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Defective people
22 September 2019, Sun. 19:00
Why is it worth to go to the play "Defective People"?
1. Evaluate the progressive directorial approach.
2. Make sure that lack of clarity is sometimes more significant than hundreds of words.
3. Balance on the verge with the characters.
“Defective People” is a dynamic and highly specific comedy of the Golden Gate Theater.
Its author is Vasily Sigarev. Director - Stas Zhirkov. At first it seems that the plot is built on the principle of a traditional love triangle.
But, delving into the history of the characters, the viewer is convinced: this is not such a simple relationship. Stas Zhirkov manages to maintain a delicate balance of sympathy in the hall, not allowing us to give preference to one of the participants in the events described. Hence the incredible versatility of the unusual story of the heroine of Tamara.
The performance is so dynamic that it seems you can feel its pulse. Every gesture, every word or glance of the actors the spectator carefully catches, fearing to miss some detail. Laughter, tears, replacing each other, give rise to a variety of situations on the stage. But they all add up to a clear plot.
In the play a lot of fragmentary thoughts, understatement. She is in everything. But instead of words, actors use emotions that will tell you so much more. The roles are performed by: Sergei Korshikov, Alexei Nadrudny and Irina Tkachenko.
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← the Pharaoh’s fist
Dresden: twice risen →
Sunday lunchtime, grey sky, almost no-one in the streets. a young nutter sat on the pavement, cheerfully declaiming. An entire Russian brass band busking, and all the other buskers within earshot playing along; later, a six-piece English rock band with full amplification, including the fiddle. Flat overgrown spaces opened by Bomber Harris a lifetime ago interspersed with the square construction that in some places filled them, and pre-1914 buildings kitted out in loving architectural detail:
As you can probably tell from the last photo, in Germany it’s as if 2008 never happened. People sitting in pavement cafes ordering to their hearts’ content, jammed into sushi restaurants, carrying steins of beer about while the bands play in the streets…
I went to the art museum, which was full of pretty much the whole gamut of European art of the last half-millennium: Renaissance and post-Renaissance religious paintings, Dutch seascapes, 18th century portraits, a whole bunch of beautifully executed Italianate Romantic landscapes, a couple of Manets, weird colourful misshapen modernist pieces, some garish contemporary stuff, a basement gallery with mostly drab but also some surprisingly cheery products of 1980s DDR. But only a couple of things really to write home about:
That’s the cool crisp clarity of Caspar David Friedrich – The Stages of Life. 1834. The other one is a lot older:
That’s Cranach the Elder, early 15th century, painting the King of Denmark. What I especially like about it is the way you can see the stress of the job in his hands…
apart from that, the thing I liked best in the museum was in one of the massive darkened wooden stairwells, a simple white neon sign all on its own asking, in English: Will I be missed?
which segues nicely into the next stop: the Stasi museum, located in the old Stasi headquarters in Leipzig, invaded by the revolutionaries in December 1989 to prevent further shredding of documents. They left the decor exactly as it was, and set up a series of explanatory displays. So it’s grim, badly lit and tawdry – pretty much like what it commemorates. What a way to spend a life – secretively compiling incriminating information on the lives of perfectly ordinary people who just wanted to be able to speak their minds. Yet in saying that, I also demur: how easy it must have been to get sucked into that, to lose the sense of what, overall, was important, in a grim society where there must have seemed few alternatives if you had any ambition. How easy to slowly become a petty monster without even realizing fully what was happening to you. Back then, no-one knew 1989 was coming, of course. There must be quite a few people out there who are still living with that. Easy to say it was wrong (which it was) when you have lived all your life without those pressures…
This entry was posted in road and tagged Caspar David Friedrich, central Europe, Cranach, GDR, Germany, Leipzig, Renaissance art, Saxony, Soviet empire, World War II. Bookmark the permalink.
1 Response to Leipzig
I found some philosophical cover for my last point from Isaiah Berlin, as paraphrased by Adam Thirlwell in his introduction to Paul Wilson’s English translation of I Served the King of England by Bohumil Hrabal: “No moral judgment whatsoever [is] possible from conditions of safety…on the behaviour of human beings in conditions of danger”. This may seem like dangerous relativism, but on the other hand maybe it is just the humility to admit that I cannot be sure I would have done any better myself…
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A program of the Cyber Policy Center, part of the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies.
Larry Diamond
Larry Diamond, MA, PhD
Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies
Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution
Professor, by courtesy, of Political Science and Sociology
Former Director of the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law
CDDRL
Encina Hall C140
ldiamond@stanford.edu
(650) 724-6448 (voice)
Personal URL
democratic development and regime change; U.S. foreign policy affecting democracy abroad; comparative trends in the quality and stability of democracy in developing countries and postcommunist states; and public opinion in new democracies, especially in East Asia
Larry Diamond is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies. For more than six years, he directed FSI’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law, where he now leads its Program on Arab Reform and Democracy and its Global Digital Policy Incubator. He is the founding co-editor of the Journal of Democracy and also serves as Senior Consultant at the International Forum for Democratic Studies of the National Endowment for Democracy. His research focuses on democratic trends and conditions around in the world, and on policies and reforms to defend and advance democracy. His 2016 book, In Search of Democracy, explores the challenges confronting democracy and democracy promotion, gathering together three decades of his writing and research, particularly on Africa and Asia. He has just completed a new book on the global crisis of democracy, which will be published in 2019, and is now writing a textbook on democratic development.
Diamond’s other books include: The Spirit of Democracy (2008), Developing Democracy: Toward Consolidation (1999), Promoting Democracy in the 1990s (1995), and Class, Ethnicity, and Democracy in Nigeria (1989). He has also edited or co-edited more than 40 books on democratic development around the world. He has served as Fulbright Visiting Lecturer at Bayero University Kano, Nigeria (1982-83) and as a Visiting Scholar at the Academia Sinica in Taiwan (1997-98). He directed the Stanford Program on Democracy in Taiwan for more than ten years and has been a regular visitor to Taiwan since 1995.
At Stanford University, Diamond is also professor by courtesy of political science and sociology, and is a Bass University Fellow in Undergraduate Education. He also served from 2010-2016 as Faculty Co-Director of the Haas Center for Public Service, where he helped launch the University’s signature public service initiative, Cardinal Service. He teaches courses on comparative democratic development, democracy promotion, and US foreign policy, and advises many Stanford students. In May 2007, the Associated Students of Stanford University named him “Teacher of the Year” for teaching that “transcends political and ideological barriers.” At Stanford’s June 2007 Commencement ceremony, Diamond received the Dinkelspiel Award for Distinctive Contributions to Undergraduate Education. He was cited, inter alia, for fostering dialogue between Jewish and Muslim students; for "his inspired teaching and commitment to undergraduate education; for the example he sets as a scholar and public intellectual, sharing his passion for democratization, peaceful transitions, and the idea that each of us can contribute to making the world a better place; and for helping make Stanford an ideal place for undergraduates." In January 2014 he received the Richard W. Lyman Award for service to the Stanford Alumni Association. And in June 2016 he was honored with the Kenneth Cuthbertson Award for Exceptional Service to Stanford University, recognizing his “visionary leadership” of the Haas Center during a time of “unprecedented growth” and for his instrumental role in the launch of Cardinal Service, which seeks to make public service “central to the Stanford student experience.”
During 2002-3, Diamond served as a consultant to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and was a contributing author of its report Foreign Aid in the National Interest. He has also advised and lectured to universities and think tanks around the world, and to the World Bank, the United Nations, the State Department, and other governmental and nongovernmental agencies dealing with governance and development. During the first three months of 2004, Diamond served as a senior adviser on governance to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Baghdad. His 2005 book, Squandered Victory: The American Occupation and the Bungled Effort to Bring Democracy to Iraq, was one of the first books to critically analyze America's postwar engagement in Iraq.
Among Diamond’s edited books are Democracy in Decline?, Democratization and Authoritarianism in the Arab World, Will China Democratize?, and Liberation Technology: Social Media and the Struggle for Democracy, all edited with Marc F. Plattner, and Politics and Culture in Contemporary Iran, with Abbas Milani. With Juan J. Linz and Seymour Martin Lipset, he edited the series, Democracy in Developing Countries, which helped to shape a new generation of comparative study of democratic development.
Diamond writes a monthly column for The American Interest and frequently consults on policies and programs to promote democracy.
Stanford Affiliations
Hoover Institution
National Endowment for Democracy's International Forum for Democratic Studies
AllBooksCommentaryconference_memosJournal ArticlesPolicy Briefs and ReportsWorking Papers
Securing American Elections: Prescriptions for Enhancing the Integrity and Independence of the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election and Beyond
When Does Populism Become a Threat to Democracy?
Authoritarianism Goes Global: The Challenge to Democracy
AllAudioPresentationsTranscriptsVideo
Taiwan and the TPP: A Re-Evaluation
Burma's Transition to Democracy: A Conversation with Larry Diamond
Transparency International founder speaks on Panama papers and new efforts to curb corruption worldwide
Taiwan's 2016 Presidential and Legislative Elections
Quality of Democracy Project
Regime Type and Economic Development
Brookings Doha Center-Stanford Project on Arab Transitions
Annual Conference on Taiwan Democracy
Democracy promotion
State-building
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Roul and Doors
Keen on enriching the music industry with their particular touch of combining different musical genres and productions, Roul and Doors (RnD Musik) have become known over the past couple of years for their unique combination of melody, rhythm and energy. 2014 started off with a bang since their widely supported track Follow The Sound got to #9 on the Beatport Progressive House top 10. Their remix of one of the most beautiful female voices Christina Perri with her track Human on Atlantic Records followed quickly with support from the big jogs in the scene and their guest performance alongside #1 DJ Hardwell at Ushuaia, Ibiza on August 19th shows the progress and appreciation of their sound.
Both guys started out as DJs for their study association and they have been hooked ever since. Even with a master’s degree in the respective fields of Biomedical Science and International Business, they couldn’t resist the temptation to pursue their dream of a successful career in the music industry. So instead of going for the logical choice, a career in their respective fields of study, they released their first production: ‘Revelation’ on DJ Roogs’ Hardsoul Pressings label in 2008, getting it tot #1 on Traxsource. A wise choice it has been, since their career took off a couple of years later when Defected first picked up their sound in 2011. Genre defining tracks got released such as ‘Gita’, ‘Forget’, ‘Trinidad’, ‘Assiduity’ and their remix for Copyright’s ‘Kama Yeah’ and Hardsoul’s – We Need More Love Remix.
Several releases followed such as ‘Guinea/Cameroon’ EP (Copyright Recordings), ‘Saudi/Arabica’ EP (Defected Records), ‘Blackout’ (Flamingo Recordings) and ‘Elements’ (Revealed Recordings). The last two, collaborations with Franky Rizardo, have both been very successful. Blackout has passed half a million views on Youtube by now and Elements, released on DJ Hardwell’s label, achieved a #5 ranking in the Beatport House top 100 within a week. 2013 followed with the consecutive releases of ‘Melody In Harmony’ and ‘Sir Ali (Turn It Up)” on Flamingo Recordings and already displayed the growing attention for these two Dutchmen with performances alongside Fedde Le Grand at one of the best and most notorious clubs in the world Ministry Of Sound in London, Fedde’s ADE show in Escape Club Amsterdam and last but not least, their debut at Sensation (Taiwan).
Their productions don’t go unnoticed by other established DJs either, since there has been growing support by the likes of Fedde Le Grand, Tiesto
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U.S. Air Force Awards Leidos Task Order to Support ISR Operations
Deployments Middle East
USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, B-52H Stratofortress Conduct Joint Operations in CENTCOM AOR
June 3, 2019 DP Press Releases 0 Comments Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, Aircraft Carrier, Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, Middle East, Strategic bomber, U.S. Navy (USN), US Central Command (USCENTCOM), USA, USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)
Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 7, attached to the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (ABECSG), and A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress, assigned to the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron and part of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Bomber Task Force, conducted joint operations in the CENTCOM area of responsibility, June 1.
The operations emphasize Joint Force integration and interoperability within the U.S. Department of Defense.
“The training we are doing with the Air Force showcases our ability to coordinate quickly amongst branches and results in an increase of our country’s lethality and agility to respond to threats if called upon,” said Capt. William Reed, commander, CVW-7.
During the exercises, CVW-7 and the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron conducted several joint training evolutions designed to improve operational tactics in several warfare areas. Exercises included air-to-air training, flying in formation, and simulated strike operations in defense of a national asset.
“While the Air Force trains different assets together all the time, including Navy F-18s, we typically don’t have the opportunity to integrate with the surface fleet,” said Lt. Col. Scott Mills, 609th Air and Space Operations Center air and space strategist. “As we train together, it gives us the chance to examine the bias we each bring to the engagement. We each learn about the other’s domain by searching for areas where we operate differently.”
F/A-18E Super Hornets and E-2D Growlers from CVW-7, embarked on the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), conducted a self-escort strike with an Air Force B-52H. With the Lincoln aircraft simulating opposing and friendly forces, the training gave both sides the chance to interact with elite aircraft.
“The most interesting part about working with any individual aircraft you haven’t had the chance to work with yet is getting to see what unique capabilities it has,” said Lt. Chase Strickland, a pilot attached to the “Sidewinders” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 86 and CVW-7’s coordination lead of the joint exercise. “It’s fascinating getting to train and work with the strategic bomber that has updated capabilities, the latest electronics and the most advanced software.”
The B-52H Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber that has been operated by the U.S. Air Force since 1955. The aircraft can carry up to 70,000 pounds of weapons and has a typical combat range of more than 8,800 miles. It’s anti-ship and mine-laying capabilities make it a highly-effective asset to assist the Navy in ocean surveillance.
“Each of our respective services influences the other,” Mills said. “Future conflicts will likely never be restricted to a single domain, and even then the sister services can enhance the effectiveness of the others. Today’s mission represents our ability to project air and sea power around the globe. When we act, we do so as one force, no separate services. Exercises like the one held today ensure that can operate anywhere, anytime.
Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jessica Paulauskas
← USAF 34th FS, 34th AMU to Transition F-35A Lightning II Operations to Mountain Home Air Force Base During Hill AFB Runway Closure
Apache Helicopter Lands On Board HMS Queen Elizabeth for First Time →
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USS Missouri Set to Arrive at Pearl Harbor Homeport
January 25, 2018 DP Press Releases 0 Comments Hawaii, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Nuclear attack submarine (SSN), U.S. Navy (USN), USA, USS Missouri (SSN-780), Virginia-class SSN
The U.S. Navy’s Virginia-class fast-attack submarine, USS Missouri (SSN 780) will arrive at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam this week for a permanent change of homeport.
The submarine has a crew of 140 Sailors and officers.
Missouri will be the 6th Virginia-class submarine homeported at Pearl Harbor and the fifth Navy ship to be named in honor of the state of Missouri.
The last USS Missouri, the legendary battleship, saw action in World War II, the Korean War and the Persian Gulf War, and the battleship was also the site where Fleet Adm. Chester Nimitz, Gen. Douglas MacArthur and many other U.S. and Allied officers accepted the unconditional surrender the Japanese at the end of World War II.
As the most modern and sophisticated attack submarine in the world, the VACL submarine can operate in both littoral and deep ocean environments and presents combatant commanders with a broad and unique range of operational capabilities.
VACL submarines are flexible, multi-mission platforms designed to carry out the seven core competencies of the submarine force: anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, delivery of special operations forces, strike warfare, irregular warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and mine warfare. Their inherent stealth, endurance, mobility, and firepower directly enable them to support five of the six maritime strategy core capabilities – sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security, and deterrence.
At 377-feet long, Missouri is slightly longer than a football field. She has a 34-foot beam, will be able to dive to depths greater than 800 feet and will operate at speeds in excess of 25 knots submerged.
The Pacific Submarine Force, headquartered at Pearl Harbor, includes fast attack, ballistic missile, auxiliary submarines, submarine tenders, floating submarine docks, deep submergence vehicles and submarine rescue vehicles throughout the West Coast and Pacific.
Submarine Force Pacific Fleet
← USCGC Steadfast Returns Home to Astoria Following a 50-day Counterdrug Patrol
U.S. Navy, NASA Complete Orion Underway Recovery Test in Pacific →
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"Working daily between illustration, architecture, and design, I'm interested in the crossover between art, architecture, people and our cities."
David Fleck is an illustrator and architectural designer, working from Glasgow. Having grown up in the heart of Edinburgh, David studied Architecture at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen and laterally at the Mackintosh School of Architecture in Glasgow. Alongside his studies he initially developed his interest in Illustration and Art through designing t-shirts, which led to work for clients including Gap, Tiffany, HarperCollins, and Penguin.
His architectural background creates a distinct narrative to his illustration work, often bringing together fine detail and city scenes with watercolour, texture, and playfulness. Although inspired by Scottish locations, David’s collection of work strays into the imaginary and foreign, and like a city, every illustration is a playground of discovery, a world of stories waiting to be uncovered and shared.
In 2012 the Red Door Gallery in Edinburgh hosted David’s first solo exhibition, ‘Our Ancestors’, a collection which explored the character of a population through illustrations of cities, as well as characterising cities through the drawing of single figures. David continues to debut most of his work in this gallery in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket.
You can reach David at hello@davidfleck.co.uk
If you're interested in stocking art prints, please get in touch with Eilidh via prints@davidfleck.co.uk
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My Books • Treme
DeAndre McCullough (1977-2012)
To remember him as we met him, twenty years ago, is to know everything that was lost, everything that never happened to a boy who could surprise you with his charm and wit and heart.
At fifteen, he was selling drugs on the corners of Fayette Street, but that doesn’t begin to explain who he was. For the boys of Franklin Square — too many of them at any rate — slinging was little more than an adolescent adventure, an inevitable rite of passage. And whatever sinister vision you might conjure of a street corner drug trafficker, try to remember that a fifteen-year-old slinger is, well, fifteen years old.
He was funny. He could step back from himself and mock his own stances — “hard work,” he would say when I would catch him on a drug corner, “hard work being a black man in America.” And then he would catch my eye and laugh knowingly at his presumption. His imitations of white-authority voices — social workers, police officers, juvenile masters, teachers, reporters — were never less than pinpoint, playful savagery. The price of being a white man on Fayette Street and getting to know DeAndre McCullough was to have your from-the-other-America pontifications pulled and scalpeled apart by a manchild with an uncanny ear for hypocrisy and cant.
He could be generous, and loyal. I remember him rushing out before Christmas to spend his corner money on gifts for his brother, nieces and nephews — knowing that his mother wasn’t going to get it done that year. I remember the moments of quiet affection he demonstrated when his mother was at her lowest ebb, telling her gently that she was better than this, that she could rise again. And, too, I remember his stoic, certain forgiveness of his father, who moved wraith-like around those same corners, lost in an addiction he could never defeat.
“I really feel like he’s at peace now,” DeAndre said after Gary’s funeral, explaining that his father was too gentle for the corners, too delicate a soul to be out there along Fayette Street. His father was never going to be what he was. Not ever again. DeAndre said this with no malice, in a voice that was as loving as any words I ever heard him speak.
At first, he was content with the book we wrote about his world. By the time “The Corner” was published it was something of an epitaph for people who were already casualties. Not just DeAndre’s father, but Boo, Bread, Fat Curt, his cousin Dinky, Miss Ella from the rec center. The book was an argument that these lives were not without meaning, that they, too, were complete human beings in the balance. He liked that someone — anyone — thought the people of Fayette Street mattered.
In time, though, he confessed to hating the last line of the narrative, the one in which he is defined as a street dealer and addict at the moment after taking his first adult charge in a raid on a stash house on South Gilmor Street. There was a burden in that, and he grew tired of its weight.
“That isn’t the end of the story,” he complained to me years later. “You don’t know that the story ends that way.”
I readily conceded that he was correct, that the story was ongoing and that a new ending could and would be fashioned if he provided such. By then, his mother had cleaned herself up, moved the family to the county, doing her damnedest to shepherd his young brother, and all of his nieces and nephews to adulthood, to gainful employment or college admissions. The mother of DeAndre’s son had a master’s degree, in fact, and was thrice-promoted at the downtown hospital where she made a career. Even Blue, whose childhood home was the shooting gallery, had more than a decade clean and was spending what remained of his days counseling others out of addiction.
“If you give me another ending, Dre. I’ll write it. I promise. In a new edition, in a magazine article, anywhere I can. I’ll write that fucking story so hard.”
“Wait on it then. You gonna see.”
He went to work for the television shows, time and again lasting only as long as a paycheck or two. He enjoyed acting, and showed some poise, but the jobs that offered the chance at a real career — the behind-the-camera production work, the path to union wages and benefits — those couldn’t hold him. Several months ago, desperate to get out of Baltimore and to walk away from his ever-more exhausting addictions, he asked for one more chance. He would get clean. He would do what needed doing. And so, we rented him an apartment in New Orleans and a gave him a position with the security crew for Treme. His sobriety lasted until the first payday, and by Thanksgiving, ever more angry at himself and depressed, he asked me for a ticket back to Baltimore. New Orleans wasn’t working; there were corners here, too, and he was lonely. His plan, he said, was to see if he could get his job back at Mountain Manor.
It was there that DeAndre found some time to shine. He worked as a peer counselor for court-ordered juveniles in the Mountain Manor residences. He knew those kids, and he knew the street, and so, he actually had the skill set to bring some truth into the room. He lasted two years — longer than any other gig in his life — before he again faltered.
I saw him on Christmas. We embraced. New Orleans went unmentioned.
On his birthday in May, I got a text: “Hey, Dave. Wassup. I’m 35 today. Never thought I’d make it. How ’bout that?”
I texted him back: “Happy Birthday, Dre.”
By then, I knew he was again struggling, unable to outrun the demons. A couple weeks ago, there was a photograph on the Baltimore Police Department’s webpage: An unidentified young man photographed during the robbery of a Pratt Street pharmacy. He claimed to have a gun, but offered only a note. He wanted not money, but drugs, and he left with pills. The photo was DeAndre. Hollow-eyed, dusty — but, clearly, DeAndre.
Fran was horrified. This crossed a line in a way that was genuinely unlike her oldest son. He had lived his life doing great damage to himself, obliterating the bright-eyed manchild one dose at a time. In truth, I never saw a drug addict so unhappy to be high. When DeAndre was chasing, he was miserable and angry and ashamed, with every better angel of his nature buried beneath an ash-heap of resentment and self-loathing. When he sobered, you knew it immediately; DeAndre emerged, playful and self-aware and once again open to the world and other people. And always, in the past, the damage had been confined to himself and those who loved him.
This was new and ugly. Fran confronted him, telling him he needed to turn himself in to police, that he had gone too far, that he had truly lost himself this time. DeAndre pleaded for the chance to get clean first, to sober up before surrendering and going to City Jail. He did not want to detox in pretrial detention; he couldn’t stomach the thought of being sick in those spartan, unforgiving surroundings. Once sober, he would surrender, and he asked his mother to ask me if I would go with him to court. Ask him yourself, Fran told him. Can’t, he told her. I’m ashamed.
I told her to tell DeAndre that I would, of course, stand with him in court, but only if he surrendered himself. I told myself that even now, the end of the story hasn’t yet been written. Maybe this was a true bottom. Maybe some prison time could pull him from the spiral; nothing else seemed to work, after all.
Fran relented, drove him to Tuerk House, where he cleaned up for the last time and then discharged himself. He did not immediately surrender. Instead, a few days later, he took more pills until he fell over dead in a house in Woodlawn. This morning, when the police came to the county looking for him with a warrant, they learned that they were a day late, that DeAndre McCullough was beyond their powers of arrest.
If I close my eyes, the fifteen year old comes to me. His laughter, his wit, his foolishness and ridiculous rationalization mixed in equal measure with his goodness and honesty. I can forgive the addict who came to dominate that young life. I can let go of all the frustration and exhaustion that came with twenty years of faithlessness and hurt. I see, in the end, a man who was in great, unending pain. And I want him to rest now.
In spite of everything, I will miss him badly. I know because I’ve been here before. With Dinky. And Curt. And Ella. And Gary — especially Gary McCullough, the wounded father who in some awful way was a pathfinder for his wounded son. When you tell yourself you are going to write a story about real people, you say so in the abstract, without any real sense of the beings you haven’t yet met, without any measure of the real cost of addressing actual human realities.
Well then, amid all of the easy labels and stereotypes that will now certainly apply, let me offer only the following: I once had the privilege to know a boy named DeAndre McCullough, who at the age of fifteen had led a life of considerable deprivation, but who nonetheless was the fine and fascinating measure of a human soul. Everything after, even the very book that we wrote about his world, today seems like useless and unimportant commentary.
Be free, Dre.
Carson R says:
The Corner is one of those stories you never forget ! RIP De Andre.
Travis Pitts says:
Was just reminiscing about TK Carter’s incredible portrayal of Gary when I stumbled across this. How utterly heartbreaking.
Thank you for telling DeAndre’s story. Thank you, Mr. Simon, for telling so many stories that would go untold without you. You’ve opened my eyes to a great deal.
Rest in peace, DeAndre McCullough.
Nick Slater says:
Have just finished The Corner and now cant leave that world behind in my mind. There is so much wrong in this capitalist world of inequality, stacked up to suit the rich, greedy white man and so to learn about the hearts and souls of the real victims of our warped cultures has been a real privelage. I was already a fan of the Wire and David Simon’s work but now I am in absolute awe. Writing of the highest order. From Britain with love to everyone fighting the good fight in their own way.
Farrel Swope says:
I grew up in Baltimore and read “The Corner” the day it came out parts of it made my stomach turn as it was all too familiar. The people in it were also too familiar as I spent time living in “Pig Town” As I read the book and I told Dave Simon when I met him that I thought if anyone was going to get out you would think it would have been Deandre’s father Gary. When I read he died it broke my heart and now Deandre’s gone it’s so sad. When I saw him in “The Wire” I thought he had made it out and had a real future. If you ever read this Dave I want you to know your books forever changed my life. I read Homicide A year on the Killing Streets after and it inspired me to return to school and I earned a degree in criminal justice and became a death investigator for a medical examiners office and have now investigated over 5000 deaths. Twenty percent of all the deaths I investigate are overdoses. Probably another fifteen percent are suicides So these issues are in my face everyday. Please keep painting the pictures Dave you are the greatest writer of our time. Rest in peace Deandre and all those who fall victim to this illness.
Jeremiah Warren says:
This was my guy we grew up together rest in peace
Jeff Dunning says:
Was very Nice of David to constantly try to help De’andre. Loved His character on the wire as Brother MouZone’s Hitman Lamar. Rest in Peace Dre and may his family find peace in this horrible situation.
Christopher Sorick says:
Can anyone tell me more about Rita? She was so intriguing to me, & yet she just had a small part in the book & mini-series. What was she like as a person?
I wondered about her as well….
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Other Languages Română
Feedback archive → Feedback 2010
The teeth of the patriarchs
Published: 20 March 2010 (GMT+10)
stockxchg
It’s very rare indeed that someone will write to CMI with an enquiry on the origins issue which has not yet been addressed in any of the thousands of articles we’ve published. USA correspondent Ann T. recently presented us with just such a question:
As a young earth creationist, I have wondered how the teeth of the long-lived patriarchs could have lasted and remained functional. I assume that there would not be any decay, but how could the enamel and dentin be replaced after so many years of wear?
CMI’s Dr Carl Wieland replies:
Dear Ann
You raise an interesting question, one I don’t think we’ve been asked before, and one that is worth exploring a little.
Before getting onto the main point, I would like to address your comment about “no decay”. Because the patriarchs lived after the Fall, they might well have had tooth decay—why not? But since that depends on things like diet and dental hygiene, and is not a straight line function of age (I’ve known youngsters with totally decayed teeth, and 90-year-olds with a near-perfect set of choppers), it’s not something we can easily take into consideration, as you suggest.
Even in low-tech cultures today, one sees that people who look after their teeth reasonably well keep them in fairly good condition for at least the majority of their life.
So the first thing I would say is, how do we know that they kept their teeth during those long lifespans? Quite simply, we don’t. However, even in low-tech cultures today, one sees that people who look after their teeth reasonably well keep them in fairly good condition for at least the majority of their life. So one would think it unusual if the design of the body as expressed in the preFlood world (see the article Living for 900 years) was suited for a lifespan of 600–900 years, but such that the folk concerned would only have teeth for the first 10% or so of their lifetimes. So that is a good motivation for this exploration—not that anything about the biblical account of preFlood longevity is under threat if we don’t come up with a good answer, but it would be of some interest to find out whether they could have kept their teeth for several hundred years. We can fairly assume, for simplicity, good dental hygiene and a good diet requiring a lot of chewing (as opposed to our modern diet), but not such a harsh existence that their food was mixed with significant dirt/sand, etc. which would greatly exacerbate wear. (This may have become the norm in the harsh post-Flood period, of course.)
As I understand it, secondary dentin can keep growing throughout life, so that would appear to be the answer for that. On the other hand, the cells that make enamel are believed to stop making it once the tooth is fully formed. The average rate of attrition (disappearance of thickness) of enamel today is about 8 thousandths of a millimetre per year. So given the known thickness of human enamel today (a maximum of about 2.5 mm, and it’s not even all the way around) that means in about 200–300 years at that rate, they would have exhausted their enamel thickness.
However, apparently it’s a misconception that enamel wear is mostly from chewing—in fact, during chewing, the tooth surfaces do not touch much. Being incredibly hard, straightout “wear” is less of a problem than cracking/microcracking, which is why its brittleness needs to be compensated for by the dentin acting as a cushion.
Wear of enamel today is mostly due to other factors than normal chewing; these include bruxism (the sort of tooth grinding when people are under stress), the bacteria that cause enamel decay, and acids in foodstuffs, the latter two obviously associated with diet. Even brushing itself, despite its benefits, can contribute to enamel wear. All the factors listed have links to our modern way of life, which may explain the existence of indigenous cultures with surprisingly good dental health in old age.
We assume, then, that the preFlood world had substantially less of those “lifestyle contributors” to enamel wear, the difference may well have been able to make the 2-3-fold difference in enamel attrition rate required to bring the range of “enamel lasting” up to the patriarchal lifespans.
Another thing possibly worth mentioning is that many of the fossils of extinct human types such as Neandertals (definite descendants of Adam) show what are known as taurodont molars. This stands for ‘bull-shaped’ teeth, and these teeth are larger, with larger than normal pulp cavities. Contrary to what one sometimes reads, they are not unique to fossil humans, but are a genetic variant found in a percentage of people today. (Sometimes, but not always, in association with genetic disorders. They appear to be a genetic variant that was more common in our ancestors.) It has long been believed that such teeth enabled the dentition to better withstand a more abrasive “caveman” diet. Why this should be is not clear, because the dentin and enamel are about the same thickness in taurodont teeth as their counterparts. But it has been speculated that the so-called tertiary form (“repair”) dentin is more readily produced in these teeth. This is manufactured in response to external factors such as tooth decay.
The notion of healthy teeth at hundreds of years of age is not at all farfetched.
This is obviously a fairly complex subject, and as a non-dentist I am already way out of my depth, and invite participation from other readers. However, all this raises the possibility of whether the genetic loss factors (discussed in the Living for 900 years article) might also be linked to a loss (of frequency, at least) of the genes for taurodont teeth that might have been able to withstand the enamel-erosive forces for much longer. Perhaps research on today’s taurodonts might shed light on this, though I don’t think it’s at the top of the list for creationist research projects. [Author’s note inserted subsequent to the correspondence: a creationist orthodontist has just stated in an email1 that in his practice he sees a few children with “Neanderthal-like taurodont molars” and that these, interestingly, “have a history of longevity in their families”. So genetic traits towards living longer may indeed be associated with teeth that last longer.—CW.]
I know this has involved a lot of speculative elements, of necessity, but at least it has put it on the table. I think that even the glimmers of things discussed might already be such as to make the notion of healthy teeth at hundreds of years of age not nearly as farfetched as might have seemed at first glance.
Thanks once again for a very interesting question.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Carl W.
Creation Ministries International Ltd (Australia)
Genetic entropy and human lifespans
Living for 900 years
Tooth enamel: sophisticated materials science
Dr Jack Cuozzo, in personal correspondence to Dr Don Batten unrelated to this issue. Return to text.
The Mystery of Our Declining Genes
The Puzzle of Ancient Man
by Donald Chittick
Questions—I have always wanted to ask
by Werner Gitt
Mitochondrial Eve and the 3 "Daughters of Noah"
I have read several articles on this topic and all to date discuss tooth wear. Another possibility that appears to not have been considered is that maybe we had more than two sets of teeth then. Currently we have two sets of teeth, the first been replaced with the second set generally prior to about 10 years of age. Then thats it. Who’s to say however that back in time we didn’t have a third or even fourth set throughout those extended lifetimes?
Thank you for your most interesting comment. Of course, that would mean that this was part of the gene pool of Adam’s time, hence originally in our gene pool. So it would suggest that these would be switched off or corrupted/lost nowadays.
There are rare reports of people getting a third set of teeth—just type ‘third set of teeth’ into e.g. Google.
While this does not necessarily mean that latent information has been switched on (certain mutations, in control genes, homeobox genes, etc can give ‘extras’ of some things, or things growing in the wrong place, for instance), it remains an intriguing possibility.
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St Brigid – Ireland’s first Spice Girl!
St Bridget’s High Cross dates to somewhere between the 9th and the 12th centuries. It stands 9 feet tall in the grounds of St Bridget’s Cathedral in the centre of Kildare Town. The cross is difficult to date because many of it’s granite features have worn away and the ring head is damaged. The grounds contain a number of fascinating links to it’s early history including a 110 foot round tower and St. Brigid’s Fire Temple. This was an ancient oratory where, according to local lore, St. Brigid’s Fire was kept alight. It is believed that the beautiful 13th century Norman Cathedral was built on the original site that St Brigid founded her nunnery in the 5th century.
Moore Abbey, Monasterevin. County Kildare 1767
Strokestown Park House, Strokestown. County Roscommon 1730
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Word Ways
Home > WORDWAYS > Vol. 47 > Iss. 2 (2014)
"Upstairs, Downstairs", Masterpiece Theater's classic television series, provides the impetus for the puzzle that appears below, in which two columns of definitions have been listed. Each answer sought in Column A has a correspondent in Column B that can be generated by placing either UP or Down before it.
Kahan, Steve (2014) "Ups and Downs," Word Ways: Vol. 47 : Iss. 2 , Article 18.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/wordways/vol47/iss2/18
All Issues Vol. 52, Iss. 2 Vol. 52, Iss. 1 Vol. 51, Iss. 4 Vol. 51, Iss. 3 Vol. 51, Iss. 2 Vol. 51, Iss. 1 Vol. 50, Iss. 4 Vol. 50, Iss. 3 Vol. 50, Iss. 2 Vol. 50, Iss. 1 Vol. 49, Iss. 4 Vol. 49, Iss. 3 Vol. 49, Iss. 2 Vol. 49, Iss. 1 Vol. 48, Iss. 4 Vol. 48, Iss. 3 Vol. 48, Iss. 2 Vol. 48, Iss. 1 Vol. 47, Iss. 4 Vol. 47, Iss. 3 Vol. 47, Iss. 2 Vol. 47, Iss. 1 Vol. 46, Iss. 4 Vol. 46, Iss. 3 Vol. 46, Iss. 2 Vol. 46, Iss. 1 Vol. 45, Iss. 4 Vol. 45, Iss. 3 Vol. 45, Iss. 2 Vol. 45, Iss. 1 Vol. 44, Iss. 4 Vol. 44, Iss. 3 Vol. 44, Iss. 2 Vol. 44, Iss. 1 Vol. 43, Iss. 4 Vol. 43, Iss. 3 Vol. 43, Iss. 2 Vol. 43, Iss. 1 Vol. 42, Iss. 4 Vol. 42, Iss. 3 Vol. 42, Iss. 2 Vol. 42, Iss. 1 Vol. 41, Iss. 4 Vol. 41, Iss. 3 Vol. 41, Iss. 2 Vol. 41, Iss. 1 Vol. 40, Iss. 4 Vol. 40, Iss. 3 Vol. 40, Iss. 2 Vol. 40, Iss. 1 Vol. 39, Iss. 4 Vol. 39, Iss. 3 Vol. 39, Iss. 2 Vol. 39, Iss. 1 Vol. 38, Iss. 4 Vol. 38, Iss. 3 Vol. 38, Iss. 2 Vol. 38, Iss. 1 Vol. 37, Iss. 4 Vol. 37, Iss. 3 Vol. 37, Iss. 2 Vol. 37, Iss. 1 Vol. 36, Iss. 4 Vol. 36, Iss. 3 Vol. 36, Iss. 2 Vol. 36, Iss. 1 Vol. 35, Iss. 4 Vol. 35, Iss. 3 Vol. 35, Iss. 2 Vol. 35, Iss. 1 Vol. 34, Iss. 4 Vol. 34, Iss. 3 Vol. 34, Iss. 2 Vol. 34, Iss. 1 Vol. 33, Iss. 4 Vol. 33, Iss. 3 Vol. 33, Iss. 2 Vol. 33, Iss. 1 Vol. 32, Iss. 4 Vol. 32, Iss. 3 Vol. 32, Iss. 2 Vol. 32, Iss. 1 Vol. 31, Iss. 4 Vol. 31, Iss. 3 Vol. 31, Iss. 2 Vol. 31, Iss. 1 Vol. 30, Iss. 4 Vol. 30, Iss. 3 Vol. 30, Iss. 2 Vol. 30, Iss. 1 Vol. 29, Iss. 4 Vol. 29, Iss. 3 Vol. 29, Iss. 2 Vol. 29, Iss. 1 Vol. 28, Iss. 4 Vol. 28, Iss. 3 Vol. 28, Iss. 2 Vol. 28, Iss. 1 Vol. 27, Iss. 4 Vol. 27, Iss. 3 Vol. 27, Iss. 2 Vol. 27, Iss. 1 Vol. 26, Iss. 4 Vol. 26, Iss. 3 Vol. 26, Iss. 2 Vol. 26, Iss. 1 Vol. 25, Iss. 4 Vol. 25, Iss. 3 Vol. 25, Iss. 2 Vol. 25, Iss. 1 Vol. 24, Iss. 4 Vol. 24, Iss. 3 Vol. 24, Iss. 2 Vol. 24, Iss. 1 Vol. 23, Iss. 4 Vol. 23, Iss. 3 Vol. 23, Iss. 2 Vol. 23, Iss. 1 Vol. 22, Iss. 4 Vol. 22, Iss. 3 Vol. 22, Iss. 2 Vol. 22, Iss. 1 Vol. 21, Iss. 4 Vol. 21, Iss. 3 Vol. 21, Iss. 2 Vol. 21, Iss. 1 Vol. 20, Iss. 4 Vol. 20, Iss. 3 Vol. 20, Iss. 2 Vol. 20, Iss. 1 Vol. 19, Iss. 4 Vol. 19, Iss. 3 Vol. 19, Iss. 2 Vol. 19, Iss. 1 Vol. 18, Iss. 4 Vol. 18, Iss. 3 Vol. 18, Iss. 2 Vol. 18, Iss. 1 Vol. 17, Iss. 4 Vol. 17, Iss. 3 Vol. 17, Iss. 2 Vol. 17, Iss. 1 Vol. 16, Iss. 4 Vol. 16, Iss. 3 Vol. 16, Iss. 2 Vol. 16, Iss. 1 Vol. 15, Iss. 4 Vol. 15, Iss. 3 Vol. 15, Iss. 2 Vol. 15, Iss. 1 Vol. 14, Iss. 4 Vol. 14, Iss. 3 Vol. 14, Iss. 2 Vol. 14, Iss. 1 Vol. 13, Iss. 4 Vol. 13, Iss. 3 Vol. 13, Iss. 2 Vol. 13, Iss. 1 Vol. 12, Iss. 4 Vol. 12, Iss. 3 Vol. 12, Iss. 2 Vol. 12, Iss. 1 Vol. 11, Iss. 4 Vol. 11, Iss. 3 Vol. 11, Iss. 2 Vol. 11, Iss. 1 Vol. 10, Iss. 4 Vol. 10, Iss. 3 Vol. 10, Iss. 2 Vol. 10, Iss. 1 Vol. 9, Iss. 4 Vol. 9, Iss. 3 Vol. 9, Iss. 2 Vol. 9, Iss. 1 Vol. 8, Iss. 4 Vol. 8, Iss. 3 Vol. 8, Iss. 2 Vol. 8, Iss. 1 Vol. 7, Iss. 4 Vol. 7, Iss. 3 Vol. 7, Iss. 2 Vol. 7, Iss. 1 Vol. 6, Iss. 4 Vol. 6, Iss. 3 Vol. 6, Iss. 2 Vol. 6, Iss. 1 Vol. 5, Iss. 4 Vol. 5, Iss. 3 Vol. 5, Iss. 2 Vol. 5, Iss. 1 Vol. 4, Iss. 4 Vol. 4, Iss. 3 Vol. 4, Iss. 2 Vol. 4, Iss. 1 Vol. 3, Iss. 4 Vol. 3, Iss. 3 Vol. 3, Iss. 2 Vol. 3, Iss. 1 Vol. 2, Iss. 4 Vol. 2, Iss. 3 Vol. 2, Iss. 2 Vol. 2, Iss. 1 Vol. 1, Iss. 4 Vol. 1, Iss. 3 Vol. 1, Iss. 2 Vol. 1, Iss. 1
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Tag Archives: Anger Management
Caught Between Rage and a Working Faith
Posted by decollins1969 in 1, Academia, culture, Eclectic, New York City, Politics, Pop Culture, race, Work, Youth
Activism, Anger, Anger Management, Black Reconstruction (1935), Civil Rights, Eric Garner, Faith, Federal Government, Ferguson Missouri, Ferguson PD, God, Institutional Racism, James 2:26, Michael Brown, Murder, NYPD, Officer Darren Wilson, Police, Police Brutality, Prayer, Rage, Science, Social Justice, Structural Racism, Sunil Dutta, W. E. B. Du Bois, Wages of Whiteness, Works
“Officer Go Fuck Yourself” aiming rifle at protestors and journalists, Ferguson, MO, August 19, 2014. (http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/).
We can add Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland, Walter Scott, Freddie Gray, Kindra Chapman, Samuel DuBose, Joyce Curnell, Ralkina Jones, Raynette Turner and Christian Taylor to the list I started the post below with nearly a year ago. You could add Zachary Hammond to it as well, as structural White supremacy kills Whites dead, too (police state). There’s The Guardian‘s “The Counted” webpages on deaths at the hands of law enforcement. There’s also the Killed By Police website and via Facebook, and Fatal Encounters, among others, that track these death back much further (since The Guardian only began their webpages in June 2015).
The post I wrote last year was about what we could do, what I could or can do in light of living in a racist police state, otherwise known as living with the Gestapo. It’s still an open question, especially with reporters shoving microphones in the faces of the aggrieved asking them to forgive police officers who murder five seconds after learning the news. We’re supposed to be nonviolent, to forgive and turn the other cheek. Long before Malcolm X said during a radio interview in Boston in 1964, “In fact, it’s a crime for any Negro leader to teach our people not to do something to protect ourselves in the face of the violence that is inflicted upon us by the white people here in America,” this has been an issue. Martin Delany, Frederick Douglass, Ida B. Wells (before she became Wells-Barnett) Booker T. Washington, W. E. B. Du Bois, Nannie Burroughs, Marcus Garvey, among many others, raised this issue of what to do about state-sanctioned racism-based violence and murder years ago. We still don’t have any good answers, but we do have options. (A revolution, though, may well be necessary…)
+===================================================+
After the events of the past month — between Eric Garner and the NYPD, Michael Brown and the Ferguson, Missouri PD — I find myself of two minds. My primal mind says, “Fuck the fucking police!” Resist with rocks, with bricks, with bombs and grenades. Go buy a composite bow with composite arrows. Go buy a rifle with a scope, and take out as many of these motherfuckers as I can. Maybe they’ll think twice about putting someone like me in a choke-hold or shooting us with our hands up if they knew we could organize ourselves into vigilante groups, well armed and well adept at escape and stealth, ready to put the likes of Sunil Dutta out of their racist-ass misery!
– What we should be able to do to any corrupt cop or vigilante killing unarmed people of color…
Eric Garner in midst of dying from choke-hold via NYPD’s finest, Daniel Pantaleo and (not pictured) and Justin Damico, Staten Island, NY, July 17, 2014. (http://www.thegrio.com).
The mind I live in and with every day, though, puts the kibosh on such evil yet well deserved plans of action. Because in light of so much police harassment, brutality and state-sanctioned murders, to say that this shouldn’t be a response belies everything all of us know about human nature. Yet my mind says, “No. This isn’t the way to fight. You’re a writer. You’re a teacher. You’re a believer. Use your tools!” So I pray, I always pray, for people to seek and find the light, to forgive and be forgiven, for peace.
But as the New Testament in James says, “Faith without works is dead” (look that one up, evangelical Christians committed to White privilege!). None of us can hope to change our own lives — much less something as intractable as structural and institutional racism — on prayer and faith in God, the federal government and/or science alone. We have to do, too. In my case, writing and teaching is what I do. Posting to my blog about the palpable rage that I know exists within me and many others who have faced brutality because of racism, misogyny, poverty, homophobia, Whiteness and fear. Teaching about “the physical and psychological wages of Whiteness” (thanks, W.E.B. Du Bois via Black Reconstruction [1935]). Being part of the social media crowd demanding humanity and justice for Michael Brown. This is who I am and what I do.
Me the Evil Blogger at home, Silver Spring, MD, August 1, 2010. (Donald Earl Collins).
Is it enough to assuage my rage, my guilt for not being able to do more? Yes, most of the time. But I have to remind the perfectionist that remains within me, I can’t do much, but I can do something. And, that this isn’t about me, even with as much as I’ve experienced in racial profiling and abuse of power, at home and with police. It’s about all of us. So, if I do buy a composite bow with arrows, I will train to use it well. Just not on other humans, no matter how reprehensible.
Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Fantasy,” My Reality
Posted by decollins1969 in 1, Boy @ The Window, culture, earth, wind & fire, Eclectic, eclectic music, Mount Vernon New York, music, New York City, Politics, Pop Culture, race, Youth
"Fantasy" (1978), Anger, Anger Management, Bigotry, Fear, Forgiveness, George Zimmerman, Lyrics, Police Brutality, Racism, Reality, Trayvon Martin, Zimmerman Trial
Cover of Earth, Wind & Fire’s single “Fantasy” (1978), February 29, 2008. (Columbia Records). Qualifies as fair use due to low resolution and subject matter of this blog post.
Below are two excerpts from Boy @ The Window about how I viewed Mount Vernon, New York and my world between the ages of ten and twelve:
“My only links to the great metropolis to the south were WNBC-TV (Channel 4), Warner Wolf – with his famous “Let’s go to the video tape!” line – doing sports on WCBS-TV (Channel 2), and WABC-AM 77 and WBLS-FM 107.5 on the radio. I found the AM station more fun to listen to, but I also liked listening to the sign-off song WBLS played at the end of the evening, Moody’s Mood for Love, with that, ‘There I go, There I go, The-ere I go…’ start. Music had been an important part of my imagination in ’79, with acts like Earth, Wind & Fire, Christopher Cross, Billy Joel and The Commodores. Not to mention Frank Sinatra, Queen, Donna Summer and Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall album. The music also made me feel like I was as much a part of New York as I was a part of Mount Vernon. It left me thinking of the ozone and burnt rubber smell that I noticed as soon as I would walk down into the Subway system in Manhattan…
“Besides the occasional reminder of life outside of my world, of Mount Vernon, I was the center of my own universe. Mount Vernon was but a stage on which my life played out, a place I hoped would stay this way forever. I was an eleven-year-old who thought that my world was the world. I lived my life like Philip Bailey and Maurice White would’ve wanted me to. I came to see ‘victory in a life called fantasy’ as my own life, living as if my imagination and dreams could be made into reality. All I had to do was wish it so.”
(And yes, I know the actual lyrics are about a land called fantasy, but that’s not how I sang it back then).
There have been so many moments since then where my Earth, Wind & Fire visions have collided with the reality that life for me and people who look like me has hardly been a fantasy. I had to get over my idiot ex-stepfather’s abuse in order to even listen to Earth, Wind & Fire again, because he was a fan as well, and I didn’t want us to both like the same music. But even more than that has been the reality that there are people, places and things who’ve (and that have) come through my life and stood in between me and all the things I wanted out of life. Individuals like Joe Trotter or Ken, policies like racial profiling and redlining, institutions like Columbia University or the former Academy for Educational Development.
The Enchanted Garden of Messer Ansaldo (1889), by Marie Spartali Stillman, March 7, 2006. (Charivari via Wikipedia). In public domain.
While some of these instances have been disappointing in the sense of betrayal that I felt, the disillusionment that came with these incidents of discrimination and harassment pushed me ever closer to the person and writer I wanted to be. I don’t know what to make of how I’ve been feeling about the Zimmerman trial and verdict, the response of so-called White liberals and more obviously racist and gleeful White teabaggers over the past five days. I’ve felt badly for Trayvon Martin’s family, Rachel Jeantel and for so many others who’ve been figuratively beaten down by media coverage and stereotypes over the past months.
But I didn’t think I was angry. Not until I went for a run this morning. It’s was a comparatively pedestrian 3.1-mile run after I’d done a five-miler a day and a half before. Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Fantasy” started playing on my iPod as I was running uphill. All it made me think about was all the challenges that I and so many others have had to face because of individual bigotry and fear and institutional racism and indifference. I know that many things in life aren’t fair. What I realized at that moment, though, was that there really are folks in this world who wish evil and unfairness on people like me. That’s their fantasy!
That made me angry again, but not for too long. For I also knew that I had the power to ask for forgiveness, as well as the power to forgive others. It’s a power that no one can take away from me, that enables me to be honest about where I am, and clear-headed about where I want to go. That power, among others, does truly help bring my “mind to everlasting liberty.” Even in the face of the evil, indifference and ignorance that I see every day.
Anger Issues and Management, Inc
Posted by decollins1969 in 1, Boy @ The Window, Christianity, Mount Vernon High School, Religion, Youth
7S, A.B. Davis Middle School, Anger, Anger Management, Christianity, Envy, Fights, Jealousy, Mount Vernon High School, Mount Vernon New York, MVHS, Patience, Pittsburgh, Race, Ridicule, Righteous Indignation, Scorn, University of Pittsburgh, Wisdom
Rage of the Incredible Hulk. Source:http://www.ramasscreen.com
Exposure to abuse, ridicule and scorn in fairly large dosages when you’re young will leave you with anger issues to manage. I should know. Don’t believe the impressions that my classmates from Humanities and MVHS and my friends from my first two years at Pitt have of me. I may have appeared to smile, to be happy-go-lucky, to be sober and monk-like. But mostly, I was angry, not in a raging, vengeful way, but in a depressed way, a constant, gnawing, sometimes envious, sometimes ironic and sarcastic way. My anger was the kind of anger that I chewed on and swallowed, simmered at low heat for a while in the pit of my belly, then I’d regurgitate it into my mouth, and then chewed on it and swallowed it again.
But, despite what some folks in certain religious circles may say, not all anger is bad, evil or sinful. In fact, sometimes anger is necessary, even if and when it’s dangerous as an emotion or a state of mind. Why, you may ask? Because without anger, you take what life gives to you, even when most of what good you get out of life comes in a miserly and begrudging way. Everything else that comes, if indeed bad or evil for you, isn’t taken in stride or taken with difficulty. You simply don’t take it at all. You become so emotionless that whatever happens doesn’t matter at all, as if your purpose for existing is merely to exist, not to succeed, not to do good works or make yourself a better person because of or despite your circumstances.
That, by the way, is what I’ve heard over the years when some of my former classmates from Mount Vernon — and a few people who knew me in my early days at the University of Pittsburgh — describe me. It was as if I was Porgy in Porgy and Bess, Louis Armstrong or Paul Robeson singing, “I’ve got plenty of nothin’, and nothin’s plenty for me.” That would and did piss me off, but I reminded myself that this was how I had to be to deal with the anger I had within. With emotion, I could’ve easily flown into a rage many
In Treatment Screen Shot. Source: http://sepinwall.blogspot.com
a day between ’81 and ’89.
At the same time, I had the wisdom to allow my anger to rise up, to channel it many more times than not into what I needed to have happen at a particular moment in time. It’s amazing how much you can get done with a sense of righteous anger and indignation, a feeling of got-to-get-it-done-or-else anger. It came at the right time, usually when I felt that my back was up against a concrete wall, with no way out except to fight my way out.
Like in February ’82, the middle of seventh grade, when I just got tired of my 7S classmates thinking that they could say and do anything to me without me getting angry, and tired of days on end at 616 without food to eat. After a fight in the boy’s locker room with one of my classmates — which I won, by the way — I channeled the energy unleashed by that rage and fight into two things. Improving my mediocre grades, and my infatuation over Crush #1. It was three months of relative bliss in the middle of the worst eighteen months of my life.
Richard Marx, 1987.
Or in January ’88, after recovering from the crash-and-burn of my first semester at Pitt. I was mad and disappointed with myself over allowing my obsession with Crush #2 hijack the final six weeks of my semester, not to mention my generally hopeful and creative imagination. After an incident with a couple of my more evil and drunken dorm mates — one in which I cracked a broom handle on the crowns of their heads (no injuries or investigation, luckily) — I summoned some discipline and theme music to get through that second semester. From Richard Marx’s “Should’ve Known Better” to Paul Carrick’s “Don’t Shed A Tear,” I spent fifteen weeks turning anger into A’s and jadedness into new friendships.
I’ve had other periods in my life — in ’93, ’98, and ’03 — where the circumstances dictated that anger, with some patience and understanding, was absolutely necessary in my overcoming of them. The lesson here is that anger — like fire, electricity and nuclear fusion — can be and is often dangerous. Yet it’s also necessary, a potential evil that can be an actual good, if channeled, allowed to dissipate, if tempered by wisdom and patience. At the least, anger allows those of us under stress to know that we are very much alive.
@smarttechgirl Maybe it's time to take a vacation, too? 2 hours ago
@moorehn Yes, they do! 2 hours ago
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FIRST LOOK: TV One’s “The Manns” Premieres Tuesday, April 4th At 8PM EST
Tami LaTrell
Source: provided / TV One
(SILVER SPRING, MD) – March 31, 2017 – TV One presents the premiere episode of “The Manns,” a reality docu-series on the hilarious relationship between David and Tamela Mann and their family, on Tuesday, April 4 at 8 p.m. ET.
In the premiere episode, when Tamela’s beloved dog dies, the family attempts to make her feel better by hosting a memorial service and attempting to find her a replacement puppy. Tamela is presented with dogs of every size and personality, but will anyone find a dog that’s just right?
RELATED: David & Tamela Mann On Why Episode #1 Of Their Show Was Almost The Last [EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW]
David puts his family through a series of hilarious and grueling tests in order to conquer their fears. To their dismay, the group is forced to endure everything from a bug-eating challenge to fire walking! However, the family has a surprise test of their own that gives David a taste of his own medicine.
Later, David Jr. gets caught in the middle of a family feud between his wife, Chantal, and his sister, Tia, when they both participate in a “Mann Tank” competition in order to convince David and Tamela to invest in their business ideas. The winner gets $10,000 to invest in their company and the loser gets…”to go home a loser,” says David.
Watch the trailer below:
RELATED: Tamela Mann “Change Me” [NEW MUSIC]
The Manns is produced by TV One in partnership with Entertainment One (eOne) and Bobbcat Films. It is executive produced by David and Tamela Mann, eOne’s Tara Long and Mark Herwick, Roger M. Bobb and Phil Thornton. For TV One, Lamar Chase is executive-in-charge of production, Robyn Greene Arrington is vice president of original programming and production, and D’Angela Proctor is head of original programming and production.
For more information on TV One’s The Manns, visit the network’s YouTube Channel and website at www.tvone.tv. Viewers can also join the conversation by connecting via social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (@tvonetv) using the hash tag #THEMANNS.
ABOUT TV ONE:
Launched in January 2004, TV One serves more than 60 million households, offering a broad range of real-life and entertainment-focused original programming, classic series, movies and music designed to entertain and inform a diverse audience of adult black viewers. The network represents the best in black culture and entertainment with fan favorite shows Unsung, Rickey Smiley For Real, Fatal Attraction, Hollywood Divas and The NAACP Image Awards. In addition, TV One is the cable home of blockbuster drama Empire, and NewsOne Now, the only live daily news program dedicated to black viewers. In December 2008, the company launched TV One High Def, which now serves 14 million households. TV One is solely owned by Radio One [NASDAQ: ROIA and ROIAK, www.radio-one.com], the largest African-American owned multi-media company primarily targeting Black and urban audiences.
FIRST LOOK: TV One’s “The Manns” Premieres Tuesday, April 4th At 8PM EST was originally published on mypraiseatl.com
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Google’s Sundar Pichai: “We are worried about political meddling”
The CEO of the global tech company speaks to EL PAÍS about the impact of digital disruption
Rosa Jiménez Cano
Mountain View 8 DIC 2017 - 11:05 CET
Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, during the interview. TIANA HUNTER (GOOGLE)
Sundar Pichai took over as the CEO of Google two years ago. His first big responsibility was Chrome, a browser that is now the market leader. Then he moved on to Google Drive, Google Maps and Android.
This father of two who arrived in the US as an immigrant from India is now looking at how artificial intelligence and machine learning could improve people’s lives with products such as Google Home.
From Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, Pichai – a vegetarian who dresses informally and whose unassuming manner differs vastly from that of the average exec – spoke to EL PAÍS about some of his key concerns, from the need to improve digital literacy to the risks of fake news and the challenges of creating a more diverse tech sector.
AI is both the biggest opportunity that we have as humanity and one of the biggest challenges we will face
Question. You recently announced a one billion dollar fund to help people scared of losing their jobs build new skills. How is that going to help?
Answer. We are focused on digital skilling. In the past, you educated yourself once and that lasted you a lifetime. I think what is changing for the world is that many, many people have to retrain themselves and adapt. We are trying to influence this change with grants to not-for-profits that are working in government and other programs. Digital skilling is one part of it. How do you come up with courses for people to come in for nine months to a year? It’s not just $1 billion that we commit; we are trying to pull other people on this journey. I think machine learning and AI will play an important role here, making learning more personalized.
Q. Is society ready for artificial intelligence?
A. AI is both the biggest opportunity that we have as humanity and one of the biggest challenges we will face. Every time the industry has revolutionized things, we work to understand the benefits and challenges. AI has the potential to drive significant breakthroughs across many areas. I genuinely think it will have positive impacts on health care, climate, education. Obviously it will be disruptive as well which is why I think we all need to work together to intervene and help prepare people for this future. We shouldn’t assume that AI won’t happen. It has nothing to do with Google or any other company. Technology moves forward. What we need to do as a society is get ready for it, harness the benefits and minimize the downsides and approach it ethically and responsibly. I think there will be many new jobs created that didn’t exist before. AI will help people live happier, more productive lives.
Q. Many people relate AI to repression and loss of privacy. How do you respond to these concerns?
A. I think these are important conversations. I share these concerns. But I think it is important to think about global approaches to these problems. The Paris climate agreement for instance was an important example of how we can come together, but only frameworks like that can work. You can’t do things unilaterally. People expressing concerns are expressing valid concerns. But it is super important to understand that it is still very early. I can’t stress that enough.
Women represent 50% of the world’s population. You can’t develop products for the world without their perspective
Q. If you were not the CEO of Google but the chief advisor to the German chancellor, what advice would you give?
A. I had the opportunity to participate in a summit there on education. I felt Germany had a good approach because the states were working on introducing digital literacy early on in the education system. Adapting the curriculum is the single biggest thing I would do. I see the German industry beginning to adopt AI I think that is what will keep it advancing.
Q. China has ambitious plans for AI.
A. I think it is great the China is investing in AI. When companies develop up they develop inter-dependencies. To me this is all a positive development. We provide Android today in China. We partner with Chinese companies as they expand outside of China.
Q. How do you build trust?
A. With scale comes scrutiny. There is a lot of choice for users. The way users use our products is by giving them satisfaction and gaining their trust. That’s the yardstick by which we build our business.
Q. What is Google going to do to address Russian propaganda and ads?
A. As Google we work hard to provide high-quality information. Everything that happens on Google is for the world to see. If we get something wrong it is on the front page of newspapers. We take this extremely seriously so when it comes to political interference, we build a lot of safeguards. Anything that we got wrong was a mistake so I want to acknowledge that. But a lot of the things we did actually worked. But every time we realize there is a problem, we work hard to improve our products.
Q. Your platforms can be used to share terrorist messages. Does Google have the responsibility to address this?
A. Absolutely. As a society, concerns change, and we have to respond to that. How much encryption do users want, how much privacy, these are things that are constantly changing. We don’t provide products just to users. We play a role in society and we try to find a balance.
We shouldn’t assume that AI won’t happen. Technology moves forward. We need to get ready for it
Q. What are you doing to create a more diverse company?
A. Google was one of the first companies to publish numbers around our diversity and that was a way to get the conversation started.There have been many areas where we have been able to improve inclusion. But progress has been very slow. But we are investing in long-term efforts. Women represent 50 percent of the world's population. You can’t develop products for the world without their perspective.
Q. How has Google changed since you joined?
A. The thing which is impressive is also what hasn’t changed. Our core mission of organizing users’ information has remained. Gmail in 2004 is no different from Google Photos 10 years later. We have never changed our approach to apply computer science to solve problems for billions of people. What has evolved is that we can work on more problems. We are always coming up with new platforms. For me, building Chrome or Android is no different to building Google Cloud. We are constantly building platforms where other people can do work and build new things.
Q. What role does science fiction have in innovation?
A. Growing up I didn’t have access to technology. We waited five years to get a phone. Before the phone, I would have to wait at the hospital to get my mother’s blood results and they would tell me they weren’t ready yet and I had to go back and spend another four hours waiting. We waited four years to get a refrigerator. I have seen the change discreetly and I have seen how it can impact people positively. I think it is sad that people at a young age die of cancer and I think technology will have a role in solving that. Language is a barrier but us being able to use technology to break down those barriers will have a hugely positive effect.
English version by Melissa Kitson.
Could this technology replace the need to learn languages?
A woman’s place is in the home – at least according to AI...
Gate 93: Spain’s portal to Silicon Valley
Accounts reveal Google Spain employees earn average €145k per year
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Occidental College (informally Oxy) is a private liberal arts college in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1887 by clergy and members of the Presbyterian Church, it is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges on the West Coast. Occidental College is often referred to as "Oxy" for short.
