., Friday, Oct. 3, 2014. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley) (The Associated Press)
NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick talks with sports commentator and former race driver Dale Jarrett in the garage at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., Friday, Oct. 3, 2014. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley) (The Associated Press)
KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Kevin Harvick is the one to beat once again at Kansas Speedway.
Harvick shattered his own track record and won the pole to start the second round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship Sunday. He turned a lap of 197.621 mph in the last round of qualifying to break his own record set in the spring by nearly 3 mph.
Kevin Vickers qualified second with a lap of 196.307. Aric Almirola was third.
Joey Logano began a run of five Chase contenders by qualifying fourth. Jeff Gordon was next, followed by Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Defending series champion Jimmie Johnson spun out during his first qualifying effort and will start 32nd, the lowest he has started a Chase race since 2005.
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North Korea's coach is man of mystery
By | Reuters
SEOUL (Reuters) - Like the rest of North Korea's international men of mystery, very little is known about coach Kim Jong-hun.
A former defender for the national team, Kim's star was on the rise when he took charge of the men's soccer team of the elite April 25 Sports Group, the athletic wing of the North Korean People's Army.
Picked to lead the national squad in 2007, Kim has relied on defensive discipline and team spirit to steer the workmanlike North Koreans to their first World Cup finals since 1966.
High-profile coaches Philippe Troussier and Sven-Goran Eriksson were rumored to be in the frame to replace him for the finals in South Africa, but Kim has clung to the job and will lead the North's campaign in Group G alongside Brazil, Portugal and Ivory Coast.
Kim, 53, has revealed little about himself or his team on the rare occasions he speaks to the media, merely praising his side's fortitude and setting a target of reaching the last 16 in South Africa.
(Writing by Peter Rutherford in Singapore; Editing by Clare Fallon)
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Bush to Announce Agriculture Department Chief Nomination
WASHINGTON – President Bush on Wednesday will nominate Edward Schafer, a former two-term Republican governor from North Dakota, to be his next secretary of agriculture, a senior administration official said.
Schafer, who chose not to run again in North Dakota in 2000, will replace Mike Johanns, who resigned as U.S. agriculture secretary last month to launch a bid for the Nebraska Senate seat being vacated by Republican Chuck Hagel at the end of next year.
Bush will make the announcement at 2 p.m. EDT in the Roosevelt Room.
Schafer, the grandson of Danish immigrants who farmed throughout their lives, gained extensive agricultural experience while serving as governor, from 1992 to 2000, of North Dakota where nearly 25 percent of its residents work as farmers and ranchers or are employed in farm-related jobs.
He was elected to his first term by a margin of 17 percent and was re-elected to a second term four years later by a margin of 32 percent, becoming the first Republican elected to a second term in the state's history.
It was the second Cabinet post vacancy Bush filled in two days. On Tuesday, Bush nominated retired Army Lt. Gen. James Peake to direct the embattled Department of Veterans Affairs, which is strained by the influx of wounded troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Both nominations must be confirmed by the Senate.
Schafer's selection comes at a crucial time for the Agriculture Department, which is closely following — and hoping to influence — congressional negotiations on a new five-year farm bill. There had been speculation that Bush would keep Charles Conner, the acting secretary and former deputy secretary, in place so the department would not face reshuffling until the farm bill was signed by the president.
The administration has staunchly opposed congressional efforts to keep current farm programs, including billions of dollars in annual crop subsidies to farmers, in place. Under Johanns, Bush threatened to veto the House version of the legislation. The Senate is scheduled to debate its version of the $288 billion bill next week.
The White House highlighted Schafer's experience in directing state response to eight disasters, including the historic flooding and fire in Grand Forks, N.D., in 1997, which led to the evacuation of tens of thousands of North Dakota residents.
As governor, Schafer launched a pilot project using high-speed telecommunications services to deliver education, health care and economic development to help revive small rural towns. He also led an agricultural trade mission from North Dakota to China in 2000 to help open new markets for North Dakota farm products and oversaw initial development of North Dakota's biofuel industries.
His energy, friendliness and optimism, Schafer's political friends and foes both agree, made him a popular governor.
Schafer, a businessman with little political experience, ran both of his successful campaigns for governor on themes of job creation and lessening North Dakota's dependence on energy production and agriculture.
He was president of the Gold Seal Co., a household products company founded by his father, Harold Schafer, before the company was sold in 1986.
Schafer later founded Fish 'N Dakota, a fish farming business near Beulah, which used waste heat from a nearby power plant to raise tilapia. The fish was shipped live to restaurants and other customers.
The business had financial difficulties — including overdue property tax payments, creditor lawsuits and a $326,204 loan write-off at the Bank of North Dakota — that provided a stream of unflattering headlines during much of Schafer's first term. At the time, he was chairman of the Bank of North Dakota's board of directors as a member of the state Industrial Commission.
He repaid the loan two years after it was written off in December 1993, and settled his remaining creditor disputes.
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Published July 25
Army pilot's lofty retirement plan: She's out to end veteran homelessness
By Paulina Dedaj, | Fox News
Deborah Snyder, president and CEO of Operation Renewed Hope Foundation and a veteran. (Nilaya Sabnis)
After proudly serving her country for 22 years as an Army pilot, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Deborah Snyder continued her service as a civilian by founding an organization to help end homelessness among veterans and their families.
Deborah started Operation Renewed Hope Foundation (ORHF) in December 2011 after seeing the homeless veteran population explode -- by that point it had reached an estimated 68,000.
Deborah said that the call to help was something that came naturally to her after two decades of flying Huey and Black Hawk helicopters.
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Deborah Snyder.
“When you’re in the Army, you’re used to taking care of soldiers, and this is just an extension of that,” she said.
Deborah has helped veterans as young as 21 and as old as 92, but she says the average veteran she assists is between 53 and 57.
Since 2011, ORHF has helped more than 700 veterans and their families in the D.C. metro area.
A family ORHF recently helped during a move-in. (Operation Renewed Hope Foundation)
Deborah says that what sets her foundation apart from the hundreds of others that are working toward the same goal is that ORHF provides veterans with more than just a home.
Case managers visit veterans who contact Deborah. “We try to be efficient as possible," she said. "Our case managers go to the veterans. … We think that us going to them makes it easier and more efficient.”
ORHF looks for housing first and then looks to set the vets up for long-term success. It provides a security deposit and rental assistance for those in need of it.
Other supportive services include resume building, linkage to veterans benefit medical services and better employment.
Deborah Snyder aspires to put an end to homelessness among her fellow vets. (Nilaya Sabnis)
ORHF has a 90 percent success rate -- measuring veterans who remained housed a year later -- and, on average, most veterans are housed within 45 days.
Deborah said that on average, five in six veterans who reach out to her are teetering on the brink of homelessness. She said that some of them are working two or three jobs, and that all it takes is one unanticipated setback to put them on the streets.
Snyder says ending veteran homelessness is entirely doable.
In 2014, Deborah was named a L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth Honoree for her work with veterans. (Nilaya Sabnis)
ORHF’s biggest support comes from special grants from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Deborah says that it's through the work of groups like hers, and the support of the VA, that the homeless population in the U.S. has dropped to 40,000.
But that's still not good enough, she said.
Deborah says that coming close to zero is a “doable goal,” and she thinks what’s being done to combat homelessness among veterans is something that can be replicated for the homeless problem nationwide.
In 2014, Deborah was named a L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth Honoree for her work and was awarded $10,000 to continue her commitment toward ending homelessness among veterans.
Deborah said that ORHF is hoping to soon receive home or land donations and is working on a $6 million-$10 million project to acquire a housing unit for veterans.
“In five years I would like to see that 40,000 cut in half, and that’s me being realistic,” she said.
Paulina Dedaj is a writer/ reporter for Fox News. Follow her on Twitter @PaulinaDedaj.
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Georgia wildfire: hot, dry conditions vexing to firefighters
A fire truck passes as a plume of smoke rising from a wildfire burning, Monday, May 8, 2017, just outside the town of St. George, Ga. Officials placed the town under a mandatory evacuation after winds pushed the fire out of the neighboring Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, where a lightning strike started the blaze a month earlier. (AP Photo/Russ Bynum) (The Associated Press)
Firefighters take a break Monday, May 8, 2017, outside a church in St. George, Ga., where officials have issued a mandatory evacuation as a vast wildfire burns at the town's edge. The fire started April 6, 2017, in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge near the Georgia-Florida state line and has since burned roughly 210 square miles. (AP Photo/Russ Bynum) (The Associated Press)
In this Saturday, May 6, 2017 photo provided by the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge smoke rises from a wildfire east of Fargo, Ga. Firefighters were battling Sunday to prevent the fire from spreading, authorities said. (Ben Palm/Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge via AP) (The Associated Press)
ST. GEORGE, Ga. – Officials say a huge wildfire threatening homes near the Georgia-Florida state line is expected to keep growing after recently escaping the boundaries of the vast Okefenokee Swamp.
The fire has blackened more than 210 square miles (540 square kilometers) of swampland. It's near two small communities in southeast Georgia but many residents stayed put as of Monday, despite an evacuation order.
Tom Stokesberry, a spokesman for the command team fighting the wildfire, says hot and dry weather conditions expected Tuesday will be ideal for its continued growth.
Hundreds of firefighters are trying to contain the blaze, which burned for a month mostly inside the Okefenokee National Wildlife refuge. Last weekend, the fire escaped the refuge boundary.
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Russia assails US ambassador
MOSCOW – Russia's Foreign Ministry on Monday harshly criticized the U.S. ambassador for his remarks at a meeting with students, accusing him of breaking diplomatic etiquette and misrepresenting Moscow's foreign policy.
The ministry targeted Michael McFaul for saying that Russia had offered money to the leader of Kyrgyzstan for removing a U.S. base from its soil, saying his description of this and other issues was "deliberately distorted." The ministry also accused McFaul of misrepresenting Russia's stance on issues such as the Iranian nuclear standoff and North Korea's nuclear program.
"This isn't the first the time when statements and actions of Mr. McFaul are causing bewilderment," the ministry said.
Asked on his Twitter about the criticism, McFaul avoided responding directly, saying he is "still learning the craft of speaking more diplomatically."
The ministry's attack on McFaul follows negative coverage given to him by state-run television stations, which suggested his agenda is to support opposition leaders and promote a "revolution."
McFaul, a former Stanford University professor, has written extensively on fostering democracy. He is regarded as a leading experts on U.S. relations with Russia, and has played a key role in the Obama administration's efforts to "reset" ties with Moscow.
Earlier this year, McFaul was perplexed to see crews of a government-controlled TV station stalking his every move, voicing concern that his email and phone calls may be intercepted.
Monday's ministerial attack on McFaul follows a strong criticism of the U.S. by Vladimir Putin, who won a third presidential term in March's election. In the run-up to the vote, Putin accused the U.S. of backing massive protests against his 12-year rule.
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Home WORLD Alabama anti-abortion legislation part of wave of state bills ‘attacking’ Roe vs....
Alabama anti-abortion legislation part of wave of state bills ‘attacking’ Roe vs. Wade
The encounter lasted about a minute. A red-haired young woman driving a grey car pulled up to the parking lot of the only abortion clinic in the state of Missouri — a Planned Parenthood office near downtown St. Louis.
Dressed in a bright orange vest, Maggie Tebeau smiled, waved and moved toward the car window.
“Hey, how’s it going today?” said Tebeau. “I’ve got a coupon to pass along!”
Tebeau doesn’t work for Planned Parenthood. She is the marketing co-ordinator for the St. Louis Coalition for Life, and the coupon she was handing out was for a different clinic — one that counsels women against having an abortion.
During their brief conversation, Tebeau gave the red-haired woman information about adoption, financial help and a 24-hour counselling service. The woman took the pamphlets.
“It’s a start,” Tebeau told CBC afterward. “Every time a person discovers she doesn’t have to make this choice is a victory for me.”
Maggie Tebeau, an anti-abortion advocate, talks to a woman on her way to the Planned Parenthood office outside St. Louis. (Marie Claudet/CBC)
It’s one conversation in the middle of the country, but what’s happening in St. Louis represents the renewed effort to make abortion tougher to obtain in several U.S. states.
Under Donald Trump’s presidency, the anti-abortion movement has gained momentum. Trump’s appointment of two conservative Supreme Court justices has given activists hope that Roe vs. Wade, the 1973 decision legalizing abortion in the United States, will be overturned.
It’s not that there has been a sudden surge in Americans who identify themselves as anti-abortion: Polls show the numbers haven’t really changed much, and that a majority of Americans believe abortion should be legal under certain circumstances.
The current anti-abortion momentum is about a shift in power. Anti-abortion voters were key to putting Trump in the White House, based on his promise to tip the balance of the Supreme Court to give it a conservative majority. That’s opened the door for Republican administrations at the state level to test the legal limits of abortion laws.
That’s what happened last night in Alabama, where the state legislature voted to criminalize abortion, making it illegal for doctors to perform the procedure. It’s the most restrictive such legislation in the country, and other states are looking to do something very similar.
‘Essentially a total ban’
Georgia, Mississipi, Ohio and Kentucky have all passed so-called heartbeat laws this year, making abortion illegal as early as six weeks into pregnancy, believed to be the earliest a fetal heartbeat can be detected. Missouri is expected to vote on a similar bill, HB-126, sometime this week. Many other states are considering the move.
“It’s essentially a total ban on abortion,” said Dr. Colleen McNicholas, an abortion provider at the Planned Parenthood clinic in St. Louis, as well as others in Kansas and Oklahoma. She criticizes the fact that legislators have picked a gestational age (six weeks) “in which most people don’t even know they are pregnant.”
Court challenges to all of these bills are expected or have already begun — and that’s the point. The bills are part of a larger strategy to place more and more restrictions on abortion in the hopes one of them could force the Supreme Court to revisit Roe v Wade.
Missouri Rep. Nick Schroer co-sponsored the anti-abortion bill in his state’s legislature. (Marie Claudet/CBC)
“The goal is to save as many lives as possible,” said Missouri Rep. Nick Schroer, a co-sponsor of the Missouri Stands for the Unborn Act. “But if it’s going to send a tidal wave of different states looking to us for guidance, and attacking Roe vs. Wade on that basis, I’m all for it.”
Like the bill just passed in Alabama, Missouri’s proposed legislation would make no exception for cases of incest or rape.
“That life has value just as all of ours did,” said Schroer.
At one recent Senate session, members shared their own experiences with unplanned pregnancy. Sen. Wayne Wallingford told the chamber his niece had an abortion.
“Do you know where my niece is now?” he asked. “In a mental institution in Nebraska. She never recovered from the tragedy of killing an unborn child.”
Missouri Democrats admit they have little to no chance of stopping the bill in the state Senate.
Democratic Sen. Jill Schupp calls Bill HB-126 “terrifying.” Schupp was in college when abortion was legalized, and she worries that access to abortion is something younger generations have come to take for granted.
Missouri Democratic Sen. Jill Schupp calls Bill HB-126 “terrifying.” (Marie Claudet/CBC)
“I think with the change in our administration at the federal level and the change in the Supreme Court, this is now really on the line in a way it hasn’t been before. So we can no longer stand by and allow that complacency to continue.”
‘People will travel’
The fight against these laws is intensifying. The American Civil Liberties Union, the Ohio branch of the ACLU and Planned Parenthood said on Wednesday they have filed a lawsuit challenging an Ohio law that they say could ban abortion as early as six weeks into a woman’s pregnancy.
Know this, politicians: If you attack our right to abortion — whether it’s in Alabama, Ohio, Georgia, or Kentucky — we will see you in court.
—@ACLU
In the rotunda of the Missouri legislature last week, about 200 people gathered with signs saying “Stop the Bans.” Evonnia Woods stood in front of a line of women in red cloaks — inspired by The Handmaid’s Tale — and told a story she never planned to share publicly.
At the age of 28, while she was a student with little money and a boyfriend who wasn’t sticking around, she had an abortion.
“It makes me angry that I have to be here. It makes me angry that I even have to do this,” said Woods.
If Roe v Wade is overturned, the most likely scenario is that some states will have legal abortion and other states won’t. There’s evidence of that already. On the Illinois-Missouri border, a billboard from the Hope Clinic for Women welcomes visitors to a state where they can get a “safe, legal abortion.”
This billboard on the Illinois-Missouri border welcomes visitors to a state where they can get a “safe, legal abortion.” (Marie Claudet/CBC)
What won’t change, said McNicholas, is that women will seek abortions. “I think people will travel. People will find a way.”
Outside the Planned Parenthood clinic in St. Louis, Maggie Tebeau watched the red-headed woman leave after their encounter. Her car didn’t stop on the way out of the parking lot. She merged into traffic, gripping the steering wheel and crying.
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‘Demo’ hits Parliament over new $200 Chamber project
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MK Dov Khenin: Netanyahu Government Is Dangerous for Israel
Hadash MK answers Haaretz readers' questions about chances of joining the next government, the situation in Syria and the two-state solution.
Ilan Lior
Send me email alerts for new articles by Ilan Lior
Two male Knesset members to quit and make way for women
Dov Khenin, no. 3 in the Jewish-Arab Hadash party, answered readers' questions in real time on Wednesday.
Haaretz readers were given the opportunity to ask Khenin about his political positions, individual rights, the social protest and the environment.
A modern incarnation of the veteran Israeli Communist Party, Hadash (Democratic Front for Peace and Equality) is the only truly Jewish-Arab party in Israel (though in recent elections only about 10 percent of its voters were Jewish). Despite staying loyal to its Marxist-Leninist roots, the party has in recent years also included in its platform elements of Arab nationalism. It has also spearheaded Knesset legislation on environmental issues (it describes itself as red-green).
Khenin joins other Israeli politicians who have answered Haaretz questions in the last few weeks, including Labor Chairwoman Shelly Yacimovich, Vice Prime Minister Moshe Ya'alon, Meretz chairwoman Zahava Gal-On, and United Torah Judaism MK Moshe Gafni.
I've understood from good friends of mine from the Arab sector, who I trust, that Hadash communicates different positions to the Arab audience than to the Jewish sector. For example, Hadash has openly supported (Syria's) Assad. Is this true? Could you elaborate on Hadash's position regarding the situation in Syria? And could you say if and how Hadash is working toward gender equality in the Arab sector? (Dafna)
Hadash does not support the Assad regime. We didn't support Assad in the past either, and from the first day of the democratic protest in Syria we've supported the Syrian people's demand for democratic change. We oppose the Assad regime. We've said explicitly that a regime that slaughters its own people cannot call itself developed or national. At the same time, we also oppose Al-Qaida and the Muslim Brotherhood who are fighting Assad not because he is a dictator, but because he is secular. We know that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey and Western countries are involved in this conflict and siding with the Muslim Brotherhood not out of real concern for democracy but because of their economic and imperial aspirations and interests.
The concern that Hadash is speaking in two languages is facilitated by fears that exist in the public. We do speak in two languages, Hebrew and Arabic, but there is no difference in terms of substance.
If (Labor's) Shelly Yacimovich forms the next government, do you see your party in the coalition? (Adam)
We will do everything to bring down the Netanyahu government. This government is dangerous for Israel. This government has led to serious economic disparities and is planning a dangerous anti-social budget. This government terminated the political process (with the Palestinians) and is rapidly constructing settlements.
If there is a chance of forming a different government we will do everything for that to happen. We are not asking to join a centrist government. We will be willing to support it from the outside in the manner that allowed Rabin to pass the Oslo Accords.
For Netanyahu not to return to power two conditions need to be met: First, the number of people from the left who come out and vote has to increase, especially among the young, and numbers also need to increase among the Arab public in order to reach a scenario where there are less than sixty right-wing supporters in the Knesset. The second condition is that the centrist parties agree to treat the Arab citizens as citizens whose vote is truly legitimate and taken into consideration. We are committed to oppose Netanyahu, even if he forms the next government.
Do you think it is better to have a right-wing coalition comprised of the Likud, Shas, Bayit Yehudi and others, or should centrist parties like Yesh Atid join it in order to make it more moderate? (Eilon)
Centrist parties would not make the government more moderate, it will only whitewash a dangerous policy politically and a destructive one socially. I call on the centrist parties not to repeat such a scenario.
There has been criticism of your fellow party members, saying they are often absent from the Knesset and that they have hardly passed any laws or bills. Who are the Hadash members who are not Dov Khenin? Why don't we hear about them or from them? Is there any truth to the claim that in Hebrew, Hadash speaks in a moderate and unifying language, and in Arabic it is more nationalistic and extreme? (Adam, Avigail and Nadav)
I am proud of my fellow party members. They are on the ground a lot, accompanying social struggles and activities both in the Jewish and in the Arab public.
Hadash leader Mohammed Barakeh won much praise as the chairman of the Knesset Committee on Drug Abuse. Number 2 Hana Sweid joined me in fighting Netanyahu's anti-democratic, anti-social land reform. MK Afu Aghbaria, a doctor and resident of Um al-Fahem led the struggle to build emergency rooms in his city. These are three things you haven't heard about.
The Arab MKs represent a public which is discriminated against, and is not covered in the media. This is hard work and they do it with great devotion.
What about women on the Hadash ticket in realistic slots?
Personally, I supported guaranteed slots for women in the party leadership. I chose not to run for the second place because I supported a woman running for that spot. Our list is chosen democratically by the 800-member Hadash council, who has never put aside slots for Jews, Arabs, men or women on the list. If we get a few thousand more votes , Dr. Nabila Espanioly, a leading feminist from Nazareth, will be in the Knesset. If not, the council decided that in any case the first two people on the list will resign by the end of the term to allow for new members and a generational change.
You talk about nationalizing banks and companies on one hand and individual rights on the other. How do you reconcile the two? If the state controls everything, what is left for private citizens? (Oren)
I believe in freedom, I believe in individual freedom, I don't want the state to decide for you or me what we need to do. In the 21st century, it is clear that socialism cannot exist without democracy. Socialism must be more democratic than any of the other alternatives.
I oppose nationalizing small and medium-sized businesses. But on the other hand I oppose the looting that is taking place in this country for the sake of a small group of tycoons.
The West in general and the U.S. in particular opposed nationalization attempts. In a situation like nationalizing Israel's gas reserves, how will you keep future projects attractive for investors?
The state of Israel has nationalized before – even banks. As for foreign investors, I propose compensating them for their investments and even allowing them to profit. I don't think Israel should run like an American colony where the interests of wealthy Americans are more important than the welfare of Israeli citizens.
Do you support mandatory civil service for those who do not serve in the army? Hadash supports the mandatory draft law for the Druze but if the law is canceled, is not also legitimate for the ultra-Orthodox not to join the army? (Dalia and Eilon)
We must not let spins like "sharing the burden" divide us and deflect the debate from the fateful question of the state's responsibility toward its citizens. Concerning the ultra-Orthodox, the real problem is not that they do not serve in the army, it is that they are not part enough of the job market. It is the government policy that is responsible for this.
What is the political platform of Hadash and does it accept the two-state framework, or believe in one state?
Hadash is the one who invented the slogan "two states for two peoples." It was even our slogan during the 80s. We still think it is the solution, despite difficult obstacles blocking the way. But out principle is very clear: A peace agreement is only possible if it is fair to both peoples.
We support the two peoples' right for self-determination. In the same breath, we oppose any form of national discrimination. The UN's historic decision for the erection of two states should be realized, but one must understand that the state of Israel is not, will not and should never be an "ethnically pure" state.
What is the main ideological difference between Meretz and Hadash? (Dani)
In this election we decided not to attack parties who are on our side. Our enemy is on the right: Netanyahu. Therefore I will not say anything bad about Meretz, but I will say some good things about us: We are socialists. We say this out loud and also offer truly socialist solutions to our difficult problems.
We are a peace movement that opposes devastating wars as they erupt, and not only in hindsight. We are a Jewish-Arab movement, not only as a Knesset party but first and foremost on the ground. A movement of Jewish and Arab activists who stand and fight together, and insist on providing answers for both peoples – in both languages, but with one message.
These days especially, when racism and nationalism are spreading, when the rift between the two peoples is deepening , choosing a Jewish-Arab partnership is the moral choice.
Meretz's response
Meretz opposes wars of choice. Always. Instead of attacking Meretz, Khenin would have been better off explaining Hadash's conflicting messages with regards to Syria. Hadash condemns Assad in Hebrew and supports him in English. Knenin knows very well that Meretz chairwoman Zahava Gal-On has opposed wars of choice, from Operation Cast Lead to the latest war in Gaza, even in cases when Dov opposed them but very silently, without attracting too much attention.
MK Dov Khenin.Tomer Appelbaum
Haaretz Correspondent
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Home > Teachings > FFI Newsletter > FFI - 2004 > 01/01/2004 - The Book of Revelation - Part 15 The American Revolution
01/01/2004 - The Book of Revelation - Part 15 The American Revolution
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12/01/2004 - The Book of Revelation - Part 26 The Fifth Vial
11/01/2004 - The Book of Revelation - Part 25 The Fourth Vial
10/01/2004 - The Book of Revelation - Part 24 The New Vine
09/15/2004 - The Book of Revelation - September Supplement The Seven Angels and Seven Thunders
09/01/2004 - The Book of Revelation - Part 23 The Last 7 Plagues
08/01/2004 - The Book of Revelation - Part 22 Revelation 15
07/01/2004 - The Book of Revelation - Part 21
02/20/2004 - The Book of Revelation - Historical Supplement #2 Abraham Lincoln & Father Charles Chiniquay
02/10/2004 - The Book of Revelation - Historical Supplement #1 Holy Alliance to the Kingdom of Italy
02/01/2004 - The Book of Revelation - Part 16 Napoleon
Issue No. 184
It would be a mistake to think that the Jesuits took control of the entire Masonic organization in the 1780’s. There is a great degree of autonomy between the various lodges. Hence, we find that when Weishaupt’s Illuminati was accepted by the lodges in the alliance of 1782, this did not necessarily mean that every lodge was suddenly Illuminized—not even all of the lodges in Europe itself.
In fact, this seems to have begun a struggle between two groups for the heart and soul of Masonry. As time passed, it became obvious that it was a struggle between the Jewish/Protestant interests and the Catholic interests, both of whom wanted to harness Masonry for its own purposes. The Jewish influence upon Masonry was by far the earliest. The Catholic-Jesuit influence was brought in primarily in the 1780’s through Weishaupt posing as a rabidly anti-Catholic, anti-Jesuit Mason.
Masonry itself existed in various forms for a long time, but the year 1717 was the beginning of its modern form. Nesta Webster states on p. 103 of Secret Societies and Subversive Movements,
“This was followed in 1717 by the great coup d’ etat when Grand Lodge was founded, and Speculative Masonry, which we now know as Freemasonry, was established on a settled basis with a ritual, rules, and constitution drawn up in due form. It is at this important date that the official history of Freemason begins.”
The first “Constitutions” of the Masonic Order were formulated by Dr. Anderson in 1723. On pages 129 and 130, Webster continues,
“The principle founders of Grand Lodge were, as we have seen, clergymen, both engaged in preaching Christian doctrines at their respective churches. It is surely therefore reasonable to conclude that Freemasonry at the time of its reorganization in 1717 was Deistic only in so far that it invited men to meet together on the common ground of a belief in God. . . . Prayers in the lodges concluded with the name of Christ. These passages were replaced much later by purely Deistic formulas under the Grand Mastership of the free-thinking Duke of Sussex in 1813.”
Freemasonry at its beginning was largely Protestant in its philosophy of religious freedom and of its twin sister, political freedom. These concepts are expressed in the basic principles of democratic government. Protestants joined forces with Jewish interests, since both considered the Roman Church as their common enemy. For this reason, Jewish Cabalism greatly influenced Masonic teachings and ritual, though not as much in Protestant circles per se.
In 1738 Catholics were banned from joining the Masonic Order by Pope Clement XIII in his bull, In Eminenti. Any Catholic who remained a member of the Masonic Order was subject to excommunication (at the Pope’s discretion). Most Catholic Masons chose to ignore the papal bull. This prohibition was repeated in 1751 by Pope Benedict XIV. However, none of the Masonic Catholic monarchs were excommunicated from the Church. The Pope did not want any of them to follow England’s example by forming its own state church.
Webster then tells us on page 149 that in 1743 “French Freemasonry degenerated the most rapidly. The Order was soon invaded by intriguers.” The publication of Anderson’s Constitutions twenty years earlier had stated that Freemasonry was to be non-political. But a secret society such as this was too tempting for political men to ignore its potential as a tool to gain personal power. Among these were Frederick the Great of Prussia, who was initiated into Freemasonry in 1738.
It is only natural, then, that the Jesuit Order would look upon Masonry as a growing Protestant-Jewish power that could ultimately rival that of the Papacy. The Jesuits found their opportunity through Weishaupt’s Illuminati to infiltrate and move up the ranks of Masonry, taking control of the leadership of many lodges. One of Weishaupt’s letters shows his contempt for Protestants who were so easily fooled by Illuminism. It is quoted in Webster’s Secret Societies on pages 218 and 219,
“You cannot imagine what consideration and sensation our Priest’s degree is arousing. The most wonderful thing is that great Protestant and reformed theologians who belong to [Illuminism] still believe that the religious teaching imparted in it contains the true and genuine spirit of the Christian religion. Oh! men, of what cannot you be persuaded? I never thought that I should become the founder of a new religion.”
In other letters, Weishaupt laughs at Arminius, who had become one of his followers. Arminius was the champion of “free will.” Weishaupt called him “an unbearable, obstinate, arrogant, vain fool” (Webster, p. 225). The reason Weishaupt was able to fool Protestant leaders is because he couched Illuminism in the language of the Scriptures and appeared to give honor to Jesus.
Because Jesus often spoke in parables, Weishaupt and others took this to mean that Jesus had organized a secret society with secret doctrines—and that His disciples were revolutionaries trying to overthrow the Roman Empire. They interpret Jesus according to their own character and carnal motives, which is the opposite of the truth.
The parables Jesus taught can easily be interpreted if anyone simply knows the Old Testament, for they are extensions of the Old Testament story. There is no deception, no need to switch meanings. The only reason Jesus did not explain the parables to the general public was because the people would have believed what He said (Matt. 13:15)—and then they would not have crucified Him at the appointed time. Jesus knew that the Scriptures prophesied of His death in His first coming, and so He did not campaign to become Judah’s King.
The American Revolution (1776-1800)
Illuminism had great influence upon America’s founders through the Masonic lodges where many of them were members. Thus, when they spoke of “God,” their meaning has been debated. Some of them, like Samuel Adams and his cousin, John, meant it in the Protestant sense. Others, like Franklin and Jefferson, meant it more in a Masonic sense. This did not mean that they were atheists or even Deists in the modern sense. But it is safe to say that they were influenced by Masonic thinking.
Weishaupt himself had little direct influence on America’s founders. However, Weishaupt’s boss, the Jesuit General Lorenzo Ricci had great influence.
Catholic influence in America (other than the early Spanish conquerors) began with the establishment of Maryland in 1634. A few years earlier, in 1625 the British Secretary of State under King Charles Stuart, converted to Catholicism. His name was George Calvert. Because it was not appropriate for him to remain in high position under a Calvinist monarch, he resigned his post.
King Charles soon needed money, so he carved territory out of northern Virginia and granted it to Calvert. His title was Lord Baltimore. He died soon afterward, so the charter was given to his son, Cecilius Calvert.
The first two ships set sail on Nov. 22, 1633 to establish the first Catholic settlement in Maryland, supposedly named after Queen Mary, but actually in honor of Mary Magdalene. Cecilius’ brother, Leonard Calvert, was its first governor. The two ships, the Ark and the Dove, were spiritually directed by Andrew White, a Jesuit priest. Andrew White became known as “the Apostle to Maryland.” Many years later, the President’s residence was called the “White” House, secretly in his honor.
The American Revolution cannot be understood apart from its European context—the Jesuit Order’s suppression on July 21, 1773. A month later, on August 17, Jesuit General Lorenzo Ricci met with John Mattingly of Maryland and Cardinal Giovanni Braschi, the Apostolic Treasurer for the Pope. Braschi had been educated by the Jesuits and was General Ricci’s close friend. The next year, Braschi was elected Pope Pius VI.
When Pope Clement XIV died in 1774, Cardinal Braschi—as Apostolic Treasurer—was the acting Pope until a permanent Pope could be elected. Thus, he had in his hands control of the entire wealth and power of the Vatican as soon as his predecessor died Sept. 22, 1774.
All of this simply meant that General Lorenzo Ricci had a close ally and friend in the Vatican, not only in the ailing Pope but also in his successor. Yet Ricci was put under arrest on Aug. 17, 1773 and moved to the Castel Sant’Angelo. This prison had a tunnel connecting it to the Vatican, so Ricci continued to enjoy direct access to his good friend, the Pope, during his “imprisonment.”
Ricci remained “imprisoned” until Nov. 24, 1775, when his death was announced. No successor was appointed, of course. But neither is there particular reason to suppose that Ricci had really died. F. Tupper Saussy’s book, Rulers of Evil, makes a rather strong case that Ricci was sent to America, where he was known anonymously as “The Professor.” Descriptions of him match Lorenzo Ricci.
This mysterious person, unnamed in history books, had a profound effect upon America’s Founding Fathers. It was he who suggested using the British East India flag as the first American flag. George Washington first hoisted this flag on Jan. 2, 1776, months before the Declaration of Independence was written. When the British officers saw the flag, they cheered and saluted, thinking that it meant surrender. Instead, it meant that the American Revolution was to be fought under the flag of a Jesuit-owned company. Saussy writes on p. 168,
“And now, in 1773, the East India Company was governed by Freemasons, whose Grand Mason since 1772 was the ninth Lord Petre (his mastery would continue until 1777). Related to the Stourtons, Norolks, and Arundells, the Petre family (pronounced “Peter”) was highly esteemed by the Society of Jesus. It was the Petres who, back in the sixteenth century, bankrolled the original Jesuit missions to England.
“The East India Company’s most powerful political attaché was Robert Petty, Lord Shelbourne. We recall Shelbourne as ‘The Jesuit of Berkeley Square’ who worked in 1763 with Lord Bute to conclude the French and Indian Wars with the Treaty of Paris…”
It is amazing that America’s Revolutionary War was fought under the flag of the East India Company owned by Jesuit Freemasons. But this is not so strange when we consider the fact that Britain was Protestant, and therefore an enemy of the Jesuits. The Jesuits wanted to weaken Britain by depriving her of her American colonies.
Secondly, America received help from Catholic France, who also wanted to weaken Britain, since the two nations seemed to be in a perpetual economic war. It is not very likely that the Catholic Church would have supported an American revolution without attempting at the same time to Catholicize the new nation. It was impossible to make each person convert to Catholicism, of course, but it was quite possible to gain control of its legal system.
The Federal City: Washington D.C.
The highest point in Washington D.C. was called Jenkins Point. In the 1790’s it was owned by Daniel Carroll—brother of Catholic Bishop John Carroll. David Ovason tells us, “that in earlier times the hill had been called Rome” (The Secret Architecture of our National Capital, pp. 8). He continues, pp. 8, 9,
“Indeed, the story might easily be taken for the stuff of myth were it not supported by a long manuscript in the Maryland State Archives, at Annapolis. The deed, dated June 5, 1663, is in the name of Francis Pope, and sets out the basis for a survey of a strip of land called Rome, bounded by the inlet called Tiber.”
Symbolism is very important to secret societies, even to the Jesuits. This is why Pope’s land (called “Rome”) was used to build our nation’s capital, Washington D.C. It was to assert the Roman Catholic Church’s claim upon America, which they still maintain on the grounds that Columbus claimed this new land for the Church. (By the way, Columbus never even saw the mainland in America. He discovered some islands in the Caribbean Sea.)
The layout for Washington D.C. was entrusted to a French Masonic engineer named Pierre-Charles L'Enfant. He got the job at the suggestion of Roman Catholic bishop John Carroll. Saussy points out that L'Enfant laid out the main city streets in the shape of an upside down five-pointed star of Baphomet, the symbol of the goat. The White House was constructed at the goat's mouth. The two ears on the sides were marked by Mt. Vernon Place and Washington Circle. The horns were marked by Logan Circle and Dupont Circle.
In surveying and laying out the new city, L'Enfant numbered the city blocks. The 600 series runs from Q Street North through the Capitol grounds down to the mouth of James Creek. On page 228 Saussy tells us,
“All the numbers between 600 and 900 are assigned to blocks within this swath—except for the number 666. That number is missing from the map. It must have been secretly affixed to the only unnumbered section of blocks in the 600 series. That section, we find, includes the Capitol grounds that once were called ‘Rome’.”
Saussy’s viewpoint is perhaps a bit darker than the architects intended for it to be. This Baphomet symbol was certainly used in satanic groups, but the meaning of the pentagram depends upon who interprets it. If we interpret it according to the Masonic-Catholic intent, it should be seen more in astrological terms than satanic. The five-pointed star was a symbol of the constellation Virgo. The designer’s intent was clearly to portray the federal city as the beautiful Virgin, Virgo.
George Washington’s proclamation of March 30, 1791 ordered that the new city’s sections should begin with a stone marker at Jones Point. This marker became the foundation stone for Washington D.C. It was laid in the ground at 3:30 p.m. on April 15, 1791. This was officially the beginning of the building of Washington D.C. The Freemasons chose that precise day and time, because, as David Ovason tells us on page 49,
“At exactly 3:30 p.m., Jupiter, the most beneficial planet in the skies, began to rise over the horizon. It was in 23 degrees of Virgo. . . .
Jupiter, called the King’s Planet, was considered to be the planet for a number of ancient capital cities, including Jerusalem and Rome. It signified rulership, because it was named after the Roman god, Jupiter, the King of the gods. Ovason continues,
“By this means, the zodiacal power of Virgo, which was called in later Masonic circles ‘the Beautiful Virgin,’ was able to stamp her benign influence on the building of the federal city. Was this one of the contributing reasons why many astrologers have insisted that Washington D.C. is ruled by zodiacal Virgo?
“It is quite clear that the ceremonial placing of the stone related to more than merely the founding of the federal district; it was somehow linked to the future destiny of America itself.”
Ovason concludes on pages 65 and 66 by saying,
“The chances of the correspondence being mere coincidence are so remote that we must assume that whoever was directing the planning of Washington D.C., not only had a considerable knowledge of astrology, but had a vested interest in emphasizing the role of the sign Virgo.
“Time and time again, as we study the Masonic involvement in the building of this city, through almost two centuries, we shall see emphasis placed on this sign Virgo.”
Thus, Washington D.C. was represented as Virgo, the Virgin, dominated by Jupiter (Rome). From that point on, virtually all of the buildings in the nation’s capital, as well as the art buildings and statues, were dedicated or established on days when Virgo was prominent. To the Freemasons, Virgo represented the Egyptian goddess, Isis. To the average Catholic, Virgo represented the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus. To the elements within the Roman Catholic Church, Virgo was Mary Magdalene, the supposed mother of Jesus Junior—said to be the progenitor of the Merovingian line of French kings. This is the subject of the recent book, The Da Vinci Code as well as the 2001 movie, “Revelations.” And, of course, it appears in the recent movie series, “The Matrix.”
Most Roman Catholics do not realize that many powerful occult forces in the Roman Church have labored to put Mary Magdalene above Mary, the mother of Jesus. It was not always this way, but powerful forces in the Church silently made the change over the years. All of the Notre Dame churches in the world are dedicated to Mary Magdalene, not to Mary, mother of Jesus.
In the original L’Enfant design for Washington D.C., he specified that the President’s house, the Capitol building, and the Washington Monument should be constructed to form a right triangle—in the shape of a Masonic square. All of these buildings were dedicated on days featuring Virgo. Ovason says on p. 255, 256,
“The White House cornerstone was laid at noon on October 13, 1792. The Moon and the Dragon’s Head were in Virgo.
“The Capitol cornerstone was laid by George Washington on September 18, 1793. At that time, the Sun, Mercury, and the Dragon’s Head were in Virgo.
“The Washington Monument foundation stone was laid at noon on July 4, 1848. The Moon and the Dragon’s Head were in Virgo.”
The “Dragon’s Head” is not the head of Draco. It is the point. . .
“. . . where the Moon intersects the path of the Sun. The term relates to an early phase of astrology when it was believed that the circuit of the Earth’s satellite [Moon] was the invisible body of a stellar dragon.”
“In terms of the triangulation of the plan for Washington D.C., this means that the corners of the L’Enfant triangle were symbolically fixed into the Earth when this beneficial point—the solar-lunar meeting point—was in Virgo.
“This same triangulation is reflected in the stars gathered within and around the constellation Virgo.”
L’Enfant carefully planned for the federal city to manifest the star pattern formed by three stars (all of the first magnitude) surrounding Virgo. They are: Arcturus, Spica, and Regulus. These form almost a perfect right angled triangle with Virgo inside the triangle.
The White House represents Arcturus, the guardian star, supposed to confer renown and prosperity.
The Capitol represents Regulus, the “Little King.” It shows that Congress is King, ruling from the Capitol, the place of power and command.
The Washington Monument represents Spica. On star maps, Spica is in the wheat ear held by Virgo, and so it represents future growth, nourishment, wealth, renown, and advancement.
In this way, the so-called “federal triangle” was meant to bring to earth the heavenly triangle of stars surrounding Virgo. In fact, L’Enfant originally designed this to be a perfect right-angel triangle, but the Washington Monument was ultimately constructed to one side, because, they said, the foundations were not secure enough to place it in the location drawn up by L’Enfant. Thus, the federal triangle was no longer a perfect Masonic square (right angle).
However, in moving the Monument to one side, it became a near-perfect representation of the actual location of the three stars mentioned above. These stars nearly form a right triangle, but not quite. Spica is two degrees too far south to make it a perfect right triangle. In constructing the Monument slightly off center, they made the federal triangle reflect the precise positions of the three stars!
The Mall between the Washington Monument and the Capitol was meant to portray the ecliptic—that is, the path of the Sun through the Zodiac (that is, the constellations). Constitution Avenue, which runs parallel to the Mall, has zodiacs on either side of it. The Dirkson Building on the east end of the Capitol grounds contains 12 zodiacs. On the other end of Constitution Avenue there are 3 more zodiacs. The idea was to portray the ecliptic path as America’s path—that we would follow the Constitution (avenue), rather than the laws of hereditary kings.
The Nation’s Capitol
The foundation stone for the nation’s Capitol building in Washington D.C. was laid on Sept. 18, 1793. Once again, David Ovason tells us on page 88, 89,
“On that day, the Sun was in 24 degrees of Virgo, and thus reflected the Virgoan nature of the new city. However, by pure coincidence, the new planet Georgium Sidus [the original name of the planet Uranus, discovered in 1781, and named for English King George III], with its detested name, was exactly on the fixed star Regulus, the ‘little king’ star of the constellation Leo. . .
“The Masonic astronomers had chosen the day of foundation for the city with great wisdom, for, as the ceremony was enacted, Georgium Sidus lowered in the west and disappeared from sight. As the planet fell into oblivion, beyond the view of those in the federal city, the Sun remained in the sky, set in the zodiacal sign Virgo—a triumphant symbol of the city which was being founded as the new adminis-trative center, to replace that of George III. Symbolically speaking, Virgo was in ascendancy, while the power of King George was in decline.
“This curious arrangement of planets, with its exceptional power of symbolism, was not exactly unique, but it was extremely rare. Because, in geocentric terms, Uranus was such a slow-moving planet, a similar configuration had not been manifest in the heavens since 1708; it would not repeat until 1877. The Masons could not have chosen a more symbolically auspicious date for their all-important ceremony had they been able to manipulate the stars themselves.”
But why did these men establish the nation’s capitol and the city itself according to specific signs in Virgo? It is because they believed that “as in heaven above, so in earth below.” In their way of thinking, they could establish conditions on earth and influence earthly events by aligning them with the heavens.
They wanted—for a variety of reasons—to make America to represent Virgo under Jupiter’s rule. Their error is in thinking that they can manipulate God into doing their own will, instead of submitting to His will. They believe that in laying the foundation stones of the city and these buildings they can influence heaven to work out His will in the earth according to their understanding of the heavenly signs. In other words, it is their way of bringing heaven down to earth, or manifesting heaven in earth.
The Bible does tell us in Gen. 1:14 that the stars (constellations) are “for signs and for seasons, and for days and years.” Furthermore, astrologers were not the ones who named the constellations or the stars. Psalm 147:4 and Isaiah 40:26 tell us that God gave them their names. They were named, in essence, to give us our first Bible. They foretold the birth of Jesus by a Virgin (Virgo), His death on the Cross (Libra), Christ’s conflict with the Serpent (Scorpio), His triumph (Sagittarius), His sufferings (Capricorn), the outpouring of the Spirit (Aquarius), the blessings delayed during the Pentecostal Age (Pisces), the blessings finally given (Aries), the Messiah’s rule (Taurus), the coming Prince (Gemini), His redeemed possessions—church and overcomers (Cancer), and finally the Messiah’s triumph and rule (Leo).
This is the true biblical meaning of the constellations as God intended them to be interpreted. Men interpreted these signs later according to their own minds, developing new and corrupted religions. These signs degenerated into what became known as Astrology, as men rebelled against God. In their rebellion, they thought that they could manipulate God into doing what they wanted Him to do. And so, instead of allowing the signs to speak for themselves, they began to regulate their actions (like laying foundation stones) according to the heavenly signs. They thought that by doing this, they could, in essence, force God’s blessing upon their endeavors, regardless of their character or their personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
The basic assumption in Astrology is that one does not need to know God personally, nor does one need to align one’s character with Jesus Christ. All one needs to do is to intellectually study the stars and planets, along with their symbolism—and then align one’s life accordingly. Thus, it is no longer faith, but knowledge that is the key to life.
The Greek word for knowledge is gnosis. It is the word forming the basis of the religion of Gnosticism, founded by Simon Magus. We spoke of this religion in FFI #181 and #182.
The Mystery religions of Greece, Egypt, and other places form the background of the Masonic religion as well. This is by their own admission. While there are many Christian principles incorporated in Masonry—influenced by the many Christians who had a role in shaping its belief system—these lodges have focused more on attaining lost or secret knowledge, rather than on faith in Jesus Christ. Of course, there are always individual exceptions to this, for God has true believers everywhere.
To return to the topic of the buildings in Washington D.C., it is clear that the Masonic knowledge of Astrology is portrayed everywhere. They made the city represent on earth the heavenly constellation, Virgo. Furthermore, the city was founded when Jupiter, the King’s Planet, was rising above the horizon in Virgo.
Jupiter signifies those who wanted to rule America. Masonic philosophy largely incorporated the Protestant view that men ought to have the freedom to think, to express their divergent views, and to believe according to the dictates of their conscience. And so, America grew strong and inventive in accordance with that freedom.
But as always, human nature is such that men desire power over others. And so, America’s freedoms have been eroded over the years even as men of different groups have fought each other for political, judicial, and economic control of America. Each group thinks of itself as divinely called to rule the earth, whether they are Jewish interests, Masonic interests, or Roman Catholic interests (or others).
These men all want to rule as Jupiter, not realizing that the Bible name for Jupiter is Zadok. Zadok was the high priest under Solomon who replaced the last of the line of Eli (1 Kings 2:35). Just as Eli represents the priesthood under the anointing of Pentecost, so also Zadok represents the new priesthood of the overcomers who will rule with Christ in the age of Solomon—the Prince of Peace. Isaiah 1:26 says that in that day Jerusalem will be called “the city of Zadok (righteousness).” One could also read this to mean, “the city of Jupiter,” for that was the Hebrew name of the planet.
Though men compete for earthly rule, God will indeed transform America (and all other nations) into a Virgin, and they will indeed be ruled by Zadok—the Melchizedek Order. These true rulers will be in submission to Christ, not to unknown “wise masters,” and not to political religious leaders from Rome or any other men.
God has always used men, both good and bad, for His purposes. The wisdom of the wise is foolishness with God, even as wise men think that God’s ways are foolishness (1 Cor. 1:18-27). The irony of the situation is that these “wise” men of the world laid the foundation stones of Washington D.C. with the idea that they were called as Jupiter to rule over America, the Virgin. But God’s plan is to place the true Zadok company (Melchizedek Order) into position of ruling the earth as priests (Rev. 5:10; 20:6).
These will be people who have the character of Jesus Christ, not those who possess the knowledge of the stars. In regard to God’s definition of authority, Jesus told His disciples in Matt. 20:25-28,
25 But Jesus called them to Himself, and said, You know that the rulers of the Gentiles [“nations”] lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. 26 It is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.
No one—not even a Christian believer—is going to rule over others unless they have the character of Jesus Christ. Oppressive servants will not rule (Luke 12:42-48). God’s definition of authority is different from men’s. If any man thinks he has authority in any area, he should view it as divine authorization to be a servant in that area. That is the real meaning of Zadok (Jupiter) when viewed as a biblical sign. Thus, when the Masons established Washington under the influence of Jupiter, they actually did portray the will of God—just not quite what they had in mind.
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Legislating Social Media in the States
States are confronting the challenges of protecting passwords, regulating status updates and other issues surrounding a new world with Facebook and Twitter.
by Dylan Scott | July 2012
Hans and Carolyn/Flickr CC
After a three-month leave of absence in 2010, Robert Collins decided to return to work as a Maryland corrections officer. Collins had left under amiable terms (his mother had died), and he expected no surprises as he went through the recertification process for a position at the state prison in Jessup. But during an interview in December, an investigator asked a question that Collins hadn’t heard before: Do you have a social media account? Can we have your user name and password?
“You can’t be serious. You must be joking,” Collins recalls replying. The investigator wasn’t kidding. The implication of the conversation was that disclosing a Facebook account’s password was compulsory. The request was part of a new policy the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Corrections had adopted to filter out job candidates with gang affiliations or other unsavory personal pastimes. Collins acquiesced. He needed the job. But, he says, “I felt violated on so many levels.”
The feeling lingered. Within days, Collins contacted the American Civil Liberties Union and asked if they were aware of the practice. They weren’t. On Jan. 25, 2011, the ACLU sent a letter to Maryland Public Safety and Correctional Services Secretary Gary Maynard on Collins’ behalf, calling the social media password policy a “frightening and illegal invasion of privacy.” The letter -- and a public relations campaign by the ACLU -- made its mark. The department revised the policy, making it clear that handing over a password was voluntary.
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The ACLU didn’t let the issue rest there. It pushed state legislators to take action. A year after the ACLU sent its letter to the corrections department, a coalition of Maryland legislators led by Del. Shawn Tarrant introduced a bill to prohibit employers, including public agencies, from requiring employees or job candidates to disclose their social media passwords. “Just because we have new bells and whistles,” Tarrant says, “that doesn’t mean that you have the right to invade my privacy.”
The bill passed in April, and Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley promptly signed it into law. It was the first of its kind in the United States.
Until recently, such a statute might have seemed wholly unnecessary. But social media and the broader online realm present an unusual challenge for policymakers -- one that becomes more pressing with time.
Recent studies have found Americans spend 13 hours per week online, and more than 20 percent of that time is logged on social networks. As the Internet and social media become more and more integrated into people’s daily lives, legislators can no longer ignore the need for online policies and regulations. Yet it is largely uncharted territory for policymakers, one filled with unexpected and unique obstacles. “Who would have thought that social media would be an issue and we would have to protect citizens from violation?” says Illinois Rep. La Shawn Ford, who introduced a password protection bill in his state. “But we in government have to keep up with the changes in society.”
Right now, states and localities are ground zero for the policies and statutes that will govern more than 150 million Facebook and 100 million Twitter users in the United States. The U.S. Congress voted down one password protection proposal in March, although another has since been introduced. Meanwhile, in additon to the Maryland law, 11 other state legislatures have introduced bills during the 2012 session, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. No federal statute for online bullying exists, but 46 states have passed laws that explicitly forbid bullying by any electronic means. There are no indications that Congress will address the issue of Facebook or Twitter profiles being a part of a person’s estate when he or she dies, but five states have already enacted laws that dictate what should happen, and two others proposed legislation this year.
That said, the intersection of policymaking and social media can be hazardous terrain. In the case of Maryland and Robert Collins, the state was nearly entangled in a costly lawsuit -- Collins would have sued if the state hadn’t revised its procedure. The Missouri Legislature was less fortunate. After lawmakers approved a bill last year that restricted interactions between teachers and students on social networks, the teachers union filed litigation against the state.
Other cases, particularly those that attempt to govern online speech, have attracted the attention of civil rights and First Amendment advocates who warn that states, in their effort to protect people from digital harassment, might come dangerously close to infringing on constitutionally protected expression. Elsewhere, the social media companies themselves are intervening, concerned that state laws could disrupt the user experience they’ve worked so hard to create for their customers.
A new Arizona law barring online harassment, approved by lawmakers in April, epitomizes one aspect of the tightrope state legislators are walking. The initial bill was intended to be an update of existing harassment laws, which hadn’t kept up with emerging technologies. “The way we communicate in 2012 is vastly different than the way we used to communicate,” says Arizona Rep. Ted Vogt.
But concerns about the new law’s implications for free speech led to rampant speculation in the blogosphere that the state could be subjected to a flood of lawsuits. Language that placed “annoying” or “offensive” behavior under the bill’s parameters drew scrutiny from First Amendment advocates. There was also a question of how to define and determine the intended recipient of online communications. The previous law covered telephone communications, which have an obvious sender and receiver, explains David Horowitz, executive director of Media Coalition, a national free speech advocacy group. Online behavior (in the form of a Facebook status update or a tweet, for example) has a less clearly defined audience. The coalition sent a letter in March to Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer and state lawmakers warning that the bill had “serious and significant constitutional infirmities.”
Vogt and other legislative leaders took notice and agreed to refine the bill’s language before sending it to Brewer’s desk. They worked with state attorneys to craft more precise definitions of illegal behavior (removing terms deemed too broad, such as “annoy”) and they worked to more clearly delineate the kind of two-way communication that would constitute harassment (a private Facebook message, a Twitter mention and so on). Brewer signed it into law in May. The resulting bill was greatly improved, says Gabe Rottman, a First Amendment policy adviser at the ACLU. But if state lawmakers had been less willing to compromise with advocates, the original legislation would have been an easy target for litigation. Says Rottman: “Anytime that you’re trying to restrict speech, you’re opening yourself up to constitutional challenges.”
New York state might be heading into the same firestorm. Bills introduced in both the House and Senate in late March would require website administrators (from blogs to social networks) based in the state to remove comments made by anonymous posters unless the poster agrees to attach his or her name to it. No votes have been taken on the legislation, but free speech advocates are once again preparing for action if the proposals move forward. “This statute would essentially destroy the ability to speak anonymously online on sites in New York,” Kevin Bankston, an attorney for the Center for Democracy and Technology, which promotes an open Internet, told Wired magazine in May.
Nebraska Sen. John Wightman discovered another complication this year: Social media companies themselves are quick to jump into the legislative process. He proposed legislation (at the behest of the Nebraska State Bar Association) that would transfer control of a social media account to an individual’s personal representative upon his or her death. “It’s something that will need some regulation,” Wightman says. “The legal aspects need to be resolved.” For their template, Wightman and the bar association had looked across the border at Oklahoma, which passed the nation’s first such law in 2011.
Oklahoma’s law had passed without much notice by Facebook. Under its own terms, Facebook memorializes an account when it is notified of a user’s death. The profile stays up, while new posts are prohibited and access to the account is locked. But stories of grieving parents forbidden from logging on to their child’s account had led Oklahoma legislators to act. Nebraska lawmakers saw an opportunity to avoid a situation like that in the future by creating a policy now. This time, though, Facebook lawyered up.
The company (and other social media networks that became involved in the statehouse negotiations) expressed concerns about the privacy of their users. “Our existing policy works to ensure that privacy settings are preserved and respected, and these policies extend to memorialized accounts,” Facebook spokesman Tucker Bounds wrote in an email. Facebook’s concerns led to the bill being shelved, but Wightman anticipates it being reintroduced during the next legislative session.
In other scenarios, Facebook and state legislators are working together to protect citizens’ online privacy. The company has taken an active interest in laws like Maryland’s that prohibit employers from requiring employees or job candidates to reveal their social media passwords. Facebook’s terms of service reject the solicitation of a user’s password. As Facebook Chief Privacy Officer Erin Egan wrote in a blog post on the issue: “We don’t think it’s the right thing to do.”
This May, Illinois legislators passed a password protection bill that amends the state’s existing Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act. As in Maryland, the law would ideally guard both individual privacy and prevent public entities (as well as private companies) from being the subject of any litigation for intruding on individual privacy. During debate over the bill, law enforcement agencies, some of which request social media passwords, expressed disappointment with the bill, saying the practice was important in evaluating job candidates. The need to secure personal privacy, however, trumped those concerns. “What would be next?” asks Illinois Rep. Ford, the bill’s sponsor. “We want the PIN for your online bank account? I don’t think anyone ever thought about asking for someone’s password for their ATM card.”
State action has also honed in on public officials themselves, or people acting in an official capacity, such as jurors. According to the National Center for State Courts, at least 12 states currently include explicit warnings about inappropriate use of social media in their jury instructions. In New York, for example, the jury instructions read: “You must not communicate with anyone about the case by any other means, including [on] social websites, such as Facebook, Myspace or Twitter.”
In August 2011, California became the first state to formalize the practice in its state code. Juror instructions have been updated, and state law now requires the officer in charge of a jury “to prevent any form of electronic or wireless communication.”
State high courts have confronted the problem in recent decisions. The Arkansas Supreme Court was forced in December to throw out the murder conviction of Erickson Dimas-Martinez, who was accused of robbing and killing a teenager, after the defendant’s lawyers discovered that one juror had been tweeting about the trial. In the most grievous breach, the individual announced that the jury had reached a verdict one hour before that news became public. The court cited juror misconduct when granting Dimas-Martinez, who had been sentenced to death, a new trial.
“Because of the very nature of Twitter as an online social media site, Juror 2’s tweets about the trial were very much public discussions,” wrote Associate Justice Donald Corbin. “Even if such discussions were one-sided, it is in no way appropriate for a juror to state musings, thoughts or other information about a case in such a public fashion.” Corbin also recommended that the Arkansas Supreme Court Committee on Civil Practice consider restricting jurors’ access to their mobile phones during a trial.
In Massachusetts, the state Appeals Court this May directed judges to do a better job of explaining to jurors that they cannot post to Facebook and Twitter details about cases they are hearing. The court also urged judicial officers to monitor jurors’ social media postings during trials when possible.
The court directions stemmed from a 2009 case from Plymouth, Mass., in which the defendant was convicted on 12 counts of larceny. But, as happened in Arkansas, defense attorneys found Facebook posts from two jurors related to the case. In one instance, a juror’s friend responded to a post by saying: “Tell them that you asked all your friends and they think GUILTY.”
The Appeals Court upheld the conviction, concluding that the posts hadn’t influenced the outcome of the trial, but recognized the need for stronger enforcement of state policies on juror use of social media. “Jurors must separate and insulate their jury service from their digital lives,” the court wrote.
As for permanent state employees, a 2010 National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) survey found that 14 states had adopted social media policies and another seven had indicated that they were developing guidelines for acceptable use of social networks (the survey has not been updated, but NASCIO’s Charles Robb says that number has only increased in subsequent years).
Even that effort, though, has encountered hurdles. Take the lawsuit challenging the Missouri law that restricted teachers from communicating with students through social networks and other electronic means. The law required school districts to adopt policies that prohibited any such communications unless the conversations were entirely public -- the result of several controversies. In one, a Jefferson City, Mo., teacher’s sexual relationship with a 14-year-old student was uncovered because of 700 text messages the two had exchanged.
The Missouri State Teachers Association argued in the Circuit Court of Cole County that under the law, school employees would be subjected to a “chilling effect on their constitutional rights.” The court issued an injunction halting the law’s implementation two days before it was scheduled to take effect.
Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon then signed legislation that repealed portions of the law in October. The new language more narrowly requires school districts to issue guidance on what would constitute inappropriate communications on social networks. The teachers union still hasn’t dropped its lawsuit against the state, instead waiting to see what kind of policies school districts create.
“If they have a policy that is overreaching, we’ll pursue any avenue we need to, to make sure teachers rights are protected in that particular district,” Todd Fuller, a spokesman for the teachers union, told Government Technology (which, like Governing, is owned by e.Republic Inc.). “If we have to go to the length of suing an individual school district, we’ll do it.”
Meanwhile, the digital culture continues to evolve, bringing with it new challenges and risks. But the key to finding the road to good governance on these issues is for lawmakers to educate themselves on emerging technologies. “The theme of protecting and serving my constituents doesn’t change,” Maryland’s Tarrant says. “Whether it be high-tech or no-tech, I have to look out for them."
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The Problem with California's High-Speed Rail Plan
By Daniel C. Vock
The biggest public works project in the country — high-speed rail between Los Angeles and San Francisco — is still on track despite several recent setbacks, California officials say. Other observers are increasingly concerned.
The $68 billion venture is the first of its kind in the United States, and its success or failure could shape American transportation policy for decades to come. As a result, the project is under intense scrutiny from Congress, taxpayers and transportation experts around the world.
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It would be a major engineering feat to whisk passengers between the two cities in less than three hours, which is the goal. To succeed, California leaders must find their way through a maze of deadlines, lawsuits and regulations that threaten the project.
A Sacramento trial judge recently raised serious questions about two fundamental aspects of the project: its business plan and a major funding source. The rulings did not stop work, but they bolstered opponents who argue the whole scheme is unworkable. Some outside observers also raised doubts.
“The rulings raise so many questions about whether this project still makes financial sense,” Joe Nation, a public policy professor at Stanford University, told the San Jose Mercury News. “This could turn into a real nightmare.”
The project is now unpopular with California voters, too, even though they were the ones who got the project off the ground in 2008 when they approved a $10 billion bond measure to help pay for it.
Despite the setbacks, Dan Richard, chair of the California High Speed Rail Authority, said the project will go forward.
“Rather than flouting the law, we're insisting that we can comply with the judge's order. This judge for a second time denied demands by opponents of high-speed rail to stop the project or void contracts for work now underway,” he wrote in a letter to The Wall Street Journal.
From its beginning, the California high-speed rail effort has been held up as a model for the rest of the country. The 2008 bond measure provided far less money than the project’s full cost, but it marked the first time that U.S. voters had approved public borrowing for high-speed rail.
President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus package, passed the next year, included $8 billion for high-speed rail, which the administration hailed as “transformational.” Including stimulus money, the Federal Railroad Administration under Obama has awarded $9.9 billion in high-speed rail money to 34 states and the District of Columbia.
California secured by far the biggest share, with $4.2 billion. Illinois, the president’s home state, came in second with $1.9 billion. Together, the two states captured more than three out of every five dollars dedicated to high-speed rail.
California and Illinois, along with other states, received a bigger share after newly elected Republican governors in Florida, Ohio and Wisconsin pulled the plug on high-speed rail efforts in their states.
But only California is trying to build true high-speed rail, with trains that can exceed 200 mph. For the most part, other states are using the money to improve the speed on existing Amtrak routes.
Even Amtrak's fastest Acela trains between Boston and Washington, D.C., will top out at 160 mph for the foreseeable future. Illinois is using its money primarily to improve speeds on Chicago-to-St. Louis trains. It estimates trains will be able to travel up to 110 mph on three quarters of the route by 2017. Illinois and Michigan are also boosting speeds on their route between Chicago and Detroit.
Other efforts to cut train travel times are still on the drawing board. Japan has offered to pick up a “substantial” portion of a magnetic-levitation route between Washington and Baltimore, with the understanding that the U.S. government and private sources would continue the route to New York. With top speeds of more than 300 mph, mag-lev trains could shuttle passengers between Washington and New York in an hour. But federal funding is unlikely, given that Congress has not approved money specifically for high-speed rail since Republicans won control of the U.S. House in 2010.
Inventor Elon Musk, head of SpaceX and Tesla Motors, unveiled a plan in August for a capsules-in-tubes system that he said could cut travel between Los Angeles and San Francisco to 30 minutes. Musk criticized the California high-speed rail project as he discussed his alternative.
“How could it be that the home of Silicon Valley and (Jet Propulsion Laboratories) — doing incredible things like indexing all the world’s knowledge and putting rovers on Mars — would build a bullet train that is both one of the most expensive per mile and one of the slowest in the world?” he wrote.
Musk said his hyperloop would cost $6 billion, but almost everything about the proposal is still theoretical, and Musk has indicated he is too busy to lead the development of the system himself.
California still has not laid any new track for its high-speed rail system, but it has been busy preparing, especially along the 130-mile segment slated to be built first.
The first stretch is in a relatively flat area far from either Los Angeles or San Francisco, because planners wanted to build it quickly in time to use the federal stimulus funds before they expire in 2017. It would run from Madera through Fresno south to Bakersfield.
The California High Speed Rail Authority, which is in charge of the project, has held hundreds of meetings with local residents about the exact route of the rail and its potential environmental impacts. It has excavated parts of downtown Fresno for archeology studies. Farther south, it is studying how to deliver electricity to trains as they pass through mountains.
But starting in central California means construction would begin in an area where the project is particularly unpopular. Kings County, where part of the track would be built, and local taxpayers sued to block construction.
Legal Setbacks
Last year a Sacramento judge dealt the project two substantial setbacks. In November, Superior Court Judge Michael Kenny ruled against top state officials who voted last March to sell $8.6 billion in bonds for the project, a move that could effectively freeze state funding until it is resolved.
California Treasurer Bill Lockyer said he would not sell the bonds until a court validated that the process of approving the bonds was done properly, which is normally a routine precaution against future lawsuits.
But the judge declined to validate it. The problem, he said, was that the group of state officials tasked with reviewing the bond request essentially rubber-stamped the request from the high-speed rail agency, rather than evaluating the request themselves. By doing so, Kenny said, they did not live up to the 2008 ballot measure that set up the group as “an independent decision-maker, protecting the interests of taxpayers by acting as the ultimate keeper of the checkbook.”
The rail authority plans to continue to use federal money while the legal issues over the state money are resolved.
The same judge ruled that the high-speed rail agency must revise its finance plans and secure far more extensive environmental approvals. Kenny faulted the state for finding financing only for the first phase of construction, rather than for the first operable route, as specified by the 2008 ballot measure.
The problems continued for the project in December, when a federal agency ruled against the California high-speed rail agency. The state wanted to get tentative approval for its 114-mile line between Fresno and Bakersfield — the second phase of construction — without first completing an environmental review. The federal Surface Transportation Board said it found no reason to do so.
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The GQA: Nick Offerman
The Parks and Recreation star on how to be a man, how to love a woman, and why he'll never tweet again
Mary Kaye Schilling
You might be surprised to learn that Nick Offerman—who plays iconic manly-man Ron Swanson on the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation—has a giggle that can only be described as girlish. It is at once disconcerting (this is a guy who wields a chainsaw like it’s a third arm) and endearing. I got a load of the giggle over breakfast in New York. Not long after allowing his pubic hair to be shaved into the shape of a eagle for GQ’s July issue, he and the cast of Parks had come east to receive a Peabody Award. Offerman was wearing a tie-dye T-shirt, jeans, and the bushy beard he favors when his show is on hiatus. Despite a hangover, he was unfailingly polite; the waitress got a please and thank you every time she dropped by. He is also the poster boy for how to treat a woman. Take note, guys: This a man who never misses an opportunity to wax rhapsodic about his wife of twelve years, actress Megan Mullally (who plays Ron Swanson’s sex-crazed librarian ex, Tammy Two). Indeed, Offerman has an admirable affection for old school good manners and a clear code of behavior—rules that, we have come to believe, every man should live by.
GQ: What were you up to last night?
** Nick Offerman:** A contingent of us—[Parks creator] Mike Schur, Amy [Poehler], Adam Scott and myself went to the season finale of Saturday Night Live. It was really something. I’ve never seen Mick Jagger perform. The Foo Fighters played live karaoke at the after-party. I am always so happy to be at SNL. I still feel like a kid when I’m there, like I can’t believe I’m watching them make the show. I had known Amy back in Chicago in our early twenties, and so eventually when I started going to SNL, it was as if my childhood friend was getting me into the White House. Steve Martin was there last night, and we’ve met, and I stood next to him for a while.
GQ: You stood next to him? You say that like you didn’t talk to him.
** Nick Offerman:** I’ve learned through experience that to trouble celebrities with my handshake doesn’t do anybody any good. I thought, If Martin doesn’t talk to me, I’m not going to add to his evening of, Hello, nice to meet you. So I did not say anything.
GQ: I have to interrupt for a moment: One thing I’ve come to appreciate about you is that you don’t often use contractions.
** Nick Offerman:** Oh. That’s a compliment I don’t hear very much. Or, I should say, that’s a compliment I do not hear very often. [giggles]
GQ: I’m happy to see that Parks was renewed, which wasn’t a certainty.
** Nick Offerman:** It was a strange time for us. The Thursday and Friday before the upfronts [the May event where the networks reveal their fall shows to advertisers], we still weren’t hearing if the show had been picked up, and we were nervous. Then suddenly there were rumors, and for the first time NBC didn’t invite the cast to the upfronts. We were, like, what’s going on!
GQ: And then that whole thing with NBC firing Community creator Dan Harmon.
** Nick Offerman:** It was crazy, but not surprising. Dan has been notoriously difficult with NBC. And then he had that really public Chevy Chase feud. I think Dan is brilliant, but we all kind of hung our heads and thought, That’s no way for a boss to behave.
GQ: You strike me as a guy who has a powerful code for behaving properly. Are there some rules you could share with GQ’s readers?
** Nick Offerman:** I would say, first of all, be prepared. I can’t say enough about that. Right now I’m traveling in New York City, but I still have my Swiss army knife on me. I grew up among farmers in Illinois and so you always have to have the tools you might need in the eventuality of a flat tire or a broken window. In the traditional role of man, it falls to you to keep the weather out and fish in the boat. Two: Be polite. Good manners have gotten me as far as anything else in this business. The first film I did, Chain Reaction, was with Keanu Reeves and Morgan Freeman. I had some really nice scenes as Keanu’s building super, which were then completely cut from the film [giggles]. Anyway, at the end of my day on set, I hung up my costume in the trailer, and the wardrobe assistant came to pick it up. I said something involving please and thank you. She stopped, put her hands on her heart, and said, "Can I just say thank you so much for treating me like that, and for hanging up your clothes?" I said, "Are you kidding me?" And it quickly became clear, as I continued working, that having manners was equivalent to a superpower in the business.
GQ: Would you say it’s getting worse?
** Nick Offerman:** Actually, in the twenty years that I’ve been working, I’ve seen it start to get better. On Parks, for example, there’s kind of a No Assholes rule. You cannot get away with diva behavior on our set. It certainly does still exist in the industry, but it’s not as prevalent. You can see it in the cars. When young people come into money in Hollywood these days, they no longer buy the muscle car, they buy the Prius. It’s amazing to me, the parking row at my show—all these twenty-six-year-old wunderkinds who went to Harvard or Brown and, boom, in three years they’re on the writing staff of Parks, And literally it’s a fleet of Priuses on the lot. That gives me a lot of hope that we’re evolving.
GQ: What do you drive?
** Nick Offerman:** A little Audi wagon. I would like nothing more than to get a ’68 Chevelle convertible. That’s my dream—to be Matthew McConaughey’s character in Dazed and Confused.
GQ: I’m sure you could get one.
** Nick Offerman:** Oh, yeah, I could. But I can’t in good conscience. I know too much about the world, sadly. For years I drove a big Ford F250 pickup. That was my ride because two-thirds of my work was wood work, and I’m always driving up to Northern California, where I harvest salvaged trees.
GQ: Just for readers who don’t know, you have a thriving custom wood shop in Los Angeles, where you build tables and canoes, among other things. Your website, by the way, is beautifully designed.
** Nick Offerman:** Thank you. And, yes, when my career was primarily woodwork, I needed a big truck. But four or five years ago, when acting work started to take over, there was a shift. One particular day on the Fox lot, a woman shouted at me from across the parking garage—something about what my penis size must be because of the truck I drove [giggles]. I was pretty gob smacked. God, lady! I mean, I get it, I agree with you. But I actually haul trees that I cut with my chainsaw, ma’am. And my genitals are perfectly adequate. Bastard. But that was around the time when I realized it was ludicrous to be commuting in this big diesel truck. And even the Audi posed a crisis of conscience—whether to get the A4 or the A6, which is more sporty and beefed up. But I couldn’t pull that trigger. A modern German-made station wagon is so incredible and zippy—it would just be the McDonalds consumer in me that would bump it up to six or eight cylinders.
GQ: Any other rules before we go on?
** Nick Offerman:** Yes. Learn to do something with your hands. Ladies and men alike find handcrafting to be really sexy. When I met Megan, I was building a set for the play we were doing, and she saw me with my tool belt for a month. I would be a fool to think that didn’t have some effect on her hormonal decision.
GQ: I noticed that you sell coffins on your site. Has anyone bought one?
** Nick Offerman:** Not yet. Being a man of the theater and a hedonist, I find the idea of building coffins very romantic. It’s just another version of a wooden vessel that carries us through this world—whether it’s a bowl or a canoe or a coffin. But the only coffin, so far, is only this big [he holds his hands about two feet apart]. I lived with this friend in college and Chicago, when we used to enjoy a lot of marijuana. He has a macabre sense of humor, so it was only right that I would make a coffin-shaped stash box.
GQ: Given your very DIY sensibility, I was surprised to see that you had a Twitter account.
** Nick Offerman:** It was a brief, unfortunate interlude. Megan and I happily eschew all social networking. I got involved because of a movie I produced and starred in, Somebody Up There Likes Me. The filmmaker, Bob Byington, is an old friend and each of his films is his whole life. And he kept suggesting that I ask some of my friends, who have millions of followers, to tweet about our movie, particularly when the trailer went online. I was in the middle of sending Conan O’Brien an e-mail asking him to tweet about it, and thankfully I caught myself and said, Wait a second. That’s a real asshole move. Conan’s gone to the trouble—and a handful of other friends—have gone to the trouble of amassing all these followers, and applying themselves to this service that is free. Grab yourself by your bootstraps and do it yourself, jerk. I also had this humorist tour coming up, and I knew that [Parks co-star] Aziz Ansari does really well communicating with his fan base about his comedy shows.
GQ: What was his advice for successful Tweeting?
** Nick Offerman:** Aziz told me, don’t follow more than ten or twelve people. He said he follows over three hundred and it consumes his life. So I picked just a handful of people that I knew and liked, and was just immediately struck by—it was like signing up for cable for the first time and thinking you need to Tivo seventeen channels, and then you start watching the channels and you’re like, There’s no need to watch any of them! It was frankly horrifying.
GQ: So what made you stop?
** Nick Offerman:** A couple of weeks into Tweeting, I was down in New Orleans for a couple of weeks, working on a film with Holly Hunter. We got into some long philosophical conversations about how these social networks are degrading our society and civilization. I immediately started putting it into my humorist show. One of my tips is get a hobby, and part of that section is talking about putting your phone down and doing something with your hands, so that at the end of two hours you have a tangible result to your time. You’ve still been distracting yourself, by knitting or cooking or playing music, but you’ve created something instead of played Words with Friends for two hours. Of course smartphones are brilliant inventions, but the nefarious thing about Twitter and other social media is that it starts to fill all the gaps in your day. I quickly become an addict. If there was a pause in a conversation, I didn’t think twice about seeing what Rob Delaney had to say. It was on a van ride home from the movie set that everything came together. I realized I had to get off Twitter. It just struck me that I couldn’t stop everyone else from doing it, but I could certainly stop myself. Who is it that said, "Be the change you want to see in the world?" Was it John Lennon? It was probably Yoko [giggles]. If John said it, it was probably Yoko who said it first.
GQ: Speaking of great partnerships: One of the best photos I’ve seen of you and Megan was in New York magazine a few years ago. The two of you posed nude—it was very Rubenesque.
** Nick Offerman:** That was completely Megan’s idea. So many of the good things in my life are attributable to Megan—she’s the brains of the outfit. And I’m really good at carrying luggage. I make tables, and she puts illustrious people around them.
GQ: Seems like she’s been a mentor since you met.
** Nick Offerman:** Megan is eleven years older, and fascinatingly—to us anyway—she got Will Grace at thirty-eight or nine, which is the exact same age I got Parks. I was there for the last six years of Will Grace, and it was like this incredible PHD program by proxy. By being in the golden position of being her spouse, I had the freedom to walk around and glean everything I wanted to. And one of the things that always occurred to me is that it’s easier to win the New Jersey Powerball than to put together a successful sitcom. And there was nothing I wanted to do more than to make people laugh like Megan did, and I just thought it would never happen for me. So now, coming home from work—having just eaten two pounds of beef for a paycheck—it astonishes me and makes me really grateful that I’ve lucked into Parks. Watching Megan go through all of these career steps and being her support system was unwittingly an incredible education in handling it myself.