Occidens Proximus Orienti (Latin)
The West is nearest the East
Non-sectarian
(historically Presbyterian)
Susan Mallory
Jonathan Veitch
Wendy Sternberg
Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Chris Calkins '67
2,062 (Fall 2016)[2]
2 (Fall 2015)[2]
Urban 120 acres (49 ha)
Orange and Black
NCAA Division III – SCIAC
NAICU[3]
Annapolis Group
Oberlin Group
21 varsity teams
Oswald the Tiger
Oxy.edu
Early historyEdit
Pershing Square campus, ca. 1896
Occidental College was founded on April 20, 1887, by a group of Presbyterian clergy, missionaries, and laymen, including James George Bell, Lyman Stewart, and Thomas Bard. The cornerstone of the school's first building was laid in September 1887 in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles.[4] The college's first term began a year later with 27 male and 13 female students, and tuition of $50 a year.[5]
In 1896, the Boyle Heights building was destroyed by fire. The college temporarily relocated to the old St. Vincent's College campus on Hill Street before a new site was selected in Highland Park in 1898.[4] Eventually, the college erected three main buildings: the Academy Building, the Stimson Library, and the Hall of Arts and Letters (the Hall still stands today, converted to apartments).[6] The Highland Park site was also bisected by the tracks of the Santa Fe Railroad,[6] and was the site of two presidential visits, first by William Howard Taft in 1909 and subsequently by Theodore Roosevelt in 1911.[6]
In 1909, the Pomona College Board of Trustees suggested a merger between Pomona and Occidental, but the proposal came to nothing.[7] The following year, the college severed formal ties with the Presbyterian Church and became a non-sectarian, non-denominational institution.[4][8] The small size of the 15-acre (6.1 ha) campus and the disruption caused by frequent freight trains pushed the college's trustees to find a new location.[6]
1900sEdit
Highland Park campus, 1904
President William Howard Taft at Occidental in October 1911
In 1912, the school began construction of a new campus located in Los Angeles' Eagle Rock neighborhood. The Eagle Rock campus was designed by noted California architect Myron Hunt, also known as the planner of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) campus and as designer of the Huntington Library and Art Gallery and the Rose Bowl. That same year, Occidental President John Willis Baer announced the trustees' decision to convert Occidental College into an all-men's institution. However, students and faculty protested, and the idea was abandoned.[9][10]
In 1913, the Occidental College Board of Trustees announced plans to convert the college exclusively to a men's school. The plans were met with widespread backlash from students and faculty who protested the change. The community outcry garnered national headlines and the board later dropped the proposal.[11]
Two weeks after Booker T. Washington came to visit Occidental, on March 27, 1914, Swan, Fowler, and Johnson Halls were dedicated at its new Eagle Rock campus. Patterson Field, today one of the oldest collegiate sports stadiums in Los Angeles, was opened in 1916.[12] In April 1917, shortly after the United States entered World War I, the college formed a Students Army Training Corps to aid the war effort.[5]
Occidental College in the 1920s
Under Occidental President Remsen Bird, the school opened a series of new Hunt-designed buildings, including Clapp Library (1924), Hillside Theatre and a women's dormitory (Orr Hall) in 1925, Alumni Gymnasium (1926), the Freeman Student Union (1928) and a music and speech building (1929).[13] The Delta of California Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa was established at Occidental in 1926, at a time when the only other chapters in California were at Stanford, UC Berkeley, and Pomona.[5]
English novelist Aldous Huxley, who spoke at Occidental's convocation ceremony in the then-new Thorne Hall in 1938, lampooned President Remsen Bird as Dr. Herbert Mulge of Tarzana College in his 1939 novel, After Many a Summer Dies the Swan. Huxley was never again invited back to campus.[14]
During World War II, many students left Occidental to fight in the war. In July 1943, the U.S. Navy established a Navy V-12[15] officer training program on campus that produced hundreds of graduates before it was disbanded in 1945 at the end of the war. Occidental President Remsen Bird worked behind the scenes to help Oxy students of Japanese descent continue their education despite mandatory evacuation orders; his letters are included in the Japanese American Relocation Collection in Clapp Library.[16]
After having its first Rhodes Scholar, Clarence Spaulding, named in 1908, Oxy seniors John Paden and Aaron Segal were awarded Rhodes Scholarships in 1958; the first and only time Occidental has produced two Rhodes Scholars in a single year.[17] Rhodes scholars Aaron Segal and John Paden were among the 10 Occidental students who participated in Crossroads Africa that year, a forerunner to the Peace Corps that later became a national program.[18]
In 1969, 42 students were suspended for peacefully protesting military recruiting on campus. One year later, faculty voted to suspend classes in the wake of the Kent State shootings and America's invasion of Cambodia. Subsequently, Oxy students wrote 7,000 letters to Washington D.C., protesting U.S. involvement in the war in Southeast Asia.[19] Occidental launched one of the country's first Upward Bound programs in 1966, aimed at increasing the number of low-income, underrepresented high school students who become the first in their family to go to college.
Also in 1969, the school opened its first two co-ed dormitories, and two more followed a year later. In 1988, John Brooks Slaughter became Occidental's first black president. Building on faculty and student advocacy and a series of grants the college had received previously to increase the diversity of the Occidental student body, Slaughter led the process of creating a new mission statement that is still used today.[20] Also, Slaughter led the college's community outreach expansion with the creation of the Center for Volunteerism and Community Service, the predecessor for the current Center for Community Based Learning.[21]
In November 1990, the college, initially established as a Presbyterian institution but is no longer religiously affiliated[22], rededicated the campus' main chapel as the Herrick Memorial Chapel and Interfaith Center. The school also took down the crosses in the chapel in an attempt to "broaden Occidental's appeal among non-Christian students".[23]
In July 2006, Susan Prager became Occidental's first female president. She left her position in 2007 during the fall term.[24] Robert Skotheim the former president of Whitman College and the Huntington Library, then served as interim president. In July 2009, Jonathan Veitch, formerly dean of The New School's Eugene Lang College, became Occidental's 15th president and the first to be a native Angeleno.[25]
The college received some national scrutiny in 2014 when the U.S. Department of Education named Occidental College as one of 55 higher education institutions under investigation "for possible violations of federal law over the handling of sexual violence and harassment".[26] In response to student and faculty outcry the college adopted a new interim sexual misconduct policy, hired a former assistant district attorney as a full-time, independent Title IX coordinator, and added a new 24-hour, 7-days-a-week telephone hotline. The school also created a permanent Sexual Misconduct Advisory Board made up of students, faculty, and staff.[27][28][29] Two years later, the investigation was concluded with the Office of Civil Rights finding that "the preponderance of the evidence does not support a conclusion that the College violated Title IX, except with respect to the issue of promptness in several cases during the 2012-13 school years."[30]
President Barack Obama attended Occidental for two years prior to transferring to Columbia University. In 2015, "birthers" falsely claimed that Obama's Occidental College transcript revealed he received financial aid as a foreign student from Indonesia after the resurgence of a fake news story from 2009.[31]
CampusEdit
Thorne Hall
Architect Myron Hunt created the original campus master plan for Occidental's Eagle Rock campus in 1911. He structured the campus in a Mediterranean style, with covered walkways and tile roofs. The campus landscape was designed and developed by Beatrix Farrand in the late 1930s. All of the 19 buildings designed by Hunt remain in use today, including Johnson Hall, now the home for the McKinnon Center for Global Affairs.[32][33]
Built on a hillside, the Eagle Rock campus covers over 120 acres (49 ha), some of which is undeveloped land that includes a local landmark known as Fiji Hill. There are 12 on-campus residence halls and the main dining facility is The Marketplace, which is located in the Johnson Student Center. Some buildings, such as the Hameetman Science Center (designed by Anshen + Allen, 2003), deviates from the original architecture with its large glass windows and metal balconies (its lobby houses a large Foucault pendulum). In 1979, Occidental installed Water Forms II (see image below), a kinetic fountain designed by professor George Baker. The fountain is a campus landmark and was featured prominently in the 1984 film Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.
The campus is also noted for its outdoor Bird Amphitheater, where between 1960 and 1996, a season of summer plays were performed, including Shakespeare plays and musicals. However, financial problems caused the Theater Department to end its summer programs forever. Very few plays have been performed ever since.
In 1989, The college dedicated the Keck Theater, a post-modern theater with a movable stage and seating arrangements for a variety of different types of shows. It was designed by the architectural firm of Kanmnitzer and Cotton. The James Barrie version of the play of Peter Pan was the first show performed at the opening ceremony in the summer of 1989.
Occidental College was ranked as the sixth "Most Beautiful" campus by Newsweek in 2012.[34] The campus is home to a 1-megawatt ground-mounted solar array, which is the largest hillside array on an American college campus and the largest of its kind in Los Angeles.[35][36] The 4,886-panel installation was completed in Spring 2013 and inaugurated on the school's 126-year anniversary.[35]
AcademicsEdit
Degree programsEdit
There are 34 majors offered on campus (and nine minor-only programs, including Public Health, Linguistics, and Classical Studies) and a 9:1 student–faculty ratio. The average class size is 18 students and most students take four classes per semester.[37]
RankingsEdit
Liberal arts colleges
Since 1908, Occidental has graduated 10 Rhodes Scholars.[42] The 2017 edition of the Fiske Guide to Colleges gave Occidental four-star ratings (out of five) in academics and quality of life. Princeton Review's The Best 381 Colleges 2017 Edition gave Occidental ratings of 91 (out of 100) in academics and quality of life and 95 in financial aid. In Forbes' 2017 ranking of America's Top Colleges, Occidental ranks 99th.[43] In U.S. News & World Report's 2019 rankings of American liberal arts colleges, Occidental is ranked 39th.[44] Kiplinger's Best College Values 2016 rankings places Occidental 58th among liberal arts colleges.[45]
AdmissionsEdit
Fall Admission Statistics
2018[46]
Applicants 7,281 6,775 6,409 5,911 6,071 6,072 6,135
Admits 2,716 2,831 2,936 2,652 2,552 2,574 2,412
Admit Rate 37.3% 41.7% 45.8% 44.8% 42% 42.3% 39.3%
Enrolled 566 566 502 517 546 548 530
U.S. News deemed Occidental's admissions "more selective," with the class of 2020 acceptance rate being 45.8%.[53] Of those admitted submitting such data, 52% were in the top 10% of their high school class. The SAT 25th - 75th percentile scores were 1810-2120.[54] Of those admitted to the class of 2020, 50% identified as persons of color, and 13% of those admitted were international students.[55]
Core programEdit
Divided in three parts, the Core Program was designed by the faculty of Occidental to unify and enhance the liberal arts education offered by the school. The Core Program requires students to achieve the following:
complete two first-year writing seminars; one course in the fall, another in the spring (called CSPs);
complete a set number of courses in 3 of 6 available geographical areas worth at least 12 units: Africa and the Middle East, South, Central and East Asia, Europe, Latin America, the United States, Intercultural
complete a 102-level language course or be exempt through four ways
complete a course concerning the pre-1800s era and one focused on the fine arts
complete three math and science courses; one has to be a lab science
pass a senior-year comprehensive examination within the student's chosen major.[56]
First-year seminars (eight course hours in total) are the centerpiece of the Core Program. Students are given a variety of class choices to fulfill the seminar requirement and to satisfy the first-year writing requirement. While the classes range in topic, each is based on a curriculum of cultural studies. The classes are designed to expose students to the rigor of college academics and to the four principles of the college mission—Excellence, Equity, Community, and Service.
The Core Program's emphasis on global literacy requires students to take a minimum of three courses that touch on at least three of the following geographical areas: Africa and the Middle East; Asia and the Pacific; Europe; Latin America; the United States; and Intercultural. Students are also required to demonstrate proficiency in writing and in a foreign language and take courses in the fine arts and in the sciences, mathematics, or other courses that address formal methods of reasoning.
The final portion of the Core Program requires students to pass a senior comprehensive examination in their chosen field. Comprehensive examinations may include seminars, creative projects, fieldwork, oral exams, theses, or field research projects.
Exchange and cooperative joint degree programsEdit
California Institute of Technology and Columbia UniversityEdit
Students at Occidental can take courses at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in nearby Pasadena free of charge. In addition, a 3-2 engineering program allows qualified students the opportunity to study at Occidental for three years, completing their undergraduate experience with an additional two years either at Caltech or Columbia University. At the end of the five years, the student receives two degrees, a Bachelor of Arts in the Combined Plan from Occidental and a Bachelor of Science in the selected field of engineering from the engineering school.
Art Center College of DesignEdit
Art majors at Occidental College can take courses at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, one of the country's top-ranked art schools. The program is not open to first-year students, but as with the Caltech exchange program, students receive full course credit. No additional tuition payments are required.
Columbia University School of LawEdit
With a competitive GPA and LSAT scores, Columbia Law School admits students upon completion of their junior year at Occidental into its Accelerated Interdisciplinary Program in Legal Education. Admittance to the program enables students to earn a bachelor's degree from Occidental and a law degree from Columbia in six years.
Keck Graduate InstituteEdit
Students who are interested in biotechnology and who become a biochemistry major maintaining a 3.2 GPA in the necessary courses will be guaranteed admission to the Keck master's in bioscience program. The Keck Graduate Institute is part of the Claremont Colleges consortium.
Student lifeEdit
Samuelson is more commonly known as "the cooler" where students and faculty may go enjoy a meal or a quick snack.
At the beginning of every school year, freshmen participate in Convocation, a formal ceremony welcoming new students to the college in which the faculty wear their full academic regalia and students don robes.[57] Founders Day is celebrated annually at the school on April 20, the day in 1887 when Occidental's incorporation papers were officially signed by the California Secretary of State.[58]
For the first three years at Occidental, all students are guaranteed housing on campus and for seniors it is optional. Freshmen do not get to choose where they live; the Office of Residential Education & Housing Services arranges housing by pairing students based on a short form students fill in the summer before they arrive on campus. The Occidental College dorm life consists of 13 co-ed residential housing facilities.
After a student's first year, he or she can choose to live in a number of dorms that house sophomores, juniors, and seniors; one-third of all these halls are reserved for each grade. These dorms include Newcomb Hall, Wylie Hall, Erdman Hall, Haines Hall, Rangeview Hall and Stearns Hall.
There are also themed-living communities which consist of the Multicultural Hall in Pauley (open to all years), all-women housing (Berkus House, named after alumnus Dave Berkus), the E. Norris Hall, the Queer House, and the Food Justice house.[59]
Student activitiesEdit
This is the Occidental College balcony that leads to the Market Place dining hall and the on campus cafe called "The Green Bean"
Occidental College has various student-run clubs, organizations and ventures such as the Green Bean Coffee Lounge, organic garden, and the student-managed bike sharing and repairing program. There are also traditional groups such as glee club, Greek organizations, and student media outlets.
MediaEdit
The campus newspaper is the Occidental Weekly, an independent, student-run publication. It has been published continuously since 1893.[60] As of the 2016–17 school year, the Weekly publishes biweekly in print and weekly online.
KOXY is a student-run campus radio station, in operation in the 1960s and 1970s, and again since 2000.[61] It originally operated on the frequency 104.7 in and around campus from 1968 to 2009, but switched to only being available by webstream in 2009. KOXY sponsors several on-campus events.
In 2010, Occidental College launched a TV station called CatAList, launched by then-students Daniel Watson and Raffy Cortina;[62] Cortina was also the first Occidental student to be awarded with a Student Academy Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for his short Bottled Up.[63] The station produces 20–30 minutes of student-run content weekly on a variety of topics.
Greek lifeEdit
Occidental College's Greek Council consists of eight members: local sororities Alpha Lambda Phi Alpha, Delta Omicron Tau; national sororities Sigma Lambda Gamma and Kappa Alpha Theta; local fraternity Zeta Tau Zeta (co-ed), and national fraternities Kappa Alpha Psi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon.[64] These greek organizations are social organizations as opposed to academic greek organizations. Occidental has a fall and a spring greek recruiting period; first year students are first eligible to participate in greek recruitment during the spring of their first year. Occidental also has two cultural greek organizations: Kappa Alpha Psi and Sigma Lambda Gamma. The college is working to expand their roster of greek organizations by adding Phi Beta Sigma, Delta Sigma Theta, and Zeta Phi Beta.[65]
Local involvementEdit
There are various entities at Occidental College that promote local community involvement opportunities in Eagle Rock, Highland Park and Los Angeles. These include the Urban and Environmental Policy Institute (UEPI), the Office of Community Engagement (OCE), the Center for Community Based Learning (CCBL), the Neighborhood Partnership Program (NPP), and Upward Bound.
AthleticsEdit
Main article: Occidental Tigers
Johnson Student Center and Freeman College Union
Occidental is one of the five schools that founded the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) in 1915 and is currently a member of the SCIAC and NCAA Division III. Occidental features 21 varsity sports teams and a program of club sports and intramural competition. Approximately 25 percent of the student body participates in a varsity sports program.[66]
During the 2006–2007 athletic season, the Tigers cross country, American football and basketball teams were Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champions. In 2014, diver, Jessica Robson set the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference records for both 1m and 3m diving.[67] The school's Blackshirts Rugby union team was also league champion for the first time in five years. In 2011, Jeremy Castro ('99) and Patrick Guthrie ('86) steered the squad to a NSCRO final falling to Longwood University 36-27 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. In addition the college has a dance team that also performs at every home football and basketball game.[66]
Occidental athletics date back to 1894, when the College helped organize the first intercollegiate athletic competition in Southern California.[68] Since then, Oxy has produced more than a dozen Olympians, world-record holders, and national champions, including 1935 national girls' tennis champion Pat Henry Yeomans '38, two-time diving gold medalist Sammy Lee '43, and pole vault silver medalist Bob Gutowski '57.
Occidental has long-standing football rivalries with Pomona College and Whittier College; the Tigers have played both the Sagehens and the Poets over 100 times. In 1982, the Occidental College football team had the rare opportunity for national prominence when, due to the 1982 National Football League strike, their game with San Diego was broadcast on national television. In 2017, Occidental cancelled the remainder of its football season due to lack of healthy players, as few as 30 in some cases. The team forfeited two games and was outscored in the other three 170-19.
In 2011, Occidental College lost a Basketball game to Caltech with a score of 46 to 45 giving the Caltech Beavers their first conference win in 26 years and putting an end to their 310-game losing streak.[69]
Famous Occidental College Tigers include NFL coach Jim E. Mora, former American Football League Most Valuable Player and politician Jack Kemp, former NFL player Vance Mueller, 2011 U.S. Senior Open Champion Olin Browne, CFL player Justin Goltz (Winnipeg Blue Bombers).
Herrick Interfaith Center, built 1964, with Water Forms II in the foreground.
Notable alumni and facultyEdit
Main article: List of Occidental College people
Notable graduates of Occidental College include filmmaker Terry Gilliam, football player and politician Jack Kemp, pioneering African-American physicist and inventor George Edward Alcorn Jr., former New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts head coach Jim E. Mora, co-inventor of the hard disk drive William Goddard, federal judge Jacqueline Nguyen, historian and chancellor of the California State University system Glenn Dumke, former Lieutenant Governor of California Robert Finch, adventurer and writer Homer Lea, poet Robinson Jeffers, librarian and writer Lawrence Clark Powell, civil rights activist Ernesto Galarza, television director Jesus Salvador Trevino, journalist and current dean of Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism Steve Coll, actor and writer George Nader, veteran executive at Walt Disney Imagineering Joe Rohde, and CEO of Warner Music Group Stephen Cooper.
Notable attendees include former US President Barack Obama, former First Lady of Colorado Dottie Lamm, Academy Award–winning actor and filmmaker Ben Affleck, actor Luke Wilson, producer Todd Garner, and actress Emily Osment.
Notable faculty members include the American urban policy analyst Peter Dreier, former US ambassador Derek Shearer, regular CNN and Fox News contributor Caroline Heldman, chemist Frank L. Lambert, and the 2005 PEN American Center Literary Award winner in poetry Martha Ronk.
Film and television at OccidentalEdit
Occidental's campus, architecture, and proximity to Hollywood have made it a desired location for a number of film and television productions.[70]
Film credits include:
The Cup of Fury (1920)
Horse Feathers (1932) with the Marx Brothers
Pigskin Parade (1936) with Judy Garland and Betty Grable
Second Chorus (1941) with Fred Astaire
That Hagen Girl (1947) with Shirley Temple and Ronald Reagan
Goodbye, My Fancy (1951) with Joan Crawford and Robert Young
That's My Boy (1951) with Dean Martin
Pat and Mike (1952) with Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy
Tall Story (1960) with Jane Fonda and Anthony Perkins
Take Her, She's Mine (1963) with James Stewart
The Impossible Years (1968) with David Niven
The One and Only (1978) with Henry Winkler
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) featuring the Gilman Fountain as part of the Palace of Vulcan
Real Genius (1985) with Val Kilmer
Sneakers (1992) with Robert Redford
Clueless (1995) with Alicia Silverstone
Kicking and Screaming (1995) with Josh Hamilton
Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996) with the Wayans Brothers
Boys and Girls (2000) with Freddie Prinze Jr.
Jurassic Park III (2001) with Sam Neill
Orange County (2002) with Colin Hanks and Jack Black
House of the Dead 2: Dead Aim (2005) with Sticky Fingaz
The Holiday (2006) with Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, and Jack Black
Made of Honor (2008) with Patrick Dempsey and Michelle Monaghan
Fired Up (2009) with Nicholas D'Agosto, Eric Christian Olsen, and Sarah Roemer
The Kids Are All Right (2010) with Annette Bening and Julianne Moore
Lou Grant
^ As of June 30, 2018. "U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY 2017 to FY 2018" (PDF). National Association of College and University Business Officers and Commonfund Institute. 2018. Retrieved 2019-07-02.
^ a b c "Common Data Set 2015-2016". Occidental College.
^ "NAICU - Membership". Naicu.edu. Archived from the original on 2015-11-09. Retrieved 2017-07-15.
^ a b c Murphy, William S. (20 April 1987). "Occidental College: A Lively Center of Learning Turns 100". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
^ a b c Rolle, Andrew (1986). "Occidental College: A Centennial History".
^ a b c d Lin, Jan (April 18, 2012). "Occidental College in Highland Park: The Campus and the Community". KCET Los Angeles. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
^ "Pomona Trustees Meet". Los Angeles Times. 26 May 1909.
^ "New Charter for College". Los Angeles Times. 15 April 1910.
^ "Ask Trustees to Reverse". Los Angeles Times. 11 April 1912.
^ "Tells Students Way of Change". Los Angeles Times. 1 May 1912.
^ "Oxy remains co-ed". Occidental College Archives. Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
^ "Honored Name for Athletic Field". Los Angeles Times. 24 February 1916.
^ Winter, Robert (2012). "Myron Hunt at Occidental College". Tailwater Press.
^ Dunaway, David King (1989). Huxley in Hollywood. New York: Harper & Row. ISBN 9780385415910.
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on May 19, 2012. Retrieved September 28, 2011. CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
^ "Occidental College Japanese American Relocation". Occidental College Library Digital Archives. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
^ "Two Rhodes Scholars Named at Occidental". Los Angeles Times. 21 December 1958.
^ "What is Operation Crossroads Africa?". Operation Crossroads Africa. Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
^ Fender, Nicholas (November 9, 2014). "Occidental College and Its Relationship to Eagle Rock and Highland Park, CA". Go Articles. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
^ "Mission". Occidental College. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
^ Wallace, Amy (Spring 1996). "Occidental College's Noble Experiment in Diversity". The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. The JBHE Foundation. 11: 114–117.
^ "Occidental College". Forbes. Retrieved 2019-04-12.
^ Grange, Lori (November 15, 1990). "Occidental Removes Cross From Chapel". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
^ "A Brief History of Occidental College". Archived from the original on August 19, 2007. Retrieved August 2, 2007.
^ Tokita, Mary (February 15, 2011). "An Interview With Occidental College President Jonathan Veitch". Eagle Rock Patch. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
^ "U.S. Department of Education Releases List of Higher Education Institutions with Open Title IX Sexual Violence Investigations". U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
^ "Ruth Jones named new Title IX coordinator". The Occidental Weekly. Archived from the original on 2014-09-04. Retrieved 2014-08-23.
^ "Sexual Assault Resources & Support | Occidental College | The Liberal Arts College in Los Angeles". Oxy.edu. Retrieved 2014-08-23.
^ "Changing the Culture | Occidental College | The Liberal Arts College in Los Angeles". Oxy.edu. Retrieved 2014-08-23.
^ "Occidental College" (PDF). 2.ed.gov. Retrieved 2017-07-15.
^ Abcarian, Robin (30 May 2012). "'Birthers' claim Obama applied to college as a foreigner". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
^ Landon, Olivia; Selassie, Manna (25 March 2014). "Hunting for Occidental's Past: A History of Architecture and Landscaping on Campus". The Occidental Weekly. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
^ McGuire, Diane Kostial; Fern, Lois (1 January 1982). Beatrix Jones Farrand (1872–1959) – Fifty Years of American Landscape Architecture. Dumbarton Oaks.
^ Creamer, Alyssa (August 9, 2012). "Most Beautiful Schools Ranked By Newsweek, College Prowler On Student, Campus Attractiveness". Huffington Post. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
^ a b Singh, Ajay (January 10, 2013). "Occidental College Solar Array Nears Completion". Eagle Rock Patch. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
^ Rees, Brenda (7 January 2013). "Occidental College prepares to plug in to solar power". The Eastsider. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
^ "Admission Facts". Occidental College. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
^ "Best Colleges 2019: National Liberal Arts Colleges Rankings". U.S. News & World Report. November 19, 2018.
^ "2018 Rankings - National Universities - Liberal Arts". Washington Monthly. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
^ "List of National Award Winners". oxy.edu. Archived from the original on April 13, 2011.
^ "America's Best Colleges". Forbes magazine. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
^ "Best Colleges – National Liberal Arts Colleges Rankings". U.S. News & World Report. 2019.
^ "Kiplinger's Best College Values". Kiplinger. December 2014. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
^ "Occidental College Common Data Set 2018-19".
^ "Occidental College Common Data Set 2016/2017" (PDF). oxy.edu.
^ "The Class of 2020: By the Numbers". oxy.edu.
^ "Core Program". Occidental College. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
^ "Convocation | Occidental College | The Liberal Arts College in Los Angeles". Oxy.edu. 2012-08-29. Retrieved 2017-07-15.
^ "Oxy Traditions | Occidental College | The Liberal Arts College in Los Angeles". Oxy.edu. Retrieved 2014-08-23.
^ "Residence Halls". Occidental College.
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^ "About". KOXY website. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
^ Anderson, Dick (Summer 2013). "Taking Home Oscar". Occidental Magazine. Occidental College.
^ "Winners Announced for 2013 Student Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
^ "Student Life". Occidental College. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
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^ "SCIAC Is Proud To Announce Women's Swimming and Diving All-Conference". SCIAC. 2014-03-03. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
^ Rolle, Andrew (1986) Occidental College: A Centennial History, p. 14
^ "The Caltech Beavers men's basketball team finally solves equation". ESPN. February 24, 2011. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
^ "As A Movie Location". Occidental College. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
Silverstein, Stuart (March 16, 2005). "Fired Campus Radio 'Shock Jock' Sues College". Los Angeles Times: 4. Retrieved March 30, 2013
Sanchez, Conor L. (March 3, 2006). "College 101: Working For Your Social Life". Santa Fe New Mexican: D3. Retrieved March 30, 2013
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Category:Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
This is the category for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, a partially recognized state on part of the island of Cyprus, in the Mediterranean Sea.
21 April 2009: Northern Cyprus opposition party wins elections
1 January 2008: Cyprus and Malta adopt the euro
19 November 2006: ELF Cup kicks off in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
7 November 2006: Bülent Ecevit, former prime minister of Turkey and poet, has died at 81
4 May 2006: Prime Ministers of Greece and Turkey meet in Thessalonika
3 May 2006: Inter-Balkan Summit to take place in Thessalonika, Greece
Pages in category "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus"
Bülent Ecevit, former prime minister of Turkey and poet, has died at 81
Cyprus and Malta adopt the euro
ELF Cup kicks off in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
Inter-Balkan Summit to take place in Thessalonika, Greece
Northern Cyprus opposition party wins elections
Prime Ministers of Greece and Turkey meet in Thessalonika
Retrieved from "https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Category:Turkish_Republic_of_Northern_Cyprus&oldid=3071733"
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ILTV Live
Editorials by Joey Gaskin
Jeff Rodgers camp going strong in 32nd year July 18, 2019
Successive Governments Close Proximity to Contracts July 18, 2019
Liberty CEO: “I am sorry” July 18, 2019
PM: Liberty CEO apologized July 18, 2019
Woman discovered dead in trunk of vehicle July 18, 2019
Increased exemptions and tiered contributions under NHI
Local, Politics, The Big Story January 4, 2019January 4, 2019 Royston Jones Jr.
NHIA Chairman Dr. Robin Roberts.
NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Employees who make over $30,000 per year and sign up under the revamped National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme could be required to pay more than the previously capped $42 per month, according to National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Chairman Dr. Robin Roberts.
According to Roberts, that was one of the recommendations stemming from the authority’s discussions with stakeholders since last October.
“There have been some very positive suggestions that we feel should be included in our proposal going forward,” he told Eyewitness News.
“…The whole idea of the stakeholder meetings is to have their input and of course, reflect that.”
The authority has proposed several mechanisms to fund the revamped universal healthcare scheme, which it estimates would cost around $100 million per year for the standard health benefit (SHB) package.
This includes an employer mandate that would see employers and employees share the funding of the scheme; a government contribution from the national budget; valued-added tax (VAT) levied on health insurance premiums; a sin tax of sugary drinks, and distributions from the creation of a risk equalization fund (REF), which would establish a common pool of resources, collected through contributions as a portion of collected premiums from both the public payer and private insurers.
Based on the authority’s policy paper, an individual who makes $10,000 per year, for example, would contribute $17 per month, while their employer would contribute $67 per month.
An employee who makes $25,000 or $30,000 or more would pay $42 per month, while the employer would pay the same.
The annual premium per person is estimated at $1,000 per person per year for the SHB.
“…For the employer you know… when they have 100 people employed and you start to multiply the factors, that can be quite an additional expense,” Roberts said.
“We have to be real about this and more so because we have also prorated that amount depending on the income of the individual.
“If we have someone making minimum wage, he’s not paying $42 [per month]; he is actually paying $8 and the employer [pays] that additional amount up to $84.
“We have to be real that in some areas this could be costly.
“In going through our stakeholders and having their input, some of them have made some excellent suggestions.
“Just to give you an idea of what you are looking at, some of them are saying ‘you now have a ceiling of $25,000; Why don’t you increase [it]? What about those individuals who can definitely pay more, like [those] making $100,000 a year.
“So, why don’t you make those individuals pay a little more’.”
When asked what the new contribution cap would be, Roberts said that would depend on the business relationship between the employer and employee, and the terms of any existing insurance plan those individuals may have.
“If I use myself as an example — I am involved in a couple of companies — in all of the companies I am involved, all the employees, their insurance is paid 100 per cent by the companies,” he said. “I don’t see that changing.”
The NHIA has proposed that the employer mandate take effect in January 2020 beginning with businesses that have more than 100 employees.
Small business with revenue under $100,00 per year would be exempt from the employer mandate.
Yesterday, Roberts said there was also a recommendation to increase that exemption to businesses with revenue of $200,00 or less or $300,000 or less.
He said the authority was also receptive to that.
“Those are two things that definitely seem to be coming out,” Roberts said.
Roberts pointed out that the NHIA’s consultative exercise has been expanded to the end of January.
He said the authority has plans to hold town meetings in Exuma and New Providence in the coming weeks.
Always a headline ahead, Bahamas news, ewnews.com, Eyewitness News, www.ewnews.com
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EYEWITNESS NEWS JANUARY 6 2019
After 46 years as an independent, democratic nation, do you feel The Bahamas has sufficiently progressed?
BEYOND THE HEADLINES JULY 17 2019
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St. Charles Celebrates 250 Years
Walking on railroad tracks, junior Isabel Bira holds out her arms to balance herself. Main Street is a common area for people to get food and shop for knick knacks. It is located by the river and has small shops lining the streets.
Credit to Kaili Martin
By Katt Davis, North Star Reporter
Filed under News, Newspaper, North Star, Paper Day
St. Charles will be hosting its 250th anniversary on May 18 and 19, down on Main Street. The city will be celebrating this anniversary with different events, such as a parade, skits and burying a time capsule to commemorate the event.
“It’s actually pretty crazy, I haven’t really thought about it,” senior Sydney Wise said. “I didn’t realize it was this old.”
Over the past few months, various organizations have been putting up statues of Lewis and Clark’s dog, Seaman, all over the city. These statues are only one example of how St. Charles is celebrating its history, another example would be visitors having the ability to visit the site of the home of the French-Canadian fur-trapper, Louis Blanchette, that first settled in what would become St. Charles.
“People will be able to get a map and be able to find them and take pictures,” Ryan Cooper, the director of the festival, said.
The event is a community effort, with various organizations and businesses all coming together to produce the event. These groups include schools, reenactment groups and merchants.
“This was a big event that we knew people would want to be involved with, so we have little components where famous organizations around St. Charles have been involved,” Cooper said.
This festival is not only a way to bring into light the St. Charles of yesterday, but the St. Charles of today as well.
“It’s important to use this chance to really put St. Charles in the spotlight and really show people around the area and around the country why they should come to St. Charles and see all of the hidden gems and treasures that we have,” Cooper said.
Tags: 250, 250 years, Ryan Cooper, saint charles, St. Charles, St. Charles Anniversary, Sydney Wise
Choir Prepares for Broadway Revue
Band to Host Spring Concert on May 9
Students Attend HOSA Conference
FHN All-Knighter to be Hosted Night of Graduation
Missouri is Gradually Implementing New Identification Cards
Things You Need to Know About Graduation
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« Wyoming, Texas and everywhere else | Main | Practice, not a game »
There's a whole bunch of stories that piqued our interest today regarding the Phillies and intriguing topics. On the Phillies it seems as if Kris Benson is a little dinged up, though that doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary. Actually, it just sounds like Benson needs what we marathoners call an "easy day." After weeks of piling hard days on top of each other, it sounds like Benson's right arm told his brain that it was shutting it down for a few days. "I've been going a month straight now, throwing every single day, and it's held up pretty good," Benson said. "I've gotten pretty far along in this process. I think to expect me to go from the first day of camp to the last day of the season without taking a break here and there because it's going to fatigue out is ... not going to happen." So Benson needs to go easy, which is how the body builds its self up. Most folks believe that the hard workouts are what makes an athlete strong, but that's not even the half of it. Muscle regenerates and grows during recovery and rest - it suffers micro-tears and gets beat to bits during work. That's part of the reason why human growth hormone is so popular - not only does it help create lean muscle mass, but also it allows an athlete to skip some of the recovery process. Sleep, of course, is an important part of the process, too. In fact, celebrity doctor Mehmet C. Oz writes in the April, 2008 edition of Esquire that people need sleep more than they need food. That makes sense when one considers that it is during deep sleep that the body naturally produces HGH. Writes Oz:
If you get less than six hours of sleep a night, you're in trouble. You need sleep more than you need food. When you're always tired, you actually age faster than you should.
In other words, work hard and then rest up because that's what it takes. "If I could take a break now and take advantage of it and use this to build myself up for the 60-pitch area, to bump up to the next area, then I think in the long run it will be a good thing," Benson said. Of course who could blame Benson for pushing it a little harder than he should have over the past few weeks? With the backend of the Phillies' rotation struggling and looking for some help, Benson probably saw a spot or two ripe for the proverbial picking. There are jobs to be had on a potential playoff club at stake and Benson rightfully reasoned that one of those spots could be his. It still could, but it seems as if some extended spring work in Clearwater, followed by a minor-league rehab stint will be needed in the meantime. *** Working-class hero Chris Coste's memoir, The 33-Year Old Rookie hit stores today. With a copy en route from the good folks at Ballantine Books, we will be sure to have a full review here ASAP. *** Allen Iverson returns to Philadelphia for the first time with the Denver Nuggets tomor... Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Oh, sorry about dozing off in the middle of a sentence like that. It's just that in Philadelphia, it's a tired old story that another all-time great is returning to town with another team. There are many issues with this trend, namely, why do all the really good players want to leave town? How much time do we have? Nevertheless, it will be a more exciting story when the all-time greats play their entire careers for a Philadelphia. *** Sports and politics are always a bad mix, just like it was a bad idea for the Carter Adminstration to boycott the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow. But if there were ever an Olympics to be boycotted, this summer's games in Beijing are ripe. Excluding the issues regarding China's horrendous human-rights record, environmental and pollution atrocities as well as the most recent killings in yet another crackdown against basic freedoms in Tibet make one wonder why the International Olympic Committee would ever consider having its games in China in the first place. Plus, athletes aren't even allowed to sign autographs for their fans as evidenced by the Chan Ho Park incident in Beijing last week. Perhaps the best measure of protest against the Chinese is the French Olympic committee's move to boycott the opening ceremonies in August. Even better is the subtle - but powerful - protest by Haile Gebrselassie to skip the Olympic marathon. This is quite meaningful because Gebrselassie shattered the world record in the marathon last October. Plus, Geb is the most decorated distance runner in history with stirring Olympic victories in the 10,000 meters in 1996 and 2000 in what are regarded as the most dramatic runs in the event's history. So when Geb says pollution in Beijing is a concern enough to skip the Olympics, the issues are worth investigating... Like why would the IOC award Beijing with something like the Olympics in the first place? *** The autopsy for top American marathoner Ryan Shay was finally released today - 4 ½ months after his death in the Olympic Trials in New York City. It appears as if Shay's heart was too big - no drugs, no foul play. But everyone who knew Shay never suspected any of that in the first place. *** Tomorrow: Lenny Dykstra and the NCAA Tournament
Posted at 12:00 AM in Allen Iverson, China, Chris Coste, Haile Gebrselassie, HGH, Kris Benson, Mehmet C. Oz, Olympics, Ryan Shay, sleep | Permalink
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Game 15: Wells Fargo Center
Sixers 90, Hawks 76
PHILADELPHIA — Let’s say, for instance, you are a really good painter. In fact, you’re such a great painter that galleries fight to hang your work and critics can’t get enough of it.
And yet even though you are a terrific painter, people still get on you because you are a lousy sculptor. You’re going to say that doesn’t make sense, right?
Yeah, well, welcome to Andre Iguodala’s world.
When it comes to playing defense in basketball, there are very few people on the planet as good as Andre Iguodala. Truth is, Iguodala is such a good defender that he very well may earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic team set to defend its gold medal in London this summer.
“If you would talk to the best scorers in the league that he’s guarded and say who is one of the toughest guys you have to go against, they would say, Andre Iguodala,” Sixers’ coach Doug Collins said.
“From a coaching standpoint, you understand what he brings. I love what Andre does for us.”
Yet for some reason the biggest criticism of Iguodala is that he is an inconsistent offensive player.
How does that make sense?
There is perception and then there is the reality when it comes to Iguodala and his weird relationship with certain segments of the fandom. The problem with that is the perception is usually the part that gets the most fanfare.
Often, Iguodala is criticized because his salary is “excessive,” yet it barely cracks the top 40 of all NBA players. Meanwhile, it seems as if Iguodala’s perceived unpopularity comes from his personality. He’s neither boisterous nor zany. He’s not one to suffer fools as evidenced in the 2006 Dunk Contest where he pulled off the most impressive and nuanced dunk of the show only to lose to Nate Robertson because he’s short and a better story. Rather than grin-and-bear it, Iguodala hasn’t appeared in another competition figuring there are better ways to have one’s time wasted.
Iguodala is all nuance and professionalism. There are all the things we can see like the fact that heading into last year he had missed just six games in six seasons and played in 252 regular-season games in a row. He’s led the league not only in games by playing in all 82 in five of his seven seasons, but also minutes played and average minutes per game. The dude plays the game and he's rare in that he's a ridiculously talented athlete with instatiable hard-nosed/blue-collar chops, too. He's the best of both worlds and he shows up and goes to work.
He earns his pay.
Last year he played the final two months of the season with tendonitis in his knees. Actually, his condition was similar to the injury that forced Phillies second baseman Chase Utley to miss the first two months of last season, yet Iguodala is rarely talked about as a gritty and scrappy player the way Utley is.
Ah, so maybe there’s a personality issue or something.
Iguodala is a bit of a rarity in sports in that he is a truth teller. He’s immune to cliché (well, as much as possible) and actually answers questions. Want an answer? Iguodala has one. And though it could be off the mark like some of his long-range jumpers, he’s always provocative. For instance, last year Iguodala and the team's top draft choice, Evan Turner, clashed a bit. It wasn't anything serious, just two guys from diffrent perspectives trying to figure each ither out. So, when asked about it, Iguodala presented a thoughtful, honest answer.
“Evan and I have had a pretty interesting year together — good and bad,” Iguodala said. “We’ve always tried to lean on each other. Over the past week we really bonded and I was happy to see him be in position to do something good and follow through with it.
“I’ve been saying all year that he’s a confidence guy and when his confidence is high, he plays really well. When his confidence is down, he has a lot of self doubt and he doesn’t believe in himself,” Iguodala explained. “But we all know he can play ball and we’ve had many arguments throughout the year in regard to talents and he’s going to prove a lot of people wrong.
“We had a chance to sit down and we had dinner together and were together for about three hours. We just reflected on the whole year and things that happened and what could have changed and things that made us better people or held us back a little bit. It was a good chat.”
When do athletes ever talk like that? It’s kind of like when asked a simple question about whether he will return to the Sixers next year and instead chooses to discuss the legacy he hopes to build.
“I always think about that, keep climbing the charts with some of the greatest basketball players ever — Dr. J, Maurice Cheeks, Bobby Jones, Hal Greer, Wilt Chamberlain. The franchise has been here forever. And just for my name to be brought up for the guy with the most steals in team history is something I've always thought about,” Iguodala said. “I want to continue to climb the charts and take the team to the next level.”
No, Iguodala is not like most of the athletes that have come through town. He seems to be a strange mix of Charles Barkley, Donovan McNabb and Scott Rolen. At different times all three of those guys were the most beloved or loathed athletes in town. Iguodala is just different. He's the guy a lot of folks just can't accept for who he is.
Posted at 02:12 AM in Andre Iguodala, Charles Barkley, Donovan McNabb, Doug Collins, Scott Rolen, Sixers | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Andre Iguodala eats his vegetables... and you should, too
MIAMI — There is an interesting interview with Andre Iguodala in a recent edition of the magazine, Food Republic, a slick-looking periodical about epicurean pursuits. It seems to be for those types who use the term, “foodie,” without irony and look to Anthony Bourdain as some sort of righteous hipster.
In other words, it’s a magazine not found at the corner newsstand.
Anyway, it’s not often that pro athletes from Philadelphia talk to slick-looking magazines about their personal chefs or healthy eating habits. Even though it’s not uncommon for non-baseball athletes to be progressive in the training room and training table, it’s decidedly a non-Philadelphian thing. Certainly the folks who shell out ridiculous amounts of cash for the tickets aren’t used to turning over the daily menu to the in-home chef.
Still, the interesting part of the interview wasn’t that Iguodala employs a personal chef or knew early on in his NBA career that his diet and performance were linked. That’s just smart and if anything, “smart” is a pretty good adjective to use when describing Iguodala. No, the interesting part was when Iguodala revealed he liked vegetables when he was a kid.
Really… a kid who liked vegetables?
Well, I was weird as a child. I would eat broccoli raw. I would eat cauliflower raw. I also used to love salads. So, yeah, I’ve always liked vegetables.
Maybe that’s not as weird as it sounds. After all, some kids actually like vegetables. In fact, I remember asking for and wanting to eat spinach specifically because of what it did for Popeye. However, I was quite upset to learn that spinach was not sold at the supermarket in cans and I couldn’t squeeze the middle of one, pop the top and have the spinach fly into my mouth as I wreaked havoc in the neighborhood.
Nope, things are never how they look on TV.
Thing is, kids rarely admit to liking vegetables even when they are all grown up. That is, as Iguodala explained, weird.
Then again, it doesn’t take a long time spent around the Philadelphia 76ers do understand that Iguodala is different. Actually, check out the picture on the right… if there was ever a photo that perfectly revealed the man, there it is. He’s serious, put together perfectly with a Burberry tie knotted just so, with the blue blazer revealing the proper amount of cuff from his shirt. No wrinkles, nothing rumpled and the creases exactly where they should be. Serious, professional, to the point.
That’s Iguodala.
And maybe that’s why after an excellent season of gritty, nuanced basketball, folks still haven’t warmed up to the Sixers’ best player. Even though he’s played for seven seasons with the Sixers after being drafted with the ninth-overall pick in 2004, he’s still an enigma—inscrutable even. Though he comes from Springfield, Ill. just like scruffy and popular ex-Phillies outfielder, Jayson Werth, he’s more akin to fellow Illinoisan, Donovan McNabb. At least it seems that way in how he’s perceived.
Case in point came during the postgame press conference at American Airlines Arena on Wednesday night after the Sixers had been eliminated by the Heat. When asked, point blank, if he wanted to return to the Sixers for the 2011-12 season, Iguodala gave a rather McNabbian response:
Continue reading "Andre Iguodala eats his vegetables... and you should, too" »
Posted at 09:40 PM in Andre Iguodala, Doug Collins, Evan Turner, Food Republic, Philadelphia 76ers, Scottie Pippen, vegetables | Permalink
Iguodala's pep talk was the turning point
Always the optimist, Doug Collins says he never got down when the Sixers struggled to a 3-13 start the first month of the season. Still, even the half-full view often left the coach with some doubts.
Whatever doubts Collins might have had disappeared for good on Friday night when his club clinched a playoff spot with a 25-point win over the New Jersey Nets at the Center. From 3-13 to 40-36 in a little more than four months takes a lot of believe insomething.
Belief and stubbornness, Collins said.
“I wasn’t sure,” Collins said after the 115-90 victory, “but I hadn’t given up hope. We weren’t going to change what we were doing because we believed in what we were doing. I believe that if you do things that are worth doing that good things will happen. We weren’t going to change.”
Still, there was a moment early on when everything just sort of came together. Part light bulb and part pep talk, the turning point of the season came after a tough loss in Miami the day after Thanksgiving when Andre Iguodala got the team together and gave them a very simple message…
“We’re close,” he told his teammates. “Let’s stick together.”
From that point, the Sixers have gone 37-23 and are the one team in the Eastern Conference that the heavyweights want to avoid in the first round of the playoffs.
Still, did Iguodala realize then that his words would resonate so profoundly?
“With some of the personalities we have it’s all about confidence,” Iguodala said. “Some of the guys play well based off if the ball is going in the hole for them or not. If the ball is not going in the hole the guy’s confidence can get shot. We had just lost to Miami and we played well, so I felt I had to reiterate to the guys that if we continue to play at that level we’ll beat the majority of the teams in the league and we’ll be alright. Since then, we’ve been doing that.”
What Iguodala’s words did was show the younger guys on the team that just because they were 3-13 that the season wasn’t over. Though it seemed as if the Sixers couldn’t wait for the year to end last season when they only won 27 games with a coach in Eddie Jordan that just didn’t mesh well with the ballclub, it would have been easy for a poor start to demoralize the team.
However, with an active roster comprised of six players with three or fewer years of experience and just five guys over the age of 24, Iguodala’s speech and Elton Brand to support was gigantic.
“For the guys to know that I was 100 percent on board and trying and Andre was on board and trying, it showed that we weren’t giving up on the season even though we were 3-13,” Brand said.
Continue reading "Iguodala's pep talk was the turning point" »
Posted at 11:43 AM in Andre Iguodala, Doug Collins, Elton Brand, Philadelphia 76ers, Thaddeus Young | Permalink
Sixers stand with their closer
There was a moment during the 2009 baseball season when the easy move for manager Charlie Manuel would have simply been for him to sit down Brad Lidge as his closer. In fact, it was set up perfectly for Manuel to pull the plug on Lidge after a late-September game in Miami where the closer gave up two runs on three hits and a walk to give one away.
But Manuel would not bail on his guy despite the 11 blown saves and an ERA closing in on 8. Why would he?
“These are our guys. We’ll stick with him,” Manuel said before a game in Milwaukee that year. “Lidge has to do it. Between him and [Ryan] Madson, they’ve got to get it done. ... We’ve just got to get better.”
Of course Manuel said he wasn’t going to depose Lidge as the closer even though he used him just four times over the final 11 games and pushed Madson into the two save chances the team had down the stretch. In other words, Lidge was the closer even though Madson was pitching the ninth inning. That’s what is called “managing” and Manuel had been around long enough to know that if he lost Lidge in late 2009, he might not ever get him back.
Apparently loyalty is a character flaw in the eyes of most sports fans.
Just look at how folks are up in arms about Sixers’ coach Doug Collins putting the ball in Andre Iguodala’s hands at the end of tight game. To steal some baseball jargon, Iguodala is the Sixers’ closer and in a tied game with the clock winding down, it’s up to him to get the team some points any way possible.
“The ball’s going to be in his hands,” Collins said after Sunday’s 114-111 overtime loss to the Sacramento Kings.
Iguodala had the ball with seven seconds left in Sunday’s game and the Sixers trailing by two points. Viewed as the team’s best “playmaker,” this made perfect sense. Iguodala could penetrate, look for an open man, pull up for a jumper or drive to the hoop. It’s nothing new and since Allen Iverson left town, Iguodala has been the closer and succeeded at a better rate than the other A.I.
Actually, according to the advanced metrics that measure such things, Iguodala is 16th in the NBA since 2006 in “clutch” points, which account for performance with five minutes to go in the fourth quarter or overtime when neither team ahead by more than five points. Interestingly, Iguodala rated better than All-Stars Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Vince Carter.
This season Iguodala’s scoring average in clutch time has dipped nearly 20 points with Lou Williams leading the club with 28.4 points in clutch time. However, based on other advanced stats, Iguodala is still the man to have the ball when it’s on the line. A look at turnovers, shooting percentage and the inscrutable plus-minus, Collins is right to give the ball to Iguodala. Failing that, Elton Brand is the next-best option.
Reality and statistics seldom mesh, though[1]. That’s when perception takes over and often that does nothing more than unfairly marginalize a player. In this area, perception might as well be Iguodala’s middle name.
In some circles, Iguodala is a poor player because he has a “superstar salary” and not a superstar game. The reality is that notion is just plain stupid. Iguodala barely cracks the top 40 in the NBA in annual salary and isn’t even the highest paid player on the Sixers. Is he one of the top 40 players in the league? Yeah, probably. Is he the best player on the team?
Do we have to answer that?
Continue reading "Sixers stand with their closer" »
Posted at 06:39 PM in Andre Iguodala, Brad Lidge, Charlie, Doug Collins, Elton Brand, Lou Williams, Philadelphia 76ers | Permalink
Despite numbers, Iguodala may be having best year
To put it mildly, it really has been an interesting season for Sixers’ forward, Andre Iguodala. He has missed games with an injury, struggled with his shot from time to time, and been a consistent source of fuel for the rumor mill.
In fact, most close observers of the 76ers fall on the side of trade/no-trade argument with very little middle ground when it comes to Iguodala, often citing the remaining years and money on his current deal as the grounds for moving and/or keeping him.
Shoot, to hear Iguodala describe it, his season has been nothing but a struggle. This season, he has missed 12 of the Sixers’ 60 games after missing a grand total of six games and playing in 252 consecutive games in his first six seasons in the league. His shooting percentage dipped last season and has remained low, while his foul-shooting percentage is at a career low. Most noticeable, of course, is the scoring average, which has dipped three whole points per game from 17.1 last season (and a high of 19.9 in 2008) to 14.1 this season.
“It’s been up and down, but I really just try to look at it from a team standpoint,” Iguodala explained after Thursday’s practice at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. “We started slow when we were trying to find what our niche was and different roles. Then, we started to win and we continued that trend of playing good basketball.”
But there’s a lot more to Iguodala than that. In the realm of advanced metrics, Iguodala is charting the best Win Shares per 48 minutes, assist percentage, the best defensive rating and best rate of turnovers given in a season for his career.
As head coach Doug Collins explains it, Iguodala just might be having the best season of his career.
“I think Andre with his defense and his leadership has been terrific,” Collins said. “He’s averaging about 15 [points] a game, but he had two of the best defensive plays that I’ve seen all year long the other night against Dallas. Unfortunately, we did not convert, but Andre is a playmaker for us. He’s a rebounder, he’s a defender and I think he’s been terrific.
“I never judge a guy like that based on his statistics. I judge him by the value to his team and how well he plays and if he gives you a chance to win. When we were 3-13 it was his voice that did the most. He said, ‘Guys, hang in there. We’re close.’ That voice helped us battle through that and get us through to where we are today.”
More than anything else, it has been Iguodala’s defense that has sparked the Sixers’ turnaround. Whether it’s conscious or not, Iguodala has taken fewer shots – especially from behind the three-point arc – ceding some to up-and-comers like Jodie Meeks, Jrue Holiday and Lou Williams.
Offensively, Iguodala has put aside his contract and ego in order to get the kids involved more.
“I’ve been trying to be a leader and do what I can to make some of the guys become better,” Iguodala said.
Continue reading "Despite numbers, Iguodala may be having best year" »
Posted at 07:44 PM in Andre Iguodala, Doug Collins, Philadelphia 76ers | Permalink
Primoz Brezec, we hardly knew ye
When one thinks back on the historical significance of some of the mega-deals that have gone down in the name of basketball in this town, it almost leaves a guy breathless. Ponder for a moment the fact that two teams with origins in Philadelphia traded away Wilt Chamberlain when he was in the prime of his career…
Not once, but twice!
Imagine that—arguably the greatest individual talent ever to play basketball was traded from the Warriors to the Sixers for Connie Dierking, Paul Neumann, Lee Shaffer and cash before going from the 76ers to the Lakers for Jerry Chambers, Archie Clark and Darrall Imhoff. The first trade came a season after Wilt led the league in scoring with nearly 35 points per game and 23 rebounds, while the second one came two seasons after the Sixers won their first NBA title (third for a Philly team) and the big man went for 24-24 and led the league in assists.
But just like that, he was gone. Poof!
Trading away Wilt Chamberlain was hardly the most dubious deal in the history of Philadelphia NBA teams. Nope, not even close. Ever hear the story about how Maurice Cheeks was traded in August of 1989 to the Spurs, only Mo didn’t know about it until he arrived back at his house and found a reporter there waiting at his doorstep. Go ahead and ask Michael Barkann about that one sometime because he was the guy who broke the news to Cheeks.
No word if Michael B tracked down Christian Welp and David Wingate, too, to tell them they were packaged with Cheeks to get Johnny Dawkins and Jay Vincent.
Charles Barkley was traded simply because he had outgrown Philadelphia and probably would have been arrested for aggravated assault on Armen Gilliam if he had to stay another day longer. The Barkley deal returned the Sixers Jeff Hornacek, Andrew Lang and Tim Perry, which is the basketball equivalent to trading Curt Schilling for Travis Lee, Omar Daal, Vicente Padilla and Nelson Figueroa.
Sometimes trades have to be made for the sanity of everyone who remains. Barkley and Schilling had to go for just that very reason—we needed to stay sane and so did they. However, on the scale of trades that should have warranted the state to step in and send owner Harold Katz upstate to the nervous hospital for a little vaca, the deal on draft day of 1986 is an all-timer.
Whenever I think about the Deal of ’86, I think of it two different ways. In one I look at it kind of like Robert E. Lee meeting Ulysses Grant in the courthouse at Appomattox in 1865 to sign the papers signaling the end of the Civil War. Then Lee slowly rode off on that white horse of his and wandered around in the wilderness until it was time to check out.
The other thing I think of is the Saturday Night Live sketch from the ‘90s when Kevin Nealon and Victoria Jackson play interviewers who ask dumb politicians deftly worded questions about just how far they can shove their heads into their derriere. Always gets a giggle, though in real life it’s not so funny.
Think about it—in one day the Sixers traded Hall-of-Famer Moses Malone and solid frontcourt man Terry Catledge to Washington and then sent the No. 1 overall pick of the deep (yet cursed) 1986 draft to Cleveland. The pick turned out to be perennial All-Star Brad Daugherty. Maybe the Sixers somehow knew that Daugherty’s Hall-of-Fame career would be cut short at age 28 because of back injuries? Or maybe they didn’t want a guy who got 21-and-11 during the last four years of his career?
Either way, the Sixers turned away Moses Malone, Brad Daugherty and Terry Catledge, plus two first-round draft picks and got back Roy Hinson, Cliff Robinson and Jeff Ruland…
No, there’s no punch line. That really happened!
I still can’t believe the Spectrum wasn’t overrun with an angry mob out of an old movie like It’s a Wonderful Life with folks screaming for Harold Katz as if he were the miserly Old Man Potter. Why weren’t there riots?
So it is above the din of discontent that we recall the inglorious days of yore when our NBA team out-smarted itself and ruined things for a while. In the aftermath of Wilt going to the Lakers, the Sixers set the record for the worst season in the history of the sport with just 9 wins in 1973. And, perhaps, maybe it’s even reasonable to think that the Sixers have never really recovered from Draft Day of ’86. Why not? In addition to losing two Hall-of-Fame quality players, they also gave up two first-round draft picks and picked up Jeff Ruland, who went on to play just 18 games over the course of five years. Current Sixers’ GM Ed Stefanski knows that if he puts his hand over an open flame and keeps it there for a bit, it’s not going to end well.
Smart right?
Maybe. But then again, maybe not. After all, at 20-33 these Sixers are going nowhere fast. They are too good to benefit from the draft and too bad to do anything of note in the playoffs. Moreover, two players—Elton brand and Andre Iguodala—have contracts that aren’t very conducive to a team hoping to rebuild in the current salary-capped NBA. I think I called it NBA DMZ a few days ago. Basketball limbo might be a better term.
With the majority of fans hoping the team would unload a valuable player, but cap-unfriendly guy like Iguodala for any number of teams we heard about on the rumor mill (and confirmed by the GM) in order to acquire the coveted expiring contract so favored in these crazy times, it was funny to hear the reaction to an actual deal. No, funny is not the right word there because it implies that a good time was had by all. Let’s just say it was fascinating to couch the reaction from the fans against the words from Stefanski. See, the GM thinks his team is underachieving and isn’t as bad as the 20-33 record indicates.
However, if the GM makes a deal he doesn’t want to give up Iguodala for Jeff Ruland. Sure-and-steady Eddie wants some talent back in a trade, too. Why wouldn’t he? Good for him.
“For us to take back expiring contracts for talent didn’t make much sense, and it would not have gotten us close to a lot of the team [much further under the cap],” Stefanski explained.
Fair enough. So when the only deal at the trade deadline is one which the Sixers sent Royal Ivey, Primoz Brezec and a second-round pick to the Milwaukee Bucks for guard Jodie Meeks and center Francisco Elson, well, let’s just say it feels a bit underwhelming. In fact, it feels a bit disappointing, too. I mean, think of all those little kids out there talking about, “Roy-al with Cheese!” and sporting those Primoz jerseys with ol’ number whatever he was on the back.
Nobody ever thinks about the kids.
In light of the mega-deal, I solicited opinions from the man on the street (via Twitter) for thoughts on the deadline blockbuster… this is what I got back:
A fellow named Robert from Philadelphia asked, “Who are the Sixers?”
Oh come on, we know… but do we really know them. They never let us get close enough.
A man who calls himself Kevin from Philadelphia seemed most distraught, writing: “Just when I got my Royal Ivey jersey...”
Isn’t that how it always works?
A guy named Dan from Delaware astutely pointed out that Francisco Elson speaks five different language, including his native tongue, Dutch, says this fact will help him in Philly: “He can translate DNP-CD however he likes.”
After that the responses just got weird and I kind of checked out after the one from a guy who describes himself as a “Philly Phanatic,” who asked: “Is the real Ed Stefanski in a cave somewhere and actually Billy King has pulled a 'Face Off' switcheroo?”
When we start comparing the 2009-10 Sixers to a Travolta/Cage vehicle, it's time to stop.
Yes, the trading deadline can send us all off the deep end, but at least this time we didn’t have to go for the torches and pitchforks to storm whatever it is to strom.
Posted at 12:15 AM in Andre Iguodala, Brad Daugherty, Charles Barkley, Curt Schilling, Ed Stefanski, Francisco Elson, Jeff Ruland, Moses Malone, Philadelphia 76ers, Primoz Brezec, Royal Ivey, Wilt Chamberlain | Permalink | Comments (0)
Let’s just get this out of the way up front: I’m obsessed with the NBA Trade Machine on ESPN.com. Obsessed in the sense that I’ve spent most of Friday designing trades with various teams all centered on Andre Iguodala. You won’t get any chatter out of the Sixers regarding trade gossip, but that hardly matters. After all, there are a whole bunch of teams sniffing around and trying to figure out ways to pry Iguodala away from the Sixers.
Needless to say, it isn’t as easy as it sounds. In fact, any time I was able to put together a package and get that green-fonted message indicating that the trade was, indeed, feasible, I let out a big hoot. Actually, it was more of a “woo-hoo!” that would have been followed with a high-five if there was anyone wasting their day with the NBA Trade Machine like me. Regardless, I can only imagine that Sixers’ GM Ed Stefanski is sitting around a laptop with his lieutenants while plugging in names and trying to get the successful match.
That’s the way they do it, right?
Apropos of that, maybe some computer geeks ought to develop an NBA Trade Machine-like program for everyday life decisions. You know, if you can’t decide on what to make for dinner or which shirt to wear you can plug it into the data base, answer all the prompts and get the right answers. It would be perfect for folks who can’t make decisions on anything, though it could make a serious dent on Magic 8-Ball sales.
Still, after a lot of thought and effort into trading Iguodala, here are the trades I came up with:
· Iguodala and Jason Smith to Phoenix for Amar’e Stoudemire
This one met the following criteria—it sent Iguodala to another team and it brought back an expiring contract. Still, it says something about Stoudemire that the Suns appear interested in dealing him away when they have Steve Nash running the offense. After all, I once read an interview with Nash when he said his top priority when he has the ball is to get it in Stoudemire’s hands so he can score. Who wouldn’t do anything possible to stay on that team? An offense that features the most unselfish and most talented point guard with the lone objective of giving Stoudemire the ball no matter what… um, what’s the problem?
I wonder if Iguodala is lobbying behind the scenes to get traded to Phoenix. Why wouldn’t he? Not only would he be guaranteed all the shots he wants in a perfect position to succeed because of Nash, but also went to college at the University of Arizona. Warm winter weather, home cooking, and Steve Nash setting you up.
· Iguodala and Jason Kapono to Boston for Ray Allen
No, this one won’t happen because of that whole Atlantic Division thang, but folks in Boston say they really are interested in Iguodala. They like Iggy so much, it’s said, that they are talking about shipping out Ray Allen for him on Boston talk radio.