GQ: Is it true that you hooked up at a Glen Campbell concert? Are you fans?
** Nick Offerman:** I mean, we’re Americans so, like oxygen and food, we love Glen Campbell. When we started dating in 2000, we went to the Hollywood Bowl for the Fourth of July to see him. The second to last song was "Rhinestone Cowboy," and there were fireworks, both literal and figurative. That was the first time Megan invited me to be her boyfriend. I mean, I had been asking [giggles]. I’d been at the door for a while, and she opened up and let me in to Glen Campbell. So he holds a special place in our hearts.
GQ: You’ve been with Megan for twelve years, and you’re still a little starry-eyed when you talk about her. You seem to love her as much as you did when you met. I think I speak for all women when I say, Tell us how you do that?
** Nick Offerman:** Again, I have to give Megan a lot of credit. I was still a young actor when we started dating. She had to point out that if I wanted to commit to this, I’d have to step up to the plate and we right away made some rules. We put our relationship above everything else, including acting jobs, and that’s what—I think what can erode a relationship is allowing other things to take precedence over it. We have a rule that we will never do a job that will keep us apart for more than two weeks. But I also grew up in this incredibly farm family in Illinois, with an incredible salt-of-the-earth set of parents, so I had an amazing example for me, of a loving marriage. I feel incredibly lucky that Megan and I are still like newlyweds. But I think a lot of it has to do with our sense of fidelity. I have managed to land an absolute goddess of beauty and talent, but still she is a human being and I am a human being. It’s not that different from any relationship where you live with someone: At some point they’re going to get on your tits and you need to rise above it. I think I can boil down my rule for a happy relationship to one phrase: Swallow yourself. That is something I’m thankful to have learned: Whenever I have a stubborn position on something, I take a deep breath and swallow myself. When let go of my stubbornness, the argument goes away really quickly. Hang on to your ego. I just coined that phrase. You’re welcome to it.
GQ: Aside from Campbell, do you have a soundtrack for getting down with your lady?
** Nick Offerman:** My ultimate soundtrack for lovemaking is Peter Gabriel’s Passion: Music for The Last Temptation of Christ.
GQ: That’s certainly an unusual choice!
** Nick Offerman:** Well, if you listen to it—and it depends on your personal timing and cycles of climax but it has some very languid, you know, drawn-out tracks for foreplay, culminating in some blood-curdling screams with driving tribal drums [giggles]. Megan and I share taste in music, and we consider musicians like Tom Waits and Randy Newman and Patty Griffin to be the most romantic musicians. Not necessarily the most beautiful music, but, for our money, the most romantic because it’s authentic and from real life experience. When I first got turned on to Tom Waits, I was trying to get my dad to come around, and I played him one of Tom’s most moving songs, his cover of "Somewhere" from West Side Story. My dad said, It’s a pretty song, but the guy sounds like he’s being run over by a dump truck. And I said, "Well, that’s the point, Dad." This guy whose voice evokes having been through a lot of shit is singing that there is even a place and time for him.
GQ: I asked a writer who interviewed you what I should know about Nick Offerman that I don’t know from the countless articles and interviews. She said that you’re a big fan of American pastoral poetry.
** Nick Offerman:** [sounding shocked] She did?
GQ: Yes. She said that you are a fan of American pastoral poetry, for one thing, and that you tear up when you look at photos of your two dogs.
** Nick Offerman:** Yes, that is true. Especially when I’m far away from them. But that sounds much too high-falutin’ to say I am a fan of American pastoral poetry. Uh, I love to read, certainly. And my favorite writer is Wendell Berry. But, um, I am certainly no expert in literary genres, beyond plays.
GQ: What books are you reading now?
** Nick Offerman:** I’m halfway through Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace—a writer who escaped my notice until a few years ago, when posthumously his final novel, The Pale King, came out. Mike Schur did his thesis on Wallace and had been in touch with him, and was absolutely religious about his writing. And Mike had organized a reading in Los Angeles—excerpts from The Pale King. It was Henry Rollins, Adam Scott, myself, and a couple of other actors. That was my introduction to Wallace’s writing. And to continue in my fealty to Mike Schur, I decided to devour the massive feast that is Infinite Jest. But I am constantly reading Wendell Berry—that’s sort of my bible.
GQ: What drew you to Berry?
** Nick Offerman:** I was working at Steppenwolf doing Buried Child, and this great actor named Leo Burmester befriended me, and on closing night gave me a collection of Berry’s short stories. I had no idea what a profound influence he was handing me. And I ended up getting in touch with Berry, trying to get permission to adapt some of his work. And he, so far, has refused. He says that he doesn’t want to see anybody’s adaptation because all of his fiction is of a piece—all of his stories and novels continue to flesh out his fictional, rural town of Port William, which reminds me of the farm town where I grew up in. So I wrote him back and said, "I’m annoyed because I have to respect your wishes even more, but I’m so disappointed. And I said, You’re getting up there in years, so if at some point you feel okay about it, I’ll be ready." I mean, I’d really love—if he would ever give me the green light, I feel like his body work would make a great TV series, a la Little House on the Prairie. We’ll see what happens. I’m new to the world of getting to do things that I want to.
GQ: Didn’t you write an episode of Parks and Recreation this past season?
** Nick Offerman:** It was called "Lucky." It’s the one where Leslie gets a hotshot interview with a guy in Indianapolis, played by Sean Hayes. And Andy finishes his college class and gets his oral exam, and we all go out with his teacher. It’s a little bit of a triangle with Rob Lowe, herself, and my character.
GQ: Was that the first script you’ve written?
** Nick Offerman:** It is. It’s really the first thing I’ve written period. I love writing. I write short, funny things all the time.
GQ: Including what you wrote for the July issue of GQ.
** Nick Offerman:** Yes. For years, Megan—god love her—I would leave her a Post-it in the morning on the way to work. And I would get home at night and she would be holding the Post-it and saying, Honey, you really need to be writing. I would say, "Honey, it’s a Post-it." Two phrases [giggles]. And she’d say, "Yeah, but you’ve got the goods." So Mike Schur took a big chance, and I was very tickled to be able to do so.
GQ: What was it like writing for your own character?
** Nick Offerman:** It was really fun, I mean, I think what gave him the confidence to have me do it is that, from the get-go, I’ve been writing for my character. We all sort of do, to some extent. I will also pitch line for other characters. We’re all throwing out ideas for the stories.
GQ: Does that happen on set or in the writer’s room?
** Nick Offerman: **Mostly it happens on set, but I learned quickly that, in my down time, if I go sit in the writer’s room—it’s really fun and educational to sit among twelve geniuses as they try to make each other laugh.
GQ: Once, for a story, I got to sit in The Simpsons writing room. There were about a dozen guys, and they would tell jokes, and no one would actually laugh. They’d go, "Yeah, that’s funny." No one laughed once, and I’m sitting in the corner laughing my ass off. Is that the way it is in the Parks room?
** Nick Offerman:** No. We’re like children sucking on helium. I wonder if maybe the Simpsons writers had been doing it so long...
GQ: Yeah, they’re like professors of comedy.
** Nick Offerman:** They are as impressed with each other’s jokes as the Harlem Globetrotters would be with each other’s layups. Like, Eh, okay. Seven spins and a flip? All right, not bad. I mean, we have Mike Scully, one of the old guard from The Simpsons, working on our show. And he has that sly, quiet way about him in the room, where he’ll float out a joke. And then there’s all these young people throwing a lot more out at the wall to see if it will stick, and Scully’s material just rides through. Being in the room while my own script was being broken and rewritten and polished was some of the most fun I’ve ever had. These late-night sessions where things just devolved into outright silliness. I haven’t giggled so much since I was under the influence of something in college.
GQ: What’s your favorite Ron Swanson line?
** Nick Offerman:** Oh, gosh. It’s a hard question because, regardless of who penned them, for me it’s all of a piece. Actually, my favorite answer to that question is silence. I think one of the things we love to see Ron succeed at is not having to say anything while speaking volumes. Mike and l love Ron’s sensibility when he takes an unlikely position and states it very matter-of-factly, as if people are idiots for thinking otherwise.
GQ: The unexpected development in the second season, when Ron becomes Leslie’s ally, was one of the show’s sweetest developments. It’s one of the reasons, in my opinion, that Parks and Recreation went from good to great—which is all part of the bigger picture of making the show less about Leslie and more about the ensemble. It sounds like you’re saying that the show is the same behind the scenes—very collaborative.
** Nick Offerman:** I had dinner with Mike last night, and we were talking about story ideas for next year, and about the season we just created. I learned in my early years in the theater that I would never become the guy on top. I’ll never create a show; I don’t have a brain expansive enough to see the whole picture, in a way that would behoove anyone. But I learned that I was very good at serving the general. And I love to soldier for someone who can see that vision, like Mike. It’s so rewarding for me to have found this place where he lays out the landscaping, and I’m in charge of shoveling. He just tells me where to dig and I know he’s going to be very pleased with my hole. [giggles]
GQ: I get a little envious watching the show because who doesn’t want to be part of that group? Those characters clearly love each other. Not many people can say that about their co-workers.
** Nick Offerman:** So many of the sets I’ve been on are operated, to some extent, under a reign of fear. Quite frequently the kind of mentality, or the kind of personality that can create a wonderful show is also riddled with some kind of insecurity and neurosis, which trickles down. People are afraid that they’re going to upset somebody on top, and so there’s a real sense of, I’ve got to be quiet, I don’t want to be fired. And there’s such a safety net around our show that we can make absolute jackasses of ourselves with impunity. I can honestly say that the show is made with love.
GQ: Tell me more about the humorist show you mentioned earlier.
** Nick Offerman:** People keep referring to me as a standup, and that just doesn’t sit well with me because a lot of my friends are standups and they’re brilliant at writing jokes, and I’m not. I learned as a young man that I don’t write jokes, but that I can deliver more mundane material and get a laugh. I call myself a humorist. I started doing a show—I wrote it to perform at colleges: It’s my ten tips for prosperity. And then I began playing at these big comedy festivals. Another person I really admire is Garrison Keillor, and I would love to aspire to his sort of genre. There’s an amazing venue in Los Angeles called Largo. The guy who runs it is this magnificent Irish proprietor named Flannigan. He is someone I really admire. He has the wherewithal to bring together the finest in American music—Gillian Welch and Emmylou Harris and Jon Brion and others—and combine it with America’s greatest comedy. And it makes for such an interesting sort of goulash. I have been a huge fan of Largo for the fifteen years I’ve lived in L.A., and become a friend of Flannigan’s. So when I was putting together my show—which is called American Ham—I booked a couple of nights at Largo to make sure it worked. It ended up becoming a very popular show there; we’ve done about six of them so far. And to keep in the spirit of what Flannigan has been doing there, Megan opens for me, singing. I don’t if you’ve ever heard her sing, but she’s incredible. She and a young friend of ours, Stephanie Hunt—she played the bass player in Landry’s band on Friday Night Lights—formed a band. They call themselves Nancy and Beth, and the two of them are opening for me. And I’m almost embarrassed to take the stage after them because they weave such a beautiful feeling.
GQ: Can you sing?
** Nick Offerman:** I can. And I do five or six songs in my show. But no one will ever ask me to sing because it’s beautiful. My secret is hiding my musicianship behind humor. I never imagined that I would sing and play guitar for an audience. But at each show where I perform, Megan takes notes and coaches me. I think I’m approaching the level of intermediate, which I’m very excited about.
Related Stories for GQNick OffermanParks And RecreationCelebrities
Since 1957, GQ has inspired men to look sharper and live smarter with its unparalleled coverage of style, culture, and beyond. From award-winning writing and photography to binge-ready videos to electric live events, GQ meets millions of modern men where they live, creating the moments that create conversations.
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Popular cancer drug target implicated in cardiovascular defects
4:01 September 9, 2014
Kathleen M. Caron, PhDCHAPEL HILL – UNC School of Medicine researchers have discovered an unlikely relationship between CXCR7 – a protein implicated in tumor growth and metastasis – and adrenomedullin – a hormone involved in cardiovascular health. Deleting CXCR7 allows adrenomedullin to run rampant, triggering the development of an enlarged heart and the overgrowth of the lymphatic vessels that traffic immune cells and fluids throughout the body.
The study, published September 8 in the journal Developmental Cell, reveals that CXCR7 binds to the ligand adrenomedullin. The UNC research suggests that this relationship is important because CXCR7 has become a popular candidate for cancer-drug developers. The UNC paper also provides a novel and unexpected role for CXCR7 in lymphatic vessels, which are largely understudied, but play critical roles in inflammation, edema, and tumor metastasis.
“Our results suggest that inhibiting CXCR7 with a drug is also likely to influence the adrenomedullin peptide and may unexpectedly and negatively affect lymphatic vessels,” said senior study author Kathleen M. Caron, PhD, professor and chair of the department of cell biology and physiology. “Lymphatic vessels can function as highway conduits for the spread of cancer cells through the body, so being aware of how a potential drug might influence the function of these vessels is critically important.”
Most receptor proteins act like molecular mailboxes that sit on the surface of the cell; they take in signaling molecules from nearby tissues and then transmit their messages into the cell, where specific commands are carried out, such as helping fight an infection or spurring tumor growth.
CXCR7 is different. It’s part of a rare class of proteins known as decoy receptors, which look like typical molecular mailboxes on the surface, but rather than transmitting messages, they chew them up like a trash compactor would. These decoy receptors destroy any excess signaling molecules in order to keep biological processes like inflammation and tissue development in check.
In 2007, several groups of biologists around the world began to knock out the CXCR7 gene in mice to try to understand its function. Because the CXCR7 gene is “turned on” in lymphocytes – a type of white blood cell – researchers expected the mice to have defects in their B and T cells, which would result in an underperforming immune system. Instead, the researchers discovered that the mutant mice had severe heart and valve defects and died shortly after birth.
Caron had previously seen the same defects in mouse models that contained three times the normal amount of the protein adrenomedullin. She began to contemplate the possible relationship between CXCR7 and adrenomedullin. Caron remembered literature from the 1990’s that had suggested a link between the two. Back then, CXCR7 was going by another name – RDC1 – so it wasn’t surprising to Caron that other researchers might not have made the same connection.
“One of the fun things about being in a field for a long time is you carry this historical literature with you,” said Caron, a member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and the UNC McAllister Heart Institute. “I remembered that RDC1 was once thought to be an adrenomedullin receptor, and so we put together the pieces from that paper and the more recent findings to address a new and unexpected hypothesis.”
Caron asked Klara Klein, a graduate student in her laboratory, to help prove the connection once and for all. First, Klein performed a biochemistry experiment to show that the CXCR7 decoy receptor would bind and destroy the adrenomedullin peptide. Klein took cultured cells, made sure that they expressed the CXCR7 receptor, and then added adrenomedullin. She took out samples of the media at different times, measured the amount of adrenomedullin, and then calculated how much of the peptide was left. Klein found that the adrenomedullin was gradually depleted over time. In contrast, when she added the peptide to cells that didn’t express the CXCR7 receptor, the levels of adrenomedullin remained the same.
Klein then obtained a litter of CXCR7 mutant mice and confirmed that they did in fact have enlarged hearts. She also discovered that the mice had an overgrowth of lymphatic vessels. This made sense, if excessive adrenomedullin was implicated.
“The fact that these two types of mice had nearly identical effects suggested that adrenomedullin may be more than just another signal-triggering molecule,” Caron said. “It may be the CXCR7 receptor’s number one binding target.” Klein and Caron thought that if the main role of CXCR7 was to control the amount of adrenomedullin, then they should be able to reverse cardiovascular defects by reducing the amount of adrenomedullin. To do so, they mated the CXCR7 knockout mice with mice that had half the normal amounts of adrenomedullin. Caron’s team found that mice progeny had normal-sized hearts, and the lymphatic vessels of the mice were not overgrown.
“When you get rid of the CXCR7 receptor, you’re essentially getting rid of the brake that slows down adrenomedullin’s effects,” Caron said. “If they don’t have the brake, but at the same time you lay off the gas, then you normalize the size of the heart and lymphatic vasculature.”
Caron, who has had a long-term interest in the role of adrenomedullin in pregnancy, now wants to see how CXCR7 controls the dosing of this hormone in the placenta. She previously showed that adrenomedullin is responsible for recruiting the mother’s immune cells that infiltrate the placenta. Because dysregulation of the immune system during pregnancy underlies the majority of pregnancy complications – such as preeclampsia, preterm birth, and spontaneous abortion – understanding the role of the receptor in charge of tempering that innate immune response could lead to her lab’s next big breakthrough.
This research was supported by the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Health.
Other UNC co-authors of the Developmental Cell paper include Natalie Karpinich, PhD; Scott Espenshied; Helen Willcockson; William Dunworth, PhD; Samantha Hoopes, PhD; Erich Kushner, PhD; and Victoria Bautch, PhD.
Media Contact: Mark Derewicz, 919-923-0959, mark.derewicz@unchealth.unc
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Cat discovered 128 miles from home
Monday April 20th 2015
A missing 18-year-old cat has been reunited with his owners after being found 128 miles from his family home.
Tabby George, who disappeared from Llanrwst in North Wales five weeks ago, turned up in West Yorkshire after a marathon adventure.
Owners Steven and Susan Davison were overjoyed when their daughter Gemma Lemalle saw a picture of George on a "lost and found" Facebook page.
Mrs Lemalle, 30, contacted Julia Hill, who had found the pet near her home in Brighouse. But how he got all the way to Yorkshire remains a mystery.
"It's a miracle," Mrs Lemalle told The Telegraph. She explained that around a month ago her father thought he saw a cat running off after driving his car to the garage in Llanrwst but did not think anything of it at the time.
"He didn't say anything but when we got home that afternoon George was nowhere to be seen," she said.
The family knew something was wrong straight away because George would always meet them when they pulled up on the driveway. When there was still no sign of him after a couple of weeks they thought he was gone forever.
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NIH Director Discusses Accelerating Translation of Biomedical Research to the Clinic
June 6, 2012 | by Walter Jessen
TED, which stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, is a nonprofit devoted to “Ideas Worth Spreading.” The annual TED conference brings together some of the world’s most fascinating people to talk briefly about science, business, the arts and global issues facing our world. TEDMED, an independent event operating under license from the TED conference, is a three day annual conference where cutting-edge science and technology leaders “connect, understand and inspire” to advance the art of health and medicine with new ideas, the latest science and innovative technology.
National Biomedical Research Day 2011
October 21, 2011 | by Walter Jessen
Alfred Nobel was a Swedish chemist, inventor, entrepreneur, author and pacifist [1]. He was born on October 21st, 1833. After his death in 1896, much of his estate was used to establish the Nobel Prize. In 1993 on the 160th anniversary of Nobel’s birth, President Bill Clinton proclaimed October 21st as “National Biomedical Research Day” [2].
On National Biomedical Research Day, we celebrate the central role that biomedical research plays in improving human health and longevity. On this day, we acknowledge the promise that biomedical research plays for securing the future physical and mental well-being of people around the world. Biomedical research not only provides data that scientists and physicians need to treat and prevent diseases, but it also reveals the fundamental nature of life in humans, other animals, and plants.
A Step Toward Personalized Asthma Treatment, Gene Variant Linked to Drug Response
September 26, 2011 | by Walter Jessen
Inhaled corticosteroids are used by millions of asthma patients every day. However, as with all treatments to control asthma, there is marked patient-to-patient variability in the response to treatment. New research published today in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) has identified a genetic variant associated with the response to inhaled corticosteroids [1]. Investigators have found that asthma patients who have two copies of a specific gene variant responded only one-third as well to steroid inhalers as those with two copies of the regular gene.
Neural Stem Cell Therapy for Ischemic Stroke Patients
March 15, 2011 | by Diana Gitig
The single largest cause of adult disability in the developed world is ischemic stroke, in which blood flow in or to the brain is blocked. It precipitates immense amounts of social and financial costs. Currently, therapies for stroke focus on prevention or acute phase treatments that arrest the stroke while it is happening. But many patients are not fortunate enough to get acute phase treatment and suffer neurological damage that leads to functional and cognitive impairment. Until now, there have been almost no options for such patients. But last February, a company called ReNeuron received approval to begin a clinical trial of neural stem cell therapy for disabled stroke patients [1]. Two patients have been treated thus far and the therapy appears to be safe.
Addition of Immunotherapy Boosts Pediatric Cancer Survival
October 3, 2010 | by NIH Newsbot
Administering a new form of immunotherapy to children with neuroblastoma, a nervous system cancer, increased the percentage of those who were alive and free of disease progression after two years. The percentage rose from 46 percent for children receiving a standard therapy to 66 percent for children receiving immunotherapy plus standard therapy, according to the study in the Sept. 30, 2010, New England Journal of Medicine. The randomized phase III clinical trial was coordinated by the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), a national consortium of researchers supported by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the NIH.
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Home About IFAC News & Events IFAC's Public Sector Accounting Standards Board Proposes New Reporting Requirements for Non-Exchange Revenue
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IFAC's Public Sector Accounting Standards Board Proposes New Reporting Requirements for Non-Exchange Revenue
Taxes are the major source of revenue for most governments, but internationally agreed requirements for accounting for them in general purpose financial statements have not yet been developed. To deal with this major gap in international accounting requirements for governments, the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB) of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) has issued a proposed standard on the financial reporting of revenue from non-exchange transactions, including taxes and transfers.
The exposure draft (ED) of the proposed International Public Sector Accounting Standard (IPSAS), Revenue from Non-Exchange Transactions (Including Taxes and Transfers), deals with a range of matters critical to government financial reporting of taxes, including the basis on which a wide range of taxes should be recognized and how they should be measured. The ED also addresses accounting for other major sources of non-exchange revenue for public sector entities, including transfers from other governments and international organizations, and gifts and donations. The ED also provides guidance on how conditions and restrictions on the use of transferred resources are to be reflected in the financial statements.
"The ED is the result of three years of intense work with the contribution of public finance specialists. It reflects present priorities of the IPSASB with respect to public sector specific issues. The ED proposes the establishment of an international benchmark for the financial reporting of taxes and other major non-exchange revenues of governments. Compliance with the requirements proposed in the ED will enhance the quality, comparability and transparency of financial reporting by public sector entities around the world," says IPSASB Chair Philippe Adhémar.
Given the importance of the subject of this ED to public sector reporting entities, a five-month comment period has been provided to ensure that all constituents have sufficient time to consider and respond to the proposed requirements.
Comments on the ED are requested by June 30, 2006. The ED may be viewed by going to //www.ifac.org/EDs. Comments may be submitted by email to publicsectorpubs@ifac.org. They can also be faxed to the attention of the IPSASB Technical Director at +1 (212) 286-9570 or mailed to IFAC, 545 Fifth Avenue, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10017, USA. All comments will be considered a matter of public record and will ultimately be posted on IFAC's website.
IFAC is the worldwide organization for the accountancy profession dedicated to serving the public interest by strengthening the profession and contributing to the development of strong international economies. Its current membership consists of over 160 professional accountancy bodies in 120 countries, representing more than 2.5 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry and commerce. In addition to setting international public sector financial reporting standards through the IPSASB, IFAC sets international standards of ethics, auditing and assurance, and education. It also issues guidance to encourage high-quality performance by professional accountants in business.
Financial Instruments Education Session
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Love, Death and Robots
Netflix Announces New Animated Anthology Series From David Fincher and Tim Miller
Sentient dairy products, werewolf soldiers, robots gone wild and more.
By Colin Stevens
Updated: 7 Jan 2019 7:41 pm
Posted: 7 Jan 2019 6:00 pm
Netflix has announced Love, Death and Robots, an animated anthology series presented by David Fincher (Gone Girl, The Social Network) and Tim Miller (Deadpool, Terminator 6).
Love, Death and Robots is comprised of 18 short stories that each last 5-15 minutes, totaling up to 185 minutes of content. Each short is created by a different team of filmmakers from around the world, spanning genres like science fiction, fantasy, horror and comedy, and the animation style for each short is distinct, ranging from traditional 2D animation to photorealistic 3D CGI. Furthermore, the anthology as a whole is aimed at an adult audience.
<em>Photo courtesy of Netflix</em>
Though no specific shorts were mentioned by name, Netflix gave brief details for some of the shorts, which will include sentient dairy products, werewolf soldiers, robots gone wild, garbage monsters, cyborg bounty hunters, alien spiders and blood-thirsty demons from hell. It’s unclear if any of the shorts will be thematically or narratively connected.
“Love, Death & Robots is my dream project, it combines my love of animation and amazing stories,” said Miller. "Midnight movies, comics, books and magazines of fantastic fiction have inspired me for decades, but they were relegated to the fringe culture of geeks and nerds of which I was a part. I’m so f**king excited that the creative landscape has finally changed enough for adult-themed animation to become part of a larger cultural conversation.”
The series is executive produced by Fincher, Miller, Jennifer Miller and Josh Donen. No release date for the anthology has been specified.
For more animated shows on Netflix, check out IGN’s list of the 10 best anime series on Netflix right now, and read about how a Diablo animated series is reportedly in development at Netflix.
10 Best Netflix Anime Series
Colin Stevens is a news writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.
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Restaurant Ejects Diner for Tweeting While Eating - UPDATED
Katharine Shilcutt | August 16, 2011 | 12:00pm
Ever since Te House of Tea and its sister restaurant, the now-defunct Saute World Bistro, signed up for Twitter accounts in August 2008 -- the first two restaurants in Houston to do so -- it's become not only de rigeur but almost necessary for a restaurant to have a Twitter account.
It's not enough now to have just a website or just a Facebook page: Customers want to interact with their favorite restaurants and chefs on Twitter, share mini-reviews or photos of dishes with their friends, namecheck hot restaurants and call out establishments that aren't up to par.
"Tweeting and eating go hand-in-hand these days," says Paula Murphy, whose firm -- Patterson & Murphy -- handles PR for a number of Houston restaurants.
"Restaurateurs and bar owners really want people to be in the moment and enjoy where they are and what they're eating and what they're drinking. Social media has changed all that," she elaborates. "Now, the way you show you're enjoying it is that you Tweet about it. You post it on Facebook. You have that other dimension of depth, the Twitterverse. But just as quickly as they could say something positive, they could say something offensive and negative."
So what happens when a customer is Tweeting something negative about a restaurant as they're dining in it? In the case of one local diner, it can get you kicked out.
Allison Matsu was having drinks at Down House on Sunday night when she posted a Tweet, since deleted, wherein she called a bartender a "twerp" for quoting Bobby Heugel -- the owner of Anvil Bar & Refuge -- and appended her statement with the hashtag #jackass #jackoff.
Matsu has achieved mild, local notoriety for her late-night Tweets, even recently winning a Houston Press Web Award for that very activity. Down House, for its part, has achieved a reputation in the short time that it's been open for having capricious service. The two collided in a Twitter-fueled spectacle that resulted in general manager Forrest DeSpain calling the bar, speaking shortly with Matsu, and asking her to be ejected from his establishment.
"She called him a twerp," DeSpain said by phone yesterday afternoon. DeSpain runs the Twitter account for Down House and was agitated that someone would bully his bartender, as he saw it, and took action despite not being at the restaurant that night. "I immediately called up here and talked to her for a few minutes and asked her if she had any kinder words." She didn't, DeSpain said, so he asked her to leave.
Matsu responded by posting a series of Tweets, most of them in the same vein: "Left @DownHouseHTX in tears after GM called up & asked the bartender to hand me the phone. He proceeded to curse a me & ask me to leave. Wow."
Asked to comment on the story yesterday, Matsu said she wouldn't be available until sometime today. If we get in touch with her, we'll update this story. [Edit: Click to the third page to see Matsu's full response.] However, she did post an update yesterday: "No surprise that @DownHouseHTX blocked and unfollowed me. I will NEVER return to that place as long as Forrest still works there."
Although it's far from the first time that a patron has been asked to leave for disruptive behavior, the incident on Sunday night marks one of the first times that a diner has been asked to leave for being disruptive online.
The incident also raises the question: Which group of people is more important to a restaurant? The diners who are physically present to witness another patron's disruptive behavior? Or the masses of potential diners who are virtual witnesses to that behavior on social media?
Both.
In an article on restaurants' increasing Twitter usage last year, the Washington Post laid it out like this: "If somebody has 1,000 followers and writes a negative Tweet about [D.C.-area restaurant] Wow Bao, then 1,000 people could think the restaurant is bad."
In the case of Wow Bao, the restaurant handled its potentially negative situation in a constructive, positive manner: It offered gift certificates to a fellow Twitter user asking if the restaurant was truly as bad as the reviews he'd read, politely asking him to come in and find out for himself.
In the case of Down House, the situation was handled perhaps a little bit more inelegantly. And while there is no shortage of lists or articles explaining the best ways to use Twitter for restaurants, there are very few explaining how not to use it.
"However you feel about Twitter, it makes a big difference," says Kevin Strickland, owner of Ziggy's Bar & Grill and an avid Twitter user, who runs the account for both of his restaurant's locations. "I depend on it. It allows me to have a dialogue with my customers, and they'll usually get a response from me."
Strickland emphasizes that Twitter should not be used by restaurateurs eager to take a crack back at unruly diners. "I've done the opposite," he points out, referring to times when he's seen patrons Tweet about a bad meal elsewhere, and inviting them in to have a better meal at Ziggy's on him.
Many restaurants choose to handle their own Twitter accounts like Strickland. After all, humanizing a business's Twitter account is the best way to ensure that people will follow and interact with it. But it can easily lead to hurt feelings on either side without a third party -- a PR firm or a social media team -- to mediate between restaurants and customers when complaints are made so visible, so public.
"Twitter is so of the moment, and people sometimes lose control of their emotions in a way they wouldn't if they were talking to the person face-to-face," notes Murphy. "People will always complain and people have always complained. It's just with social media, there's a totally different platform from which to do it. In the past, someone would call you up and you would deal with the complaint and the resolution of the situation one on one."
"I just think in dealing with social media, you need to handle it just like customer service," she says. "Take it with a grain of salt, approach the person with professionalism and try to talk it out."
Says Strickland, who sympathizes with Down House: "A problem with social media is that it allows you to vent and have a knee-jerk reaction. Once you put it out there, you can't take it back. It's so rude. You're talking about a person that's sitting in your restaurant, who could easily talk to a waiter or a manager. It's very passive-aggressive. That's really frustrating."
On the other hand, he says, Twitter can be an equally positive outlet when used constructively. "Ironically, the nice thing about Twitter users is that they're a lot nicer, a lot less snarky than on Facebook," he says.
"Maybe it's harder to whine in 140 characters."
UPDATE: Allison Matsu got in touch with us today. Her comment on the situation and her original Tweet follows on the next page.
We spoke to Matsu by phone this afternoon. This is her version of the events that led up to her ejection.
My friend and I went to BRC and they were closing after we had a beer, so we went to Down House after. I'd been there once before and it was a cool place. Probably within a few minutes of sitting down, we see a guy behind the bar talking to two other guys -- all three work there.
The guy behind the bar -- and I wasn't exactly clear on what he was saying -- was saying something derogatory about Bobby [Heugel]. I don't think a place like Down House would be up and running without a guy like Bobby Heugel. Here's a guy making things in beakers and flasks and he's making fun of Bobby. He looked like he was about 16, so I called him a twerp [on Twitter].
I ended up having a great conversation with the guy behind the bar. We were having a great time, had another beer. Thirty minutes later, we'd all engaged in conversation, the bartenders had looked at pictures on my friend's phone of her vacation, it was a dead night -- and all of a sudden the phone rings.
Jeremy picks up the phone and all I hear is, "The blonde or the brunette?" He hands me the phone and says, "It's for you." My initial thought is that it's [Chris] Cusack, the guy who owns the bar, who started following me a long time ago. He's the one that usually handles the Twitter account from what I've been aware of.
As soon as [Forrest DeSpain] got on the phone, he started yelling. He paints a different story -- that he was stern but politely asked me to apologize or leave the establishment -- but he was extremely angry from the get-go, saying that I was eavesdropping on a conversation between employees. When someone starts yelling at me, I shut down. Most of it's a blank after that. I was just thinking, "What the hell is going on? What just happened?" [DeSpain] is yelling at me and telling me I need to leave. I don't even know how long the conversation lasted. I didn't get a word in edgewise. He yelled, "You don't interrupt me."
I do remember the last thing he said was, "You need to get your ass up and leave the establishment. Your time is done there." I handed the phone back to Jeremy and said I just got kicked out.
Asked whether she agreed with being asked to leave, Matsu said that Down House was equally at fault in the situation by allowing their bartenders to speak badly about another bar owner.
"For him to say that I was eavesdropping..." she trailed off. "If you're in earshot of customers, you probably shouldn't be talking poorly about another bar. He was just being arrogant. It would be one thing if I called him a jerk or a twerp to his face and was then asked to leave the establishment."
Further, Matsu felt that the behavior on the part of Down House was hypocritical given the larger climate of negativity on Twitter -- which doesn't always come from the customers.
"There are over a dozen different chefs and owners around town that Tweet about customers or parties all the time, like, 'Oh, that dumbass ordered a cheeseburger without cheese.' Or they talk about rowdy people in the dining room, and those people could be reading the Tweets."
"We all Tweet stuff all the time when we're in restaurants. It's so innocent compared to things I've said before. It wasn't even something malicious. If someone Tweets that the food is awful, they're talking about the person in the kitchen. Is what I said really any different?"
Pot Luck
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Google is Killing Inbox Because Nothing Gold Can Stay
September 12, 2018, 5:17pm EDT
Google is shutting down Inbox in March 2019, and encouraging users to switch back to Gmail.
Inbox was a testing ground of sorts for new Gmail features. Some of the best features in the new Gmail were in Inbox first, including smart replies, snoozing emails for later, and priority notifications.
RELATED: The 8 Best Features in the New Gmail
A few features aren’t coming over, however, including pinned emails, reminders, and bundles. Personally I’m going to miss bundles, which used AI to gather similar emails into groups like “Updates” and “Promos.” There’s nothing similar in Gmail right now. Sure, Google suggests setting up Inbox tabs, but that’s not the same thing. Inbox was also a lot cleaner than Gmail, which tends to feel cluttered.
Which isn’t to say that Gmail is bad. It isn’t. But there was just a lot about Inbox to like, and I’m going to miss it, especially on my phone. I bet I’m not alone.
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Composer; Foreign Policy
Mohammed Fairouz, born in 1985, is one of the most frequently performed, commissioned, and recorded composers working today. Hailed by The New York Times as “an important new artistic voice” and by BBC World News as “one of the most talented composers of his generation,” his large-scale works engage major geopolitical and philosophical themes with persuasive craft and a marked seriousness of purpose. Fairouz’s cosmopolitan outlook reflects his transatlantic upbringing and extensive travels. By his early teens, the Arab-American composer had journeyed across five continents, immersing himself in the musical life of his surroundings. His catalog encompasses virtually every genre, including opera, symphonies, vocal and choral settings, chamber and solo works. As an artist involved with major social issues, Fairouz seeks to promote cultural communication and understanding. His “grandly ambitious” (Opera News) third symphony, Poems and Prayers for mezzo-soprano, baritone, chorus, and orchestra, interweaves texts of Arab poets Fadwa Tuqan and Mahmoud Darwish, the Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai, and prayers such as the Aramaic Kaddish. “Fairouz’s quest is clearly for something universal,” Opera News continues, “and he achieves exactly that by showing that these diverse strands can be woven into a coherent, original, and quite moving musical tapestry.” His fourth symphony, In the Shadow of No Towers for wind ensemble is inspired by Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novelist Art Spiegelman’s book of the same title about American life in the aftermath of 9/11. The work, which premiered in March 2013 in Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium and is now available on a Naxos recording, was described by Steve Smith of The New York Times as “technically impressive, consistently imaginative and in its finest stretches deeply moving.” Fairouz recently became the youngest composer in the 115-year history of the Deutsche Grammophon label to have an album dedicated to his works with the spring 2015 release of Follow, Poet. The album, which launched the label’s Return to Language series, includes two works that exalt the transformative power of language: his elegiac song cycle Audenesque and the ballet Sadat. The album has met with broad critical acclaim – praised as “captivating” by the New York Times and receiving “highbrow and brilliant” distinctions in New York magazine’s taste-making Approval Matrix. Since childhood, Fairouz has found musical inspiration in literary and philosophical sources. His first attempt at composition, at age seven, was an Oscar Wilde setting; since then, he has composed an opera, an oratorio, fifteen song cycles, and hundreds of art songs. A composer who describes himself “obsessed with text,” with a deep respect for the power of the human voice, he has been recognized by New Yorker magazine as an “expert in vocal writing” and described by Gramophone as “a post-millennial Schubert.” He has collaborated directly with distinguished poets such as Mahmoud Darwish, Wayne Koestenbaum, Paul Muldoon and Nobel Prize-winner Seamus Heaney, and with writers Mohammed Hanif, David Ignatius and Najla Saïd. Among the eminent singers that have performed his vocal music are Kate Lindsey, Sasha Cooke, Isabel Leonard, Nathan Gunn, Anthony Roth Costanzo, D’Anna Fortunato, and Mellissa Hughes. Prominent advocates of his instrumental music include the cellist Maya Beiser, the Borromeo, Del Sol and Lydian String Quartets, The Imani Winds, violinists Rachel Barton Pine and Chloë Hanslip, flutist Claire Chase and clarinetist David Krakauer, The Knights Chamber Orchestra, International Contemporary Ensemble, Ensemble LPR, Metropolis Ensemble, and conductors Leonard Slatkin, Gunther Schuller, Evan Rogister, Mark Shapiro, Fawzi Haimor, and Yoon Jae Lee. Commissions have come from the Detroit and Alabama Symphony Orchestras, the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir and Indianapolis Symphony, Beth Morrison Projects, Dutch National Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Aspen Festival, New York Festival of Song, Da Capo Chamber Players, New Juilliard Ensemble, Cantus, Cygnus Ensemble, Counter)induction, Musicians for Harmony, Seattle Chamber Players, Cantori New York, Back Bay Chorale, and many others. His music has been performed at major venues around the country including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Boston’s Symphony Hall and The Kennedy Center, and throughout the United States, the Middle East, Europe, and Australia. Recordings are available on the Deutsche Grammophon, Naxos, Bridge, Dorian Sono Luminus, Albany, GM/Living Archive, and GPR labels. Fairouz’s first opera, Sumeida’s Song, is based on the play Song of Death by the Egyptian playwright Tawfiq al-Hakim. The opera follows the protagonist Alwan’s attempts to bring modernity to darkness and break a never-ending cycle of violence, with grave consequences for Alwan. Sumeida’s Song – available on Bridge Records – has been performed at the Prototype Festival, the Pittsburgh Opera and the Boston Opera Collaborative. Anthony Tommasini of The New York Times called Sumeida’s Song “an intensely dramatic 60-minute four-character opera with a searing score…The Arabic elements of his style – microtonal modes, spiraling dance rhythms, plaintive melodic writing – give fresh, distinctive jolts to the Western elements.” Mohammed Fairouz was chosen by the BBC to be a featured artist for the television series Collaboration Culture, which aired globally on BBC World Service TV (viewership approximately 70 million). As part of the program, which includes an in-depth profile of the composer, Fairouz developed and unveiled an entirely new dance work, Hindustani Dabkeh, featuring David Krakauer, the American String Quartet and Bollywood star Shakti Mohan. Fairouz has been seen and heard on the BBC World Service, NPR’s All Things Considered, BBC/PRI’s The World, and The Bob Edwards Show. He has been profiled by the Wall Street Journal, Agence France Presse, Los Angeles Times, Symphony Magazine, Strings Magazine, New Music Box, and the Houston Chronicle, and been regularly featured on New York’s WQXR and Sirius-XM’s Symphony Hall channel. Fairouz regularly blogs about the intersection of arts and international affairs for the Huffington Post. His principal teachers in composition have included György Ligeti, Gunther Schuller, and Richard Danielpour, with studies at the Curtis Institute and New England Conservatory. Fairouz has been invited to lecture and lead residencies across the country at the Festival of New American Music and at institutions such as Columbia University, Brown University, New York University, University of California at Los Angeles, Chestnut Hill College, and Grinnell College. He has served on the faculty at Northeastern University in Boston and several summer festivals, including SongFest and the Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival. Fairouz’s works are published by Peermusic Classical. He lives in New York City.