And if you think Philly sports radio is wacky, go listen to what they say on the radio in Boston. Let’s just leave it at that.
Want to know who this trade would tick off? Yep, Ray Allen. Jesus Shuttleworth playing out the string with Allen Iverson…
· Iguodala to San Antonio for Keith Bogans, Michael Finley, Roger Mason and Antonio McDyess
No, this one won’t happen either, but it definitely satisfies a lot of needs for both teams. The Spurs might be a piece or two away from beating the Lakers in the West and Iggy fits that mold. The Sixers want to have some cap space in the off-season and there are three expiring contracts in that pile of players. The Sixers would be on the hook for MyDyess for two more years, but only at $4.5 million per season.
· Iguodala to Chicago for Jerome James and Tyrus Thomas
You don’t need a sky writer to spell this one out… can you say, "SALARY DUMP!"
If there is one good thing about the NBA salary cap it is it spawned the NBA Trade Machine. Actually, that might be the only good thing about the NBA salary cap. Not only has the cap killed many chances for teams to improve, but it beat the hell out of a Friday afternoon for me.
Thank you, David Stern.
Posted at 05:51 PM in Amar'e Stoudemire, Andre Iguodala, NBA Trade Machine, Ray Allen, Steve Nash | Permalink | Comments (0)
Getting Iggy with it
If there was one sequence that personified the season for Andre Iguodala—and maybe the Sixers, too, for that matter—it came in the final seconds of regulation in Wednesday night’s game against the Chicago Bulls at the Wachovia Center. Trailing by one point, Iguodala got the ball at the third-point arc above the top of the key where he hesitated as if getting ready to shoot before streaking to the hoop.
More than just a good, basketball move, it also was the smart play because even if Iguodala could not convert the layup, the odds were strong that he would draw a foul.
And that’s exactly what he did.
But that’s also where the Sixers got that sinking feeling again. That’s because after making his first foul shot to tie the game, the second one clunked off the back of the rim to give Chicago a chance to win the game with a final shot.
Eventually, the Sixers didn’t suffer for Iguodala’s missed freebie. In overtime Iguodala was the catalyst in helping the team to their second victory in a row. It was his three-pointer with 1:19 to go in overtime that finally gave the Sixers a lead they would never relinquish, just as it was his steal in the third quarter that started the second half run that culminated with his two foul shots with five seconds left in the fourth quarter.
Better yet, Iguodala was everywhere on Wednesday night, turning in one of his better all-around performances of the season with 25 points, eight assists and eight boards. It was an effort that was especially eye-popping when considering how the last three games went for the Sixers’ forward. During that span he has scored just 31 points on 30 shots, including an especially anemic eight-point effort against the Lakers last Friday night.
Over the last six games heading into Wednesday’s tilt against Chicago, Iguodala failed to score in double digits in four games and struggled to average 13 points on 40 percent shooting during the month of January.
For a guy wearing the label as the team’s franchise player, those numbers aren’t good enough.
Of course there are a lot of other things swirling around Iguodala that have nothing to do with his play, yet very well could influence it. One of those, of course, is the return of Allen Iverson to the Sixers, which may (or may not) have some influence on Iguodala’s game. It’s worth noting that Iverson did not play on Wednesday night.
It goes without saying that the trade rumors could have an effect on Iguodala’s play over the past few weeks. With the Feb. 18 trade deadline quickly approaching, the hottest rumors have the Sixers making deals with Phoenix or Houston for Amare Stoudemire or Tracy McGrady and those coveted expiring contracts that NBA GMs love and covet. Then again, even the East’s top team Cleveland has been mentioned as one of those landing spots.
Iguodala, however, does not have one of those contracts. Instead he has three years plus a player option remaining on his current deal, which doesn’t give GM Ed Stefanski much wiggle room despite the fact that the Sixers rank 23rd out of 30 teams in player payroll. In some potential deals the Stefanski might go in already in a tough spot since Elton Brand still has three years remaining on his $80 million deal.
Nevertheless, Iguodala sounds as if he would welcome a trade anywhere Stefanski can put together a deal.
“I feel like I’m one of the top players in the league and I can give whatever team I’m on a whole different dimension,” Iguodala said after Wednesday’s game. “Thinking in that perspective alone gives me that added confidence. It shows a new team what I can bring to the table.”
Still, Iguodala’s play on Wednesday night was such that some folks watching wondered aloud, “Who’s that guy wearing Iguodala’s uniform?” Then again, maybe the Iguodala on display this season is the real act. After all, in six seasons he’s appeared in just 17 playoffs games and never made an All-Star team. Clearly he’s not a guy who can carry a team, but might be a nice complimentary piece in Phoenix, Houston or Cleveland.
Besides, durability is nothing to sneeze at in the NBA and in his six seasons Iguodala has missed a grand total of just six games—all during the 2006-07 season. No matter who Iguodala ends up playing for, he’s dependable. His coaches and teammates can always expect him to be on the court.
Whether or not it’s the guy who dropped 25 on the Bulls on Wednesday night is a different matter.
Posted at 12:34 AM in Andre Iguodala, Ed Stefanski, Philadelphia 76ers | Permalink | Comments (1)
Rainy days and Mondays
Just sitting here waiting for the Phillies game to be called, though it appears as if they might wait for a long time despite the fact that the radar shows nothing but a huge mass of green covering the Eastern Seaboard.
Frankly folks, I’m against this invasion of our region of our country.
Nevertheless, chances are they will wait before calling the game because the San Diego Padres do not return to Philadelphia after Monday’s game. Finding a date in which to force the Padres back to Philly for one game will take some work.
So that’s why they’ll wait despite that green mass covering the map.
But remember back when they used to show the team’s yearly highlight films during rain delays? Sometimes they were better than the game itself and they definitely made the rain delay much more enjoyable.
These days though, they have shows to serve as filler, or viewers can just get up and go do something else during a delay. Back then we had the game and the highlight tape and that was it. Things might not have been better then, but we didn’t know – we liked anyway.
Speaking of rain delay highlights, how about that shot from Andre Iguodala last night? Crazy huh? At least the response to it on my mobile device was crazy. While walking to 30th Street Station for the ride home, the messages rolled in right on top of each other expressing amazement that Iguodala could make that shot and that the Sixers could rally from 18-points down.
I’m sure Marc Zumoff and Tom McGinness probably sounded a bit excited, though the guy doing the highlight below might have been brought in just for the taping:
Elsewhere, there was a pretty stellar Boston Marathon with two Americans finishing on the podium. Firstly, Ryan Hall closed hard, but finished in third place with a 2:09:41 clocking. For a first time run at Boston, that’s not bad.
Hall, 26, has run 2:06:17 in London, which is the fastest marathon time ever by a man born on U.S. soil. He also owns the American record in the half-marathon (59:43 in Houston) and clobbered the field in the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon in November of 2007.
It’s not unreasonable to think that Hall could actually win one of the Marathon Majors (Boston, New York, Chicago, London, Berlin) in the very near future.
On the women’s side, 45-year old naturalized American Colleen De Reuck paced the pack through the early part of the race with Kara Goucher, who is off to a pretty good start to her marathon career.
After finishing ninth and 10th at the Beijing Olympics in the 10,000-meters and 5,000-meters, Goucher, 30, made the jump to the marathon where she ran an eye-popping 2:25:53 for third place in last November’s New York City Marathon. For an encore, she damn-near won the Boston Marathon.
Goucher ran with winner Deriba Merga of Ethiopia and Salina Kosgei of Kenya past Kenmore Square and actually had the lead with a half-mile to go. But down Boyleston Street, Merga and Kosgei kicked away with the Ethiopian winning by a stride in the closest finish ever.
Goucher was nine seconds back in 2:32:25.
It will be interesting to see if Hall and Goucher go back to Boston in 2010. If so, I’m going after them… OK, maybe not, but we’re going to go after something.
Oh yeah, game called... the Phillies will return to action on Tuesday night - weather permitting.
Posted at 12:00 AM in Andre Iguodala, Kara Goucher, Phillies, rain, Ryan Hall | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
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comms's blog
Reflections on the UN Refugee and Migration Summit - Suzanne Keatinge
comms,
The UN-led summit on refugees and migration held last week in New York brought into sharp focus the harrowing experiences faced by the millions of people forced to leave their homes because of fear, conflict and uncertainty. It also brought into focus the many hurdles faced by the 65 million people who are on the move today, desperate to reach a place of safety, hope and prosperity for their families.
Dóchas was part of the official Irish Delegation at the summit, led by the Tánaiste, Francis Fitzgerald, along with Irish civil society colleagues from World Vision, Oxfam, Concern and UNICEF. Irish representatives from the UN Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) and the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission were also there.
Building Inclusive Societies
At the summit, we learnt of an increasingly polarised Europe, where the narrative of fear and building walls was being peddled as a solution, when the real answer is quite the opposite. Thankfully, US President Obama and UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, showed their true statesmanship by making strong impassioned statements which underlined the importance of building inclusive, equal societies, where communities act out of global solidarity to protect and safeguard dignity.
We also heard of further atrocities in Syria, as 20 aid workers were killed on 19 September while trying to bring relief to the thousands of civilians trapped in Aleppo. And whilst the politicians continued to argue over who did what to whom, it felt as if we were getting ever further from the much needed political solution to ending this war. It was a stark reminder of how far we’ve travelled from the time when strong political leadership at the Security Council meant ending wars and committing to international human rights, in particular the responsibility to protect civilians in times of war. The case for reform of the Security Council is surely as strong as ever.
But for the world leaders, refugees, migrants and civil society representatives that did gather in New York, they heard of practical and manageable pathways to solve these problems. These pathways had been teased out during months of tireless negotiations led by the Irish Ambassador to the UN, David Donoghue, and his Jordanian counterpart, Dina Kawar, and have resulted in a UN General Assembly resolution and framework document, known as “The New York Declaration for refugees and migrants.”
We know that at times the negotiations over the summer were tense. Civil society watched every word spoken and pushed against every line that could be crossed out, all in the hope that the dignity and rights of migrants and refugees would remain central to the outcome. And in that, we were largely successful.
However, civil society has voiced its concern that the final document has not gone far enough to underline the urgency of the situation. We know that the practical implementation of these resolutions will not be decided for another two years, but action is needed today. At least we do now have a process that we can engage with.
No room for complacency
Civil society was not alone in demanding urgent action. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCRC), Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, drew the loudest applause of the day with his speech encouraging states to embrace refugees and those who have fled human rights abuses:
“‘This summit cannot be reduced to speeches and feel-good interviews, a dash of self-congratulation and we move on. The bitter truth is, this summit was called because we have been largely failing”.
The High Commissioner helpfully reminded us that we do not get to pick and choose who has rights by virtue of their geography. Those of us lucky enough to be born into states with functioning social welfare systems and peaceful societies must be shaken from our complacency.
We also need to remind ourselves that it was almost exactly a year ago - on 25 September 2015 - that the same group of leaders gathered in New York to commit to another ambitious transformative agenda, known as the “Sustainable Development Goals” (SDGs). Here was a roadmap to “free the human race from tyranny of poverty”, and to make sure no-one was left behind.
We cannot honestly speak of making real progress towards the SDGs if we are intent on allowing the tragedy in the Mediterranean to continue, or indeed to leave one set of people in the dark.
No quick fixes
We know that the reasons for forced displacement are complex, and they vary from country to country. There are no quick fixes. It will take a combination of short, medium and long-term approaches to alleviate the negative drivers of migration, as well as to provide safe passages for those that do choose to move. Equally, we cannot expect to end migration and nor should we want to. Instead, we need to celebrate it and view it through the positive lens of opportunity and benefit for our societies.
Ireland’s slow progress
We have the means – in terms of expertise and resources – to solve this crisis, but we need strong political leadership to follow through and transform the promises into real and tangible action.
In Ireland, we are already behind and we have to do more. Only 311 refugees have arrived here since the Government pledged to take in 4000 people this time last year. Even that number seems insignificant against the thousands stranded in the islands of Greece or Italy, or worse still, in detention centres in Libya. As the Tánaiste herself said in her speech at the summit, “Right now, the burden of hosting refugees is disproportionally borne by developing countries. A more equitable sharing of responsibilities is urgently needed.” We have to keep her to her word that “Ireland is willing to step up to the plate on this.”
We also have to keep the pressure up to support development efforts that are tackling the root causes and drives of displacement. That will need to include a much greater push towards reaching the target of spending 0.7% of Gross National Income (GNI) on official development assistance (ODA). We are currently far behind with just 0.39% of GNI committed to ODA in 2015.
My lasting impression from the summit is of the self-agency, resilience and dignity of those who are displaced and of our responsibility to harness those attributes. We cannot let them down.
Further resources:
A round-up of key commentary from the summit by Refugees Deeply -https://www.newsdeeply.com/refugees/articles/2016/09/29/comment-united-nations-refugee-summits-roundup
A blog from the CEO of Concern Worldwide Dominic McSorley on his reflections on the summit - http://blog.concern.net/reflections-on-the-un-summit
Reflections on the summit from the Migration Policy Institute -http://www.migrationpolicy.org/news/global-refugee-summits-offer-reasons-both-disappointment-and-hope
Migrant Rights Centre Ireland call for action from the Irish Government following the summit - http://www.mrci.ie/press-centre/19-09-2016-after-un-summit-for-refugees-and-migrants-ireland-needs-immigration-reform/
Thoughts from Oxfam Ireland on the highlights of the summit - https://www.oxfamireland.org/blog/un-migration-summit
World Vision demand action not words at UN summit - http://www.worldvision.ie/news/detail/refugees-and-migrants-summit-2016
UN youth delegates attend summit - http://www.youth.ie/un_youth_delegate
Standards of excellence: Codes and Guidelines
Development Effectiveness
Dochas Awards
Millenium Development Goals
Agriculture Beyond 2015 Climate Change Code of Conduct Communicating Development Development Cooperation Development Effectiveness Disaster Response Dochas Awards Expertise Famine Humanitarian Aid Millenium Development Goals Overseas Aid Resilience Sustainable Development Goals Technology
Dóchas is the association of Irish Non-Governmental Development Organisations. Dóchas provides a forum for consultation and co-operation between its members and helps them speak with a single voice on development issues.
Our vision is of a world where poverty and inequality are unacceptable, and where every person has the right to live free from fear, free from want and able to fulfil their potential.
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Dóchas gratefully acknowledge the support of:
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Dóchas - the Irish Association of Non-Governmental Development Organisations is a private company limited by guarantee and not having a share capital. It is registered in Dublin, Ireland, No: 94384. It has been granted tax exemption by the Revenue Commissioners in Ireland and has a charitable tax exemption number: CHY6410. Charities Regulatory Number: 20011680. Company Directors are those listed as Board Members.
© 2019 Dóchas. All rights reserved.
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Campgrounds Near Atwood Lake Park, Ohio
Lakeside Camping in Northern California
Camping Near Chuck Swan in Union County, Tennessee
by Richard Corrigan
A List of Campgrounds in Alcona, Michigan
Campgrounds Near Riverside, California
Campgrounds Near Mandeville, LA
Camping in Fort Smith, Arkansas
Chuck Swan State Forest spans nearly 25,000 acres between the long, winding arms of Norris Lake in northeast Tennessee. The forest is a major attraction for hunting, hiking and mountain biking, and you can stay at numerous campgrounds along the 800-mile shoreline of Norris Lake. Privately-owned and state-operated campgrounds both offer accommodations for tents and RVs alike.
State Park Campgrounds
Spread across more than 3,500 densely-forested acres on the southeastern shore of Norris Lake, Big Ridge State Park is home to 50 campsites, many of them only a few feet from the lakeshore. Water and 50-amp electrical hookups are provided at each of the shady campsites. All sites are open to tents, trailers and campers, and some can accommodate RVs up to 35 feet long. Other accommodations include rustic cabins, large group camping areas and three backcountry tent sites along the park's hiking trails. About 15 miles away, Norris Dam State Park is home to two campgrounds with about 75 campsites. Many sites at this park include water and electric hookups, while others are primitive non-electric sites. All campsites at both state parks have picnic tables, campfire rings and quick access to modern restrooms and showers.
Private Campgrounds
Originally built by the Tennessee Valley Authority, Loyston Point Campground is now under the operation of Recreation Resource Management, a nationwide company than maintains more than 150 campgrounds and parks. The Loyston Point campground includes more than 60 campsites, including 39 electric sites, with picnic tables, campfire rings and modern restrooms on a shady point near the southern end of the lake. Farther north, Cedar Grove Marina and Campground offers RV sites with water and electricity, along with a handful of primitive tent sites. All campsites at Cedar Grove are right on the water, and overnight and annual rated are available. Other campgrounds around the lake include Lost lake Campground, Hickory Star Resort and Chapel Landing Campground.
The heavily wooded ridges and valleys of Chuck Swan State Forest are home to many miles of drivable roads that are also open to bicycling and several rugged hiking trails. Hunting is also permitted in the forest, so visitors should be cautious and wear blaze orange during the fall season. Norris Lake, which borders three sides of the forest, offers excellent fishing for largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass, along with crappie, walleye and several panfish species. Big Ridge lake and Norris Dam state parks both offer swimming, boating, fishing access, picnic areas and hiking trails.
State Park camping reservations are available by phone and through the Tennessee State Parks website. You may be able to claim an unreserved site upon arrival on a first-come, first-served basis, but availability cannot be guaranteed without a reservation. Loyston Point Campground is first-come, first-served only, and Cedar Grove Marina and Campground offers reservations by phone. A current Tennessee hunting license is required to hunt in Chuck Swan State Forest, and a fishing license is required to fish in Lake Norris. Both are available through the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency website.
Tennessee State Parks: Big Ridge State Park
Tennessee State Parks: Norris Dam State Park
Loyston Point Campground
Cedar Grove Marina & Campground
Tennessee Department of Agriculture: Chuck Swan State Forest
Norris Lake Tennessee
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
Richard Corrigan has been a full-time professional writer since 2010. His areas of expertise include travel, sports and recreation, gardening, landscaping and the outdoors. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from SUNY Geneseo in 2009.
lake image by Alison Bowden from Fotolia.com
Galena, Illinois, Area Campgrounds
Campgrounds in Oakdale, California
Camping at Longwood Park in Clarksville, Virginia
Campgrounds Near Wilmington, Vermont
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Geopolitics, Economics and Culture …. a view from the Philippine Diaspora
https://www.facebook.com/giaspora/
https://twitter.com/giaspora
Is Duterte keeping the Marcos legacy alive?
February 12, 2017 February 26, 2017 by Gias Pora
Ferdinand Marcos was elected in 1965 during the country’s golden age of democracy. The Philippines at this era was an emerging global player. Manila was in a race against Tokyo for Asia’s economic leadership, and Filipinos didn’t need a visa to travel anywhere.
Today, the Philippines is back in the global headlines: coverage of mass-killings and human rights violations amplified by a foul-mouthed leader that even Trump and Putin couldn’t come close to emulating.
More than two decades after his death, Marcos was finally buried in November 2016 under a cloak of secrecy by a president who thinks like a mayor. Having a final resting place at the Libingan ng mga Bayani is hardly a defining moment of the Marcos legacy. Years prior to this pretentious hero’s burial, millions of Filipinos have elected Imelda, Bongbong and Imee as senators and governors.
Once near the pinnacle of economic success, the Philippines had a promising future that was stolen by a dictator. We managed to send the family into exile in 1986 but in less than a decade, we elected the family back to power…. and now we blame Duterte for coddling the Marcoses and supporting Bongbong’s electoral protest against Leni Robredo.
The Filipinos’ character of surviving against insurmountable obstacles is well-documented with its diaspora of nurses, caretakers, engineers and workers around the world. This penchant for self-sacrifice could possibly be rooted way several hundred years back when the Spaniards first introduced Catholicism to the Islands.
“Ordo Salutis” or the “Order of Salvation” is a theological concept that cuts across Christian religions from Lutheran, Calvinist, Catholicism, Protestantism – that the road to salvation is a series of steps that could only be achieved together by both God and humanity. For Catholics, it starts with developing Faith and ends with achieving Divinity.
The Ordo however was twisted by the Conquistadors to tame the population, which you still regularly hear today during Sunday mass across the peninsula: “the greater the sacrifice, the better it is, for you will be rewarded in the next life”.
I am not really a fan of Rizal, but you have to admire the man – he was the first one to figure this out, revealing his belief thru his first masterpiece, Noli Me Tangere. The real-life Friars realized the dangers of having the fictional Padre Damaso destroy the alternative reality: “turn a blind eye to the abuse, and be rewarded in heaven later”.
For three-quarters of a century after Rizal’s execution and the Spanish Revolution of 1898, the Philippines almost broke the mold that had trapped similar Catholic-occupied territories, until Marcos stopped the momentum. Abusive and authoritarian leaders until today prevail in populations once ruled by the Portuguese and Spaniards: Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Paraguay, Colombia, Bolivia….. the Catholic South.
The Philippine Constitution guarantees the separation of Church and State. Yet these are inseparable twins embedded in the cultural DNA of Filipinos and almost all the former colonies…. the Church evangelizes the virtues of sacrifice, the State provides the circumstance for sacrifice.
Until the country develops a national consciousness distinct from its misguided religious beliefs, Filipinos will continue to elect leaders who will ensure conditions that maintain poverty, hunger and abuse – the “sacrifices”. The cycle will again restart in the next presidential election in 5 years. The likes of Marcos, Estrada and Arroyo will always be exonerated since Filipinos believe that the real rewards will come in the life-after.
After almost 500 years, we still haven’t learned.
My dear fellow Filipinos – Duterte isn’t the one keeping the Marcos legacy alive.
We only have ourselves to blame.
Tagged Diaspora, Duterte, Marcos, OFW, Philippines
Previous postThe Philippines makes an encore
Next postThe Audacity of Gina Lopez
3 thoughts on “Is Duterte keeping the Marcos legacy alive?”
nabitin ako…
Gias Pora says:
may I ask why?
renxkyoko says:
Who voted him in, anyway.
Pacquiao’s win would’ve been the Philippines’ loss
Malacañang’s Dilemma: Align with the East or West?
Bazinga! Women’s rights is at the heart of Malacañang’s Madam Secretary feud
The Audacity of Gina Lopez
The Philippines makes an encore
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Dr. David Albert
Dr. Guerra attended dental school at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio in 1983. Upon graduation from dental school in 1987, Dr. Guerra completed an Advanced Education in General Dentistry at the San Antonio Dental School Department of General Dentistry Residencies. Dr. Guerra has developed an interest in dental implants and has taken classes in the U.S. and Canada to secure as much knowledge as possible in this area of dentistry. Gentle Family Dentistry will plan, place, and restore dental implants all in one office for your convenience. Dr. Guerra placed his first dental implant in 1987, during his residency.
Dr. Rolando A. Guerra, Jr., DDS, FICOI
Dr. Berenisse Mares Espinoza
Berenisse Mares-Espinoza, DDS, was accepted and received her Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Texas Dental Branch in Houston, Texas and completed her residency in Advanced Education in General Dentistry in 2007.
Her professional affiliations are with the American Dental Association, Texas Dental Association, Laredo District Dental Society and is an active member of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists.
Tagged: Berenisse Mares
Nydia S. Weathers, RDH, B.S.
Nydia Sanchez Weathers was born and raised in Laredo. She attended and graduated from United High School. She attended the University of Texas at San Antonio and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 1990. Nydia continued her studies at the University of Texas Health Science Center, School of Dental Hygiene and graduated with honors in 1994. Nydia has been practicing as a Registered Dental Hygienist for Gentle Family Dentistry of Laredo for 20 years now.
Nydia has developed an interest in dental hygiene and how it relates to dental implants. She is a certified dental hygienist for implants. She received her certification during the University of Texas Health Science Center Dental School Implant Preceptorship Course.
Tagged: Nydia Sanchez Weathers, WBCA, dental hygiene, University of Texas at San Antonio, UTSA, Hygienist
Gabriela Morales, RDH
Gabriela Morales, RDH, graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Gabriela also known as “Gaby” was born in Laredo, and was inspired to become a dental hygienist after shadowing and working as a dental assistant at Gentle Family & Implant Dentistry of Laredo. Gabriela began her college education at TAMIU, where she was part of the honor roll program while being a member of community enriching organizations such as FLO (Freshmen Leadership Organization) and Big Brother Big Sister TAMIU.
Tagged: Gabriela Morales RDH, Gaby, Morales, RDH
Lupita Perez, RDH
Lupita's vast dental hygiene experience includes working full-time for the Dental Department of Laredo-Webb County Public Health Department where she treated adults, children with emphasis on oral hygiene instruction, and the implementation of a patient recall system. She also was involved with elementary school children in the Laredo Independent School District through the L.I.S.D. Nursing Department.
She has also kept her dental hygiene credentials current by dental hygiene duties and working with U.I.S.D. elementary schools during career day with dental hygiene presentations. Lupita is, in addition to all she does, completing her Ph.D with Texas A&M University at College Station.
Tagged: Lupita Perez, RDH, Gentle Family Implant Dentistry, webb county public health department, LISD
Stephan A. Pope, DDS
Tagged: Stephan A. Pope, Pope, Stephan, Stephen
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Environmental Systems Research Institute (Redlands, Calif.)3
U.S. Census Bureau. Geography Division1
Environmental Systems Research Institute (Redlands, Calif.)[remove]3
Cities and towns2
Metropolitan areas2
Population statistics2
Census1
Indian reservations1
United States[remove]3
You searched for: Publisher Environmental Systems Research Institute (Redlands, Calif.) Remove constraint Publisher: Environmental Systems Research Institute (Redlands, Calif.) Subject Boundaries Remove constraint Subject: Boundaries Place United States Remove constraint Place: United States Format Shapefile Remove constraint Format: Shapefile
1. United States Census Urbanized Areas, 2010
2013. U.S. Census Bureau. Geography Division and Environmental Systems Research Institute (Redlands, Calif.). This polygon shapefile represents the 2010 Census urban areas in the United States. An urban area comprises a densely settled core of census tracts... Environmental Systems Research Institute (Redlands, Calif.).
2. United States National Atlas Urbanized Areas, 2001
2001. National Atlas of the United States, Environmental Systems Research Institute (Redlands, Calif.), and Geological Survey (U.S.). This polygon shapefile represents urban areas in the United States derived from the urban areas layer of the Digital Chart of the World (DCW). Data... Environmental Systems Research Institute (Redlands, Calif.).
3. United States National Atlas Federal and Indian Land Areas, 1972-2004
1972. National Atlas of the United States, Environmental Systems Research Institute (Redlands, Calif.), and Geological Survey (U.S.). This polygon shapefile represents the federal and Indian-owned land areas (for example, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of Defense, and Tennes... Environmental Systems Research Institute (Redlands, Calif.).
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For A Trip Down Memory Lane
A new exhibition titled ‘A Trip Down Memory Lane’ features previously unseen photos of Salford, Eccles and Manchester from the 1960s and 70s.
The photos, which show local people both at work and during their leisure time, were taken by local resident George Shepherd, who grew up in Lincoln Street in Eccles.
George’s daughter, Angie Shepherd, came across a carrier bag of her father’s negatives, which hadn’t been seen for 55 years, and wanted to get them printed.
The subsequent exhibition, which runs at Eccles Community Gallery until 1st June, captures local people both in their leisure time and at work. Many of the workplaces depicted are no longer there, such as Protector Lamp and Lighting Company and The Metal Box Company.
“It’s no exaggeration to say that George’s photos are an important social document that has skilfully captured the way we used to live and play, and is a great visual record for all times” says local historian and writer Tony Flynn, who also helped pull the exhibition together.
“I swear if Morrissey had seen the fairground photos taken by George, they would be gracing The Smiths album covers! I strongly advise you to call in at the Gallery and who knows who you may spot in the exhibition!”
Forever Manchester’s very own Lisa Brown Lisa connected George and Angie to photographer David Hunter who printed the negatives at his own studio.
Lisa added: “Connecting people around shared interests are the key ingredients to a strong, thriving and vibrant community.”
Groups of people have started to come forward recognising people in the pictures. Amanda Johnson recognised her dad, Eddie Johnson, working at the speedway in 1964 (see below).
A Trip Down Memory Lane’ runs from Saturday 11th May until Saturday 1st June 2019 at Eccles Community Gallery. The gallery opening times are: Saturday 10am – 4pm, Tuesday and Friday 11am – 2pm.
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Justia › Forms › Official Federal Forms › US Patent Office › Patent › Declaration For Utility Or Design Patent Application (37 CFR 1.63)
Declaration For Utility Or Design Patent Application (37 CFR 1.63)
Declaration For Utility Or Design Patent Application (37 CFR 1.63) Form. This is a Official Federal Forms form and can be use in Patent US Patent Office.
Tags: Declaration For Utility Or Design Patent Application (37 CFR 1.63), PTO-AIA-08, Official Federal Forms US Patent Office, Patent
Doc Code: Oath Document Description: Oath or declaration filed PTO/$,$ (06-12) Approved for use through 01/31/2014. OMB 0651-0032 U.S. Patent and Trademark Office; U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it contains a valid OMB control number. DECLARATION FOR UTILITY OR DESIGN PATENT APPLICATION (37 CFR 1.63) Declaration Submitted With Initial Filing OR Declaration Submitted After Initial Filing (surcharge (37 CFR 1.16(f)) required) Attorney Docket Number First Named Inventor COMPLETE IF KNOWN Application Number Filing Date Art Unit Examiner Name (Title of the Invention) As a below named inventor, I hereby declare that: This declaration is directed to: The attached application, OR United States Application Number or PCT International application number ___________________________________ filed on __________________________. The above-identified application was made or authorized to be made by me. I believe I am the original inventor or an original joint inventor of a claimed invention in the application. I hereby acknowledge that any willful false statement made in this declaration is punishable under 18 U.S.C. 1001 by fine or imprisonment of not more than five (5) years, or both. Authorization To Permit Access To Application by Participating Office If checked, the undersigned hereby grants the USPTO authority to provide the European Patent Office (EPO), the Japan Patent Office (JPO), the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO), and any other intellectual property offices in which a foreign application claiming priority to the above-identified patent application is filed access to the above-identified patent application. See 37 CFR 1.14(c) and (h). This box should not be checked if the applicant does not wish the EPO, JPO, KIPO, WIPO, or other intellectual property office in which a foreign application claiming priority to the above-identified patent application is filed to have access to the above-identified patent application. In accordance with 37 CFR 1.14(h)(3), access will be provided to a copy of the above-identified patent application with respect to: 1) the above-identified patent application-as-filed; 2) any foreign application to which the above-identified patent application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d) if a copy of the foreign application that satisfies the certified copy requirement of 37 CFR 1.55 has been filed in the above-identified patent application; and 3) any U.S. application-as-filed from which benefit is sought in the above-identified patent application. In accordance with 37 CFR 1.14(c), access may be provided to information concerning the date of filing the Authorization to Permit Access to Application by Participating Offices. [Page 1 of 2] This collection of information is required by 35 U.S.C. 115 and 37 CFR 1.63. The information is required to obtain or retain a benefit by the public which is to file (and by the USPTO to process) an application. Confidentiality is governed by 35 U.S.C. 122 and 37 CFR 1.11 and 1.14. This collection is estimated to take 21 minutes to complete, including gathering, preparing, and submitting the completed application form to the USPTO. Time will vary depending upon the individual case. Any comments on the amount of time you require to complete this form and/or suggestions for reducing this burden, should be sent to the Chief Information Officer, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, U.S. Department of Commerce, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450. DO NOT SEND FEES OR COMPLETED FORMS TO THIS ADDRESS. SEND TO: Commissioner for Patents, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450. If you need assistance in completing the form, call 1-800-PTO-9199 and select option 2. American LegalNet, Inc. www.FormsWorkFlow.com PTO/$,$ (06-12) Approved for use through 01/31/2014. OMB 0651-0032 U.S. Patent and Trademark Office; U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it contains a valid OMB control number. DECLARATION — Utility or Design Patent Application Direct all correspondence to: The address associated with Customer Number: Correspondence address below OR Name Address City Zip State Country Telephone Email WARNING: Petitioner/applicant is cautioned to avoid submitting personal information in documents filed in a patent application that may contribute to identity theft. Personal information such as social security numbers, bank account numbers, or credit card numbers (other than a check or credit card authorization form PTO-2038 submitted for payment purposes) is never required by the USPTO to support a petition or an application. If this type of personal information is included in documents submitted to the USPTO, petitioners/applicants should consider redacting such personal information from the documents before submitting them to the USPTO. Petitioner/applicant is advised that the record of a patent application is available to the public after publication of the application (unless a non-publication request in compliance with 37 CFR 1.213(a) is made in the application) or issuance of a patent. Furthermore, the record from an abandoned application may also be available to the public if the application is referenced in a published application or an issued patent (see 37 CFR 1.14). 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LEGAL NAME OF SOLE OR FIRST INVENTOR: ((J, Given Name (first and middle if any ) and Family Name or Surname) Date (2ptional) Inventor's Signature Residence: City State Country State Zip Mailing Address City Additional inventors are being named on the Country supplemental sheet(s) PTO/$,$ attached hereto [Page 2 of 2] American LegalNet, Inc. www.FormsWorkFlow.com Privacy Act Statement The Privacy Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-579) requires that you be given certain information in connection with your submission of the attached form related to a patent application or patent. Accordingly, pursuant to the requirements of the Act, please be advised that: (1) the general authority for the collection of this information is 35 U.S.C. 2(b)(2); (2) furnishing of the information solicited is voluntary; and (3) the principal purpose for which the information is used by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is to process and/or examine your submission related to a patent application or patent. If you do not furnish the requested information, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office may not be able to process and/or examine your submission, which may result in termination of proceedings or abandonment of the application or expiration of the patent. The information provided by you in this form will be subject to the following routine uses: 1. The information on this form will be treated confidentially to the extent allowed under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C 552a). Records from this system of records may be disclosed to the Department of Justice to determine whether disclosure of these records is required by the Freedom of Information Act. 2. A record from this system of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, in the course of presenting evidence to a court, magistrate, or administrative tribunal, including disclosures to opposing counsel in the course of settlement negotiations. 3. A record in this system of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, to a Member of Congress submitting a request involving an individual, to whom the record pertains, when the individual has requested assistance from the Member with respect to the subject matter of the record. 4. A record in this system of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, to a contractor of the Agency having need for the information in order to perform a contract. Recipients of information shall be required to comply with the requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(m). 5. A record related to an International Application filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty in this system of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, to the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization, pursuant to the Patent Cooperation Treaty. 6. A record in this system of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, to another federal agency for purposes of National Security review (35 U.S.C. 181) and for review pursuant to the Atomic Energy Act (42 U.S.C. 218(c)). 7. A record from this system of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, to the Administrator, General Services, or his/her designee, during an inspection of records conducted by GSA as part of that agency's responsibility to recommend improvements in records management practices and programs, under authority of 44 U.S.C. 2904 and 2906. Such disclosure shall be made in accordance with the GSA regulations governing inspection of records for this purpose, and any other relevant (i.e., GSA or Commerce) directive. Such disclosure shall not be used to make determinations about individuals. 8. A record from this system of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, to the public after either publication of the application pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 122(b) or issuance of a patent pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 151. Further, a record may be disclosed, subject to the limitations of 37 CFR 1.14, as a routine use, to the public if the record was filed in an application which became abandoned or in which the proceedings were terminated and which application is referenced by either a published application, an application open to public inspection or an issued patent. 9. A record from this system of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, to a Federal, State, or local law enforcement agency, if the USPTO becomes aware of a violation or potential violation of law or regulation. American LegalNet, Inc. www.FormsWorkFlow.com
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Fully Myelinated
Politics, health care, science, education, and pretty much anything I find interesting
Education/Academia
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NC by the numbers
Obviously, the NC-focused posts will slow down with the GA now done for the year (and honestly, it was getting emotionally exhausting being perpetually enraged by their shenanigans), but here’s a nice summary post from NC Policy Watch putting numbers to a lot of what they’ve done (I went ahead and pasted the whole thing):
70,000—number of long term unemployed workers in North Carolina who lost federal emergency unemployment benefits June 30 because of the effective date of the changes the General Assembly made to state unemployment system (The Unemployment Insurance Cliff: A Steep Fall for Families, the Economy, N.C. Budget & Tax Center, June 2013) – See more at: http://www.ncpolicywatch.com/2013/07/29/the-2013-general-assemblys-shameful-numbers/#sthash.yzqoZF9c.dpuf
100,000—number of additional long term unemployed workers who will lose federal emergency unemployment benefits before the end of the year because of the actions of the General Assembly (Ibid)
1.2 billion—amount in dollars of the estimated economic impact in North Carolina of the loss of federal emergency unemployment benefits as a result of the actions of the General Assembly (Ibid)
500,000—number of low-income adults denied health care coverage because of the decision made by McCrory and the General Assembly to refuse the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (“Updated: Wos Says Decision to Not Expand Medicaid Was Goodwin’s Call,” N.C. Health News, May 10, 2013)
907,000—number of low-wage workers in North Carolina who claimed the state Earned Income Tax Credit in 2011 (“North Carolina’s Earned Income Tax Credit: A Modest but Vital Boost to Low-Paid Workers across the State, N.C Budget & Tax Center, February 2013)
64,000—number of military families who claimed the state Earned Income Tax Credit in 2011 (Factsheet: 64,000 North Carolina Military Families Set to Lose EITC, Experience Tax Increase, N.C Budget & Tax Center)
0—-number of low-wage workers in North Carolina including those in military families who will receive the state EITC under the tax shift plan approved by the General Assembly and signed by Governor Pat McCrory (Ibid)
80—percent of taxpayers who will on average will receive a tax INCREASE under the tax changes made by the General Assembly in 2013 (“Preliminary Analysis of Joint Tax Plan: Still a big tax cut at the top,” Progressive Pulse, July 16, 2013)
10,000—amount in dollars of the tax CUT that millionaires will receive under the tax changes made by the General Assembly in 2013 (Ibid)
2,500—the number of reduction of slots in NC PreK for at-risk four year olds in 2013-2104 budget approved by the General Assembly and signed by Governor Pat McCrory (Overview: Final budget deal falls short, puts North Carolina on a path to mediocrity, Progressive Pulse, July 22, 2013)
5,200—the number of teaching positions that will be lost as a result of the 2013-2015 budget approved by the General Assembly and signed by Governor Pat McCrory (Summary of Special Provisions- Senate Bill 402, N.C. Department of Public Instruction)
4,580—number of teacher assistants positions cut in the2013-2015 budget approved by the General Assembly and signed by Governor Pat McCrory (Ibid)
0—amount in dollars for salary increases for teachers in North Carolina in the budget for the 2013-2014 school year (Ibid)
15—number of years it takes a North Carolina public school teacher with a bachelor’s degree to earn $40,000 (Presentation on North Carolina Teacher Salaries; State Board of Education, March 2013)
50—rank of North Carolina in average teacher salary increase over the past 10 years (Ibid)
10 million—amount in dollars of the cost in 2013-2014 of the voucher scheme included in the final budget that for the first time will allow taxpayer dollars to be used to pay for tuition at unaccountable private and religious schools (Vouchers gain ground, public education loses in final budget, N.C. Policy Watch, July 25, 2013)
15—number of the state’s 16 abortion clinics that could be forced to close under sweeping anti-choice bill approved by the General Assembly and waiting for Governor Pat McCrory’s signature or veto (“Abortion regulations heading to McCrory, WRAL-TV, July 25, 2013)
318,000—number of registered voters in North Carolina who do not have a NC driver’s license or state identity card and will be affected by the voter suppression legislation passed by the General Assembly (“County-by-County Data Reveal Dramatic Impact of Proposed Election Changes on Voters,” Democracy North Carolina, July 22, 2013)
22—percentage of currently active North Carolina voters who are African-American (“Who Doesn’t Have a Photo ID?” Democracy North Carolina)
32—percentage of active voters without a valid NC photo ID who are African-American (Ibid)
Almost too depressing to read the whole thing.
Filed under North Carolina, Politics
About Steve Greene
Professor of Political Science at NC State http://faculty.chass.ncsu.edu/shgreene
One Response to NC by the numbers
ewtss says:
Reblogged this on Enough With the Stupid #*&$#@! and commented:
A very depressing summary… And that’s not counting the other fundamentalist garbage this legislature came up with….
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ELEMELONS- iOS APP REVIEW
Developer: Andrea Probst
fun, graphics, UI
Do you know which is the best part of a puzzle game? It’s that they are addictive and you’re hooked on for several hours in playing a good puzzle game. Seriously, no one can deny this fact. But, are you sure that the game you’re going to download is a good puzzle game? Confused! You can’t be sure until you play the game. A good puzzle game can be recognised from a far view if they are really worth it. ‘ELEMELONS’ is one of them. It’s an interesting puzzle game which is based on your swiping skills.
Elemelons has been developed by Von Andrea Probst. The app is compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. It requires iOS 9.0 or any later version of the OS.
Elemelons is a simple puzzle having lots of fun with it. Everyone likes fruits, especially in summers because it offers a variety of fruits to have. So, basically what I’m trying to say is that the story behind this gameplay is based on fruits called melons.
According to the story, human beings get cursed due to all their time spent on social networks. The planet dissolved and its guardians shrinked as the four elements were reduced to melons. The four elements include the Earth, the Water, the Wind and the Fire which turned into Earthmelon, Watermelon, Airmelon and Firemelon respectively. Each Elemelon was defined by specifications inspired by the most popular social media influencers.
The 4 Elemelons are of different colors such as red, blue, green and yellow. Your main goal is to match the Elemelon to its corresponding side of the same color. You’ll win points if you swipe them correctly. If you swipe an Elemelon to the wrong side with different color, it will end the game. You have to do this as fast as you can. As you proceed, the difficulty level of the game increases, more Elemelons will appear and the game becomes more addicting. So, you must have good swiping skills and you should be attentive in playing this game.
In the beginning, there is time boosts provided to slow down the speed of the Elemelons. This will help you to swipe easily, but you have to use them when needed because they are limited. By watching a video, you will get an extra life and can continue the game if you think that the score is high.
The game is very easy to play as you need to tap and slide only, in order to match the colors of the melon. If you are confused what to do then there is a tutorial which explains about how to play the game. It’s the best app for people who love to compete with other players as it allows you to play with them and beat the highest scores.
The graphics of the app are cool and the sound effects are amazing. But there is one thing that will make you sad is that it’s not safe for children as there are unprotected links and video ads. So, only adults and young people should play this game.
So, how far you can go and swipe? Let’s see in this amazing gameplay. The app is available for free in the App Store. Download it now!
Pros: unique story; stunning graphics; requires swiping skills; easy yet challenging; easy to play; based on speed; free.
Worth Having App – Download the App
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Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes Launch Trailer January 18, 2019
Travis Strikes Again is the third game in the No More Heroes franchise, and a game I’m so pleased to see developed exclusively for the Nintendo Switch. The game was first announced alongside the Nintendo Switch, but details about it were scarce at that time. Now we know the game will feature series hero Travis and a partner (playable by couch co-op) battle through multiple game challenges inspired by games from the 80s and early 90s.
Take a look at the game’s launch trailer and see for yourself what is in store for us! It isn’t No More Heroes 3 (that may come later), but it sure looks sounds and feels like a No More Heroes game.
Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes is out now exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
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Q&A: Nene on the Wizards, His Health, and the Future
Rob Carr/Getty Images
The Wizards are 7-32 without Nene in the lineup and are 42-46 with him since trading for him at the 2012 deadline in exchange for JaVale McGee, JaVale McGee’s antics, and various flotsam. That stat says a lot about both Nene’s splendid all-around skill set and the medical issues that have sadly torpedoed his impact over and over.
Nene is out again, nursing a right foot injury, but he’s practicing with the Wizards. He took time out after a practice this week in New York to chat with Grantland about his health, the Wizards, his career, and his future.
How’s your foot?
My Achilles, it’s better. It’s progressing. It’s still a little sore. It’s hard to warm up, and get relief.
Do you have a return date in mind yet?
We’ll see day-by-day. Today, I played a little bit, and we’ll see how I feel tomorrow.
You have any idea what caused this one? Just wear and tear? Or something specific?
It’s just a lot of minutes, and a lot of physicality for me, you know? I get a lot of pounding on my body. But it’s a good thing. Now I can take care of it a little bit.
You mean it’s good you spotted it early in the season?
Yeah, yeah. I have a little time now to slow down this injury. And now I can take care of it. And I need to take care of it. When you get older, you know …
You’re not that old! [Nene is 31.]
Yeah, but I started young, and the position I play — the intensity they play on me is different.
Do you believe someone can be injury-prone? Meaning, in dealing with all these injuries, have you learned something about your body that might explain why you’ve had trouble staying healthy?
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Yeah, yeah. I’ve had a lot of injuries all of my career. I’ve learned about my body. I know when something is gonna happen. But sometimes you can’t control it. Sometimes you need to just do it, to just play. I try of think of ways to avoid injuries, but I’m getting paid a high price. But when you get some experience, you learn a little bit, and you learn how to take care.
Andrew Bogut is another guy who has been hurt a lot, and he gets angry when people call him injury-prone. Does that label make you angry?
No, the good thing is, all my injuries, I’ve learned something. I saw something about myself. And life is not in my control. It’s in God’s control. It is all for a reason.
So it’s just bad luck?
No, it’s not bad luck. That’s what I mean. It’s for a reason. Everything in my life is for a reason.
The injuries have made you sort of an underappreciated player. You’ve never been an All-Star, right?
When I had the possibility, I did not, because it was my wedding.
Ah, yeah. I remember reading that. You said you’d skip the game regardless, because you couldn’t bail on the wedding.
And after that, it was a little politics, but I don’t worry about that. I always say I worry about my team. I don’t want to be around the All-Star Game anyway.
You remind me a little bit of a big-man version of Andre Iguodala — a guy who does a little of everything, but not a lot of any one thing, and as a result doesn’t get a ton of attention or fame.
I like that. I like Andre. The good thing is that people who really know basketball, they know my game. They know what I’m doing, and what I do to help my team. And that’s what matters. The All-Star Game — that’s no big deal for me.
People with this team say you don’t care about stats. That you don’t even look at them. Some players say they don’t care about stats, but the Wizards people say you actually mean it. You really don’t care?
No, I don’t care about stats. I really don’t. I care about winning and losing. I actually care more when I lose because, you know, I always look for what I can do better, where I made a mistake, where the team made a mistake.
Here’s a stat I’ve always wanted to ask you about: Your teams always rebound better when you are on the floor, but you get a lot of criticism for not getting a lot of rebounds yourself.
I know, I know!
But it happens every year, in terms of team rebounding. What’s going on there?
If I don’t box out, if I try to steal the ball from my teammates, I could average 13 rebounds or 14 rebounds per game. But I learned the right way. I learned to box out, respect each side of the hoop. There’s a reason we have better rebounding when I play, because I know the fundamentals.
Did you know about that stat?
Yeah, yeah, I think I heard that.
So it’s just about boxing out.
Exactly — not only on the low block, but in the whole paint. The guys outside have to box out, so the little guys don’t surprise you down there.
You do notice a lot of players just sort of stand under the rim, kind of boxing out an area, instead of finding a player to box out.
That’s the way they learn. It’s not that way in the international schools.
You once said you’d retire before the 2016 Olympics in Brazil. Do you stand by that now?
[Laughs.] Well, the Man makes the plan. The answer — yes or no — comes from God. I hope I can finish well, that’s all I can say. I mean, at that time, there was a lot of frustration, a lot of anger. My plantar fasciitis was just killing me. And when you’re not able to perform the way you want, when your body won’t allow you to perform, you start to think about retirement.
So you might play longer, is what you’re saying. Or you’re open to it now.
Yeah, like I said — the Man makes a plan. God will give you a yes or no.
Will you play in the FIBA World Cup in 2014 if Brazil gets a wild-card bid?
I don’t know. I had injuries in the past, and that gave other players the opportunity to play, to develop a little bit, to get experience. The season here, in the NBA, is almost 115 games if you make the playoffs. [The Brazilian Basketball Confederation has] no clue what it is. At the end of the season, you need rest. You need to calm yourself down a little bit.
Have the Wizards and Nuggets ever told you explicitly not to play for Brazil in the offseason, or at least said they would prefer you didn’t?
They always say, “You need to take care of yourself. You need to be smart. Say ‘no.'” But when you look at the national team, you can’t control very much. You know how it is. Hopefully they change their mind about players who play in the NBA, because it’s a lot of games, a lot of pounding on your body.
Last year, Bradley Beal told me you yell at your teammates if they don’t cut to the right place when you have the ball. Kevin Seraphin was standing next to Beal, and he started laughing, saying you’re always yelling mean things. Is that true?
Oh, man, I don’t yell that bad. It’s like, “Come on dog, pay attention! Read a little bit!” That’s the way I learned. I think that comes from soccer.
Being a sort of naturally unselfish player, you mean?
It’s more like visualizing. You need to see things before they happen. When a player runs along the field, and you want to pass the ball, you need to see two points. [Nene holds his two index fingers about a foot part, illustrating a passing trajectory.] You need to see the connection.
It’s the same thing in basketball.
Do you really yell at Kevin Seraphin, though?
Heck, yeah! He can be a little slow. I will yell! [Laughs.]
Do you keep in touch with George Karl? You played for him for a long time, you’re both recent cancer survivors …
No, not really. I didn’t have time to keep in touch with him.
Did you root for the Nuggets in the playoffs last season?
You know, when I got traded, I really didn’t care about the Nuggets anymore. And that is normal in this league, with trades. I still have friends inside there, and I have a lot of fans supporting me. But you know how it is.
God put me with [the Wizards] to help, and this team is completely different since I came. That makes me feel good. When you make somebody else better, that’s the best thing. There’s a lot of players who think about themselves, but that’s what makes me happy. My coach, even with my injuries, this team always has my back. They chose me.
Earlier this season, after a loss to the Spurs, you said the young players on this team had to “take their heads out of their butts and play the right way.” Have they done that? And what did you mean by that?
When I said that, it was a frustration moment for the whole team. I have experience to know how to play your best, because I came from an international school and then played for a winning team in Denver. It was a normal reaction I had. You have to play the right way. The Spurs — they know how to play basketball. I was really frustrated.
What were guys doing wrong?
We did a lot of things wrong. But we started playing the right way now. We started enjoying each other and playing for each other.
Your dogs are named Dora and Diego. I assume that’s because of the TV show?
Ha … Yeah. They look like humans, and they are siblings. That’s the reason.
That’s a kids’ show, and you got the dogs before you had a son. Are you a secret Dora fan?
Oh, no, no. I have nephews!
You might be the angriest dunker in the league. I’m afraid you’re going to hurt your right arm sometimes going at the rim like that. Why do you do that? Have you ever hurt your arm?
Not really. I don’t know why I do that. Sometimes there is something problematic on my mind. Sometimes, I’ll try going easy, but my body overreacts like that. If somebody tries to block it, my body automatically goes hard. And that’s a good thing.
You dunk angry even when nobody is there.
Sometimes I surprise myself.
The Knicks drafted you and then traded you right away. You’ve said before you don’t like big cities. Could you have played here? Do think about what it would have been like?
I’m very competitive. The way they traded me — they didn’t even get to know me a little bit. They didn’t try to understand me. But it’s fine. The Nuggets gave me an opportunity. I had a great career with the Nuggets. And the New York fans say to me now, “Maybe you were supposed to play here.” They always ask if I wanted to play here: “We need you here. You’re supposed to be here.” I say, “Yeah, but …”
How good can this Wizards team be? How far could they go in the playoffs?
I’m very honest in my comments, Zach. If I say we’re gonna be in a certain place and we don’t get there, then it will be against my words.
But our team is really, really good when we play together, when we explore our talent. Where we can be? The sky is the limit. People always ask: “Do you think we can go to the playoffs?” Yes, I think we can go to the playoffs. That is the honest answer. But we need to work.
Look at the Eastern Conference. You guys could easily win a round in the playoffs.
But that is just saying something. It is just words. We need to work. I prefer to work game by game, win those games, you know. And then we’ll be where we are in the end.
Filed Under: NBA, Washington Wizards, Nene, Grantland Q&A, Zach Lowe
Zach Lowe is a staff writer for Grantland.
Archive @ ZachLowe_NBA
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35 Crazy Predictions for the 2015-16 NBA Season October 23, 2015
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We Went There: Clippers-Mavs and DeAndre Jordan Night in Los Angeles October 30, 2015
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Lowe Post: Raptors On The Brink
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Pyrrhichios Dance
Imagine this: It’s Ancient Greece and you’re at a festival. Two figures come out of the crowd, and the crowd forms a circle around them. The two men draw knives and begin to circle each other, blades clashing as they dance and spar with one another. Suddenly, you see one of the figures stab at the other, and he falls to the ground, blood pouring out of his wound. You gasp in shock, as you see the other fighter dance around his fallen enemy’s body. The other fighter looks down, and as if realizing what he’s done, all the joy drains out of the man’s face. He drops to his knees and holds the dagger above his chest, about to plunge it in. You are pushed forward along with the rest of the crowd, as they try to get to the man, hoping to prevent him from killing himself. As you are shoved closer and closer to the center of the circle, the laughing and the shouts begin to ring out. “It’s fake! It was just a show!” You didn’t realize it at the time, but you just witnessed a pyrrhichios.
A pyrrhichios is a Greek war dance. It’s thought to have originated from the days of the Trojan War when Achilles first saw the body of his dead friend Patroclus. Achilles expressed his grief through this intense dance. There’s also the belief that the dance could have come from Pyrrhus, Achilles’s son, who danced it around the funeral pyre of his enemy Eurypylus. The pyrrhichios were popular with the Spartans who taught this dance to their children at a very young age as light war training. My story of the dance is based on a description from Xenophon, a Greek historian, who tells of a pyrrhichios in his work Anabasis.
The pyrrhichios is still danced today. It has taken on a new significance with the Pontic genocide as this was the dance the Greek warriors performed before they headed into battle and a most certain death. As such the dance becomes as much a celebration or pangyric of life in the face of death. The Cretan pentozali, the high-spirited, high-kicking, dance is descended from this most ancient war dance.
The following woodcut, taken from vases, shows three Pyrrhicists, two of whom with shield and sword are engaged in the dance, while the third is standing with a sword. Above them is a female balancing herself on the head of one, and apparently in the act of performing a somersault; she no doubt is taking part in the dance, and performing a very artistic kind of tumbling. Her danger is increased by the person below, who holds a sword pointing towards her. A second female may be providing music or be a spectator. Source: www.carnaval.com/greece/dance
From the pedestal of a statue commemorating an award for two Pyrrhic dancers 3rd C B.C. from the Archeological Museum in Athens
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Why the blind spot for China by the American intelligentsia?
Posted by aurelius77 on April 6, 2018
Communist North Korea’s first dictator Kim Il-Sung, left, with Communist China’s first dictator Mao Zedong in 1961.
China remains the darling of western, particularly American, intellectuals and academicians even though under President Xi Jinping it’s reverting to the dictatorial habits of the era of Mao Zedung.
The system is not only incredibly corrupt but also authoritarian. We hear constantly about suppression of free speech, of the arrests of those speaking out against the regime or against particular policies, while serious dissent and political opposition is simply not possible.
The same intellectuals who once berated the U.S. for not moving closer to China, for remaining suspicious of Chinese motives and intentions, for objecting to the role of the Communist Party in a system masked in secrecy, have little to say about the real nature of the regime of Xi Jinping.
On American campuses, scholars don’t want to appear critical of the monster that Xi is creating. They would prefer to focus on the problems of American life, on President Trump, on all that’s wrong with U.S. policy.
As for China, intellectuals are nearly unanimous in their praise for the rise of China as what they see as the strongest country in Asia, a rival to the United States from the Indian Ocean to the Yellow Sea and the only force capable of bringing about enduring peace on the Korean peninsula.
It is as though China were fashionable, the flavor of the month, just as it has been since the victory of Mao’s Red Army in 1949 over the “Nationalist” Chinese of Chiang Kai-shek.
While wooing China, these same intellectuals do not seem seriously concerned about China extending its military power around the periphery of Asia from the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea to the East China Sea and on to the Korean peninsula. In fact, they welcome China’s rising influence, suggesting that China could be the savior, the force that will finally persuade Kim Jong-Un in North Korea to listen to reason and abandon his nuclear program.
In that spirit influential Americans were unanimous in their praise of Xi Jinping for having hosted Kim to a lavish banquet in Beijing while Kim declared his interest in “denuclearization.”
As should be obvious, however, Kim’s expression of willingness to discuss his nuclear program came with mysterious conditions to which Xi did not object. It’s certain that Kim will want to extract the same terms that we’ve heard before, meaning withdrawal of American troops and closure of American bases, again exposing South Korea to attack as in June 1950. Nor is there any guarantee that North Korea will not stage incidents as it has done periodically for years.
The U.S. aircraft carrier Carl Vinson remained in the South China Sea after a port call at the central Vietnamese port of Danang, headquarters for U.S. marines during the Vietnam War, but the Chinese responded by sending a flotilla of their own. U.S. warships periodically show the flag, challenging Chinese control, but they’re not going to persuade the Chinese to relinquish their claim. Vietnam had to call off a project for drilling for oil off-shore after the Chinese objected and the Americans showed no sign of doing anything to enforce Vietnam’s claim.
Nor do American intellectuals appear concerned about China’s spreading power South Asia, as seen in construction of ports in Pakistan and Sri Lanka and the construction of a road through the Himalayas giving access to the Indian Ocean. China’s “One Belt, One Road Initiative” is just as alarming as its hold over the South China Sea. By forming a close relationship with Pakistan, a recipient of massive American military aid for years, China threatens not only India but the United States as well.
There is, however, no outcry from American campuses. Rather, the tendency is to criticize the U.S. for remaining a staunch ally of South Korea in the face of all North Korea’s threats and to believe the Chinese will really resolve the nuclear issue in a way that’s acceptable to both the U.S. and South Korea. It should not be difficult to see the true nature of the dictatorship that Xi is leading and to ask why American academicians are not raising voices against China as a threat to democratic ideals as well as American interests.
American intellectuals were so delighted over China’s emergence on the world stage after Mao’s era that they have never quite recognized the menace of a new China.
One conclusion is inescapable: China is so closely allied with North Korea that it’s always going to side with Kim Jong-Un, grandson of the dynasty founder, Kim Il-Sung, who survived with massive Chinese intervention in the Korean War.
Full article: Why the blind spot for China by the American intelligentsia? (World Tribune)
This entry was posted in Asia, Axis Powers, China, Communism, Donald Trump, India, Military, Military History, National Security & Terrorism, North Korea, Nuclear Weapons & Proliferation, Pakistan, Politics, South Korea, USA, Vietnam and tagged American intellectuals, Asia, authoritarian, Beijing, CCP, Chiang Kai-shek, China, Chinese Communist Party, Danang, Donald Trump, East China Sea, free speech, India, Indian Ocean, Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-un, Korean peninsula, Mao Zedong, National Security & Terrorism, North Korea, Nuclear Weapons & Proliferation, One Belt One Road Initiative, politics, port of Danang, Red Army, South China Sea, South Korea, Sri Lanka, supression, United States, Vietnam, Why the blind spot for China by the American intelligentsia?, Xi Jinping, Yellow Sea. Bookmark the permalink.
REVEALED: Facebook’s CIA Connections…
Report: China’s U.S. Treasuries are ‘Nuclear Option’
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Human Rights Blog
GMA Media Centre
World Press Photo 2014: love as a global equality issue
Posted on March 1, 2015 by BlogGMA
By World Press Photo
#Russia #LGBT #discrimination #GMABlog
The jury of the 58th annual World Press Photo Contest has selected an image by Danish photographer Mads Nissen, a staff photographer for Danish daily newspaper Politiken, as the World Press Photo of the Year 2014.
The picture shows Jon and Alex, a gay couple, during an intimate moment in St Petersburg, Russia. Life for lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) people is becoming increasingly difficult in Russia. Sexual minorities face legal and social discrimination, harassment, and even violent hate-crime attacks from conservative religious and nationalistic groups.
One of the jurors for the competition, Pamela Chen (editorial director for Instagram), said they were looking for an image that would matter tomorrow, not just today:
“The winning image demonstrates what a professional photographer can do in a daily life situation, setting a professional standard for story-telling in life. This is a contemporary issue, it is daily life, it is news, it has spot news resonance, it has general news resonance, but it also brings up the issue in a very deep and challenging way. It is quite universal.”
Another juror, Alessia Glaviano (senior photo editor for Vogue Italia), highlighted how the photo demonstrates a broader message about the persecution of minority groups:
“The photo has a message about love being an answer in the context of all that is going on in the world. It is about love as a global issue, in a way that transcends homosexuality. It sends out a strong message to the world, not just about homosexuality, but about equality, about gender, about being black or white, about all of the issues related to minorities.”
The contest drew entries from around the world: 97,912 images were submitted by 5,692 press photographers, photojournalists, and documentary photographers from 131 countries. The jury gave prizes in eight themed categories to 42 photographers from Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, China, Denmark, Eritrea, France, Germany, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Turkey, UK and USA.
The prize-winning pictures are presented in an exhibition visiting around 100 cities in about 45 countries. The first 2015 World Press Photo exhibition opens in Amsterdam in De Nieuwe Kerk on 18 April 2015.
World Press Photo organizes the leading international contest in visual journalism. The foundation is committed to supporting and advancing high standards in photojournalism and documentary storytelling worldwide. Its aim is to generate wide public interest in and appreciation for the work of photographers and other visual journalists, and for the free exchange of information.
This entry was posted in Education, Human Rights, LBGTI, Minorities, Russia and tagged World Press Photo by BlogGMA. Bookmark the permalink.
The views and opinions expressed on this website are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the position of Global Minorities Alliance.
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How to confine the plants of the future?
Superb article.
EXTRACTS: Professor Ellstrand is known as a fair and credible critic of various aspects of agricultural biotechnology.
He is deeply skeptical that efforts to confine biopharma genes in open fields will work.
...Professor Ellstrand also said that self-pollination does not eliminate gene flow between plants, and that cross-pollination is not the only way that pharma crops can escape confinement. Once harvested, seeds can move easily, accidentally or deliberately, across and beyond borders. As a result, valuable biopharma crops may well end up growing in fields far from the controlled environment on which developers depend for safety. And what happens from there is anyone's guess.
By DENISE CARUSO
New York Times, April 8 2007
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/08/business/yourmoney/08frame.html?ref=yourmoney
A NEW generation of genetically engineered crops that produce drugs and chemicals is fast approaching the market - bringing with it a new wave of concerns about the safety of the global food and feed supply.
The plants produce medicinal substances like insulin, anticoagulants and blood substitutes. They produce vaccine proteins for diseases like cholera, as well as antibodies against tooth decay and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Enzymes and other chemicals from the plants can be used for a range of industrial processes.
As in past debates over genetically modified crops, biotech developers say that the benefits outweigh the risks, and that the risks are manageable. Critics question the benefits, and say the risk of a contaminated and potentially toxic food supply is untenable.
In the middle, balancing economic benefit and public safety, are our appointed arbiters of risk, the government regulators.
Controversies over biotech risk are caused by a crisis in "official scientific expertise," according to Jerome Ravetz, an associate fellow at the James Martin Institute for Science and Civilization at the University of Oxford.
The crisis, he said, stems from the conflicting roles of government. On one side, businesses provide regulators with scientific evidence about the risk and safety of their product innovations. On the other, suspicious citizens demand that regulators challenge that evidence.
The side whose expertise is accepted as "official" calls the shots.
So far, the business sector has tipped the scales in its favor. Despite science-based concerns voiced by farmers, environmentalists and even its own researchers, the United States Department of Agriculture has approved more than 100 applications to grow so-called biopharma crops of corn, soybeans, barley, rice, safflower and tobacco in the United States.
Developers say these crops are the best way to achieve the economies of scale and cost savings that will let them meet rising demand for drugs like human insulin.
They acknowledge that growing pharmaceutical crops is riskier than making drugs in factories. They know that the plants contain potentially toxic drugs and chemicals, and because they look like ordinary crops, they can be mistaken for food, both before and after harvest.
The most important thing, then, is to keep biopharma plants, pollen and seeds confined to the fields where they are planted. Otherwise, they may contaminate other crops, wild relatives and the environment.
Developers say they have worked with the Agriculture Department to develop containment procedures for biopharma crops.
"Under our system, the degree of oversight is commensurate with the risk of the crops," said John Turner, director of the policy coordination program for the agency's Biotechnology Regulatory Services. "We take extraordinary measures to make sure these pharma and industrial crops are kept separate and confined."
To this end, some developers use plants like rice and safflower that self-pollinate, reducing the risk of contaminating nonpharma plants by wind and insect pollination.
They also provide regulators with data on the potential health and environmental effects of the special chemicals in their crops.
For example, SemBioSys, a Canadian company, has applied to the U.S.D.A. for permits to grow safflower-based human insulin. It is already field-testing safflower crops in the United States and Chile that produce carp growth hormone for aquaculture feed, to bolster the weak immune systems of farmed shrimp.
The company's chief executive, Andrew Baum, says "categorically" that the insulin derived from its plants has no biological effects while in plant form, and is activated only after processing. And the evidence his company has gathered indicates that its carp growth hormone affects only shrimp.
The new methods, Mr. Baum said, can cut capital costs by 70 percent, and "reach levels of scale easier than any other system."
But there is some scientific evidence not acknowledged in biopharma risk assessments that casts a dark cloud over this silver lining.
For starters, the "system" under discussion is nature, and despite our best efforts it always manages to elude our puny attempts at controlling it. The containment practices used by developers assume an ability to control living and propagating organisms, which scientific evidence does not support.
One scientist familiar with some of the issues raised by pharma crops is Norman C. Ellstrand, a professor in the department of genetics at the University of California, Riverside, and director of its Biotechnology Impacts Center. Professor Ellstrand is known as a fair and credible critic of various aspects of agricultural biotechnology.
"I don't think that engineering plants for pharma is a bad idea, with two caveats," Professor Ellstrand said. One, he says he thinks that planting should be done in greenhouses rather than in open fields. "The other issue is food," he said. "Why do we have to do this in food crops? It doesn't matter what you're squeezing the compound out of. It could be a carnation, a corn plant or a castor bean."
Professor Ellstrand also said that self-pollination does not eliminate gene flow between plants, and that cross-pollination is not the only way that pharma crops can escape confinement. Once harvested, seeds can move easily, accidentally or deliberately, across and beyond borders. As a result, valuable biopharma crops may well end up growing in fields far from the controlled environment on which developers depend for safety. And what happens from there is anyone's guess.
Once the rogue seeds are replanted, could the plants thrive in their new home and possibly overtake native varieties or wild relatives? Could the pharma trait increase in frequency and concentration, until it reaches a "dose" that causes health effects in those who consume it unwittingly? The probability for any one of these situations may be low, Professor Ellstrand said, but the scientific answer to each question is yes.
What is most worrisome is that the Agriculture Department seems to reject such reasonable, science-based public safety concerns. Agency policy allows developers to withhold data on pharma crops from the public as confidential business information, and the public is not allowed to comment on biopharma planting applications until after an official risk evaluation is completed.
Such behavior has raised the hackles of many farmers and food producers who are concerned about biopharma crops. Rice farmers, in particular, know what happens when a food crop is contaminated with unapproved genes. The U.S.D.A has presided over two such scares in less than a year, and the rice industry has suffered greatly as it tries to purge contaminants from crops.
AT the end of March, the Agriculture Department approved a permit allowing a California biotech company, Ventria Bioscience, to plant its pharmaceutical rice in open fields in Kansas.
Ventria's pharma rice is engineered to produce two of the human proteins found in breast milk and other body fluids. Once harvested, the proteins will be used in treatments for diarrhea and infections, as well as in nutritional supplements.
In a public comment demanding that the Agriculture Department withdraw the Ventria approval, the U.S.A. Rice Federation wrote: "If Ventria's pharmaceutical rice were to escape into the commercial rice supply, the financial devastation to the U.S. rice industry would likely be absolute. There is no tolerance, either regulatory or in public perception, for a human gene-based pharmaceutical to end up in the world's food supply."
So whose market is more important: the farmers' or the drug makers'? Whose health matters more: people who need drugs or people who eat food?
Scientists often dismiss the idea that people without technical knowledge can help them make risk assessments. As a result, biotech scientists and regulators have long made safety determinations from within an opaque system of their own design, using only the evidence they accept as valid.
But scientific evidence is not a constant, like the speed of light or pi. Especially in biology, where we still know so little, "evidence" is often just a small circle of light surrounded by the darkness of the unknown. Decisions about risk cannot safely be made in a private club that accepts only its members' notions of scientific evidence.
The best research on risk declares the opposite to be true: that risk evidence is particularly subject to distortion by conflicting interests, and that the best foil for such distortions is to ensure that the people whose fate is at stake participate in the analysis.
We need a new policy framework for scientific evidence that is built on this foundation. If developers want to sell their products, they must subject their inventions to the helpful scrutiny of people outside the club - before radical technologies like biopharma are brought to market.
Denise Caruso is executive director of the Hybrid Vigor Institute, which studies collaborative problem-solving. E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Experiment Types: AB, Multivariate, and Multi-page
Multivariate testing (MVT)
Multi-page funnel testing
Learn the difference between A/B ("split"), multivariate, and multi-page ("funnel") experiments
Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using each type
Optimizely provides three different experiment types: A/B testing, multivariate testing, and multi-page (funnel) testing. This article gives a brief explanation of these three types, along with some of the advantages and limitations of each, to help you decide which kind of experiment you want to create.
Available experiment types vary based on your Optimizely plan type. If what you see doesn’t match what’s in this article, or you want to learn more about what’s available, refer to our Optimizely X Web packages and legacy pricing matrix.
See our in-depth articles on:
How to create an A/B test
How to create a multivariate experiment in Optimizely X
How to create a multi-page (funnel) experiment in Optimizely X
A/B testing, also known as split testing, is a method of website optimization in which the conversion rates of two versions of a page — version A and version B — are compared to one another using live traffic. Site visitors are bucketed into one version or the other. By tracking the way visitors interact with the page they are shown — the videos they watch, the buttons they click, or whether or not they sign up for a newsletter — you can determine which version of the page is most effective.
A/B Testing is the least complex method of evaluating a page design, and is useful in a variety of situations.
One of the most common ways A/B testing is utilized is to test two very different design directions against one another. You can do this in Optimizely using a redirect experiment.
The current version of a company's home page might have in-text calls to action, while the new version might eliminate most text, but include a new top bar advertising the latest product. After enough visitors have been funneled to both pages, the number of clicks on each page's version of the call to action can be compared.
It's important to note that even though many design elements are changed in this kind of A/B test, only the impact of the design as a whole on each page's business goal is tracked, not individual elements.
A/B testing is also useful as an optimization option for pages where only one element is up for debate.
A pet store running an A/B test on their site might find that 85% more users are willing to sign up for a newsletter held up by a cartoon mouse than they are for one emerging from the coils of a boa constrictor. When A/B testing is used in this way, a third or even fourth version of the page is often included in the test, which is sometimes called an A/B/C/D (or A/B...n) test. This, of course, means that traffic to the site must be split into thirds or fourths, with a lesser percentage of visitors visiting each site.
Simple in concept and design, A/B testing is a powerful and widely used testing method.
Keeping the number of tracked variables small means these tests can deliver reliable data very quickly, as they do not require a large amount of traffic to run. This is especially helpful if your site has a small number of daily visitors. Splitting traffic into more than three or four segments would make it hard to finish a test. In fact, A/B testing is so speedy and easy to interpret that some large sites use it as their primary testing method, running cycles of tests one after another rather than more complex multivariate tests.
A/B testing is also a good way to introduce the concept of optimization through testing to a skeptical team, as it can quickly demonstrate the quantifiable impact of a simple design change.
A/B testing is a versatile tool, and when paired with smart experiment design and a commitment to iterative cycles of testing and redesign, it can help you make huge improvements to your site. However, remember that the limitations of this kind of test are summed up in the name. A/B testing is best used to measure the impact of a two to four variables on interactions with the page. Tests with more variables take longer to run, and in and of itself, A/B testing will not reveal any information about interaction between variables on a single page.
If you need information about how many different elements interact with one another, multivariate testing is the optimal approach!
Multivariate testing uses the same core mechanism as A/B testing, but compares a higher number of variables, and reveals more information about how these variables interact with one another. Think of it as multiple A/B tests layered on top of each other.
As in an A/B test, traffic to a page is split between different versions of the design. The purpose of a multivariate test, then, is to measure the effectiveness each design combination has on the ultimate goal.
Once a site has received enough traffic to run the test, the data from each variation is compared to find not only the most successful design, but also to potentially reveal which elements have the greatest positive or negative impact on a visitor's interaction.
The most commonly cited example of multivariate testing is a page on which several elements are up for debate — for example, a page that includes a sign-up form, some kind of catchy header text, and a footer.
To run a multivariate test on this page, rather than creating a radically different design as in A/B testing, you might create two different lengths of sign-up form, three different headlines, and two footers. Next, you would funnel visitors to all possible combinations of these elements.
Testing all possible combinations of a multivariate test is also known as full factorial testing, and is one of the reasons why multivariate testing is often recommended only for sites that have a substantial amount of daily traffic — the more variations that need to be tested, the longer it takes to obtain meaningful data from the test. It is, however, the most accurate way to run a multivariate test. This is the method Optimizely uses for multivariate testing.
Some testing platforms use the Taguchi method (fractional factorials). In layman's terms, this does not test all possible variations. But by looking at the differences in results from the variations it does test, it infers the best predicted experience even if that wasn't a variation that was actually tested. This method requires less traffic than full-factorial testing, but you may need to run follow-up tests to confirm that the "predicted best" variation is actually the best variation.
No matter which method is used, after the test has been run, the variables on each page variation are compared to each other, and to their performance in the context of other versions of the test. What emerges is a clear picture of which page is best performing, and which elements are most responsible for this performance. For example, varying a page footer may be shown to have very little effect on the performance of the page, while varying the length of the sign-up form has a huge impact.
Multivariate testing is a powerful way to help you target redesign efforts to the elements of your page where they will have the most impact. This is especially useful when designing landing page campaigns, for example, as the data about the impact of a certain element's design can be applied to future campaigns, even if the context of the element has changed.
The single biggest limitation of multivariate testing is the amount of traffic needed to complete the test. Since all experiments are fully factorial, too many changing elements at once can quickly add up to a very large number of possible combinations that must be tested. Even a site with fairly high traffic might have trouble completing a test with more than 25 combinations in a feasible amount of time.
When using multivariate tests, it's also important to consider how they will fit into your cycle of testing and redesign as a whole. Even when you are armed with information about the impact of a particular element, you may want to do additional A/B testing cycles to explore other radically different ideas. Also, sometimes it may not be worth the extra time necessary to run a full multivariate test when several well-designed A/B tests will do the job well.
Multi-page (also known as "funnel") testing is similar to A/B Testing except that rather than making variations to a single page, the changes you make are implemented consistently over several pages. Like A/B testing, site visitors of a multi-page test are bucketed into one version or the other. By tracking the way these visitors interact with the different pages they are shown, you can determine which design style is most effective. The key to getting usable data in a multi-page test is keeping users from seeing a mix and match of variations, and instead seeing a consistant variation throughout a set of pages. This allows one variation to be fairly tested against another.
Testing different design directions against one another can easily be done using multi-page testing. For example, imagine an e-commerce website that allows users to search through numerous products, add desired items to a virtual shopping cart, and then purchase the items.
In this case, users are seeing more than a single page. Instead, they are being funneled through several pages before finally either making a purchase or leaving the website. Using a multi-page test you can create two (or more) unique designs for a set of pages. Once doing this, you must make sure that your users have a consistent experience seeing only one design style throughout all the pages rather than a mix and match of different design variations.
After enough visitors have been funneled through the different designs, the effect of the different design styles can be compared easily and effectively.
Like A/B testing, Multi-page testing is simple in concept and can provide meaningful and reliable data with speed and ease. The advantage in multi-page testing lies in creating a consistent experience for the user. It allows for all users to see a consistent set of pages whether it be the original or a redesigned variation.
Multi-page testing allows you to implement the same changes you make on a single page in a typical A/B test, but instead apply them to several pages to ensure that visitors of your web page do not get bounced around between different variation and designs when funneling through your website.
Multi-page testing is a versatile and effective tool but has many of the same limitations as A/B testing. Like A/B testing, multi-page testing is best used to measure the impact of only a few variables at a time. Tests with too many variables take longer to run; it will also be more difficult to determine the impact of each individual change you make to each page.
In addition to these limitations, there are also a few limitations that are specific to just multi-page testing. When setting up a multi-page test you must have the same number of variations for every page that is part of the experiment. An uneven number of variations would create inconsistency between pages and lessen the experience for the user, as well as making any data collected difficult to interpret. Additionally, for multi-page experiments, only targeting conditions that apply to all pages in the experiment can be used.
Schedule experiments and experiences
Extensions: Create reusable templates for custom features in Optimizely X
funnel testing
types of tests
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Home » ICT4D Bibliography » Authors » National Telecommunications and Information Administration
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
Works: 3 references
All types of works All types of works (grouped) Reports for all years 2010 2002 1999 and group by categories No Yes
National Telecommunications and Information Administration (2010). Digital Nation: 21st Century America’s Progress Towards Universal Broadband Internet Access. Washington, DC: National Telecommunications and Information Administration. Retrieved February 20, 2010 from http://www.ntia.doc.gov/reports/2010/NTIA_internet_use_report_Feb2010.pdf
National Telecommunications and Information Administration (2002). A Nation Online: How Americans Are Expanding Their Use of the Internet. Washington, DC: National Telecommunications and Information Administration. Retrieved March 05, 2008 from http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/dn/anationonline2.pdf
National Telecommunications and Information Administration (1999). Falling Through The Net: Defining The Digital Divide. Washington, DC: National Telecommunications and Information Administration. Retrieved January 26, 2007 from http://spamcon.org/library/NTIA/FTTN.pdf
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Jamie Merisotis
President & CEO, Lumina Foundation
Jamie Merisotis has serves as president and CEO of Lumina Foundation since 2008. Previously, Merisotis serves as co-founder and president of the Institute for Higher Education Policy. He is the author of widely acclaimed book “America Needs Talent,” named a Top 10 Business book of 2016 by Booklist. His writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, National Journal, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Washington Monthly, Huffington Post, Politico, Roll Call, and other publications. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. Additionally, Merisotis has international experience as an advisor and consultant in southern Africa, the former Soviet Union, Europe, and other parts of the world.
Today's Students
The Big Fix: Rethinking Education and Workforce
Jamie Merisotis, Lumina Foundation July 19, 2018
Could a Department of Talent unify disconnected efforts to close workforce and educational gaps?
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Sod cutting ceremony on Dransfield Properties £5m retail scheme
Houlton started in November on a £5m retail development in east Hull set to transform a run-down site located on a 1.8-acre site on the corner of Mount Pleasant and Holderness Road, Hull for Barnsley-based Dransfield Properties.
The plans were approved by Hull City Council in April and work on the project is scheduled for completion in June 2015.
The scheme will be anchored by a 25,000 sq ft B&M store with a garden centre. Four further new retail units will also be created. In addition, two empty shops fronting Holderness Road are being refurbished and brought back into use as part of the overall project.
As well as bringing a new retail development to this part of Holderness Road the scheme includes a new district centre car park with about 90 parking spaces.
Hull City Council leader councillor Stephen Brady said: "I welcome this further investment in east Hull by Dransfield Group who have a strong track record of successful regeneration in the area.
"I want to particularly thank Mark Dransfield who, with his team, have worked tirelessly with our regeneration team over a number of years to bring this development to fruition."
Mark Dransfield added: "We have been working towards bringing a scheme forward on this site for many years and there has been a great deal of support in the area to see further development in this part of east Hull."
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Category Archives: CLACKMANNANSHIRE
May 19, 2017 David Poole 2 Comments
Dating from around 1830 Solsgirth House is one of the finest homes in central Scotland. It has recently undergone a significant programme of refurbishment. (Knight Frank)
From where I write I can see that every ten minutes or so a bus passes. When I started writing this post I had no idea that on the front of each bus was an insignia that linked each one to this country house located hundreds of miles away. The badge proudly says ‘Alexander’ and is a name celebrated by bus enthusiasts throughout the world.
The house in question is Solsgirth House, a desirable Grade B listed mansion set below the Ochil Hills, bordering Clackmannanshire, Fife and Perthshire. It was built about 1870 for William Connal, a member of an old Stirling family going back generations. He was born in Stown, Stirlingshire, the son of Patrick Connal, merchant and banker, who had the misfortune of having shares in the Stirling Bank when it crashed in 1826. He was ruined but had better fortune when he was appointed the first local agent for the National Bank of Scotland.¹
Solgirth House is an impressive Victorian mansion of dressed stone with slate roofs. The house is set in about 30 acres of gardens and grounds. (Knight Frank)
William Connal (1819-1898) – the pig-iron man
As a young man William Connal had entered his Uncle William’s firm which specialised in tea and sugar importing and the Virginia tobacco trade. In 1852 his pedigree allowed him to marry Emelia Jesse Campbell, the daughter of Colonel R.N. Campbell of Ormidale in Argyllshire. His uncle’s company prospered but William chose to practice his skills in an entirely different market. In the 1860s he set up a pig-iron business in Glasgow which became known as ‘Connal’s Store’. It was here that he collected pig-iron against warrants, the object being to keep the market from unduly fluctuating.² As a recognised storekeeper iron was brought into Connal’s yard and cashed in by iron merchants. Sometimes they were granted bank loans against the iron warrants. It proved a lucrative business and William quickly made his fortune expanding into Middlesbrough and opening the Cleveland Warrant Stores in 1864.
William’s main residence was at 19 Park Circus in Glasgow (but he would later own property at 87 St. Vincent Street). From his meaty earnings William commissioned the building of a country house in 1870. Solsgirth House was built as a weekend retreat but where he could also entertain local gentry and business associates. It was described as ‘broadly Scottish Domestic in style’. It began as a straightforward two-storey oblong with a south front of five bays.
The original house was built in 1870 in the baronial style with later sections added at the end of the century in a more ornate design with many Art Nouveau features. (Elemental Photography)
A newspaper report from 1877 describes a happy occasion at Solsgirth. ‘A number of tenantry were entertained at dinner on the occasion of the marriage of Miss Helen Alexa, daughter of Mr William Connal to Mr Richard Niven, Dalnottar. About 50 guests adjourned to the dancing room, which was tastefully decorated for the occasion, where they were joined in a large party of young people. The ball was opened with a Scotch Reel, in which Mr and Mrs Connal and family took part. The proceedings terminated with ‘Auld Langsyne’.⁴
However, there were sad times ahead. In October, Emelia Jessie Connal died and William faced life alone at Solsgirth. He turned his attention towards the arts and became an avid collector of paintings by Edward Burne Jones, Edward Poynter, Frederick Sandys, Roddam Spencer Stanhope, Fernand Knopff and Adolphe Monticelli as well as a few Old Masters. He also owned James McNeill Whistler’s Symphony in Silver and Grey. In 1877 he invited the artist Albert Joseph Moore to stay at Solsgirth House allowing him to recuperate after a serious illness. It was during this stopover that William commissioned Moore to paint his portrait, one of significance that shows him wearing a honeybee brooch, a personal emblem that he used on his personal stationary. The portrait now belongs to York Art Gallery.⁵
William Connal. Painted by Albert Joseph Moore in 1877 (York Art Gallery)
In later years William Connal handed over the running of his business to his son, also William, and spent more time at Solsgirth House. He had little time for public affairs but in 1887 was granted the Freedom of the Borough of Stirling. In return he gifted to Stirling a beautiful stained-glass window which was inserted into the west wall of the ancient High Kirk of Holy Rood Church.⁶
William died at Solsgirth House in July 1898 aged 80 leaving estate worth £202,200.⁷ A correspondent from the nearby village of Blairingone paid a handsome tribute to the man:-
“During his thirty years residence amongst us, Mr Connal had endeared himself to the hearts of the villagers by numberless acts of large hearted liberality. Blairingone had always a handy interest for him, and was the sphere wherein many of his benevolent deeds were done. The Sabbath scholars of past and present years long remember the fondness which annually found expression in the Sabbath School pennies and the Halloween treat. Yet too, he contributed to the comfort of the poor and aged by substantial gifts of coats in the winter season. He never seemed to grow weary planning for the benefit of the villagers and some years ago conferred a lasting good upon the village by bringing in a permanent supply of water which was led to the people’s very door. Far from the smoke and stir of city life he died on Thursday 14th July at the summer residence he loved so well, in the midst of the people whose lives he had done so much to brighten, and whose love he had so universally acquired. His remains were conveyed to Glasgow on Saturday last, where they were interred in the family burying ground at the Necropolis.”⁸
Sale details following the death of William Connal. From the The Scotsman, 11 Oct 1898. (British Newspaper Archive)
The Sutherlands and days of grandeur
Following William Connal’s death there was no desire for his family to remain at Solsgirth House. The house was put up for auction in November 1898 with the highest bidder being Mr Robert MacKay Sutherland (1849-1916) of Wallside who intended making it his principal property. The remaining contents of the house were removed and sent to auction in December.
Robert MacKay Sutherland was a native of Falkirk and, as a boy, had entered the business of James Ross and Sons. This was a chemical manufacturing business established in 1845 on the Forth & Clyde Canal in Camelon. It had expanded by leasing land at Limewharf for tar distillation and the establishment of the Philipstoun Oil Works near Linlithgow. In 1879 the business was transferred to a partnership between Sutherland (manager of the Limewharf Works) and Robert Orr of Kinnaird who had also risen through the ranks. Their timing couldn’t have been better for this was the period when industry across Victorian Britain was reaching the height of prosperity.⁹
In early life Sutherland had married Alice D. Fleming, the daughter of James Fleming of Carmuirs in Falkirk. They had a family of two sons and three daughters and eventually resided at Wallside House, Falkirk, the former home of the firm’s founder James Ross.
The interiors of Solsgirth House were representative of late Victorian opulence. (Knight Frank)
Away from his principal business Robert Sutherland was also a trustee and manager of the Falkirk Savings Bank as well as being a supporter of the Falkirk Infirmary from its conception.
Wealth and prosperity allowed pioneering entrepreneurs to improve their social standing and the Sutherland’s move to Solsgirth was typical of the day. One of Robert’s first undertakings was to connect the courtyard buildings to the main body of the house. According to Pevsner – Perth and Kinross there was also ‘a sizeable extension added to the east, with crow stepped gables and oriel windows to the two-storeys south part and a single-storey billiard room wing, a mullioned and transomed four-light window in its gable, projecting boldly north’.
In what was probably Solsgirth’s greatest period it was followed with significant remodelling by the architect James Graham Fairley between 1910 and 1913. These modifications shaped the house that we see today.
The original house was remodelled and thickened to the north c.1910-13 by J Graham Fairley who gave this west part bracketed broad eaves and barge-boarded dormer windows. He heightened the south west corner as a French pavilion-roofed low tower containing the principal entrance in a segmental-pedimented surround of Jacobean inspiration. A much taller and ogee-roofed tower, also Neo-Jacobean, was built on the west side. At the same time he erected a Tuscan-columned screen in front of the low 1890s service range at the house’s east end. Interiors in a mixture of Jacobean and Frenchy manners but without panache, the principal room (the ballroom) apparently formed by Fairley throwing together two rooms of the 1890s.¹⁰
Robert Sutherland died following a long illness at Solsgirth House in August 1916. The estate passed to his son James Fleming Sutherland (1889-1932) who had also taken over the running of James Ross and Son. He married Edith Mary, daughter of Richard Fitzgerald Meredith of Barnabrow House, Cloyne, in County Cork, in 1918. They remained at Solsgirth House until the late 1920s when they moved to Knockbrex Castle, Kirkcudbright, as well as taking a London residence at 27 Egerton Gardens.
By 1929 the Solsgirth Estate consisted of the main house, a Home Farm, two farms at Newhall and Muirhead and about 100 acres of woodland providing shelter for pheasant, partridge and grouse shooting over Muirhead Moss. The house remained unoccupied and James Sutherland had put the estate up for auction in July but market conditions were against him. This wasn’t a good time to sell a large country estate and two years later, in July 1931, the estate was offered by Knight, Frank and Rutley for the ‘upset’ price of £6,000 at the Estate Room, Princess Street, Edinburgh.¹¹ This time James Sutherland could take consolation that there was a person willing to take Solsgirth House but he wouldn’t have known that he only had a short time left. Twelve months later he developed pneumonia and died suddenly at the age of 43.
Taken from The Scotsman newspaper of 12 Jun 1929. (British Newspaper Archive)
Walter Alexander – the last of the Solsgirth entrepreneurs
The new owner of Solsgirth House turned out to be a man whose name is decorated on our buses today. At the time of the purchase Walter Alexander (1879-1959) was living with his wife, Isobel Daly Alexander, at The Manor in Camelon, Falkirk. For a scanty sum he had procured a magnificent mansion that will always be associated with him.
When he bought Solsgirth House he was at the height of his career and the rise of his firm was a romance of enterprise and industry. In 1902 Walter Alexander was working as a grate-fitter at Bonnybridge Foundry and in the evenings spent time with his two brothers repairing and selling bicycles. This was the era when the bicycle was a most popular form of transport and he had managed to save enough money to set up a bicycle shop of his own in Camelon.
It was while he was working here that Walter visualised the possibilities of road transport. He had a motor lorry which he used for haulage work, but on the two weekend nights fitted wooden forms, put a hood over it, fitted bicycle lamps inside, and transported people between Falkirk, Bonnybridge and Denny for the price of a penny. In 1913 he launched Alexander’s Motor Service and acquired his first bus in 1919, which was regarded as a luxury vehicle at the time because it had glass windows on its sides. The bus had softer seats than the hard wooden forms, but had solid tyres. The bus ran between Falkirk and Kilsyth and was driven by his son, also called Walter, and who remained with the company for the rest of his life. On the occasion of a football match between Airdrie and Falkirk this bus was switched to take ‘fans’ from Falkirk to Airdrie and back. Packed to the door, with passengers on the roof, the vehicle made this trip on one memorable occasion, and the conductress brought back an unheard of sum of money which was never equalled for a journey of similar distance by a single-decker. By 1925 the firm was thoroughly established, had started building buses, and by this time the fleet of vehicles numbered 40. Then came the introduction of pneumatic or ‘balloon’ tyres, and the firm never looked back.¹²
An early charabanc party in Walter Alexander’s chain driven Belhaven. His son, Walter Alexander Jnr is at the steering wheel and would later take over the company. (Falkirk Herald)
Express services were started from Falkirk to Glasgow, while there were developments in other directions. On 1st January, 1927, Mr Alexander acquired running rights to Perth, Dundee and Aberdeen, and on that day a through service from Glasgow to Aberdeen and vice-versa was also inaugurated.
Possibly the greatest achievement for Walter Alexander was the introduction of the famous ‘Bluebird’ coaches, an idea conceived by his son shortly after they arrived at Solsgirth House. In 1934 he launched the smart blue and cream vehicles (produced at the Alexander works) with the ‘flying bird’ symbol that revolutionised motor coach travel comfort with the absolute luxury provided. A further important development took place in 1928 when there was a consolidation of bus services after the government allowed railway companies to provide bus services. The London, Midland & Scottish (LMS) and the London and North Eastern (LNER) Railways, bought a large stake in the Edinburgh based Scottish Motor Traction Company (SMT) and acquired a controlling interest in Walter Alexander & Sons. The group comprised of SMT Edinburgh; W. Alexander & Sons Ltd, Falkirk; Western SMT, Kilmarnock; and Central SMT., Motherwell. They, with smaller operators provided a network that many believed ‘couldn’t be bettered by any other country in the world’.
The famous ‘Bluebird’ logo decorated Walter Alexander’s luxury coaches. (Bruce Peter)
It was arguably with the money received from the SMT that Walter Alexander was able to buy Solsgirth House.
In 1945 bus operations were nationalised by the Attlee government and the coachbuilding assets were transferred to a separate company called Walter Alexander and Co (Coachbuilders) Limited in 1947.¹³
Isobel Daly Alexander died in June 1935 and Walter commissioned a chapel to be built at the east of the property. He refurbished much of the interior making use of the original wallpaper in the dining room, redressed the library with French walnut woodwork, built an ornate stone loggia with tiled floor and remodelled the drawing room and ballroom as well as providing en-suites to the bedrooms.
Walter Alexander remained at Solsgirth House until his death in 1959.
The ballroom. The scene of many happy family occasions over the years. (Knight Frank)
The Chapel. Built to the east of the house by Walter Alexander. (Knight Frank)
His coachbuilding company, now run by his son Walter Alexander Jnr, prospered while the bus operations were eventually absorbed into three companies, Fife Scottish, Midland Scottish and Northern Scottish.
The coachbuilding operations eventually moved back to Camelon in Falkirk and, by the 1960s, they were also building buses in Belfast. Their buses were exported worldwide and in 1983 the company was named as the largest supplier of double-deck bus bodies in the world. In 1990 the Alexander family finally relinquished the business and it survived through various owners. Today it is known as Alexander Dennis (comprising three famous names – Alexander, Dennis and Plaxton) employing about 2,000 people in the United Kingdom, continental Asia and North America.
The ‘Alexander’ name can still be seen on buses throughout the world. (Alan Sansbury)
The hotel years and uncertain future
After the departure of the Alexander family Solsgirth House remained in private hands. In 1996 it was bought by Bernie and Denise Burgin who used it as a family home for 15 years. In 2010 the estate was bought by a modern-day entrepreneur who rose from the humble beginnings of Stirling’s Raploch housing estate.
According to The Scotsman Steven MacLeod’s first foray into business was at the age of 10, washing cars and selling tablet and macaroon bars door to door. By 14 he was washing dishes in a hotel and by the time he was 29 had bought Airth Castle Hotel in Stirlingshire. In time he added Melville Castle in Edinburgh, Glenbervie House Hotel, Larbert and the Hotel Colessio in Stirling, all operating as part of the Aurora Hotel Collection.
However, recent events don’t make happy reading for Solsgirth House. In January 2017 newspapers reported the hotel had closed down leaving many couples who had booked weddings looking for alternative venues. Steven Macleod accused Perth and Kinross Council of “bullying” the venue after it emerged that the council’s building control and licensing department had raised concerns over the hotel. Concerns had been raised by Scottish Fire and Rescue and building standards representatives and a number occasional (alcohol) licenses had been refused on the basis that the premises were ‘unsuitable for use for the sale of alcohol’. It had regularly hosted receptions of up to 400 guests.
Stephen MacLeod claimed his company had planned a significant investment in Solsgirth House and that he had been in advanced discussions with the local planning department. “However, the group’s plans were thwarted by the onerous requirements of the building control and licensing departments of Perth and Kinross Council, and the costs associated with these made it prohibitive to operate the business.”¹⁴
Steven McLeod, of Aurora Hotels Collection, faced disappointment when he had to close Solsgirth House as a hotel and wedding venue in early 2017. (Falkirk Herald)
In 2017, 147 years after it was built, Solsgirth House was placed on the market with offers over £1.95 million. Ironically, the property agent was Knight Frank who had marketed the house back in 1931. (The ‘Rutley’ was dropped from the Knight Frank name in 1996)
¹Stirling Observer (28 April 1914)
²Dundee Evening Telegraph (15 July 1898)
³’The Rise of the Victorian Ironopolis: Middlesbrough and Regional Industrialisation’ by Minoru Yasumoto
⁴Dundee Courier (7 February 1877)
⁵The Herald (16 January 1999)
⁶Stirling Observer (28 April 1914)
⁷Glasgow Herald (13 September 1898)
⁸Alloa Advertiser (23 July 1898)
⁹Falkirk Archives
¹⁰Pevsner – Perth and Kinross by John Gifford
¹¹Dundee Courier (1 July 1931)
¹²Falkirk Herald (14 May 1949)
¹³The Falkirk Wheel
¹⁴Sunday Post (31 Jan 2017)
Solsgirth House,
Dollar, Clackmannanshire, FK14 7NZ
The interior is predominantly Neo-Jacobean and French, characterised by high quality ornate plasterwork, carved timber archways, timber panelling and parquet floors. (Knight Frank)
Solsgirth is a large, well-detailed, late 19th century country house, broadly Scottish Domestic in style and enlarged in the early years of the 20th century introducing Neo-Jacobean and Classical influences. It is particularly distinguished by its Tuscan-columned garden loggia. (Knight Frank)
The single-storey loggia adjoining the south elevation. It is a Tuscan-columned screen with a low balustraded wall and moulded cornice. It is flanked by advanced, square-plan pavilions flanking with channelled rustication, round-arched openings; pierced parapets and ball-finials. Balustraded steps rise towards the terraced lawn. (Knight Frank)
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Funny Clip Of David Bowie Doing An Impression Of Jagger
photo credits to youtube.com/DavidBowie
It’s no secret that Mick Jagger and David Bowie were pretty good friends. So much that it’s normal for them to sort of make fun of each other on national television. They met in the early 70s and even worked together a bunch of times. They even have a song (and an unforgettable music video) together for their cover of ‘Dancing in the Street’ which prompted rumours of a secret love affair between the two rock icons. Jagger even recalled in an interview with Rolling Stone how their friendship worked, saying,
“There was always an exchange of information within our friendship. And I suppose there was always an element of competition between us, but it never felt overwhelming. When he’d come over, we’d talk about our work — a new guitarist, a new way of writing, style and photographers. We had a lot in common in wanting to do big things onstage — using interesting designs, narratives, personalities.”
Jagger’s favorite memory of Bowie was when they did “Dancing in the Street”.
“We had to record the song and film the video all in one day. We walked straight from the studio onto the set of the video,” said Jagger. “At the end of the day, we were saying, ‘See, it can be done! Why are spending years in the studio?’ We enjoyed camping it up. The video is hilarious to watch. It was the only time we really collaborated on anything, which is really stupid when you think about it.”
Now Bowie seems to be fond of Jagger as well. In a vintage Michael Parkinson talk show appearance of Bowie, he showed a pretty hilarious impression of Jagger. He told an anecdote of how much of a Little Richard fan he was. And how he first encountered the Stones when they were the opening act for Little Richard way before they were even famous.
“I’ve never seen anything so rebellious in his life and some guy yells to the stage “get your haircut”, he recalls. Then, Bowie shifts to imitate Mick Jagger’s accent and talking mannerism and says Mick Jagger sarcastically answered, “while I look like you?”
And then he thought “oh my god this is the future of music”, and the audience burst into laughter.
Watch the interview below:
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Antero Resources Corp (AR.N)
AR.N on New York Stock Exchange
Antero Resources Corporation is an oil and natural gas company. The Company is engaged in the exploration, development and acquisition of natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs) and oil properties located in the Appalachian Basin. The Company's segments include the exploration, development and production of natural gas, NGLs and... (more)
Market Cap(Mil.): $1,468.33
AR.N
P/E (TTM): 2.55 4.66 10.28
ROI: 6.01 1.13 13.32
ROE: 6.88 0.85 16.30
Latest News about AR.N
U.S. settles with Antero over water pollution from fracking
WASHINGTON The U.S. Justice Department said on Monday it reached a settlement with oil and natural gas company Antero Resources Corp over claims it violated the Clean Water Act at 32 different sites in West Virginia, mostly tied to fracking.
WASHINGTON, Feb 11 The U.S. Justice Department said on Monday it reached a settlement with oil and natural gas company Antero Resources Corp over claims it violated the Clean Water Act at 32 different sites in West Virginia, mostly tied to fracking.
» More AR.N News
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Home > Forest Jobs and Recreation Act Testimony
Forest Jobs and Recreation Act Testimony
On December 17, Chris Wood, the chief operating officer of Trout Unlimited, spoke before a senate subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill in support of Senate Bill 1470, also known as the Forest Jobs and Recreation Act. Wood joined a diverse contingent of Montana residents who helped craft the ground-breaking proposal to conserve land and provide local jobs.
His testimony is as follows:
Chairman Wyden and members of the Subcommittee, I appreciate the opportunity to appear before you today to provide my views as Chief Operating Officer for Trout Unlimited (TU) on S. 1470, the Forest Jobs and Recreation Act. Prior to working for TU, I served as the senior policy and communications advisor to the Chief of the US Forest Service, and on the fish and wildlife and ecosystem management staffs for the Bureau of Land Management.
Trout Unlimited (TU) is dedicated to the protection and restoration of our nation’s trout and salmon resources and the watersheds that sustain them. TU has more than 135,000 members in 400 chapters across the United States. Our members generally are trout and salmon anglers who give back to the waters they love by contributing substantial amounts of their personal time and resources to fisheries habitat protection and restoration. I am offering this testimony today on behalf of TU and the National Wildlife Federation (NWF).
More than 2,000 TU and 5,000 NWF members live and work in communities around the National Forest and BLM areas in this bill, including Butte, Anaconda, Deer Lodge, Sheridan, Twin Bridges, Silver Star, Philipsburg, West Yellowstone, Cameron, Dillon, Ennis, Bozeman, Missoula, Drummond, Ovando, Bonner, Whitehall, Libby and Troy. Most members in these areas are long-time or native Montanans and they fish, hunt, hike, camp, drive, snowmobile, ski, ride horses, and collect firewood, berries and Christmas trees from these lands. A number have livelihoods directly tied to these lands, working guides and outfitters, loggers, ranch hands, staffers in natural resource agencies or operators of small businesses.
Several years ago, spurred by the recognition that National Forests in western Montana were not living up to their potential to support healthy fish and wildlife and provide jobs and recreational opportunities for local communities, TU and other local stakeholders came together to develop a shared vision for forest management. The resulting compromises provided the basis for an important part of S. 1470, which would protect fish and wildlife habitat through the designation of more than 600,000 acres of new wilderness and more than 300,000 acres of National Recreation Areas, restore degraded habitat through the removal of old roads and blocked culverts, reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire through targeted fuel reduction projects, and create jobs for local communities through stewardship contracting. If implemented, the bill could yield significant benefits to fish and wildlife, water resources, and nearby communities.
TU has a long record of working with farmers, ranchers, industries, and government agencies to protect and restore trout and salmon watersheds nationwide. In recent years, we have bought gas leases in Montana to help protect the Rocky Mountain Front, helped to establish a successful roadless area plan for the National Forests of Idaho, and helped to establish and fund historic, broadly-supported dam removal projects from the Penobscot River in Maine to the Klamath in California and Oregon. Finding solutions to vexing resource problems is a hallmark of what we do.
Drawing on these cooperative experiences, we have worked to develop the solutions contained in S. 1470 with a diverse group of stakeholders in Montana. Bruce Farling, Montana TU’s executive director, has led TU’s efforts on the Beaverhead-Deerlodge, and TU volunteer Tim Linehan has been a leader in the Kootenai initiative. These people, and their coalition partners, have done courageous, outstanding work. TU strongly supports S. 1470, we deeply appreciate the work of Senator Tester and his staff for introducing it, and we urge the Subcommittee to support it.
We realize that some people have concerns about some of the provisions of this bill. We do not claim to have all the answers and look forward to working with the Subcommittee, the Forest Service, the Obama Administration, and all others who share the goals of the bill. We urge others with criticisms to provide alternatives that will achieve the goals of the bill, namely protecting vital fish and wildlife habitat, restoring forests, and sustaining local communities.
In my testimony today, I would like to focus on two major points.
First, I will describe how S. 1470 would benefit fish, wildlife and local communities.
Second, I will address some of the criticisms of this legislation, and explain why in spite of the challenges we face, I believe the goals of the legislation can be achieved.
Background on the Development of S. 1470
In an August 14, 2009 speech in Seattle, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack stated that Americans must move away from polarization and “…work towards a shared vision—a vision that conserves our forests and the vital resources important to our survival while wisely respecting the need for a forest economy that creates jobs and vibrant rural communities.” Through a collaborative grassroots effort dating back more than four years, a broad range of partners has done just that, and the resulting vision has provided the basis for the legislation introduced by Senator Tester.
Prior to this collaborative process the forests were mired in stalemate that failed to protect and restore fish and wildlife. The state of Montana has not designated a new wilderness in 25 years, despite the broad recognition of the need to protect quality fish and wildlife habitat and public support to do so. There are hundreds of impassible culverts on the forests that fragment trout habitat. Dense networks of obsolete roads restrict elk security and movement contribute heavy loads of sediment to streams.
Due in part to these impacts, native salmonids, some of which are listed or candidates for listing under the Endangered Species act, occupy but a fraction of their historic range. Decades of fire suppression has produced homogenous even-aged stands of forests, which along with climate change and the pine bark beetle infestation increase the risk of unnaturally intense fire. The Forest Jobs and Recreation Act will enable the Forest Service to address these long-neglected needs.
The Forest Jobs and Recreation Act results from three grassroots efforts in which TU in Montana was a principal in two efforts (B-D and Three Rivers) and a supporter in the third (Blackfoot-Clearwater). The bill is Montana-made and it has generated popular and unprecedented consensus among many Montanans of different stripes that validates the notion that collaboration is vital to developing long-term popular support of public lands management.
The Fish and Wildlife Benefits of the Forest Jobs and Recreation Act
Now more than ever, as changes in climate increase the challenges faced by forest managers and ecosystems, it is imperative that national forests are managed in ways that promote resiliency. At its heart, S. 1470 is a climate change adaptation strategy. By federally protecting the highest quality landscapes and then reconnecting them to adjacent areas through watershed restoration, S. 1470 will help to maintain abundant fish and wildlife populations while providing multiple benefits to human communities through good paying jobs. As we recently stated before this committee, this can be done through the following actions:
1. Protect the highest quality lands and waters.
The Forest Jobs and Recreation Act would protect as federal wilderness more than 670,000 acres of undeveloped country in 25 areas, as well as create over 300,000 acres of special management and national recreation areas. By doing so, it will protect crucial sources of clean, cold water as well as essential habitats for wild and native trout in the headwaters of some of the nation’s most storied trout waters, including Rock Creek and the Madison, Beaverhead, Ruby, Jefferson, Big Blackfoot, Clark Fork and Kootenai rivers. Protection of wilderness and special management areas in the bill will also help secure habitats for Canadian lynx, a listed species, as well as wolverines and mountain goats – all species that research tells need undisturbed habitats. Finally, it will provide vital habitats for elk security.
The protection of high quality habitat, along with the reconnection and restoration projects described below, will help secure populations of one ESA listed fish species, Bull trout, and three additional fish species that are candidates for listing: westslope cutthroat trout, arctic grayling, and interior redband trout. All of these species now inhabit but a tiny fraction of their historical ranges on the lands in the bill. The wilderness and special area designations serve as critical sources for fish that are necessary for re-populating restored habitats downstream.
2. Reconnect landscapes so that fish and wildlife can survive habitat disturbances.
Restoration projects will be focused on areas of high road density. Obsolete road networks in Montana forests cause habitat fragmentation that prevents fish and wildlife from dispersing to intact habitats when faced with disturbances such as fire, drought or intense storms. The Forest Jobs and Recreation Act would address the problems caused by these road networks by (1) prohibiting the construction of new, permanent roads; and (2) requiring that road densities be reduced (in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, when completing a project done pursuant to the FJRA, road densities must be reduced to averages no more than one linear mile per square mile). The scientifically based standard recommended by the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks for elk security is one mile per 1.5 square mile, which is the minimum needed to provide enough security for elk so that Montana can maintain its annual 5-week general big game hunting season. The Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest and the Seeley Lake Ranger District include some of the most productive lands anywhere in Montana for large, trophy elk. The road standards in the Forest Jobs and Recreation Act will also protect high quality habitat and improve wildlife security for a host of popular game and non-game species, including elk, mule deer, black and grizzly bears and mountain goats.
The road standards will also greatly benefit fish by reducing erosion-prone road surfaces and road crossing structures such as culverts that are currently harming habitat and impeding movement of fish into and out of important habitats. Agency surveys indicate, for example, that at least 240 road culverts on the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest are currently complete or partial barriers to fish movement, and the frequency of road crossing barriers on the Seeley-Lake and Three Rivers Districts are even more severe. The result is reduced habitat availability for species such as Bull trout and cutthroat trout. The restoration projects called for in this legislation will improve habitat connectivity by removing roads and replacing or removing blocked culverts.
3. Engage communities in restoration.
The FJRA directs the Forest Service to use stewardship contracting to meet vegetation management goals, which ensures that the value of trees removed is invested back onto the same landscape in habitat restoration, elimination of pollution sources, protection of key habitats from livestock, suppression of weeds on winter ranges, as well as improvement of recreational features, such as trails used by hunters, anglers and other recreationists.
By focusing stewardship projects on previously developed landscapes with high densities of roads, the Forest Jobs and Recreation Act will help address impairments on landscapes that are prone to unnatural rates of erosion, and related effects such as exotic weed invasion, after fires. When large fires sweep through developed landscapes such as those on the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest or the Three Rivers Ranger District, they significantly increase the risk of erosion from road systems after snowmelt or severe rainstorms, and subsequent colonization by exotic weeds. Similarly, post-fire storms can block road culverts with debris and mud, causing these structures to fail and resulting in channel scouring and large amounts of sediment entering into trout streams. Fire is a natural part of these forest systems. In fact, on undeveloped landscapes it can play a beneficial role, one that fish and wildlife have adapted to for eons. On densely roaded forests, the effects of fire can cause intense erosion, water quality degradation, and extirpation of local populations of fish and wildlife—not to mention the risk to nearby human communities.
Challenges to Meeting the Goals of the Legislation
Montana has long been ground-zero in the “timber wars.” It was there that the deleterious effects of roading and clear cutting practices on the Bitterroot National Forest were brought to national attention through the Bolle Report, a report whose findings helped to bring about the National Forest Management Act of 1976 (NFMA). NFMA mandated a detailed forest planning process that resulted in a recommitment by the Forest Service to the concept of multiple-use. Today, however, few would argue that the NFMA planning process as currently implemented is proving effective at unleashing the extraordinary talent and skill of Forest Service employees to help combat the effects of climate change on natural resources, fish and wildlife, and human communities.
In fire-adapted ecosystems that have missed fire return intervals, we do not have the luxury of hitting a reset button. Fire must be reintroduced to these systems, but it must be done so safely. In many cases, we will require the services and skills of timber companies to thin areas before we can safely reintroduce fires. In other areas, we need them to thin around communities along the forest’s edge to help make them safer from the predicted increases in fire associated with climate change. No-one is talking about cutting old growth or entering pristine roadless areas. This bill is about land health and community safety and well-being. Given the State’s role in the history of the Forest Service, it is fitting that a diverse array of stakeholders have come together in Montana to provide an alternative path for managing public lands in the face of a changing climate.
None of the supporters of S. 1470 believe it an appropriate prescription for all of the National Forest System, but given the “paralysis” as one former Chief put it, that the Forest Service finds itself mired in, we should be open to all good new ideas that help to bring people together for the betterment of the lands and waters that sustain us all.
The collaborative process undertaken by a broad range of partners has brought about a shared vision for forest management that can protect critical fish and wildlife habitat, maintain and enhance recreational opportunities, restore habitat by removing roads and blocked culverts, reduce the risk of unnaturally intense wildfire, and support good paying, family wage restoration jobs. That said, the bill does have critics. I will present a few of the main criticisms of S. 1470, attempt to answer them, and identify areas where people can work together to find solutions that meet the needs of the Forest Service, healthy ecosystems, and local communities.
Completing the restoration projects outlined in the bill will be expensive, and may cause the Forest Service to divert funding from other important needs. Rather than look at the Forest Service budget as a zero-sum game, where dollars are spread evenly across the landscape; our strong belief is that it is more prudent to apply resources where they are needed most, and importantly, where the community capacity exists to ensure success.
Few question the need of restoration treatments on the lands covered by S. 1470. The relationships and commitment to the type of collaborative process envisioned by Secretary Vilsack, however, exist in relatively few places today. As the diverse support base of this bill makes clear, the Kootenai, Lolo and Beaverhead-Deerlodge national forests are such places. These are the areas we should make our initial investments. And if legislation is required to kick start that era of collaborative stewardship, we think that type of congressional leadership appropriate.
Leaving some forests under-funded and unable to accomplish restoration goals because resources were diverted elsewhere is not in anyone’s interest. It may be necessary to secure additional resources beyond the Forest Service’s base budget through appropriations and stewardship contracting receipts to complete the projects outlined in the bill without taking resources away from other forests. Because of the tremendous benefits provided by the bill, especially its 670,000 acres of wilderness, such investments are cost-effective and worthwhile.
Legislating forest plans is inappropriate. TU’s national staff and thousands of volunteers have participated in forest planning for decades. The Forest Service is an important and valued partner to TU and NWF. That said, the Forest Service planning process has not had a stellar record. The amendments to the 1982 planning regulations in 2000 were overturned by the Bush Administration, and subsequent efforts to revise the rules in 2005 and 2008 were deemed illegal by the courts. We plan to work with Secretary Vilsack and Chief Tidwell to make the latest attempt to revise the planning rules successful. In the meantime, we should not pass up opportunities to bring historic adversaries together, to protect crucial habitat, to restore degraded landscapes to better adapt to the effects of a changing climate, and to sustain local communities.
If we pass this legislation, we will have to do the same for forests across the country. From 1960-1989, National Forests produced 9-12 billion board feet of timber per year. Since that time, they have produced less than 2 billion per year. A recent survey of federal agencies found that morale in the Forest Service ranked 206 out of 216 agencies. Where once the agency’s clear mission was to sell trees to build homes and provide other multiple uses, the agency is now struggling through its 19th year of transition.
Few wish to see the agency return to its timber cutting era. The nation, however, needs a strong Forest Service. We need its extraordinary knowledge and leadership to help human communities and fish and wildlife resources adapt to a changing climate. None of the organizations that support S. 1470 believes it is a panacea for the agency. We do, however, believe it vital to help foster the type of collaboration and negotiation that brought us here today. We do not want to see forest plans legislated across the country; but we do need to see models of collaborative stewardship enacted by the agency. For two decades, polarization and stalemate have defined National Forest management. S. 1470 could have a transformative effect within the Forest Service. Congress has an opportunity to send a clear message to the Forest Service. By sanctioning this effort to bring together diverse interests to meet the needs of the land and nearby communities, Congress will impel the agency to lead, promote, or otherwise enable them as standard-operating procedure within the Forest planning process.
We subscribe to Secretary Vilsack’s vision of a new era of collaborative stewardship within the agency. S. 1470 will help provide one example of how that vision can be made into reality across the 191 million acre National Forest System.
The collaborative effort undertaken by local Montana groups is on the verge of overcoming years of controversy and delay to protect and restore Montana forests in ways that benefit local communities. There are challenges ahead, and to be certain, there may be ways to improve the bill, but S. 1470 represents a new way of doing business for the Forest Service, and we urge Congress to pass it.
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You Are There 1839: Religion and the Divided Frontier
In our latest You Are There exhibit, experience a snapshot of what life was like when the Hoosier State was part of the American frontier. Learn about the experiences of early residents and how they grappled with pivotal and ongoing issues of freedom, equality and faith.
You Are There 1839: Religion and the Divided Frontier puts you inside a small Danville inn during a period of religious and political transformation known as the Western Revival. At this time, Methodist Church membership exploded, and people embraced a religion that suited their everyday lives.
The inn provides a setting where men and women of different backgrounds and religious and political beliefs interact. Once inside, you’ll meet a cast of characters including Eli P. Farmer, a traveling preacher known for his joyous sermons as well as his propensity for brawling. Guests can pull up a chair to hear stories of the frontier, explore the modest cooking space and spend time talking to Farmer and his companions, including his wife, Elizabeth; a judge; an innkeeper; and a variety of early Hoosiers making a life for themselves on the frontier.
Farmer, a native of Kentucky, served in the War of 1812 and came to Indiana in 1822. He began his work as a Methodist circuit rider in 1825, committed to his vision of religious purity and inspiring thousands to join the church. He split from the church to form his own denomination, Christian Union, which he began preaching about in 1839. He later worked in the state not just as a preacher, but as a businessman, newspaper editor and politician.
Through his story, visitors can explore powerful issues like religious debates over slavery and temperance, while also seeing and hearing firsthand how driven men like Farmer introduced new religious practices and social beliefs to the state one convert at a time.
Supported by a generous planning grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.
Museum Theater Program supported by the Arts Council and the City of Indianapolis
Read about Eli Farmer in the new IHS Press book Faith and Fury: Eli Farmer on the Frontier, 1794-1881.
THE WESTERN REVIVAL
You Are There 1839: Religion and the Divided Frontier explores the transformative period of the Second Great Awakening or Western Revival, as it was called in frontier states like Indiana. This period helped to create an established religious culture in a state that lacked one at the start of the 19th century. This new religious culture promoted individualism and free will – blurring racial, gender and socioeconomic lines, and rejecting hierarchies emphasizing religious authority.
The spread of religion on the frontier was heavily dependent on the traveling preacher, or circuit rider. These men traveled across large territories counseling, exhorting and preaching to the area’s disparate populations. They were typically not highly educated and were poorly paid by the Methodist Church, instead relying on the kindness of those within their circuit.
OUTSIDE THE INN
Beyond the 1839 inn setting, visitors can learn about this period of history through original artifacts, photographs, video and interactive activities. Topics include the Western Revival, camp meetings, Eli Farmer’s life and frontier travel.
One of the exhibit’s interactive elements gives you the opportunity to explore Indiana during Eli Farmer’s time. Through a touch-screen interface, connect with historic maps of the state showing where roads and canals provided transportation options for early residents. Additional maps show where Farmer himself traveled and where different religious denominations flourished.
Sep 22, 2018 - Apr 25, 2020 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
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Office of the Vice Provost
Global Relations
The Office of the Vice Provost for International Affairs & Global Strategies houses several core functions of Illinois International.
Professor Reitumetse Obakeng Mabokela
Vice Provost for International Affairs and Global Strategies
mabokela@illinois.edu
Click to see bio
Reitumetse Obakeng Mabokela is the Vice Provost for International Affairs and Global Strategies (VPIAGS) and Professor of Comparative and International Higher Education. Prior to joining the University of Illinois, she served as the Assistant Dean for International Studies in the College of Education and Professor of Higher Education in the Department of Educational Administration at Michigan State University. Originally from South Africa, she received her BA in Economics from Ohio Wesleyan University, magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. She pursued and graduated with a Master’s in Labor & Industrial Relations and Ph.D. in Educational Policy Studies, both from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. A former Fulbright New Century Scholar (2006), Professor Mabokela’s research examines experiences of marginalized populations and aims to inform institutional policies that affect these groups within institutions of higher education. She has devoted a significant part of her career studying higher education issues in developing and transitional countries. She is the author, co-author, editor or co-editor of seven books and has published extensively in national and international journals.
Julie Misa
Associate Provost for Illinois International
jmisa@illinois.edu
Julie joined Illinois International in July 2015 and currently serves as Associate Provost for Illinois International. She provides leadership, direction, and oversight to the administrative services within the Office of the Vice Provost for International Affairs and Global Strategies as well as its reporting units, including: Global Education and Training, Global Relations, Illinois Abroad and Global Exchange, International Safety and Security, and International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS). Prior to joining Illinois International, Julie was director of ISSS, where she was responsible for the leadership and overall management of the office. Julie earned her B.A. in Spanish, Portuguese, and Latin American Studies and M.Ed. in Counseling and Human Development with an emphasis on bilingual counseling, both from the University of Iowa.
Amy Hubbard
Assistant Director of Administration
hubbrd@illinois.edu
Amy serves as the Assistant to the Vice Provost for International Affairs and Global Strategies (VPIAGS) with a primary role to provide excellent and high-level administrative support to the VPIAGS. In conjunction, she manages the overall operations and services administered by Illinois International by providing analysis and planning for the Office of the Vice Provost in matters of space management, gift/protocol management, event planning and training programs, and coordinates related business functions that contribute toward achieving University and Office of the Vice Provost’s long term objectives and goals. Amy also provides technical, functional, and project management support and works to maintain positive working relationships with University senior administrators, University units, international business partners, and private sector partners. As the Assistant Director for Administration, Amy directs all aspects of general operations and administration of the office, and serves as a member of the leadership team.
Hannah McClellan
Office Support Associate
hlm@illinois.edu
Hannah McClellan joined the Office of the Vice Provost for International Affairs and Global Strategies in March of 2019. She is the first point of contact by phone, email or in person. Hannah is responsible for front desk management, building maintenance oversight, and provides general support to VPIAGS senior team members.
Jill Ouellette
Office Support Specialist
ouellett@illinois.edu
Jill joined Illinois International as an Office Support Associate in May 2014. Before joining Illinois International, Jill was an H&R Block Office Manager for 10 years. Jill received her B.A. in Business Administrations from DeVry University of Tinley Park in 2007. She is the main contact for room reservations within several Illinois International buildings, assists human resources with new hire and termination processing, and supports the Illinois International Office Manager.
Global Communication
Marta R. Schneider
Assistant Director for Global Communication
martasch@illinois.edu
Marta serves as the Assistant Director for Global Communication where she is responsible for strategizing, planning, and executing all marketing and communication in support of Illinois International’s objectives and goals. She works closely with communication staff in each of the Illinois International units, the leadership team, and Public Affairs to ensure adherence to all University best practices for marketing and communication as well as cohesion amongst all Illinois International communication. Marta has been with Illinois International since 2015, first as a Digital Communications Specialist and later as the Coordinator for Global Communication.
Prior to joining Illinois International, Marta worked in communications and outreach for several non-profit organizations in Japan, India, and the United States. Marta brings with her a strong background and enthusiasm for all things international. Although a native of Illinois, she spent many years living and studying in Japan. Marta earned her B.A. in Asian Studies and Economics from Knox College and holds a one-year international studies degree from Waseda University.
Shelby Blacker
Global Communication Specialist
sblacke2@illinois.edu
Shelby joined Illinois International in 2019 as the Global Communication Specialist. She oversees Illinois International's social media presence, writes for the Illinois International website, and creates content for the newsletter. Prior to working with Illinois International, Shelby was the Communications and Outreach Assistant with Illinois Nutrition Education Programs for Illinois Extension. Shelby earned a B.A. in Communication from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Cheryl Heck
Director, International Business Operations
chaheck@illinois.edu
Cheryl joined Illinois International in March 2015. Cheryl leads International Business Operations (IBOPS), a shared service center that provides financial, human resources, and administrative support to all Illinois International units. Cheryl provides oversight of fiscal and human resource activities within the Office of the Vice Provost, and serves as a member of the leadership team. Cheryl received her B.S. in Marketing and Business Administration from Illinois State University.
Denise Esworthy
Assistant Director for Human Resources
desworth@illinois.edu
Denise joined Illinois International in September 2014. She serves as primary HR contact to Illinois International units and LAS Centers with dual reporting relationships with Illinois International, Diversity Advocate, Intake Specialist, Department Classifier, and back-up to the Associate Director of HR. Before joining Illinois International, she worked one year for FAA Shared Services and 14 years with University Payroll and Benefits, bringing with her experience in foreign national payment processing to support the campus internationalization goals.
Vicki McGinness
Accounting Associate
vmcginne@illinois.edu
Bio is unavailable at this time.
Kelly Sellers
kmeeks@illinois.edu
Kelly joined International Business Operations (IBOPS) in December 2017. Before joining IBOPS she worked for University Payroll and Benefits for 12 years, most recently as an Assistant Manager of their Foreign National Service Center. She serves as one of the HR contacts for the Illinois International units and as back-up to the Assistant Director of HR.
Office of the Vice Provost for International Affairs and Global Strategies
Email: international@illinois.edu
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UK-Africa Relations Seminar Series Part 7
A few weeks ago I flew out to Nairobi, Kenya for the last of a series of seminars looking at UK-Africa relations. The theme of the last meeting was ‘African Agency and UK-Africa Policy’. In this final blog post on the series I will provide a summary of the day and some of the key themes that stood out for me from the discussions, which were held at the very hospitable British Institute in Eastern Africa.
The first session considered the role played by African actors in security and defence relations. Kasaija Phillip Apuuli (Makere University) discussed the African Union (AU) and its significance as an African actor. He noted how the UK government has worked with the AU on combatting terrorism and violent extremism but also offered us some ongoing challenges, including the continuing existence of a number of unpalatable regimes in Africa, which undermine the AU’s coherence. We also heard from Jens-Peter Kamanga Dyrbak who works for the UK’s Department for International Development in Somalia. He observed how during the last decade the relationship between the UK and African governments has become much more of a genuine partnership, as attention has switched to supporting domestic processes of state building. The final presentation by Brigadier Mark Christie (Defence Advisor to the British High Commission in Nairobi) considered the UK’s defence footprint in Kenya. He suggested that military training is central to this relationship and that more is being done in an effort to increase Kenya’s agency.
After lunch we heard from Nic Hailey who is the current British High Commissioner in Kenya. He urged us to move beyond the narrative of Africa as a single coherent place and also introduced the important role played by the diaspora when considering agency.