Here's what happened in the 2016 election?
The Fever Will Break
Decision 2017: La La Land or The Fair Land?
Trump May Kill Us All: Here's a Letter
A New Red Line Has Been Breached
Saudi Arabia, Vigilante Justice, and The Law of the Jungle
Saudi Arabia, Vigilante Justice and the Law of the Jungle
Beware A Newly Confident Iran
What the West Should Understand About Human Rights in the Emirates
Burying an Elder
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Helaina Hovitz, Contributor
Journalist, Editor, Author
Pencils of Promise Founder Reminds Us to Focus on the Children, Not Just the Statistics
When we think of one impoverished child, the camera of our minds pan back further, and further, and further. There are so, so many, we think. What can we possibly do? It all feels too big, and too sad, and so often, we ignore it and try to focus on what's in front of us.
But the people who change the world, in ways both big and small, don't. They act, and they figure out what needs they can help meet.
One of those people is Adam Braun. While on a college trip to India in 2005, Braun immediately became overwhelmed at the number of four-year-olds he encountered carrying infants in their arms. They were begging for food, their faces twisted in pain. Feeling helpless and struggling to reconcile the urge to help them all, he asked one child on the side of the road what he wanted most in the world.
The boy answered, "A pencil."
Thus, the nonprofit Pencils of Promise was born, an organization he founded to help build schools in impoverished cities and villages in Africa, Latin America, and Asia.
To date, the program has brought hope to children around the world in the form of 10 million hours of education.
In anticipation of the release of his upcoming memoir, The Promise of a Pencil, I did a Google search on the organization and found what I unfortunately find too often -- the start-up story, the facts, and the figures. But where were the actual stories about the children?
When I reached out to Braun, he was grateful for the chance to finally talk about the children whose lives the organization has impacted -- and said that I was the first journalist who's ever really asked.
He began by to sharing the story of 11-year-old Juana Christina, who lives in Guatemala with her seven family members. For months, the children in her community weren't allowed to go to school because the roof was caving in. After Pencils of Promise built them a new school, she told Braun, "Today, we have a new hope. We have a chance. For the first time, I think my dreams will become real."
Another little girl in Ghana named Happy jumped up and down with excitement when she learned she'd be able to go to school with her younger sister, Present.
"She explained to me that she used to dread going to school because she hated to leave her sister every day," said Braun. "She said, 'Now, I can see me and my sister going on to live a better life.'"
Upon the opening of a school in one Laos community, Braun recalled, a tearful parent said, "Before Pencils of Promise, I had to choose which of my children I sent to school each morning, the boy or the girl. It was one or the other. Now, I get to send both of them."
Because the dropout rate is so high once children reach secondary school around age 12 -- and higher among girls, specifically -- Pencils of Promise builds scholarships into their educational programs to try to bridge the gap. Thus, little girls like Nith and Nuth, two best friends from the same village in Laos, believe that they can have real careers and won't need to beg to survive.
When Braun told them they were going to be the very first students at the very first school Pencils of Promise had ever built, the four-year-olds giggled and laughed as they hovered over his shoulder, watching him work his video camera. On his numerous visits back to that school over the past nine years, he's watched them grow up.
"Whenever I see them, they usually say, 'I love going to school, I'm going to have a career,'"Braun said. "Their lives are difficult, but they get to spend every day together. Now, instead of planning to become a farmer or a seamstress, they believe that they can become a doctor or a lawyer."
Lastly, he shared the story of another little girl he met while building a school in her community, one who had been living in a tiny hut with three other girls. When Braun asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, she replied, "A teacher. I want to go back to my village and make sure no girl has to go through what I have to go through, I want every girl in my community to have access to great education."
Clearly, when it comes to charities and nonprofits, we need to tell more stories that go beyond financial figures and galas. How often do we get to read stories about the impact initiatives like this make everyday here at home, beyond the coverage they get in small, local papers?
We need to tell the stories of the people whose lives are changed, of the volunteers who help them, of the experiences they have. There are thousands of people doing good out there who don't get the notoriety of people who write books and start foundations.
"The role of the media is to uncover the truths that will resonate with their audience," said Braun. "The media is capable of influencing peoples' lives. When they tell the stories of underdogs overcoming impossible odds, especially when those people are trying to improve the state of the world for others, the media does a real service to the people they're trying to share stories about."
It's the people who commit to helping others, through initiatives of all sizes, that are changing our world.
As Braun writes in his book, "Take the first small step, and chase the footprints you aspire to leave behind."
It's our responsibility as journalists to document the impact that makes.
Impact Nonprofits Pencils Of Promise Giving Back
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Annul Meetings
International Monetary Fund World Bank Group
Structural Reforms, Inequality, and Growth
imf seminars event
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Lima Time
LOCATION: National Museum - Auditorio Los Incas
TUNE IN FOR THE LIVE WEBCAST ON
Friday, October 9 AT 11 00 AM
more seminars>
There is concern about the global growth environment: there is fear of secular stagnation in advanced economies and worry about slowing potential in key emerging markets. Countries recognize that structural reforms are needed to raise medium-run growth prospects. Yet they sometimes hold back because there are winners and losers from reforms in the short run, making reforms difficult to sell politically. What does the cross-country experience tell us about the impact of structural reforms on income distribution and growth in the short run and medium run? What are the lessons? Are countries justified in their optimism about the positive growth impacts of structural reforms and their fears about the negative distributional impact? Are there better ways to design structural reforms than in the past? This session will examine the reforms needed across the spectrum—product market regulation, labor market reforms, education, public sector efficiency—to boost global growth prospects. It will also explore past experiences to draw lessons for reform design in terms of its impact on both growth and equity.
Watch the live webcast in Español
Moderator: Michelle Fleury
Michelle Fleury is the BBC's New York Business Correspondent and one of the leading reporters in North America for BBC World News. She has covered American business and economics for more than 10 years, and has extensive experience covering the Federal Reserve, the IMF, World Bank and the World Economic Forum in Davos. Before moving to New York, she worked as a producer at the BBC's headquarters in London. She graduated from Warwick University.
Min Zhu
Min Zhu was appointed Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund on July 26, 2011. Previously he was a Deputy Governor of the People’s Bank of China, responsible for international affairs, policy research, and credit information. He served as the Group Executive Vice President of Bank of China before joining the country’s Central Bank. He also worked at the World Bank and taught economics at both Johns Hopkins University and Fudan University. He holds a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University.
Winnie Byanyima
Winnie Byanyima has been Executive Director of Oxfam International since May 2013. She served eleven years in the Ugandan Parliament, and has also served at the African Union Commission and as Director of Gender and Development at the United Nations Development Program. She co-founded the 60-member Global Gender and Climate Alliance and chaired a UN task force on gender aspects of the Millennium Development Goals. She holds a M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering in Energy Conservation and the Environment (University of Cranfield), and a B.Sc. in Aeronautical Engineering (University of Manchester).
Jeroen Dijsselbloem
Jeroen Dijsselbloem has been Eurogroup President since January 2013, Chair of the Board of Governors of the European Stability Mechanism since February 2013, and Minister of Finance of the Netherlands since November 2012. Previously, he was a member of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands (2000-12), and advisor to the Dutch Minister of Agriculture (1996-98). He studied business and agricultural economics at Wageningen University (1985-1991) and completed business economics research towards a master's degree from University College Cork, Ireland.
Joseph Stiglitz is University Professor at Columbia University, New York. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2001 and the John Bates Clark Award in 1979. He has previously taught at Princeton, Stanford, MIT and was the Drummond Professor and a fellow of All Souls College, Oxford. He chaired the Commission of Experts appointed by the President of the UN General Assembly on Reform of the International Financial and Monetary System (2009). He was Chief Economist and Senior Vice-President of the World Bank (1997-2000) and served as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers (1995-97). He holds a Ph.D. from MIT.
Luis Videgaray
Luis Videgaray Caso has been the Secretary of Finance and Public Credit of Mexico since 2012. Previously he was Secretary of Finance of the State of Mexico (2005-09), and was President of the Commission of Budget and Public Accounts in the Mexican Congress (2009-11). He received a Ph.D. in Economics from MIT in 1998.
International Monetary FundWorld Bank GroupWashington, DC
Upcoming/Previous Meetings
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American Exports: After "culture shock," Bodo/Glimt's Zarek Valentin finds happy home along Arctic Circle
Zarek Valentin has emerged as a key player for Tippeligaen side Bodo/Glimt, and was featured on MLSSoccer.com
IMG Academy alumnus Zarek Valentin (2006-08) is adjusting well to life in Norway, playing for Tippeligaen side Bodo/Glimt. Recently, MLSSoccer.com featured the American export and how culture shock quickly turned into a 'happy home.'
From MLSSoccer.com's Greg Seltzer...
AMSTERDAM – Bodø/Glimt right back Zarek Valentin does not remember "Northern Exposure," the 1990s TV "dramedy" and Emmy-winning surprise hit. And as such, he has no idea that he's living the show.
In a nutshell, the show was about a young New York City doctor who circumstantially is charged with setting up a whole new life in the rural-est of colorful rural Alaska. There are great struggles, but eventually he jumps into the adventure head-first and grows in ways he'd never even considered.
After his January 2014 arrival from the Montreal Impact, Valentin suffered a torn Achilles three games into his tenure in Bodø, a town of about 50,000 people located just inside the Arctic Circle. In a way, the recovery period helped turn the charming place into a home over time.
"It's basically just a small fishing village," Valentin told MLSsoccer.com by phone from the team's training ground. "It was a bit of a culture shock: the lifestyle, the food, there's not much to do. But if you have a good group of friends, you also get to experience aspects of life you wouldn't normally. It's more of a simple way of life. There's a lot of appealing aspects."
Valentin has been awed by a long hiking trip taken with his fiancée and a boat trip through the fjords. But he also has a large group of American friends that have helped a Philly kid who previously called cities like Los Angeles and Montreal home grow comfortable in small-town Norway.
In all, seven of his countrymen are playing in the Tippeligaen, including teammate and good pal Danny Cruz. Fellow MLS alum Bobby Warshaw, who grew up about 100 miles away from Valentin in Pennsylvania, is among five Americans that play in the second flight. Most of them are stationed near the capital of Oslo in the south, but the league schedule allows for some meetings.
"Sadly, Danny and I are isolated from the rest of the group," said Valentin. "But whenever we see the guys, it's always good conversation and laughs. Whenever we have spare time, maybe we stick in Oslo for a night or two. We always try to catch up, have dinner, spend some time."
Of course, like transplanted Northern Exposure protagonist Dr. Joel Fleischmann, the 24-year-old former US youth international had to adapt to the extreme sunlight conditions that come with living so far north. During these summer days, Bodø barely bothers to go dark.
"We'll play an 8 pm and won't even need lights," said Valentin. "It's very weird. You'll wake up in the middle of the night and it looks like four in the afternoon."
Conversely, those preseason dog days of January can become a dark, dark grind. The sun goes down at about one in the afternoon and doesn't return until 11 am the next day. Valentin has found the way to keep his mentality positive through the harsh winters.
"It's a fun experience," he said of living in what the locals call reindeer country. "You know, the midnight sun and the Aurora Borealis – you don't get those things in Philly.
"It'll make me a little different if I move back, more likely to explore America in ways I haven't before. Hike Yellowstone, things like that."
For now, though, Valentin and Glimt are getting some northern exposure of their own. The promoted side opened the season on a dreadful 0-6-2 run that saw the American shuttled in and out of the lineup for reasons that had nothing to do with coming back from injury. Since then, they have caught fire in the seemingly limitless summer sun.
Valentin broke back into the starting 11 for the third time this season on June 21, with Glimt in the basement. A week later, they began a six-game win streak at five-time champs Vålerenga that has catapulted the team up to eighth place in the 16-team league.
"I think I was getting used to the speed of [league play]," Valentin said of his early season struggles. "I'd play a good game, then maybe take a step back. Two good games and a step back. Finally, I've gotten back to the level of sharpness I know I can have game in and game out."
Valentin is now not only a threatening figure when jumping into attack, he is showing stability at the back. With his help, the team now stands closer to the Europa League chase than the relegation fight with 11 games to play.
It has been no soft run of victims, either; during the current win streak, Glimt have topped leaders Rosenborg and defending champs Molde away. Still, he cites that first win at Vålerenga as the catalyst for the team's current run.
"That was probably the biggest win of the year, because it gave us confidence going into Rosenborg," said Valentin. "Confidence can drive players and teams. It can turn good players in to great players and mid-level clubs into teams that really excel."
Through it all, Valentin – a free agent at season's end – has grabbed attention up in his northern outpost. He scored the opener in their defeat of Molde and capped a cracking display with an assist in this past weekend's rout of Jersey boy Alex DeJohn's IK Start.
Glimt are preparing an extension offer, but MLSsoccer.com has learned that they face some stiff competition from bigger Norwegian clubs. Valentin hasn't drawn MLS interest yet, but says a return home to North America is always possible.
"I know I will hear from [Glimt management] soon, but I'm keeping all options open," he stated. "MLS is building, so that is something I'll definitely have to look into, being closer to family. As corny as it sounds, I'm just trying to play well and put myself in a good spot at the end of the year."
Credit to: MLSSoccer.com
Greg Seltzer
by: Greg Seltzer
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Infor Voted a Top Workplace in Atlanta
United States – April 26, 2017, 09:00 AM
Living in Atlanta is great. Living in Atlanta and working for Infor is even better.
Based on surveys of 60,000 metro-area workers, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has named Infor one of the top 25 large workplaces in Atlanta in 2017. The newspaper also designated Infor 1 of the top 150 workplaces overall.
More than 2,500 companies were nominated or asked to participate in the 2017 Top Workplaces in Atlanta assessment, and employees at 275 were surveyed by Workplace Dynamics, a human resources consulting company.
"The one common theme across the winning companies was that they earned the loyalty and affection of their employees by investing in their well-being," noted the Atlanta Journal-Constitution article announcing the winners.
That is certainly true for Infor employees.
"The people are what make Infor great. The relationships are very personable, and I feel there is truly an 'open-door policy,' " says Odessa Jackson, a collections specialist who has worked at Infor for almost 10 years.
"One of my favorite things is the support I get from my team. I know that they have my back," says Sue Duncan, a senior executive administrator in sales. "There is always someone there to say 'I gotcha' when you're in the weeds."
Gail Faur, an executive administrator who has been with the company for almost a decade, says she loves Infor Atlanta's "commitment to involve employees in their role to promote the growth of the company."
"One of my favorite parts of Infor Atlanta is the large presence of the Women's Infor Network here. We do an excellent job of promoting women in the company," Faur says.
"I also love the culture of giving back that our CEO Charles Phillips has instilled," she says. "Infor does an amazing job at making a real difference in the community."
Whether it is sponsoring employee volunteer build days with Habitat for Humanity, or participating in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Light the Night Walk, or supporting US service members through the Adopt-a-Platoon program, Inforians love to give back.
Infor is the one of the world's largest business software company. The Atlanta-area office in Alpharetta employs 385 full-time workers, many in software development, deployment services and support, finance and billing, and IT global support.
All three Infor employees say they highly recommend working at Infor to friends whenever they get the chance.
Learn about Infor career opportunities and see current job openings worldwide.
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NBA Rumors: Teams Should Avoid These Free Agents In 2019 Offseason, Per ‘Bleacher Report’
Alex Menendez / Getty Images
Lorenzo Tanos
When NBA teams sign highly-touted free agents in the offseason, there are several outcomes that could take place. The worst possible outcomes are those where the player turns out to be overpaid for their performance, with their team not being much better, or sometimes even turning out worse for that player’s addition. And given the plethora of talented players expected to enter free agency in the summer of 2019, Bleacher Report listed three would-be NBA free agents whom the outlet believes won’t deserve the big-money deals they are likely to receive.
As opined by Zach Buckley, Philadelphia 76ers wingman Jimmy Butler could be one of those players in question, despite his status as one of the best two-way players in the NBA and a track record that includes appearances on four All-Defensive teams, two All-NBA teams, and four All-Star games. However, Buckley explained that Butler might not be worth a maximum contract because of several factors, including the fact he will turn 30 before the start of the 2019-20 season and his recent lack of durability.
Likewise, Buckley also mentioned Butler’s acrimonious departures from the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves as a reason why teams might have to think twice about signing him to a big contract this summer.
The next would-be free agent mentioned was Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic, who, as pointed out, has enjoyed a career-best season in 2018-19 with new head coach Steve Clifford leading the way in Orlando, while also adding a solid three-point shot to his game and improving on defense. However, Bleacher Report’s Buckley warned that Vucevic’s big numbers might have been an “illusion of growth,” given that he is on a contract year and could have “millions of dollars at stake” in the coming summer’s free agent market.
“We don’t know if Vucevic’s newfound three ball could sustain over more seasons or handle a volume increase,” Buckley wrote.
“We don’t know if this defensive energy will be the same should he start collecting Powerball-sized paychecks. We have zero evidence he can be the best player on a decent team or even a top-two or -three option on a really good one.”
Derrick Rose underwent successful arthroscopic surgery to remove bone chips from his right elbow » https://t.co/JFg3olT9oM
Get well soon, @drose! ???? pic.twitter.com/BXaSjVdzbU
— Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) March 23, 2019
Lastly, Buckley suggested that Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Derrick Rose could be one of those players NBA teams should avoid overspending on in the summer of 2019. A former MVP with the Chicago Bulls whose best days were once seen as being long behind him, Rose has had a remarkable bounce-back campaign in 2018-19 as a sixth man for the Timberwolves. Per Basketball-Reference, he averaged 18 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game despite starting in just 13 out of the 51 games he’s played in this season. However, CBS Sports reported last week that Rose was shut down for the season so he could recover from right elbow surgery.
Despite Rose’s seeming resurgence, Buckley opined that the 30-year-old guard mostly had a “good couple of months” rather than a good overall season, and ended up playing just 19 games since the start of the new year. The Bleacher Report contributor added that Rose could be “exploited” if given significant playing time and is currently a liability on the defensive end and a subpar long-range shooter.
“In other words, alarm sirens should be sounding from every angle,” wrote Buckley, who added that any team willing to pay Rose at least $10 million a year might end up suffering from “buyer’s remorse” in the end.
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Christchurch Gunman Submits Complaint About Lack Of Amenities In Prison
Mark Mitchell / Getty Images
The man accused of killing 50 people and wounding approximately 50 more during the mosque shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand, has made a formal complaint to the prison indicating that he has been deprived of basic entitlements, The New Zealand Herald reports. The alleged gunman is being held at Auckland Prison in Paremoremo, New Zealand.
According to the complaint, which the accused terrorist submitted to the Department of Corrections, he has been continually deprived of what he characterizes as basic human rights.
Under his incarceration, the man has been separated from other inmates and is monitored around the clock by a combination of live staff and security cameras. He is not allowed to have visitors and is prohibited from having newspapers, radio, or television. He is also disallowed phone calls.
According to sources within the prison, the complaint centered around not being allowed visitors or phone calls.
“He is being managed in accordance with the provisions set out in the Corrections Act 2004 and our international obligations for the treatment of prisoners,” a spokesperson for the prison said. “For operational security reasons no further information will be provided.”
According to the Corrections Act referenced by the spokesperson, inmates are entitled to certain comforts including exercise, bedding, warmth, and health. They are also entitled to an appropriate amount of nutritious food including drinks and at least three meals per day.
Prison officials indicated that the prisoner has been allowed access to a concrete exercise yard for one hour per day.
More relevant to the prisoner’s complaint, however, is the fact that each inmate is allowed at least one visitor each week for at least 30 minutes, as well as one outgoing phone call of up to five minutes. The act, however, also carries a provision in which the above entitlements can be revoked in case of an emergency in the prison or if the security or safety of the prison or any person is in jeopardy. Additionally, the prison director may deny a prisoner access to these entitlements if they are in segregation, as the rules indicate, “for purposes of security, good order, or safety; or for the purpose of protective custody.”
Jacinda Ardern's photo lights up world's tallest building https://t.co/WdY8Ny5Xno
— nzherald (@nzherald) March 22, 2019
According to prison staff, the prisoner has been described as “compliant” thus far and he is due to appear in the High Court of Christchurch in April. That appearance will likely take place remotely, via live video feed so that the prisoner does not need to be transported to Christchurch.
So far, the charge is limited to a single murder, but another 49 are likely at that appearance, plus additional charges.
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IP Audits
IP in More Detail
IP Facts & Fiction
IP Legislation
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Patent Legislation
The Patents Act 1977 is currently the principal statute governing patent law and practice in the UK. At the date of its conception, this Act was intended to provide the UK with a system of patent law in accord with the substantive provisions of the European Patent Convention, and to manage patents and applications processed via the European Patent Office or the Patent Cooperation Treaty as administered by the World Intellectual Property Organisation.
However, one or two facts of UK patent law remain unique, and the English Courts have had and continue to have differing opinions upon the interpretation of certain substantive provisions of the relevant legislation.
The Community Patent
The Community Patent should not be confused with European patents which are granted under the European Patent Convention. European patents, once granted become a bundle of nationally enforceable patents in each of the designated states. This can be expensive for the patentee in that enforcement must be carried out through the national courts in each individual country, and for third parties revocation cannot be accomplished centrally once the nine month opposition period has expired.
Work on a Community Patent was first started in the mid-1970s, but the resulting Community Patent Convention failed as it was never ratified by sufficient countries. In 1989 the Agreement Relating to Community Patents was an attempt to revive the project. But this attempt failed again.
The two most substantive problems have been with the enforcement of the Community Patents once granted, and the issue of the translation of the patents. In December last year a new draft regulation was published, after a break though was made when it was agreed that there would be a single patent court for the EU, as opposed to each territory enforcing a Community patent under their own procedural rules.
The only real issue outstanding is therefore in relation to the language of a Community Patent. The costs of translating patents into the language of each state in which protection is sought is huge, and quite often will simply deter people from seeking protection in as many countries as they might, had it not been for the translation cost. It used to be the case under the European Patent Convention that a patent application must be filed in one of the three official languages, English, French or German, but the claims of any application so filed must be translated into all three of these languages. If then a patentee designates, for example Poland as a country in which protection is sought, the whole patent must be translated into Polish. Although, the London Agreement which came into force on 1 May 2008, has now addressed a number of these translation issues.
It has been suggested that a Community Patent application be filed in one of the three official languages, English, French or German, and again the claims of the application so filed be translated into all three of these languages should be adopted in any Community Patent Regulation, and that no further translation of the patent is required, along the lines of the London Agreement. However, and probably quite rightly the community states which do not speak English, French or German as their first language have an obvious problem with this set up. It has now been proposed that no further translation of a Community Patent will be required unless infringement proceedings are to be brought, in which case a translation of the relevant patent must be served upon the alleged infringer in the language if his home country.
This proposal has not as yet been accepted by all member states, but the support for a Community Patent is strong enough, to ensure that a Community Patent will be created – maybe not this year but certainly soon.
Patents Act 1977
Patent Co-operation Treaty – 1970 (as amended)
European Patent Convention 1973
Draft Council Regulation on the European Union Patent – 4 December 2009
Patent Law Treaty 2000
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Past Budgets
Focused on the Fundamentals - Isaac - Budget 2019-20
It gives me great pleasure to introduce my eighth annual budget as Mayor of Isaac Regional Council.
I acknowledge the contributions of my fellow Councillors and staff in framing this document which is the final budget of the 2016-20 term of Council.
We have worked hard to deliver a Budget we believe reflects the best interests of the communities of our region and one which demonstrates an appreciation of the cost of living pressures affecting Isaac households.
This year’s Budget reinforces our continued focus on the fundamentals of good local government; delivering critical Infrastructure, Services and Active and Attractive Communities. In this respect, our financial settings and programs for the coming year form the basis of a truly ISAAC budget.
Importantly, the 2019-20 Budget continues Council’s commitment to sustainable and prudent financial management. Independent assessment of Council’s fiscal position by the Queensland Audit Office continues to rank Isaac Regional Council as having a low risk of financial sustainability concerns.
In 2019-20 the increase in general rates will be held at just 1.5%.
That is a rate-in-the-dollar increase of 1.5% across all rating categories, which is good news for property owners where economic activity has not changed.
Land valuations have also not been reviewed by the State Government for 2019-20 so this will not be an influencing factor in rating assessments.
The outcomes for 2019-20 align with our Long-Term Financial Forecast, which has been framed on the basis that rate increases will be set at 2% or lower.
Utility charges for waste management and sewerage provision, as well as the Disaster Management Levy, have also been held at 1.5%.
Council remains focused on those fundamentals which enhance the liveability and connectivity of the region’s communities, underpinned by a $51.4 million capital program in 2019-20.
This investment will be directed to improving critical infrastructure and supporting active and attractive communities, and include: $27.4 million for roadworks, $6.2 million for water projects, $5.8 million for wastewater services, $3.2 million to waste management and $5 million to community facilities.
A further $2.4 million has been allocated to plant, fleet and workshops, $515,000 for internal services and support and $833,000 for parks and recreation.
Recent budgets have been bolstered by millions in infrastructure restoration funding provided under the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA), a joint initiative of the Commonwealth and Queensland governments
But the region reached a significant milestone in May, completing its $50.1 million NDRRA restoration program from Tropical Cyclone Debbie. This is a great achievement and I acknowledge the support provided by the Federal and State governments toassist us on the path to recovery.
The 2019-20 Budget includes $2 million for new water enhancement projects in Clermont as part of our commitment to the community to improve the quality and sustainability of Clermont’s water supply, supported by $900,000 provided under the State Government’s Local Government Grants and Subsidies Program.
The $16 million Pasha Road upgrade will be completed in 2019-20 with the State Government providing a further $13 million to pave and seal the remaining gravel sections of the road between the intersection with Eaglefield Road to the intersection with Riverside Mine Road.
Other key road projects include $2 million to deliver Stage Two of the Mills Avenue rehabilitation in Moranbah, funded through the Australian Goverment’s Roads to Recovery Program.
In addition, there is $1.5 million to rehabilitate a 2.5-kilometre section of Golden Mile Road and $1.3 million to pave and seal sections of Mackenzie River-Capella Rd, both co-funded under the State’s Transport Infrastructure Development Scheme.
Isaac is a proud and passionate resources and agricultural region, our communities are home to generations of proud mining and farming families.
As Mayor, I am absolutely proud of the role our region continues to play in helping to energise the world.
Mayor Anne Baker
Budget Snapshot
Budget Book 2019-20
Division 1 - Glenden and Rural West
Division 2 - Dysart
Division 3, 4,5 - Moranbah
Division 6 - Clermont
Division 7 - Middlemount
Division 8 - Nebo and Coastal
Latest Budget News
LIVEABILITY INVESTMENT BACKS ACTIVE AND ATTRACTIVE COMMUNITIES
$5.833 million will be invested in improvements to the places and spaces which enhance the liveability of Isaac communities. “In 2019-20, we will be investing $5 million into our network...
Read More About LIVEABILITY INVESTMENT BACKS ACTIVE AND ATTRACTIVE COMMUNITIES »
FOCUSED ON THE FUNDAMENTALS WITH A $51.4M CAPITAL PROGRAM
Isaac Regional Council remains focused on the fundamentals of infrastructure and service delivery which enhance the liveability and connectivity of the region’s communities, underpinned by a...
Read More About FOCUSED ON THE FUNDAMENTALS WITH A $51.4M CAPITAL PROGRAM »
COUNCIL HOLDS RATES AND CHARGES at 1.5%
Isaac Regional Council has announced a 1.5% increase in general rates and utility charges in its 2019-20 Budget adopted today. “Across all rating categories we have constrained the...
Read More About COUNCIL HOLDS RATES AND CHARGES at 1.5% »
REGION DRIVES AHEAD WITH MILLIONS FOR ROADS
An investment of more than $27 million will pave the way for improvements to Isaac’s vast road network in Council’s 2019-20 Focused on the Fundamentals budget. Roads, the economic...
Read More About REGION DRIVES AHEAD WITH MILLIONS FOR ROADS »
COUNCIL COMMITTED TO ENHANCING REGION'S WATER NETWORK
Isaac Regional Council remains committed to improving the quality, reliability and sustainability of the region’s water supply for the community and continues to implement an equitable and...
Read More About COUNCIL COMMITTED TO ENHANCING REGION'S WATER NETWORK »
BUDGET INJECTS MILLIONS INTO WATER, WASTEWATER AND WASTE
More than $15 million will flow to projects which enhance water quality and improve environmental outcomes in waste management and wastewater. Mayor Anne Baker said $2 million would be directed...
Read More About BUDGET INJECTS MILLIONS INTO WATER, WASTEWATER AND WASTE »
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Medical Grants Shop Donate
In early 2016 there was a case of extreme hoarding and neglect in Mojave, California. The abuser was arrested and charged with three felony counts of animal cruelty for the 119 cats he was hoarding. These cats were suffering greatly from neglect, abuse, trauma and were severely distrusting of humans. They had been living in cages with up to three other cats and were in terrible condition. These cats were initially taken to the Kern County Animal Shelter, however, aware many of these cats could be euthanized due to lack of space, the Stray Cat Alliance stepped in to rescue the cats.
One cat in particular, Lisa a five-month-old shorthair, was in desperate need of medical assistance. Lisa had suffered a rupture in her eye which was never taken care of while she was living with the hoarder. She required medication three times a day until she was old enough to have the eye removed. With the financial assistance from an ISF Medical Emergency Grant, Lisa was able to undergo surgery to remove her left eye.
Lisa responded very well to the surgery and recuperated quickly. Before the surgery, Lisa was very skittish, shy, and frightened. She was untrusting of the vets and did not enjoy receiving treatment. After the surgery, she was like a completely different cat! It became clear she was enduring a lot of pain before. Once the eye was removed, nothing was bothering her anymore. She became happier, calm, and relaxed! Lisa did not go through this process alone. Her brother Lopes was also rescued from the hoarding case and similarly went through eye surgery. Throughout this time, Lisa and Lopes were living in foster care where they were watched over and received treatment. Their foster parent, Colin, quickly fell in love with the siblings. However, due to a break up Colin was forced to move and Lisa and Lopes had to go to another foster home. Colin stayed up to date with both of their statuses and heard they were not adapting very well in their new foster home. Immediately, Colin asked his new roommate if he could bring the cats back to live with them. As soon as Lisa and Lopes arrived back in Colin’s home, they ran to him and he knew he could never let them go. Colin renamed them Winx and Jax and started an Instagram page for them where he hopes to chronicle the lives of this one-eyed pair!
Cases of hoarding are extremely difficult and traumatizing for the animals involved. It’s heartbreaking to see the impact it can have on the animal’s personality and the fear of humans they gain. Stray Cat Alliance wrote to ISF saying, “We have always known that it takes time and patience to gain a cat’s trust back when they have been harmed by humans. In this case, a hoarding situation and lack of care affected Lisa greatly.” They continued, “Lisa was fortunate to be placed in a loving foster home that has now turned into her permanent home. She was also fortunate to be a recipient of a generous grant from the Ian Somerhalder Foundation that changed her life for the better.”
Written By: Francesca Pollio
Edited By: Bob Stone
Grant Articles
Girls Impact the World
Creatures Grants
Medical Emergency Grants
- Any -Youth GrantsGirls Impact the WorldCreatures GrantsEnvironment GrantsMedical Emergency Grants
06 • 24 • 2019
Horse auctions are held every week across the United States. An unthinkable fate can await horses sold at auctions. These auctions attract many attendees for vastly different reaso...
Can you imagine a human being cruel enough to shoot his dog and leave him for dead on the roadway? Sometimes the unbearable happens and unfortunately, Sarge experienced this terrib...
ISF Grants to Keep Mandeville Beautiful 2019 Spring City Wide Cleanup
ISF is celebrating Earth Day 2019 by giving our first environmental grant of the year to Keep Mandeville Beautiful for their city wide cleanup, along Lake Pontchartrain, in Louisi...
Incredible, loving, even-tempered, easy to handle and trusting are only a few of the words used to describe Mouse, by her rescuer Meow Parlour Cats. Mouse’s story is so compelling...
Skippy was found on the streets of East Los Angeles, dragging his injured legs through traffic. Rescued by a Good Samaritan, taken in by Live Love Animal Rescue and given an ISF gr...
Fiona and Phantom
Fiona and Phantom were just two more “throw away” cats at a high kill shelter until Good Mews Animal Foundation, a cat rescue in Marietta, GA, swooped in and took responsibility fo...
In today’s world, many of us use social media on a daily basis. It is not uncommon for people to post pictures on Community Pages of lost or found animals, in the hopes of reunitin...
Grace was born to a stray mother. As a puppy, she learned to scavenge for food on the streets, mostly in neighborhood trash cans. On day, tragedy struck Grace's world. Thankfully,...
Akira was only two years old when she was left, injured and abandoned, in the middle of the road. The Siberian Husky was found by two girls passing by, after an apparent hit and r...
One look into Leo's big green eyes and you're sure to fall in love. In fact, he's just so thoroughly beguiling and sweet you'll be shocked to hear his tough origin story. At the te...
Lucky Lucy
“Never Give Up” is a motto familiar to most of us. Mottos encapsulate beliefs and ideals which guide us through our lives. A couple of good Samaritans in Louisville, Kentucky and a...
2018 has been a year full of adventure for Scooter. He began the year living in an RV park by the countryside full of coyotes and bobcats. It is not known exactly what attacked him...
No one knows if Dena had a family or the circumstances behind this little pup’s traumatic injuries. Dena, a Shepard mix puppy, was found by a Good Samaritan and taken to the Gallup...
Pipito
Christmas came just one day late for little Pipito, a male Chihuahua mix, who was found by a Good Samaritan in Southern California on December 26, 2017. Pipito, as he was later na...
Big Honey
Big Honey is a beautiful fourteen-year-old Clydesdale horse with a wonderful disposition who was in desperate need of assistance. Prior to being rescued from a neglectful owner, Bi...
Small in stature, but mighty in spirit resonates throughout Milis’ incredible journey of survival. Milis suffered horrific injuries resulting in a severely broken body, yet his spi...
Whether spelled with an X or a Z, Zena is truly a warrior's name. There aren't many creatures who can match the bravery shown by our feline heroine, Zena, who was forced to deal wi...
It was a lucky day for Otter, a male Dalmatian puppy, when For Otis Sake Dog Rescue in Maryland was contacted on his behalf. Due to a congenital defect, he was not thriving in his...
In traditional folklore, the tortoiseshell cat was said to bring good luck. In December 2017, contrary to folklore, Haiku, a 3-year-old female tortoiseshell cat, became a victim of...
Precious, a four-year-old Doberman Pinscher, was found lifeless on an interstate median in California. CA Transportation services were sent out to remove her body and it was then t...
Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary’s mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and re-home criminally abused, neglected and abandoned farm animals. So when they were asked by authorities...
When Camp Cocker Rescue, a cocker spaniel-oriented rescue, received an email from the animal shelter regarding a puppy hit by a car they didn’t expect to meet such a sweet little H...
Orion - graphic photo warning
Resilient, brave, strong and loving are only a few of the words Orion's rescuer, Zoey's Place Rescue, used to describe him. Little Orion was only two months old when someone found...
Baby Cat
At a time when people enjoy their summer and go on holiday, Baby Cat was unfairly struggling for her life. The poor little Tabby had only spent three years on Earth before she was...
When you inherit the name of Perseus you have some pretty big boots to fill. The greatest hero in Greek mythology, Perseus slayed the monsters and saved everyone from Medusa. While...
There are times in our lives when we think we can only be happy with everything we have, until we discover we really needed to let a piece of ourselves go to find true happiness. T...
Although most of our grantees are either dogs or cats, occasionally we have the opportunity to help other species such as bats, turtles, birds and in this next story, a donkey name...
It was a typical Saturday. I arrived at the weekly adoption event held by the Hudson Valley Animal Rescue and Sanctuary (HVARS) in Poughkeepsie, New York. Along with the other vo...
Malik is an attractive orange tabby cat who found himself in a high-kill shelter in Long Beach, CA. It was obvious to shelter staff he suffered a left radial fracture which was pro...
Finneus
This heartbreaking story is a rescue's worst nightmare. Sometimes, no matter how much vetting is done by a rescue, it is impossible to prevent an act of cruelty from happening afte...
It's hard to believe that anyone could be cruel enough to abandon an animal, yet it happens all too often. It happened to sweet Amelie, an American Foxhound who was found alone, sc...
Many humans and animals live with limitations. Whether physically or emotionally, these limitations affect not only their own lives, but also the lives of those around them. Sher...
Compassionate hearts can be found, even within the walls of high-kill shelters. In March 2017 a small, eight year old stray Shih Tzu named Luke was in deplorable condition and tak...