The third session began with Alex Vines (Director of the Africa Programme at Chatham House). He switched attention from security to economic relations and in particular foreign direct investment (FDI). Alex considered the role of the UK (and the West more broadly) in Africa within the context of the so-called rise of the emerging powers and China in particular. He noted that the differences between these external actors can sometimes be overplayed and that often Chinese firms investing in Africa have the same concerns as UK firms. He argued that the story of the rise of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) in Africa should be tempered somewhat given that the top three sources of FDI into Africa are the US, UK and France according to the 2015 UNCTAD investment report. The result, he claimed, has been that African states (maybe with the exception of South Africa) are engaged in a politics of diversification in their external relations, rather than simply a ‘look East’ strategy.
Latif Ismael (CEO of Transparency Solutions) then gave us a more case-specific account of his experiences from Somalia. He outlined how Turkey has been very active over recent years, particularly in providing both humanitarian relief for the 2011 famine and providing scholarships for students to study in Turkey.
In the final session of the day we heard from Sally Healy (Rift Valley Institute) and Mary Harper (Africa Editor at the BBC World Service). Sally shared some thoughts from her extensive experience as a political analyst in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. She put current trends in UK-Africa relations into historical context and in particular the approach that New Labour took during its time in government. Sally argued that since 2010 the UK has moved away from a ‘saving Africa’ approach to working with specific countries where the UK has a comparative advantage.
Mary Harper then reflected on her time working for the BBC and the question of who can speak for Africa. She noted that during her time working for the BBC World Service there has been a proliferation of both domestic African radio and TV stations and alternative external players such as Chinese CCTV Africa and Al Jazeera.
It was a shame that some of the other Africa-based speakers who had been invited were unable to make it given the focus on African agency. Nevertheless, the day was another thought-provoking seminar that raised a number of interesting issues for me. I will just sketch out briefly three of these here.
Dynamics of power within UK-Africa relations need to be considered in our analysis. During the seminar we heard a lot of talk about ‘partnership’ and notions of African agency. However, we should not ignore the fact that the UK’s relationship with Africa is forever shaped by its colonial past. During the rest of my brief stay in Nairobi this was abundantly clear to me. Put simply, ‘African agency’ is shaped by the past and should not be considered ahistorically.
When thinking about African agency we need to think about which actors we are ascribing agency to. Africa is not a coherent voice and we heard during the day about some of the limitations of both the AU and the various regional organisations. While South Africa’s membership of BRICS represents an attempt to speak for the continent this is not something that is welcomed by other key states in Africa. At the very least we need to start from the ‘bottom-up’ by looking at specific actors and their ability to shape external relations with the UK.
The rise of emerging powers in Africa means that UK-Africa relations should not be understood as a zero-sum game, whereby less influence from the UK simply equates to more African agency. During the seminar discussions we heard about China’s increasing influence across the continent and Turkey’s extensive impact in Somalia. What matters more for Africa is the impact that these external actors have. For example, the type of FDI and its potential to boost African development, matters more than where it comes from. Africa now has more choice in who it engages with than it did before, which has resulted in what Alex Vines called the ‘politics of diversification’ and this clearly poses challenges for the UK’s relations with the continent.
My blog posts on all of the six previous seminars are available here. There are a number of planned outputs and publications so watch this space! All the details of the seminar series are on the official website and for latest news you can also follow @UKAfricaSeminar on twitter.
Tags: Africa, African agency, UK
Categories British Africa Policy
Earlier this month saw the sixth meeting of the ESRC seminar series on UK-Africa relations that I have been involved in. Two workshops hosted by the Royal African Society were followed by a public lecture in the evening. The overall theme for the day being ‘Africa and the UK Public Imagination’. In this post I will provide a short summary of the various presentations and sketch out what, for me at least, were some of the most interesting issues raised. Podcasts of the workshop presentations will be available on the website for the seminar series in due course.
During the morning workshop, our speakers considered how Africa is represented within campaigning traditions in the UK. Niheer Dasandi (University College London) reported on some research he had conducted with colleagues on the nature of Africa campaigning in the UK. Based on survey data, the emotional responses of individuals were assessed in relation to the use of what Dasandi described as ‘traditional’ and ‘alternative’ appeals to the public. The conclusion being that NGOs do have alternatives to the stereotypical negative imagery that has dominated Africa campaigning for years.
Peter Hillmore (1985) Live Aid: The Greatest Show On Earth, London: Sidgwick & Jackson, p.2
Nick Dearden (Director of Global Justice Now) picked up on these issues and unpacked some of the broader political dynamics at play. He convincingly argued how the ‘live aid model’ continues to be the dominant framing of Africa experienced by the public in the UK. He spoke from personal experience of the problems faced by NGOs in framing their campaigns on Africa. In particular, he argued that the use of ‘traditional’ imagery results in a depoliticisation of the challenges facing Africa and a focus on aid as the appropriate response, rather than broader campaigns on justice.
The limits to engendering a spirit of solidarity in campaigning on Africa, was then discussed in Lara Pawson’s very personal account of her experience of living and working in Angola. Pawson is the author of In the Name of the People: Angola’s Forgotten Massacre. She reflected on how hard it is for those of us in the UK to show real solidarity from afar and argued that more space should be given to Africans themselves.
Our afternoon workshop switched attention to how UK-Africa relations have been reflective of changing political dynamics at home. Allison Coyle and Sara Rich Dorman (both University of Edinburgh) outlined how the Scottish government has supported bilateral relations between Scotland and Malawi. This development partnership receives government funding to support the activities of civil society organisations who are at the heart of the relationship. They noted, that partly for reasons of scale, this results in a much more ‘grounded’ development partnership than the UK-wide approach led by the Department for International Development.
Dyfan Powel (University of Aberystwyth) then discussed the ‘Wales for Africa‘ programme, which is chiefly a grant administration scheme to support Welsh NGOs and their work in Africa. Both the Scottish and Welsh cases demonstrated how, partly for reasons of size and in the Welsh case in particular, as a result of the constitutional constraints upon the Welsh government, the underlying politics of development in Africa are not explicitly considered. Finally, Andrew Mycock (University of Huddersfield) in his discussion of the Commonwealth demonstrated how UK perceptions of Africa are still shaped by the historical legacies of colonialism.
In the evening we relocated to the School of Oriental and African Studies to hear Alex de Waal (Tufts University) give an overview of a new book he has edited entitled Advocacy in Conflict. This spoke to some of the themes discussed earlier in the day. A convincing case was made as to how transnational advocacy can often slide into over-simplified singular narratives that limit the agency of Africans themselves.
As always, it was an enjoyable and thought-provoking day. On further reflection, I found a couple of themes to be of particular interest.
It was clear from the discussions on Africa campaigning that context is important. As Nick Dearden acknowledged, during New Labour’s time in office there was, relatively speaking, a more conducive environment to challenging the dominant historical framing of Africa. However, the public’s perception is hard to shift because of the broader context and in particular the power of the mainstream media, which is dominated by the culture of celebrity. This was picked up in Alex de Waal’s evening lecture where he critiqued what he termed the ‘designer activists’ who can play a key role in agenda-setting.
The seminar series as a whole has demonstrated how difficult it is to disaggregate the UK’s relations with Africa from a whole range of multilateral fora (be it the EU’s trade agreements with the continent, or the role of the Commonwealth, etc.). However, at the same time, the process of devolution has seen moves towards the constituent parts of the UK forming their own ‘independent’ relations with Africa. These are limited both in terms of the amount of funding available and the scope for them to offer a political alternative to the orthodoxy of mainstream NGOs.
Later this year, the series of seminars will conclude in Nairobi, Kenya where questions of ‘African agency’ will be considered in relation to the overall theme of ‘UK-Africa Relations’. My blog posts on previous seminars are all available here and for full details of the series go to the official website. For the latest news do follow @UKAfricaSeminar on twitter.
Tags: advocacy, Africa, campaigning, media, UK
Categories Africa and the media, British Africa Policy
Back in July I was involved in hosting the fifth meeting of an ESRC Seminar Series on UK-Africa relations at my own institution, Oxford Brookes University. The theme of the day was ‘Trade in UK-Africa Relations’. This blog post is a summary of the discussions and some reflections on a number of the key themes that, from my perspective, emerged out of the seminar. Podcasts of all the presentations are available at the seminar series website.
Panel 1: The UK and African Development: Fair trade and/or trade justice?
The first panel during the morning considered the relationship between trade and African development. Liz May, who is Head of Policy at Traidcraft, gave a fascinating account of how her organisation is involved in providing support to producers, both in Africa, and other parts of the Global South. Her presentation outlined three areas of current advocacy work:
Controlling unfair practices of UK supermarkets via a new regulatory body (The Groceries Code Adjudicator).
A focus on Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) and the investment chapters of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and in particular the problematic inclusion of investor-state dispute settlement mechanisms, which limit the policy space for developing countries through what Liz described as ‘regulatory chill’.
Increasing the legal power over the extra-territorial practices of UK companies.
Liz concluded that current UK government practice is, in some cases, undermining the developments that Traidcraft is seeking in all three of these campaign areas.
I then gave a presentation based on an ongoing research project, which is looking at the Trade Justice Movement (TJM), and its attempts to shape the debate on the relationship between trade and development. TJM was one of the three main pillars of Make Poverty History (MPH) in 2005. Ultimately TJM seeks to promote ‘trade justice’ as an alternative to free trade. During the last decade or more, however, the UK government has continued to support trade liberalisation and, in relation to Africa, the ‘prosperity agenda’ advanced by the Coalition government, discussed at the fourth seminar in the series, is even more resolutely in favour of free trade, with the emphasis on the benefits both for African economic growth and UK exporters and investors.
After lunch a further three speakers spoke to the broad theme of ‘UK-Africa Trade in a Changing Global Context’. Robin Gwynn, who has had a long and distinguished career as a diplomat, specialising in Africa, discussed the development of UK trade policy towards Africa during the 5 year term of office of the Coalition government. Commercial diplomacy, he argued, became more central during this period and given the impacts of the financial crisis, the emphasis was on searching for new markets. Hence, Africa became more significant as it was viewed as a ‘high-growth region’. Robin suggested that trade alone will not sustain growth in Africa unless there is a focus on job-creating economic activity. He also noted that some African governments are requiring higher standards of trade and investment and they need to be supported in this endeavour. Ultimately trade and investment, argued Robin, have to be at the centre of any future development in Africa.
In contrast, the final two speakers, in very different ways, then exposed some of the dangers that trade and investment policy can have for African development. Peg Murray-Evans (University of York) explored the intricacies of the varied negotiating positions adopted by states in Southern Africa in their Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations with the EU. She noted how one of the outcomes of the regional EPA negotiations is that different African countries now have a range of trade regimes with the EU, which may ultimately skew UK trade and investment decisions. Peg concluded by noting the concern that South Africa and other key African states raised in the EPA negotiations, over the point made earlier in the day by Liz May, about the potential for these new trade deals to limit the ‘policy space’ for African countries.
Our final speaker, John Hilary (War On Want) began by reminding everyone that history tells us that successful development has not been achieved in other parts of the world via a ‘deep integration’ model of trade. Nevertheless, John argued that although the rhetoric might have been different under New Labour, in essence the UK government has continued to have a firm commitment to trade liberalisation across Africa. The second half of his presentation then considered the NGO response to this over recent years. He noted how many key players in the UK have moved away from trade in the period since MPH in 2005 and how difficult it was to build a mass public campaign around the EPA negotiations, discussed by Peg. John optimistically concluded that unlike EPAs, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, which is currently being negotiated between the US and the EU, allows a re-emergence of the debate on trade by opening up the broader issues of power being acquired by capital.
Overall, it was both an enjoyable and stimulating day of discussions. I was left with lots of questions and fewer answers! I guess this is the point, however. In particular, the following thoughts struck me as worth further consideration:
Trade is increasingly about so much more than imports and exports, with investment becoming centre stage in both the UK and EU’s position.
Is UK trade policy conducive to human development in Africa? Are existing regulatory measures (such as the focus on the practice of UK supermarkets) sufficient in this regard?
There are alternatives to the orthodox view that trade liberalisation is good for development. However, for the UK government this remains a key assumption. By being critical of this stance, as John Hilary emphasised in his presentation, does not mean that we have to adopt a position where we are against the idea of trade. The challenge is how we move from the idea of fair trade to realising the more systemic changes captured by the concept of ‘trade justice’.
The next seminar in the series is scheduled for 20 January 2016 in London where the theme will be ‘Africa in the UK Public Imagination’. Further details and podcasts from other seminars can be found at the the series website. For updates do follow the series on twitter: @UKAfricaSeminar
Tags: Africa, bilateral investment treaties, Coalition government, Free Trade Agreements, New Labour
Last month the ESRC series on UK-Africa relations held its fourth meeting at Chatham House in London. In line with my reports on previous meetings, this blog entry provides a brief summary of the discussions and some of the thoughts that I had on what was said (and in some cases not said!) during the day.
In contrast to previous seminars in the series, and with the UK general election imminent, this event was more exclusively focused on UK policy and in particular the ‘prosperity agenda’ advanced by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government. An early speech in 2010 by then Foreign Secretary, William Hague, set out this focus arguing that there should be a “virtuous circle between foreign policy and [UK] prosperity”.
Our day at Chatham House began with a presentation by James Duddridge, the UK government’s Minister for Africa. He outlined how the prosperity agenda emphasises the shared interests present in UK-Africa relations. He argued for the need to move the focus of UK policy beyond aid and to see Africa as an increasingly important location of trade and investment opportunities. In line with the idea of a ‘golden thread’ of development, outlined in an opinion piece by David Cameron in 2012, he also noted the symbiotic relationship between peace, good governance and prosperity in Africa. Marco Jowell, a former Foreign and Commonwealth Office analyst, confirmed the essence of this ‘new’ approach by arguing that under the Coalition there has been more of an emphasis on UK interests and UK business in the government’s Africa policy.
The three panels that followed this keynote address then considered the following issues:
The UK’s ‘propserity agenda’ within the context of rising economic growth in Africa.
The potential challenges to the prosperity agenda.
The prospects for continuity or change in UK policy after the general election on 7 May.
Reflecting on the discussions I want to highlight three key issues. First, is the question of whose prosperity is advanced through the UK government’s prosperity agenda for Africa? Much of the debate during the day revealed just how central economic growth remains to orthodox understandings of development. For centuries, Africa has been a destination for UK trade and investment but how do we ensure that it benefits the majority of African populations? Inequality across Africa remains a huge issue and the assumption that the prosperity approach will induce ‘trickle-down’ has been shown in the past to be mistaken to say the least. The impact of economic growth will remain limited and exclusive unless African states are allowed the policy space to structurally transform their economies via effective industrial policies.
Second, we need to beware of the dangers of seeing Africa as a coherent entity. As one of the participants (Mthuli Ncube) noted, most of the recent growth in Africa has taken place in the tropics and not the North or South of the continent. So is it even helpful to talk of the UK having such a thing as an ‘Africa policy’? Moreover, the rhetoric around the economic boom in Africa needs careful consideration; not least because recent falls in the price of oil pose an immediate challenge to the growth experienced in many countries.
Third, how important is the UK compared to other external actors in Africa? Many of the speakers noted the rise of Chinese involvement in Africa, and in particular their role in many of the numerous infrastructure projects across the continent. Robin Gwynn, a former British diplomat specialising in Africa, suggested that if the UK is to retain influence then both the tone and the substance of its policy is important. As many African governments start to look East for inspiration, they are increasingly arguing that the state needs to play a stronger role in national development. In contrast, the UK’s prosperity agenda appears to retain the misguided neoliberal faith in the market as the route to development. As China’s influence grows in Africa it is therefore likely that retaining a focus on prosperity will further diminish the UK’s influence in the future.
The next meeting which will discuss ‘Trade in UK-Africa relations’ is being held at my own institution, Oxford Brookes University, on Wednesday 1 July 2015. For further information on the series as a whole go to the website and follow the twitter feed: @UKAfricaSeminar.
Tags: Africa, Coalition government, economic development, Prospertiy agenda, UK
Back in late October I made the short trip to the University of Warwick to attend the third of seven seminars in an ESRC series I am co-organising on UK-Africa relations. Elsewhere on this blog you can read my reports on the opening seminar on ‘Contemporary UK-Africa Relations in Historical Perspective‘ and the second meeting on ‘Development Policy‘. If you are interested in following the rest of the series there is also a twitter feed: @UKAfricaSeminar.
One of the joys of being involved in these seminar series is that you get to broaden your horizons beyond your own (often fairly narrow) research interests. This was certainly the case for me as the theme of this third seminar was ‘Security, stability and conflict management in UK-Africa relations’. What follows is a brief summary of the discussions and a few personal reflections.
The opening session of the day was led by a representative from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and Knox Chitiyo (Chatham House). Together these two presentations highlighted how in reality all aspects of the UK’s policy to Africa can be considered to be about ‘security’ when we think about security in the broader sense. Moreover, as with all the other aspects of UK-Africa relations considered in the seminar series, security matters take place within a broader international context, where the UK is by no means the only actor. For example, Knox Chitiyo suggested that much of the UK’s military engagement with Africa is now done multilaterally via the EU, UN, etc. He also introduced the important question of ‘African agency’ into the discussion, which was a theme of a previous ESRC seminar series I attended back in 2011. Although there are some moves towards Africa becoming a partner in UK policy formulation, Knox made a convincing case for suggesting that the UK still has some way to go in moving to a position where it conducts security policy with, rather than to, Africa.
The two panels in the afternoon were organised geographically, one being focused on West Africa and the other on East Africa. All four presentations highlighted some of the limitations of the UK’s contribution to international engagement on various different issues. Zoe Marks (University of Edinburgh) highlighted the dilemmas inherent to the UK’s response to issues of gender and security. Although the UK, and William Hague in particular, has recently led the ‘Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative‘ there are problems with the way sexual violence is portrayed as exceptional in times of conflict. Jonathan Fisher (University of Birmingham) considered the UK’s response to the crisis in South Sudan. He highlighted how the coalition has moved away from a position, based on an assumption of a responsibility to try and solve such conflicts, to one where stabilisation and support for regional actors is key. The afternoon concluded with a powerful critique of UK policy to Kenya from David Anderson (University of Warwick).
One of the broad themes that came out of the day’s discussions was how we understand the relationship between ‘security’ and ‘development’. Is (or in fact should) all UK policy to Africa be framed as ‘security’ or rather should ‘development’ be more prominent? As Eka Ikpe demonstrated in her discussion of the Boko Haram crisis, the international response has largely been defined in terms of ‘counter-terrorism’, when the root causes of the conflict lie in the fact that Northern Nigeria is economically disadvantaged. This relates to more practical concerns for UK policy-making. The need for more ‘joined-up’ thinking remains pertinent and, in the case of Africa in particular, sometimes the Department for International Development (DFID) and the FCO adopt very different strategies in the same partner countries.
The seminar series continues in the new year with events at Chatham House, Oxford Brookes University, the Institute for Public Policy Research and then the seventh and final seminar is due to be held at the British Institute in Eastern Africa, Nairobi.
Tags: Africa, security, UK
Last month I enjoyed a day-trip to the University of Birmingham to attend the second of an ESRC-funded seminar series on UK-Africa relations, which I am involved in organising. More details on the seminar series are available at our website – http://www.open.ac.uk/socialsciences/bisa-africa/uk-africa-policy. You can also follow the twitter feed of the seminar series on @UKAfricaSeminar.
Our second session focused on ‘Development Policy in UK-Africa relations: From New Labour to Coalition and Austerity’. I thought I would share a brief summaryof the presentations and debates that took place and conclude with some of my own thoughts.
The opening presentation saw two distingushed speakers, with significant practitioner experience, provide their thoughts on how UK-Africa relations have developed over the years. We heard from Miles Wickstead who acted as the head of the secretariat to the Commission for Africa formed during Tony Blair’s time as Prime Minister. His comments were supported by intejections from Barrie Ireton, a former Director General of the UK’s Departent for International Development (DFID).
Miles Wickstead outlined what he saw as the defining moments in the UK government’s relations with Africa. Key historical points in the relationship were identified as the end of the Cold War and then the election of New Labour and the creation of DFID. He then offered some insights from his work with the Commission for Africa (CfA). The CfA’s report was published in 2005 and it became a key document for the G8 Gleneagles summit later that year. He concluded that of the three key elements of the CfA’s report – debt relief, more aid and trade justice – it is the latter that has seen the least progress.
We then heard from Kirsty McNeill who reflected on her time as a former Downing Street adviser during New Labour’s term of office. She spoke on ‘Idealism or Interests: What really drove Labour’s Africa Policy?’. The central argument was that the focus on Africa was based on idealism and not interests – development is not a big vote winner. There were also some concluding thoughts on current debates within the Labour Party and reference was made to a recent speech by Jim Murphy MP, who is currently Shadow Secretary of State for International Development. This speech maps out an agenda for Labour if they return to govermnent in 2015 and it is pleasing to see that equality and the rights of workers now form a more central part of the analysis.
After lunch Donna Arrondelle (University College London) and Meera Sebaratnam (School of Oriental and African Studies) moved the discussion forward to a focus on the coalition government. Donna spoke about her doctoral research, which is concerned with how the UK’s current international development policy is framed – particularly in terms of the problems that are identified – and how this relates to public understandings of development. Meanwhile, Meera argued that under the coalition the biggest changes in development policy have been an increased emphasis on results and a portrayal of aid as being part of the national interest.
The day concluded with a virtual presentation, via youtube, from Jonathan Glennie (Overseas Development Institute). He argued that aid is one of the least important things that the UK can do to support African development and that it needs to be assessed, not simply in terms of how many schools have been built, etc., but with reference to the wider impacts that result from a long-term reliance on aid.
Overall, another fascinating day of debate and discussions. To conclude I thought I would share some of the thoughts/questions that I scribbled down during my train journey home:
To what extent has the global context for aid changed since the days when New Labour came into power in 1997? Will there be as much focus on Africa if Labour return to power in 2015? Is the UK an increasingly peripheral player?
Is a focus on aid and its effectiveness missing the wider issue of the way the global economy is organised? In partiuclar, do we need to look more at how multilateral and bilateral trade agreements continue to create obstacles to African development?
Why have the Liberal Democrats been so silent on Africa and development policy more broadly during their time in government?
The next meeting takes place at the University of Warwick on 23 September 2014.
Tags: Africa, aid, Coalition government, New Labour, UK
UK-Africa Relations Seminar Series
Last week I attended the first in a series of seven one-day seminars looking into ‘UK-Africa Policy after Labour’, which is being funded by the Economic and Social Research Council. As one of the co-organisers of the series I am lucky enough to be able to attend all the discussions, which will take place at different venues across the UK and then (fingers crossed) conclude with a seminar at the British Institute of Eastern Africa in Nairobi, Kenya. More details on the seminar series will be available at our website – http://www.open.ac.uk/socialsciences/bisa-africa/uk-africa-policy. You can also follow the twitter feed of the seminar series on @UKAfricaSeminar.
Our first session at the University of Sheffield was on the theme of ‘Contemporary UK-Africa Relations in Historical Perspective’. I thought I would post a summary of the discussions including a few of my initial thoughts based on my scribblings during the day.
We were honoured to have Richard Dowden, Director of the Royal African Society, to give an opening address. He provided a fascinating overview of the broad sweep of our historical relations with Africa and highlighted that for centuries the British approach has swung between greed and making money and (trying!) to ‘do good’. This struck me as something that remains highly relevant when we consider the nature of contemporary relations.
These opening remarks were then followed by the personal reflections of Prof Christopher Clapham (University of Cambridge) and Martin Plaut (former Africa editor for the BBC World Service). Prof Clapham highlighted how significant colonialism has been to the relationship, but how in more recent years the focus on Anglophone Africa in official UK policy has largely disappeared. Meanwhile, Martin Plaut argued that historically, with a few notable exceptions, Africa has not actually been that important to Britain.
After lunch we were treated to three different, but related presentations on ‘Parties, leaders and UK Africa Policy: from Labour to Coalition’. Rhiannon Vickers (University of Sheffield) gave us plenty of food for thought in her discussion of New Labour’s overall foreign policy and the place of Africa within it. She convincingly argued that two strands of thought that have a long history within the Labour Party continue to dominate – the desire to focus on the need for justice abroad and the view of Africa as a market for British exports. Julia Gallagher (Royal Holloway) focused in particular on Tony Blair’s emphasis on Africa during his time as PM. She argued that both Blair and Brown’s interest in Africa stemmed from an idealistic (even religious) desire to ‘do good’. As such, for Gallagher, Africa is framed as an apolitical cause or ‘sacred space’ by UK politicians more broadly. Both Vickers and Gallagher suggested that to a large extent we see a lot of continuities in the way Africa is framed by the current government. Finally, Andrew Mycock (University of Huddersfield) demonstrated how the legacies of colonialism have still not been addressed, or acknowledged in Britain, and that this has shaped how both New Labour and the current government view Africa.
Overall, I jotted down four main themes that came out of the discussions:
Which actors should we be focusing on in conducting research on UK-Africa relations? A number of speakers highlighted the creation of the Department for International Development (DFID) by New Labour and the subsequent decline in the influence of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). Does this matter and how joined-up is the government on Africa? Or should we be looking at the role played by NGOs, who are extremely active across the continent?
One of the questions that emerged out of many of the presentations was whether the coalition government have captured New Labour’s attempts to make Africa a unique centrepiece of their administration. This is exemplified by the coalition’s commitment to ring-fence DFID’s budget. Was this an attempt to ‘de-toxify’ the Conservative Party’s image to voters? I still remember vividly Tony Blair suggesting in his party conference speech in 2001 that ‘the state of Africa is a scar on the conscience of the world’. Would a future Labour administration be able to use Africa, as they appeared to last time, to try and highlight the differences between them and the Conservatives?
Linked to the previous point, is the question of whether the UK’s Africa policy is even about Africa as such, or whether it is just bound-up in domestic political battles?
Finally, UK-Africa relations take place within a global context. To what extent does this structure impinge on or influence them? For example, what impact does the growth of Chinese involvement across the continent have for the direction and/or significance of the UK’s current approach?
I am sure these and many more questions will be discussed in forthcoming seminars and I can’t wait for the next one. This will be held at the University of Birmingham on May 13 when we will be looking at recent changes in UK-Africa development policy. Maybe a chance for further discussion on the UK’s decision to end bilateral aid to South Africa from 2015 amongst other things?
Tags: Africa, New Labour, UK
Categories British Africa Policy, International Development
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Home » Politics » The Sore Loser’s Club
The Sore Loser’s Club
I started this article, choosing the title “Light at the End of the Tunnel” on Friday morning. At the time, it seemed like after a crazy year in the most bizarre election of our lifetimes, things had finally settled down. It was no longer a question of whether Secretary Clinton would win, but how much of a margin she would win by, and more importantly, how the Senate and House races would be affected.
Before I could finish the article, FBI Director Comey decided things just weren’t weird enough. Now that “Light at the End of the Tunnel” appears to be an approaching train.
If this were a normal election year with normal candidates, this would not be an issue. After all, if you bothered to read the letter Director Comey sent (as apparently none of the talking heads on news shows have done), it is an extremely vague statement. Emails may or may not exist, and they may or may not have any bearing on a closed case. Nowhere in the letter does it say the case is re-opened.
At the time this letter was issued, he had not seen any of these emails, and admitted some may be duplicates of emails already reviewed. In fact, they had not even subpoenaed the computers in question yet. To top it off, the only thing they seemed to be able to confirm was that the emails were neither sent from, nor sent to, Secretary Clinton.
So naturally, in this Age of Misinformation, based on this meager framework, a huge conspiracy has been built. Almost immediately, Mr. Trump began spreading the word that Secretary Clinton has been found guilty of all sorts of things! The FBI has re-opened the case, probably due to a certain orange candidate who forced them to see the Truth, although he is certainly too modest to take the credit, but many people are saying that it’s his influence, and he’s deeply honored.
Once again, Mr. Trump renewed claims that the election should be cancelled, and he should be declared the winner.
There is plenty to be bothered about on all sides in this kerfluffel. Ultimately, I don’t think it will stop Secretary Clinton from winning the election. I do however believe it will affect the Senate and House races, and reduce the margin of victory, which will have dire consequences over the next four to eight years.
Consider that Senators McCain and Cruz have already floated the idea that they will probably just block any Supreme Court nominee that a President Clinton might name. Members of the House are already discussing possible impeachment trials.
I’m sorry, but at some point you cross the line between “opposition” and “treason”.
I have voted for both D’s and R’s in the past. I’ve always tried to look at the issues, not the party, and as I’ve said before, I am really not a Hillary Clinton fan. But why has the GOP become the Party of Sore Losers? Why do they consider it their sacred task to reverse the decisions of the American electorate?
There have always been hints of this type of reaction in the past, starting with Richard Nixon’s famous “you won’t have Dick Nixon to kick around anymore” speech in 1962 when he lost the race for Governor of California. Eight years later, he proved himself to be a sore winner too, but that’s a topic for another blog.
Let’s look at the loser’s for now, starting with George H. W. Bush. When he lost his bid for a second term to Bill Clinton, he conceded very graciously. He was a classy guy about it, no doubt at all. But the Republicans in Congress began immediately trying to find a reason to discredit and put an end to the Clinton presidency.
Almost out of the box, first there were complaints about inappropriate use of Christmas cards (seriously). Then the travel office, then looking into the famous “Whitewater” deal when he was Governor of Arkansas back in the 70’s. This was to lead to a four and a half year investigation, costing the US citizens an estimated $80 million dollars. When insufficient proof of wrongdoing showed up on the business deal, special prosecutor Ken Starr continued to look for anything else, finally seizing on the Monica Lewinsky affair – not that he had the affair, but that he lied under oath about it.
Remember when all of this was going on, Bill Clinton continued to be a popular President, and was in fact the first Democrat since FDR to be elected twice. Despite impeachment proceedings, he finished his term with higher popularity ratings than Congress.
The GOP as sore losers have really hit their peak with the Obama administration. President Obama in 2008 won 365 electoral votes, and 52.9% of the popular vote. Yet immediately after his historic election, Senator Mitch “Sad Turtle” McConnell publicly stated “my number one priority is making sure President Obama’s a one-term president”.
Really? I thought he was supposed to represent the people of Kentucky in passing new legislation.
Throughout two terms of office, the Republicans have done as little as possible to help the country, and as much as possible to hurt it, preferring to let it fall apart rather than let anyone think President Obama deserves any credit. They have even voted against their own party’s goals just out of nothing but spite. Again, here’s a popular president, elected twice with more than 50% of the vote – and by the way, only three other presidents have been elected twice with more than 50% of the vote in modern times – FDR, Eisenhower, Reagan and Obama – and still the popular Republican talking points are “worse president ever”, “extremely unpopular”, and so on.
So now, here we are in this current mess. Once again, a Clinton will be in office, and once again, the Sore Loser’s Club will unite to prove to the American people that they chose the wrong candidate. Once again, the chances of getting anything done to help this country out will be nil, because the GOP will do everything they can to make sure nothing good happens during a Clinton administration.
Who gets hurt? Not the politicians, they have their cushy jobs, high pay, lots of fringe benefits, great health care, and guaranteed income for life. We get hurt. The American people will once again be sacrificed on the altar of Party Politics. Forget about improving infrastructure, forget about improving health care, forget about global warming, fracking, jobs, or any other issue that could make a difference in your lives.
Get ready for four years of even more hate and spiteful rhetoric.
And the worst part, is that’s if we’re lucky!
If we are unlucky, Mr. Trump wins, and we have the most ill-equipped president since Ulysses S Grant.
But I’ll save that for tomorrow ….
Tags: facebook rants, political opinon, politics, trump, trumpism
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Scott Graham says:
Jim, you are definitely a true believer., that’s for sure.
Loyal Adams says:
Great piece. I believe you’ve, as they say, hit the nail on the head. Look forward to future articles.
Kathryn Jones says:
I am 67. I’ve seen a lot of politicians come and go….it seems to me that the idea of being “of the people, for the people and by the people” as a governing body has pretty much flown the coop. I tend to look at a proposed leader as representative of the people who put them there. Sad isn’t it? That these should be the front runners? Out of the millions of people in this country, this is the best we can do? If they are a reflection of the state of this nation, then shame on us, all of us that think one or the other of them could effect the changes that really need to happen….schools that actually teach our children, medical services that actually tend to the sick, proposals and incentives that actually encourage change for the better, because it is better, not because it lines someone’s special interest groups pockets; and so many other systems that are for all intents and purposes, broken. That’s the only word I can think of, when they don’t serve the people who pay the taxes to make them available. Have we become so inured to the greed, theft, scandalous and cartoon-ish, that we cannot read the handwriting on the wall? Other mighty empires have failed before us, and no doubt many more will follow. I was told as a child that those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. I guess time will tell.
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Make-believe worlds
From The New Criterion. April 30, 2019.
Talk about burying your lead — or "lede" as our journalist friends waggishly prefer to spell it. Here’s the Washington Post headline to a story (by Toluse Olorunnipa and Matt Zapotosky) about Andrew McCabe’s revelation on national television (on the eve of Presidents’ Day!) of what amounted to a projected coup d’état in 2017 by himself and an anti-Trump faction of the FBI and the Justice department against the newly elected president by invoking the 25th Amendment’s provisions for presidential incapacity: "Trump trains his sights on McCabe as the Mueller report on Russian interference looms."
Of course, it wasn’t surprising that, to the Post, there was nothing to see here in what, in other times and under other presidents, might have looked to a real newspaper like the scoop of the decade, if not the century. Even an embryo conspiracy by high ranking officials of the federal police force to remove a duly elected president from office, supposedly on the grounds that he hypothetically could have been a Russian operative, might have been taken to confirm the impression so often conveyed by our legal and political wranglings these days that we have become, politically at least, a third world country. For what was frightening wasn’t so much that Mr McCabe and his co-conspirators thought about contriving to rid themselves of this turbulent billionaire as that he obviously expected his confession to redound to his credit — and that it probably did, too, where it was not simply greeted with indifference.
Even the Trumpian base, while no doubt deploring the fact that swamp-denizens had discussed ways of removing the promised threat to themselves, appeared not to find anything very surprising about it. We have now come to expect that everybody in government will do as liberal judges have been doing for decades, which is to treat the law with contempt, as something to be massaged and shaped by creative legal thinking so that they can get what they want from it without going to the trouble of having to change it. Now we know where that too-familiar process ends. Yet the coup conspiracy was never reported on as a discrete event but always as something tangential to what the Post, in common with the rest of Big Media, have always regarded as the only really important story of the past three years, which is the putative wrong-doings of Donald Trump and, thus, his unfitness for the office he holds.
Moreover, so far as the Post was concerned, the story must have been construed as a kind of self-vindication for sharing the same assumptions as the conspiracists, who were now being attacked by the president just as the Post has often been attacked by him — with what provocation in both cases it scarcely required a mention. To the blinkered Post reporters the substance of his criticism was of no interest in any case. For them it was simply "the latest example of efforts by the president and his supporters to undercut the credibility of an impending report on Russian interference in the 2016 election." Such wilful obtuseness was typical of the paper’s reporting on Mr McCabe’s revelation. No mention was ever made of it, at least not that I saw, that was not hedged about with details meant to minimize its importance — for example, that we had heard before of the proposal that Rod Rosenstein should "wear a wire" when speaking to Mr Trump to gather some hopeful pretext for invoking the 25th Amendment, and that Mr Rosenstein had dismissed it as a joke.
Similarly, the Post gave much more coverage to Mr McCabe’s own backpedaling when it briefly began to look as if the coup attempt was going to be a bigger story than he would be able to control than it did to the original revelation — which was leaked by CBS in dribs and drabs before the 60 Minutes broadcast of the interview, no doubt for the same reason. And, as with so many other stories about misbehavior by the FBI, or the media themselves, the fallback position was always to put it into the context of Mr Trump’s angry but understandable reaction to it in order to imply that he was only seeking to distract people from the real political jeopardy in which he was supposed to stand.
That, of course, was the point of mentioning the much-anticipated Mueller report, which the Post and other news outlets did with increasing frequency as the day of its expected release — or possibly non-release — drew near, although no one yet knew at that point what was in it. For so long as the report’s contents remained unknown, however, the media could make the most of pretending that it could and even possibly would still provide evidence of candidate Trump’s "collusion" with Russia, which had been the ostensible reason both for Mr Mueller’s appointment and, jacked up to suspicion that Mr Trump was actually a Russian agent, the projected coup attempt. And yet no one but the most die-hard anti-Trumpers any longer expected there to be any evidence in the special counsel’s files for "collusion." No one even pretended to know what criminal act had been colluded in, though such a criminal act would be, if it existed, the only thing that could make it collusion rather than conversation.
Yet keeping the waning hope of such evidence alive as retrospective justification for Mr McCabe and his fellow plotters was not only a useful media strategy to turn the projected coup into old and therefore unimportant news. The expectation, or pretended expectation, of such a "bombshell" revelation to come could be held out as justification for splashing any and every hopeful anti-Trump story, no matter how trivial or how unrelated to Russia or Russian "meddling." Almost every day at the end of February and into March the Post and The New York Times ran front-page stories that contained no news and with no other purpose than to keep expectations of the report’s potential damage to the Trump presidency at a fever pitch. A cynic might say that this was because the report was expected to be inconclusive, at best, and so could safely be assumed to be damning until it wasn’t — in the hope, no doubt, that people would remember the hype and not the anti-climactic reality.
On the morning these words are written, for example, the Post’s big story is about the D.C. courthouse where the investigative team is supposed to be forgathering and which is said by the headline to be "the closest you can get to Mueller’s probe, one wall away from its secrets." Can’t you just feel the excitement? Meanwhile the Times has an admiring front-page profile, running to over 2000 words, of one of the special counsel’s bloodhounds headed: "It’s Mueller’s Investigation. But Right Behind Him Is Andrew Goldstein." And who wouldn’t be pumped to know that? In other words, the media appeared to cling to their blind faith in the same assumption that motivated Mr McCabe and his fellow would-be conspirators — namely, that there must be something in Mr Trump’s past relations with Russia or Russians that can be characterized as disloyal, if not treasonable — and, therefore, that the McCabe cabal was understandable if not entirely justified.
They might not even really believe this, any more than Mr McCabe really believed that the duly elected president of the United States was a Russian agent, but both had to keep up the pretense of belief all the more if they were to be justified in their disinclination to think a plot to depose an elected president was any big deal, let alone as what the former newspaper publisher Conrad Black (himself the victim of prosecutorial overreach) called "the most immense and dangerous public scandal in American history." Alas, the fact that Mr Black’s words appeared only on right-wing web-sites was itself an indication that he was wrong.
Which is to say that "the real scandal" was, as it so often is these days, that there was no scandal, or none that the Big Media were prepared to recognize. And, as I may have had occasion to point out before, if it’s not a scandal to both sides, then it’s not a scandal — only trash-talk by one side against the other. The media, of course, always nostalgic for the great days when they were able to make a real scandal out of the Watergate break-in, constantly pretend that it is all happening again. Occasionally, too, there is a crack in the Republican dike as some Jeff Flake or Mitt Romney type, seeking to curry favor with the media, hints that he is prepared to play the role that Barry Goldwater is said to have played in the Watergate scandal by turning against Richard Nixon and so make it a scandal indeed, instead of just opposition research of the kind that prompted Mr McCabe’s suspicions.
But if there are any conscience-stricken anti-Trumpers prepared to denounce Mr McCabe and company for betraying the anti-Trump cause as well as their professional oath to uphold the law, the media have not yet brought us news of them. We know why, too. It wouldn’t fit the "narrative" for which they have sacrificed any remaining reputation they may have had for fairness or integrity or even real news reporting. Instead, they keep bringing us news of things that do fit the narrative but aren’t real news, like the story of the MAGA-hatted schoolboys from the Covington Catholic High School that I wrote of in this space last month (see "Not the Same as Shame" in The New Criterion of March, 2019).
One of these boys, Nick Sandmann, is now said to be suing The Washington Post for $250 million. I’m not generally a fan of libel actions, but if we’re going to have libel laws at all, it’s hard to think of a more justified recourse to them than that of a minor child held up to national obloquy by a still influential national newspaper on grounds that have proven to be entirely fabricated. I only regret that $250 million is not much more than pocket change to the paper’s billionaire-hobbyist owner, Jeff Bezos, who (perhaps not coincidentally) paid exactly that sum to acquire it in 2013.
The Fake News story that dominated the headlines in February was even more distantly related to President Trump’s fitness for office, or lack of it, though it had its own interest for a media critic (if not, of course, for the media themselves) in revealing the pitiably low reporting standards to which America’s big-league journalists have been reduced by their obsession with narrative in general and their Trump-narrative in particular. An obscure television actor by the name of Jussie Smollett, who was said by Chicago police to have felt underpaid for his labors on the show he currently appears in at the rate (according to some sources) of $125,000 an episode, saw a chance to exploit the media’s eagerness to report anything to the detriment of Mr Trump or his supporters to turn himself into a national celebrity by pretending to be the victim of threats and abuse by two thugs with a noose and a bottle of bleach shouting, "This is MAGA country" — which, since they were in Chicago at the time, it pretty obviously wasn’t.
Remarkably enough, he appears to have succeeded in making his into a household name, even though the amateurishness of the imposture — it quickly emerged that he had hired the two men himself — meant an indictment for lying to the police. Something tells me that he is unlikely to do hard time — or even that he will suffer any lasting professional consequences. As he is both a Person of Color and gay, the media at least seem inclined to take it easy on him, in spite of the fact, or perhaps because of it, that they were his dupes. At any rate, it beats being ashamed of themselves or reconsidering their own eagerness to pounce on anything that might redound to the discredit of the president or his supporters.
Where Jussie wasn't assaulted
The "Dilbert" cartoonist Scott Adams, who at some personal and professional cost has done more than anyone else in an ultimately futile effort to explain Mr Trump to the McCabe-minded elites who loathe him, took the occasion of a TV skit making fun of Mr Smollett to write that the actor "has united the country in laughter — at Fake News." But the New York Times wasn’t laughing when it ran another 2000-plus word photo-essay on its front page headed: "From Screen to Scorn: For Jussie Smollett, a Life of Arts and Activism Is Upended." The Times’s solicitude for poor Jussie was explained in a subhead: "Given the actor’s long history in show business and political causes, it is all the more baffling to friends that he would risk so much." But the paper’s own treatment of the story makes it doubtful that he has actually risked very much, and he has gained nationwide name-recognition.
The article’s photos, by Alyssa Schukar, are moodily dark, Hopper-esque street scenes, taken on location at or near the alleged crime scene but presumably on a different night, headed: "Jussie Smollett lives above and just to the north of where he claimed he was attacked at North New Street and East North Water Street." Or: "Near the Subway restaurant in Chicago that Jussie Smollett said he had visited before being attacked." Or: "Along North New Street close to where Mr. Smollett said he was attacked." Or: "Winter’s Jazz Club in the Streeterville neighborhood of Chicago, where Mr. Smollett said he was attacked." Or: "A surveillance camera overlooking North New Street and East North Water Street in Chicago. Mr. Smollett said he was attacked at the southwest corner of the intersection." Or: "The corner where the attack was said to have taken place." Or: "Mr. Smollett's apartment is just above the corner where he said he was attacked."
Such lavish illustration of an incident that never happened gives a whole new meaning to the term "Fake News." It’s Fake News unbound by shame, Fake News that doesn’t care that it is Fake — because its consumers don’t care either. The article itself begins like this: "Ever since he was a child actor growing up in a show-business family, Jussie Smollett’s life blended activism with the make-believe worlds of television and movies." It’s the same blended world, in other words, where the New York Times is now offering to take its readers — and where its readers appear to want to go. They have grown used to living in an imaginary world of Russian "collusion" and ubiquitous MAGA-garbed "fascists," a world where, in the article’s words, "Conservatives who had publicly doubted the story from the start seized on the criminal charges against Mr. Smollett as evidence that the news media and liberals would credulously run with any narrative that tarnished Mr. Trump and his supporters."
Just fancy! Can you imagine sinking so low as to make such a preposterous allegation against the heroically self-righteous editors and readers of The New York Times who have learned to feel so much at home in the paper’s make-believe world that they don’t want to leave it. And why would they? It is a world which is not only gratifying to their prejudices but one where everybody as far as the eye can see thinks more or less exactly as they do on the important issues of the day, and especially on the all-important question of the no good, very bad, atrocious character of the president of the United States, of whom investigations like Mr Mueller’s or those now getting underway in the new Congress are redundant. They are proud of belonging, along with the Times-men and the Post-men — who have now scooted down on their bench of hanging judges to make room for the likes of Andrew McCabe and Michael Cohen — among the elite who already know, and always have known, that the president is guilty.
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Cosmic Pluralism: How Christianity briefly conquered the solar system
Filed to: secret historyFiled to: secret history
secret history
Cosmic pluralism
Plurality of words
Crap science
Johann bode
Sir david brewster
Thomas dick
By the 1700s, there could no longer be any doubt. Earth was just one of many worlds orbiting the Sun, which forced scientists and theologians alike to ponder a tricky question. Would God really have bothered to create empty worlds?
To many thinkers, the answer was an emphatic "no," and so cosmic pluralism - the idea that every world is inhabited, often including the Sun - was born. And this was no fringe theory. Many of the preeminent astronomers of the 18th and 19th century, including Uranus discoverer Sir William Herschel, believed in it wholeheartedly, as did other legendary thinkers like John Locke and Benjamin Franklin. How could so many geniuses believe in something so silly?
To answer that question, we need to understand just what science was hundreds of years ago, at a time when it was freely intertwined with philosophy and theology, when analogies and metaphors were considered almost as good a form of evidence as data and observation. Cosmic pluralism offers us a chance to look back at how very differently people used to approach scientific inquiry...and, as a bonus, it provides some wonderfully insane quotes from otherwise brilliant scientists.
The Birth of the Plurality of Worlds
While a version of cosmic pluralism was first espoused by the ancient Greeks as a way to imagine a universe without gods, we'll be picking up the story in the Renaissance. Two great astronomic innovations had placed Renaissance and, later, Enlightenment philosophers in a difficult position. Nicolaus Copernicus demonstrated that the Earth was not the center of the universe, and the telescope provided clear proof that celestial bodies like the Moon and the planets were all worlds in much the same way Earth was, and that they potentially might be inhabitable.
These twin discoveries suggested that the Earth was not fundamentally unique in the cosmos. The theology of the period held that Earth existed as the expression of God's plan, so it was a bit puzzling why he had apparently created a bunch of other worlds that were sort of like Earth but served no clear purpose. There were two possible solutions, both of which were vigorously championed by their proponents: either Earth was still unique from all other worlds in some way more subtle than humans could comprehend, or else every other planet was inhabited as well, preferably by Christians.
As you might imagine, the latter theory makes for way more interesting reading, as scientists tied themselves in logical knots in a desperate attempt to knit together the scientific data with the demands of their philosophies. And the most powerful blunt instrument at these thinkers' disposal was the analogy.
Arguments of Analogy
For all the fierce debate on cosmic pluralism, most people agreed on one crucial point: direct observation wasn't going to prove anything. Writing in the 1850s, the Scottish physicist and astronomer Sir David Brewster considered the planet Mars, which he pointed out was always at least 50 million miles from Earth. (The closest distance between the two planets is actually more like 34 million miles, but let's not quibble too much.) Even with a telescope with a power of 1,000, Mars would still appear to be 50,000 miles away, which is much too far away to say with any certainty whether it is inhabited or not.
By this standard, Brewster argued, even the Moon would not appear close enough for anyone to say with certainty if any Moon people lived upon it. But what telescopes did provide was lots of evidence of how similar all the planets were, and from this it was possible to construct analogies as evidence for cosmic pluralism. As an example, the Brewster considered the eye, which comes in vastly different shapes and sizes in different animals but "is always adapted to the existence and properties of light." In fact, the presence of eyes demands the presence of light, or else "all this delicate optical machinery would be wasted."
This is a recurrent theme in all the arguments for cosmic pluralism - if one thing works in a certain way or has a particular feature, then surely another thing would have the same workings or features. That might sound like I'm being patronizing, but it's hard to describe the arguments involved in any more sophisticated fashion. One wonderfully weird bit of reasoning came from Johann Bode, an otherwise rightly acclaimed German astronomer who named Uranus and described its orbit with great precision, thanks in part to his work with Bode's Law. And yet he also had this to say about the existence of people on the Sun:
"Who would doubt their existence? The most wise author of the world assigns an insect lodging on a grain of sand and will certainly not permit...the great ball of the sun to be empty of creatures and still less of rational inhabitants who are ready gratefully to praise the author of life."
Basically, if you're going to argue that a grain of sand is inhabited while the Sun isn't, you're calling God an idiot. That doesn't exactly leave much room for reasonable debate. In any event, metaphors and analogies were considered acceptable arguments because not only were science, religion, and philosophy all jumbled together, but also because all the different scientific fields were basically interchangeable. The biology of the eye or the ecology of sand were directly comparable to the habitability of the Sun. If you've ever wanted evidence that people in the past viewed the world in a fundamentally different way than we do now...well, I doubt you're going to find much better evidence.
Christianity Conquers the Cosmos!
So, thanks to the power of analogy, 18th and 19th century thinkers were able to demonstrate that the entire solar system was teeming with life. But what sort of life? Were these lunatics (actual term for Moon people) and solarians strange, unknowable alien beings? Would the vastly different conditions of life on other worlds force these creatures to take on bizarre shapes simply to survive?
That was not, as it happens, the generally held view. Sir David Brewster used the mother of all run-on sentences to list every bit of evidence that other planets and celestial bodies behaved in the way our world does, and from this he reached one inescapable conclusion:
We trace throughout all the heavenly bodies the same uniformity of plan, is it possible to resist the influence an uniformity of purpose; so that if we find a number of spheres linked together by the same bond, and governed by the same laws of matter, we are entitled to conclude that the end for which one of these was constituted, must be the great general end of all,—to become a home of rational and God-glorifying creatures.
Brewster is making what's known as a teleological argument, which holds that existence has some intrinsic goal or purpose. The basic idea hangs around to this day in some of the arguments for intelligent design or the finely tuned universe, but those only go so far as to say humanity's existence is the goal. As far as Brewster was concerned, that wasn't nearly enough - what's the point of aliens if they're not going to have human religion?
The Alien Census
This argument cut to the heart of what made cosmic pluralism so appealing to 18th and 19th century thinkers. At its most basic, the theory expanded God's reach to the entire cosmos, which seemed to be more in keeping with the whole concept of omnipotence. (As you might imagine, there was plenty of disagreement on this, with some arguing a universe full of more or less identical Christians devalued the whole point of being one in the first place.)
Perhaps no one took this idea further than the Reverend Thomas Dick, a Scottish minister who was also well-versed in astronomy. Writing in 1837, he argued that there were 80 million stars in the visible universe and each had at least thirty satellites, meaning there were 2.4 billion planets in the cosmos...all inhabited. Even his view of the solar system was gloriously unwieldy, as Michael J. Crowe describes in The Extraterrestrial Life Debate, 1750-1900:
"Basing his calculation on the population density of England being 280 persons per square mile, and neglecting the possibility of oceans elsewhere, Dick constructs a table in which he assigns every planet and planetoid in the solar system, except Vesta, a higher population than the Earth."
Just how outlandish were Thomas Dick's calculations? He had determined that nearly nine billion people lived on Mercury, 53 billion on Venus, four billion on the Moon, 15 billion on Mars, almost seven trillion on Jupiter, five and a half trillion on Saturn, and another trillion on Uranus. But perhaps my favorite figure is his estimate for Saturn's rings, which for some reason he pegged at exactly 8,141,963,826,080. Altogether he placed the population of the solar system at just under 22 trillion, and even then he was quick to point out that the Sun could accommodate 31 times that number.
Of course, there's one planet whose population Dick didn't calculate using this method, and that was Earth. After all, if you were to take his whole "280 people per square mile covering the entire planet" method and apply it to our planet, you get a total population of 55,143,172,000 people, all Christian (and possibly English as well). In 1837, the planet's population was just about a billion, and only a minority of these were Christian. Indeed, as far as Dick and others were concerned, the rest of the universe was this teeming mass of people unanimous in their religious faith, whereas the Earth was this weird exception with theological disagreements and varying population densities and oceans.
And now, a word from Sir William Herschel
I should stress that, much as it's fun to examine all these weird arguments, the people making them were not idiots. Most of them were extremely bright, well-educated people who were expert in both science and theology, and they got into trouble because they directed their intellects towards tying together two fields that were fast becoming incompatible. Cosmic pluralism is the last gasp of a world in which science and philosophy existed in the same sphere, even as they were pushing in almost diametrically opposed directions. That tends to make people look silly in retrospect.
Even Sir William Herschel, who could make a very strong claim to being the greatest astronomer of his era, was not immune. The man who discovered both Uranus and infrared radiation was firmly convinced of the plurality of worlds. He looked at the Moon and observed that it was quite large like Earth, had valleys and mountains like Earth, had a large orbital partner just like Earth (of course, this partner was Earth), and all the other celestial bodies would appear in the Moon's sky just like they did on Earth. All that, as far as Herschel was concerned, was more than enough to say that the Moon should be inhabited like Earth.
To read Herschel is to be thrown into a weird world where surprisingly modern astronomical understanding freely mixes with completely bonkers ideas. He notes that the Moon probably has little or no atmosphere and probably little or no water, and yet he somehow sees this as support for its habitability:
My answer to this will be, that that very difference which is now objected, will rather strengthen the force of my argument than lessen its value: we find, even on our globe, that there is the most striking difference in the situation of the creatures that live on it. While man walks on the ground, the birds fly in the air, and fishes swim in the water; we can certainly not object to the conveniences afforded by the moon, if those that are to inhabit its regions are fitted to their conditions, as well as we on this globe are to ours. An absolute, or total sameness, seems rather to denote imperfections, such as nature never exposes to our view; and, on this account, I believe the analogies that have been mentioned are fully sufficient to establish the high probability of the moon's being inhabited like the Earth.
You can admit it - William Herschel just kind of blew your mind with that logic, right? But even then, he's not done. He uses this apparently now established high probability of lunar habitability to prove the Sun is also teeming with life. He argues that someone living on the Moon might look at the Earth and just see it as the larger object around which his world revolves.
But, of course, we know the Earth is inhabited, and would mock the lunatic for his ignorance. So then, who are we to look at the Sun and presume it is just the larger object around which we revolve? And so, according to Herschel, "we need not hesitate to admit that the sun is richly stored with inhabitants." He then turns around and reels off a bunch of well-supported scientific observations about how far-distant stars must be objects like our Sun...and then he goes right back to how all these suns too must be inhabited.
Cosmic Pluralism Today
For all its popularity and widespread acceptance well into the mid-19th century, cosmic pluralism was always an untenable compromise between science and theology, and improved understanding of astronomy and biology made it clear that the Moon, the Sun, and the planets around us were definitely not inhabited, and certainly not by intelligent, God-fearing aliens.
By the dawn of the 20th century, it was back to being just another fringe theory. Indeed, a century's worth of scientific progress arguably brought astronomers to the precise opposite conclusion in the form of the Rare Earth hypothesis. This idea holds that the conditions of life are so unlikely that we might be on one of the very, very few planets in the universe capable of supporting life.
And yet, on some level, cosmic pluralism has been making a comeback of late, albeit without its former theological aspects. While Earth remains the only known home of life in the universe, intelligent or otherwise, there's growing scientific support for the idea that other bodies in our solar system, such as Mars or Saturn's moon Titan, either are home to very basic life or were at some point in their long histories.
But why limit ourselves to just the solar system? Thanks to the Kepler mission, we've now estimated that there could be as many as two billion Earth-like planets in our galaxy alone, and that might be a gross underestimate.
There might be two billion Earth-like planets just in our galaxy
The recent exoplanet spotting by NASA's Kepler probe revealed there might be more than a…
Yes, the proponents of cosmic pluralism were wrong. What's more, by any modern standard, they were wrong for exceedingly silly reasons. They tortured logic, forced theology and science to exist when there was simply no hope of this, and came to deeply weird conclusions about just about everything. And yet...maybe they were onto something after all, albeit entirely unintentionally.
The Extraterrestrial Life Debate, 1750-1900 by Michael J. Crowe
Plurality of Worlds: The Origins of the Extraterrestrial Life Debate from Democritus to Kant by Steven J. Dick
Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds by Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle
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Blackstone and Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division Complete Acquisition of Ipreo
jeaster1
New York – August 6, 2014 – Ipreo Holdings LLC (“Ipreo”), a leading global provider of market intelligence and workflow solutions to capital markets and corporate professionals, announced the completion of its acquisition by private equity funds managed by Blackstone (NYSE:BX) and by the Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division (“Goldman Sachs”) (together, the “Sponsors”). The Sponsors have acquired the business from affiliates of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. (“KKR”). Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
“Ipreo is an extraordinary company with tremendous potential for growth,” said Martin Brand, Senior Managing Director of Blackstone. “We are pleased to partner alongside management and Goldman Sachs to position Ipreo for continued innovation and success.”
“Ipreo has a long track-record of impressive performance across all the markets it serves. We are excited to help the company achieve new levels of market leadership, alongside our new partners,” said Sumit Rajpal, Global Head of Financial Services Investing for the Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division.
Ipreo is a leading global provider of market intelligence, new issuance software, and investor communication tools to investment banks and public companies. It is the only provider of capital markets solutions across the equity, fixed income, municipal, and syndicated loan markets. Ipreo’s extensive suite of corporate investor relations services provides corporate clients with unparalleled cross-asset class shareholder intelligence and analytics. Ipreo is especially known for its Bigdough database, widely recognized as the leading source for institutional contact data and investor profiles, relied upon by capital markets and corporate professionals alike. Ipreo clients include the world’s leading investment banks and hundreds of corporations listed on all the major exchanges around the globe.
“We are very excited to partner with Blackstone and Goldman Sachs in our next phase of development,” said Scott Ganeles, Chief Executive Officer of Ipreo. “The weeks of working together towards closing have only strengthened our view that both firms bring the experience, relationships, and market expertise to support not only our growth as a company but also our ability to bring new and enhanced services to our clients.”
Ipreo is a global leader in providing market intelligence, data, and technology solutions to all participants in the global capital markets, including sell-side banks, publicly traded companies, and buy-side institutions. From new issuance through ongoing investor management, our unique solutions drive connectivity and efficiency throughout all stages of the capital-raising process. Ipreo has more than 800 employees supporting clients in every major financial center around the world. For more information, please go to ipreo.com.
Blackstone is one of the world’s leading investment and advisory firms. We seek to create positive economic impact and long-term value for our investors, the companies we invest in, the companies we advise and the broader global economy. We do this through the commitment of our extraordinary people and flexible capital. Our asset management businesses include investment vehicles focused on private equity, real estate, hedge fund solutions, non-investment grade credit, secondary funds, and multi asset class exposures falling outside of other funds’ mandates. Blackstone also provides various financial advisory services, including financial and strategic advisory, restructuring and reorganization advisory and fund placement services. Further information is available at www.blackstone.com. Follow Blackstone on Twitter @Blackstone.
About the Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division
The Merchant Banking Division of Goldman Sachs is one of the leading private equity investors in the world, having invested and committed approximately $45 billion of equity capital in over 650 companies globally across its corporate equity investing business. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is a leading global investment banking, securities and investment management firm that provides a wide range of financial services to a substantial and diversified client base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments and high-net-worth individuals. Founded in 1869, the firm is headquartered in New York and maintains offices in all major financial centers around the world. For more information on Goldman Sachs, please visit http://www.gs.com.
For Blackstone:
Christine Anderson
christine.anderson@blackstone.com
For Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking:
Andrew Williams
andrew.williams@gs.com
Ipreo Releases Fully Automated Data Integration App, Discovery DataLink TM, for Salesforce.com
Ipreo Hires New Head of Corporate Workflow Solutions
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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL
CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS FOR THE YEAR
ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2018
In this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations ("MD&A"), unless the context otherwise requires, references to “we”, “us”, “our” or similar terms, as well as references to “Aurinia” or the “Company”, refer to Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc., together with our subsidiaries.
The following MD&A provides information on the activities of Aurinia on a consolidated basis and should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes for the year ended December 31, 2018 and our annual MD&A and audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2017. All amounts are expressed in United States (US) dollars unless otherwise stated. Dollar amounts in tabular columns are expressed in thousands of US dollars. This document is current in all material respects as of March 15, 2019.
The financial information contained in this MD&A and in our audited consolidated financial statements has been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board ("IASB"). The audited consolidated financial statements and MD&A have been reviewed and approved by our Audit Committee. This MD&A has been prepared with reference to National Instrument 51-102 “Continuous Disclosure Obligations” of the Canadian Securities Administrators. Under the U.S./Canada Multijurisdictional Disclosure System, Aurinia is permitted to prepare this MD&A in accordance with the disclosure requirements of Canada, which are different from those in the United States.
A statement is forward-looking when it uses what we know and expect today to make a statement about the future. Forward-looking statements may include words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “intend”, “expect”, “goal”, “may”, “outlook”, “plan”, “seek”, “project”, “should”, “strive”, “target”, “could”, “continue”, “potential” and “estimated”, or the negative of such terms or comparable terminology. You should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, particularly those concerning anticipated events relating to the development, clinical trials, regulatory approval, and marketing of our products and the timing or magnitude of those events, as they are inherently risky and uncertain.
Securities laws encourage companies to disclose forward-looking information so that investors can get a better understanding of our future prospects and make informed investment decisions. These statements, made in this MD&A, may include, without limitation:
our belief that the Phase 2b lupus nephritis ("LN") AURA- LV ("AURA") clinical trial had positive results;
our belief that we have sufficient cash resources to adequately fund operations;
our belief that the totality of data from both the single double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled Phase 3 clinical trial for voclosporin in the treatment of LN ("AURORA") and AURA clinical trials can potentially serve as the basis for a New Drug Application (an "NDA") with the Food and Drug Administration of the United States Government (the "FDA") following a successful completion of the AURORA clinical trial;
our belief that confirmatory data generated from the single AURORA clinical trial and the completed AURA clinical trial should support regulatory submissions in the United States, Europe and Japan and the timing of such, including the NDA submission in the United States;
our belief that granted formulation patents regarding the delivery of voclosporin to the ocular surface for conditions such as dry eye have the potential to be of therapeutic value;
our belief in the duration of patent exclusivity for voclosporin and that the patents owned by us are valid;
our belief in receiving extensions to patent life based on certain events or classifications;
our plans and expectations and the timing of commencement, enrollment, completion and release of results of clinical trials;
our current forecast for the cost of the AURORA clinical trial and the AURORA 2 extension trial;
our intention to demonstrate that voclosporin possesses pharmacologic properties with the potential to demonstrate best-in-class differentiation with first-in-class status for the treatment of LN outside of Japan;
our belief of the key potential benefits of voclosporin in the treatment of LN and other podocytopathies;
our target launch date for voclosporin as a treatment for LN for early 2021;
our belief in voclosporin being potentially a best-in-class CNI (as defined below) with robust intellectual property exclusivity and the benefits over existing commercially available CNIs;
our belief that CNIs are a mainstay of treatment for DES;
our belief that voclosporin has further potential to be effectively used across a range of therapeutic autoimmune areas including focal segmental glomerulosclerosis ("FSGS"), and keratoconjunctivitis sicca ("Dry Eye Syndrome" or "DES");
the timing for completion of enrollment and for data availability for our Phase 2 study for voclosporin in FSGS patients;
statements concerning the anticipated commercial potential of voclosporin for the treatment of LN, FSGS and DES;
our plan to expand voclosporin renal franchise to include FSGS;
our belief that the expansion of the renal franchise could create significant value for shareholders;
our intention to use the net proceeds from financings for various purposes;
our belief that our current financial resources are sufficient to fund our existing LN program including the AURORA trial and the NDA submission to the FDA, conduct the current Phase 2 study for FSGS, commence additional studies for DES and fund operations into mid-2020.
our plans to generate future revenues from products licensed to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies;
statements concerning partnership activities and health regulatory discussions;
statements concerning the potential market for voclosporin;
our ability to take advantage of financing opportunities if and when needed;
our belief that voclosporin ophthalmic solution ("VOS") has the potential to compete in the multi-billion-dollar human prescription dry eye market;
our intention to seek additional corporate alliances and collaborative agreements to support the commercialization and development of our products;
our belief that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (the "USPTO") will issue a new patent covering the dosing protocol for voclosporin in LN, with a patent term extending to 2037;
our belief that additional patents may be granted worldwide based on our filings under the Patent Cooperation Treaty ("PCT");
our strategy to become a global biopharmaceutical company;
our plan to conduct a confirmatory drug-drug interaction study; and
our plan to conduct a study with pediatric patients.
Such statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties and are necessarily based on a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, as at the date of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political, regulatory, legal, scientific and social uncertainties and contingencies, many of which, with respect to future events, are subject to change. The factors and assumptions used by management to develop such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to:
the assumption that we will be able to obtain approval from regulatory agencies on executable development programs with parameters that are satisfactory to us;
the assumption that recruitment to clinical trials will occur as projected;
the assumption that we will successfully complete our clinical programs on a timely basis, including conducting the required AURORA clinical trial and meet regulatory requirements for approval of marketing authorization applications and new drug approvals, as well as favourable product labeling;
the assumption that the planned studies will achieve positive results;
the assumptions regarding the costs and expenses associated with our clinical trials;
the assumption that regulatory requirements and commitments will be maintained;
the assumption that we will be able to meet Good Manufacturing Practice (“GMP”) standards and manufacture and secure a sufficient supply of voclosporin on a timely basis to successfully complete the development and commercialization of voclosporin;
the assumptions on the market value for the LN program;
the assumption that our patent portfolio is sufficient and valid;
the assumption that the USPTO will issue a new patent for its dosing protocol once applicable steps have been followed and fees paid;
the assumption that we will be able to extend our patents to the fullest extent allowed by law, on terms most beneficial to us;
the assumptions on the market;
the assumption that there is a potential commercial value for other indications for voclosporin;
the assumption that market data and reports reviewed by us are accurate;
the assumption that another company will not create a substantial competitive product for Aurinia’s LN business without violating Aurinia’s intellectual property rights;
the assumptions on the burn rate of Aurinia’s cash for operations;
the assumption that our current good relationships with our suppliers, service providers and other third parties will be maintained;
the assumption that we will be able to attract and retain a sufficient amount of skilled staff and/or
the assumptions relating to the capital required to fund operations through AURORA clinical trial results and regulatory submission.
It is important to know that:
actual results could be materially different from what we expect if known or unknown risks affect our business, or if our estimates or assumptions turn out to be inaccurate. As a result, we cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will materialize and, accordingly, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.
forward-looking statements do not take into account the effect that transactions or non-recurring or other special items announced or occurring after the statements are made may have on our business. For example, they do not include the effect of mergers, acquisitions, other business combinations or transactions, dispositions, sales of assets, asset write-downs or other charges announced or occurring after the forward-looking statements are made. The financial impact of such transactions and non-recurring and other special items can be complex and necessarily depend on the facts particular to each of them. Accordingly, the expected impact cannot be meaningfully described in the abstract or presented in the same manner as known risks affecting our business.
The factors discussed below and other considerations discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of this MD&A could cause our actual results to differ significantly from those contained in any forward-looking statements.
Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results,
performance, or achievements to differ materially from any assumptions, further results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause such differences include, among other things, the following:
the need for additional capital in the future to continue to fund our development programs and commercialization activities, and the effect of capital market conditions and other factors on capital availability;
competition;
difficulties, delays, or failures we may experience in the conduct of and reporting of results of our clinical trials for voclosporin;
difficulties in meeting GMP standards and the manufacturing and securing of a sufficient supply of voclosporin on a timely basis to successfully complete the development and commercialization of voclosporin;
difficulties, delays or failures in obtaining regulatory approvals for the initiation of clinical trials;
difficulties in gaining alignment among the key regulatory jurisdictions, European Medicines Agency, FDA and Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Agency, which may require further clinical activities;
difficulties, delays or failures in obtaining regulatory approvals to market voclosporin;
not being able to extend our patent portfolio for voclosporin;
our patent portfolio not covering all of our proposed uses of voclosporin;
difficulties we may experience in completing the development and commercialization of voclosporin;
the market for the LN business may not be as we have estimated;
insufficient acceptance of and demand for voclosporin;
difficulties obtaining adequate reimbursements from third party payors;
difficulties obtaining formulary acceptance;
competitors may arise with similar products;
product liability, patent infringement and other civil litigation;
injunctions, court orders, regulatory and other enforcement actions;
we may have to pay unanticipated expenses, and/or estimated costs for clinical trials or operations may be underestimated, resulting in our having to make additional expenditures to achieve our current goals;
difficulties, restrictions, delays, or failures in obtaining appropriate reimbursement from payors for voclosporin;
difficulties we may experience in identifying and successfully securing appropriate vendors to support the development and commercialization of our product; and/or
uncertainty that the FDA will agree to a label that will follow the dosing protocol under the Notice of Allowance for claims directed at our novel voclosporin dosing protocol for LN (U.S. patent application 15/835,219).
Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and we disclaim any intention and have no obligation or responsibility, except as require by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
For additional information on risks and uncertainties in respect of the Company and its business, please see the "Risks and Uncertainties" section of this MD&A. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements or information because we can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.
Additional information related to Aurinia, including its most recent Annual Information Form ("AIF"), is available by accessing the Canadian Securities Administrators’ System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval ("SEDAR") website at www.sedar.com or the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s ("SEC") Electronic Document Gathering and Retrieval System ("EDGAR") website at www.sec.gov/edgar.
Aurinia is a late clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing therapies to treat targeted patient populations that are suffering from serious diseases with a high unmet medical need. We are currently developing voclosporin, an investigational drug, for the potential treatment of LN, DES and FSGS.
Our head office is located at #1203-4464 Markham Street, Victoria, British Columbia V8Z 7X8. Aurinia has its registered office located at #201, 17904-105 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T5S 2H5 where the finance function is performed.
Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. is organized under the Business Corporations Act (Alberta). Our common shares (the "Common Shares") are currently listed and traded on the NASDAQ Global Market ("NASDAQ") under the symbol "AUPH" and on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "AUP".
We have two wholly-owned subsidiaries: Aurinia Pharma U.S., Inc., (Delaware incorporated) and Aurinia Pharma Limited (United Kingdom incorporated).
BUSINESS OF THE COMPANY
We are currently developing voclosporin, an investigational drug, for the potential treatment of LN, DES and FSGS. Voclosporin is a next generation calcineurin inhibitor ("CNI") which has clinical data in over 2,400 patients across multiple indications. It has also been previously studied in kidney rejection following transplantation, psoriasis and in various forms of uveitis (an ophthalmic disease).
The topical formulation of voclosporin, VOS, is an aqueous, preservative free nanomicellar solution intended for use in the treatment of DES. Studies have been completed in rabbit and dog models. A single Phase 1 study and a Phase 2a head-to-head study have also been completed in healthy volunteers and patients with DES. VOS has IP protection until 2031.
Legacy CNIs have demonstrated efficacy for a number of conditions, including transplant, DES and other autoimmune diseases; however, side effects exist which can limit their long-term use and tolerability. Some clinical complications of legacy CNIs include hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and both acute and chronic nephrotoxicity.
Voclosporin is an immunosuppressant, with a synergistic and dual mechanism of action that has the potential to improve near and long-term outcomes in LN when added to mycophenolate mofetil ("MMF"), although not approved for such, the current standard of care for LN. By inhibiting calcineurin, voclosporin reduces cytokine activation and blocks interleukin IL-2 expression and T-cell mediated immune responses. Voclosporin also potentially stabilizes disease modifying podocytes, which protects against proteinuria. Voclosporin is made by a modification of a single amino acid of the cyclosporine molecule. This modification may result in a more predictable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic relationship, an increase in potency, an altered metabolic profile, and easier dosing without the need for therapeutic drug monitoring. Clinical doses of voclosporin studied to date range from 13 - 70 mg administered twice a day ("BID"). The mechanism of action of voclosporin has been validated with certain first generation CNIs for the prevention of rejection in patients undergoing solid organ transplants and in several autoimmune indications, including dermatitis, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and for LN in Japan. We believe that voclosporin possesses pharmacologic properties with the potential to demonstrate best-in-class differentiation with first-in-class regulatory approval status for the treatment of LN outside of Japan.
Based on published data, we believe the key potential benefits of voclosporin in the treatment of LN and other podocytopathies are as follows:
increased potency compared to cyclosporine A, allowing lower dosing requirements and fewer off target effects;
limited inter and intra patient variability, allowing for easier dosing without the need for therapeutic drug monitoring;
less cholesterolemia and triglyceridemia than cyclosporine A; and
•limited incidence of glucose intolerance and diabetes at therapeutic doses compared to tacrolimus.
Our target launch date for voclosporin as a treatment for LN is early 2021.
LN is an inflammation of the kidney caused by systemic lupus erythematosus ("SLE") and represents a serious manifestation of SLE. SLE is a chronic, complex and often disabling disorder. SLE is highly heterogeneous, affecting a wide range of organs and tissue systems. Unlike SLE, LN has straightforward disease measures (readily assessable and easily identified by specialty treaters) where an early response correlates with long-term outcomes, measured by proteinuria. In patients with LN, renal damage results in proteinuria and/or hematuria and a decrease in renal function as evidenced by reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate ("eGFR"), and increased serum creatinine levels. eGFR is assessed through the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation. Rapid control and reduction of proteinuria in LN patients measured at six months shows a reduction in the need for dialysis at 10 years (Chen et al., Clin J. Am Soc Neph., 2008). LN can be debilitating and costly and if poorly controlled, can lead to permanent and irreversible tissue damage within the kidney. Recent literature suggests severe LN progresses to end-stage renal disease ("ESRD"), within 15 years of diagnosis in 10%-30% of patients, thus making LN a serious and potentially life-threatening condition. SLE patients with renal damage have a 14-fold increased risk of premature death, while SLE patients with ESRD have a greater than 60-fold increased risk of premature death. Mean annual cost for patients (both direct and indirect) with SLE (with no nephritis) have been estimated to exceed $20,000 per patient, while the mean annual cost for patients (both direct and indirect) with LN who progress to intermittent ESRD have been estimated to exceed $60,000 per patient (Carls et al., JOEM., Volume 51, No. 1, January 2009).
DES or dry eye disease or keratoconjuctivitis sicca, is characterized by irritation and inflammation that occurs when the eye’s tear film is compromised by reduced tear production, imbalanced tear composition, or excessive tear evaporation. The impact of DES ranges from subtle, yet constant eye irritation to significant inflammation and scarring of the eye’s surface. Discomfort and pain resulting from DES can reduce quality of life and cause difficulty reading, driving, using computers and performing daily activities. DES is a chronic disease. There are currently two FDA approved therapies for the treatment of dry eye; however, there is opportunity for potential improvement in the effectiveness by enhancing tolerability and onset of action and alleviating the need for repetitive dosing. The disease is estimated to affect greater than 20 million people in the United States (Market Scope, 2010 Comprehensive Report on The Global Dry Eye Products Market).
FSGS
FSGS is a rare disease that attacks the kidney’s filtering units (glomeruli) causing serious scarring which leads to permanent kidney damage and even renal failure. FSGS is one of the leading causes of Nephrotic Syndrome ("NS") and is identified by biopsy and proteinuria. NS is a collection of signs and symptoms that indicate kidney damage, including: large amounts of protein in urine; low levels of albumin and higher than normal
fat and cholesterol levels in the blood, and edema. Similar to LN, early clinical response which can be measured by reduction of proteinuria in addition to maintaining podocyte structural and functional integrity, is thought to be critical to long-term kidney health in patients with FSGS.
FSGS is likely the most common primary glomerulopathy leading to ESRD. The incidence of FSGS and ESRD due to FSGS are increasing as time goes on. Precise estimates of incidence and prevalence are difficult to determine. According to NephCure Kidney International, more than 5,400 patients are diagnosed with FSGS every year; however, this is considered an underestimate because a limited number of biopsies are performed. The number of FSGS cases are rising more than any other cause of NS and the incidence of FSGS is increasing through disease awareness and improved diagnosis. FSGS occurs more frequently in adults than in children and is most prevalent in adults 45 years or older. FSGS is most common in people of African American and Asian descent. It has been shown that the control of proteinuria is important for long-term dialysis-free survival of these patients. Currently, there are no approved therapies for FSGS in the United States or the European Union.
Our business strategy is to optimize the clinical and commercial value of voclosporin and become a global biopharma company with a focused renal and autoimmune franchise. This includes the expansion of a potential renal franchise with additional renal indications and the exploitation of voclosporin in novel formulations for treatment of autoimmune related disorders.
We have strategically developed a plan to expand our voclosporin renal franchise to include FSGS. Additionally, we are also furthering development of VOS for the treatment of DES. The advancement of these new indications, in addition to LN, represents an expansion of our pipeline and commercial opportunities.
The key elements of our corporate strategy include:
advancing voclosporin through the AURORA Phase 3 clinical trial with anticipated completion of this trial in the fourth quarter of 2019;
conducting a Phase 2 proof of concept study for the additional renal indication of FSGS; and
conducting additional studies of VOS, while assessing mechanisms to maximize shareholder value through both clinical and business development initiatives.
PATENT NOTICE OF ALLOWANCE
On February 25, 2019, we announced that we had received a notice of allowance (the "Notice of Allowance") from the USPTO for claims directed at our novel voclosporin dosing protocol for LN (U.S. patent application 15/835,219, entitled "PROTOCOL FOR TREATMENT OF LUPUS NEPHRITIS”).
The allowed claims broadly cover the novel voclosporin individualized flat-dosed pharmacodynamic treatment protocol adhered to and required in both the previously reported Phase 2 AURA-LV trial and our ongoing Phase 3 confirmatory AURORA trial. Notably, the allowed claims cover a method of modifying the dose of voclosporin in patients with LN based on patient specific pharmacodynamic parameters.
This Notice of Allowance concludes a substantive examination of the patent application at the USPTO, and after administrative processes are completed and fees are paid, is expected to result in the issuance of a U.S. patent with a term extending to December 2037. If the FDA approves the use of voclosporin for LN and the label for such use follows the dosing protocol under the Notice of Allowance, the issuance of this patent will expand the scope of intellectual property protection for voclosporin, which already includes robust manufacturing, formulation, synthesis and composition of matter patents.
We have also filed for protection of this subject matter under the PCT and have the option of applying for similar protection in the member countries thereof. This may lead to the granting of corresponding claims in the treaty countries which include all the major global pharmaceutical markets.
On January 22, 2019 we released results for our exploratory Phase 2a head-to-head study evaluating the efficacy, safety and tolerability of VOS versus Restasis® (cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion) 0.05% for the treatment of DES. The study was initiated in July of 2018 and full enrollment was achieved in the fourth quarter of 2018. We believe CNI's are a mainstay of treatment for DES. The goal of this program is to develop a best-in class treatment option.
In this exploratory Phase 2a study:
VOS showed statistical superiority to Restasis® on FDA-accepted objective signs of DES.
42.9% of VOS subjects vs 18.4% of Restasis® subjects (p=.0055) demonstrated ≥ 10mm improvement in Schirmer Tear Test ("STT") at Week 4.
Primary endpoint of drop discomfort at 1-minute on Day 1 showed no statistical difference between VOS and Restasis®, as both exhibited low drop discomfort scores, and both drugs were well-tolerated.
On the key pre-specified secondary endpoints of STT (an objective measure of tear production), and Fluorescein Corneal Staining ("FCS") (an objective measure of structural damage to the cornea), which are FDA-accepted efficacy endpoints, VOS showed rapid and statistically significant improvements over Restasis® at Week 4 (STT: p=.0051; FCS: p=.0003).
This 100-patient, double-masked, head-to-head study was designed to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of VOS versus Restasis® in subjects with DES. Both arms of the study received either VOS or Restasis® (1:1) administered twice daily, in both eyes, for 28 days. Key pre-specified secondary endpoints, which are FDA-accepted endpoints, include STT, FCS, and assessments of dry eye symptoms. Improvements in STT and FCS are considered by regulators to be two of the most clinically meaningful measures of efficacy in this disease.
4-Week Pre-Specified Efficacy Endpoints (Signs)*
Restasis®
p-value vs. Restasis®
Schirmer Tear Test (STT)
(mm LS mean increase from baseline)
% of subjects showing ≥ 10mm improvement in STT
(basis of FDA approval for other CNIs and an improvement is considered to be clinically significant)
Fluorescein Corneal Staining (FCS)
(reduction in staining is clinically significant)
*worst eye
Both treatment arms also demonstrated substantial and statistically significant improvements on the Symptom Assessment in Dry Eye score from baseline to Week 4.
No serious adverse events (SAE) were reported in the study, and there were no unexpected safety signals. All adverse events (AEs) were mild to moderate and the majority of patients had no AEs. There were five more patients with mild to moderate AEs in the VOS vs Restasis arm which were typical of complaints from DES patients.
Based on this data, we plan to aggressively advance VOS for the treatment of DES. Our pursuit of further development of VOS provides the Company with an enhanced pipeline that further capitalizes on the differentiating features of voclosporin and positions us for substantial growth and measured diversification.
VOS had previously shown evidence of efficacy in our partnered canine studies and in a small human Phase 1 study (n=35), supporting its development for the treatment of DES. Completed preclinical and human Phase 1b studies using our nanomicellar VOS formulation have shown encouraging results in terms of delivery of active drug to the target tissues of the eye. The nanomicellar formulation enables high concentrations of voclosporin to be incorporated into a preservative-free solution for local delivery to the ocular surface. This has been shown to potentially improve efficacy, dosing frequency and tolerability versus the current treatments for DES. We therefore believe VOS has a differentiated product profile with long patent life that has the potential to compete in the multi-billion-dollar human prescription dry eye market.
Animal safety toxicology studies were previously completed in rabbit and dog models, and additional animal safety toxicology studies are either being currently conducted or in the planning stage for 2019.
ATM Offering
On November 30, 2018 we entered into an open market sale agreement with Jefferies LLC pursuant to which Aurinia would be able to, from time to time, sell, through at-the-market (“ATM”) offerings, Common Shares that would have an aggregate offering price of up to $30 million. Aurinia filed a prospectus supplement with securities regulatory authorities in Canada in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario, and with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, which supplemented Aurinia’s short form base shelf prospectus dated March 26, 2018, and Aurinia’s shelf registration statement on Form F-10 dated March 26, 2018, declared effective on March 29, 2018.
Subsequent to year-end, we sold 4.61 million Common Shares and received gross proceeds of $30 million at a weighted average price of $6.55 pursuant this agreement. We incurred share issue costs of $1.17 million including a 3% commission of $900,000 and professional and filing fees of $270,000 directly related to the ATM offering. Sales in the ATM offering were only conducted in the United States through NASDAQ at market prices.
CLINICAL AND CORPORATE DEVELOPMENTS IN 2018
AURORA Phase 3 Clinical Trial in LN
We achieved a significant milestone on September 25, 2018 with the completion of enrollment for our AURORA Phase 3 clinical trial. The target enrollment of 324 patients was surpassed due to high patient demand with 358 LN patients randomized in sites across 27 countries. AURORA is a 56-week trial (52-week primary endpoint and a four-week follow-up period). Therefore, we expect to have top-line data for this trial in late 2019.
We believe the totality of data from both the AURORA and AURA clinical trials can potentially serve as the basis for an NDA submission with the FDA following a successful completion of the AURORA clinical trial. Under voclosporin’s fast-track designation we intend to utilize a rolling NDA process which will allow us to begin the submission process following a positive pre-NDA meeting with the FDA, which we anticipate will occur in the first quarter of 2020. To that end we are actively preparing the non-clinical and chemistry, manufacturing and controls modules required for the NDA submission. Our current plan is to complete the NDA, including the clinical module, in the second quarter of 2020.
The AURORA clinical trial is a global double-blind, placebo-controlled study, (designed with target enrollment of 324 patients) to evaluate whether voclosporin added to background therapy of CellCept®/MMF can increase overall renal response rates in the presence of low dose steroids.
Patients were randomized 1:1 to either of: (i) 23.7 mg voclosporin BID and MMF, or (ii) MMF and placebo, with both arms receiving a rapid oral corticosteroid taper. As in the AURA clinical trial, the study population in AURORA is comprised of patients with biopsy proven active LN who will be evaluated on the primary efficacy endpoint of complete remission, or renal response, at 52 weeks, a composite which includes:
urine protein-creatinine ratio of ≤0.5mg/mg;
normal, stable renal function (≥60 mL/min/1.73m2 or no confirmed decrease from baseline in eGFR of >20%);
presence of sustained, low dose steroids (≤10mg prednisone from week 44-52) and;
no administration of rescue medications.
Patients completing the AURORA trial have the option to roll over into a 104-week blinded extension trial (the "AURORA 2 extension trial"). During the second quarter ended June 30, 2018, the first patients commenced rolling over into the AURORA 2 extension trial. Enrollment in this study continues to increase as additional patients complete AURORA. The data from the AURORA 2 extension trial will allow us to assess the long-term benefit/risk of voclosporin in LN patients, however, this study is not a requirement for potential regulatory approval for voclosporin. Data from the AURORA 2 extension trial assessing long-term outcomes in LN patients should be valuable in a post-marketing setting and for future interactions with various regulatory authorities.
In order to enhance and complete the clinical dossier, we commenced a confirmatory drug-drug interaction study (a "DDI study") between voclosporin and MMF in the second half of 2018. Legacy CNIs, such as cyclosporin A, impact MMF concentrations, and our goal with this short study is to confirm the insignificant impact of voclosporin upon MMF concentrations that were previously seen in a renal transplant study. We are conducting the study with SLE patients and are currently in the process of enrolling patients with the study expected to be completed in 2019. In this study, patients will be monitored for a period of two weeks. We believe the results of this study will add to our knowledge of voclosporin in a multi-targeted therapeutic approach and should have no impact on our submission time-line or the potential approval of voclosporin.
We also plan to evaluate voclosporin in pediatric patients after a potential FDA approval of an indication for adults with LN.
New Voclosporin Indication - FSGS
Similar to LN, integrity of the podocyte is a key feature of disease progression in FSGS. The disease has straightforward disease outcomes where an early clinical response correlates with long-term outcomes, measured by proteinuria. Based on our clinical data in LN which demonstrated that voclosporin decreased proteinuria, we believe voclosporin has the potential to benefit patients with FSGS. Our clinical data in LN demonstrated that voclosporin decreased proteinuria. Furthermore, voclosporin appears to demonstrate a more predictable pharmacology and an improved lipid and metabolic profile over legacy calcineurin inhibitors, which have shown efficacy in treating autoimmune disorders similar to those we are targeting.
We submitted our IND to the FDA in the first quarter of 2018. We received agreement from the FDA with regards to the guidance we provided on this study and the IND is now active. Our Phase 2 proof-of-concept study in FSGS which is an open-label study of approximately 20 treatment-naive patients was initiated in June 2018. As we are essentially enrolling newly diagnosed patients and this is a rare disease, enrollment is slower than originally expected. We believe enrollment could take up to additional twelve months from the current date, however, we plan to have interim data readouts throughout the course of the study, once sufficient patients are enrolled. As we have been focused on LN, expanding our scope to include other proteinuric renal diseases is synergistic with our current strategy and long-term vision.
We announced on November 8, 2018 that Richard M. Glickman, Aurinia's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, intends to retire from his position once a suitable replacement is identified and appointed. The board of directors (the "Board") has retained an executive search firm and has initiated a search for his successor. This process is ongoing. Under his direction, the Company has delivered on its key milestones and
evolved into a patient-centric, late-stage clinical company with investigational drugs addressing multiple indications across the global immunology market.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
For the year ended December 31, 2018, we reported a consolidated net loss of $64.12 million or $0.76 loss per common share, as compared to a consolidated net loss of $70.79 million or $0.92 loss per common share for the year ended December 31, 2017.
We recorded an increase in the estimated fair value of derivative warrant liabilities of $9.95 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to $23.92 million for the previous year. These increases, which are non-cash in nature, increased the consolidated net loss for each of the years respectively.
After adjusting for the non-cash impact of the revaluation of the warrant liabilities, the net loss before change in estimated fair value of derivative warrant liabilities for the year ended December 31, 2018 was $54.09 million compared to $46.87 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. The higher net loss before the increase in estimated fair value of derivative warrant liabilities in 2018 was primarily due to an increase in research and development ("R&D") expenses for the year ended December 31, 2018.
Licensing revenue, contract revenue and deferred revenue
Licensing Revenue
We recorded licensing revenue of $118,000 (2017 - $118,000) related to the upfront license payment of $1.5 million received in 2010 pursuant to the 3SBio Inc. license agreement. Under the agreement, the primary substantive obligations of the Company are to grant the license and transfer intellectual knowledge to 3SBio. Under the agreement, we are also required to maintain the patent portfolio in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, and to provide further support and cooperation to 3SBio over the life of the agreement, which coincides with the life of the patents. Any additional assistance which may be provided to 3SBio will be performed on a full cost recovery basis. The deferred licensing fee revenue is recognized on a straight-line basis we satisfy the performance obligations over the life of the patents and the benefit to the customer transfers ratably throughout the patent live, which expires in 2022. As at December 31, 2018, $442,000 (2017 - $560,000) of deferred revenue remains relating to this payment. We will provide commercial supply to 3SBio on a cost-plus basis and will receive ongoing royalties based on sales of voclosporin by 3SBio.
On April 17, 2017, we entered into an agreement with Merck Animal Health (“MAH”) whereby the Company granted them worldwide rights to develop and commercialize its patented nanomicellar voclosporin ophthalmic solution (“VOS”) for the treatment of Dry Eye Syndrome in dogs. Under the terms of the agreement, we received a Technology Access fee of $300,000. This agreement provided MAH with a right to use intellectual property. MAH was able to direct the use of and obtain substantially all of the benefits from the license at the time that control of the rights were transferred and therefore, the $300,000 Technology Access fee was recognized as revenue in the year ended December 31, 2017. We are eligible to receive further payments based on certain development and sales milestones and receive royalties based on global product sales.
Contract Revenue
We earned a contract milestone of $345,000 (CA$450,000) pursuant to a purchase and sale agreement dated February 14, 2014 between Ciclofilin Pharmaceuticals Corp. (now Contravir Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) and Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. under which the Company sold the Non-Immunosuppressive Cyclosporine Analogue Molecules (NICAMs) early stage research and development asset to Ciclofilin. We are eligible to receive further payments based on certain development and sales milestones and to receive royalties based on global product sales. We have no obligations under this agreement
Research and Development expenses
R&D expenses increased to $41.38 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to $33.93 million for the year ended December 31, 2017.
The increase in R&D expenses in 2018 primarily reflected costs incurred for the AURORA 2 extension trial, the DDI study and the DES and FSGS Phase 2 studies, which were newly enrolled studies in 2018.
The most significant portion of R&D expenses related to the AURORA trial. AURORA trial costs were $23.56 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to $24.15 million for the year ended December 31, 2017.
Clinical Research Organization ("CRO") and other third party clinical trial expenses were $27.92 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to $21.63 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. The increased costs primarily reflected higher CRO costs, including service fees and pass-through costs related to the AURORA trial, the AURORA 2 extension trial, the DES study, the DDI study and commencement costs for the Phase 2 FSGS.
We incurred drug supply and distribution costs of $4.89 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to $7.12 million for 2017. Costs incurred in 2018 were primarily for encapsulating, packaging and distribution of the drug supply for the AURORA trial and manufacturing and packaging drug supply for VOS, whereas the drug costs for 2017 also included an expense of $3.17 million to manufacture voclosporin drug product.
Salaries, annual incentive pay accruals and employee benefits (excluding non-cash stock compensation expense noted below) increased to $4.26 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to $3.07 million for the same period in 2017. The increase reflected the hiring of fifteen additional R&D employees since January 1, 2017, annual salary increases, and a higher incentive pay accrual resulting from the additional personnel numbers.
We also recorded non-cash stock compensation expense of $2.70 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to $993,000 for 2017. See stock-based compensation expense section below for more details.
Other expenses, which included items such as travel, clinical trial insurance, patent annuity and legal fees, phone and publications increased to $1.61 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to $1.11 million in 2017. The increase reflected higher expenses, particularly for travel, related to the clinical trial programs conducted in 2018.
Corporate, administration and business development expenses
Corporate, administration and business development expenses increased to $13.67 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to $12.10 million for 2017. The increase reflected higher activity levels in 2018.
Corporate, administration and business development expenses included non-cash stock-based compensation expense of $4.16 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to $3.25 million for 2017. See the section on stock-based compensation expense below for more details.
Salaries, director fees, payroll accruals and employee benefits (excluding stock compensation expense noted above) were $4.60 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to $4.24 million in 2017. The increases reflected payroll costs in 2018 for seven additional employees hired since January 1, 2017, higher incentive pay accruals recorded in 2018, annual salary increases for employees and higher director fees.
Professional and consulting fee expense was consistent at $2.31 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to $2.13 million in 2017.
Rent, insurance, information technology, communications and other public company operating costs increased to $1.70 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to $1.33 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. The increased costs reflected overall higher activity levels, higher staff numbers, and higher director and officer insurance costs commensurate with conducting a Phase 3 clinical trial.
Travel, tradeshows and sponsorships expense decreased slightly to $900,000 for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to $1.16 million for the year ended December 31, 2017.
Stock-based compensation expense
For stock option plan information and outstanding stock option details refer to note 12(c) of the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018.
We granted 3.0 million stock options for the year ended December 31, 2018 at a weighted average exercise price of $5.29 compared to 2.73 million stock options at a weighted average exercise price of $4.12 for the year ended December 31, 2017.
Application of the fair value method resulted in charges to stock-based compensation expense of $6.86 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 (2017 – $4.24 million) with corresponding credits to contributed surplus. For the year ended December 31, 2018, stock compensation expense has been allocated to R&D expense in the amount of $2.70 million (2017 – $993,000) and corporate, administration and business development expense in the amount of $4.16 million (2017 – $3.25 million).
The increase in stock-based compensation expense in 2018 compared to 2017 related to the following: an increase in the number of options granted in 2018; an increase in the weighted average of the fair value of the stock options granted to $2.89 per common share in 2018 from $2.79 in 2017 due to increases in 2018, in our share price and in the interest rate used in calculating the fair value; and a change in the vesting periods for employee options to 36 months in 2017 and 2018 compared to 2016, where the majority of granted options vested over 12 months.
Amortization of acquired intellectual property and other intangible assets
Amortization of acquired intellectual property and other intangible assets increased slightly to $1.55 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to $1.43 million recorded in 2017.
Other expense (income)
We recorded other income of $2.07 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to other income of $196,000 for the year ended December 31, 2017.
Other expense (income) included the following items:
Finance income of $2.23 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 consisting of interest income of $2.23 million compared to finance income of $702,000 for the year ended December 31, 2017 consisting of interest income of $1.04 million offset by a loss on sale of short term investments of $338,000. The increase in interest income primarily reflected increases in United States interest rates in 2018 compared to 2017.
Revaluation expense adjustments on long term contingent consideration to ILJIN SNT Co., Ltd. ("ILJIN") of $236,000 for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to $502,000 for 2017. The contingent consideration is more fully discussed in note 10 to the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018.
Foreign exchange gain of $67,000 for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to a foreign exchange loss of $4,000 in 2017.
Change in estimated fair value of derivative warrant liabilities
We recorded a non-cash increase in estimated fair value of derivative warrant liabilities of $9.95 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to a non-cash increase of $23.92 million for 2017. These revaluations fluctuate based primarily on the market price of our Common Shares. Derivative warrant liabilities are more fully discussed in the section “Critical estimates in applying the Company’s accounting policies” and note 4 (Critical accounting estimates and judgements) to the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018.
In accordance with IFRS, a contract to issue a variable number of shares fails to meet the definition of equity and must instead be classified as a derivative liability and measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss at each period-end. To clarify, while we will settle these warrants only in shares in the future, accounting rules require that we show a liability because of the potential variability in the number of shares which may be issued if the cashless exercise option is used by the holder of the warrants under the specific situations discussed below.
The derivative warrant liabilities will ultimately be eliminated on the exercise or forfeiture of the warrants and will not result in any cash outlay by Company.
Derivative warrant liability related to December 31, 2016 Bought Deal public offering
On December 28, 2016, we completed a $28.75 million bought deal public offering (the "December Offering"). Under the terms of the December Offering, we issued 12.78 million units at a subscription price per unit of $2.25, each unit consisting of one common share and one-half (0.50) of a common share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"), exercisable for a period of five years from the date of issuance at an exercise price of $3.00. Therefore, we issued 6.39 million Warrants. The holders of the Warrants issued pursuant to the December Offering may elect, if we do not have an effective registration statement registering the Common Shares underlying the Warrants, or the prospectus contained therein is not available for the issuance of the Common Shares underlying the Warrants to the holder, in lieu of exercising the Warrants for cash, a cashless exercise option to receive Common Shares equal to the fair value of the Warrants. This calculation is based on the number of Warrants to be exercised multiplied by the weighted average market price less the exercise price with the difference divided by the weighted average market price. If a Warrant holder exercises this option, there will be variability in the number of shares issued per Warrant. There can be no certainty that we will have an effective registration statement in place over the entire life of the Warrants and therefore, under IFRS we are required to record these Warrants as derivative warrant liabilities.
There were no warrant exercises in 2018.
At each of December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, there were 3.52 million of the December 28, 2016 Warrants outstanding at an exercise price of $3.00.
Derivative warrant liability related to February 14, 2014 private placement offering
On February 14, 2014, we completed a $52 million private placement (the "Private Placement"). Under the terms of the Private Placement, we issued 18.92 million units at a subscription price per unit of $2.7485, each unit consisting of one common share and one-quarter (0.25) of a common share purchase warrant (the "2014 Warrants"), exercisable for a period of five years from the date of issuance at an exercise price of $3.2204. The holders of the 2014 Warrants issued pursuant to the Private Placement may elect, in lieu of exercising the 2014 Warrants for cash, a cashless exercise option to receive Common Shares equal to the fair value of the 2014 Warrants based on the number of 2014 Warrants to be exercised multiplied by a five-day weighted average market price less the exercise price with the difference divided by the weighted average market price. If a 2014 Warrant holder exercises this option, there will be variability in the number of shares issued per Warrant.
At each of December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, there were 1.74 million of the 2014 Warrants outstanding.
Subsequent to December 31, 2018, the 2014 Warrants outstanding at December 31, 2018 were exercised. Certain holders of the 2014 Warrants elected the cashless exercise option and we issued 687,000 Common Shares on the cashless exercise of 1.27 million 2014 Warrants. The remaining 464,000 warrants were exercised for cash, at a price of $3.2204, and as a result we received cash proceeds of $1.49 million upon the issuance of 464,000 Common Shares. Pursuant to the exercise of the 2014 Warrants, we transferred $5.92 million from derivative warrant liability to equity (Common Shares) and recorded an adjustment of $352,000 through the statement of operations and comprehensive loss related to the change in estimated fair value of derivative warrant liabilities in the first quarter ended March 31, 2019. As a result, the derivative warrant liability of $6.27 million at December 31, 2018 related to the Private Placement has been extinguished upon the exercise of the 2014 Warrants.
At December 31, 2018, we had cash, cash equivalents, and short term investments on hand of $125.86 million compared to $173.46 million at December 31, 2017.
Subsequent to December 31, 2018 we received gross proceeds of $30 million from the ATM facility (as discussed in the Recent Developments section), proceeds of $1.49 million from the cash exercise of 464,000 2014 Warrants and proceeds of $1.30 million from the exercise of 377,000 stock options.
We are in the development stage and are devoting the majority of our operational efforts and financial resources towards the clinical development and potential commercialization of our late stage drug, voclosporin, which includes the completion of the AURORA trial. For the year ended December 31, 2018, we reported a loss of $64.12 million (December 31, 2017 - $70.79 million) and a cash outflow from operating activities of $51.61 million (December 31, 2017 - $41.17 million). As at December 31, 2018, we had an accumulated deficit of $415.96 million (December 31, 2017 - $351.84 million).
We believe that our cash position is sufficient to fund our existing LN program, our ongoing Phase 2 study in FSGS, commence further studies for DES, and supporting operations until mid-2020.
More specifically, our cash position provides funding to finish the AURORA trial with estimated costs to complete of approximately $22 million and complete the regulatory NDA submission with the FDA in early 2020 based on our current expected time-lines. We are also conducting the AURORA 2 extension trial which will be completed towards the end of 2021 with estimated costs still be incurred of approximately $30 million. In addition, our cash will allow us to conduct our current FSGS study, complete the current DDI study, commence further studies for DES while also funding our supporting corporate, administration and business development activities and working capital needs during this period.
Sources and Uses of Cash:
(Decrease)
Cash used in operating activities
(51,610
Cash used in investing activities
(8,003
Cash generated from financing activities
(171,138
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
Net cash used in operating activities in fiscal 2018 was $51.61 million, an increase of $10.44 million, from cash used in operating activities of $41.17 million in 2017. Cash used in operating activities in 2018 and 2017 was composed of net loss, add-backs or adjustments not involving cash, such as stock-based compensation and change in estimated fair value of derivative warrant liabilities and net change in other operating assets and liabilities including prepaid expenses, deposits and other and accounts payable and accrued liabilities. Prepaid expenses, deposits and other increased to $6.78 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 from $1.68 million for the year ended December 31,2017. This increase primarily reflected a deposit for the manufacture of API in the amount of $3.29 million and increase of $1.09 million in advances and deposits with our CROs that are conducting our clinical trials and studies. Cash used in operating activities in 2017 included $2.15 million paid to ILJIN related to the contingent consideration liability.
Cash used in investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2018 was $66,000 compared to cash used in investing activities of $8.00 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. The change in these amounts primarily related to movements within our short term investment portfolio which was comprised of bonds and treasury notes.
Cash generated from financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2018 was $4.01 million compared to cash generated by financing activities of $175.15 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. Cash generated from financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2017 included net proceeds of $162.32 million from our March 20, 2017 financing.
We received $3.07 million from the exercise of warrants and $943,000 from the exercise of stock options for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to $8.92 million for warrants and $3.91 million for stock options in 2017.
Use of Financing Proceeds
December Offering
On December 28, 2016, we completed the December Offering for net proceeds of $26.14 million, the net proceeds of which are to be used to advance the clinical and non-clinical development of our lead drug, voclosporin, as a therapy for LN, and for working capital and corporate purposes.
March Offering
On March 20, 2017, we completed an underwritten public offering of 25.64 million Common Shares, which included 3.35 million Common Shares issued pursuant to the full exercise of the underwriters' overallotment option to purchase additional Common Shares, for net proceeds of $162.32 million (the "March Offering"), which are to be used for R&D activities and for working capital and corporate purposes.
A summary of the anticipated and actual use of net proceeds used to date from the above financings is set out in the table below.
Allocation of net proceeds
Total net proceeds from financings
Net proceeds used to date
December 28, 2016 Offering:
Clinical and non-clinical development of voclosporin
Working capital and corporate purposes
March 20, 2017 Offering:
Proceeds from ATM Sales in 2019:
To December 31, 2018, there have been no material variances from how we disclosed we were going to use the proceeds from the above noted offerings and thus, no material impact on its ability to achieve our business objectives and milestones.
CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS
We have the following contractual obligations as at December 31, 2018:
One to three
Four to five
More than five years
Operating lease obligations (1)
Purchase obligations (2)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
Contingent consideration to ILJIN (3)
Operating lease obligations are comprised of the future minimum lease payments for our premises.
We have entered into contractual obligations for services and materials required for the AURORA clinical trial, drug supply other R&D projects activities. The purchase obligations presented represent the minimum amount to exit our contractual commitments.
Contingent consideration to ILJIN is described in note 10 to the consolidated audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018.
As at December 31, 2018 we are party to agreements with CROs and a central laboratory and other third party service providers providing services to us for our clinical trials and studies and other research and development activities and for drug supply. Corresponding anticipated expenses over the next twelve months, are estimated to be in the range of $30-$35 million.
Compensation of Key Management
Compensation awarded to key management was composed of the following:
Salaries, short-term employee benefits
Bonuses accrued or paid
Severance costs
Director fees
Stock-based compensation
In 2018, we defined key management as Directors and executive officers whereas in 2017 our key management was defined as all Directors and Officers. This change in definition is a result of our continued growth and the hiring of additional personnel, requiring a narrower focus on the definition of Key Management. In 2017, compensation for Directors and executive officers was $6,812,000.
Stephen P. Robertson, a partner at Borden Ladner Gervais ("BLG") acts as our corporate secretary. We incurred legal fees in the normal course of business to BLG of $152,000 for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to $255,000 for the year ended December 31, 2017. The amount charged by BLG is based on standard hourly billing rates for the individuals working on our account. We have no ongoing contractual or other commitments as a result of engaging Mr. Robertson to act as our corporate secretary. Mr. Robertson receives no additional compensation for acting as the corporate secretary beyond his standard hourly billing rate.
The outstanding fair value of contingent consideration payable to ILJIN, an affiliated shareholder and related party, is the result of an Arrangement Agreement (the "ILJIN Agreement") completed on September 20, 2013 between the Company, Aurinia Pharma Corp. and ILJIN.
Pursuant to the terms of the ILJIN Agreement, $10 million in contingent consideration would potentially be owed to ILJIN based on the achievement of future pre-defined clinical and marketing milestones. During 2017, we paid ILJIN $2.15 million of the $10 million upon the achievement of two specific milestones pursuant to this contingent consideration. As such, at December 31, 2018, there are $7.85 million of contingent consideration milestones remaining which we may pay out in the future dependent upon the achievement of the specific pre-defined milestones being met.
The contingent consideration payable to ILJIN is more fully discussed in note 10 of the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018.
Other than as described in the "Contractual Obligations" and "Contingencies" sections of this MD&A, there are no material undisclosed off-balance sheet arrangements that have or are reasonably likely to have, a current or future effect on our results of operations or financial condition.
CRITICAL ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES AND JUDGMENTS
The preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with IFRS often requires management to make estimates about, and apply assumptions or subjective judgment to, future events and other matters that affect the reported amounts of our assets, liabilities, revenues, expenses and related disclosures. Assumptions, estimates and judgments are based on historical experience, expectations, current trends and other factors that management believes to be relevant at the time at which our consolidated financial statements are prepared. Management reviews, on a regular basis, our accounting policies, assumptions, estimates and judgments in order to ensure the consolidated financial statements are presented fairly and in accordance with IFRS.
Critical accounting estimates and judgments are those that have a significant risk of causing material adjustment and are often applied to matters or outcomes that are inherently uncertain and subject to change. As such, management cautions that future events often vary from forecasts and expectations and that estimates routinely require adjustment.
Management considers the following areas to be those where critical accounting policies affect the significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements.
Critical estimates in applying Aurinia's accounting policies
Contingent consideration
Contingent consideration is a financial liability recorded at fair value. The amount of contingent consideration to be paid is based on the occurrence of future events, such as the achievement of certain development, regulatory and sales milestones. Accordingly, the estimate of fair value contains uncertainties as it involves judgment about the likelihood and timing of achieving these milestones as well as the discount rate used. Changes in fair value of the contingent consideration obligation result from changes to the assumptions used to estimate the probability of success for each milestone, the anticipated timing of achieving the milestones and the discount period and rate to be applied. A change in any of these assumptions could produce a different fair value, which could have a material impact on the results from operations.
The fair value estimates at December 31, 2018 were based on a discount rate of 10% (2017 - 10%) and a presumed payment range between 50% and 74% (2017- 50% and 75%). The fair value of this contingent consideration as at December 31, 2018 was estimated to be $4.03 million (December 31, 2017 - $3.79 million) and was determined by estimating the probability and timing of achieving the milestones and applying the income approach.
The change in the revaluation amounts in 2018 resulted primarily from the change in the expected timing of milestone payments and the passage of time. The change in probability factors for the milestones and the passage of time resulted in a revaluation of contingent consideration expense of $236,000 for the year ended December 31, 2018.
This is a Level 3 recurring fair value measurement. If the probability for success were to increase by a factor of 10% for each milestone, this would increase the net present value ("NPV" of the obligation by approximately $622,000 as at December 31, 2018. If the probability for success were to decrease by a factor of 10% for each milestone, this would decrease the NPV of the obligation by approximately $620,000 as at December 31, 2018. If the discount rate were to increase to 12%, this would decrease the NPV of the obligation by approximately $172,000. If the discount rate were to decrease to 8%, this would increase the NPV of the obligation by approximately $185,000.
Derivative warrant liabilities
Warrants issued pursuant to equity offerings that are potentially exercisable in cash or on a cashless basis resulting in a variable number of shares being issued are considered derivative liabilities and therefore measured at fair value.
We use the Black-Scholes pricing model to estimate fair value at each exercise and period end date. The key assumptions used in the model are the expected future volatility in the price of our shares and the expected life of the warrants. The impact of changes in key assumptions are noted below.
These derivative warrant liabilities are Level 3 recurring fair value measurements.
The key Level 3 inputs used by management to estimate the fair value are the market price and the expected volatility. If the market price were to increase by a factor of 10%, this would increase the estimated fair value of the obligation by approximately $3.41 million as at December 31, 2018. If the market price were to decrease by a factor of 10%, this would decrease the estimated fair value of the obligation by approximately $3.37 million. If the volatility were to increase by 10%, this would increase the estimated fair value of the obligation by approximately $344,000. If the volatility were to decrease by 10%, this would decrease estimated fair value of the obligation by approximately $322,000 as at December 31, 2018.
Fair value of stock options
Determining the fair value of stock options on the grant date requires judgment related to the choice of a pricing model, the estimation of stock price volatility and the expected term of the underlying instruments. Any changes in the estimates or inputs utilized to determine fair value could result in a significant impact on our reported operating results, liabilities or other components of shareholders’ equity. The key assumptions used by management is the stock price volatility.
If the stock price volatility was higher by a factor of 10% on the option grant dates in 2018, this would have increased annual stock compensation expense by approximately $308,000. If the stock price volatility was lower by a factor of 10% on the grant date, this would have decreased annual stock compensation expense by approximately $265,000.
We used the Black-Scholes option pricing model to estimate the fair value of the options granted in 2018 and 2017.
We consider historical volatility of our Common Shares in estimating its future stock price volatility. The risk-free interest rate for the expected life of the options was based on the yield available on government benchmark bonds with an approximate equivalent remaining term at the time of the grant. The expected life is based upon the contractual term, taking into account expected employee exercise and expected post-vesting employment termination behavior.
Critical judgments in applying Aurinia's accounting policies
Our assessments related to the recognition of revenues for arrangements containing multiple elements are based on estimates and assumptions. Judgment is necessary to identify separate performance obligations and to allocate related consideration to each separate performance obligation. Where deferral of license fees is deemed appropriate, subsequent revenue recognition is often determined based on certain assumptions and estimates, our continuing involvement in the arrangement, the benefits expected to be derived by the customer and expected patent lives. The estimate of variable consideration requires significant judgment and an assessment of their potential reversal. We also use judgement in assessing if a license is a right to use or a right to access intellectual property. Factors that are considered include whether the customer reasonably expects (arising from the entity's customary business practices) that the entity will undertake activities that will significantly affect the intellectual property, the rights granted by the license directly expose the customer to any positive or negative effects of the entity's activities and whether those activities transfer a separate good or service to the customer. To the extent that any of the key assumptions or estimates change, future operating results could be affected.
Impairment of intangible assets
We follow the guidance of IAS 36 to determine when impairment indicators exist for its intangible assets. When impairment indicators exist, we are required to make a formal estimate of the recoverable amount of its intangible assets. This determination requires significant judgment. In making this judgment, management evaluates external and internal factors, such as significant adverse changes in the technological, market, economic or legal environment in which we operate as well as the results of our ongoing development programs. Management also considers the carrying amount of our net assets in relation to our market capitalization as a key indicator. In making a judgment as to whether impairment indicators exist as at December 31, 2018, management concluded there were none.
Management has determined that derivative warrant liabilities are classified as long term as these derivative warrant liabilities will ultimately be settled for Common Shares and therefore the classification is not relevant.
RECENT CHANGES IN ACCOUNTING STANDARDS
New accounting standards adopted in the year
We adopted three new and revised standards, effective January 1, 2018. The information below explains the impact of the adoption of IFRS 9 Financial Instruments, IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers and IFRS 2 Share based payment on our financial statements that have been applied from January 1, 2018, where they are different to those applied in the prior period.
IFRS 9 Financial Instruments
The adoption of IFRS 9 Financial Instruments using the modified retrospective approach on January 1, 2018 (the date of initial application of IFRS 9) results in a change in accounting policy. In accordance with the transitional provisions in IFRS 9, comparative figures have not been restated. The reclassification of financial assets have therefore been recognized in the opening balance sheet on January 1, 2018. The new standard introduces expanded disclosure requirements and changes in presentation, these have minimally impacted the nature and extent of the Company's disclosures. IFRS 9 is a three-part standard to replace IAS 39 Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement, addressing new requirements for (i) classification and measurement, (ii) impairment, and (iii) hedge accounting.
Classification and measurement
On January 1, 2018 we assessed which business models apply to the financial assets held by the Company and have classified our financial instruments into the appropriate IFRS 9 categories. There was no impact to the financial liabilities held by the Company.
Cash and cash equivalents, short term investments and accounts receivable are recorded initially at fair value and subsequently at amortized cost using the effective interest method less any provisions for impairment.
The impact to short term investments due to the classification of these assets in accordance with IFRS 9 is outlined below:
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
Balance at December 31, 2017 – IAS 39
Reclassify investments from available-for-sale to amortized cost
Balance at January 1, 2018 – IFRS 9
The investments held at December 31, 2017 were reclassified from available for sale to amortized cost. At January 1, 2018, the date of initial application, our business model is to hold investments for collection of contractual cash flows, and the
cash flows represent solely payments of principal and interest on the principal amount. The fair value loss of $78,000 would have otherwise been recognized in other comprehensive income (OCI) had the short term investments not been reclassified to amortized cost.
There was no impact to cash and cash equivalents and accounts receivable resulting from the adoption of IFRS 9.
Impairment of financial assets
The new impairment model requires the recognition of impairment provisions based on expected credit losses rather than only incurred credit losses as is the case under IAS 39. We have nominal amount of accounts receivable, therefore, the change in impairment methodology due to the new standard does not have a significant impact on the financial statements. Our cash and cash equivalents and short term investments are also subject to the impairment requirements of IFRS 9, the identified impairment loss is not material.
Hedge Accounting
We had not entered into any hedges as at December 31, 2017 and has not undertaken hedging activities in the year ended December 31, 2018 therefore the hedge accounting section standard is not applicable to the Company at this time and does not have an impact on the financial statements.
IFRS 15 Revenues from Contracts with Customers
The adoption of IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with customers using the modified retrospective and the completed contract practical expedient approaches on January 1, 2018 (the date of initial application of IFRS 15) does result in a change in accounting policy. However, the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements, and as a result the 2017 comparatives are not required to be restated. The new standard replaces IAS 18, Revenue, IAS 11 Construction Contracts, and other interpretive guidance associated with revenue recognition. IFRS 15 provides a single model to determine how and when an entity should recognize revenue, as well as requiring entities to provide more informative, relevant disclosures in respect of its revenue recognition criteria.
The modified retrospective approach results in the cumulative effect, if any, of adoption being recognized at the date of initial application. We currently have no product sales or significant sources of revenue, therefore there is no effect upon initial application.
•IFRS 2 Share based payments
In June 2016, the IASB issued final amendments to IFRS 2, clarifying how to account for certain types of share based payment transactions. These amendments, which were developed through the IFRS Interpretations Committee, provide requirements on the accounting for: (i) the effect of vesting and non-vesting conditions on the measurement of cash-settled share based payments; (ii) share-based payment transactions with a net settlement feature for withholding tax obligations; and (iii) a modification to the terms and conditions of a share-based payment that changes the classifications of the transaction from cash-settled to equity-settled. We have evaluated the impact of these amendments and as a result have determined that there is no required change to our accounting policy related to Share based payments, and therefore no changes to the consolidated financial statements were required.
New accounting standard not yet adopted
The following standard is effective for annual periods beginning on or after January 1, 2019 and has not been applied in preparing these annual consolidated financial statements.
IFRS 16 Leases
In January 2016, the IASB issued IFRS 16 Leases, which will replace IAS 17 Leases. Under IFRS 16, a contract is, or contains, a lease if the contract conveys the right to control the use of an identified asset for a period of time in exchange for consideration. Under IAS 17, lessees were required to make a distinction between a finance lease and an operating lease. IFRS 16 now requires lessees to recognize a lease liability reflecting future lease payments and a right-of-use asset for virtually all lease contracts. There is an optional exemption for certain short-term leases and leases of low-value assets; however, this exemption can only be applied by lessees. The standard is effective for annual periods beginning on or after January 1, 2019, with earlier adoption if IFRS 15 is also applied. Aurinia has elected to adopt IFRS 16 effective January 1, 2019.
At the date of adoption of IFRS 16, we will recognize a lease liability and right-of-use asset. The lease liability will be measured at the present value of the future lease payments during the lease term which is estimated to be an average of three years at the date of adoption, discounted using incremental borrowing rates which, in most instances, will be an average interest rate on borrowings for companies comparable to us. The right-of-use asset will be initially calculated at an amount equal to the initial value of the lease liability adjusted as required under the standard for specific items. The right-of-use asset is expected to be amortized using the straight-line method from the date of adoption to the end of the lease term. Interest on the lease liability will be calculated using the effective interest method with rent payments reducing the liability. As a
result of these changes, there will be a increase in 2019 to interest expense and amortization, and a reduction in Corporate, administration and business development expenses (note 13) on the Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Loss due to the decrease in rent expense. To date, we have identified two facility lease agreements that will have an impact on the consolidated financial statements. As at the reporting date, the non-cancelable commitment related to these two leases is $800,000 (note 20). We are assessing and quantifying the potential financial impact that the adoption will have on our consolidated financial statements. We are also currently reviewing Aurinia's non-facility related contracts and agreements to determine whether any of the agreements will impact our consolidated financial statements. We will be ready to report under IFRS 16 in its first quarter financial statements in 2019.
We have invested a significant portion of our time and financial resources in the development of voclosporin. We anticipate that our ability to generate revenues and meet expectations will depend primarily on the successful development, regulatory approval and commercialization of voclosporin.
The successful development and commercialization of voclosporin will depend on several factors, including the following:
Successful and timely completion of our clinical program in LN, including the AURORA trial which is anticipated to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2019;
receipt of marketing approvals from the FDA and other regulatory authorities with a commercially viable label;
securing and maintaining sufficient expertise and resources to help in the continuing development and eventual commercialization of voclosporin;
maintaining suitable manufacturing and supply arrangements to ensure commercial quantities of the product through validated processes;
acceptance and adoption of the product by the medical community and third-party payers; and
our ability to raise future financial resources when required. Future additional sources of capital could include payments from equity financings, debt financings, potential new licensing partners, and/or the monetization of our intangible assets.
A more detailed list of the risks and uncertainties affecting us can be found in our AIF which is filed on SEDAR and EDGAR.
Our objective in managing capital, consisting of shareholders' equity, with cash, cash equivalents and short term investments being its primary components, is to ensure sufficient liquidity to fund R&D activities, corporate, administration and business development expenses and working capital requirements. This objective has remained the same from that of the previous year.
Over the past two years, we have raised capital via a public offering, the exercise of warrants and stock options and draw-downs subsequent to year end under our November 30, 2018 ATM facility, as our primary sources of liquidity, as discussed in note 12 - Share Capital.
As our policy is to retain cash to keep funds available to finance the activities required to advance our product development, we do not currently pay dividends.
We are not subject to any capital requirements imposed by any regulators or by any other external source.
Financial instruments and Risks
We are exposed to credit risks and market risks related to changes in interest rates and foreign currency exchange, each of which could affect the value of our current assets and liabilities.
We invest our cash reserves in U.S. dollar denominated, fixed rate, highly liquid and highly rated financial instruments such as treasury notes, banker acceptances, bank bonds, and term deposits. We do not believe that the results of operations or cash flows would be affected to any significant degree by a sudden change in market interest rates relative to our investment portfolio, as the majority of our funds were held in cash or cash equivalents ($117.97 million at December 31, 2018). We also held $7.89 million in short term investments. The short term investments are comprised of two held to maturity interest bearing securities, which each mature in 2019.
Financial risk factors
Our activities can expose us to a variety of financial risks: market risk (including currency risk, interest rate risk and other price risk), credit risk and liquidity risk. Risk management is carried out by management under policies approved by the Board of Directors. Management identifies and evaluates the financial risks. Our overall risk management program seeks to minimize adverse effects on our financial performance.
Liquidity risk is the risk we will not be able to meet our financial obligations as they fall due. We manage our liquidity risk through the management of our capital structure and financial leverage, as discussed above in "Capital Management". We also manage liquidity risk by continuously monitoring actual and projected cash flows. The Board reviews and approves our budget, as well as any material transactions out of the ordinary
course of business. We invest our cash equivalents in U.S. denominated term deposits with 30 to 90-day maturities, and U.S. denominated short term investments consisting of bonds and treasury notes issued by banks and/or United States or Canadian governments with maturities not exceeding two years to ensure our liquidity needs are met.
All of our financial liabilities are due within one year except for the contingent consideration, as described in note 10 to the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018 and the derivative warrant liabilities, as described in note 11 to the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018.
Interest rate risk is the risk the fair value or future cash flows of a financial instrument will fluctuate because of changes in market interest rates.
Financial assets and financial liabilities with variable interest rates expose us to cash flow interest rate risk. Our cash and cash equivalents are comprised of highly liquid investments that earn interest at market rates and the short term investments are comprised of bank or government bonds with a maturity of two years or less. Accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued liabilities bear no interest.
We manage our interest rate risk by maintaining the liquidity necessary to conduct operations on a day-to-day basis. Our exposure to interest rate risk as at December 31, 2018 was considered minimal as the majority of our financial resources were held as cash and cash equivalents.
Financial instruments that potentially subject us to significant concentrations of credit risk consist principally of cash, cash equivalents and short term investments which were held at three major Canadian banks. We regularly monitor the credit risk exposure and take steps to mitigate the likelihood of these exposures resulting in expected loss.
Foreign currency risk
We are exposed to financial risk related to the fluctuation of foreign currency exchange rates. Foreign currency risk is the risk variations in exchange rates between the US dollars and foreign currencies, primarily with the Canadian dollar, will affect our operating and financial results.
The following table presents our exposure to the Canadian dollar:
Net exposure
date rate
CA$ – US$
Based on our foreign currency exposure noted above, varying the foreign exchange rates to reflect a ten percent strengthening of the CA$ would have increased the net loss by $128,000 assuming all other variables remained constant. An assumed 10% weakening of the CA$ would have had an equal but opposite effect to the amounts shown above, on the basis all other variables remain constant.
Patents and other proprietary rights are essential to our business. Our policy has been to file patent applications to protect technology, inventions, and improvements to our inventions that are considered important to the development of our business. We are pursuing certain avenues to expand the voclosporin intellectual property portfolio, including a use patent strategy (which involves potential development of use patents driven by AURA Phase 2b data) and a potential manufacturing patent and trade secret strategy.
The Company has an extensive granted patent portfolio related to cyclosporine analogs, including granted United States patents, covering voclosporin composition of matter, methods of use, formulations and synthesis. The corresponding Canadian, South African and Israeli patents are owned by Paladin Labs Inc. We anticipate that upon regulatory approval, patent protection for voclosporin will be extended in the United States (Patent Term Extension) and certain other major markets, including Europe and Japan, until at least October 2027 under the Hatch-Waxman Act in the United States and comparable patent extension laws in other countries (including the Supplementary Protection Certificate program in Europe). Opportunities may also be available to add an additional six months of exclusivity related to pediatric studies which are currently
in the planning process. In addition to patent rights, we also expect to receive "new chemical entity" exclusivity for voclosporin in certain countries, which provides from five years in the United States and up to ten years in Europe.
Further, pursuant to a Notice of Allowance from the USPTO for claims directed at our novel voclosporin dosing protocol for LN as more fully discussed in the Recent Developments section of this MD&A, after administrative processes are completed and fees are paid, we expect the issuance of a U.S. patent with a term extending to December 2037. If the FDA approves the use of voclosporin for LN and the label for such use follows the dosing protocol under the Notice of Allowance, the issuance of this patent will expand the scope of intellectual property protection for voclosporin, which already includes robust manufacturing, formulation, synthesis and composition of matter patents. We have also filed for protection of this subject matter under the PCT and have the option of applying for similar protection in the member countries thereof. This may lead to the granting of corresponding claims in the treaty countries which include all the major global pharmaceutical markets.
We have licensed the development and distribution rights to voclosporin for China, Hong Kong and Taiwan to 3SBio. This license is royalty bearing and we will also supply finished product to 3SBio on a cost-plus basis. We do not expect to receive any royalty revenue pursuant to this license in the foreseeable future.
We have patent protection for VOS as we own two granted United States patents and 14 patents in other jurisdictions related to ophthalmic formulations of calcineurin inhibitors or mTOR inhibitors, including voclosporin. We also have one granted United States patent and 10 patents in other jurisdictions related to topical drug delivery system for ophthalmic use. These patents expire between 2028 and 2031.