Sinclair is an 8-year old male, Domestic Short Hair Cat. Life has not been easy for this very sweet little man. Sitting in Chicago Animal Care and Control for over two months and a...
During the summer, Cape Cod Bay is alive with an abundant food supply, feeding the many marine inhabitants in the area, including the Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtles, who travel north fo...
Greyhounds. A name associated with speed and agility. They are known to reach impressive speeds of 40-45 miles per hour, making them the Ferrari’s of the dog world. Yet, beyond...
Jedan
When people think of rescue animals they often envision cats and dogs, but there are so many others in need of our help, too! Jedan, for instance, is an adorable Big Brown Bat with...
“Of all the paths you take in life make sure some of them are dirt” – John Muir Life can be hectic. Every day we make important decisions at work and at home. Sometimes we need to...
Cowan is a beautiful, male, domestic, long hair kitten who was brutally attacked by a dog. Three people witnessed the attack: the owner of the kitten, the owner of the dog and a ne...
Billie and Ella
Animal cruelty is something which is so hard to fathom, yet the headlines just never stop. We long for a time when such stories are rare rather than a daily reminder of why we con...
© 2010-2019 Ian Somerhalder Foundation All rights reserved.
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Thriving or just surviving? Building a new rural economy in Atlantic Canada
Evan Careen (evan.careen@thelabradorian.ca)
Published: May 10 at midnight
Updated: May 16 at 1:55 p.m.
. - SaltWire File Photo
THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT RURAL REGIONS ARE IMPORTANT TO SOCIETY. THE STATE OF RURAL CANADA REPORT OF 2015 NOTES THE IMPORTANCE OF RURAL AS “THE SITE OF FOOD PRODUCTION, RESOURCE EXTRACTION, ENERGY GENERATION AND CLEAN WATER AND AIR.” EVIDENCE SHOWS THE DESIRE FOR A RURAL LIFESTYLE IS STRONG — MOST WHO LIVE IN A RURAL COMMUNITY DON’T WANT TO LEAVE AND THOSE SEEKING A MORE RELAXED WAY OF LIFE WOULD DITCH URBAN FOR RURAL LIVING. BUT WILL RURAL CONTINUE TO EXIST? ACADEMICS ACROSS ATLANTIC CANADA HAVE STUDIED THE QUESTION AND FOUND ALL PROVINCES FACE SIMILAR CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES.
THRIVING OR JUST SURVIVING?
WHAT’S AT PLAY IN ATLANTIC CANADA’S RURAL OUTPOSTS?
It’s not a situation that’s unique to Atlantic Canada.
As the Baby Boomer generation ages and retires, and birth rates have declined, the rural landscape is changing. The question is: What will happen if younger people don’t choose to live rural communities?
Who will work in the mines and forests, till the soil, run the fishing boat or keep the service industries running? Or will rural communities exist at all?
At universities across Atlantic Canada, sociologists and economists have been exploring this question for decades; watching and analyzing as rural regions evolve and change.
What they have concluded is there is no one factor that will determine whether rural communities will live, thrive or die.
URBAN: RURAL RATIO
New Brunswick has maintained a 1:1 urban to rural ratio of population for the past 30 years, while during the same period the rest of Canada has evolved to a 3:1 urban to rural ratio.
The future relies on many scenarios.
Dr. Karen Foster is associate professor in the department of sociology and social anthropology at Dalhousie and the Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Rural Futures for Atlantic Canada.
She said rural Nova Scotia is very much a "mixed bag" of scenarios.
“There are communities that are thriving; communities that are kind of on their heels. There are communities that have more or less died.”
One of the common denominators of rural regions that are surviving, she said, is their proximity to urban centres.
“People don’t want to be completely isolated, they want access to services,” she said.
Still, there are people who want to live rurally — whether because of family ties to rural or the "off the grid" dream of building a life that is not always about chasing big money.
Gwen Zwicker is a former consultant and researcher for the Rural and Small Town Project at Mount Allison University in New Brunswick.
In that province, she said, they’re seeing younger people and young entrepreneurs choosing to live off the grid and working on things like solar power, wind turbines, renewable energy.
Dr. Laurie Brinklow, co-ordinator of the Institute of Island Studies at the University of Prince Edward Island, says there’s a "rural repopulation" happening in that province as well, with young people coming back and taking over family farms, or getting involved in organic agriculture.
CULTURE OF VOLUNTEERISM
The provincial volunteer rate in Nova Scotia is higher than the national average, 7.7 per cent, and, collectively, in 2013, the province contributed a higher annual average of volunteer hours than any province in Canada.
“I think it’s part of a global phenomenon,” Brinklow said. “We’re thinking about health, we’re thinking about what is good for us, and fueling our bodies with healthy food and taking on less stress in our lives.”
However, living rural is not all romance. There is the reality of aging populations, the decline of traditional industries, higher living costs and fewer services like Internet and public transportation.
And making a living in rural Atlantic Canada means finding opportunities where you can.
“Here, same as in the other Atlantic provinces, you have to be able to do a number of things to be able to make a living,” Brinklow said of P.E.I. “You become a jack-of-all-trades just out of necessity. You cobble together jobs just to be able to stay. It’s that passion to be able to stay that is driving it.”
Self-reliance is also part of the mindset of those who choose rural over urban, especially when it comes to food.
Foster noted, “A lot of the stuff considered to be progress in previous generations was leading us away from being self-reliant and having communities that can support themselves and that aren’t so totally dependent on a vast global network.”
Still, there’s only so far food self-reliance will take you.
Rural communities still need new money coming in to provide jobs and a reason to stay.
In P.E.I., said Brinklow, work on renewable energy and increasing tourism will help that province move in the right direction.
She also cited the aerospace industry, research and the technology sector, as potential for the future. And the fact that P.E.I. is a smaller province, by size and population, can be a benefit, she added.
“We can turn on a dime if we need to,” she said. “We don’t have the big bureaucracy that takes three years to turn things around, you can actually make change much more quickly because on the scale of the place and the connections that we have, it’s one of the advantages I think we have. Our size, our scale.”
Dr. Rob Greenwood, executive director of the Harris Centre at Memorial University, said the factors challenging rural Newfoundland and Labrador are similar to those in other Atlantic provinces — ageing and declining population in more rural areas.
Greenwood said the province’s strength is in export of its natural resources and that’s where efforts should be focused.
A RURAL WAY OF LIFE
Of the Atlantic provinces, Newfoundland and Labrador has the highest proportion of population (60 per cent) living in rural areas.
According to data from the province’s Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, the export value of seafood in 2017 was $1.3 billion — the third year in a row that fish exports exceeded $1 billion.
Resource-based industries like the fishery, forestry and mining are the underlying economic drivers for rural areas.
“The question is really; do you have exports in your economy that will produce well-paying jobs?” he said. “There are people willing, and some who prefer, to live in rural communities but you can’t do it unless you make money.”
While the province will continue to rely on the traditional industries for new money, he added, those industries cannot continue along traditional lines.
Education will be an integral part of that, says Greenwood.
Using the fishery as an example, he said the future of that industry lies in “high productivity, using state-of-the-art technology ... as much as possible year-round, fewer communities and fewer people but self-sustainable and still long-term in my opinion.”
Meanwhile, in Nova Scotia, Dr. Foster suggests niche industries will be part of the equation for rural.
“We can decide to double down on exports and industrial everything and then just pray for tourism on the side or we can really start to think more about the liberation of smaller, locally owned enterprises, everything from products and services to agriculture and energy,” she said.
LONG LIVE RURAL
Rural Canada is important to the country in that it is the site of food production, resource extraction, energy generation, clean water and air, and of increasing importance for carbon sequestration.
Prince Edward Island is the smallest province in Canada, in size and population. Current population (2015) is 145,211. It’s largest municipalities — Charlottetown and Summerside (pop. 32,545 and 15,654) — would be considered small towns in most other provinces.
In 2014, about 26 per cent of P.E.I.’s workforce was employed in public administration and health-care sectors; compared to 18.1 per cent for Canada as a whole.
According to the 2011 Census, 82 per cent of the population of Newfoundland and Labrador live within 60 km of the Trans-Canada Highway.
"There are communities that are thriving; communities that are kind of on their heels.
There are communities that have more or less died."
Dr. Karen Foster,
Canada Research Chair in Sustainable
Rural Futures for Atlantic Canada
FOR DECADES, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ACADEMICS HAVE BEEN STUDYING RURAL REGIONS; EXAMINING WHO LIVES IN RURAL REGIONS AND WHAT MAKES RURAL ECONOMIES TICK, ANALYZING THE CHALLENGES FACED BY RURAL COMMUNITIES AND THE POSSIBILITIES FOR THE FUTURE.
SOCIOLOGISTS AT UNIVERSITIES ACROSS ATLANTIC CANADA HAVE WRITTEN NUMEROUS REPORTS AND STUDIES SHOWING THE FACE OF RURAL IS NOT ALWAYS THE SAME IN EACH SMALL TOWN. WHILE MANY RURAL REGIONS RELY ON RESOURCE-BASED INDUSTRIES, THERE IS DIVERSITY IN THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES BEARING DOWN ON EACH SMALL TOWN IN ATLANTIC CANADA.
THE CONSENSUS AMONG THE RESEARCHERS, HOWEVER, IS THAT NO MATTER THEIR DIFFERENCES, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN RURAL COMMUNITIES SHARE RESILIENCY AND A DETERMINATION TO SURVIVE.
DR. KAREN FOSTER
CANADA RESEARCH CHAIR IN SUSTAINABLE RURAL FUTURES FOR ATLANTIC CANADA.
RURAL TOWNS DO BETTER NEAR URBAN CENTRES
Dr. Karen Foster is associate professor; department of sociology and social anthropology, at Dalhousie University in Halifax, N.S. She is also Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Rural Futures for Atlantic Canada.
Currently she is involved in a five-year research project (2018 to 2023) focusing on the sustainability of rural life in Atlantic Canada.
Foster sees a number of different potential futures for rural Atlantic Canada, depending on what parts of the economy governments decide to focus on.
One trend she does think will continue is the movement of people from smaller communities to larger towns within the rural setting.
“The places that tend to do well are those that are within a reasonable driving distance from urban centres, which still have their own identity and rural feel. People don’t want to be completely isolated, they want access to services.”
DR. LAURIE BRINKLOW
UNESCO CHAIR IN ISLAND STUDIES AND SUSTAINABILITY
EMOTIONAL TIES PULLING PEOPLE TO RURAL
Dr. Laurie Brinklow is co-ordinator of the Institute of Island Studies at the University of Prince Edward Island, the UNESCO Chair in Island Studies and Sustainability and a board member of the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation (CRRF).
Brinklow is hopeful of the future of rural P.E.I. and thinks the island is on the right path.
New technologies, renewable energy and the strong sense of community are some of things she cites as reasons for the resiliency of the island.
While the province isn’t immune to similar challenges faced by other provinces, such as outmigration and a decline in traditional industries such as agriculture, Brinklow says there’s a strong emotional connection to P.E.I. that makes people want to live here.
“There’s such a strong sense of community, a sense of identity, in Prince Edward Island.
“I’ve lived in many provinces in Canada and I found that in P.E.I. there’s just something special about this place that attracts people, makes them want to come back and settle. A lot of it has to do with the rural landscape, the ocean, the lifestyle, and the quality of life.”
DR. ROB GREENWOOD
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT FOR MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE BIG TO SUCCEED
Dr. Rob Greenwood is executive director, public engagement for Memorial University and of The Leslie Harris Centre of Regional Policy and Development.
Prior to his appointment to the Harris Centre, he was assistant deputy minister of policy in economic development departments in Newfoundland and Labrador and in Saskatchewan.
Outmigration, aging populations and the movement of people to urban centres are the biggest issues for rural communities, he says.
In the reality of lower birth rates in developed countries, Greenwood suggests governments have to re-think some ideology.
“I think the key distinction for policy makers and leaders and people is that we have to quit equating development with population growth (and) there are a lot of examples around the world — we like to use Iceland — but The UN index of well-being is full of small jurisdictions.”
“You don’t need to be big to succeed but you need to be well governed and you have to have exports. Increasingly, because of the skills and the knowledge needed to be highly productive you need good educated entrepreneurs and workers.”
DR. GWEN ZWICKER
RURAL AND SMALL TOWN RESEARCH GROUP, PRESIDENT
YOUNGER PEOPLE LOOKING FOR SIMPLER LIFE
Gwen Zwicker spent nearly 20 years involved in rural research as the director of the Rural and Small Town Programme at Mount Allison University.
Since 2011 she has been president of the Rural and Small Town Research Group of Sackville, New Brunswick.
Zwicker said one of the biggest problems facing rural New Brunswick is outmigration. A lot of seniors and youth are moving into larger centres to be closer to services.
But it isn’t all doom and gloom.
There is also a movement of people looking for a simpler life in smaller towns.
“We do have a number of younger people that are moving to rural areas, young entrepreneurs that are choosing to live off the grid. We have a number of young entrepreneurs who are working on things like solar power, wind turbines, renewable energy.”
The co-operative sector is especially active in Nova Scotia; with 136 co-ops operating in rural areas compared to 156 in urban areas. Although fewer in number, rural co-ops generate 1.8 times the revenue, have three times as many members and twice as many employees, compared to urban co-operatives.
HERE FOR THE
Rural New Brunswick has had its challenges but the people who remain there do so for reasons that may have less to do with money, and more to do with non-monetary aspects of quality of life. — State of Rural Canada Report (2015)
NEXT FRIDAY
WE EXPLORE THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE HOLDING ON AND THE PEOPLE WORKING WITH CREATIVITY AND DETERMINATION TO ENSURE THEIR HOMETOWNS HAVE A FUTURE.
More Rural Renaissance stories
Building on tradition holds promise for the future of rural communities in Atlantic Canada
Updated May 28, 2019 at 4:54 p.m.
Fresh mindset: rural thinking in Atlantic Canada shifting to possibilities
Imagination, co-operation help secure future in Atlantic Canada's small towns
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Home › Destination › Chiapas, Mexico City, Oaxaca, Riviera Maya, Tulum & Cancun, Yucatan Peninsula
Exploring Southern Mexico
Destination: Chiapas, Mexico City, Oaxaca, Riviera Maya, Tulum & Cancun, Yucatan Peninsula
Days: 17
OVERVIEWITINERARY DETAILDATES AND PRICESTESTIMONIALS
Discover the fascinating history, rich culture, and natural wonders of southern Mexico. This unique itinerary is specially designed to expose you to the most important archaeological zones of Mexico and to share Mexico’s culture through its ancestral roots.
Modern and ancient Mexico mingle during this 17-day tour where you will discover and learn about the pre-Columbian civilizations of central and southern Mexico, as well as experience the customs and traditions that remain alive today.
This sample tour also features amazing opportunities to witness some of Mexico’s natural wonders. From lush, green jungles teeming with wildlife to some of the bluest waters on the planet, you will discover why Mexico is recognized around the world for its beauty.
Experience the layers of history in Mexico City’s Historic Center. Admire the ruins of the ancient Aztec city of Tenochtitlan as it peeks through the cloak of the Spanish-built city center constructed over it.
Climb the impressive pyramids of the sun and the moon at Teotihuacán, a still-mysterious city that once was the home of up to 250,000 inhabitants.
Enjoy a private tour with a bilingual guide through one of the earliest cities in Mesoamerica, Monte Albán, designated in 1987 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Take in the amazing wildlife—such as crocodiles, spider monkeys, and a variety of birds—at Sumidero Canyon, a 1000-meter deep canyon outside Chiapas.
Explore one of the most important cities in the Mayan world, Palenque, an impressive archaeological site surrounded by a lush, dense jungle.
Walk along the vibrant and colorful streets of Mérida, declared the American Capital of Culture for 2017.
Return to colonial Mexico by visiting the historical city of Campeche, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.
Explore the hidden Mayan mysteries of the Yucatán Peninsula by visiting the Mayan Archaeological Zones throughout the region.
Capture some wonderful photos and share the beauty of the Mexican Caribbean coast at Tulum, an impressive Mayan site overlooking the sea.
Swim in the crystal clear waters of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 and home of many endangered species.
Day 1: Mexico City Airport/Private Transfer to Mexico City Hotel
¡Bienvenido a México! Our airport supervisor will greet you at Mexico City’s International Airport and take you to your driver. The select hotels we work with are between 5 and 15 km from the airport and are usually reached within 30-45 minutes, depending on traffic.
Overnight: St Regis Mexico City
Day 2: Private Teotihuacan Archaeological Site Tour & Mexico City Historic Center
A bilingual guide will meet you at your hotel and then you will head to Teotihuacán, “the birthplace of the gods” in Nahuatl. Established in 100 BCE and inhabited by other peoples before the Aztecs, Teotihuacán is considered one of the most important Mesoamerican sites in the Americas. The archaeological site is very large, covering 83 square kilometers (32 sq. miles9, and features both a ceremonial center and residential areas. Climb the 65m tall Pyramid of the Sun and/or the 43m high Pyramid of the Moon and look out across the city and valley of Teotihuacán.
Back in the capital, you will explore the main square, “La Plaza de la Constitución,” commonly known as the “Zócalo” and considered one of the biggest squares in the world.
On the north side of the Zócalo is the metropolitan cathedral. The largest cathedral in the Americas, it was built over the Aztec temple, the Templo Mayor, as a symbol of Spanish rule.
Piecing all the stages of Mexico’s history together, it’s time to head to the National Palace, which houses the murals that Diego Rivera painted between 1929 and 1951. Your expert guide will lead you as you learn about Mexico’s history through Rivera’s eyes. Next, you will visit the Palacio de Bellas Artes, or Palace of Fine Arts, completed in 1934 by Mexican architect Federico Mariscal. You will explore the theater that famously hosts the Folkloric Ballet and is home to more murals by Diego Rivera (closed on Mondays).
Day 3: Private Tour of Southern Mexico City with a Market Lunch
Your personal guide will meet you at your hotel lobby and take you to San Ángel, located in the south of Mexico City.
With its narrow, cobbled streets and large colorful houses, it can be hard to believe that San Ángel is part of Mexico City. That might be due to the fact that it didn’t officially become part of the city until the 20th Century. You will wander around the central Plaza, learning about the history of the area, known in pre-Hispanic times as Tenanitla. If you visit on a Saturday you will be able to explore the “Bazar del Sabado,” an art and craft market that brings people to San Ángel from all over the city.
Your private tour continues on to Coyoacán, where you will observe the colorful, heavy brick architecture. Sixty-four of the buildings on this street are cataloged by Mexico’s National Anthropology and History Institute for their historic value.
For lunch, your guide will lead you on a journey for the senses as you discover the Mercado Coyoacán and sit down to savor the flavors of your meal at this authentic Mexican market.
You will then visit the Church of St. John the Baptist and learn about its exterior plaza,where native people were accustomed to listening to their priests under the open sky.
Next, you will head to Frida Kahlo’s Blue House. The house where Mexican painter Frida Kahlo was born and later died is now a museum dedicated to her life. By looking at her house and her art, and reading her words you will learn more about a painter who has become an iconic figure in Mexico and beyond.
Day 4: Travel Day Mexico City to Oaxaca
Meet your driver in the hotel lobby and head to Mexico City International Airport, where our airport supervisor will be waiting with your boarding pass ready to help you check-in your luggage.
Your private driver will meet you as you arrive into Oaxaca International Airport. From here you will be taken to your hotel. Most central hotels are roughly a 25-30 minute drive from the airport.
Overnight: Casa Oaxaca Hotel Boutique
Note: Commercial Flight not included
Day 5: Archaeological Private Tour to Monte Albán, Mitla, & Tule
Experience and learn about nature and archeology that have endured the test of time on this visit to Monte Albán, Mitla and the tree at Tule. Your experienced bilingual guide will lead you on an exploration of one of the oldest Mesoamerican cities: Monte Albán, and the ancient ceremonial center of Mitla, before taking you to visit one of the world’s oldest and largest surviving trees.
Day 6: Travel Day: Oaxaca to Tuxtla Gutiérrez/Explore Sumidero Canyon-Chiapa de Corzo
You will be met by your driver in your hotel lobby at a pre-arranged time and taken to Oaxaca International Airport.
Upon your arrival to the Tuxtla Gutiérrez airport, you will take a boat trip down the Grijalva River to visit the 900-meter-deep Sumidero Canyon, rich in flora and fauna. Finish your day in San Cristóbal de las Casas.
Overnight: Hotel BO
Local Airline Aeromar with daily direct flights.
Day 7: Discover Color and Traditions of San Cristóbal, Chamula, and Zinacantán
In this look into the living traditions of Chiapas you will explore the colonial city of San Cristóbal de la Casas before heading to two indigenous towns nearby.
Explore San Cristóbal with its red-tiled-roof houses and narrow winding streets, visiting the churches and markets of the city and discovering local textiles and handicrafts. Then head to San Juan Chamula to visit the church where the blending of pre-Hispanic traditions and Catholicism is evident in its rituals. Continuing on you will then visit San Lorenzo Zinacantán a town known for its traditional textiles and majority indigenous population.
Day 8: Private Transfer to Palenque via Toniná
Your private driver will meet you in San Cristóbal de las Casas and you will be driven to Toniná Archeological site. To end the day, you will be dropped off at your hotel in Palenque.
Overnight: Boutique Hotel Quinta Chanabnal
Day 9: Private Tour of Palenque Archaeological Zone
Explore the ancient Maya city of Palenque, which lay deeply covered by the jungle for hundreds of years. Learn about the inscriptions found there that narrate 180 years of the city’s history and climb up the temples for impressive vistas over the lush jungle all around.
Overnight: Hacienda Puerta Campeche
Day 10: Campeche City Tour and Uxmal
The tour of Campeche takes you from one end of this colorful walled city to the other on a journey through its history of trade and pirate attacks, as you learn about the port city of yesteryear and the Campeche of today. Continue on to Mérida and visit Uxmal Archaeological Zone.
Overnight: Chable Resort & SPA
Day 11: Mérida City Tour and Celestún
Home to 2,000 or more pink flamingos, Celestún is a great place for nature lovers. Taking a boat ride down this salt-water lagoon, you will see the great variety of flora and fauna that thrive there. You will also get a chance to swim in the fresh waters.
Discover the historical center of Mérida, the capital of the state of Yucatán. You will learn about Mérida’s history and contemporary importance as you explore the Zócalo, the cathedral, and the Monument to the Homeland, before heading down El Paseo de Montejo with its grand, colonial buildings.
Day 12: Chichen Itzá and Riviera Maya
Visit Mexico’s best-known archaeological site, Chichen Itzá, on this full-day experience. As you traverse the site, visiting the Temple of the Warriors, the ball court, and the sacred cenote (sinkhole), you will learn all about Maya cosmology, religion, and the dualism of life and death from your expert guide. At the “Castillo” or Pyramid of Kukulkán you will discover the ingenious architecture that results in the figure of a snake descending and ascending its steps during the equinox, making it one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Overnight: Hotel Esencia
Day 13: Tulum & Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve
Your expert guide will pick you up at your hotel at 8 am and you will drive to Muyil from where you will enter Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve. Sian Ka’an in Maya means ‘origin of the sky’. The reserve is made up of a large water system, marshes, mangroves, and virgin tropical forest, making it home to a large variety of flora and fauna, including crocodiles, dolphins, turtles, and over 300 species of birds.
Arriving at Sian Ka’an, you will start the tour on foot, taking a short hike through the jungle to the Muyil Maya temple, before walking along a wooden pathway by the water’s edge. The next part of the visit will be by boat. Along with your expert guide, you will explore the reserve by water, discovering a cenote (sinkhole) that lies underneath the surface, as well as looking out for wildlife swimming by or up in the trees. There will also be a chance to swim in the clear waterways or float along the ‘lazy river’, don’t forget your bathing suit!
Arriving back on dry land you will then be driven to Tulum archeological site. The only Maya city located right by the Caribbean Sea, Tulum was a Maya fortress city that peaked between the 13th and 15th centuries. Your expert guide will lead you in exploring this small site, which was an important place of trade in jade and turquoise, and despite its size, displays many styles of Maya architecture.
Possibly the most photographed of Tulum’s structures is the “Castillo” or Castle Temple, from where you can look across the Caribbean Sea and imagine the sun setting on the horizon and heading south to the underworld.
There will also be time for you to take a swim and look up at Tulum’s iconic structure from below.
Once your visit is complete you will be taken back to your hotel.
Days 14 – 16: Leisure Days at Riviera Maya
These days are yours to enjoy at leisure. You may relax in your lovely surroundings and take advantage of the many amenities and activities available in the Riviera Maya or just lay back in the white sands and turquoise seas.
Optional suggested Activities (not included):
Swimming with Turtles in Akumal
Río Secreto Expedition
Private Snorkeling sailing Catamaran to Isla Mujeres
Snorkeling or Scuba diving in Mayan Cenote
Day 17: Transfer to Cancun and Departure
Your private driver will meet you in Akumal and you will be driven to Cancún International Airport.
Our trips are fully customized, allowing us to build your itinerary for any time of the year.
Our custom-tailored journeys start from $800 USD per day for two travelers. Contact us today to discuss your travel desires and design a personalized proposal with exact pricing.
Please note, our pricing guideline is a starting from price and is not necessarily applicable to the suggested hotels contained within the suggested itineraries on this web site. Itineraries are customized prior to final pricing.
Our guide’s depth of knowledge on every subject and site simply made the trip. Instead of standing at Monte Albán and just ‘knowing’ that we were looking at something fabulous he helped us understand the depth of what we were seeing.
Vikky and Leroy – March 2015
INQUIRE & CUSTOMIZE THIS ITINERARY
Our custom-tailored journeys start from $800 USD per day for two travelers.
Prefered Contact: Phone Email
Overall Trip Budget (USD):
---I don't know$1,000 - $2,000$2,000 - $3,000$3,000 - $4,000$4,000 - $5,000$5,000 - $6,000$6,000 - $10,000$10,000+
You can also call us toll free (USA/CAN):
International/Within Mexico:
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Bloodhound SSC Completes the Next Step on Journey to the World Land Speed Record
30 Oct 14:00 by Ian Unsworth
Bloodhound SSC has completed the next step on its journey to the world land speed record with successful test runs at Newquay Airport. Reaching speeds of more than 200mph, the project seems on course for the planned 1000mph world record attempt in 2019.
In front of a passionate crowd of over 3500, the test runs took place on the Newquay Airport runway and saw Bloodhound SSC get to 210mph in just eight seconds.
Whilst obviously a long way from supersonic speeds, the goal of the test runs was to benchmark the performance of Bloodhound’s systems and to familiarise the support team with the processes they’ll use on a future world record attempt. Even at these low speeds, the engine is exceeding expectations modelled by the team which bodes very well for the future.
Preparations will now begin for an attempt at over 600mph next year before attention switches to South Africa and the project’s chosen track at Hakskeen Pan. This location should be perfect for an attempt at the land speed record and then the final goal, 1000 mph.
Andy Green commented “The design and engineering team has done an incredible job with Bloodhound SSC. There is development work still to do, of course, but straight out of the box it feels responsive, stable and, above all, tremendously fast.
“Although 210mph is far below the Car’s ultimate target of 1,000mph, today was a proper workout for the vehicle. The Car is designed for high speed on a desert rather than sprint performance off the line, but it still accelerated from zero to 210mph in less than 8 seconds. It’s also notable for being the longest period that we’ve run the Car for, at around 21.5 minutes – and remember it’s designed to run for just 2 minutes at a time in the desert.”
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Shipping to: Ελλάδα
KIKONew ProductsRoss Lovegrove
Ross Lovegrove Neo Noir Get The Look
Neo Noir Get The Look
Neo Noir Tutorial
ROSS LOVEGROVE AND THE KIKONESS
"Personality, modernity and confidence....in a word, KIKONESS"
KIKO MILANO selected designer Ross Lovegrove to create the packaging for the new summer collection.
The world-famous, futurist designer is widely regarded as a visionary whose work has launched a new sense of aesthetics. The hallmarks of the designer's work are a strong visual impact and a rare combination of factors underlying his designs. Ross Lovegrove brings together aesthetics, logic, nature, art and technology to create unique items.
Lovegrove’s work, which has earned him many international awards, has been published in prestigious design journals and exhibited in renowned museums worldwide.
Lovegrove has not merely taken inspiration from the collection's theme to design products to take with you everywhere. He’s also explored in great depth, analyzing and decoding the brand’s DNA, and pinpointing what he calls its “KIKONESS,” a combination of elegance, sensuality, femininity, breeziness and usefulness.
The packaging’s design unites KIKO’s DNA with design, nature, art and technology in a characteristic series of tactile and visual components:
- the curvy lines inspired by the female body;
- the three-dimensional design that evokes the modern era;
- the multiple light reflections that radiate from the heights and depths of the pattern;
- the exquisite colours and other details;
- the compact forms, designed to make the products easy to use;
- the attention to details, from the materials to the packaging’s functional components.
With their ergonomic lines, the products are compact and easy to use, designed for what Lovegrove calls “nomadic portability.” Some examples? The lipstick effortlessly snaps open and closed due to its magnetic closure, while the brush comes with an easy-to-grip handle. The rest is for you to discover.
The packaging’s three-dimensional external design reflects the bright, hyper-informed minds of the digital age while also serving a practical purpose: it’s very useful when searching for the products in your purse. That’s because the raised, three-dimensional design is instantly recognizable to the touch and also reflects light, making it easy to see. The computer-generated designs are one-of-a-kind, found only on these KIKO products. This uniqueness and authenticity is exactly what KIKO MILANO wishes to convey to those who use its products: make-up that’s exquisite and unique, just like the women for whom it is created.
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“It Was About the Insurance Fix”
West Virginia teachers are engaged in an inspiring illegal strike. They’re also showing why we desperately need Medicare for All.
West Virginia teachers, students, and supporters hold signs on a Morgantown, WV street. Spencer Platt / Getty
On Friday, hundreds of striking teachers flooded the foyer of the West Virginia capitol building in Charleston. Holding signs that read “Whose side are you on?” they voted to occupy the building until their demands were met.
As the Supreme Court considers the Janus v. AFSCME case this very week — posing an existential threat to public sector unions throughout the country — labor movement activists should be watching the West Virginia teachers’ strike closely. The coincidence of the two events seems almost scripted: as Janus promises to gut the legal framework for public sector worker organizing, West Virginia teachers are militantly flouting the law.
Many in the labor movement contend that this level of rank-and-file engagement is the key to surviving right to work. The question is, how does a militant mood in a workforce like West Virginia’s teachers come into being? Finding the answer in this case requires paying attention the central demand that caused workers to defy union leadership and embark on one of the largest wildcat strikes in recent American history: adequate health care.
Back to the Table
Three days prior to the building occupation, the West Virginia governor’s office announced that it had reached a deal with the state teachers’ union leadership. The agreed-upon 5 percent raise for teachers and 3 percent for all public employees was supposed to mark the end of the statewide teachers’ strike. The state had already seen four days of school closures in all fifty-five counties, the result of a work stoppage involving twenty thousand teachers.
But the teachers weren’t satisfied with the deal. At the meeting where it was announced, they began to chant, “Back to the table!” and “We are the union bosses!” According to the agreement, the teachers were supposed to return to work on Thursday, but by Wednesday night all fifty-five counties were again reporting school closures. The strike was still on.
The primary source of striking teachers’ dissatisfaction is the state’s meager offering of a “task force” to fix the Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA), West Virginia’s health insurance program for public employees. Tax cuts have resulted in changes to the insurance plan, sending co-pays and out-of-pocket expenses through the roof as teacher pay remains among the lowest in the country. One projection shows premiums under PEIA rising as much as 11 percent per year starting in 2020.
“This has been a huge issue, causing problems for years,” said one striking teacher. “They’ve been cutting our health insurance over and over, making it really expensive to survive.” Throughout the strike teachers held signs that read “Will teach for insurance” and “I’d take a bullet for your child but PEIA won’t cover it.”
According to the strikers, the 5 percent raise offered won’t reverse the damage that rising health care costs have done to West Virginia public employees’ ability to make ends meet. Explaining why she chose to remain on strike, one teacher said, “The number one thing was we needed a permanent fix to PEIA. It wasn’t about the money at all. It was about the insurance fix.”
Pressure Point
Health care touches a nerve, one so tender that twenty thousand teachers are willing to defy their union leadership to try to force the state government to fulfill their health care demands (unlawfully, no less). This is one reason many socialists and left-wing labor activists are advocating a movement-wide focus on single-payer health care, or Medicare for All.
It’s no surprise that health care is the crux of the most combative domestic labor upsurge in years. In a poll last summer, Americans said they regarded health care as far and away the biggest challenge facing the nation.
Working-class people are watching their paychecks disappear as they shoulder an increasing share of rising health insurance costs. We live in a country where nearly half of the money raised through crowdfunding websites goes toward medical expenses, where drug costs can increase 5,000 percent overnight, where having premature twins can obliterate the entire savings of a family with insurance, and where medical debt is the number one cause of personal bankruptcy. On top of all that, we have alarmingly deficient care compared to nations with comparable resources.
It’s in this context that single-payer health care, until recently considered anathema in US politics, has garnered the support of the majority of Americans.
Workers are deeply invested in health care — not for abstract reasons, but because rising costs and confusing, extractive, punitive insurance bureaucracies are making their lives harder, with sometimes fatal consequences. The fact that health care is a pressure point for workers is reason enough to take health care seriously as a primary terrain of class conflict to fight on right now.
Social Unionism
Labor will need many more West Virginias to climb out of the ditch it’s in, and health care has an important role to play in the task of rebuilding the movement. Socialists see building a sense of class consciousness — a working class that identifies as such, knows it’s exploited by capitalists, and is united in struggle — as a necessary condition for the labor movement’s success. To that end, socialist labor strategists have proposed that unions focus on demands that benefit the entire working class, not just this or that individual union’s members.
The idea is that focusing only on narrow wins for specific groups of workers actually atomizes the class, heightening competition rather than solidarity — and resulting in a cautious, transactional union bureaucracy leading a disengaged, depoliticized membership. It also ensures that victories are temporary; without challenging capitalist power beyond the bargaining table, any gains made will be rolled back in no time.
What socialists want instead is a labor movement that advocates for ambitious policies that build worker power across society, not just for workers in a particular shop or trade. Adolph Reed Jr and Mark Dudzic call this a social-unionist orientation, observing that:
Many unions are beginning to redefine their battles against voracious profiteers and privatizers not as defensive struggles to preserve rights, privileges, benefits and conditions already lost by most of the working class, but as far reaching campaigns for the public good, and they are sinking resources into building the kind of alliances necessary to win.
Some ambitious examples of this type of unionism are offered by Sam Gindin, who calls it by its more common term, social-movement unionism:
Autoworkers could push to rejigger their workplaces so they could make the goods needed to confront the ecological crisis. Steelworkers could fight for the renovation and expansion of public infrastructure. Construction workers could demand public housing and the green retrofitting of existing housing stock.
At this particular moment, health care has an exceptional power to galvanize workers. The issue is urgent and personal; as we’re seeing in West Virginia, it inspires people to fight tooth and nail. Plus its appeal isn’t limited to particular industries — every worker needs health care, and every worker is getting squeezed.
What if unions carried out their own contract campaigns for better health care alongside a collective, movement-wide campaign for federal single-payer health care? This effort would satisfy two conditions at once: tapping into working people’s organic desire to challenge the current capitalist health care regime, and bringing individual union struggles into contact with broader movements to build power for the entire working class.
This idea is already gaining steam. A growing number of locals and internationals have endorsed the Labor Campaign for Single Payer, which maintains that labor must lead the charge in fighting for universal, decommodified health insurance. National Nurses United in particular have stepped to the fore, campaigning for “an improved Medicare-for-All system where everyone — rich or poor, young or old — has access to the same standard of safe medical care.” We need many more unions to follow their lead.
Taking it National
We won’t destroy the private health insurance industry and replace it with a democratically administered, wholly decommodified alternative that generates profit for no one without mobilizing millions of working-class people: nurses and teachers, cashiers and secretaries, anyone who’s ever had a medical debt-collection company breathing down her neck. As it happens, the kinds of mass organizing and diverse coalitions and rhetorical strategies that will be required to win single payer are also the ones required to rebuild a class-conscious workers’ movement.
Committing to an ambitious, universal campaign like Medicare for All is committing to society-wide class struggle, which is exactly what we’ll need to revitalize our imperiled unions — and to effectively challenge capital in arenas besides health care.
Fighting for single-payer health care will do the labor movement good, but so will winning it. Unions currently spend a lot of their time and resources fighting to protect their members from the vagaries of the profit-driven American health care system. In West Virginia, they’re responding to the fact that political elites (including, as Cathy Kunkel explained earlier this week, the state’s Democratic Party) are standing with business elites and passing on the costs of austerity to teachers in the form of rising health insurance costs.
The fact that we don’t have universal public health insurance plays to employers’ advantage: it puts unions on the defensive, constantly negotiating to keep workers from falling into the shark-infested waters of the private health insurance industry. By taxing the rich to pay for health care for everyone, we can empower organized labor to make more radical demands focused on workplace democracy.
Plus right now, individual workers usually have to worry about losing their health insurance when they lose their job. When that threat disappears, they’ll be much more willing to fight the boss. Under the right circumstances, the dire health insurance situation and the high stakes that accompany it can make people brave and ferocious, as we see in West Virginia. But more often they make workers guarded, afraid of rocking the boat, and easier to control. Winning single payer takes a powerful bargaining chip away from employers and deposits it directly into workers’ pockets.
Medicare for All is popular, universal, and social. The task for the Left and labor is to take the West Virginia fight national, to unite the teachers in Appalachia with nurses in California and to connect the demand for single-payer health care to the tactics of working-class militancy.
It’s to place this fight in the broader context of capitalist exploitation and domination, and articulate an alternative: a health care system that works for workers, driven by the needs of the many instead of the profits of the few.
Meagan Day is a staff writer at Jacobin .
Social Movement Unionism
2018 West Virginia Teachers Strike
On Friday, hundreds of striking teachers flooded the foyer of the West Virginia capitol building in Charleston. Holding signs that read “Whose side are you on?” they voted to occupy the building until their demands were met. As the Supreme Court considers the Janus v. AFSCME case this very week — posing an existential threat […]
The Strike Is On
Jay O'Neal
Saving West Virginia
How to Win Medicare For All
Sean Petty
Losing West Virginia
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Digital | ON: TECH
The new faces of today's technology
by Chiho Komoriya
Online: May 20, 2018
Be whoever you want to be
Recently, there has been a rise in virtual YouTubers, or “VTubers,” in Japan — the use of motion-sensing technology to turn an anime character into a person’s online alter ego. To do this, though, involves a bit of setup, including face-recognition software and, if you want to move your arms and legs around, a motion capture system.