We may, from time to time, be subject to claims and legal proceedings brought against us in the normal course of business. Such matters are subject to many uncertainties. Management believes that the ultimate resolution of such contingencies will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position.
We have entered into indemnification agreements with our officers and directors. The maximum potential amount of future payments required under these indemnification agreements is unlimited. However, we do maintain liability insurance to limit our exposure.
We have entered into an agreement dated February 14, 2014 whereby we are required to pay a third party a royalty equivalent to 2% of royalties received on the sale of voclosporin by licensees and/or 0.3% of net sales of voclosporin sold directly by the Company. Should we sell substantially all of the assets of voclosporin to a third party or transfer those assets to another party in a merger in a manner such that this payment obligation is no longer operative, then we would be required to pay 0.3% of the value attributable to voclosporin in the transaction.
iv)
We have entered into license and research and development agreements with third parties that include indemnification and obligation provisions that are customary in the industry. These guarantees generally require us to compensate the other party for certain damages and costs incurred as a result of third party claims or damages arising from these transactions. These provisions may survive termination of the underlying agreement. The nature of the obligations prevents us from making a reasonable estimate of the maximum potential amount we could be required to pay. Historically, we have not made any payments under such agreements and no amount has been accrued in the accompanying audited consolidated financial statements.
INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING
Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
Management, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting ("ICFR"), and has designed such ICFR to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation and fair presentation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with IFRS.
We do not expect that our internal controls and procedures over financial reporting will prevent all error and all fraud. A control system provides only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. Because of the inherent limitation in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, within the Company have been detected. These inherent limitations include the realities that judgements in decision-making can be faulty, and that breakdowns can occur because of simple error or mistake. Additionally, controls can be circumvented by the individual acts of some persons by collusion of two or more people or by management override of the control. The design of any system of controls also is based in part upon certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving our stated goals under all potential future conditions. Because of the inherent limitations in a cost-effective control system, misstatements due to error fraud may occur and not be detected. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
Management evaluated the effectiveness of our ICFR as of December 31, 2018 based on the framework set forth in Internal Control-Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Based on this evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our ICFR was effective as of December 31, 2018.
DISCLOSURE CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Disclosure controls and procedures ("DC&P") as defined in National Instrument 52-109 Certification of Disclosure in Issuers’ Annual and Interim Filings, are designed to provide reasonable assurance that all material information required to be publicly disclosed in our annual, interim filings and other reports filed or submitted by us under securities legislation is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified under securities legislation and include controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be so disclosed is accumulated and communicated to management including the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions.
In designing and evaluating our DC&P, management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives, and, therefore, management is required to apply its judgment in evaluating and implementing possible controls and procedures. The Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, after evaluating the effectiveness of our DC&P as at December 31, 2018 have concluded that the DC&P were adequate and effective to provide reasonable assurance that material information we are required to disclose on a continuous basis in interim and annual filings and other reports and news releases is recorded, processed, summarized and reported or disclosed on a timely basis as necessary.
UPDATED SHARE INFORMATION
As at March 15, 2019, the following class of shares and equity securities potentially convertible into Common Shares were outstanding:
Common shares
Convertible equity securities
Derivative liability warrants
Subsequent to year-end we issued 4.61 million Common Shares and received gross proceeds of $30 million pursuant to our ATM facility as more fully discussed in the Recent Developments section of this document,
Subsequent to year end, the 1.74 million derivative warrants outstanding at December 31, 2018 related to the February 14, 2014 private placement offering, were fully exercised. Certain holders of these warrants elected the cashless exercise option and we issued 687,000 Common Shares on the cashless exercise of 1.27 million warrants. The remaining 464,000 warrants were exercised for cash, at a price of $3.2204 and we received cash proceeds of $1.49 million upon the issuance of 464,000 Common Shares.
Subsequent to the year-end we granted 1.37 million stock options at a weighted average price of $6.05 (CA $8.04) to our officers, directors and employees and we issued 377,000 Common Shares for proceeds of $1.30 million upon the exercise of 377,000 stock options. In addition, 234,000 stock options were forfeited.
Selected Annual Information (expressed in thousands of dollars, except per share data)
Statement of Operations
Expenses, net
Net loss for the year
Net loss per share
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding
Statement of Financial Position
Non-current contingent consideration
Shareholder’s equity
Common shares outstanding
Quarterly Information (expressed in thousands except per share data)
Set forth below is unaudited consolidated financial data for each of the last eight quarters:
Corporate, administration and business development
Amortization of tangible and intangible assets
Net loss before change in estimated fair value of derivative warrant liabilities
Net loss for the period
Per common share ($)
Net loss per common share – basic and diluted
Amortization and impairment of tangible and intangible assets
Summary of Quarterly Results
The primary factors affecting the magnitude of our losses in the various quarters are noted below and include the timing of R&D costs associated with the clinical development program, timing and amount of stock compensation expense, and fluctuations in the non-cash change in estimated fair value of derivative warrant liabilities.
The increase in R&D costs for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and June 30, 2018 was due to the ramp up in AURORA trial costs, and startup costs for AURORA 2 extension trial and the Phase 2 DES and FSGS studies. The increase in R&D costs for the three months ended March 31, 2018, December 31, 2017 and September 30, 2017 primarily reflect expenses associated with our AURORA trial, including CRO and drug supply expenses.
Corporate, administration and business development costs included non-cash stock-based compensation expense of $686,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2018, $887,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2018, $1.26 million for the three months ended June 30, 2018, $1.33 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018, $656,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2017, $795,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2017, $718,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2017, and $1.08 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017. The three months ended March 31, 2017 also included a provision amount of $519,000 related to the departure of the former Chief Executive Officer (Charles Rowland) on February 6, 2017.
We record non-cash adjustments each quarter resulting from the fair value revaluation of the derivative warrant liabilities. These revaluations fluctuate based primarily on the market price of our Common Shares. An increase in the market price of our Common Shares results in a loss on revaluation while a decrease results in a gain on revaluation.
The change in the estimated fair value of the derivative warrant liabilities for the three months ended December 31, 2018 of $ 593,000 primarily reflected an increase in our share price to $6.82 per share at December 31, 2018 compared to $6.64 per share at September 30, 2018 while the change in the estimated fair value of the derivative warrant liabilities for the three months ended September 30, 2018 of $4.80 million primarily reflected an increase in our share price to $6.64 per share at September 30, 2018 compared to $5.63 per share at June 30, 2018. The change in the estimated fair value of the derivative warrant liabilities for the three months ended June 30, 2018 of $1.93 million primarily reflected an increase in our share price to $5.63 per share at June 30, 2018 compared to $5.19 per share at March 31, 2018. The change in the estimated fair value of the derivative warrant liabilities for the three months ended March 31, 2018 of $2.63 million primarily reflected an increase in our share price to $5.19 per share at March 31, 2018 compared to $4.53 per share at December 31, 2017.
The change in the estimated fair value of the derivative warrant liabilities for the three months ended December 31, 2017 of $9.01 million primarily reflected a decrease in our share price to $4.53 per common share at December 31, 2017 compared to $6.27 per share at September 30, 2017. The change in the estimated fair value of the derivative warrant liabilities for the three months ended June 30, 2017 of $7.50 million primarily reflected a decrease in our share price to $6.13 per common share at June 30, 2017 compared to $7.34 per common share at March 31, 2017. The change in the estimated fair value of derivative warrant liabilities of $40.78 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 reflected the significant increase in our share price from $2.10 per common share at December 31, 2016 to $7.34 per common share at March 31, 2017.
Fourth Quarter Analysis (See Quarterly Information above for the fourth quarter comparative information detail).
We recorded a consolidated net loss of $14.59 million or $0.17 per common share for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2018, compared to a consolidated net loss of $3.33 million or $0.04 per common share for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2017.
The increase of $11.26 million in the consolidated net loss was primarily attributable to the following items on a net basis:
The change in estimated fair value of derivative warrant liabilities was $9.95 million as we recorded an increase of $593,000 in the estimated fair value of derivative warrant liabilities for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2018 compared to decrease in the estimated fair value of derivative warrant liabilities of $9.00 million for the fourth quarter of 2017.
An increase in R&D expenses of $2.15 million in the fourth quarter of 2018 primarily attributable to costs incurred for the AURORA 2 extension trial, the DDI study and the FSGS and DES Phase 2 studies which were newly enrolled studies in 2018;
Other expense (income) reflected income of $736,000 for the fourth quarter of 2018 compared to a net expense of $196,000 for the fourth quarter of 2017. This change was primarily due to a net change in finance income of $862,000 between the two periods.
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July 11, 2019 by Ghazal Afshar About Iran, castle, Garden, Other, Shiraz, Tour 0
Arg of Karim Khan
Arg of Karim Khan, the citadel built by the Zand ruler Karim Khan at his capital Shiraz, lay to the northwest of the old town, not far from the Bagh-e Shah gate and at the intersection of the Darb-e Shazde and Meidan-e shah quarters. It was built as part of a complex during the Zand dynasty and is named after Karim Khan, and served as his living quarters. In shape, it resembles a medieval fortress. At times, the citadel was used as a prison. Today, it is a museum operated by Iran’s Cultural Heritage Organization.
Arg-e-Karim Khan was built in 1180 AH. Karim Khan invited the best architects and artists of the time and bought the best materials from other cities and abroad for the construction of the citadel of Karim Khan, which was quickly constructed. Large mirrors from the lands of the Russians, Ottoman Turks, and Europe were imported and installed. He had this castle erected on the best site in the city and assembled architects, bricklayers, carpenters, masons, painters, and other craftsmen from all parts of the country to do the work. During the Zand dynasty, it was used by the king as living quarters.
During the Qajar period, it was used as the governor’s seat. Karim Khan Castle is located at Shahrdari Square. It has a land area of 4,000 m and is in the center of a 12,800 m compound. The Citadel of Karim Khan consists of four high walls connected by four 14 m round brick towers at a 90-degree angle. Each 12 m walls is canalized and is 3 meters thick at the base and 2.8 meters at the top. The design of the citadel combines military and residential architecture, for it was the home of Karim Khan and the military center of the dynasty. One of the round-break towers is a little bit different from others and they know it as a pizza tour in Iran.
Different sections of Karim Khan Citadel
Architecturally the Arg is a large and lofty, rectangular building, originally surrounded by a moat said to be as broad and deep as the moat on the edge of the city. At each of the four corners are round towers in the form of truncated cones. The only entrance is in the middle of the east wall, behind which are corridors, guardrooms, and bath. The rectangular courtyard contains two pools and a garden. In the middle of the north, west, and south sides of the courtyard are three big verandas, each fronted by two tall stone pillars. Flanking each veranda are halls, large three-door rooms, and stairways leading to small rooms and verandas on the floor above. At each of the four corners of the citadel, there is a small private yard giving access to the adjacent fortifications and rooms. Tile works depicting legendary tales were added at the entrance gate of the citadel during the Qajar Era.
The Arg has foundations, lower walls, pillars, and pavements of stone; the rest of the structure is baked brick, with wooden doors and rafters. The bases of the outer walls and towers are faced with rough-hewn square stones, while the upper portions of them are faced with interlaced brick ornamentation. Above the entrance on the east wall, a battle scene in seven-color glazed tile depicts Rostam in combat with the white demon. Inside the Arg is a large, open courtyard filled with citrus trees and a pool. A dusty museum of the Zand period, with wax figures in traditional dress, occupies rooms off the northwest veranda. There are numerous buildings within the castle compound. The north building was used in the winter, while the south was for summer use, and the west served all seasons.
The rooms have beautiful decorations which are typical of buildings during the rule of Karim Khan. It has four circular towers on the corners, one of which on the southeastern side has a distinctive slope. Decoration of this complex has been destroyed. There is a large tile depicting the scene of the killing of the white devil by Rostam (a hero of Shahnameh, a masterpiece by Ferdowsi) at the entrance gateway of the citadel. There are fountains (still in operation), flower and vegetable gardens and fruit trees.
The interior decoration once included marble from Yazd and Tabriz on the lower parts of the walls of the veranda and halls and Shirazi-style patterns painted in gilt and lapis lazuli on the plastered surfaces of the upper parts and the ceilings. The lower parts of the courtyard were adorned with large carved stone panels, and throughout the building, there were ornamental wooden skirting boards beneath the marble panels. The Arg was the residence of successive Zand rulers, and its towers were sometimes used as prisons. In the Qajar period and the early years of Pahlavi rule, it was the seat of the governor’s general of Fars. In 1901 a hut was built on the site of the long pool in the courtyard by order of the governor general Malek Manṣur Mirza. After the erection of the modern governor general’s office, a building was erected on its eastern edge and used as the city’s police headquarters and prison. After the fall of the Qajar Dynasty, it was converted into a prison and the paintings were plastered over the renovation of the citadel started in 1977. And some of the painted panels and colored windows were restituted.
There are many similarities between the Karim Khan castle and Alhambra citadel in Canada, Spain. Alhambra was built in the mid-11 centuries to a Muslim ruler, like Karim Khan. They both build their citadels with Islamic inspirations. The main reason for building these castles was to be a hub for the kings to reign. Inside of these two citadels is gardens. But the obvious similarity is the pool. Both contain a pool throughout the area. Although these citadels are very alike each other, there is no proof that indicates these buildings are linked together. It’s just a scarce event.
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January 10, 2019 by Ghazal Afshar About Iran, Garden, Museums, Other, Tehran, Tour 0
Golestan Palace
Golestan Palace is the former royal Qajar complex in Iran’s capital city. The oldest of the historic monuments in Tehran, the Golestan Palace (The Rose Garden Palace) belongs to the group of royal buildings that were once enclosed within the mud-thatched walls of Tehran’s Historic Arg (citadel). The Arg was built during the reign of Tahmasp I (1524-1579) of the Safavid dynasty (1502-1736) and was later renovated by Karim Khan Zand (1750-1779). Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar (1742-1797) chose Tehran as his capital. The Arg became the site of the Qajar (1794-1925). The court and Golestan Palace became the official residence of the royal Qajar family. The palace was rebuilt to its current form in 1865. During the Pahlavi era (1925-1979) Golestan Palace was used for formal royal receptions and the Pahlavi dynasty built their own palace at Niavaran. The most important ceremonies held in the palace during the Pahlavi era were the coronation of Reza Khan (1925-1941) in Marble throne and coronation of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (1941 deposed 1979) in the museum hall. In between 1925 and 1945 a large portion of the buildings of the palace was destroyed on the orders of Reza Shah who believed that the centuries-old Qajar palace should not hinder the growth of a modern city. In the palace of the old buildings modern 1950s and 1960s style, commercial buildings were erected.
The complex of Golestan Palace consists of 13 structures, including palaces, museums, and halls.
The edifice of the sun (Shams-ol-Emareh)
The building of wind towers (Emarat-e-Badgir)
Hall of Diamonds (Talar-e-Almas)
The Marble Throne
Reception Hall (Talar-e-Salam)
Hall of Brilliance (Talar-e-Belerian)
Hall of Mirror (Talar-e-Aineh)
Hall of Ivory (Talar-e-Adj)
Khalvat-e-Karim Khani
Containers Hall (Talar e Zoruf)
Museum of Gifts
Abyaz Palace
Shams-ol-Emareh is the most stunning structures of the Golestan Palace. The idea of the building at all structure came to Nasser din Shah before his first European and from pictorial images of European buildings. The monarch wanted a structure from which he could have panoramic views of the city. Designed by Moayerol Mamalek, construction on the Shams-ol-Emareh began in 1865 and was completed two years later. The architect was Master Ali Mohammad Kashi. The building has two identical towers. The exterior views have multiple arches. The intricate tile work and ornate windows. This building is a fusion of Persian and European architecture.
Emarat-e-Badgir was constructed during the reign of Fathali Shah (circa 1806). The building underwent major renovations, including structural changes, during the reign of Nasser din Shah. A watercolor rendering by Mahmood Khan Malek o Shoara depicts the original structure prior to renovations, the building is flanked by two rooms known as Goshvareh (earrings). There is a central room which boasts the finest stained glass window in Golestan Palace. Outside, there are four wind tower of blue, yellow and black glazed tiles and a golden cupola. The wind towers are constructed to allow the cooling wind to move through the structure.
Hall of diamonds is located in the southern wing of the Golestan palace next to the Badgir building. It is called the hall of diamonds because of the exceptional mirror work inside the building. The construction of this hall dates to the time of Fathali Shah (Circa 1806). Nasser din Shah renovated this hall changing its appearance and replacing the hall’s ogive crouches with Roman ones. He also ordered the walls covered with wallpaper, imported from Europe. As the basic structure dates back to the time of Fathali Shah, it is only. It is only apt that this hall should be devoted to the exhibition of art and handicrafts from that period.
The spectacular terrace known as Takht-e-Marmar (Marble throne) was built in 1806 by order of Fathali Shah Qajar. Adorned by paintings, marble-carvings, tile-work, stucco, mirrors, enamel, woodcarvings and lattice windows, the throne embodies the finest of Iranian architecture. The marble throne is one of the oldest buildings of historic Arg. The existing throne, which is made of the famous yellow marbles of Yazd province. The throne is made of sixty-five pieces of marbles and was designed by Mirza Baba Naghash Bashi (head painter) of the Qajar court. Mohammad Ibrahim, the royal Manson, oversaw the construction and several celebrated masters of the time worked on the execution of his masterpiece. The architectural details and other ornaments of the terrace (Iwan) were completed during the reign of Fathali Shah and Nasser din Shah. Construction of the Qajar kings and formal court ceremonies were held on this terrace (Iwan). The last coronation to be held at Takht-e-Marmar was the construction of the self-proclaimed king, Reza Khan Pahlavi in 1925.
This was originally designed to be a museum after Takht-e-Tavoos (Iranian’s famous jeweled peacock throne) was moved to the royal jewels collection at the central bank, this hall was designated to hold special receptions in the presence of the king, hence the name Talar-e-Salam. Tourists and envoys from European courts Nasser din Shah, spoke of this outstanding hall comparing it to its European counterparts. This hall has exquisite mirrors work. The ceiling and walls are decorated with plaster molding. The floors are covered with mosaic. During the reign of Nasser din Shah, this hall was used to exhibit Iranian and European paintings alongside gifts presented to Iranian court. Royal jewels were also exhibited inside glass cases. These jewels are now housed at the royal jewels museum of the central bank.
It was named so for it is adorned by the brilliant mirror works of Iranian artisans. The hall was built by Nasser din Shah to replace another hall called Cristal Hall built by Fathali Shah. The crystal hall had been laid waste by the dame. The hall of Brilliance is famous for its mirror work and chandeliers. An oil painting by Sani o Molk shows the decoration of this hall before renovations carried out by Mozafar din Shah and exist in the Golestan Palace.
Hall of the mirror is the most famous for the palace’s hall. This relatively small hall is famous for its extraordinary mirror work. The hall was designed by Saniol Molk.
This is a large hall used as a dining room. It was decorated with gifts presented to Nasser din Shah by European monarchs. Among the Golestan palace collection, a watercolor by Malek o Shoara shows the exterior views of this hall during the Qajar period.
Dating back to 1759, this building was a part of the interior residence of Karim Khan Zand. The basic structure of the Khalvat-e-Karim Khani is similar to Takht-e-marmar. Like the latter, it is a terrace (Iwan). There is a small marble throne inside the terrace. The structure is much smaller than Takht-e-Marmar and it has much less ornamentation. There was once a small pond with a fountain in the middle of this terrace. Water from a subterranean stream (the king’s Qanat) flowed from the fountain into the pond and was later used to irrigate the palace ground.
This building replaced the building of Narenjestan in the north of the Ivory Hall (Talar e Adj). All the chinaware that were dedicated to Qajar kings by the European kings were taken to this room and were arranged in showcases which were built for this purpose.
Among the chinaware in this hall, these are the most exceptional:
The chinaware that shows the Napoleonic Wars, dedicated by Napoleon Bonaparte.
The chinaware dedicated by Nicholas I of Russia.
The chinaware studded with gems and jewels, dedicated by Queen Victoria.
The chinaware dedicated by Wilhelm II to the Iranian crown prince.
A set made by malachite stone, dedicated by Alexander III of Russia.
This building is located under the Salam Hall. It is a part of the first Iranian museum, which was built by Mohammad Ebrahim Khan Memar Bashi. Under the reign of Nasser ed-Din Shah, this building was used as a warehouse for the chinaware and silverware which was dedicated to Qajar kings. By the time of the Pahlavi dynasty, this warehouse was turned into a museum to expose the rare gifts which were given to the Qajar kings.
Today, in addition to the gifts, some rare objects are kept at this museum, including:
The helmet of king Ismail I
Bow and arrows of King Nader
Armband of Fath Ali Shah
The collection of Qajar Seals
Agha Mohammad Khan’s crown
A decorated ostrich egg
The Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid sent precious gifts to Nasser ed-Din Shah, and reportedly, these gifts were copious and enough to fill a castle. The Qajar monarch decided to build an exhibit hall worthy of these gifts within the confines of the Golestan Palace, and eventually, the Abyaz Palace was constructed. It is believed that Nasser ed-Din Shah, himself, designed the structure, with a central hall large enough to house the carpet which was sent by Sultan Abd ol Hamid. Completed in 1883, the Abyaz (“White”) Palace now houses one of the most interesting ethological museums in Iran. It includes a colorful exhibition of traditional Iranian costumes, as well as a folk art exhibition.
There is an early photographic collection at the Golestan complex which includes photos which are mainly related to the time of the 19th-century progress of photography in Europe. It was created by the order of Naser ed-Din Shah of the Qajar dynasty. It is mentioned that “photography was so common at the royal palace that the king’s wives and his servants also took pictures and posed playfully in front of the camera.” There is a picture of one servant with flowers decorating his head and shoulders.
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Home Neck of the Woods Central City City Council approves Firehouse funding, Woodfin recaps first year
City Council approves Firehouse funding, Woodfin recaps first year
by JESSE CHAMBERS
Photo by Jesse Chambers
Mayor Randall Woodfin 11-27-18
Mayor Randall Woodfin gave the City Council a brief rundown of his first year in office during that body's regular meeting for Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2018.
The Birmingham City Council, at its regular meeting for Tuesday, Nov. 27, voted to help Firehouse Shelter — one of only two emergency shelters in the city — pay for its long-desired new facility downtown.
Members also heard Mayor Randall Woodfin, in his weekly report to the council, highlight what he called “a few milestones or accomplishments” of his first year in office.
FIREHOUSE FUNDING
The council voted 6-0-1 to pay the nonprofit Cooperative Downtown Ministries Inc., which operates Firehouse Shelter, a total of $1 million over five years in annual payments of $200,000 to help build a new $5.6 million facility.
Councilor Steven Hoyt abstained. He vigorously opposed the funding agreement when it came before the council previously on Oct. 23.
The yes votes came from City Council President Valerie Abbott, President Pro Tempore William Parker and councilors John Hilliard, Hunter Williams, Darrell O’Quinn and Wardine Alexander.
Mayor Woodfin, in response to questions from O’Quinn, Hoyt and Abbott, said that the funding from the city is to be used solely for the new construction.
The new facility, to be located in the 600 block of Second Avenue North, would replace a small, antiquated facility located at 1501 Third Ave. N.
Anne Wright Rygiel, executive director of Firehouse Shelter, said after the vote that construction could begin by the end of December and could be completed in about a year.
MAYOR’S FIRST YEAR
“We are off to a great start with a whole lot more work to do,” Woodfin said in summing up his first year in office since ousting former Mayor William A. Bell Sr. in the city’s 2017 municipal elections.
Woodfin said that his administration has attempted to increase “transparency” in the way the city does business. He cited such examples as the adoption of the Open Checkbook portal on the city’s website, which documents the city’s budgeting and expenditures.
The city’s fiscal year 2019 budget was the first city budget passed on time since 2014 and the first one passed early since 2006, according to the mayor.
Woodfin also touched on the theme of helping neighborhoods, a familiar refrain in his campaign speeches from 2017.
He said that establishing a new city Neighborhood Revitalization Fund “is “one of the things I am the proudest of.”
The projected city revenue increase from the expansion of the BJCC is not the only source of money for the fund, according to Woodfin. “Any additional revenues we can create or find, we will add to that fund because neighborhood revitalization is a priority,” he said.
For example, Woodfin cited the $1.4 million that went into the fund during 2018 from the city’s sale of its portion of the former Trinity Steel property in Titusville to tech company DC BLOX and its sale of a downtown parking deck to the local tech company Shipt.
Regarding neighborhood revitalization issues, Woodfin said that his administration — during his first year in office — “wanted to (demolish) as many properties as possible that were beyond repair.”
The city tore down 294 homes in 249 business days during his first year, according to the Mayor. “That is very aggressive,” he said.
In year two, the administration will continue to be aggressive in tearing down houses, according to Woodfin. However, the city must also examine the effectiveness of the city's Land Bank program, he said.
“We have to be aggressive and creative in how we get single-family homes and affordable housing on these lots,” Woodfin said.
“It's not just about what we tear down but what we can build up as well,” he said.
Woodfin mentioned several steps his administration had taken to improve public safety, including the hiring of 40 more officers for an understaffed Birmingham Police Department.
“We still have a lot of work to do,” he said.
He promised efforts to use neighborhood watch and the citizens police academy to empower citizens to help the police control crime.
Regarding city employees, Woodfin said his administration had restored COLAs and longevity pay.
He also touched on the controversial issue of the city’s underfunded pension fund.
Woodfin announced in mid-November that the city needs to make up $378 million over the next 30 years to prevent it from running out of money. “The can has been kicked down the road for many years,” the mayor said today.
However, Woodfin said that while some tough choices may be necessary, there has also been a lot of “fear and misinformation” over the issue since he made his announcement.
“As one of nine (pension) board members, I will not support anything that affects or hurts retirees or jeopardizes public safety employees, particularly fire or police,” Woodfin said.
There will be a pension board meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 27, at 3 p.m. in the council chambers, according to Woodfin.
The mayor said that holding the meeting there will allow for more attendees.
This is because any discussion of pensions should be done with “transparency,” Woodfin said.
Woodfin also said that he has nearly completed assembling the people he needs in his administration, a process that he said took many months.
“I’m pretty excited about the team we have in place,” he said.
CORRECTION 11-29-18: The post previously referred to Councilor Darrell O'Quinn as Randall O'Quinn. We apologize for the error.
Firehouse Shelter Randall Woodfin Birmingham City Council
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The Muppets (2011)
tags: Alan Arkin, Amy Adams, Bill Baretta, Chris Cooper, David Rudman, Emily Blunt, Eric Jacobson, film, James Bobin, Jason Segel, Nicholas Stoller, Paul Linz, Steve Whitmire, The Muppets
written by: Jason Segel and Nicolas Stoller
produced by: David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman
directed by: James Bobin
rating: PG (for some mild rude humor)
U.S. release date: November 23, 2011
With all the clever marketing for the first movie featuring Jim Hensen’s creations in 12 years (“Muppets in Space”), it’s hard to believe that these wonderful characters have been absent from showbiz. But in the world of “The Muppets”, Kermit and the gang haven’t been in front of a live audience or a camera since 1984’s “The Muppets Take Manhatten”. Just like Brian Singer’s “Superman Returns” disregards anything post “Superman II”, screenwriters Jason Segel and Nicolas Stoller want to convince you that our felt friends have been gone for 27 years. You know better if you’ve been to a Disney theme park within the last seven years, enjoyed “Muppets Tonight”, or found yourself addressing a room full of people with a “Hi ho!”.
Whether they have a show or not, Muppets have and always will be around. But for the sake of introduction and reunion (not a reboot, thankfully), it’s understandable that these screenwriters, along with director James Bobin (co-creator of The Flight of the Conchords) take such an approach in an effort to bring these endearing (and enduring) characters to an audience unfamiliar with their gift of laughter.
From the start of the movie, jubilant joy bounces off the screen as we meet a new Muppet, Walter (voiced by Paul Linz) and his brother Gary (Jason Segel), dancing and singing their way through their hometown of Smalltown, U.S.A. For some reason, Walter has always felt somewhat out-of-place, until he is introduced to reruns of “The Muppet Show” and becomes obsessed with all things Muppet. When Gary invites Walter to tag along with his girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams) on their anniversary vacation to Los Angeles, the little guy is thrilled to visit the famous Muppet Studios. The trio is surprised to learn that the studio is now rundown, dilapidated with nary a Muppet in sight.
As if that reality isn’t hard enough to take in, Walter is horrified when he learns that slimy tycoon Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) wants to drill for oil on the historic ground. Desperate to save the home of his heroes, Walter persuades Gary and Mary to help him find the Muppets and put on a show at the old theater and raise money to save the studios. The trio find Kermit the Frog (Steve Whitmire) leaving alone in a mansion with a ’80s robot (who serves Tab and New Coke) for a butler. After much convincing, Kermit is on board with the lofty project and the newly assembled group embarks on a global journey to reunite all the old pals.
With the help of a nifty and hilarious “Travel by Map” feature, the road trip (a wonderful Muppet staple) brings us up to speed with the current whereabouts of Kermit’s cohorts. Fozzie Bear (Eric Jacobson) is found performing in some dump in Reno, backed by second-rate impersonators calling themselves The Moopets (funny at first, but not so much after a while). Gonzo is owner and president of a plumbing company, with the help of some fine-feathered friends, of course. Then there’s Animal (Jacobson), who is found in an anger management class with Jack Black (playing himself) as his sponsor. Particularly funny is how Sam the Eagle (Jacobson), Scooter (David Rudman), and Rowlf (Bill Baretta) have been spending their time.
It’s no surprise that Miss Piggy (Jacobson) is found in Paris, as the EIC of Vogue Paris (with Emily Blunt, playing her receptionist, recalling her role in “The Devil Wears Prada”), but what is a surprise is that almost every Muppet seems to be reluctant to get on board with this reunion. Even the usually optimistic Kermit, struggles with pessimism throughout the movie. Despite his famous warbling, he always made green look so easy – what happened?
In typical Muppet fashion, an assortment of obstacles prevents the gang from getting the show together. Kermit can’t seem to land a much-needed celebrity host, so unbeknownst to him, one is kidnapped (a hilarious scene) for him. Meanwhile, Walter is trying to figure out if he has any talent, while he and Gary have an identity crisis (with the help of a clever musical number). Gary, being on the sunny side of slow, also has to make amends with Mary, who he’s unintentionally (albeit stereotypically) overlooked in all the excitement.
As clichéd as it sounds – this is a delightfully fun movie for all ages. It matters not if you’re familiar with the characters, because what you get is 100% devotion to infectious musical numbers, silly deadpan zingers, and even some clever meta in-jokes. Bobin has not only populated the movie with beloved characters (it’s hard not to smile when you see everyone come together for “The Rainbow Connection”, especially The Electric Mayhem band), but also several opportunities to look back at where these Muppets are from.
If you’re thirtysomething and up, these Muppets come from your childhood and sweet recollection is what the filmmakers are counting on here. It’s a blast to see everyone backstage again scrambling to get a show together, even if there is a frenzied clean-up montage to the wretched Starship song, “We Built This City”. At least it wasn’t “Takin’ Care of Business”, but we are subjected to the overused “Bad to the Bone” at one point.
Speaking of which, the original songs here are all wonderful. From the opening “Life’s a Happy Song” (included cameos by Feist and…Mickey Rooney!), to the comically introspective “Man or Muppet”, Segel and Walter are established as a solid sibling duo. The standout musical number is “Let’s Talk about Me”, where we see Chris Cooper rapping at our Muppet friends. These new songs are a refreshing jolt and make up for a lame rendition of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, but at least we have a cute cover of a familiar Cee-Lo song. Those tunes play for laughs, but after seeing the Muppets cover “Bohemian Rhapsody”, they fall short.
The human stars here, primarily Segel and Adams (with their appropriately sunny disposition), fit perfectly. Segel knows a thing or two about puppetry, having worked his affinity for the craft into “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and after her work in “Enchanted”, Adams is just right for the role.
The only problem is that their roles are just too stereotypical. I get that they’re from Smalltown, U.S.A, and therefore, that’s how they’re wired, but it would’ve been nice to get a sense that there is something underneath their bubbly exteriors. Something more than sweet and clueless Gary (Segel masters a plastered smile) and sweet and neglected Mary (yet Adams sells it well), but then again I’m not expecting too much characterization in a Muppet movie, just a better arc.
Cooper is good (not great), mainly because the role seems to be so unexpected for him, but by the third act of the film, he’s seen playing a typical villain. That’s too bad since it seemed like there was a backstory there that would explain why he’s unable to smile. Any further character development for Tex Richman is unfortunately relegated to the end credits. This seems poorly thought out on the part of the screenwriters, but the overall ending is kind of rushed anyway. I’m not going to go into it all, but it seems like the thousands of fans gathering in the street at the end could’ve culled some cash to save the Muppets felt – but maybe I’m thinking too much and not feeling enough.
As expected, there is an assortment of celebrity cameos throughout the film. Just like in previous films, the cameos that work are the ones that actually serve the story and there are a few that do that here (Alan Arkin is great as a slow-moving tour guide). Other cameos seem inconsequential or just thrown in toward the end. Hopefully this can be corrected in the inevitable sequel.
Overall, the fact that there is a Muppet movie on the big-screen that embraces their nostalgia and celebrates their endearing eternal charm is a success. It may not have the magic of the Henson (both Jim and his son, Brian) or the Frank Oz films, but its heart is in the right place and it is nevertheless quite enjoyable.
RATING: ***
← This Week on DVD & Blu-ray (11-28-11)
Arthur Christmas (2011) →
Windi permalink
I’m dragging the boys to see this sometime soon. Trevor says he wants to see it, but not at the theater, hahaha. I think his soon-to-be-teenager self was talking! Calvin has agreed that it looks funny and fun. I know I want to see it more than they do, but I grew up on the Muppets, so that’s not a surprise! 🙂
I think it was yesterday that my 5 yr. old walked passed me humming “Mah Na Na Mah Na”, so clearly it was her hooked. Here’s a truth: All three of you will go and have a great time.
CMrok93 permalink
Longtime Muppet fans will undoubtedly have more fun than young ones, but for the most part, it’s a witty, delightful romp, that shows you that you can still be funny, without ever being mean still in 2011. Good review.
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ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS (2016) review | Keeping It Reel
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UPDATE: 18 Year-Old Killed in Monday Crash
UPDATE 8/03/2017: MURTAUGH, Idaho (KLIX) According to the Cassia County Sheriff’s Office, an 18 year old woman was killed in a collision with a semi-truck Monday morning. At around 7:15 a.m. deputies responded to US Highway 30 at 400 South to a two vehicle crash.
The sheriff’s office in a statement says Nancy Novoa Parra, age 18, of Burley, either pulled out onto the highway in front of the truck. The semi hit the driver’s side of Novoa Parra’s Chevrolet HHR. The impact ejected the woman despite her wearing a seatbelt. The truck’s driver, Kenneth Bassett, age 59, of Twin Falls, was not seriously injured and did not need to be taken to the hospital. Novoa Parra was pronounced dead at the scene. The Cassia County Sheriff’s Office says it was helped by the Idaho State Police, Idaho Department of Transportation, Cassia Regional Hospital Medic 1, and Burley Fire EMS. The crash is still under investigation.
MURTAUGH, Idaho (KLIX) A crash is blocking Highway 30 between Burley and Murtaugh this morning. Idaho Transportation Department website is reporting:
Between 1200 West Road and 1100 West Road (8 miles east of the Murtaugh area). The road is blocked. Look out for a crash. Emergency vehicles are at the scene.
The notice was issued at 7:41 a.m., noting the crash is about ten miles east of Murtaugh.
Filed Under: crash, emergency, highway 30, Murtaugh
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Jo Litson: Scene and Heard
Articles and reviews about the performing arts in Sydney – and occasionally beyond.
Posted on April 20, 2015 by jolitson
Lyric Theatre, April 15
Amy Lehpamer, Stephen Mahy and Craig McLachlan. Photo: Brian Geach
It was great when it all began….. The Rocky Horror Show started life as a small, gritty production whose outrageous parody of 1940s to 1970s B-grade sci-fi and horror films felt genuinely subversive, shocking and theatrically groundbreaking.
Australian director Jim Sharman and designer Brian Thomson had a great deal of input in helping Richard O’Brien (who wrote book, music and lyrics) create the aesthetic. They were also instrumental in expanding, developing and guiding the show from an experimental production Upstairs at London’s Royal Court Theatre in 1973 to the Chelsea Classic Cinema on the Kings Road and from there to world, taking it to the screen too as The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Over the years, the musical has become lighter, brighter and tamer: an anodyne parody of itself. These days it’s called Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show and so much of the edgy strangeness that made it a cult in the first place has been lost along the way.
While it is never going to shock in the way that it originally did, I’m sure there is a stripped-back, darker, dirtier, sexier production, closer to its roots, just longing to do the timewarp in Australia. Gale Edwards tried in 2008 with a (fairly glossy) production starring iOTA, but though it had a lot of going for it, it still didn’t manage to capture the danger of the original. (Apparently O’Brien and the British producers disliked some of what she had done and insisted on last minute changes).
For this 40th anniversary production, which originated as a UK tour, Christopher Luscombe directs one of the loudest, most colourful, glib productions yet. Gliding across the surface of the show, it’s a cartoon-like, bubblegum, party version verging on pantomime.
Hugh Durrant has designed a flexible set framed by rolls of film. The bottom right corner of the ruched front curtain is slightly torn, but that’s about it for any kind of grubbiness. Instead, the perky aesthetic is established right up front with a cartoon car for Brad and Janet and a cartoon castle, with comical Phantoms poking their heads out from behind it. There’s a fairly opulent interior for “the Frankenstein place” and some sci-fi looking gizmos for the science lab.
Sue Blane has reworked her original costumes to make them brighter, cleaner and sparklier, which work well within the world created.
The cast of Rocky Horror. Photo: Brian Geach
Craig McLachlan is a forceful presence as Frank-N-Furter, a role for which he first donned the fishnets in 1992 – but not in the way Frank should be. He goes for broke, strutting his stuff to the max but all too often his shameless mugging goes a step too far.
He frequently breaks the fourth wall. Most Frank-N-Furthers interact with the audience but not to the degree that McLachlan does. So many of his winks, leers and suggestive gestures are overdone that it becomes hammy and his comical antics during the seduction of Brad and Janet are plain tacky.
Frank should be irresistibly sexy, crazed and dangerous. McLachlan’s Frank is none of these things. Instead he plays the role for laughs.
As the squeaky clean Brad and Janet, Amy Lehpamer and Stephen Mahy give nicely centred performances that help keep things real amid the frenzy. Lehpamer’s Janet evolves dramatically and vocally over the course of the show, to match the character’s growth, and both sing strongly.
Angelique Cassimatis is a spunky dynamo as Columbia, shining in the role. Jayde Westaby gets the show off to a great start as the usherette, Kristian Lavercombe brings a soaring rock voice to a rather manic Riff Raff, and Bert Newton as the Narrator is, well, Bert Newton.
The production has little heart or teeth, and if you didn’t know the story – such as it is – some of it could well be lost in the frenetic carry-on, with the ending coming somewhat out of nowhere. Nonetheless, the show has been selling out around the country and many in the Sydney opening night audience embraced as it as pure fun. It is fun – but there is so much more to Rocky Horror than that.
The Rocky Horror Show plays at the Lyric Theatre until June 7. Bookings: www.ticketmaster.com.au or 136 100
A version of this review ran in the Sunday Telegraph on April 19
This entry was posted in Musical Theatre and tagged Amy Lehpamer, Angelique Cassimatis, Bert Newton, Christopher Luscombe, Craig McLachlan, Hugh Durrant, Jayde Westaby, Kristian Lavercombe, Richard O'Brien, Stephen Mahy, Sue Blane by jolitson. Bookmark the permalink.
1 thought on “The Rocky Horror Show”
stevenbisby on April 22, 2015 at 6:49 am said:
Saw it last year with Dani Harmer and Ben Forster in Bradford. Enjoyed it
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Tag Archives: Kim Jung Un
Korea, life, Seoul
Bad Politics for Thanksgiving
There is a crisis in South Korea right now. Housing prices have skyrocketed, making buying homes a dream for most young families. At the moment, the traditional way of building wealth is much too lucrative for the average person, and it has become the realm of speculative investing/gambling the same way stocks and cryptocurrencies are. I’m not sure if there’s anything the government can do to calm the market down, but as far as I can tell, they’re not doing anything that could effectively make things better for people. Along with the housing crisis is the current unemployment/wage crisis. The government’s attempt to regulate time spent in the office and prevent overworking as well as their push to increase minimum wage has made companies reluctant to hire new employees. The job market was already tough before the Moon Jae-In administration, but their recent actions have made it more difficult for young people to find jobs. There are even been reports that many graduates have given up on finding lifelong employment and have settled on multiple part-time work or the gig economy. There is good intent in increasing the minimum wage in South Korea which is woefully low for a country with such high living costs, and there should be regulations in a culture which pressures workers to stay at work long after regular business hours have passed, but I feel like the rollout of these initiatives should’ve been coupled with incentives for big and small businesses to follow-through. Carrots and sticks. In any case, things are not good in South Korea at the moment. With Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) coming next week, there is very little to be grateful for in many Korean households.
Which is the reason why the President’s North Korean expedition rubs me the wrong way. It reeks of tone deafness and bad politics. While things are, at best, stagnant domestically, Moon Jae-In continues to pursue relations with North Korea when Kim Jung Un has yet to demonstrate that he is a good actor when it comes to negotiations regarding nuclear disarmament. Why is this the priority when people in the country are struggling to make a future for themselves, when the wealth gap between those invested in the real estate market and those just starting their families and career are getting to be so wide that more and more people are getting into crippling debt? I kid with some people sometimes, but a part of me believe that at some point, the only people who can afford the high rise apartments continually being built all over Seoul would be Chinese investors. Re-establishing the Kaesong Industrial Complex is not going to help the average Korean. It’s not going to make it easier to buy a house or get a proper job.
If anything, Kim Jung Un promising to denuclearize and allow nuclear inspectors is good politically for the one person who has not risked anything to push for disarmament: Donald Trump. While Moon Jae-In is running around North Korea, his victories towards nuclear disarmament are claimed by Donald Trump. I understand that nuclear disarmament benefits everyone, but here it seems he is working far too hard for the benefit of someone who really couldn’t care less. Also, who did Moon Jae-In bring with him to his recent trip? Three heads of Korean companies, two of whom have recently skirted Korean laws. It’s just awful, awful optics. Not only is the average Korean not going to benefit from the North Korean summit, but it appears that those who will gain are giant companies whose heads can break Korean laws and still continue to operate their multi-billion dollar companies. The Samsung heir who conspired with the previous administration and was convicted is attempting to rehabilitate his image with this trip to North Korea and the government is giving him the opportunity to do so. Awful.
Give up, boys and girls. Winners and losers are born. If you were not born a winner, give up already. That Samsung heir, boy, is he a winner!
Now, I agree that governments can’t be focused on one thing only and that the current domestic crisis is quite complicated and would require a solution lengthier than a couple of days-worth of socializing with communists, but I just find the whole thing inept and a tad misguided. While Moon Jae-In might be noble in his intent, I believe Kim Jung Un is simply looking for a photo op at the moment. And this, in a nutshell, is my problem with the current administration. While much better than the past administrations, it is far too invested on its good intentions and not so much on effective policy. Not being evil and getting elected is one thing, but actually running the government effectively is another. I feel like this current North Korean trip, with the backdrop of the domestic crises shows that the Moon Jae-In government is far too starry-eyed with its own ideals. And for that, they will get punished politically by their opponents. (It pains for me to say it, but they should.) It will be a loss for them politically, but that’s small compared to the huge impact the current crises is inflicting upon young Koreans.
Tagged art, bath, bath tub, bathroom, Canada, Chuseok, Donald Trump, drawing, illustration, Joseph, Joseph Reyes, Kim Jung Un, Manitoba, Moon Jae-In, North Korea, nuclear weapons, real estate, Seoul, south korea, tentacles, Winnipeg
Canada, politics
Mohammed Bin Salman is a Fraud
If an insect bit you, it committed what could be considered a crime against your person. It attacked you. Aside from being an irritant and bringing a general feeling of disgust, knowing that a six-legged creature that normally dwells in moist, dark, quarters brought its fangs to pierce skin, who knows what sort of diseases the creature has wrought with its violence. So what does a person do? Most people would quickly kill the insect with a strike of a palm or with a rolled-up newspaper. Others would swat the creature away, blame the act on its instinct or other innocuous causes and just move on. Afterwards, perhaps do something to prevent being bitten again.
A child however would sometimes be cruel. They would mete out punishment by slowly torturing the poor creature. Perhaps they would tear its limbs out one by one, or maybe slowly burn it with a magnifying glass.
This is how the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia does justice. It crucified a person in public in the holy city of Mecca. Though rare, it often uses capital punishment for crimes such as anti-government activism and homosexuality. It is abhorrent. As much as the west hates on ISIS and how violent they can be on what they perceive as transgressors, Saudi Arabia sees them eye to eye on many of these issues.
Canada recently sent out a couple of tweets calling out Saudi Arabia to release the activist Samar Badawi and her brother who were both arrested for speaking out against the government. Samar Badawi is famous for leading the fight for women’s rights in the country. She spoke out against Saudi’s guardianship system as well as advocated for women’s right to drive. Now, I’m not a big advocate for diplomacy via Twitter. It is a clumsy tool, and diplomacy is anything but clumsy. When Canada sent out those tweets, it publicly shamed Saudi Arabia for what it’s currently doing in terms of human rights. And while they do deserve public shaming, I don’t think public shaming is something that diplomats should do.
But if Canada committed an error in publicly shaming Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia acts exaggeratedly by calling it an “attack on the kingdom,” what do you call their tweet in response? Didn’t their message with an Air Canada plane headed towards the CN Tower explicitly threaten a terrorist retaliation against Canada? Did it also not implicitly admit to being responsible for the attack on 9/11? And again, this was just a response over a call to release activists fighting for human rights. Don’t speak up for human rights or else we’ll send terrorist planes your way? Canada is dealing with a child.
And this child is aiming to hurt Canada through education and future investments. Cutting off current trade doesn’t necessarily impact Canada tremendously, but removing Saudi students from Canadian universities and cutting off future investments could hurt Canada in the long run. I’m glad that Canada doesn’t appear to be showing any signs of backing down from its stance, but I really hope other countries join us in standing up against this evil government.
Mohammed Bin Salman is not a reformer. People need to stop saying this. He is a young leader who inherited his position. Much like North Korea’s Kim Jung Un, he got infinitely lucky in the birth lottery. And while he tries to create a progressive Saudi image by having more foreign investments and recently allowing women in the country to drive, he fights Qatar, kidnaps the Lebanese Prime Minister, and arrests and holds hostage the country’s rich and political elites in an attempt to consolidate power. The country continues to crack down and arrest its own people for simply erring grievances against the government. It continues to punch down on Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the region, creating its own humanitarian crisis (I don’t know if Saudi Arabia has ever had to punch up in a military conflict). Mohammad Bin Salman is not a true friend of the west. He is Kim Jung Un with oil money. Saudi Arabia is attacking Canada as a warning to all other western countries who would choose to criticize the kingdom for its domestic and international abuses. Instead of military threats, their government will use their purse strings to punish other countries. They save physical violence on their own people as well as weaker countries.
As for the criticism that Canada should stick its nose to where it belongs, Samar Badawi’s brother is Raif Badawi, an author and an activist himself. Like his sister, he was arrested for his anti-government activities and sentenced to ten years in prison and 1000 lashes, fifty of which he has already received. His wife is a Canadian. The Canadian government is looking after its own. But even if this wasn’t the case, it should be the responsibility of every rational government to speak out when one of its allies or partners is violating human rights. A true friend and ally would want its allies and friends to be better. If you see your brother pulling out an insect’s legs one by one, you’ll put a stop to it and teach him a lesson about cruelty and kindness. This is what Canada did. And for that, we just got threatened with a 9/11 attack.
Tagged 9/11, art, Canada, drawing, illustration, Joseph, Joseph Reyes, Kim Jung Un, Manitoba, Mohammed Bin Salman, octopus, Raif Badawi, Samar Badawi, Saudi Arabia, Twitter, Winnipeg, women, women's rights
art, culture, government, politics, Seoul, South Korea, United States
The Confusing Korean Left
These are crazy times. The left wing of Korea is now a proponent of the alt-right’s agenda, specifically with Trump meeting with Kim Jung Un. President Moon Jae-In, in his quest for warmer relations with North Korea have unnecessarily entangled himself with Trump and Kim Jung-Un meeting next week in a summit in Singapore. When it was first cancelled, the extreme right wing in the country was celebrating, calling it a failure of Moon Jae-In. But now that the meeting is back on, it seems that the left is celebrating it as a “win” regardless of the consequences and what the summit exactly means for North Korean propaganda. If you told me that the left wing of Korea would push for a meeting between Trump and Kim Jung-Un two years ago, I would’ve called you insane.
Now I’m not necessarily against western leaders meeting with North Korea. What I am is extremely cynical of these things. First off, Trump agreed to a meeting without even having any concessions. They demanded total abandonment of North Korea’s nuclear ambitions, but there seems to be a disagreement whether North Korea agreed to this. And even if they did, it is very unlikely they would follow through with this, especially with Kim Jung-Un fearing Colonel Gaddafi’s fate after abandoning his nuclear programs.
Second, the Trump administration is not treating this very seriously. I really think they’re just pursuing this and hoping that they would somehow stumble into a peace agreement. Why do I say that? I say that because we’re weeks away from the summit, and we’ve yet to hear any realistic plan to slowly wean North Korea away from their current nuclear trajectory outside of Trump sounding like a genie, “you will be very happy, your people will be very happy, your country will be rich!” And I get very suspicious when clowns start popping in for the summit. There’s word that Dennis Rodman, Sean Hannity, and Sebastian Gorka (a Hungarian Nazi) will be covering the summit for Trump. It’s a damned photo op for conservative “win.”
And again, all of this while Trump makes trade wars with Canada, Mexico, and the EU (and Nikki Haley embarrasses herself in front of the UN).
I like President Moon Jae-In, I really do, but I think he’s got himself caught in a trap. Friendliness with North Korea doesn’t mean the South has to be a wingman for relations with the United States, not at this early stage anyway. It wasn’t too long ago when the North wasn’t too cool with the South. Now he is wedded to the political whims of Donald Trump and Kim Jung-Un. Should either man do anything to mess up the summit or sour relations with each other, Moon Jae-In’s enemies would quickly jump on that and use it to attack him. The promise of warmer relations with North Korea is tenable. The promise of peace with North Korea, while ideal, seems unrealistic under current circumstances. And anything short of peace and total nuclear disarmament (something which Trump initially suggested the North agreed to), Moon Jae-In will be attacked for.
In any case, the left should really step back and see what exactly they are supporting here. They are supporting “wins” for two men who will cynically use the meeting for short term political gains and propaganda. The “wins” for both Trump and the North is simply the summit itself. Both men attend the meeting, they shake hands, take pictures. Done. Nobel Peace Prize for one of the worst US presidents in modern history. Any failing from the follow through could just be waved of as fake news. The “win” for the South would take far longer, and proving it to be a “win” would be more substantive. This is a strange and hard gamble for the left.
Tagged alt right, art, bomb, Canada, circus, Dennis Rodman, Donald Trump, dotard, drawing, Fat Man, government, illustration, Joseph, Joseph Reyes, Kim Jung Un, Little Boy, Manitoba, Moon Jae-In, North Korea, nuclear weapons, politics, propaganda, Sean Hannity, Sebastian Gorka, Seoul, south korea, tentacles, Winnipeg
anime, Korea, life, politics, Seoul, South Korea, war
Shaking Hands
Living in South Korea, I think it would be a bit odd if I didn’t comment about the historic event right now regarding North and South Korea. Honestly, I’m very optimistic about the first steps towards a friendlier relationship with North Korea; however, I really don’t know what that friendly relationship means for the country going forward. But whatever it is, it is still better than the North Korea a few months ago that was testing nuclear missiles and insulting its neighbors.
First off, I worry about John Bolton’s comment that they are going to use the Libya model to denuclearize North Korea. This model has been looked at negatively by the people in power in North Korea, especially since it eventually led to the ouster and death of Colonel Gaddafi. As friendly and as willing North Korea may seem to be with denuclearization now, I’m not sure how far those talks would go and what true denuclearization would lead to. Also, factory jobs and the military are the biggest way out of poverty for many North Koreans. If you don’t have a need for a military, you have millions of men potentially on a crisis to transition to other industries. North Korea needs to maintain a perpetual sense of threat in order to justify its bloated military. Also, without the west to fight against, why would North Koreans need Kim Jung Un to save and protect them? It’s a disconnect in the cult of the Kims’ dogma which I’m not sure if Kim Jung Un would survive politically.
So yeah, shake hands with Kim Jung Un, take photos, and make promises. But remember that the North also just decimated a mountain due to their nuclear tests and that Kim Jung Un has killed relatives in order to save his skin. Optimism with a grain of salt is in order.
A friendlier North Korea would do well for the South Korea. I don’t imagine open borders anytime soon, but as I mentioned in past posts, with South Korea relatively meager and stagnant GDP growth rate, a friendlier North could help companies in the South by opening its population to commerce. It would also ease tensions with China and prevent issues like the THAAD missile crisis from harming companies that do business in China and South Korea.
What annoys me, however, is the extremely partisan atmosphere in the country. Just last weekend, there were street protests from the hard right calling the president a traitor and accusing him of selling the country to North Korea. This is insanity. How does that even work? Last time I checked, South Korea is far richer than its northern neighbor. But the problem is the left can be just as toxic with their tribalism as well. I don’t lean on any Korean political parties nor do I subscribe to any particular Korean publication (which can be terribly partisan). I will read anything and I also read/listen to analysis from foreign publications and commentators. But the minute I say anything negative or express a bit of concern regarding the current president’s actions, I get accused as being brainwashed by the right. And sometimes this is my wife accusing me of partisanship!
What’s also annoying is Donald Trump taking credit for any headway into North Korea’s denuclearization. I could forgive him for taking some credit. Despite him name calling and trying to compare nuclear buttons with Kim Jung Un just a few months ago, he is still the leader of the United States and he did send Mike Pompeo to meet Kim Jung Un. I don’t know what they talked about and I suspect Trump only sent Pompeo to the North in order to boost his credibility as a Secretary of State nominee, but he still sent him there to presumably open a dialogue. But what’s annoying is Trump taking 100% of the credit to the current North and South Korean situation. What an annoying gnat! He just dismissed all the work of his allies in the South. What’s worse, I suspect if the talks don’t result in meaningful progress, he would gladly throw South Korea under the bus without even remembering President Moon Jae-In’s name.
As for President Moon Jae-In, he should really calm down with saying “Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize” for his work in the inter-Korean talks. I know he’s just trying to be gracious, but Trump will take that graciousness and use it as a cudgel.
I wasn’t in the country during most of the Sunshine Policy of previous administrations, but this feels similar to that attempt to a more peaceful coexistence between the two countries. What’s mostly missing from that previous policy is the North acting in good faith. They were occasionally aggressive during the period and have failed to return much of the goodwill shown to them by the South. I certainly hope things will be better this time around. I personally don’t care so much about nuclear disarmament, especially since North Korea still has thousands of traditional weapons aimed and could destroy Seoul should it ever choose to (I live and work in one of the busiest parts of Seoul), but it would be a great first step at easing tensions in the region. However, I suspect that the song and dance following a true denuclearization, i.e. claims of not following agreements, accusations of hiding nuclear facilities, misleading inspectors, etc., would long be used by political actors to scare each other long after the last rocket has been decommissioned. I’m optimistic, but it will be a long time before people truly no longer see North Korea as a nuclear threat.
Tagged art, Colonel Gaddafi, Denuclearization, Donald Trump, drawing, illustration, John Bolton, Joseph, Joseph Reyes, Kim Jung Un, Mike Pompeo, Moon Jae-In, Nobel, North Korea, peace, Seoul, south korea, Sunshine Policy, THAAD, Voltes V
Korea, South Korea, United States, war
Where I Understand Suspicion Against Foreigners
The reason you don’t provoke North Korea is because you don’t want to give them any more incentives to build bombs. Everyone knows that the United States has the biggest military power in the history of mankind with a nuclear arsenal that could destroy the whole world multiple times. It is annoying to hear all of this tough talk against North Korea and appeasement, when the US’ mighty sword has not resolved clean victories and lasting peace in most of the conflicts it got involved in since the Vietnam War. Since Donald Trump got elected, he did nothing but casually hurl inflammatory rhetoric at North Korea and annoy US allies in the region. It is difficult not to argue that it has increased the North Korean zeal with its weapons program as well as encourage inflammatory rhetoric from the North as well.
It doesn’t matter if the US has the bigger bombs, or that it could mete out “fire and fury” at North Korea. Fire and fury has not resulted in the defeat of ISIS, despite Trump’s promise to rid of the group within days of his presidency. This is a ragtag guerilla group which the most advanced military might cannot seem to squash. Military victory is not gained purely on might alone. And the reason why South Korea is wise in being cautious with its approach with its neighbor is that not only would a war cause massive casualties and upend the rest of the eastern Asian region, it would also harm innocent North Koreans in the process. It’s not just because some North Koreans might be related to people in the South, but North Koreans are also human beings, people who have the right to live in peace.
And what is victory in a war with North Korea? A destroyed regime which will result in a power vacuum, perhaps resulting in an Asian version of ISIS? A humanitarian crisis with refugees fleeing the country? A ravaged South Korea and perhaps other major cities in Asia as well? A crippled China, one of the few countries with a growing economy that is fueling a significant portion of the world’s industries? It doesn’t sound like victory at all.
Talks of war against North Korea are gross and shortsighted. It would feel good to punch a fat bully in the teeth, but you don’t starve your neighbors and punch everyone else as well in the process. Most South Koreans don’t worry about nuclear war with the North. They’ve learned to live in the standoff. It is only the US’ rhetoric that is making things a whole lot worse and war with the North that much closer. The Koreas have already suffered countless of times due to foreign powers. This was way before the two Koreas were divided because of the US and the Soviet Union, the reason why South Koreans have traditionally looked at foreign influences with trepidation. Again, North and South Korea is being threatened due to the meddling of foreign influences.
Tagged Appeasement, art, bomb, Canada, Donald Trump, drawing, illustration, ISIS, Joseph, Joseph Reyes, Kim Jung Un, Manitoba, military, North Korea, nuclear war, nude, Seoul, south korea, war, Winnipeg
Korea, politics, South Korea, United States
On Child-like Leaders
The thing with North Korea’s Kim Jung Un’s unpredictability is that he’s been given, GIVEN, the job of running the country as his first job. Not only was he just some rich kid living in Switzerland given the job of running a throwback country, but as the role of supreme dictator, he’s under the constant threat of usurpation from his handlers, his people, and even his family. He constantly needs to flex his muscles (figuratively, of course) and threaten his neighbors as well as his inner circle, lest he becomes another Muamar Gaddafi. This explains the occasional super villainesque murders of his associates and family members. It also explains the rather extreme reactions to slights against the regime.
There’s been a political rift lately between South Korea and China, with South Korea building a missile defense system (THAAD) against North Korea which is equipped with radar technology capable of penetrating deep into Chinese territory. South Korea defends the missile system as a defense against the North. I imagine in normal circumstances this would’ve been fine with China, since they appear to be losing their patience with North Korea. They recently cut off coal exports from North Korea because of their recent missile tests. But the South Korean government is partnered with the United States, and there is deep distrust between the two rivaling military powers. Also, the South Korean government seems oddly determined to install the missile defense system despite its unpopularity among the locals. After all, the North doesn’t need missiles to attack the South. Traditional artillery fire could reach Seoul just fine (But whether it could take the South is another matter). I suspect the installation of the missile system is either the US military slyly using South Korea to contain China, or perhaps some people are getting enriched with military contracts and the sale Lockheed Martin’s systems. In any case, without the North Korean threat, the whole missile defense system argument would be moot, and China wouldn’t be imposing travel bans to South Korea and threatening a ban on South Korean products.
So yes, because Kim Jung Un is an unpredictable player, it leads people and government outside of North Korea to act out in ways which ultimately hurt them. South Korea and China doesn’t need to be feuding at the moment. They are important partners in various industries. Korea doesn’t need to a build ridiculous missile system when North Korea would be committing economic suicide should they ever decide to full-on attack one of its neighbors. But Kim Jung Un’s child-like capriciousness gives people the excuse to do so.
Kim Jung Un was snatched up from his comfortable life in Switzerland to fill his father’s shoes. I doubt if he ever dreamed of living the rest of his life dressing up and pretending to be his grandfather. He had a carefree life, but now he’s living under a lethal microscope with powers that could affect millions of people in his country and beyond. What does he know about governing? Governments need leaders who have experience in leading and are actually interested in the role.
That brings to mind: I wonder how Donald Trump spent his weekend.
Tagged art, Canada, China, Donald Trump, drawing, government, illustration, insects, Joseph, Joseph Reyes, Kim Jung Un, Manitoba, military, North Korea, south korea, Switzerland, tentacles, THAAD, United States, Winnipeg
art, movies, politics, sex
Porn For Freedom
Still annoyed at the North Korean hacking thing. God help the poor people of North Korea. The shenanigans of the people in power of late are not really helping those that truly need help in that country. There is no win in this story. Here are a few thoughts:
-North Korea still denies they were involved at all, and proposes a joint investigation with the US, threatens the US if they don’t cooperate. I wonder how far I would go in life if I handled my affairs this way.
-I always liked George Clooney. His little petition, which was sadly left unsigned due to cowardice, proves just how much awesome that man is made of. I would write more about the ways he’s awesome, but I only have so little time for posting entries.
-God bless Larry Flynt. God bless pornography for all the things it brought us, from technology to freedoms. Larry Flynt just announced that he would be making a parody of The Interview. This is brilliant, both in its stand against censorship, also in its genius in marketing. This might be first porn movie I ever used real money on in years.
-Speaking of porn. See how the great men of pornography stand up for rights? There’s Bob Guccione, founder of Penthouse, artist, dreamer, social critic, and wearer of awesome medallions. He’s always been a hero of mine. Then there’s Larry Flynt, founder of Hustler, freedom of speech vanguard, political critic and provocateur. And finally, there’s Hugh Hefner who awards people for protecting First Amendment rights. Your pornography at work.