Xpression: 4D Face, though, is making the option of borrowing someone’s face available to anyone with an iPhone 6 or above. Developed by the creators of EmbodyMe, an app available on Steam and Oculus VR that can animate avatars via the user’s movements, Xpression can animate video clips, photos and pictures on the iPhone. It replaces the expression of the source face in real time with the facial movements of the user via the phone camera.
All you need to do is use the app’s search to find a clip or image, or use one of your own; make sure your face is in the right position in the frame pictured top right of the screen; then make expressions and talk. There’s the option to copy your mouth to the video, which allows you to stick out your tongue or bare teeth, and you can download the clips when done. It’s not seamless, which adds an amusing creepiness (try replacing the expressions of your own face), but it’s a fun app that is available for free.
itunes.apple.com/app/id1350290382
The virtual makeover
If you’re looking for a cosmetic makeover for your real self, but aren’t sure what would you suit you, DHC Corp. has taken advantage of augmented reality to allow its customers to try out a range of beauty products without having to step into a store.
The app uses 3D face-recognition technology to simulate lipsticks, eyeshadows, blushers and other makeup items onto the user’s on-screen face. It works in real time and, since it uses AR, you can move your head around to view the makeover from all sides. There’s also an on-screen slider that allows you to toggle between before and after looks.
The app is free, but it’s designed to promote DHC goods, so the choices are limited to the brand. If you do find what you’re looking for, though, you can access the DHC online store directly and purchase it right away. For anyone who is already a DHC fan, the company says it will also use the app to highlight new, limited-edition and seasonal products.
top.dhc.co.jp/contents/app/dhcmake/info (Japanese only)
Design your robot helpers
Curiosity Inc. is about to release the Chararoid — a customizable service-industry robot, designed to match its owner’s needs both visually and functionally.
According to Curiosity Inc., the concept behind the Chararoid is to help “make the anime world exist in reality.” So the robot’s outer shell, which is designed by computer graphic artists, unsurprisingly looks like a giant anime character — a humanoid with a huge head, big eyes and dainty hands. Clients, however, can have the Chararoid’s defining features customized to match a brand. For example, it can be made to look male or female or have different hair styles.
Using software designed by engineers who animate theme-park attractions, the robot can move its arms and head to make simple gestures, while its eyes are screens that light up with typical anime expressions. It also has speech recognition and responds in a voice that the client can choose. All this is controlled by software that is compatible with background music (BGM), signage and projection mapping programs.
The Chararoid may not be as sophisticated as robots like Softbank Group Corp.’s Pepper, but Curiosity Inc. explains that it is cheaper to produce than other service robots and quicker to build. This makes it a possibility for smaller businesses.
The price has yet to be released, though, so to find out more, contact Curiosity Inc. directly.
www.curiosity-inc.jp/chararoid (Japanese only)
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Posts 1 to 50 of 85
My Warning from a long time player - "This guy will use you for ideas..."
AlsoRan
I have a long time friend who plays different styles of music. We have been invited to jam at one of his associates' home.
He warned me that the guy who invited us to the jam loves to jam with folks and steal their ideas. My friend says when you play something he finds interesting, he will ask you to repeat it and encourage you to explore it. And then, lo and behold, you might hear that idea on his next CD. Both my friend, and other professionals that he knows has had this happen to them through the years with different artists.
What do you think of this? Is this the normal order of things in the music business?
mrcee
Originally Posted by AlsoRan
I think it's common. I've always been wary of putting in much time playing with singer songwriters. You help them develop their songs and can wind up with nothing. Supposedly Sheryl Crow (whose music I like) (and I don't know the details) got a bad rap from when she was starting out in LA and worked up her act with the help of her band but left them when she started to move up. I personally don't hold it against her and feel it was largely an unjustified rap as that's just the way show biz is a lot of the time. If I was playing in some lame ass band and Mr. Big with the big cigar in the Cadillac car wanted to sign me I'd be gone.
I knew a guy from 60s garage band days that turned into good drummer. He moved to the Pacific NW and started playing with a successful local rock band that had a self produced regional hit. Some LA producer heard it and went up and signed them. He changed their name, their clothes and their hair styles and brought them to LA to record. But they told my friend, the drummer, that they weren't going to use him. They preferred to work with a studio guy they were familiar with. They paid my guy and let him hang around the studio though. So they cut the album but they used the original track of the regional hit that my friend was on. They may have remixed it but it was the only track that had my friend as the drummer. And it was the only track off the album that ever did anything. It was a huge national hit and the band had their minute of fame. They headlined some big festivals and the hit is still in rotation on classic rock stations. They cut another album or two but nothing happened and they are just a forgotten footnote to hard rock history with one big hit that they had recorded with my friend in a semi pro environment.
The music business is like the car business in a lot of respects. It isn't the Peace Corps and you've got to watch your back and your own self interests. On some levels my motto is "what's in it for me".
We could start a thread on all of the well known rip offs etc that have occurred.
destinytot
A warm and friendly place
Thanks for the reply, and for any others that follow.
I watch a lot of those "Behind the Music" and "Unsung" episodes. I can see a theme in many of them. Many of these songwriter's are driven folks and work long hours writing and producing while many of their bandmates just party and enjoy the fame. Often is it seems when those royalty checks start to roll in for a band's writers, it can be the beginning of the end as petty jealously arises and people start to feel disrespected or slighted.
in my case, I don't know if a person would really owe me anything because they took one of my ideas that I freely played for them and developed with them in one informal jam session.
Sam Sherry
Portland, Maine US
I'm not saying that I totally buy into this notion, but some people think that
THERE ARE NO ORIGINAL IDEAS IN MUSIC
so you can't steal musical ideas. Or everybody does all the time, if you prefer it that way.
Y'know, I'm using the same notes as John Dowland, and he was a lot more creative with them too.
"Don't worry about that. Everybody talks about finding your voice. Do your homework and your voice will find you." - Branford Marsalis
Groyniad
yeah - dig john dowland man
bet that's the first reference to him on here - and he came up with so much stuff
(scrub that - christian77 MUST have referred to him a few times by now)
- thanks for all the riffs john.....
not music but possibly related..
im a designer/craftsman. i'm always encouraging people to share their ideas with me. i'm pretty sure i've never once taken one of these ideas and built them as the idea was presented. it's more about using other's ideas to get my brain on a different train of thought than my natural train.
more often than not, it's the BAD ideas that work best for me. one little part of a bad idea might open up a world of possibilities towards a good idea.
idk, a couple of times i've built something then told the person "i got this idea from you".. and they're like "huh? no you didnt.. that's not what i was saying" (or whatever)
anyway, if dude in question is passionate about what he's doing and/or a 'real' artist, i wouldn't sweat it that he wants to hear your ideas.
And there's a big difference between copping a lick or two off of someone and building a song from it and stealing a whole tune that someone had written but hadn't copyrighted.
In general it's a good policy to not play out an original idea, even if it's not a complete song, that you think has commercial potential unless you've got it under some sort of copyright wraps. Does anyone know the facts on how much a song is protected if it was recorded and has a time code on it? I've heard that these days that's enough.
vintagelove
Play something he can't.
So... do we have ideas? Or do ideas have us?
The expression/articulation of ideas in a cohesive - and beautiful? - musical form matters.
But, if the idea has substance and originality, so does its origin/source.
Whoever conceives a (beautiful?) original idea of substance deserves recognition/credit - and, perhaps, money.
Last edited by destinytot; 01-03-2017 at 04:22 PM. Reason: typo
Like anything else, once you start bringing money into the picture, things seem to start getting ugly. Whether its politics, religion, art, whatever...the innocence gets lost.
jasaco
My friend says when you play something he finds interesting, he will ask you to repeat it and encourage you to explore it.
If that happens, I'd just politely decline and say that you try never to repeat the same idea. It keeps your playing 'fresh'...
Doctor Jeff
So many examples of people not getting their dues come to mind...
Pete Best...
Vini Lopez (the East Street Band's first drummer)...
All the black musicians who were coopted by white rock'n'rollers...
The Alice Cooper band which got left behind when Vincent Furnier became famous as "Alice Cooper"...
As far as stealing "ideas", I don't know. I tend to agree there are a finite number of licks/riffs/progressions. Unless you have a really distinct and fully formed thing, whether it's a tune, a riff, lyrics, etc., if it's out there in public it's fair to share.
I guess as an artist in the situation you describe I would not put anything out there I didn't mind someone picking up and running with.
Stevebol
Originally Posted by mrcee
It is enough I believe. As long as there's some sound and date associated with it.
citizenk74
North Coast Pennsylvania
Ry Cooder related the tale of being called for a recording session for the Stones at which Keef never showed. naturally, the time was filled with some relaxed, off-the-cuff goofing off. Unbeknownst to Ry, tape was rolling. He waited to be called again to complete the cancelled session, so he dropped by the studio, and heard Richards playing his licks, note for note. The resulting song? A little ditty that went nowhere called... oh yeah...HONKY TONK WOMAN. Lawyers became involved, with "Jamming With Edward" eventuating. I don't think Cooder ever got songwriting credit, or Royalties for a song which someone, somewhere is right now playing in some dive. So yeah money....
Best regards, k
If I would be good enough to play something that a pro would wanna copy I'll be opening a bottle of champagne :-)
jordanklemons
I used to tour with an Americana/southern rock group. They hired me to be a sort of theory mad scientist and help push them in a new and different direction... all sounded cool and exciting to me. Toured with them for about 6 months, recorded a live album, and spent crazy hours in the studio throughout those 6 months working on their album. Writing horn arrangements, conducting, learning new instruments (banjo, lap steel, etc), producing sections of songs, writing melodies, improvising solos... I never wrote any of the tunes, so I knew I wasn't going to get ANY copyrighting rights. They had singer-songwriter type rock tunes, and they wanted them to be more Beach Boys Pet Sounds influenced.
After half a year, we stopped seeing eye-to-eye. At the beginning of a 2 week run from NC out to Colorado, up to Chicago, and then back down to NC, it became evident that it would probably be the last tour I did with them. When we got back, they made it clear they wanted me out. So I walked. But I was super excited for the album to be released as I was really proud of my contribution. Some great production ideas I'd added, some beautiful melodies I'd added, some really tasty solos... I was excited to have my name on all of that.
They gave me ZERO mention in the liner notes... though they listed like 20 other musicians who contributed... with roles as small as 'clapping'. O_o
But all my ideas were still there. My solos, my melodic ideas, my background banjo work. Everything. I contacted them to ask what the deal was... they admitted in writing that they went into the studio, isolated every track I'd played (improvised and composed), figured out what I was playing note-for-note, re-recorded it as close to what I'd played as possible, then deleted my takes. One of the members then texted me to tell me I better keep my mouth shut and to let me know that he felt I had less to do with the recording then his girlfriend.
I just keep exploring, composing, and playing... constantly looking for new and beautiful ideas. If someone wants to steal some ideas here and there, it's mostly legal... but no matter how good they are at stealing, they will always be several steps behind musicians who become obsessed with innovation, creativity, and building their lives around the constant internal search for new ideas and sounds. That's my take anyway.
NYC Jazz Guitar Masterclasses
christianm77
Originally Posted by Groyniad
www.christianmillerguitar.com
Originally Posted by jordanklemons
One of the members then texted me to tell me I better keep my mouth shut and to let me know that he felt I had less to do with the recording then his girlfriend.
God, what an absolute idiot. That's actually risible. Massive insecurity or what?
I suppose that's what happens when hacks encounter actual musical ability. It sucks, but you can take it all as massive, twisted compliment.
There are some arseholes out there sadly, not always easy to spot them coming....
It's always good to be able to find a way to monetise things. I'm hoping you got a fee at least for your arranging etc...
Writing, publishing and copyright.... This is of course why jazz musicians were traditionally always fucked haha.
But it's not just the untalented, mind. Miles was a SHARK at this, by all accounts. Martin Carthy is pretty sore at Paul Simon... and so on...
"Immature artists imitate, mature artists steal." That's what is said. It doesn't make it right. I think credit should be given when it is due.
What can be done? Record your original work. Pay your fee and register with the Copyright Office. Join BMI or ASCAP. When necessary, lawyer up.
I used to tour with an Americana/southern rock group. They hired me to be a sort of theory mad scientist and help push them in a new and different direction.
i obviously don't know your actual contract/terms but this sounds like a paid_for_hire type situation..
Work for hire - Wikipedia
Originally Posted by wiki
• if a work is "made for hire", the employer—not the employee—is considered the legal author
• The actual creator may or may not be publicly credited for the work
idk, sounds like a crappy situation to be in.. pretty much -> f those guys and learn what you can from it in order to avoid similar down the line.
goldenwave77
I think there are a fair number of songs that Miles is "credited with" that he may not have written. I surmise what happened is that he probably said to people let me have that song, and I can make it a hit, and if it hits big...don't worry, we'll take care of you.
The truth was...Miles could be sold, in ways that others could not.
He reminds me a bit of Diana Ross...not the best voice in the MoTown stable, but she had style and was distinctive... and had presence and hauteur--"Call me Miss Ross." They were each talented, and had star quality.
Fletcher Henderson sold a suitcase of arrangements to Benny Goodman for what...$400 or something ridiculous. Benny became the "King of Swing" after being about a week shy of breaking up his band. With the Fletcher H sound, they became a smash, though most people from the time say that Chick Webb's band could stomp them flat. (But Chick Webb was a hunchbacked, funny looking black man who was a great, great drummer, but in that day and age...they were not going to cross over to commercial success with a mostly white audience.)
John C. Fogerty signed a contract saying all his rights would revert to Jerry Wexler, if he didn't product an absurd # of albums....something like 4/yr. for 5 yrs. or something ridiculous....so Fogerty who was 90 % of CCR (Creedence Clearwater) got taken big time...young kid gets offered a chance to record and signs the 1st contract that gets stuck in front of him...naïve and foolish. I think Paul Allen (?), the Microsoft billionaire heard about this, and bought them back, and gave them back to Fogerty.
I know all this 2nd hand, from reading it in books. And it is a depressing topic, and could be repeated endlessly.
It's been said that the first thing an artist or act should do before signing is understanding what the word "recoupable"
Originally Posted by christianm77
They asked me to arrange the horn stuff for them before they asked me to join the band. And I offered to come in and conduct because I was friends with the guys and knew that someone would need to be there to keep things together. They originally offered me liner note credit when asking me to do it... telling me it would be good exposure! hahahaha
I said no.
I negotiated them up to $50 haha... what a joke. Good thing I took the bread though. They ended up cutting the section and rerecording it with strings... probably so they could keep my name off of it.
Yep. I could go into detail here. But probably best to keep stories like this off the internet. But... yep.
Originally Posted by citizenk74
Yeah... with this given situation, I didn't contribute any of the actual songs. They'd written the tunes long before I came into the picture and had started the recording process months before I entered the studio. I sort of came in and started acting more as a producer and a hired-gun (instrumentally). But I wasn't under contract for that. I was just friends with them and was asked to join the band. It was very much a 3 musketeers mentality. All for one and one for all. They hired me to be a bit of a mad scientist, and the better I made the album sound and more I contributed, the better it would be for me as an individual musician and for the group as a whole. So I had no reason to hold back... even though none of the material was my own.
But I learned A LOT from the experience. Besides learning to fuse the complexity of jazz with the simplicity of folk music, and how to be creative in the studio... I walked away from the experience with a new drive to start my first original project as a leader, put together a trio, wrote and arranged all the music, recorded an album, copyrighted everything. Ultimately, I am where I am today in large part due to the fact that I got screwed pretty badly.
docdosco
Another Doc story:
I was doing a recording session mid 80's for Bobby Womack at Crystal Sound in Hollywood. I had my gigantic Fairlight CMI which was the sequencer, drums, bass and percussion.... whatever 8 mono tracks could be programmed to do. The drums and trippy percussion samples on the Fairlight were killer, which is why it got so popular.
There was also a big pile of white powder on the console for the musicians. It was a sociable gathering, with lots of snifling.
Myself and the engineer started to come up a cool feel to serve as the bed track. Dance tunes back then were built up from the drum track mostly, and the rest of the 'track' was added like toppings on a musical pizza. We didn't need any other musicians either. I had lots of samples of squealing guitars even, if I needed them.
Then we started to throw around ideas for a hook line and a tune began to develop.
At a certain point, out came this piece of paper from the manager's briefcase. It stated that any ideas recorded that day were the property of so and so, this or that production company or this or that publishing company. It seemed vague at the time as to what they wanted me to sign the paper for, so I politely said nope. Then I said "where is the damn straw" snifle, snifle? When the rights to the music were never secured by the manager guy, the straw never reappeared either.
The point is that the vultures were everywhere back then. A paper to sign was weird, but the session was more of a drug binge for the participants than a record date per se. In a $150 an hour studio no less. I had the track saved on the Fairlight, and the recording engineer, my roommate at the time, squirreled the 2" master off somewhere in building, safe from the clutches of this manager.
It was a 'spec' date, meaning you'll get paid when we get the tune 'happening'. Right. Fat chance. However the party favors were generous and 'visions of sugar plums danced in my head.' Or something like that.
So, the intellectual property remained ours, we, the minions who created it.... and this nebulous dance track laid down in Crystal Sound Studios never saw the light of day anytime, or anywhere else.
We sure showed them.
Bottom line, when the manager guy seemed to want to insure that he or the artist got full credit for that song, whatever the song was or ever would be, and the paper appeared to conveniently relegate the creators of said song from the possible monetary windfall of songwriter and publishing rights, a slight air of suspicion arose.
I had a few other unsavory situations, but this one took the booby prize.....
PS... I don't recall if I ever told this little gem of a story before. If so, I apologize. My memory seems a bit fuzzier than it used to be. I found myself in the hallway of my building recently, trying to open the front door of my apt with my garage door remote. Oh, nooooooooooooo
Last edited by docdosco; 01-03-2017 at 11:30 PM.
Doc Dosco
http://www.docdosco.com
Originally Posted by Sam Sherry
...and now he wants his lute back.... er ....I mean he wants his loot back. There, that is more in keeping with the theme of the topic. However, I am not sure how much loot that performers got back then. It was certainly modest in comparison to now.
Originally Posted by docdosco
...the vultures were everywhere back then...It was a 'spec' date, meaning you'll get paid when we get the tune 'happening'. Right. Fat chance...So, the intellectual property remained ours, we, the minions who created it.... and this nebulous dance track laid down in Crystal Sound Studios never saw the light of day anytime, or anywhere else.
There's also a negative side...
I think you, a musician, should get educated in matter, if you really think you have something to offer. You'll stand better chance not to get screwed and won't think you were when (legally) you were not. Rules are set in advance, you should know them like you know your "secret 2 - 5 licks".
Royalty, intellectual property, mechanical rights ... they all are different terms with specific meaning. Owning one one does not give the right over another.
For example, someone may own your recording, but does not automaticaly gain over your intelectual property.
Some band recorded your " work", but did not mention you in notes on a CD? Why would they, if you were not involved in recording? On the other hand, you should get royalties for your intell. prop, unless you worked for a set fee, but only if it is legally yours, ie. you have a hard copy proofs, registered copyright, contracts ... paid taxes reports ...
When such things happen ammong friends, in a band, where all are supposed to share? Well, you are screwed, take care when chosing friends, next time.
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Calif.
Didn't George Benson say, and I paraphrase "If you don't want me to steal it, don't play it."
"Ahhh - those Jazz guys are just makin' that stuff up!" - Homer Simpson
"Anyone who understands Jazz knows that you can't understand it. It's too complicated. That's what's so simple about it." - Yogi Berra
Then there's "You Can't Steal A Gift" (Gene Lees quoting/reporting what Dizzy told Phil Woods when the latter was feeling despondent over criticism that he was copying Bird). "If you can hear it - it's yours!"
Notes are just data/facts, which seem to be more readily available than ever before - so much so that they can overwhelm and paralyse anyone who tries to use them without the right know-how.
If you 'hear it' - if 'it's yours' - you have to tame it to own it. Slay the dragon!
Originally Posted by edh
Yes he did, in his "Art of Jazz" DVD. This thread has given his saying new meaning, at least in my mind.
Assuming that the time tag on a recording puts the composer on strong legal footing is true another thing to consider if one wants solid legal protection is to just go ahead and actually copyright it. It's not a big deal. And you can actually copyright a number of songs (maybe as many as thirty. I can't remember) as a "folio". I did this for several songs ten or so years ago and the cost at that time was around $30. This was in the US. There's been an on going opinion among songwriters for years that a person just needed to send a recording (cassettes back in the day) by certified mail to themselves and keep it, unopened, in order to be protected. This has been called the "poor man's copyright" and appears to be a myth and not in fact providing much if any real protection. It's been said that a person would be better off just performing their songs for an audience including friends that could act as witnesses if push ever came to shove.
I like the Benson story about how he got off the bus from philly/KC??? in NYC and in the first bar he sees a young kid on the bandstand playing blistering savant like jazz guitar lines. He worries that if this is the average, off the street level of the NYC jazz city guitar guy, he'd just as soon to back where he came from. And the skinny young kid was, guess who? (no, not Randy Bachman)
ha! ha!
Was his first name "Pat?"
mrcee,
We all did the poor man's copyright dance when I was a youngster. (as a rock band of 13/14 year olds, we were not very business savvy) but it was easy.... cassette, brown envelope, stamps. If we had had to use the legal protection of this poor man's copyright method, I don't know if it would had any water at all....
Yep. Imagine getting off the bus from nowhere and hearing Pat first thing? Wild.
I used it once myself when I was a lot older than 14. It seems to be of little or no value except just another piece of evidence to throw on the table in any legal proceedings. I've known songwriters who were so paranoid of getting ripped off that they would barely perform their songs. I'd tell them that if they were trippin' that hard on it to just get them copyrighted. It's easy and cheap.
But, I'll tell you, that if someone really wants to steal your stuff, be it music, an invention or whatever, just having it protected with a copyright or patent may not stop them. Inventors have told me that someone will go ahead and steal your idea and manufacture it knowing that they probably will loose a legal case. They figure that whatever fees and penalties are involved would just be a cost of doing business (and saving of R and D expenses) and they would still walk away net positive. In music the same could be true, I would think. The famous George Harrison/My Sweet Lord case is one of the most well known examples. I think he got a raw deal but I'm sure he made money on the song overall.
If some fledgling songwriter has a tune stolen and someone else charts with it they might still be in for some money if they can provide at least some evidence that they wrote it. Maybe the poor man's copyright or the testimony of some witnesses could tip the scales in their favor and get them something even if just being thrown a bone. And part of a pie is better than none at all. But there's no excuse not to copyright it. And a hit's still a hit, anyway you can get it.
Last edited by mrcee; 01-04-2017 at 12:59 PM.
I wouldn't worry about it at all. I've posted a lot of stuff on youtube. Being an amature musician, what's my risk? I see the chance of me profiting from any or my material at close to zero. I'd actually like to see someone use my material, if someone could find some use for it that would make me happy (as opposed to my music never seein the light of day). Regardless, I see the chance of anybody else profiting from my material close to zero. I'm more likely to get hit by lightning.
For someone active in publishing, recording and selling compositions/recordings and relying on that to make a living; in that case I could see ones concern.
AlsoRan, haven't you posted your playing here or on youtube? That puts your material at much more of a risk than that of going to a jam session.
I'm not sure about this stealing thing. Taking someone's whole tune is one thing - that would doubtless be plagiarism - but licks and lines? I wouldn't say so.
After all, everyone here is talking about what other well-known players do all the time. That's not stealing, that's learning.
If you have got a tune of your own you think is good then write it down, record it, and date it. Simple. Put all that material in an extremely well-sealed envelope, post it back to yourself, and leave it unopened. The postmark will prove the date. Or you can post it to a lawyer etc to keep in his safe. And these days, naturally, anything left on a computer will be time/date stamped.
Of course it helps if it doesn't sound like somebody else's tune too :-)
Last edited by ragman1; 01-04-2017 at 02:58 PM.
It needn't be so, of course - but you can find yourself in the middle of a game called 'I Drink Your Milkshake':
Originally Posted by ragman1
Apparently that doesn't work. In the UK it's easy. Join the PRS and register your compositions. If you can be bothered to do the paperwork they pay you money for playing your own tunes. Cool huh.
I'm guilty as charged for having stolen bebop lines from everybody I could find. So sue me.
darkwaters
marcwhy
Some years ago I had the fortune of studying with Joe Diorio -- hanging at his apartment in So Cal, talking for an hour, and then playing for an hour! He would have me work on some exercises/etudes from his books ("Fusion," and others), so I was getting used to his parallel 4ths ideas, etc. One time when we were playing through a tune, I threw in some of those 4ths lines. Joe smiled and laughed a little; he did not charge me for those lines, nor did he slap me, nor did he call his attorney and sue me.
A couple years later I recorded a CD with my band. On a four-bar section of one solo on one tune, I happened to throw in a parallel 4ths line -- it came out organically on the first take, and we kept it. I (humbly) gave Joe a copy of the CD; he said he listened to it, so he likely heard the phrase; he did not charge me for those lines, nor did he slap me, nor did he call his attorney and sue me.
Composer Bill Conti (Rocky etc) told a seminar once that anyone there could use his cues as a demo to get a scoring gig. They couldn't use his cues in another movie, of course, but to get the gig it was OK with him. He then said, if you get the gig with my cues and then pull it off with your own score, no one is the wiser. However if you get the gig with my cues and and blow it, it's on you...... it's your ass that will be in sling (or words to that effect).
I always thought that was an interesting POV.
Apparently that doesn't work
What doesn't work? Proving beyond any reasonable doubt that you had the song written, recorded, witnessed, etc etc before the PLAGIARIST came along? Why not?
(You're probably right. If it's got to the paranoia stage - join the PRS and be professional about it!)
cosmic gumbo
Someone already mentioned the quote attributed to the genius Igor Stravinsky - "good composers borrow, great composers steal."
I am a firm believer in not being bashful about wearing your influences on your sleeve as a composer and improviser. We all owe a debt and stand on the shoulders of those that came before us. It's all part of the tradition and continuum.
Some really get hung up on thinking they won't have any real integrity unless they've created work that is totally original.... what a waste of time that fantasy is. If you go there and get some credible feedback on your work from folks you respect...they will just be honest and tell you who else you sound like. May as well just pay homage to your heroes than waste time trying to erase them from your creative output.
Accepting (and also ) blocking 'offers' is central to improvisation. It generates confidence, personal growth, mutual understanding and trust.
Obtaining pecuniary advantage by deception destroys all that. "I Drink Your Milkshake" may well be the norm.*
*I'm not suggesting that (conscious) malicious intent is the norm - but I'm interested in the ethical dimension of self-expression (or the lack of it).
PS Decades ago, I got to see many legendary names (Art Blakey, Johnny Griffin, Sun Ra Arkestra) at festivals in Spain - for free, which I (and many others) experienced as a Very Good Thing.
But (leaving aside the politics of propaganda), there's a sinister side to this. (Obviously) those musicians didn't play for free. As they were paid from the public purse, other musicians demanded equitable treatment - and got it.
And I can say from (ahem) experience that some of those who benefited from public funding were entirely without merit. The chain of corruption extended from the Festival Committee to the performers, who - knowingly or not - benefited from inflating their fees.
Actions have consequences, but perhaps intent matters more than outcomes?
I now find that part of the game involves having strategies for dealing with clever predators who openly drink other people's milkshake - learn to spot them, and neutralise them. (Thank you, Marty Grosz, for teaching by example.)
Last edited by destinytot; 01-05-2017 at 08:20 AM. Reason: clarity & PS
I'm going by MU advice.
Quick Navigation From The Bandstand Top
I want to correct a statement that I made earlier: "The EVO frets are corroded wherever his fingers touch them a lot, but there is not much wear under the strings." I measured today, and I found...
EVO Gold Frets Corroding
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Book A Testride
2019 MOTOGP IS GO! RED BULL KTM RACE TEAMS SHOW NEW COLOURS IN AUSTRIAN UNVEILING
KTM’s best, largest and most ambitious assault on MotoGP Grand Prix racing was unveiled a short distance from the factory in Mattighofen, Austria this afternoon. Riders and staff from Red bull KTM Factory Racing and Red Bull KTM Tech3 were introduced by KTM management as part of the company’s most comprehensive line-up to face the FIM World Championship.
2019 has started brightly for the ‘orange’ brigade with success at the Dakar, in Supercross arenas, on the French beach sand and in national motocross circles. Now it is the turn of the asphalt crew to quickly spin the wheels.
For the first time the KTM Race department drew their MotoGP force together not only to unveil the Red Bull colours for the 2019 campaign but to graphically illustrate the strong path through to the pinnacle of Grand Prix that begins with the Red Bull Rookie Cup, progresses to Moto3, Moto2 and to the premier class. After two impressive seasons in MotoGP where the manufacturer grasped their first points, first top ten finishes and ended the second term with their maiden podium trophy in Valencia, the effort is now doubled with the experienced Red Bull KTM Tech3 unit placing another two RC16s on the grid.
KTM were proud to highlight their Grand Prix structure and the potential for 2019 but it was arguably the presence of the athletes themselves and the new liveries on the race bikes that also caught the eye.
Red Bull KTM will count on a total of 3 world championships and a grand total of 39 victories among their four-rider roster from Spain, France, Portugal and Malaysia with a haul of 92 Grand Prix podiums shared between them.
Pol Espargaro (28 in June) will begin his third season with the factory RC16 and his sixth in the premier class. He is joined for the first time by fellow former Moto2 World Champion Johann Zarco (29 in July) – the most successful Frenchman in Grand Prix history. Red Bull KTM Tech 3 field the promise of Hafizh Syahrin (25 in May and the first Malaysian to compete in the premier class and now set for his second MotoGP year) and Miguel Oliveira: another ‘first’ for his country – Portugal – in MotoGP and the recently-turned 24 year old rookie is the first rider to have come up the Moto3 and Moto2 KTM ladder. MotoGP is backed up by the rapid test team duo of Mika Kallio and Dani Pedrosa.
Pol Espargaro: “We have a big target in front of us this year and I think we are in a good place. Johann has integrated into the team well and already looks fast. It means that we are set for the season. I thought Miguel was very fast at the test and that was surprising for a rookie and I know Hafizh is working really hard. All the info the Tech3 guys can bring will be helpful for me, the team and all the engineers. I know, from my experience, that Tech3 are good for helping and teaching the riders, and also improving the bike. 2019 will be about improvement: nobody is perfect and I learn something every year. I think with Johann as a teammate hopefully I can learn from him and apply it to myself to be a better rider and a better worker. I just want to give the best of myself in 2019 and the most I can to the team.”
Johann Zarco: “I’m happy to be here, and this is my first factory team presentation! I discovered Mattighofen and the KTM factory for the first time in January and I was very impressed. After a few tests now I am very happy: I feel that the people in the team trust me and it’s nice to feel that confidence. We’ve done some good work so the motivation is high. Even when we make big improvements at a test we still see that we have a lot to do and have steps to make. It helps to move forward. I believe in what we can do. I would say I am a fast rider so I can give good information and I am very proud to be part of this story in KTM.”
Miguel Oliveira: “I’m very happy with the new colours, the bike is amazing. The look of everything is just incredible, quite different from what we are used to. It’s such a nice project, that KTM and Red Bull got together; to have two factory teams on the grid is something pretty unique and it shows clearly that KTM wants to try and dominate this class and road racing in general. I’m just really proud and I feel privileged to be a part of this project.”
Hafizh Syahrin: “I’m really excited about the new livery. I think it’s truly different than everything else on the track. I can’t wait to be on track with this bike in Qatar. It looks amazing and I guess even more so under the floodlights in the desert. I’m very delighted about this look and can’t wait to get the season started!”
Mike Leitner, Red Bull KTM Team Manager: “2019 is our third season in MotoGP and it is already a milestone thanks to the presence of Tech3 and a new rider in our factory team. It will be very challenging but we hope we can continue the road to the top. We’ll have some bumps on the road but we have worked well in the winter and should be able to look forward to some positive moments this season. I really hope the partnership with Tech3 will give us essential information to improve our MotoGP bike and the total KTM package in order to make the next step in positions and race results.”
Herve Poncharal, Red Bull KTM Tech3 Team Manager: “It’s been great to show the world our new livery. I saw the colours for the first time at the end of December I couldn’t believe it: this is such a cool bike. For sure, the most important for a racing bike is to be fast and we are working on that. The test we had in Sepang a few days ago was very interesting. But if the bike can be fast and good-looking, it’s a big bonus. Therefore, we are more than proud to have shown what our livery will finally be and I can’t wait to see it under the floodlights in Qatar because it will look even more amazing. Hopefully, we can see these bikes with this livery in strong positions.”
Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsport Director: “For us this is another very special moment in our racing story and it’s a milestone for us to have that structure in place. Our road race project has been building consistently since 2012 in terms of structure, confidence and people. I would say we have an amazing ‘path’ in place where you can go from a Rookies bike through all the categories to a MotoGP bike. In the premier class two motorcycles is not enough to be able to develop technology up until the highest level so having a second team in the MotoGP gives us an amazing feeling that our system is in place. We will work with this programme and that doesn't only mean young riders and trying to get them through but also the bikes for each category with a strong in-house line-up and effort. That's why today is very special.”
Stefan Pierer, CEO KTM Group: “Racing is the core content of our DNA. That means forced innovation every week or every two weeks. We see on the TV or the internet how many tenths of a second are missing and that really drives us to do everything what we can in the end to touch the top of the podium. That's our philosophy and that has driven us to success over the last thirty years but in this racing world we are still beginners: this is our third year. This is a five year programme and by the end we want to see podiums and for the upcoming racing season I’d like to see single digit results; that's realistic because we are still collecting data and we miss all the experience of our competitors. For 2019 – in gambler’s speak – it’s ‘all in’.”
The MotoGP line-up will travel to Qatar for the last three-day dial-in test on February 23rd and just two weeks before the nineteen round season begins at Losail.
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Numerous top L.A. County sheriff’s officials will be fired or relieved of duty once Alex Villanueva is sworn in; new staff named
One of Alex Villanueva’s main promises on the campaign trail was that he would rid the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department of officials he said contributed to a corrupt culture under previous administrations.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
By Maya LauStaff Writer
Numerous Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department officials, including high-ranking executives at the level of chief and above, will be removed from their jobs once Sheriff-elect Alex Villanueva is sworn in Monday, his spokesman said.
Those being relieved of duty include the undersheriff, the four assistant sheriffs, eight chiefs, a communications director and a community outreach director, said Danny Leserman, a spokesman for Villanueva. He said the department’s two constitutional policing advisors are being transferred to new jobs with Los Angeles County and will be replaced.
Villanueva previously said he would eliminate the constitutional policing advisor positions.
Leserman said Villanueva is elevating some existing department members and bringing back retired commanders for his team. Retired Cmdr. Ray Leyva will be named undersheriff, and retired Cmdr. Robert Olmsted will serve as an assistant sheriff, he said. Industry station Capt. Tim Murakami and Lt. LaJuana Haselrig, who is assigned to fiscal administration, will also become assistant sheriffs.
The purge of nearly the entire executive leadership of the Sheriff’s Department will be one of the most sudden in recent years. After Sheriff Jim McDonnell was elected in 2014, he took two years to finish assembling his executive team.
One of Villanueva’s main promises on the campaign trail was that he would rid the department of officials he said contributed to a corrupt culture under previous administrations.
“The sheriff-elect said he was going to clean house, and he meant it. This is just the start,” Leserman said. “This is about getting rid of the cronyism, getting rid of the dark parts of the department, so we can really restore the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.”
Leserman said that his statement did not suggest all of those being let go are accused of bad acts, but that the sheriff-elect needed to reshuffle the jobs in order to implement his team.
Carol Lin, the strategic communications director under McDonnell, said she showed up to work Wednesday and was told by a colleague, “‘We’ve all been fired.’”
Lin said she viewed an email from a member of Villanueva’s transition team to a Sheriff’s Department official that contained a long list of names of people whose services would no longer be needed as of Monday. Hers was on it, though she had never been personally told her job was being eliminated.
“The communication from the sheriff-elect has been brutal, sudden and disruptive,” said Lin, who is starting a new job with the county’s chief executive office. “There is a real tangible brain drain underway. With all due respect to the people coming in, they haven’t been here. They’re going to start cold with a lot of the major issues.”
Department spokeswoman Nicole Nishida said she could not confirm whether the officials were told they would not have jobs under Villanueva’s administration, citing privacy concerns.
Other than Lin, the officials subject to being removed could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday.
Sworn peace officers at the rank of chief and above, if removed from their jobs, are generally entitled to the last civil service-protected position they held before they were appointed. For many at that level, the last protected rank they held would be commander.
Olmsted, who retired in 2010, is relocating from Nevada and said he plans to be in the job for at least two years. Leyva, who took a medical retirement in 2016 because of back and wrist issues, said he intends to return as a civilian and will serve for only 120 days.
Both have run for sheriff in the past — Leyva in 2006 and Olmsted in 2014.
“I’m excited about coming back because I get to work with some great people again. I’m pretty humbled that Alex asked me to come back,” said Leyva, who has known Villanueva since the late 1980s when they worked together at the East Los Angeles station.
Villanueva will be sworn in Monday at East Los Angeles College.
maya.lau@latimes.com
Twitter: @mayalau
6:40 p.m.: This article was updated with information on past campaigns by Leyva and Olmsted.
6:20 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details about planned department changes.
5:15 p.m.: This article was updated with additional information about personnel changes.
4:00 p.m.: This article was updated with additional information about staffing changes.
This article was originally published at 3:10 p.m.
Maya Lau
Maya Lau is a reporter on the Metro desk covering the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for the Los Angeles Times.
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What To Expect When You’re Expecting Comey
By Susan Hennessey, Benjamin Wittes
Wednesday, June 7, 2017, 7:38 AM
FBI Director James Comey testifies before the House Oversight Committee regarding the Clinton email investigation / CSPAN
A large number of reporters have been calling us over the past few days asking for our speculation about James Comey’s testimony tomorrow before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
The curtain-raiser story is one of the less illuminating traditions in American political journalism. It’s an opportunity for reporters and sources to imagine what they would like the story to be, often on the basis of relatively little information. So let us be candid at the outset here: We don’t know what Comey is going to say at this hearing, and we won’t pretend to. What’s more, we are content, before commenting on what he has said, to wait for him to actually say it. And, while recognizing the futility of the plea, we urge others to do the same.
That said, there is a limited set of questions on which a certain amount of guidance is, at this stage, possible. So here are some Frequently Asked Questions about what to expect when you’re expecting Comey, omitting those to which the only honest answer is: “Who knows? We’ll find out tomorrow.”
Is Comey Likely to Make Some New Trump-Destroying Bombshell Revelation?
We doubt it.
We have no doubt that Comey will add a lot of new information to the conversation. But those waiting with bated breath for him to drop a big bombshell revelation that will have the House of Representatives rushing to draw up impeachment paperwork should probably lower their expectations. We’ll detail below what we will be particularly watching for. But we think Comey is unlikely to reveal dramatic, game-changing new facts befitting the attendant media fanfare. (CNN is actually running a countdown clock to the testimony, and several Washington bars are hosting viewing parties.)
Our reasons for caution on this point are threefold. First, as many of Comey’s newfound critics have pointed out, he contented himself while in office with writing memos; he did not resign over any interaction with Trump. He did not blow the whistle. This strongly suggests that while Trump’s interactions with Comey were bad, there is a limit to how bad they were.
Second, Ben has written that in his interactions with Comey, the then-FBI Director seemed to indicate that—at least as of late March—the situation between the White House and the FBI was under control. Comey was very disturbed by his interactions with the President, but he wasn’t talking like someone who believed he had witnessed the kind of frank crimes of the Internet’s worst imagination. That is consistent with the sort of revelations already reported in public—and perhaps more of them—which is to say disturbing, pressuring interactions with the President that risk politicizing law enforcement and do violence to important norms preventing abuse of the FBI. It is far less consistent, in our view, with the kind of additional bombshell that involves per se criminality.
Third, Comey testified on May 3 before the Senate Judiciary Committee as follows, in response to questioning from Senator Mazie Hirono:
HIRONO: So if the Attorney General or senior officials at the Department of Justice opposes a specific investigation, can they halt that FBI investigation?
COMEY: In theory yes.
HIRONO: Has it happened?
COMEY: Not in my experience. Because it would be a big deal to tell the FBI to stop doing something that—without an appropriate purpose. I mean where oftentimes they give us opinions that we don't see a case there and so you ought to stop investing resources in it. But I'm talking about a situation where we were told to stop something for a political reason, that would be a very big deal. It's not happened in my experience.
On May 11, Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe testified similarly in response to questioning from Senator Marco Rubio about the firing of Comey:
RUBIO: Mr. McCabe, can you without going into the specific of any individual investigation, I think the American people want to know, has the dismissal of Mr. Comey in any way impeded, interrupted, stopped or negatively impacted any of the work, any investigation, or any ongoing projects at the Federal Bureau of Investigations?
MCCABE: As you know, Senator, the work of the men and women of the FBI continues despite any changes in circumstance, any decisions. So there has been no effort to impede our investigation today. Quite simply put sir, you cannot stop the men and women of the FBI from doing the right thing, protecting the American people, and upholding the Constitution (emphasis added).
Comey’s and McCabe’s words here are careful but also significant. The question to Comey is about the Justice Department, not the White House, and the question to McCabe is about the Comey firing, not about the White House’s conduct in general. Neither man’s answer says that the President never attempted improperly to interfere with the FBI’s work in his personal interactions with Comey. Comey only says that there was no completed effort to shut down an investigation by the Justice Department, and McCabe says only that Comey’s firing itself was not accompanied by an effort to impede the investigation. These comments are consistent with many manners of impropriety on the part of the President, it does suggest again that there’s some limit to the impropriety—specifically that while the President may have pressured Comey in any number of ways, and ultimately removed him, the leadership felt both before and after the firing that it was able to protect the FBI from tangible impacts on its work and to ensure that the actual investigation was not affected. So a bombshell revelation that’s not consistent with that general mood seems unlikely.
So Will Comey’s Testimony Turn Out to Be Much Ado About Nothing?
Hardly.
Even if there is no game-changing single allegation, Comey’s account of his interactions with the President are potentially pivotal in a number of respects: First, this is the first time we are going to hear a coherent narrative presentation of the President’s interactions with law enforcement over the Russia investigation. The journalism on this subject has been superb, and we are in no sense criticizing it when we say that what we have seen to date are scattered anecdotes given by—with the exception of those stories sourced to Ben—anonymous sources. That’s just a reality. There is nothing first-hand. There is very little on the record. There is nothing under oath.
All that will change when Comey testifies. Whatever you think of the guy, he’s not a liar. He will also be under oath. And he will be testifying about matters in which he was a direct participant. That means his testimony will bring a certain first-hand narrative coherence to what is now a disturbing but disjointed set of reports. That’s a very big deal, even if there is no smoking gun revelation. In other words, this may not be the first time we are hearing some of these stories, but it is the first time we’re hearing Comey tell them—and it’s the first time we’re hearing them in detail, rather than in sketch, and in a formal setting. That will be a big deal.
It’s important to stress that the details here—and how the incidents in question connect to one another—matter enormously. It matters if the FBI Director felt menaced by the President, felt he had to protect the FBI from him, felt the President was trying to interfere with the Russia investigation—or if, in the alternative, he merely regarded the President as an eccentric who had to be educated about how to behave. It matters if he describes a pattern of pressure or a pattern of missteps or something in between. It matters what precisely the President said. It matters what precisely he asked—or told—Comey to do. It matters what a reasonable person would glean from Comey’s story about the President’s intent.
What’s the Big Question You’re Expecting Comey to Answer?
The key question Comey needs to answer is very simple: What happened between Comey and the President? Was there any attempt—or were there multiple attempts—to interfere with the Russia investigation? And if so, what specific behavior characterized the attempt or attempts? Comey may well choose not to attribute motive to the President or attempt to characterize his intent in doing the things he did. That’s fine. Ascribing intent is not his role. Comey’s role is to say what happened and his perception of the events.
Are You Expecting Comey to Announce Whether the President Committed Obstruction of Justice?
Congressional testimony is not the venue to make accusations of criminality, and notwithstanding Comey’s role in the Clinton email affair, the FBI Director is generally not the person who normally makes those judgments anyway. What’s more, Comey is testifying in his capacity as a witness to and participant in certain events. We thus think it advisable for him to stick to the facts of what happened, not to try to characterize their interaction with the law—except to the extent that his view of the law affected his behavior at the time.
That said, a key question for others in light of Comey’s testimony will certainly be whether the conduct he describes—plus his subsequent firing, plus the President’s comments about the firing to Lester Holt, and plus the President’s comments to the Russians that he had faced “great pressure because of Russia” that was now “taken off” because of Comey’s firing—constitutes an obstruction, either under the criminal code or for purposes of the impeachment clauses.
The better part of valor on Comey’s part, at least in our view, would be to leave these questions, along with questions of the President’s motive or intent, to others.
So What are the Big Areas the Committee Should Focus On?
While we don’t know what Comey intends to say, there are a few clear areas in which the committee should focus its questions. While past hearings in the House saw strong partisan divides—with Democrats focusing on Russia and Republicans focusing on leaks and unmasking—the Senate Intelligence Committee has thus far been more restrained and bipartisan in its approach. We thus hope to see members of both parties focused on the most important questions.
First, members should seek to develop a complete account of Comey’s interactions with the President. There have been numerous media reports regarding a series of alarming alleged interactions. These include a dinner early in the administration in which Trump reportedly asked Comey to pledge personal loyalty, as well as phone calls and an awkward hug captured on film that Ben has previously written about at length. Perhaps the most significant interaction is a reported meeting in the Oval Office in which Trump pressured Comey to drop the investigation into Michael Flynn.
Trump himself has provided some fodder for questions and the committee will likely request that Comey provide his account of matters the President has described. In the letter in which Trump fired Comey he referred to three interactions in which Comey purportedly reassured him he was not under investigation. The significance—and frankly the bizarreness of that claim—simply demands clarification.
Trump also tweeted about the possibility of his interactions having been taped. The committee should certainly explore with Comey the existence of any recordings about which he may be aware—though that is probably an issue that the White House, not Comey, needs to clarify.
The other area the committee needs to probe carefully is Comey’s reaction to his interactions with the President and any actions that he took in response. This includes reports that Comey documented each interaction with the Trump in memos, now reportedly in the possession of Special Counsel Mueller, and that following the Oval Office encounter, Comey requested of Attorney General Jeff Sessions that he not leave him alone with the President again. What steps did Comey take in real time either to document his interactions with Trump or to mitigate impacts on the Bureau that he feared—and why precisely did he take them? Similarly, why did Comey decline to take other, potentially more aggressive, steps?
The committee should also probe about other interactions between the White House and the FBI. Those include reports of a conversation between White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and then-Deputy and now-Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe regarding media reports on the investigation, and subsequent efforts by the White House to enlist the FBI and others in shooting down the story in calls with the press. The committee needs to establish whether those reports are accurate, whether Comey perceived those, or any other, contacts as improper, and what actions he took in response to reestablish long-standing boundaries between the FBI and the White House.
Finally, the committee needs to establish Comey’s account of his own firing. Did Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein ever speak to Comey about the concerns Rosenstein laid out in the memo used as the purported basis for Comey’s firing? Did the President or anyone else in administration discuss concerns with how Comey had handled either the Clinton email investigation or other management issues they have subsequently cited as the basis for the firing?
Will Comey Discuss the Russia Investigation?
That’s an easy one. No. Don’t look for a lot of talk about Paul Manafort, Carter Page, or the substance of the investigation of Michael Flynn—at least not from the witness. And the committee, in our view, should not waste time asking questions on the subject.
At the risk of raining on some parades, open congressional testimony is not a venue in which ongoing investigations or intelligence operations can be discussed in any detail. Many of the most relevant facts are classified. And while the committee’s investigation proceeds in parallel to the FBI inquiry overseen by Mueller, Comey will surely take great care not to reveal material that is sensitive either for investigative reasons or for reasons of classification.
In fact, we know pretty precisely what lines Comey is likely to observe on Thursday, because he laid them out in his March 20 testimony before the House Intelligence Committee:
As you know, our practice is not to confirm the existence of ongoing investigations, especially those investigations that involve classified matters, but in unusual circumstances where it is in the public interest, it may be appropriate to do so as Justice Department policies recognize. This is one of those circumstances.
I have been authorized by the Department of Justice to confirm that the FBI, as part of our counterintelligence mission, is investigating the Russian government's efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election and that includes investigating the nature of any links between individuals associated with the Trump campaign and the Russian government and whether there was any coordination between the campaign and Russia's efforts. As with any counterintelligence investigation, this will also include an assessment of whether any crimes were committed.
Because it is an open ongoing investigation and is classified, I cannot say more about what we are doing and whose conduct we are examining. At the request of congressional leaders, we have taken the extraordinary step in coordination with the Department of Justice of briefing this Congress' leaders, including the leaders of this committee, in a classified setting in detail about the investigation but I can't go into those details here. I know that is extremely frustrating to some folks. I hope you and the American people can understand. The FBI is very careful in how we handle information about our cases and about the people we are investigating.
In that testimony, Comey resolutely refused to go further than these few lines the Justice Department had specifically authorized him to speak. There’s nothing about being the former FBI Director, as opposed to the current FBI Director, that would meaningfully change this position. Unless Mueller has authorized further disclosures, and that seems unlikely, it’s reasonable to expect him to go no further in this testimony.
Yes, one other thing.
This is a forum in which Comey excels. Love him or hate him, he’s charismatic and highly articulate. He comes across as earnest; he’s exceptionally good at the Q&A format of a congressional hearing. And he will have a good portion of the nation’s attention for several hours of uninterrupted air time. Don’t underestimate the power of that moment, particularly if the story he tells turns out to be—as the news stories would lead a reasonable reader to suspect—alarming as to the President’s commitment to basic rule of law norms.
It appears Trump himself recognizes the potential power of this moment: He reportedly plans to live tweet the hearing, a strategy that will only add to the spectacle of the episode. If Comey’s factual account raises concerns about obstruction of justice, dyspeptic presidential Twitter interventions in the middle of his testimony will only invite the inference that the President continues to fear the former director and, having removed Comey from his own investigation, continues to harass him in his effort to assist the committee’s.
Donald Trump,
Susan Hennessey is the Executive Editor of Lawfare and General Counsel of the Lawfare Institute. She is a Brookings Fellow in National Security Law. Prior to joining Brookings, Ms. Hennessey was an attorney in the Office of General Counsel of the National Security Agency. She is a graduate of Harvard Law School and the University of California, Los Angeles.
@Susan_Hennessey
Benjamin Wittes is editor in chief of Lawfare and a Senior Fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution. He is the author of several books.
@benjaminwittes
What the British Government Really Thinks
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Donald Trump and the Politically Weaponized Executive Branch
Bob Bauer Mon, Jun 24, 2019, 8:00 AM
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Full Text of the Mueller Report's Executive Summaries
Lev Sugarman Thu, Apr 18, 2019, 3:41 PM
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Chat to a student
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Tracey Lancaster
Deputy Vice Chancellor
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0113 81 29598 T.L.Lancaster@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
About Tracey Lancaster
Tracey is Deputy Vice Chancellor (Corporate Communications) at Leeds Beckett University with strategic responsibility for home and overseas recruitment, widening participation, and internal and external communications.
She joined Leeds Beckett in July 2016 and, prior to that, was Director of External Relation at Sheffield Hallam University for three years, where she reshaped and united its corporate affairs functions, delivering year-on-year increases in student recruitment numbers against a declining demographic and its first national reputation marketing campaign. She also led a significant increase in the University's national and international media profile and established its first fundraising team, focused on generating support for disadvantaged students.
Educated at the University of Cambridge, Tracey started her senior career as a marketing manager for the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1997 before moving into the higher education sector in 2002 when she became the University of Birmingham's first director of marketing and, subsequently, director of external relations.
Tracey is a governor of the Royal National College for the Blind in Hereford and a member of the teaching faculty for the CASE Strategic Marketing Institute.
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Timothy Raub
Securities Act of 1933
In re Wachovia Preferred Securities and Bond/Notes Litigation
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Wachovia, KPMG Reach $627 Million Settlement With Investors
NEW YORK - (Mealey's) In what Wachovia Corp. shareholders' attorneys are calling the single-largest recovery for claims brought "solely pursuant to" the Securities Act of 1933, the shareholders, Wachovia, certain of its affiliates and former officers and directors and outside auditor KPMG LLP have agreed to a $626 million settlement of claims relating to the defendants' alleged misrepresentations in stock-offering documents concerning Wachovia's subprime exposure, according to court documents filed Aug. 5 in New York federal court (In re Wachovia Preferred Securities and Bond/Notes Litigation, No. 09-6351, S.D. N.Y.).
According to the lead plaintiffs' motion for preliminary approval of settlements with Wachovia; certain of its former officers and directors; Wachovia Capital Trust IV, Wachovia Capital Trust IX and Wachovia Capital Trust X (collectively, Wachovia Capital Trusts); and Wells Fargo & Co., as successor-in-interest for Wachovia Corp.; and KPMG, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the Wachovia defendants will pay $590 million, while KPMG will pay an additional $37 million to settle all claims.
The proposed settlement, which is subject to court approval, will settle the shareholders' Section 11, 12(a)(2) and 15 claims under the Securities Act.
The shareholders contend that the settlement amount, if approved, ranks among the top 15 in securities class action history, as well as the "single-largest recovery for claims brought solely pursuant to the" Securities Act.
Shareholders brought three separate securities class action lawsuits in the Alameda County, Calif., Superior Court beginning on Dec. 19, 2008. The actions were consolidated (collectively, the bond/note actions) and removed to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on March 6, 2009.
The consolidated action was then transferred to the Southern District of New York, and consolidated with two other securities class action lawsuits (collectively, the equity actions). The shareholders filed a second amended complaint, and on March 31, the District Court granted motions to dismiss filed by the Wachovia defendants and KPMG regarding the claims in the equity actions but denied the motions with regard to the Securities Act claims filed by the shareholders in the bond/notes actions.
The bond/notes shareholders represent a class of investors who purchased preferred securities, bonds or notes "in or traceable to publicly registered offerings conducted between July 31, 2006 and May 29, 2008 pursuant to one of five separate shelf registration statements."
The bond/notes shareholders allege that the defendants issued false and misleading statements concerning the quality of Wachovia's mortgage loan portfolio and materially misled investors as to Wachovia's exposure to tens of billions of dollars of losses on mortgage-related assets, including $120 billion in Wachovia's Pick-A-Pay option adjustable-rate residential mortgage loan portfolio, among other things.
[Editor's Note: Full coverage will be in the August issue of the LexisNexis Financial Services Litigation Report. In the meantime, the motion for preliminary approval of settlements is available at www.mealeysonline.com or by calling the Customer Support Department at 1-800-833-9844. Document #88-110822-001B. For all of your legal news needs, please visit www.lexisnexis.com/mealeys.]
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E-commerce firms have been reducing amount of discounts over time, say analysts. Photo: iStock
E-commerce discounts may continue, but in innovative ways
2 min read . Updated: 28 Dec 2018, 12:39 PM IST Deepti Govind
Questions remain on how effective the new e-commerce norms will be over the long-term
mint-india-wire india e-commerce policye-commerce discountsdeep discountsindia e-commerce normsonline retail
Ecommerce companies in India have been criticized for predatory pricing, but the revised e-commerce policy plans to make deep discounts a thing of the past. However, some analysts believe online marketplace is likely to find innovative ways to continue offering discounts once the dust around the new rules settles.
On 26 December, the commerce and industry ministry had issued new guidelines, reviewing its policy on foreign direct investment (FDI) in e-commerce. As part of the move, the ministry plugged loopholes to stop online retailers from selling products of companies, wherein they own stakes. Besides, the new guidelines also restrict them from entering into exclusive merchandise deals. The new guidelines will come into effect from 1 February.
But questions remain on how effective the new rules will be over the long-term. “This whole (e-commerce) ecosystem is very strong and backed by a lot of capital. Considering this, it’s not a small thing that you can just take out of the market with a policy. Either these guys (marketplaces) have to figure out a way or the government has to work in collaboration with them to make a policy that is a lot more collaborative," said Anil Kumar, chief executive officer, RedSeer Consulting.
But it is not just small traders. Even large brick-and-mortar retailers have been of the view that deep discounting benefits nobody in the long run—neither offline retailers or consumers, nor the e-tailers.
“The government should appoint agencies to ensure compliance of norms and probe any flouting of norms and initiate action against such marketplaces. The creation of level-playing field is the government’s focus. As long as the government is clear on this, enforcement will follow," said Kumar Rajagopalan, chief executive officer of industry body Retailers Association of India (RAI).
The clarifications to the policy were aimed at tackling “anti-competitive" behaviour by e-commerce players, a senior government official said, on condition of anonymity, adding that online marketplaces are wrongfully subsidizing products.
German wholesale retailer Metro Cash and Carry Pvt. Ltd’s India head also said that the government’s move will benefit small retailers by creating a level-playing field for all small and medium businesses, traders and kirana stores to stay relevant in the competitive landscape.
But some say online marketplaces were anyway reducing the amount of steep discounts over time. “Discounts backed by aggressive advertising have been used by e-commerce companies to gain market share, but I don’t think that’s the crux of the matter. Once a critical mass is reached, discounts automatically decline, as we have seen in various categories. The bigger issue is the domestic retailers’ concern that corporate structures are being used creatively for cross-subsidization, which hurts smaller competitors and the local ecosystem," said Devangshu Dutta, CEO, Third Eyesight, a retail consultancy.
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Chinese staff of Lahore Orange Line MetroTrain walk during the unveiling ceremony of the first set of carriages of Lahore Orange Line MetroTrain in Lahore on October 8, 2017. Photo: AFP
How India can crack open the Chinese fortune cookie
8 min read . Updated: 08 Oct 2018, 02:15 AM IST G. Parthasarthy
India and China are destined to have a complex relationship combining competition with cooperation and friendship with suspicion
mint-india-wire long-reads IndiaChinaIndia China relationsBuddhismIndia China tradeDoklam disputeBIMSTECASEANVietnamInternational lawmaritime boundaryAsiaIndian OceanEurope
New Delhi: Indians had a romanticized view of China in the years immediately after independence, influenced largely by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s thinking and the writings of Chinese travellers Fa Hien and Hiuen Tsang, who visited India in the 4th and 7th centuries AD, respectively. Both Chinese visitors were deeply impressed by what they saw in India and by the warmth with which they were received.
The spread of Buddhist influence to China, which now has a Buddhist population of around 240 million, followed these visits. There were also visits to India and its Indian Ocean neighbourhood, in the 15th century, by a Chinese fleet headed by Admiral Zheng He. The Admiral, a Mongolian eunuch, ever ready to use coercion, dealt cruelly with a Sri Lankan ruler whom he took as prisoner to China, along with the holy “tooth relic" of Lord Buddha.
This romanticized view of China continued till Indians were shocked by the conflict in 1962. This brought the Chinese to India’s doorstep, from across the high Himalayan passes. The scars of that conflict still remain raw in India. There is, however, a more realistic recognition now that differences over the border and even over regional developments can ultimately be settled, only through negotiations. That said, China’s ambitions to dominate Asia are unlikely to change anytime soon. China, after all, proudly proclaimed that it invaded Vietnam in 1979, to teach its smaller, but gutsy neighbour a “lesson"!
Economic supremacy
China has obviously performed better than India in the past seven decades, when it comes to economic development. While China’s share of world trade was less than ours, a mere 1% in the 1940s, our share of world trade today remains around 2%.
Our total exports of goods amounts to around $ 300 billion annually, while China is today the world’s largest exporter, with nearly 14% of world exports, amounting to $2,157 billion annually. Finally, India’s GDP and per capita income are barely 25% of China’s figures.
The differences in relative positions are similar on defence spending— China has far more potent, modern and sizeable defence production capabilities than India.
While both India and China experienced four decades of socialistic economic stagnation, China embarked on a path of near double-digit growth for over two decades, thanks to the leadership of Deng Xiaoping, which resulted in it becoming a formidable global economic power. This growth was engineered by Beijing developing incredible technological skills and surplus capacities, in highly efficient infrastructure development. With the pace of domestic construction activity falling in recent years, China’s surplus construction capacities are now being deployed for building bridges, roads, ports and cities across the world and particularly across the Eurasian land mass.
Growing Chinese chauvinism
China seeks to promote its strategic objectives through infrastructure projects like the Silk Road Economic Belt, which links it with Central Asia, Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, the Persian Gulf states, Russia and the Baltic States. Beijing’s 21st century Maritime Silk Route, in turn, extends from China’s coastal areas to Europe, through the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean.
These projects have been accompanied by a readiness of China to use coercion and force to enforce its maritime boundary claims, by seizing and building on the occupied territory, in violation of International Law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS).
China’s claims on its maritime boundaries in the South China Sea, its attempts to browbeat neighbours into accepting its claims, its attempts to even challenge international civil aviation norms (by declaring an Air Defence Identification Zones across disputed maritime boundaries) manifest Beijing’s growing national chauvinism.
India’s determination in Doklam has shown that it will stand firm on the border, while being ready to work with China-
This has raised concerns all across China’s maritime boundaries. China today has maritime boundary disputes with Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia.
India, on the other hand, is largely viewed across its eastern neighbourhood as a benign and friendly power, which has resolved all its maritime boundary issues with all eastern neighbours—Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, Myanmar and Indonesia—by strictly abiding to the tenets of International Law.
India’s position on its eastern shores in the Bay of Bengal is now relatively more comfortable than earlier, not only because it has resolved virtually all its maritime boundary issues, but also because its economic and strategic partnership with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries. Moreover, the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) forum is reinforcing regional cooperation across the Bay of Bengal. It is bringing together SAARC members—India, Bangladesh Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Nepal—with ASEAN members, Myanmar and Thailand.
In India’s neighbourhood
China’s diplomacy, however, has been aggressive and even clumsy in many ASEAN countries. China has also sullied its image in Myanmar by its less than discreet support for armed Myanmar insurgent groups in the bordering Shan State and the Kachin State, which is located on the tri-junction of India, Myanmar and China. Myanmar, however, requires China’s support in the face of proposed western sanctions on the Rohingya issue in the UN Security Council, and remains sullenly silent on these Chinese transgressions.
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammed has been highly critical of Chinese connectivity projects in Malaysia and even indicated that he would cancel a $20 billion Chinese funded Rail Link and a natural gas project. China has ambitions of building an “economic corridor" in Myanmar, linking the Bay of Bengal port of Kyaukpyu that it has built, with its landlocked Yunnan Province. The Myanmar government has reduced China’s total investments by over 60% in the Kyaukpyu projects, after severe criticism of extravagant Chinese project plans.
Similar criticism has followed the Chinese investment in and takeover of the Hambantota Port Sri Lanka, which turned out to be a Chinese white elephant.
India should expand its economic relationship with China. Chinese investment in manufacturing in India should be encouraged-
There are also other such infrastructure projects in Southern Sri Lanka, like a commercial airport where hardly any flight ever landed. The government in Maldives has been drawn into a similar debt trap, where it has been forced to hand over land to the Chinese, which can be used for military bases, because of Maldives inability to make exorbitant debt repayments.
Even China’s “all weather friend" Pakistan has taken courage to reduce the size of Chinese investments in a railway project by $2 billion. Eminent Pakistani economists warn of a looming “debt trap" emerging from Chinese infrastructure projects across the country. But China has succeeded in taking control of the strategic Gwadar Port in Baluchistan and is determined to augment Pakistan’s maritime strength by supply of submarines and frigates.
India also faces a situation where China has not only provided Pakistan with designs and equipment for manufacturing nuclear weapons, but has also given Pakistan the knowhow and materials for manufacturing missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons to every part of India, including the Andaman Islands. American nuclear analyst Gary Milhollin has perceptively noted: “If you subtract China’s help from Pakistan’s nuclear programme, there is no Pakistani nuclear weapons programme".
The fortune cookie
India has to realistically remember that China’s GDP is five times the size of its economy. Beijing has also developed a sophisticated defence industry and is a major arms supplier across the world. India, however, lacks the capabilities, to provide essential defence equipment to even key strategic allies like Afghanistan and Vietnam, because of the limitations in its indigenous defence production capabilities. It would, likewise, be foolish of India to seek to quantitatively match China in economic assistance and investment in areas like infrastructure development in Asia and Africa. Our emphasis has to be on developing Human Resource Capital in partners, while getting involved only in projects where we enjoy comparative advantages of location and political acceptability. Our foreign economic assistance should be closely coordinated with policies of partners like Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, the US and its European partners. It is only realistic for India to seek to expand its bilateral economic and investment partnership with China, while working out measures that ensure the balance of trade becomes manageable.
Chinese investment in manufacturing in India should be encouraged and welcomed. There is also potential for cooperation with Beijing in forums like the G 20 and BRICS. At the same time, India needs to be careful of the possible implications of joining China in a larger Asia Free Trade Area (RCEP), which also includes ten ASEAN members, together with China, Japan, Australia, South Korea, and New Zealand. We are already feeling the adverse impact of huge trade deficits with most of these countries.
After the Wuhan meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modi, China and India have embarked on an effort to strengthen contacts and confidence building measures between their militaries and border security forces. Strengthening these measures is essential to ensure that tensions do not get out of hand, because of differing perceptions of where precisely the presently un-demarcated border/Line of Actual Control lies.
It is also evident that there is going to be no early settlement with China to fully resolve differences on the border issue. The “Guiding Principles" for resolving differences on the border issue were agreed to between then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao in 2005.
Prime Minister Modi has reiterated India’s commitment to these principles. The determination shown by India recently in dealing with the Chinese intrusion in Doklam has demonstrated that it will stand firm on defending its borders, while being ready to work with China, to not let differences on the border get out of hand. India should learn to deal with China realistically and rationally, without indulging in the Hindi-Chini bhai bhai euphoria that preceded the 1962 conflict.
It should not view every interaction with China in primarily adversarial terms. The two most populous countries in the world are destined to have a complex relationship that combines competition with cooperation and friendship with suspicion. Good sense will hopefully prevail, to ensure that conflict is definitely avoided. There will be no winners in a conflict.
G.Parthasarathy is a former diplomat. He served as India’s high commissioner to Pakistan and Myanmar. This is the second part of a series on India’s extended neighbourhood.
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Catch up with Vince Cable's Q&As
Earlier in the summer, Vince Cable embarked on a tour of the UK, hosting a number of Q&As for members. Catch up here:
By Vince Cable, Sep 01, 2017 3:09
I have had a good summer, meeting Liberal Democrat members all over the UK in 15 Q&A sessions. It has been great to listen to your ideas, and a pleasure to answer questions face-to-face about the future of our Party and the country.
The tour has also been a welcome opportunity to outline my plans to place the Liberal Democrats at the centre of UK political life: a credible, effective Party of national and local government, and a voice of sanity on Europe and the economy.
While the Conservatives scrap over their leadership, and the Labour party ricochets from position to position, only the Liberal Democrats are standing up for Britain’s place in the world. Only as a full member of the European Union do we retain our membership of the single market and customs union AND our say at the European top table. That’s why the need for an ‘exit from Brexit’ referendum at the end of the negotiations becomes clearer every day.
I also intend our party to be a strong voice on the jarring inequalities of wealth and opportunity which disfigure our society. Last decade’s financial crisis has left a long-term legacy of economic damage and depressed living standards which fuel much of today’s political anger and frustration. Addressing generational and geographical inequalities is central to our mission to build and safeguard a free, fair and open society.
With membership at its highest level ever and the enormous energy that thousands of new members have brought to the Party, I’m confident that we can grow at every level, winning seats and votes all around the country. The appointment this week of a new interim Chief Executive in Sir Nick Harvey will I hope help to ready us for that fight.
Meanwhile, if you haven't been able to make one of my tour events in person, I hope the above video of our Q&A in London will help fill you in. And I look forward to meeting you in person soon.
Join the Liberal Democrats today:
Join as a member Register as a supporter Find out more
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M21 presents first solo exhibition in China by Djurberg & Berg
The ultra-sensory exhibition 'The Secret Garden' by Nathalie Djurberg & Hans Berg will open at the 21st Century Minsheng Art Museum (M21) in Shanghai from 10 September to 23 October 2016. This will be the first solo presentation of the Swedish duo in China.
Through the creation of immersive installations consisting of sculpture, light, sound and film, Djurberg & Berg create fictional landscapes full of strange delights and encounters, thrusting visitors into mysterious worlds of feverish dreams, psychedelic sunsets and expanding universes.
The Secret Garden, a recent installation from which the exhibition takes its name, fills the museum with giant leaves, bluebells, golden-capped acorns, gelato coloured cushions and dripping ice creams. Tied together with neon lighting and sound, and presided over by a shaman rabbit, it is the stage set of the subconscious, only activated fully by each audience member’s internal direction.
The Secret Garden at M21 follows recent presentations of the work in Australia at Australia Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA), Melbourne in October 2015 and at the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA) in February 2016. Another installation by Djurberg & Berg, A Thief Caught in the Act, was recently presented as part of Art Basel in Hong Kong's 2016 'Encounters' sector.
Image: The Secret Garden, 2015. Installation view, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Melbourne, Australia. Courtesy the artists and ACCA.
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By his second winter at St. Jerome’s, Saul has found an important ally in Father Leboutilier. Leboutilier defends Saul from teachers when they’re too cruel to him. Emboldened by Father Leboutilier’s kindness and support, Saul takes greater risks. He practices skating in secret, stashing a pair of skates in his bag for when he cleans the hockey rink every morning. After a couple months of this, he’s become “a bird” on the rink, gliding elegantly from side to side.
Saul again paints a picture of Leboutilier as a good man—one who’s willing to take care of the children and protect them from cruelty of any kind. Saul also characterizes hockey as a way of transcending his misery. While he’s skating, he seems to fly away from his earthly troubles.
Saul “senses” how to skate long before he knows how to do it. He intuitively understands how his body needs to move to change speed and direction. Saul can never put into words how he understands these things, but he’s grateful for being able to do so. Without ever playing a game of hockey, he gradually assembles all the skills required for doing so. Moreover, he’s careful to keep his practicing a secret from the rest of the school. He can’t wait for the day he’ll be old enough to join the hockey team.
Saul seems to intuit the game of hockey in the same way that he intuited his parent’s disappearance. Working hard, he uses this sense of intuition, combined with a solid work ethic, to become a great hockey player before anyone even knows it.
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Fiction, podcast
Sarah Waters on the Supernatural and Her Favourite Ghost Story, “The Monkey’s Paw” by W. W. Jacobs.
by Emily Cleaver
• 6th November 2012 7th June 2013
Sarah Waters. Photo (c) Charlie Hopkinson.
Sarah Waters is a Welsh novelist, perhaps best known for her debut novel, Tipping the Velvet (1998), which was adapted into a BBC mini series in 2002. It is set in Victorian England during the 1890s and tells the coming-of-age story of a young oyster girl who falls in love with a male impersonator and follows her to the music halls of London, where she goes through a journey of self-discovery.
Sarah’s latest novel, The Little Stranger, set in the 1940s in a dilapidated Warwickshire mansion, is a modern ghost story fuelled by war trauma, grief and class tensions.
As a life-long fan of tales of horror and the supernatural, Sarah talks to us in this episode of Litro Lab about her favourite classic ghost story, “The Monkey’s Paw” (1902) by W. W. Jacobs. She also tells us about her childhood obsession with the Pan Book of Horror Stories, writing The Little Stranger, haunted houses, and the lasting appeal of ghosts. Please listen, first to our chat with Sarah, then a reading of “The Monkey’s Paw” by the actor Greg Page—whose voice you’ll recognise from previous episodes of Litro Lab—using the player below.
The first man had his three wishes, yes… I don’t know what the first two were, but the third was for death. —“The Monkey’s Paw”
“The Monkey’s Paw” is used with the kind permission of the Society of Authors as the literary representative of the estate of W. W. Jacobs.
Music credits: “Unanswered Questions” and “Seven March” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. Also sound effects from freesound: “Chimney Fire” by reinsamba, “Wind howling nighttime” by dynamicell, “Squeaky gate” by acclivity, “Footsteps concrete” by freqman, “Pendulum” by daveincamas, “Door knocks” by fogma, and “Opening Dead Bolt” by Scott-Kelly.
About Emily Cleaver
Emily Cleaver is Litro's Online Editor. She is passionate about short stories and writes, reads and reviews them. Her own stories have been published in the London Lies anthology from Arachne Press, Paraxis, .Cent, The Mechanics’ Institute Review, One Eye Grey, and Smoke magazines, performed to audiences at Liars League, Stand Up Tragedy, WritLOUD, Tales of the Decongested and Spark London and broadcasted on Resonance FM and Pagan Radio. As a former manager of one of London’s oldest second-hand bookshops, she also blogs about old and obscure books. You can read her tiny true dramas about working in a secondhand bookshop at smallplays.com and see more of her writing at emilycleaver.net.
audio stories ghosts Greg Page horror LitroLab podcast Sarah Waters short fiction supernatural The Little Stranger The Monkey's Paw W. W. Jacobs
Emily Cleaver
Previous: A Primer on Steampunk Literature
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CV MARQ Foundation
Home Museum Archaeological Sites Diary Research Learning Fundación Perfil Contratante Hazte amigo
Archaeological sites | Monuments | Location | Opening times | Price
Santuario de Pla de Petracos
The Sanctuary of Pla de Petracos, located in the municipality of Castell de Castells, constitutes one of the most outstanding examples in whole Europe of Macro schematic art and has been declared Site of Cultural Interest and Heritage of Humanity. The importance of this site has led the Provincial Government of Alicante to assess its value improving its spreading elements, its protection measures, and the access gates to this site. The works started on the 3rd of March 1998.
The provincial institution of Alicante promotes through the Provincial Archaeological Museum (Museo Arqueológico Provincial, MARQ) a program of Cave art routes, which, under the supervision of the Autonomous Administration and in co-operation with the municipality of Castell de Castells, aims at improving the protection given to artistic expressions. Simultaneously, it pretends to boost its general attention, facilitating its access ways and installing explanatory panels.
The site of Pla de Petracos takes its name from its location. This site is made up of a number of shelter woods and a cave located on the left strip of the Barranc de Malafí, within a geographical frame demarcated by the sea and the mountain ranges of Aitana, Mariola and Benicadell. It can be accessed through a track that starts on kilometre 7 of the road from Benichembla to Castells de Castells. This track communicates the site with the municipality of La Vall d'Ebo. The site is located 500 metres s/n/m, its mapping coordinates being 38º 45' 38" latitude N. and 03º 30' 19" longitude East from the meridian of Madrid.
Discovered in 1980, it is made up of eight shelter woods. Of these, five of them show paintings in a perfectly visible vivid red. Four of them are close to each other and show art depictions of Macro schematic art, an artistic expression from the most ancient Neolithic Age. The fifth painting is an artistic expression of the Levante region of Spain, chronologically subsequent to the expressions of Macro schematic Art
The depiction of the human figure constitutes its main subject matter. Amongst them, the prayers have to be highlighted, who are stretching out their arms above their heads. Opposite it, a few metres from the rocky wall, a large stone protrudes on the ground, which may be related to the meaning of these pictorial representations.
Visit the 360º view of this deposit
Archaeological sites MARQ
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Sanctions on Iran to be increased substantially, Trump says
By Jay Jackson, Macau News
WASHINGTON DC - Sanctions on Iran will soon be substantially increased, U.S. President Donald Trump has tweeted.
The president says the proposed heightened penalties are in response to Iran enriching uranian for a long time and in secret.
According to reports from the IAEA the claim has no foundation, inspectors say Iran has been in full compliance until now.
"Iran has long been secretly "enriching," in total violation of the terrible 150 Billion Dollar deal made by John Kerry and the Obama Administration. Remember, that deal was to expire in a short number of years. Sanctions will soon be increased, substantially!" Trump tweeted on Wednesday.
Iran has now begun enriching uranium because it says the agreement between it and the major powers (the U.S., the UK, Russia, China, Germany, and the European Union) known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) agreement, has been broken by the United States which has unilaterally re-imposed the original sanctions, and a raft of new ones. The United States, despite withdrawing from that agreement, is insisting Iran should hold up its part.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said it was a "sad irony" an emergency meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been called at the request of the White House, when the U.S. was responsible for having "ruined" the JCPOA.
What to do now is the dilemma the major powers face. Other nations are being persuaded by the United States to comply with the sanctions it has imposed, which puts Europe for example in the position of supporting sanctions, while expecting Iran to continue to comply with its obligations under the JCPOA.
Iran's economy has collapsed under the sanctions and it is the population of 80 million people that are paying the price.
On Monday, the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran said the country had officially surpassed the 3.67% uranium enrichment limit set under the historic 2015 nuclear deal and was conisdering increasing the stockpile to 20% in the future.
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Lawsuit against Forces alleges discrimination against gays and lesbians - Macleans.ca
Lawsuit against Forces alleges discrimination against gays and lesbians
Alida Satalic alleges she was mistreated and harassed as a lesbian former postal clerk serving her country
HALIFAX – A former Canadian Forces member who says a series of aggressive investigations into her sexual orientation hounded her out of the military in the late 1980s is leading a class action lawsuit against Ottawa.
Alida Satalic’s lawsuit, submitted on Tuesday, spans the years 1969 to 1995 and applies to anyone who served in Atlantic Canada.
Lawyer John McKiggan says in the statement of claim, which has not been proven in court, that between the 1950s and 1990s the Canadian government engaged in a campaign to identify, harass and purge lesbians and gays from the Armed Forces.
It names Satalic as the representative plaintiff in the class action, saying the lesbian former postal clerk was mistreated and harassed while she was serving her country.
It says she was repeatedly interrogated by investigation units on the pretext of security screenings, and was asked about her sexual relationships in detail.
The claim says she dropped out of the military as a corporal in 1989 after learning she had no career prospects, re-enrolled in 1993 and then left again years later.
According to court documents, Satalic joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1981 at Canadian Forces Base Cornwallis in Deep Brook, N.S., and served at three bases.
It says after she told investigators about her sexual orientation, Satalic was given the option of staying in the military with no further training or promotions, or a release from service as “Not Advantageously Employable.”
She accepted the release.
The statement of claim says Satalic’s career, earnings and pension all suffered.
McKiggan said in an interview that she only returned to the military after its policy on investigating homosexuals ceased in 1993.
“Alida simply wanted to serve her country … She liked her job and she wanted to go back to serving her country. So when the policy of discrimination was changed she returned to a job she enjoyed,” he said.
An email from a Canadian Armed Forces official said DND is aware of the lawsuit and is reviewing the details to determine its next steps.
The lawsuit is claiming $100 million for the federal government’s breach of duty of care, fiduciary duty and violation of charter rights, plus a further $50 million in punitive damages.
In wider allegations, the lawsuit says a special security team created in 1946 harassed known homosexuals until the mid-1990s, long after Canada decriminalized homosexual sex in 1969.
McKiggan said he has asked for a hearing before the Federal Court in the new year to set deadlines for the next steps in the proceeding.
Canadian Forces
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Punitive Damages Overkill: J&J Hit With Still Another Disproportionate Punitive Award In Pelvic-Mesh Litigation
Punitive Damages Overkill: J&J Hit With Still Another Disproportionate Punitive Award In Pelvic-Mesh...
Evan M. Tager
As early as 1967, Judge Friendly worried about the phenomenon of punitive damages overkill in mass tort litigation. Fifty years later, the problem persists.
Last week, a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, jury awarded a plaintiff $2.5 million in compensatory damages and $17.5 million in punitive damages—seven times the compensatory damages—in the latest of a large series of cases alleging that Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Ethicon had failed to warn about the risks of its pelvic-mesh device. In previous cases, juries had imposed punitive awards of $5 million, $7 million, and $10 million.
In each prior case, the trial court has refused to reduce the award of punitive damages. From all appearances, blinded by J&J’s substantial net worth, the courts in these cases have given no serious consideration to the prospect that either individually or in the aggregate the punitive damages are excessive. Nor have they given any weight to the fact that J&J has been exonerated in other pelvic mesh trials.
My colleagues and I have opined repeatedly about the proper methodology for determining whether an individual punitive award in a mass-tort context is excessive, including in this post involving a different J&J product—talcum powder. And my colleague Andy Frey also has addressed the fallacies involved in relying on corporate finances as a basis for setting punitive awards in this post regarding use and misuse of wealth evidence.
It remains to be seen whether courts will start taking seriously the concerns expressed half-a-century ago by one of the most eminent jurists in our nation’s history.
Punitive Damages
Supreme Court Holds That Punitive Damages May Not Be Awarded In Connection With Unseaworthiness Claims
Mayer Brown's Litigation Year in Review 2018
Mayer Brown Files Amicus Brief Urging Supreme Court To Hold That Punitive Damages May Not Be Awarded In Connection With Unseaworthiness Claims
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Malachi Graham (of Small Million)
Run On Sentence is an ever-evolving musical project fronted by Dustin Hamman.
His lyrics are really about something. It's rare anymore to hear a song that also functions as a credo, a statement of what the singer believes as opposed to what words merely fit the syllables and the rhyme scheme.
Run On Sentence songs are petrogylphs, carved out after Dustin spent a lot of time on windswept bluffs just listening and watching. He shapeshifts like the old shamans, not physically changing his form, but wrapping his mind around the true empathy of understanding what it's like to be something else. The songs are always pure statements, things he has seen on quiet nights alone, when the trees start to glow with the energy of life. They are songs that he can get up and sing honestly every night, squeezing out every note with every drop of breath left in his diaphragm, because the songs are true. They are like a tent revival, where the energy they whip up starts to feed back and sustain itself. That is a remarkable achievement. As he sings towards the end of the upcoming album, FEELINGS, "I just want to feel, God DAMN that's what feelings are for."
http://runonsentencemusic.com/
Portland duo Small Million met on the dance floor and united in the bedroom (studio), where they spend many hours polishing their singular ditties. Rich, textured tracks with soaring melodies; wistful and cautiously optimistic.
https://www.facebook.com/SmallMillion
Soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/smallmillion
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Interviews /
Current Interviews /
Laboratory medicine: engineers revolutionize molecular microscopy
Control Engineers of the Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, in collaboration with colleagues from the Jülich Research Center, have developed a method for measuring the electrical potentials of molecules and molecular surfaces with previously unattainable precision and speed.
Diagnostics: 3D mapping technology to monitor and track cells and tissues
Medical advancements can come at a physical cost. Often following diagnosis and treatment for cancer and other diseases, patients' organs and cells can remain healed but damaged from the medical condition. In fact, one of the fastest growing medical markets is healing and/or replacing organs and cells already treated, yet remain damaged by cancer, cardiovascular disease and other medical issues.
Striking new paths in medicine - Diagnostics Partnering Conference 2019
On November 18th, 2019, parallel to the first day of MEDICA, the world forum for medicine, the Diagnostics Partnering Conference (DxPx Conference) will take place in Düsseldorf, bringing together stakeholders in the diagnostics and research tool industry. The DxPx Conference focuses on discovering technologies, finding financing and investment opportunities and forming collaborative partnerships.
Cell therapies: homing instinct shows cells "home"
In a world first, scientists have found a new way to direct stem cells to heart tissue. The findings, led by researchers at the University of Bristol and published in Chemical Science, could radically improve the treatment for cardiovascular disease.
AI could be 'game changer' in detecting and managing Alzheimer's disease
Worldwide, about 44 million people are living with Alzheimer's disease (AD) or a related form of dementia. Although 82 percent of seniors in the United States say it's important to have their thinking or memory checked, only 16 percent say they receive regular cognitive assessments.
mHealth: smartphone solution for diagnostic testing in remote rural areas
Zhendong Cao is hoping to help women in rural areas access information about their reproductive health using a common tool in their pockets: a smartphone. He has developed a unique way to take advantage of a smartphone's camera so that it could help perform non-clinical diagnostic testing, with initial applications that can help women with family planning and reproductive health monitoring.
Implants: remote-controlled drug delivery system for chronic disease management
People with chronic diseases like arthritis, diabetes and heart disease may one day forego the daily regimen of pills and, instead, receive a scheduled dosage of medication through a grape-sized implant that is remotely controlled.
Sensory nanoparticles to detect disease
Investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital are taking advantage of a unique phenomenon of nanoparticles to develop a test for early detection of different types of diseases, including cancer.
Diagnostics: A rapid, easy-to-use DNA amplification method
Scientists in Japan have developed a way of amplifying DNA on a scale suitable for use in the emerging fields of DNA-based computing and molecular robotics. By enabling highly sensitive nucleic acid detection, their method could improve disease diagnostics and accelerate the development of biosensors, for example, for food and environmental applications.
VR: visualize expansion microscopy data and illuminate new treatments
A combined research team from Carnegie Mellon University and Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason is pairing a nanoscale imaging technique with virtual reality (VR) technology to create a method that allows researchers to "step inside" their biological data.
Wound healing: Molecular bait for hydrogels
The team led by Brown School of Engineering bioengineer Antonios Mikos and graduate student Jason Guo have developed modular, injectable hydrogels enhanced by bioactive molecules anchored in the chemical crosslinkers that give the gels structure.
Cell analysis: deep learning dive to cell division
Combining tissue imaging and artificial intelligence, Hollings Cancer Center researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina probed deeper into how cell division cycles are regulated, in this study released online in the May 2019 issue of Cell Reports.
Biomarker: Which pancreatic cysts may become cancerous?
Cysts in the pancreas sometimes develop into the invasive cancer, depending on the type of cyst, but such growths often are not cancerous, creating a quandary for physicians who spot them via CT and MRI scans. Surgery to remove pancreatic cysts is often complex, so there is a need for new tools to identify which such cysts are most likely to develop into cancer and which are not.
Tissue Engineering: producing tissue and organs through lithography
The production of artificial organs is a hot research topic. In the near future, artificial organs will compensate for the lack of organ donations and replace animal experiments. Although there are already promising experiments with 3D printers that use a "bio-ink" containing living cells, a functional organ has never been created in this way.
Diagnostic tests: Identifying cancer treatment in five days
UNIGE researchers have developed a cell co-culture platform that can reproduce a patient's tumour in 3D and test the best treatment combinations for its specific case in just five days.
Microscope: Technology revolutionizes drug development
The search for new drugs to combat diseases more effectively could be revolutionised through a new £30 million electron microscopy project. Experts would be able to see, for the first time, how a particular drug works within a patient at a cellular level or the molecular processes set in motion by a genetic mutation.
Analyser system: New approach catalogues vast cell number
Data-sampling method makes "sketches" of unwieldy biological datasets while still capturing the full diversity of cell types. MIT researchers are now bringing that concept to computational biology, with a novel method that extracts comprehensive samples of massive cell datasets that are easier to analyze for biological and medical studies.
Diagnostics: Novel device for Parkinson’s disease
Presently there are no disease-modifying therapies for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease; however, one potential strategy for treatment is to prevent α-synuclein aggregation. As a first step, researchers at Osaka University have developed a device that can assess the degree of α-synuclein aggregation in the brain.
Gut-on-a-chip: personalized treatment for Crohn's disease
To model human health and disease, organ-on-a-chip technology mimics the human body's organ structure, functionality and physiology in a controlled environment. These miniature systems, which serve as accurate models of various organs from the heart and lungs to the gut and the kidneys, can use a patient's own cells to test drugs and understand disease processes.
Microfluidic chip to better detect Ebola virus
A faculty-researcher at Rochester Institute of technology has developed a prototype micro device with bio-sensors that can detect the deadly Ebola virus. With this type of device, those infected can be treated earlier, and the early detection process can potentially decrease the spread of infections.
Analzing system: Breakthrough designation KidneyIntelX™
Renalytix AI plc (AIM: RENX), a developer of artificial intelligence-enabled clinical diagnostics for kidney disease, announces that it has been granted Breakthrough Device designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for its lead diagnostic, KidneyIntelX™. This is the first such designation for an AI-enabled diagnostic for kidney disease publicly announced by any company.
Diagnostics: Test for effective treatment of breast cancer
A breast cancer test has been found that helps doctors make treatment decisions for some breast cancer patients, following research carried out at Queen Mary University of London and funded by Cancer Research UK.
High-speed microscope with intuitive gesture control
The Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT in Aachen has developed a high-speed microscope for quality control of large-area objects for the semiconductor and electronics industries or for rapid testing of biological samples.
Precision medicine: bacterial therapy in a dish
Columbia engineers develop a new platform that recreates cancer in a dish to quickly determine the best bacterial therapy.
Wearables: biosensor 'bandage' collects and analyzes sweat
Like other biofluids, sweat contains a wealth of information about what's going on inside the body. However, collecting the fluid for analysis, usually by dripping or absorbing it from the skin's surface, can be time-consuming and messy.
Organ-on-a-chip systems: limited validity?
Organ-on-a-chip systems are technically a great enhancement of medical research because they facilitate testing of active ingredients on cell cultures in the chambers of a plastic chip. This replaces animal testing and improves patient safety. That being said, they are not a true-to-life replication of the human body and can only simulate a few functions and activities.
Interview with Hombrechtikon Systems Engineering AG
Whether DNA testing, tissue analysis or blood tests – the secrets of life are unraveled in the laboratory. In order to master this challenge, all processes must first be optimized and automated. Which role HSE AG plays here, the Swiss company explains at MEDICA 2018.
Interview with ERBA Diagnostics Mannheim GmbH
A lot of answers in medicine are found in the laboratory. Correct analysis is key to find the right diagnosis and cure for the patient. We learn more about innovative analysis devices at the stand of ERBA Diagnostics at MEDICA 2018.
Back pain: The research project Ran Rücken is intended to help
About eight in ten Germans suffer from back pain during their lifetime. Too much or the wrong movements can also cause problems. "Ran Rücken", the interdisciplinary research project aims to determine the right minimum dose of exercise that proves effective. (Explanatory note: "Ran Rücken" can be loosely translated as "Target the Back")
Pathology 4.0 – inveox automates laboratory processes
Mix-ups, contamination and sample loss – most errors in pathology happen when specimen are received. Countless samples arrive daily at the laboratory, while the sample entry process is very monotonous. As a result, the work is inefficient. The start-up company inveox has now developed a system that automates the processes in the pathology laboratory, thus making them more efficient.
Personalized cancer medicine – Best possible treatment with TherapySelect
Medicine is getting more and more personalized. This is particularly interesting for oncology, since a cancer is as individual as the respective patient. When choosing a therapy, both the characteristics of the tumor and the personal characteristics of the patient must be considered. To see exactly what this looks like, we visited the diagnostics company TherapySelect, based in Heidelberg.
On the trail of cancer: personalized cancer vaccine
Conventional cancer treatment selection typically depends on the location of the tumor. However, this approach ignores the distinct gene mutations in the tumor of the individual patient. New cancer research approaches increasingly emphasize the concept of personalized therapy.
Personalized cancer medicine: customized treatment
Everyone is different. This statement also applies to our health. Cancer, in particular, can look and progress differently depending on the individual person. That’s why every patient ideally also needs a customized treatment that is tailored to their individual needs. But how feasible is this idea?
Cells in space – extraterrestrial approaches in cancer research
Here on Earth, all experiments are bound by gravitation. Yet, freed from gravity's grip, tumor cells, for example, behave in an entirely different way. As part of the "Thyroid Cancer Cells in Space" project by the University of Magdeburg, smartphone-sized containers carrying poorly differentiated thyroid cancer cells are sent into space.
Everything flows: transportation and material flows in hospital logistics
During a visit to the hospital, patients naturally expect to receive comprehensive care. Not only does this include the proper treatment, but also a hospital bed and regular meals for example. Patients typically don't ask about the transport logistics this entails for the hospital.
"Spray-On" muscle fibers for biomimetic surfaces
Few patients with heart failure are fortunate enough to receive a donor's heart. Ventricular assist devices (or heart pumps) have been around for several years and are designed to buy time as patients wait for a transplant. Unfortunately, the body doesn't always tolerate these devices.
Pathology: detecting lymphedema with 3D microscopy
According to the WHO, 300 million people throughout the world are affected by lymphedema. This condition occurs when fluid that flows between cells is no longer transported back into the blood circulation and accumulates in the skin. Triggers can be surgeries, injuries or genetic defects for example. A new microscopy technique could now also indicate the causes.
Point-of-care testing in the hospital – quality diagnostic results
Point-of-care testing is an integral part of medicine. It enables simple, automated testing that yields fast results. Hospitals have also started to increasingly use POCT diagnostic systems over the past few years. We are guests at the Greifswald University Hospital where patient-side rapid diagnostic tests have already been successfully integrated into daily hospital operations.
MEDICA 2017: all about laboratory medicine at the MEDICA LABMED FORUM
If you are interested in laboratory medicine and come to the MEDICA 2017, you will quickly notice that Exhibition Halls 1 and 2 were demolished. A new state-of-the art hall is meant to take their place. Until then, exhibitors from the field of laboratory medicine will be showcased at their temporary new location in the lightweight hall structures 3a and 18 on the fairgrounds.
Interface between Physics and Medicine: new interdisciplinary center
Physics has always supported medical science, especially when it comes to practical implementation. Now physicists and health professionals join in collaborative research at an interdisciplinary Center in Erlangen and incorporate fundamental principles of theoretical physics in their studies of diseases.
Laboratory automation: from note book to gesture recognition
For centuries, scientific research has succeeded by chronicling experiments with pinpoint accuracy. Yet despite all the progress in the actual laboratory, recording is often still done manually, in notebooks, logs or computer systems for instance. In the future, a gesture recognition system could perform this task for scientists.
Medical Technology for India – Market of the Future?
India is a land of contradictions. On the one hand, it has densely populated cities with state of the art technology. On the other hand, two-thirds of the population still live under challenging hygienic and financial conditions in the rural areas. Despite these conditions or perhaps because of them, more and more medical technology companies from all over the world are interested in this market.
Medical imaging is onto septic fungi
Instant treatment is absolute vital for patients developing sepsis. Providing a specific therapy early on is key. To manage this the pathogenic organisms need to be identified accurately. But a fungal sepsis can still be a hard nut to crack.
Laboratory medicine: confronting infections with speed and foresight
The laboratory is one of the most important and pivotal bastions in patient care. In the laboratory, acute, chronic and genetic diseases are diagnosed, the progression of diseases such as diabetes is regularly checked or specialists look for biomarkers to adapt cancer therapies.
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UofM Media Room
News Releases Archive
University of Memphis First-in-the-Nation to Sign International Research Collaboration Agreement with Czech Academy of Sciences
October 25, 2018 - The University of Memphis was the first institution in the U.S. to enter into a Research Collaboration Agreement with the Czech Academy of Sciences (CAS) at a formal signing ceremony on Thursday, Oct. 25 in the FedEx Institute of Technology. Comprised of 54 research institutions, the CAS is responsible for leading research in the Czech Republic across a range of natural, technical, social sciences and humanities topics.
"Internationalization of our research portfolio is a key strategic priority for us as we move rapidly toward the highest research classification in the Carnegie system," said UofM President M. David Rudd. "Strong partnerships like this with the Czech Academic of Sciences will allow us to leverage research funding on both sides of the Atlantic based on our respective strengths."
Like the UofM, the CAS is focused on globalizing its research reach and impact, and both institutions are pursuing partnerships with leading research organizations around the world.
The agreement will pave the way for more robust and meaningful interactions among research faculty and students in areas of mutual interest with the goal of developing high-impact, grant-funded projects. The partnership is an outgrowth of efforts initiated earlier this year and is expected to significantly enhance the UofM's research and innovation profile in the European Union.
Rudd, along with UofM Provost Karen Weddle-West and executive vice president for Research and Innovation Jasbir Dhaliwal, joined CAS President Eva Zazimalova for the public signing ceremony. The two dozen CAS Research Institute directors and scholars involved in the visit are pursuing collaboration in diverse areas of bioscience, transportation, cybersecurity, sensors, big data and machine learning, Egyptology, criminal justice, earthquakes, financial infrastructure security, mobile health and addiction.
For more information on this partnership, contact research@memphis.edu.
For more information on the Czech Academy of Sciences, visit: http://www.avcr.cz/en/about-us/mission-of-the-cas/.
Mary Ann Dawson | 901.678.1592 l mdawson@memphis.edu
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Have a story to share or questions about UofM News?
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Egypt Travel Guide
ِAncient Egyptian History
Amr Ibn Al-Aas
Amr Ibn Al-Aas and the Islamic History of Egypt:
Islam arrived in Egypt and the entire continent of Africa in 640 AD with General Amr Ibn Al-Aas of the Rashidun Islamic Caliphate. The religion was only a couple of decades old at the time and expanding quickly with the influence of the Rashidun Caliphate, which had been formed following the death of the Prophet Mohammed in 632 AD. At the time, Coptic Christianity had recently surpassed the religion of Ancient Egypt to become the dominant religion.
In 640 AD, the Muslim army laid siege to the Roman fort of Babylon, the ruins of which still stand in Coptic Cairo. After conquering the fort, Amr Ibn Al-Aas marched to Alexandria in 641 AD, eventually forcing the city to surrender after a long siege and leaving Egypt in the hands of the Muslim conquerors.
How was the Islamic rule under Amr Ibn Al-Aas?
On orders from Caliph Umar back in the Muslim capital of Medina, Egyptian Christians were treated well under their new rulers. They were required to pay a poll tax in exchange for exemption from military service and the right to practice their religion, a system that had been common practice under the Persian, Roman, and Byzantine empires that ruled Egypt before.
In fact, Egyptian Coptic Christians had suffered persecution under Byzantine rule because of theological differences with the Byzantine Orthodox Church and it is thought that a significant number of Egyptian Copts welcomed the Muslims conquest.
Amr Ibn Al-Aas is regarded as one of the most important figures in the history of Egypt because he introduced Islam to the country. He founded a new city just north of the Roman fort of Babylon called Fustat. Today, the Mosque of Amr Ibn Al-Aas still marks the site of this city. The structure has been renovated several times and none of the original structure remains today, but it is still the site of the oldest mosque in Egypt and the entire continent of Africa.
Amr Ebn Al-Aas Mosque In Egypt:
The Muslim army captured Alexandria, establishing control over Egypt, but word came from the Caliph Umar in Medina that they should establish a new capital closer to Medina. Heeding the omen of the dove, Amr Ibn Al-Aas built a mosque at the site where his tent had stood and it became the center of the new Muslim capital of Egypt, Fustat. This mosque, founded in 642 AD and named after the general, was the first mosque on the continent of Africa.
The mosque of Amr Ibn Al-Aas was originally constructed using palm trunks, mud-brick, and palm leaves for a roof so none of the original structure remains and it has been rebuilt many times since the 7th century. The first arcades of columns were erected in 827, giving it a permanent form that has since been expanded. Only a small number of these original architraves remain today and can be viewed along the mosque’s southern wall. The building was most recently rebuilt in 1875.
Book One of our Egypt Tours to Know more about Egypt History.
Suggested Tours
Pyramids & The Nile by Air
Cairo & Pyramids Trip from Port Sokhna
Cairo Nile Dinner Cruise and Show
Cairo & The Nile by Air
Sound and Light Show at the Pyramids
The Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt
The Middle Kingdom of Ancient Egypt
The New Kingdom of Ancient Egypt
Queen Hatshepsut | Luxor | Egypt
Tutankhamoun King | Ancient Egypt Kingdom
Ramesses II | Ramses II Facts
Greco-Roman Period
Alexander the Great | Egypt History
Early Islamic Period in Egypt
Salah Al-Din Al-Ayyubi
Mamluk and Ottoman Period
Sultan Mohammad Ali
Egypt in the Modern Era
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Capitol Hill, State House, or City Hall: Debating the Location of Political Power and Decision-Making
A Mercatus Colloquium
Adam Thierer
Adam Millsap
Assistant Director, L. Charles Hilton Jr. Center for the Study of Economic Prosperity and Individual Opportunity, Florida State University
Emily Hamilton
Distinguished Senior Fellow, F. A. Hayek Program for Advanced Study in Philosophy, Politics and Economics
Michael D. Farren
In a federal system, what is the best way to balance the needs for local autonomy, interjurisdictional commerce, and individual liberty? How do emerging technologies and policy debates affect the ways we think about this balance?
Over the next two weeks, scholars at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University will explore these questions in a series of essays. The colloquium, titled “Capitol Hill, State House, or City Hall: Debating the Location of Political Power and Decision-Making,” will feature six authors with differing viewpoints on how policymakers at each level of government should approach decision-making within our federal system.
The colloquium begins with Adam Thierer’s lead essay, “The Question of Balance.” In subsequent essays, scholars touch on a range of issues and ideas—from zoning laws to “market-preserving federalism.” We hope these essays will engage others and prompt further debate and discussion on this important topic in public policy.
Links to the News on this Topic
On a Massachusetts bill related to housing development
On a new California law that restricts how localities can regulate accessory dwelling units
On ridesharing services in Texas
On Airbnb in Florida
On the minimum wage
On labor regulation
On bathroom policies and immigration policies
On how states block local regulations at the request of industry
Further Reading on Federalism
James Madison, Federalist No. 10, in The Federalist, the Gideon Edition, ed. George W. Carey and James McClellan (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 2001).
Richard Wagner, American Federalism: How Well Does It Support Liberty (Arlington, VA: Mercatus Center at George Mason University, 2014).
Michael S. Greve, Federalism and the Constitution: Competition versus Cartels (Arlington, VA: Mercatus Center at George Mason University, 2015).
Adam D. Thierer, The Delicate Balance: Federalism, Interstate Commerce, and Economic Freedom in the Technological Age (Washington, DC: Heritage Foundation, 1998).
Barry R. Weingast, “The Economic Role of Political Institutions: Market-Preserving Federalism and Economic Development,” Journal of Law, Economics, & Organization 11 (1995).
Vincent Ostrom, Charles M. Tiebout, and Robert Warren, “The Organization of Government in Metropolitan Areas: A Theoretical Inquiry,” American Political Science Review 55, no. 4 (1961).
Chicago–Kent College of Law at Illinois Tech, “Gibbons v. Ogden,” Oyez, accessed July 14, 2017.
Chicago–Kent College of Law at Illinois Tech, “Slaughter-House Cases,” Oyez, accessed July 14, 2017.
Michael Kent Curtis, No State Shall Abridge: The Fourteenth Amendment and the Bill of Rights (Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 1987).
The Question of Balance
What, exactly, makes federalism and jurisdictional issues so contentious, especially among liberty-minded intellectuals?
A State and Local Federalist Relationship Must Be Market-Preserving
Replacing the current, complicated relationship between states and local governments with an actual federalist relationship is appealing, provided that it disciplines government and preserves individual freedom.
The Case for Preemption in Land-Use Regulation
Zoning and related land-use controls became common in American municipalities in the early 20th century, but these rules have constrained housing supply on a large scale only in recent decades.
That Government Is Best Which Is Not Captured by Special Interests
There are some good arguments in favor of localism as a guarantor of freedom. But, in my view, too many of my fellow freedom-lovers overstate the case.
Federalism, Liberty, and State Preemption of Local Ordinances
The Supremacy Clause of the US Constitution (Article VI, Clause 2) asserts the right of federal legislation to preempt state legislation.
Nirvana’s Night Watchman: A Response to Adam Thierer
The proper structure of government holds most rulemaking authority at the local level with strong state- and national-level controls on the use of that authority.
What Do Business Leaders Th...
Ex-Im Bank: A Comparative Analysis of Pre- and Post- Quorum Lending
Veronique de Rugy, Justin Leventhal
Crony capitalism? Big business is actually losing influence over government
Holbert L. Harris Chair of Economics at George Mason University
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Women in Anime: Bungou Stray Dogs
By yin - Tuesday, June 25, 2019 - No Comments
WARNING: ANIME AND MANGA SPOILERS AHEAD!
In anime (mainly shonen and seinen), it is not uncommon for female characters to solely exist to further the character development for “more important” male main characters, as well as to serve as love interests for the main characters. These female characters also usually have bodies that are way too developed for their age, but somehow still manage to sound like 6-year olds. Bungou Stray Dogs does a fantastic job at avoiding these tropes, by giving their female characters depth and rich backstories that make them unique individuals with their own set of struggles. They also have more natural-sounding voices and are barely ever sexualised (their sexiness comes from within).
Yosano Akiko
Yosano is an extremely capable doctor who has seen her fair share of battles. She worked under Mori Ougai’s supervision as a clinical assistant from the young age of 11, attending to injured soldiers at war. Yosano is usually calm and composed, carrying herself with grace and dignity, but as soon as she is belittled in any way, she has no qualms about starting a fight and standing up for herself. There was a scene in the anime where she accidentally knocks into a man, causing him to fall. Being a considerate and well-mannered member of society, Yosano apologises and asks if he is okay. Instead of accepting her apology like a real man, he degrades her by implying that she should apologise to him through sexual favours. Yosano’s reaction is priceless, and she defends herself in the best way possible.
Ozaki Kouyou
Kouyou is cynical – she believes that people who belong in the darkness cannot escape from it, and are doomed to live in it forever. In her youth, she attempted to escape from the Port Mafia, hoping to live a more meaningful and honest life with her lover, but failed, which resulted in her hatred for the “light”, as it provided her false hope that she had a second chance at life outside of the vicious cycle of suffering within the Port Mafia. Because of this, she is extremely protective of Kyouka, perhaps because she sees a previous, more innocent and hopeful version of herself in her, and is afraid that Kyouka will be easily tempted by the “light”, only to be hurt and jaded just like Kouyou herself. Kouyou truly loves and cares for Kyouka – she took it upon herself to take Kyouka under her wing, playing an important, parental role in the child’s life. Her obsessive need to protect Kyouka from the world outside the Port Mafia, while well-intended, is unhealthy and detrimental to her upbringing.
Nevertheless, while we see Kouyou’s faults, her actions are fairly justified considering her brutal history with the Port Mafia, making her an interesting character worthy of redemption.
Izumi Kyouka
Kyouka is only 14 years old, yet she is one of the main characters in the anime, and for good reason. When she was just a child (she still is), her parents were murdered right in front of her eyes, by her own ability, Demon Snow. This, along with other lies that the Port Mafia fed to her, led Kyouka to believe that she was a murderer undeserving of love, hope, and even life. Kyouka was emotionally manipulated into working for the mafia, and her ability was heavily exploited, turning her a killing machine void of emotion. Within 6 months of being in the Port Mafia, she had killed 35 people.
By age 14, she is desensitised to death and struggles to empathise with her victims – she merely sees her assassinations as tasks that she is obliged to fulfil for the Port Mafia. However, her life changes when she meets Atsushi and the rest of the Armed Detective Agency. They made her realise that there is still hope for her to change her ways and turn to the light. Unlike the Port Mafia, the ADA treats and respects her as a human being rather than a powerful weapon of destruction. We see her grow and learn to love again in the agency, living the life that she truly deserves, and it is very emotionally gratifying to witness as an audience.
Akutagawa Gin
Nobody even knew Gin was a girl from the start. She was known to be a skilled assassin and her peers in the Port Mafia always thought she was a man. Her work outfit doesn’t give anything away, a mask covering half of her face. However, she does look like she could kill with a single swift flick of her knife. It was only after Dazai exposed the truth that Gin timidly blushes in protest, revealing her voice to be sweet and gentle.
In an episode where she is spotted in civilian clothing on the streets of Yokohama, she looked so demure and dainty that she made Katai fall in love with her. Even after Higuchi knew about Gin’s real gender, it never once crossed her mind that this beautiful young lady was Gin, because of how differently she acts in the Port Mafia. Gin fully embraces her femininity while maintaining her reputation as a revered assassin – what a strong, competent woman.
There are other female characters in the anime who are also brave, loyal and intelligent, such as Higuchi Ichiyo, Lucy Maud Montgomery and Louisa May Alcott, which makes Bungou Stray Dogs a great anime to watch because it pays a lot of attention to character development, not only to the main characters, but to supporting ones as well. If you haven’t gotten to it, I highly recommend this anime as it explores rather important themes such as redemption and recovery, and most of the characters are morally grey, struggling to find their place in life. It’s a little depressing, but watching the characters grow throughout the anime is very emotionally rewarding.
Written by yin
Posted by yin at 12:48 AM
No Comment to " Women in Anime: Bungou Stray Dogs "
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The Remarkable Friendship Between a Fan and a Star
Running Time: 2hrs with one intermission
Recommended Age: 12 and Up
Always…Patsy Cline is the true story of country music legend Patsy Cline’s remarkable friendship with devoted fan Louise Seger. Filled with two dozen unforgettable hits – including “Crazy,” “I Fall to Pieces,” “Sweet Dreams” and “Walkin’ After Midnight” – Always . . . Patsy Cline celebrates the life and music of one of the most acclaimed vocalists of the 20th century.
After its record-breaking sold-out engagement in 2012, Rep favorite Kelley Faulkner (Guys and Dolls, Ragtime) will return to play the title character in Always…Patsy Cline. In one of our all-time greatest Stackner hits, Faulkner dazzled audiences and earned rave reviews like this one from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
"Faulkner hits every note while singing more than two dozen songs doing justice to Cline's wide-ranging repertoire: honky-tonk and western swing; rockabilly and rock 'n' roll; two emotionally charged spirituals and Cole Porter's 'True Love,' which Faulkner renders with simple beauty."
Always... Patsy Cline Show Trailer
Kelley Faulkner*
Tami Workentin*
Louise Seger
Laura Braza
Dan Kazemi±
Emily Lotz
Scenic Designer
Leslie Vaglica
Aimee Hanyzewski
Megan Henninger
Eva Breneman
Frank Honts
Rebekah Heusel*
Kira Neighbors
Stage Management Resident
Patrick Morrow
Mike Ritter
Kurt Cowling
Conductor/Keyboard
Beginning May 5
* Member of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
± Milwaukee Repertory Theater Associate Artists.
Audio-Described Performance
Patrons of this performance may receive an earpiece, providing live description of the action on stage. Check in at the Concierge Desk pre-show to pick up your earpiece.
Milwaukee Repertory Theater presents Always…Patsy Cline in the Stackner Cabaret, March 22 – May 20, 2018 featuring Kelley Faulkner as Patsy Cline. Photo by Michael Brosilow. View Larger
Milwaukee Repertory Theater presents Always…Patsy Cline in the Stackner Cabaret, March 22 – May 20, 2018 featuring Tami Workentin as Louis Seger. Photo by Michael Brosilow. View Larger
Milwaukee Repertory Theater presents Always…Patsy Cline in the Stackner Cabaret, March 22 – May 20, 2018 featuring Kelley Faulkner as Patsy Cline and Tami Workentin as Louis Seger. Photo by Michael Brosilow. View Larger
Milwaukee Repertory Theater presents Always…Patsy Cline in the Stackner Cabaret, March 22 – May 20, 2018 featuring Kelley Faulkner as Patsy Cline and Tami Workentin as Louis Seger with band. Photo by Michael Brosilow. View Larger
MEDIA RELEASE: ALWAYS... PATSY CLINE BEGINS PERFORMANCES AT MILWAUKEE REPERTORY THEATER MARCH 23
MEDIA RELEASE: ALWAYS... PATSY CLINE RETURNS TO MILWAUKEE REPERTORY THEATER STACKNER CABARETWITH KELLEY FAULKNER AND TAMI WORKENTIN
Audiences React
Audiences React to Always... Patsy Cline
In Rehearsal
In Rehearsal – "Always... Patsy Cline"
First Rehearsal
First Rehearsal for "Always... Patsy Cline"
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“Great music. Great acting. The rare combination of humor and memories trotted out for an adoring crowd.”
– Dave Begel on Theater
“Faulkner’s performance is sheer perfection. Her vocals reach the highs and lows, literally and emotionally … And Faulkner hits every note and step each and every time. What a performance!”
– Harry Cherkinian, Shepherd Express
“Faulkner perfectly captures Cline’s warmth, and her expressive, one-of-a-kind singing”
– Matthew Perta, Showbiz Chicago
“Faulkner] delivers gorgeous renditions of Cline’s work… Tami Workentin is clearly having a lot of fun onstage. Nearly bubbling over with feisty energy, she and her oversized red wig are bigger than life.”
– Gwen Rice, OnMilwaukee
Created and originally directed by Ted Swindley – based on a true story.
Licensed by the family and estate of Patsy Cline. All Rights Reserved.
Directed by Laura Braza
THE CAMILLE AND DAVID KUNDERT STACKNER CABARET SEASON
Kris and Wayne Lueders
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'Equal pay' Fight Resonates as New York Fetes US Women's Soccer Team
NEW YORK - The U.S. women's soccer team, fresh from its second-consecutive World Cup victory over the weekend, will return to Manhattan's "Canyon of Heroes" on Wednesday to be honored by New Yorkers with a traditional ticker tape parade.
The squad's 2-0 win over Netherlands in the final match on Sunday capped a World Cup campaign that attracted huge television audiences and bestowed celebrity status on Megan Rapinoe, the tournament's top scorer and an outspoken team leader.
The victory also called attention to the team's fight for equal pay with their counterparts on the U.S. men's national team, and by extension, the issue of equal pay for equal work for women in general. In March, all 28 players on the women's team filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation, demanding their compensation equal that of their male counterparts.
"The level of interest and excitement is much higher from four years ago," said Jessica Lappin, president of the parade's organizers, Alliance of Downtown New York, referring to the 2015 parade for the team after its last World Cup victory. "That's partly because they're women's rights icons now." The lawsuit alleges that women players each earn a maximum of $99,000 total for a season, compared with an average of $263,320 for male players.
As Sunday's game came to a close in Lyon, France, the grandstands erupted with chants of "equal pay, equal pay."
Parade organizers said they expected to hear a similar sentiment expressed loudly by the tens of thousands of people expected to line the parade route on Wednesday.
The parade will travel up Broadway through the heart of Manhattan's financial district, from Battery Park to City Hall, a path dubbed "the Canyon of Heroes."
At the end of the route, Mayor Bill de Blasio and other politicians will pay tribute to the team, while some of the players are likely to address the crowd.
Past honorees have included John F. Kennedy after his nomination as Democratic presidential candidate; Neil Armstrong and other Apollo 11 astronauts after their mission to the moon; and Queen Elizabeth II. In recent decades, the city has hosted a much smaller number of parades and most of them have honored championship sports teams, including the New York Yankees and New York Giants.
Despite the name, today's "ticker tape" parades are missing the real stuff - the ubiquitous strips of paper that ran through stock tickers that once provided price quotes for Wall Street traders.
Instead of ticker tape, about a ton of confetti made from shredded paper, tossed from about 20 buildings, will rain down on the team as they ride in open vehicles up Broadway, according to the Alliance of Downtown New York. Unlike in years past, most of the office towers along the route lack windows that can open.
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