Tagged 9/11 art, arts, Bob Guccione, FBI, film, freedom, hack, hacking, Hugh Hefner, Hustler, James Franco, journalism, Kim Jung Il, Kim Jung Un, Korea, Larry Flynt, movies, North Korea, NSA, Penthouse, Playboy, pornography, Seth Rogen, Sony, south korea, Target, terror, terrorism, The Interview, United States, US
art, crime, life, media, movies, news, politics, religion
Please Let Me See This
I wonder if I can get a Kickstarter going where I buy The Interview from SONY and release it myself. Too bad I would have to raise over $100 million.
That’s what SONY’s losing… over $100 million. It’s a pretty expensive price to start a precedent on capitulating to terrorists, a huge setback for freedom of speech.
But really, I don’t blame SONY. Aside from probably fearing further leaks of sensitive and embarrassing information, they are in a no-win situation whether they go ahead with the theatrical release of The Interview. They release the film and something happens, they get sued as well as blamed for whatever tragedy happened. “Look at SONY, ignoring threats and putting people’s lives on the line for profit!” And really, why release a film if no theater is going to show it? Why would a theater show it if their insurance won’t cover it?
If they don’t release the film, they lose their investment, get called cowardly, and get blamed for starting a dumb precedent. And still, all of this doesn’t guarantee that the leaks from the hack will stop. This specter (haha!) will continue to haunt the company until the perpetrators are caught and all the data is accounted for, all 100 terabytes of it. But yeah, how do you truly contain and control information that in on the Internet? It’s like the company’s nude selfies were stolen from the cloud. Who knows who has copies of them?
I’m not even upset at SONY’s reaction when it didn’t immediately inform its own employees about the hack. Of course the company had to investigate and try to contain the problem. Of course they had to say it’s an “IT problem.” It is an IT problem. What difference would telling people immediately make? Nothing. There would be no panic, just people checking for anything funny going on in their accounts. I’m sure the reaction would just be the same as now, people getting upset at SONY’s lax approach to security. This was not the first time the company has been hacked.
Since the hack was discovered, people have speculated that the hackers were not from North Korea and that they were just using the banana republic as cover. If that was the case, then freedom of speech took a backseat for the lulz. The movie was taken down for the sake of bragging rights. SONY, the theaters, and also the FBI, gave more power to hackers. See what they can do? While they can shine a light to many issues and affect change in a positive way, they can also do the shittiest thing to freedom of speech, and that is to silent it. In a way, it’s no different from misinformed and overreacting parents successfully petitioning Target not to sell Grand Theft Auto, except that those parents did it out of concern for their children. If it was a just some hacker group, then it was done for ego and lulz. What kind of world do we live in? Lulz. Where is our generation’s great cause?
This is not to say that it would be better if North Korea was behind it all. The United States and huge companies like SONY were bullied by a country that can barely feed its citizens. It doesn’t matter who did it. Whoever did it was a bully, a terrorist, and SONY and those theaters bowed down to bullying. If indeed, North Korea did it, then Kim Jong Un must be the most fragile person alive. He’s like a dainty little flower. His father was mocked in a movie before, so was Hitler. Heck, everyone gets parodied, everyone is fair game, even Jesus… but for whatever reason, this punk must be kept in an insult-free bubble. It’s not often that I praise Kim Jung Il, but Kim Jong Un’s father was a man who loved film. Heck, he kidnapped a director to make his own Godzilla film. Though he might’ve been embarrassed by the movie Team America, I would like to think he understood what parody was. And as for his politics, Kim Jung Il tried to create better relations with the South.
As for Kim Jung Il’s kid, his fat spoiled kid, what has he done? Just a few years ago, he was just some kid getting fat in Switzerland, watching basketball. Being the dictator of a starving country IS HIS FIRST JOB! Kim Jong Un has never done anything significant ever. Well, correction, he has murdered his relatives and brought Dennis Rodman a couple more minutes of fame. But has he ever done anything positive? Is North Korea any better now that he’s in power? He doesn’t even have enough smarts to avoid getting gout on his thirties. Every time I see him, he goes about like a relic… someone who has innumerable accomplishments, ruling a mysterious kingdom, and deserving the fear and respect of his noble people. And his generals and advisors surround him in antiquated costumes, hanging to his every word and action. But that is exactly what everyone is wearing: a costume. Those old men are not wearing military uniform; they are wearing the costume that keeps them employed. And Kim Jung Un… he’s wearing the Kim Il Sung/Kim Jung Il costume. He’s neither his father nor his grandfather. He’s just some fat kid who had it all. He’s probably scared out of his mind should the North Korean people finally snap out of it and realize all of this. And he’s probably bored to death with all of those factory tours. I’m sure he wishes he could be courtside watching a basketball game instead.
What the whole thing demonstrated though was the power of 9/11. It is like the n-word of the calendar. Mention the n-word in a conversation, and the whole tone changes. It was all fun and games with leaked e-mails about Angelina Jolie until someone said 9/11. Things suddenly got serious. And again, if it were just hackers doing the whole thing, then shame on them for their cowardly tactic… but also touché for knowing exactly how to get people to pay attention. It’s just like magic, “9/11.” And if it is indeed North Korea, then shouldn’t the US government be more aggressive in all of this? Wasn’t this a direct (albeit probably hollow) threat? Countries have felt the mighty hand of the US military over less direct aggression.
And where was the NSA in all of this? These are people who gather information and try to get hackers and journalists when they reveal something embarrassing to the US government. These are the same people who spy on their own citizens in the name of national security. How come they don’t seem to know anything about these hackers? Freedom of speech just got taken down big time. Not only that, but a multi-national company just lost out on its investment, and we all know how the US government loves its multi-national companies. It was an attack on capitalism. Where’s the NSA and the FBI on all of this?
I really hope they catch whoever did this. I really hope this doesn’t start a precedent of appeasing cyber terrorism. The Internet is about knowledge and freedom. It is a platform where ideas are shared and opinions are expressed, not a tool for shutting down speech. A part of me thinks that perhaps this is all just a brilliant way for SONY to sell their film. Some critics have called it unfunny, but now it is all beyond that. “Watch The Interview! Do it to spit on the face of tyranny!” And I would, I totally would. Maybe not in a movie theater, but I would gladly give SONY money to watch this suddenly historically-significant Seth Rogen film.
All to spit on the face of tyranny.
Tagged 9/11, Angelina Jolie, art, arts, FBI, film, freedom, Grand Theft Auto, hack, hacking, James Franco, journalism, Kickstarter, Kim Jung Il, Kim Jung Un, Korea, movies, North Korea, NSA, Seth Rogen, Sony, south korea, Target, terror, terrorism, The Interview, United States, US, Youtube
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Accredited Tier Designer Profiles: Adel Rizk, Gerard Thibault and Michael Kalny
May 2014 /in Design /by Matt Stansberry
Three data center design professionals talk about their work and Uptime Institute’s ATD program.
By Kevin Heslin, Uptime Institute
Uptime Institute’s Accredited Tier Designer (ATD) program and its Tier Certification program have affected data center design around the world, raised standards for construction, and brought a new level of sophistication to facility owners, operators, and designers everywhere, according to three far-flung professionals who have completed the ATD program. Adel Rizk of Saudia Arabia’s Edarat, Gerard Thibault, senior technical director, Design and Construction division of Digital Realty (DLR) in the U.K., and Michael Kalny, head of Metronode Engineering, Leighton Telecommunications Group, in Australia, have applied the concepts they learned in the ATD program to develop new facilities and improve the operation of legacy facilities while also aggressively implementing energy-efficiency programs. Together, they prove that high reliability and energy efficiency are not mutually exclusive goals. Of course, they each work in different business environments in different countries, and the story of how they achieve their goals under such different circumstances makes interesting reading.
In addition to achieving professional success, the ATDs each noted that Tier certification and ATD programs had helped them innovate and develop new approaches to data center design and operations while helping market facilities and raise the standards of construction in their countries.
More than that, Rizk, Thibault, and Kalny have followed career arcs with some similarities. Each developed data center expertise after entering the field from a different discipline, Rizk from telephony and manufacturing, Thibault from real estate, and Kalny from building fiber transmission networks. They each acknowledge the ATD program as having deepened their understanding of data center design and construction and having increased their ability to contribute to major company initiatives. This similarity has particular significance in the cases of Rizk and Kalny, who have become data center experts in regions that often depend on consultants and operators from around the globe to ensure reliability and energy efficiency. It is in these areas, perhaps, that the ATD credential and Tier certification have their greatest impact.
On the other hand, the U.K, especially London, has been the home of many sophisticated data center operators and customers for years, making Thibault’s task of modifying Digital Realty’s U.S. specification to meet European market demands a critical one.
On the technology front, all three see continued advances in energy efficiency, and they all see market demand for greater sustainability and energy efficiency. Kalny and Thibault both noted increased adoption of higher server air supply temperatures in data centers and the use of outside air. Kalny, located in Australia, noted extreme interest in a number of water-saving technologies.
Hear from these three ATDs below:
ADEL RIZK
Just tell me a little about yourself.
I’m a consulting engineer. After graduating from a civil engineering program in 1998 and working for a few years on public projects for the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) Outside Plant (OSP), I decided in 2000 to change my career and joined a manufacturer of fast-moving consumer goods. During this period, I also pursued my MBA.
After gaining knowledge and experience in IT by enhancing and automating the manufacturer’s operations and business processes, I found an opportunity to start my own business in IT consulting with two friends and colleagues of mine and co-founded Edarat Group in 2005.
As a consultant working in Edarat Group, I also pursued professional certifications in project management (PMP) and business continuity (MBCI) and was in charge of implementing the Business Continuity Management Program for telecom and financial institutions in Saudi Arabia.
How did you transition from this IT environment to data centers?
One day, a customer who was operating a strategic and mission-critical data center facility asked me to help him improve the reliability of his MEP infrastructure. I turned his problem into an opportunity and ventured into the data center facility infrastructure business in 2008.
In 2009-2010, Edarat Group, in partnership with IDGroup, a leading data center design company based out of Boston, developed the design for two Tier IV and two Tier III data centers for a telecom operator and the smart cities being built in Riyadh by the Public Pension Agency. In 2010, I got accredited as a Tier Designer (ATD) by the Uptime Institute, and all four facilities achieved Tier Certification of Design Documents (TCDD).
What was the impact of the Tier certification?
Once we succeeded in achieving the Tier Certification, it was like a tipping point.
We became the leading company in the region in data center design. Saudi Arabia values certifications very highly. Any certification is considered valuable and even considered a requirement for businesses, as well as for professionals. By the same token, the ATD certificate positioned me as the lead consultant at that time.
Since that time, Edarat has grown very rapidly, working on the design and construction supervision of Tier III, Tier IV, and even Tier II facilities. Today, we have at least 10 facilities that received design Tier-certifications and one facility that is Tier III Certified as a Constructed Facility (TCCF).
What has been your personal involvement in projects at Edarat?
I am involved in every detail in the design and construction process. I have full confidence in these facilities being built, and Uptime Institute Certifications are mere evidence of these significant successful achievements.
What is Edarat doing today?
Currently, we are involved in design and construction. In construction, we review material submittals and shop drawings and apply value engineering to make sure that the changes during construction don’t affect reliability or Tier certification of the constructed facility. Finally, we manage the integrated testing and final stages of commissioning and ensure smooth handover to the operations team.
Are all your projects in Saudi Arabia?
No. We also obtained Tier III certification for a renowned bank in Lebanon. We also have done consultancy work for data centers in Abu Dhabi and Muscat.
What stimulates demand for Tier certification in Saudi Arabia?
Well, there are two factors: the guarantee of quality and the show-off factor due to competition. Some customers have asked us to design and build a Tier IV facility for them, though they can tolerate a long period of downtime and would not suffer great losses from a business outage.
Edarat Group is vendor-neutral, and as consultants, it is our job to educate the customer and raise his awareness because investing in a Tier IV facility should be justifiable when compared to the cost of disruption.
My experience in business continuity enables me to help customers meet their business requirements. A data center facility should be fit-for-purpose, and every customer is unique, each having different business, regulatory, and
operational requirements. You can’t just copy and paste. Modeling is most important at the beginning of every data center design project.
Though it may seem like hype, I strongly believe that Uptime Institute certification is a guarantee of reliability and high availability.
Information Technology Communications
Complex (ITCC), in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Complex (ITCC), in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
What has the effect of the ATD been on the data center industry in Saudi Arabia?
Now you can see other players in the market, including systems integrators, getting their engineers ATD certified. Being ATD certified really helps. I personally always refer to the training booklet; you can’t capture and remember everything about Tiers after just three days of training.
What’s unique about data centers in Saudi Arabia?
Energy is cheap; telecom is also cheap. In addition, Saudi Arabia is a gateway from Europe to Asia. The SAS1 cable connects Europe to India through Saudi Arabia. Energy-efficient solutions are difficult to achieve. Free cooling is not available in the major cities, and connectivity is not yet available in remote areas where free cooling is available for longer periods during the year. In addition, the climate conditions are not very favorable to energy-efficient solutions; for example, dust and sand make it difficult to rely on solar power. In Riyadh, the cost of water is so high that it makes the cost of investing in cooling towers unjustifiable compared to air-cooled chillers. It could take 10 years to get payback on such a system.
Budget can sometimes be a constraint on energy efficiency because, as you know, green solutions have high capex, which is unattractive because energy is cheap in Saudi Arabia. If you use free cooling, there are limited hours, plus the climate is sandy, which renders maintenance costs high. So the total cost of ownership for a green solution is not really justifiable from an economic perspective, and the government so far does not have any regulations on carbon emissions and so forth.
Therefore, in the big cities, Riyadh, Dammam, and Jeddah, we focus primarily on reliability. Nevertheless, some customers still want to achieve LEED Gold.
What’s the future for Edarat?
We are expanding geographically and expanding our services portfolio. After design and building, the challenge is now in the operation. As you already know, human errors represent 70 percent of the causes for downtime. Customers are now seeking our help to provide consultancy in facility management, such as training, drafting SOPs, EOPs, capacity management, and change management procedures.
MICHAEL KALNY
Tell me a little about yourself.
I received an honors degree in electrical engineering in the 1980s and completed a postgraduate diploma in communications systems a couple of years later. In conjunction with practical experience working as a technical officer and engineer in the telecommunications field, I gained a very sound foundation on which to progress my career in the ICT space.
My career started with a technical officer position in a company called Telecom, the monopoly carrier operating in Australia. I was there about 14 years and worked my way through many departments within the company including research, design, construction and business planning. It was a time spent learning much about the ICT business and applying engineering skills and experience to modernize and progress the Telecom business. Around 1990 the Australian government decided to end the carrier monopoly, and a company by the name of Optus emerged to compete directly with Telecom. Optus was backed by overseas carriers Bellsouth (USA) and Cable and Wireless (UK). There were many new exciting opportunities in the ICT carrier space when Optus began operations. At this point I left Telecom and started with Optus as project manager to design and construct Optus’ national fiber and data center network around Australia.
Telecom was viewed by many as slow to introduce new technologies and services and not competitive compared to many overseas carriers. Optus changed all that. They introduced heavily discounted local and overseas calls, mobile cellular systems, pay TV, point-to-point high-capacity business network services and a host of other value-added services for business and residential customers. At the time, Telecom struggled to develop and launch service offerings that could compete with Optus, and a large portion of the Australian population embraced the growth and service offerings available from Optus.
I spent 10 years at Optus, where I managed the 8500-kilometer rollout of fiber that extended from Perth to Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane. I must have done a good job on the build, as I was promoted to the role of Field/National Operations manager to manage all the infrastructure that was built in the first four years. Maybe that was the punishment in some way? I had a workgroup of some 300-400 staff during this period and gained a great deal of operational experience.
The breadth of knowledge, experience and networks established during my time at Optus was invaluable and led me to my next exciting role in the telecommunications industry during 2001. Nextgen Networks was basically formed to fill a void in the Australian long-haul, high-capacity digital transmission carrier market, spanning all mainland capital cities with high-speed fiber networks. Leighton Contractors was engaged to build the network and maintain it. In conjunction with transmission carriage services, Nextgen also pre-empted the introduction and development of transmission nodes and data center services. Major rollouts of fiber networks, associated transmission hubs and data centers were a major undertaking, providing exciting opportunities to employ innovation and new technologies.
My new role within Leighton Telecommunications Group to support and build the Nextgen network had several similarities with Optus. Included were design activities and technical acceptance from the builder of all built infrastructure, including transmission nodes and data centers. During 2003 Nextgen Networks went into administration as the forecast demand for large amounts of transmission capacity did not eventuate. Leighton Telecommunications realized the future opportunities and potential of the Nextgen assets and purchased the company. Through good strategic planning and business management, the Nextgen business has continued to successfully expand and grow. It is now Australia’s third largest carrier. This was indeed a success story for the Leighton Telecommunications Group.
Metronode was established as a separate business entity to support the Nextgen network rollout by way of providing capital city transmission nodes for the longhaul fiber network and data center colo space. Metronode is now one of the biggest data center owner/operators in Australia, with the largest coverage nationally.
I’ve now been with the Leighton Telco Group for 12 years and have worked in the areas of design, development, project management and operations. Much of the time was actually spent in the data center area of the business.
For the last three years I have headed Metronode’s Engineering Group and have been involved in many exciting activities including new technology assessment, selection and data center design. All Metronode capital city data centers were approaching full design capacity a couple of years ago. In order to continue on a successful growth path for data center space, services and much improved energy efficiency, Metronode could no longer rely on traditional data center topologies and builds to meet current and future demands in the marketplace. After very careful consideration and planning, it was obvious that any new data center we would build in Australia would have to meet several important design criteria. These included good energy efficiency (sub 1.2 PUE), modular construction, quick to build, high availability and environmental sustainability. Formal certification of the site to an Uptime Institute Tier III standard was also an important requirement.
During 2011 I embarked on a mission to assess a range of data center offerings and technologies that would meet all of Metronode’s objectives.
So your telecom and fiber work set you up to be the manager of operations at Metronode, but where did you learn the other data center disciplines?
During the rollout of fiber for the Optus network, capital city “nodes” or data centers were built to support the transmission network. I was involved with the acceptance of all the transmission nodes and data centers, and I guess that’s where I got my first exposure to data centers. Also, when Nextgen rolled out its fiber network, it was also supported by nodes and data centers in all the capital cities.
I was primarily responsible for acceptance of the fiber network, all regenerator sites (basically mini data centers) and the capital city data centers that the fiber passed through. I wasn’t directly involved with design, but I was involved with commissioning and acceptance, which is where I got my experience.
Do you consider yourself to be more of a network professional or facilities professional?
A portion of both, however, stronger affinity with the data center side of things. I’m an electrical engineer and relate more closely to the infrastructure side of data centers and transmission regeneration sites–they all depend on cooling, UPS, batteries, controlled environments, high levels of redundancy and all that sort of thing.
Prior to completion of any data center build (includes fiber transmission nodes), a rigorous commissioning and integrated services testing (IST) regime is extremely important. A high level of confidence in the design, construction and operation is gained after the data center is subjected to a large range of different fault types and scenarios to successfully prove resilience. My team and I always work hard to cover all permutations and combinations of fault/operational scenarios during IST to demonstrate resilience of the site before handing it over to our operations colleagues.
What does the Australian data center business look like? Is it international or dependent on local customers?
Definitely dependent on both local and international customers. Metronode is a bit different from most of the competition, in that we design, build, own and operate each of our sites. We specialize in providing wholesale colo services to the large corporations, state and federal government departments and carriers. Many government departments in Australia have embarked on plans to consolidate and migrate their existing owned, leased and “back of office” sites into two or more modern data centers managed and operated by experienced operators with a solid track record. Metronode recently secured the contract to build two new major data centers in NSW to consolidate and migrate all of government’s requirements.
Can you describe Metronode’s data centers?
We have five legacy sites that are designed on traditional technologies and builds comprising raised floor, chilled-water recirculation, CRACs on floor, under-floor power cabling from PDUs to racks and with relatively low-power density format. About three years ago, capacity was reaching design limits and the requirement to expand was paramount. I was given the task of reviewing new and emerging data center technologies that would best fit Metronode’s business plans and requirements.
It was clear that a modular data center configuration would provide significant capital savings upfront by way of only expanding when customer demand dictated. The data center had to be pre-built in the factory, tested and commissioned and proven to be highly resilient under all operating conditions. It also had to be able to grow in increments of around 800kW of IT load up to a total 15 MW if need be. Energy efficiency was another requirement, with a PUE of less than 1.2 set as a non-negotiable target.
BladeRoom technology from the UK was the technology chosen. Metronode purchased BladeRoom modules from the U.K. They were shipped to Australia and assembled on-site. We also coordinated the design of plant rooms to accommodate site HV intake, switchgear, UPS and switchboards to support the BladeRoom modules. The first BladeRoom deployment of 1.5 MW in Melbourne took around nine months to complete.
The exterior of the Metronode facility.
BladeRoom uses direct free air and evaporative cooling as the primary cooling system. It uses an N+1 DX cooling system as a backup. The evaporative cooling system was looked at very favorably in Australia mainly because of the relatively high temperatures and low humidity levels throughout the year in most capital cities.
To date, we have confirmed that free air/evaporative cooling is used for 95-98% of the year, with DX cooling systems used for the balance. Our overall energy usage is very low compared to any traditional type sites.
We were the first data center owner/operator to have a fully Uptime Institute-certified Tier III site in Australia. This was another point of differentiation we used to present a unique offering in the Australian marketplace.
In Australia and New Zealand, we have experienced many other data center operators claiming all sorts of Tier ratings for their sites, such as Tier IV, Tier IV+, etc. Our aim was to formalize our tier rating by gaining a formal accreditation that would stand up to any scrutiny.
The Uptime Institute Tier ratings appealed to us for many reasons, so we embarked on a Tier III rating for all of our new BladeRoom sites. From a marketing perspective, it’s been very successful. Most customers have stopped asking many questions relating to concurrent maintainability, now that we have been formally certified. In finalizing the design for our new generation data centers, we also decided on engineering out all single points of failure. This is over and above the requirement for a Tier III site, which has been very well received in the marketplace.
What is the one-line of the BladeRoom electrical system?
The BladeRoom data hall comprises a self-contained cooling unit, UPS distribution point and accommodation space for all the IT equipment.
Support of the BladeRoom data hall requires utility power, a generator, UPS and associated switchgear to power the BladeRoom data hall. These components are built into what we call a “duty plant room.” The design is based on a block-redundant architecture and does not involve the paralleling of large strings of generators to support the load under utility power failure conditions.
A separate duty plant room is dedicated or assigned to each BladeRoom. A separate “redundant plant room” is part of the block-redundant design. In the case of any duty plant room failure, critical data hall load will be transferred to the redundant plant room via a pair of STS switches. Over here we refer to that as a block-redundant architecture. We calculate that we will achieve better than 5 nines availability.
Our objective was to ensure a simple design in order to reduce any operational complexity.
What’s the current footprint and power draw?
The data center built in Melbourne is based on a BladeRoom data hall with a cooling module on either end, allowing support 760 kW of IT load.
To minimize footprint, we build data halls into a block, comprising four by 760 kW and double-stack them. This provides us with two ground floor data halls and two first floor data halls, with a total IT capacity of 3 MW. Currently, the Melbourne site comprises a half block, which is 1.5 MW; we’re planning to build the next half block by the end of this year. Due to the modularity aspect and the similar design, we simply replicate the block structure across the site, based on client-driven demand. Our Melbourne site has capacity to accommodate five blocks or 15 MW of IT load.
In terms of the half block in operation in Melbourne, we have provisioned about 1 MW of IT load to our clients; however, utilization is still low at around 100 kW. In general, we have found that many clients do not reach their full allocated capacity for some time, possibly due to being conservative about demand forecast and the time it takes for complex migrations and new installations to be completed.
What about power density?
We can accommodate 30 kW per rack. A supercomputer was recently installed that took up six or seven rack spaces. With a future power demand in excess of 200kW, we are getting close to the 30 kW per rack mark.
And PUE?
At our new Melbourne site, we currently support an average IT load of 100 kW across 1.5 MW of IT load capacity,
which approximates to 7% IT load, a very light load which would reflect an unmentionable PUE in a traditionally
designed site! Our monthly PUE is now running at about 1.5. Based on trending over the last three months (which have been summer months in Australia) we are well on target to achieving our design PUE profile. We’re very confident we’ll have a 1.2 annual rolling PUE once we reach 30% load; we should have a sub 1.2 PUE as the load approaches 100%.
What got you interested in the ATD program and what have been its benefits?
During my assessment of new-generation data centers, there was some difficulty experienced in fully understanding the resilience that various data center configurations provided and comparing them against one another. At this point it was decided that some formal standard/certification would be the logical way to proceed, so that data center performance/characteristics could be compared in a like-for-like manner. A number of standards and best practices were reviewed, including those published by IBM, BICSI, AS/NZ Standards, TIA 942, UI, etc.; many of which quoted different rating definitions for each “tier.” The Uptime Institute tiering regime appealed to me the most, as it was not prescriptive in nature and yet provided an objective basis for comparing the functionality, maintainability, redundancy and fault tolerance levels for different site infrastructure topologies.
My view was that formal certification of a site would provide a clear differentiator between ourselves and competition in the marketplace. To further familiarize myself with the UI standards, applications and technical discussions with clients, an ATD qualification was considered a valuable asset. I undertook the ATD course nearly two years ago. Since then, the learnings have been applied to our new designs, in discussions with clients on technical performance, in design reviews with consultants, and for comparing different data center attributes.
I found the ATD qualification very useful in terms of assessing various designs. During the design of our Melbourne data center, our local design consultants didn’t have anyone who was ATD accredited locally, and I found that designs presented did not always comply with the minimum requested requirements for Tier III, and in many cases exceeded the Tier III requirement. This was another very good reason for completing the ATD course in order to keep an eye on consultant designs.
Michael, are you the only ATD at Metronode?
I’m the only Tier accredited designer in Metronode. Our consultants have since had a few people accredited because it looked a little bit odd that the client had an ATD and the consultant didn’t.
We won a major contract with the NSW government last year, which involved building two new data centers. The NSW government objective was to consolidate around 200 existing “data centers” and migrate services into the two main facilities. They’re under construction as we speak. There’s one in Sydney and one just south of Sydney near Wollongong. We recently obtained Tier III design certification from Uptime for both sites.
The Sydney data center will be ready for live operations in mid-July this year and the site near Wollongong operational a couple of months later. The facilities in Sydney and near Wollongong have been dimensioned to support an ultimate IT capacity of 9 MW.
Metronode also has a new data center under construction in Perth. It will support an ultimate IT capacity of 2.2 MW, and the first stage will support 760 kW. We hope to obtain Tier III design certification on the Perth site shortly and expect to have it completed and operational before the end of the year.
The other exciting opportunity is in Canberra, and we’re currently finalizing our design for this site. It will be a Tier III site with 6 MW of IT capacity.
With my passion for sustainability and high efficiency, we’re now looking at some major future innovations to further improve our data center performance. We are now looking at new hydrogel technologies where moisture from the data hall exhaust air can be recycled back into the evaporative cooling systems. We are also harvesting rainwater from every square meter of roof at our data centers. Rainwater is stored in tanks and used for the evaporative cooling systems.
Plant rooms containing UPS, switchboards, ATS, etc. in our legacy sites are air conditioned. If you walked into one of these plant rooms, you’d experience a very comfortable 23 or 24 degrees Centrigrade temperature all year round. Plant rooms in our new data centers run between 35-40 degrees Centrigrade, allowing them to be free air-cooled for most of the year. This provides significant energy savings and allows our PUE to be minimized.
We are now exploring the use the hot exhaust air from the data halls to heat the generators, rather than using electrical energy to heat engine water jackets and alternators. Office heating is another area where use of data
hall exhaust is being examined.
GERARD THIBAULT
How did you get started?
I had quite a practical education up to the point I undertook a degree in electronics and electrical engineering and then came to the market.
I worked on a number of schemes unconnected with data centers until the point that I joined CBRE in 1998, and it was working with them that I stumbled across the data center market in support of Global Crossing, looking for real estate across Europe trying to build its Pan European network. Within CBRE, I provided a lot of support to the project management of their data center/POP builds as well as consultancy to the CBRE customer base. When Global Crossing got their network established, I joined them to head up their building services design function within the Global Center, the web-hosting portion of Global Crossing. Together with a colleague leading construction, we ran a program of building five major data centers across the tier one cities with two more in design.
After the crash of 2001, I returned to CBRE, working within the technical real estate group. I advised clients such as HSBC, Goldman Sachs and Lehman Brothers about the design and programming and feasibility of potential data centers. So I had a lot of exposure to high capital investment programs, feasibility studies for HSBC, for instance, covering about L220 million investment in the U.K. for a pair of mirrored data centers to replace a pair of dated facilities for a global bank.
During the period, 2005-2006, I became aware of Digital Realty through a number of projects undertaken by out team. I actually left CBRE to work for Digital directly, becoming European employee #4, setting up an embryonic group as part of the REIT that is Digital Realty.
Since then, I’ve been responsible for a number of new builds in Europe, including Dublin and London, driving the design standards that Digital builds to in Europe, which included taking the U.S. guidelines requirements and adapting them to not only European units but also to European data center requirements. That, in a way, led to my current role.
Today, I practice less of the day-to-day development and am more involved with strategic design and how we design and build projects. I get involved with the sales team about how we try to invite people into our portfolio. One of those key tools was working with Uptime Institute to get ATD accreditation so that we could talk authoritatively in assessing customer needs for reliability and redundancy.
What are the European data center requirements, other than units of measure and power differences?
I think it’s more about the philosophy of redundancy. It’s my own view that transactions in the U.S. are very much more reliant on the SLA and how the developer or operator manages his own risk compared to certification within the U.K. End users of data centers, whether it is an opex (rental) or build–to-own requirement, seem to exercise more due diligence for the product they are looking to buy. Part of the development of the design requirement was that we had to modify the electrical arrangements to be more of a 2N system and provide greater resilience in the cooling system to meet the more stringent view of the infrastructure.
So you feel your U.K. customers are going to examine claims of redundancy more carefully, and they’re going to look for higher standards?
Yes. It’s matter of where they see the risks. Historically, we’ve seen that in the U.K. and across Europe too, they’ve sought to eradicate the risks, whereas I think maybe because of the approach to rental in the U.S., the risk is left with the operator. DLR has a robust architecture globally to mitigate our risk, but other operators may adopt different risk mitigation measures. It seems to me that over the years people in the U.K. market want to tick all the boxes and ensure that there is no risk before they take on the SLA, whereas in the U.S., it’s left to the operator to manage.
How has the ATD program played into your current role and helped you meet skepticism?
I think one of the only ways people can benchmark a facility is by having a certain stamp that says it meets a certain specification. In the data center market, there isn’t really anything that gives you a benchmark to judge a facility by, aside from the Uptime Institute ATD and certification programs.
It’s a shame that people in the industry will say that a data center is Tier X, when it hasn’t been assessed or certified. More discerning clients can easily see that a data center that has been certified in-line with the specs of the Uptime Institute, will gives them the assurance they need compared to a facility where they have no visibility of what a failure is going to do to the data center service. Certification, particularly to the Uptime Institute guidance is really a good way of benchmarking and reducing risk. That is certainly what customers are looking for. And perhaps it helps them sleep better at tonight; I don’t know.
Did the standards influence the base design documents of Digital Realty? Or was the U.S. version more or less complete?
I think the standards have affected the document quite a lot within Europe. We were the first to introduce the 2N supply right through the medium voltage supply to the rack supply. In the U.S., we always operated at 2N UPS, but the switchgear requires the skills of the DLR Tech Ops team to make it to concurrently maintainable. Additional features are required to meet the TUI standards that I’ve come to understand from taking the course.
I think we always had looked at achieving concurrent maintainability, but that might be by taking some
additional operational risks. When you sit back and analyze systems using the Uptime philosophy, you can see that having features such as double valving or double electrical isolation gives you the ability to maintain the facility not just by maintaining your N-capacity, or further resilience if you have a Tier IV system, but in in a safe and predictable manner.
We’ve often considered something concurrently maintainable on systems where a pipe freeze could be used to replace a critical valve. Now that might well be an industry-accepted technique, but if it goes wrong, the consequences could be very significant. What I’ve learned from the ATD process is regularizing the approach to a problem in a system and how to make sure that it is fail safe in its operation to either concurrent maintainability or fault tolerant standards if you are at the Tier III or Tier IV level, respectively.
How does Digital deploy its European Product Development strategy?
What we tried to do through product development is offer choice to people. In terms of the buildings, we are trying to build a non-specific envelope that can adapt to multiple solutions and thereby give people the choice to elect to have those data center systems deployed as the base design or upgrade them to meet Tier requirements.
Within a recent report that I completed on product development, the approach has made bringing the facility up to a Tier lever simpler or cheaper to adapt. We don’t by default build everything to a Tier III in every respect, although that’s changing now with DLR’s decision to gain a higher degree of certification. So far, we’ve pursued certification within the U.S. market as required and more frequently on the Asia-Pacific new build sites we have.
I think that difference may be due to the maturity of each market. There are a lot of people building data centers who perhaps don’t have the depth of maturity in engineering that DLR has. So people are looking for the facilities they buy to be certified so they can be sure they are reliable. Perhaps in the U.S. and Europe, they might be more familiar with data centers; they can look at the design themselves and make that assessment.
And that’s why in the European arena, we want to offer not only a choice of system but also to improve higher load efficiencies. The aim is to offer chilled water and then outside air, direct or indirect, or Tier certified designs, all within the same building and all offered as a sort of off-the-shelf product from a catalog of designs.
It would seem that providing customers with the option to certify to Tier would be a lot easier in a facility where you have just one customer.
Yes, but we are used to having buildings where we have a lot of customers and sometimes a number of customers in one data hall. Clearly, the first customer that goes into that space will often determine the infrastructure of that space. You can’t go back when you have shared systems beyond what the specification was when the initial build was completed. It is complicated sometimes, but it is something we’re used to because we do deal in multi-customer buildings.
What is the current state of Digital’s footprint in terms of size?
Within the U.K., we now have properties (ten buildings) in the London metro area, which represents over 1.2 million ft2 of space. This is now our largest metro region outside of the U.S. We have a very strong presence south of central London near Gatwick airport, but that has increased with recently acquired stock. We have two facilities there, one we built for a sole client—it was a build-to-suit option—and then a multi-tenant one. Then we have another multi-tenant building, probably in the region of 8 MW in the southwest of London. To the north in Manchester, we have another facility that is fully leased, and it’s probably in the neighborhood of 4-5 MW.
We’re actually under way with a new development for a client, a major cloud and hosting provider. We are looking to provide a 10-MW data center for them, and we’re going through the design and selection process for that project at the moment.
That’s the core of what we own within the U.K., but we also offer services for design and project management. We actually assisted HSBC with two very, very secure facilities; one to the north of London in the region of 4.5 MW
with 30,000 ft2 raised floor base and another in the north of the U.K.with an ultimate capacity of 14.5 MW and a full 2N electrical system, approaching a Tier IV design but not actually certified.
The most recent of our projects that we finished in Europe has been the first phase of a building for Telefonica in Madrid. This was a project where we we acted as consultants and design manager in a process to create a custom designed Tier IV data center with outside air, and that was done in conjunction with your team and Keith Klesner. I believe that’s one of only nine Tier IV data centers in Europe.
Walk me through the Madrid project.
It’s the first of five planned phases in which we assisted in creating a total of seven data halls, along with a support office block. The data halls are approximately 7,500 ft2 each. We actually advised on the design and fit-out of six of these data halls, and the design is based on an outside-air, direct-cooling system, which takes advantage of the very dry climate. Even though the dry-bulb temperatures are quite high, Madrid, being at high altitude, gives Telefonica the ability to get a good number of free-cooling hours within the year, driving down their PUE and running costs.
Each of the data centers has been set to run at four different power levels. The initial phase is at 1,200 kW per data hall, but the ultimate capacity is 4.8 MW per hall. All of it is supported by a full concurrently maintainable and fault-tolerant Tier IV-certified infrastructure. On the cooling side, the design was based on N+2 direct-air cooling units on the roof. Each unit is provided with a chilled water circuit for cooling in recirculation mode when outside air free-cooling is not available. There are two independent chilled-water systems in physically separate support buildings, separated from the main data center building.
The electrical system is based on a full 2N+1 UPS system with transformerless UPS to help the power efficiency and reduce the losses within the infrastructure. Those are based around the Schneider Galaxy 7000 UPS. Each of those 2N+1 UPS systems and the mechanical cooling systems were supported by a mains infrastructure at medium voltage, with a 2N on-site full continuous duty-rated backup generation system.
Is the PUE for a fully built out facility or partially loaded?
Bear with me, because people will focus on that. The approximate annualized PUEs based on recorded data at 100% were 1.25; 75%, 1.3; 50%, 1.35; and not surprisingly, as you drop down the curve, at 25% it rose to about 1.5.
What do you foresee for future development?
In the last few years, there has been quite a significant change in how people look at the data center and how people are prepared to manage the temperature parameters. Within the last 18 months I would say, the desire to adopt ASHRAE’s 2011 operating parameters for servers has been fairly uniform. Across the business, there has been quite a significant movement, which has been brought to a head by a combination of a lot of new cooling technologies going forward. So now you have ability to use outside air direct with full mechanical backup or outside air indirect where there is a use of evaporative cooling, but in the right climates, of course.
I think there is also an extreme amount of effort looking at various liquid-cooled server technology. From my standpoint, we still see an awful lot of equipment that wants to be cooled by air because that is the easiest presentation of the equipment, so it may be a few years before liquid rules the day.
There’s been a lot of development mechanically and I think we’re sort of pushing the limits of what we can
achieve with our toolkit.
In the next phase of development, there’s got to be ways to improve the electrical systems’ efficiencies, so I think there is going to be a huge pressure on UPS technology to reduce the losses and different types of voltage distribution, whether that be direct current or elevated ac voltages. All these ideas have been around before but may not have been fully exploited. The key thing is the potential, provided you are not operating on recirc for lot of the time, with outside air direct you’ve got PUEs approaching 1.2 and closing in on 1.15 in the right climate. At that level of PUE, the UPS and the electrical infrastructure can score a significant part of the remaining PUE uplift, with the amount of waste that currently exists. So I think one of the issues going forward, will be addressing the efficiency issues on the electrical side of the equation.
Kevin Heslin is senior editor at the Uptime Institute. He served as an editor at New York Construction News, Sutton Publishing, the IESNA, and BNP Media, where he founded Mission Critical, the leading publication dedicated to data center and backup power professionals. In addition, Heslin served as communications manager at the Lighting Research Center of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He earned the B.A. in Journalism from Fordham University in 1981 and a B.S. in Technical Communications from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2000.
Tags: Accredited Tier Designer, Adel Rizk, ATD, Austrailia, Digital Realty, Eradat Partners, Gerard Thibault, Metronode, Michael Kalny, Modular Data Center, Saudi Arabia
https://journal.uptimeinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/26.jpg 475 1201 Matt Stansberry https://journal.uptimeinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/UI_logo_blue_240x88.png Matt Stansberry2014-05-12 11:48:212017-02-06 08:52:06Accredited Tier Designer Profiles: Adel Rizk, Gerard Thibault and Michael Kalny
Tier Certification for Modular and Phased Construction
ATD Interview: Christopher Johnston, Syska Hennessy
Unipol Takes Space Planning to a New Level
Australian Colo Provider Achieves High Reliability Using Innovative Techniques
Meeting Data Center Design Challenges in Santiago, Chile
How business practices can impair data center availability
New System Combats Data Center PQ Concerns
When an Australian Government Department Required Operational Sustainability, Metronode Delivered
Meeting Data Center Design Challenges in Santiago, Chile Introducing Uptime Institute’s FORCSS System
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Journal of Nematology
Vol. 16, No. 2 (April 1984) /
Control of Meloidogyne spp. on Russet Burbank Potato by Applying Metham Sodium through Center Pivot Irrigation Systems
G. S. Santo
M. Qualls
Metham sodium applied in October through center pivot irrigation systems was evaluated for control of Meloidogyne hapla at 374, 468, and 701 liters/ha and for control of M. chitwoodi at 468 liters/ha on potato. Metham sodium at the high rates effectively controlled M. hapla. No females were detected in the tubers at the high rates of nematicide application, whereas a mean of 19 and 69% of the tubers were infected at the low rate and in the nontreated controls, respectively. In the M. chitwoodi trial only 1.5% of the tubers in the treated plots were infected compared with 82% in the nontreated plots. Metham sodium effectively controlled M. chitwoodi to soil depths of 30, 61, and 91 cm. Key words: root-knot nematodes, Meloidogyne chitwoodi, Meloidogyne hapla, chemical control, Solanum tuberosum.
Vol. 16, No. 2 (April 1984)
All material published by the Society of Nematologists (SON), except for papers prepared by United States and Canadian government employees, is copyrighted and protected under the U.S. copyright law. Under the Copyright Act of 1976, the term of copyright for materials registered by an organization is 75 years from the date first published. Before publishing any manuscript, SON requires that authors transfer full and complete ownership of any copyright to SON by signing a JON Page Charge/Copyright Form (.pdf). SON then registers the copyright. Subsequent use of published materials requires written permission from the SON and may be obtained by contacting the current Editor-in-Chief and state where and how the material will be used.
The author warrants that the article is an original work not published elsewhere in whole or in part, except in abstract form, and that the author has full power to make this grant. If portions of the article have been published previously, then the author warrants that permission has been obtained from the copyright holder and the author will submit a copy of the permission release with this copyright transfer form.
SON shall claim no proprietary right other than copyright. Authors and coauthors retain the right to revise, adapt, modify, or otherwise use all or part of the article in future works of the author(s), such as press releases, lectures, and reviews, provided that all such use is for the personal noncommercial benefit of the author(s). All patent rights are retained by the author(s).
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Highest-paid actresses
1. Scarlett Johansson is the world's highest-paid actress. Johansson, 33, took in $40.5 million in pre-tax earmore
Reuters / 2018年 4月 24日 Tuesday
1. Scarlett Johansson is the world's highest-paid actress. Johansson, 33, took in $40.5 million in pre-tax earnings from June 1, 2017, to June 1, 2018, quadrupling her income from the previous year, according to Forbes' calculations. She played Black Widow in this year's hit movie "Avengers: Infinity War" and will return to the role in the 2019 installment from Walt Disney's Marvel Studios. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
2. Angelina Jolie, 43, earned $28 million, largely thanks to a payment for the film "Maleficent 2," scheduled more
Reuters / 2018年 2月 19日 Monday
2. Angelina Jolie, 43, earned $28 million, largely thanks to a payment for the film "Maleficent 2," scheduled for 2020. REUTERS/Hannah McKay
3. Jennifer Aniston, 49, who still earns residual income from the 1990s sitcom "Friends," came in third with $more
Reuters / 2017年 4月 12日 Wednesday
3. Jennifer Aniston, 49, who still earns residual income from the 1990s sitcom "Friends," came in third with $19.5 million. She also received money from endorsements of products including Coca-Cola's Smartwater brand and Johnson & Johnson's Aveeno. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
4. Jennifer Lawrence, 28, who starred in the underperforming films "Mother!" and "Red Sparrow," was fourth on more
Reuters / 2018年 3月 5日 Monday
4. Jennifer Lawrence, 28, who starred in the underperforming films "Mother!" and "Red Sparrow," was fourth on the Forbes list with continued earnings from her role in the "X-Men" series and an endorsement contract with fashion brand Christian Dior. Her $18 million income was $6 million less than the prior year. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
5. Reese Witherspoon, 42, took in $16.5 million. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
6. Mila Kunis earned $16 million. REUTERS/Steve Marcus
7. Julia Roberts earned $13 million. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
Reuters / 2017年 10月 14日 Saturday
8. Cate Blanchett earned $12.5 million. REUTERS/Simon Dawson
Reuters / 2018年 6月 14日 Thursday
9. Melissa McCarthy earned $12 million. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
Reuters / 2016年 7月 10日 Sunday
10. Gal Gadot earned $10 million. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
Mourning Aretha Franklin
Fans of Aretha Franklin come together in cities across the U.S. to pay their respects to the Queen of Soul.
Aretha Franklin: 1942 - 2018
Aretha Franklin, the long-reigning Queen of Soul, dies at age 76.
Korean pop culture in L.A. spotlight
Tens of thousands of fans celebrate Korean pop, or K-pop, at the 7th annual KCON convention in Los Angeles.
Highlights from the 2018 Teen Choice Awards in Los Angeles.
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Rachel Cusk’s The Lucky Ones
Few books have the power to make you want to turn to the stranger sitting next to you on a train or in a coffee shop and say, “Here, you have to read this.” Rachel Cusk’s The Lucky Ones is that kind of book. Told from the point of view of five different characters, Cusk’s incisive prose takes you inside the heads of people haunted by their relationships with children. In “Confinement,” the opening story, Kristy, a pregnant inmate who is likely innocent of the arson charges against her, spends the last few hours before her delivery wrestling with the prospect of a life spent away from her baby.
She made herself small. For a moment she herself was the baby and the child inside her took on a strange authority, the primacy of an unlived life. It seemed to her then almost as if the baby had the power to free her from herself. In this small room where the light behind the bars wore the sad pallor of a winter afternoon, of a day slipping by unlived, untasted, in this place where everything existed in a single dimension of fact, it was a miracle that this transference was possible.
Kristy’s case takes a turn for the worse when her lawyer, Victor, hands over her files to a young, indifferent associate, Jane. Jane makes an appearance in “The Way You Do It,” the story of two couples, a single woman, and a new father, all dealing with parenthood–desired or sidelined, fulfilled or wanting. Cusk is masterful in her nuanced examination of how a new baby has changed the lives of the yuppies in the story, particularly Martin, the new father.
It should have made no difference but it did — in his chest there was the feeling of a gash opening, a scar that he saw would never mend, because no matter how carefully he stitched it up it lay across a part of himself whose motion was fundamental. Now that the baby had come his life would be lived against a mounting force of limitation.
The next story, “The Sacrifices,” is told in the first-person and concerns two filial relationships: the narrator and her mother, and the narrator and her husband’s son from a previous relationship. In “Mrs Daley’s Daughter,” the reader is again introduced to Josephine, one of the women in the skiing party, who comes home to visit her mother after having a baby, but there is no comfort from the meeting. And in “Matters of Life and Death,” we witness a husband and wife’s difficult adjustment to the baby in their lives.
Cusk’s view of parenthood, devoid of the customary saccharine, is rather bleak and, for some people, also quite authentic. Her prose slices through each family portrait, revealing insights sometimes dimly perceived but never fully exposed. I know it’s still early in the year, but this collection (or novel, if you believe the cover) is my favorite so far.
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And what it means for you!
… is it all about? We hear you cry.
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic and incurable condition, which can affect anyone anywhere. Around two thirds of people who are diagnosed are female with most people being diagnosed between 20 and 40 years old, just as they are starting careers and families. There are over 9000 people living with MS in Ireland.
Kiss Goodbye to MS is a global community of people, just like you, who are daring to raise money for vital MS research and services. Step outside your comfort zone and dare yourself to do something fun, exciting, glamorous, weird or whatever, to raise money for vital research and services.
Decide what you want to do, find your local community or build a fundraising page for your challenge and get going!
Don’t forget to share it with your friends, family and the world on social media using the hashtag #KissGoodbyeToMS.
You can jump out of a plane, walk a kilometre, get 100 people doing Zumba underwater, or have a ‘red day’ at work or school, or whatever. But whatever you do, challenge yourself, have fun and raise as much as you can.
Find out what’s happening in Ireland here, and you can just build your own fundraising page here.
… is it happening?
All over and Ireland and across the World.
To find out what’s happening across Ireland and in your local area click here. If there are no events in your home town time why not set one up yourself. Get your fundraising toolkit or build your own fundraising page.
In 2018 there are national campaigns in Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Greece, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, the UK, the United States of America.
Click here to find out what’s happening in these countries.
… is it happening? Excellent question.
Launched on February 14th 2018 and running till the 30th May there is plenty of time for you to get involved whether you are an individual, school or company.
Throughout May we’ll also see Australia, Denmark, Canada,New Zealand the UK and more all doing their thing.
Follow the action on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and hear from the celebrities and other people all getting glammed up for a great cause.
Get creative! It can be as easy as adding a Kiss Goodbye to MS Twibbon to your Facebook or Twitter profile (don’t forget to donate here), or having a ‘red day’ to raise money at work or school, or building your own free fundraising page to set yourself a real challenge!
This campaign is all about you, so what are you going to do?
… is organising the campaign? Glad you asked.
Brought together by the MS International Federation, MS organisations from around the world are joining forces to help you Kiss Goodbye to MS. This is the first truly international fundraising campaign for MS and it’s only going to grow.
Multiple Sclerosis Ireland is leading the Kiss Goodbye to MS Campaign in Ireland.
… is this important and where will the money go? You probably want to know.
Worldwide there are over 2.3 million people living with MS and around two thirds are female. In Ireland there are over 9000 people living with MS, that’s 1 in 500 people. It is usually first diagnosed when people are between the ages of 20 and 40, just when people are trying to start careers and families. It is a chronic and unpredictable disease that needs serious solutions.
But that doesn’t mean that raising money to fight it shouldn’t be fun!
Money raised for Kiss Goodbye to MS will fund vital research into the causes, treatments and possible cures for MS, as well as help for people living with the conditition now. We will use social media to share examples of the incredible work you will fund over the course of the campaign.
This stuff doesn’t happen by magic and it’s never free, so you are going to do something incredible.
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- KEEP the FAITH - https://ktfnews.com -
Secret Forces of the Church: Rome’s Foot Soldiers
Posted By Pastor Hal Mayer On August 1, 2007 @ 8:59 pm In | Comments Disabled
Secret Forces of the Church: Rome’s Foot Soldiers [1]
This month we have an amazing revelation to study in light of fulfilling prophecy. How is America becoming the beast that speaks as a dragon? We are going to look at what is going on behind the scenes to lead the United States to become a persecuting nation? Though I attempt to verify all information from publically available sources, for certain aspects of this study I am indebted to my friends at the Eternal Gospel Church in West Palm Beach, FL for their excellent research, some of which is incorporated into this message.
I recently read an interesting article in Zenit, the Vatican’s internet news agency concerning the first visit of President Bush with Pope Benedict XVI on Sabbath, June 9, 2007. Zenit did an interview with Ambassador Rooney, the U.S. ambassador to the Vatican prior to the President’s visit. Here is an excerpt from it.
Zenit reported that the Ambassador said that “The United States and the Holy See are going down parallel paths in many important areas…,” Those important areas mean much in light of prophecy. Revelation 13 tells us that there is a parallel path to persecution of God’s people on which the two nations are collaborating.
But before we go any further, let us bow our heads in prayer. Dear Father in Heaven, It is a great privilege to be your people in the last days. But we are so far from what you want us to be. I pray that you will today help us realize the importance of the hour in which we live. As we take a look behind the scenes in world events, I pray that you will help us sense that the end is near. May your Spirit rest on us each one. We pray in Jesus’ name amen.
Let us turn in our bibles once again to Revelation 13. Speaking of the two horned lamb-like beast the scripture says in verse 12, and “he exercises all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.”
In order for this to happen, there has to be an alignment between the United States and the papacy. This alignment has been a long time in the making, and most of it has been secretly developed and matured in the halls of power where most common citizens do not have access. Most of the efforts of Rome to manipulate the United States into a position of alignment with her have been done without the knowledge or the consent of the American people, or for that matter, the consent of the citizens of any nation where Rome or its agents are at work. Notice too that the United States exercises all the power of the first beast, the same power that Rome had during the dark ages when she was master of Europe. America was established on vastly different principles than Rome. America doesn’t know by nature how to exercise all the same power as the Papacy. But America is in school. She is learning, and learning fast. She is taking very good notes in the lessons that she is getting. And she is putting them into practice.
Since the September 11, 2001 attacks, America has been implementing the same principles as were used in the inquisition which gave Rome enormous power and control. The only way that America can exercise the same sort of power that Rome used in the dark ages, is when she implements Rome’s principles in the land of the free. These changes we have documented on many of our sermons over the last few years. But now, we dig a little deeper. These changes could not have happened unless there was a change in the mentality of Americans toward the constitution and toward Rome. How did this happen? What was the cause of the dramatic change in perspective of the American people so that now they are prepared to allow the United States to become the beast power that will soon exercise all the power of Rome? This is dramatic and it is important.
The alignment between Rome and the United States is significant. There is so much alignment that America actually forces all peoples to worship the pope and the papacy. Notice the extent of the alignment at the end of time. Verse 15. “And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.” America is prophesied to become a persecuting power. It is not difficult to understand in light of recent events in which prisoners – even American citizens – have been subjected to torture in secret prisons without access to attorneys for several years, and without many other constitutional protections that we have come to expect.
In 2006, we got a glimpse of something that opened my eyes to things I did not know could be documented. Condoleezza Rice, the Secretary of State, had been doing very much to undermine the U.S. Constitution, the highest law of the land, and replace it with inquisitional justice for “terrorist suspects.” In May she received an honorary law degree from Boston College, a prestigious Jesuit institution. The symbolic gesture revealed the Jesuit hatred of the U.S. Constitution. This insult to the U.S. Constitution revealed to me that there are many things going on behind the scenes of which we are unaware. Once in a while we can see a small piece of it that pops up on the surface. The hidden agenda of Rome can be seen occasionally if you are paying attention.
What is the hidden agenda of Rome? “The Roman Church is far-reaching in her plans and modes of operation,” says the book Great Controversy, page 565. “She is employing every device to extend her influence and increase her power in preparation for a fierce and determined conflict to regain control of the world, to re-establish persecution, and to undo all that Protestantism has done. Catholicism is gaining ground upon every side. See the increasing number of her churches and chapels in Protestant countries. Look at the popularity of her colleges and seminaries in America, so widely patronized by Protestants.” This prophetic testimony should be a warning to all of us that Rome’s agenda is to increase her power to the point where she can enforce her canon law on the people of the United States and any nation that is not already a Catholic nation.
The Vatican has become very important to the United States president. In discussing the upcoming meeting between Benedict XVI and President Bush, on June nine of this year, Ambassador Rooney said, “This [visit] is a tangible reflection of how important the Holy See is to the United States and to the president. The most direct and tangible way to show the interest of the president is a presidential visit…” he said. “The president has done many things that relate to the values that the Holy Father and the Holy See support and nurture.”
That is what the ambassador said about the importance of the Vatican to the United States. But note how important the United States is to the Vatican. The president has done much throughout the seven years of his presidency so far to help the Vatican gain much influence and power in the United States.
After the meeting between Benedict XVI and President Bush, we learned from CNN that the president was “awed” by the pope. “I was talking to a very smart, loving man,” Bush said of his first talks with Benedict,” said CNN. “After six-and-a-half years of being a president … I’ve been to some unusual places and met some interesting people, and I was in awe,” Bush told a joint news conference in Rome with Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi. “It was a moving experience for me.” Perhaps the ‘love’ that President Bush spoke about helped him to ignore the danger signs that should have beat in his Methodist heart when meeting with the very smart Pope. My guess is that the Vatican gained more from this meeting than did the United States by far. Remember the pope views himself as if he were above the other rulers of the world. For example, Vatican etiquette dictates that the pope wears white (and perhaps some red or scarlet) while all others wear penitent black.
The pope gave President Bush a drawing of St. Peter’s Basilica, and an official Vatican gold medal – two symbolic gifts related to the Vatican’s religious and civil nature. President Bush responded by giving the pope a “Moses walking stick” with the 10 commandments carved on them. Imagine that. The 10 commandments, including the 4th commandment carved on the pope’s new walking stick. I wonder if this is a portend of the future conflict over the true Sabbath that is coming between God’s church and the powers involved in this exchange of gifts. It is ironic that the two men desecrated God’s holy Sabbath day by meeting for political business.
We also learned that one of the items that the two men discussed was immigration in the United States. Rome wants more immigrants from Catholic nations to come into the United States as this is in her political interests. CNN reported that President Bush said that “Benedict was watching the U.S. immigration debate intently.”
President Bush has worked hard to establish an immigration law that would provide a “track to citizenship,” as he calls it, for foreigners that come into America illegally. Of course, we must understand that this means a track to Catholic votes. Rome has consistently sent Catholic immigrants into America since its beginning, knowing that this would increase Rome’s power in the United States. Now she is doing it again.
But immigration is only one area of cooperation. The President has opposed gay marriage, embryonic stem cell research, and has worked to set up a means of undoing the abortion laws in America. As a rule, he has generally opposed anything that the church does not publically want (with the notable exception of the war in Iraq) and has supported most things that the church endorses. While many of these things are good, such as his opposition to gay marriage and abortion, these are key distinctive issues that Rome champions which are greatly helping to align the Vatican and the United States. The Administration is cooperating very effectively.
The President has also very often appointed Catholics to positions of great responsibility such as when he elevated Alberto Gonzales, whose judicial philosophy is far more inquisitional than it is constitutional, to the position of Attorney General of the country; or when he elevated Roman Catholics John Roberts and Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court, which gave the court the first Catholic majority in its history; or when he elevated General Michael Hayden, a Roman Catholic from Pittsburg, to head the CIA, and many others. He regularly meets with officials of the Catholic Church, especially those in the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. He attends Catholic prayer breakfasts, opposes euthanasia, and the list goes on and on.
What is going on behind the scenes? Why is the Catholic Church gaining such enormous credibility and influence in the halls of power in the USA? Could it be that there are some things going on that we don’t know about, or to which most people aren’t paying attention?
The rather revealing statements of Ambassador Rooney, though general in nature, tell us that there is a strong cooperation between the U.S. and the Vatican especially in areas that are important to the Vatican. Revelation 13 tells us that this is inevitable prophetically in order to bring about the fulfillment of the verses that say that “all that dwell upon the earth shall worship” Rome and the dragon, who is behind Rome.
Recently, the U.S. Congress has changed hands from a republican controlled congress to a democratically controlled congress. But there is another changing of hands taking place that most people don’t see. The U.S. Congress is gradually being taken over by the Jesuits. The changeover between political parties took place on January 4, 2007. But the events surrounding it reveal the other, more powerful and very dangerous changeover taking place behind the scenes. The former republican majority leader of the House of Representatives was John Boehner, a Roman Catholic who was trained in Catholic schools and graduated from Jesuit Xavier University in 1977. Xavier University at Cincinnati, OH, according to its website, “provides a liberal arts education in the Catholic, Jesuit tradition. The University is the third-largest independent institution in Ohio, the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation, and one of 28 Jesuit colleges and universities nationwide,” said its website. Boehner had been the highest ranking Roman Catholic republican lawmaker in American history during his tenure as the republican majority leader. Rome loved it, and trumpeted the news saying in the National Catholic Register, that “Catholics have suddenly achieved an unprecedented level of ascendancy in Washington.” (Feb 12, 2006).
During the changeover in 2007, John Boehner, with a smile on his face handed the House gavel to Nancy Pelosi, now the democratic Speaker of the House, and a Roman Catholic from San Francisco, CA. Incidentally, she is the first female Speaker of the House in American history.
I should point out before we go further that when speaking of secret societies like the Jesuits, it is important that we document what we say, either by publically known facts for by prophetic inspiration in the Bible or the Spirit of Prophecy.
Nancy Pelosi is one of the most influential promoters of the Jesuits in the United States at the moment. Nancy was raised in strongly Catholic Maryland in a strict Roman Catholic home. As a little girl Nancy wanted to be a priest instead of a nun because “there seemed to be a little more power there,” she said years later. Nancy was trained in Roman Catholic schools around the city of Baltimore where her father was the mayor. Then she attended and earned her degree at Trinity College, now known as Trinity University, a Roman Catholic college for women, in Washington, DC. Her husband graduated from Georgetown University, the oldest Jesuit institution in America.
Nancy is no stranger to the Jesuits. She was apparently a close friend of Father Robert Drinan S.J. who served in Congress from Massachusetts for a decade (1971-1981) as the first priest to be a voting member of the U.S. Congress. While in Congress, Drinan served on a number of important committees and most prominently on the House Judiciary Committee. Until he died in January of this year he had been a law professor at Georgetown University for 26 years. Nancy Pelosi delivered the Eulogy at his funeral, and the House of Representatives had a moment of silence in his memory.
On May 10, 2006, almost a year before Drinan’s death, Pelosi, while democratic minority leader; along with Dennis Hastert, the Speaker of the House at that time, presented the Congressional Distinguished Service Award to Jesuit Robert Drinan. Within a year Nancy Pelosi would become the Speaker of the House. It is significant that these powerful people were honoring a Jesuit for distinguished service to the United States of America. Incidentally, the Speaker of the House is third in line to be the president if something should happen to the president and vice-president.
What kind of distinguished service could have been the basis of this award? The Jesuit order was established specifically to work for the “overthrow of Protestantism, and the re-establishment of the papal supremacy,” according to Great Controversy, pg. 234. That being the case, the distinguished services provided by Robert Drinan would have likely included, along with his well-known humanitarian activities, efforts to overthrow the protestant-inspired Constitution of the United States so that papal principles and papal power can be strengthened and eventually take over. The U.S. Constitution was designed to specifically prevent the rise of Roman Catholic principles in the United States. Dennis Hastert is a “protestant.” But obviously he either doesn’t understand the issues at stake, or he is in cooperation with Rome to accomplish its purposes. Nancy Pelosi is a Roman Catholic who obviously is courting Jesuit influence.
Drinan was forced by Pope John Paul II to not run for office in 1980 for a sixth term in Congress. But hasn’t Robert Drinan opened the way for Catholics to enter into the U.S. political system more effectively? After 10 years of serving in our U.S. legislature; after receiving the highest Congressional Award, after shaping the minds of many current members of Congress during his 26 years at Georgetown University and, after receiving the highest judiciary award – the American Bar Association Gold Medal, and after gaining the respect and admiration from our policy makers at the highest levels of the U.S. government, wouldn’t this greatly reduce any fears in the minds of voters or the lawmakers themselves of voting for, or working with other Catholic legislators. Incidentally, it happens that in the present Congress, 22 out of 54 Jesuit-trained members were trained at Georgetown. That is almost 41% of them. Georgetown has a huge influence on Congress. You don’t need a lot of Jesuit-trained Catholics to leaven the whole Congress, especially when 30% of Congress is already Roman Catholic and who are expected to act consistent with church teaching in formulating the laws of the land.
On January 4, 2007, just a few days before he died, Robert Drinan S.J. said a mass for Nancy Pelosi just before she was sworn in as Speaker of the House. This gesture is significant. Nancy Pelosi asked Drinan to commit her term as Speaker of the House to the church. During that mass he said, “God has great hopes for what this nation will do in the near future. We are here [at the inaugural mass for Nancy Pelosi] to ask for the courage to carry out God’s hopes and aspirations.”
What was he referring to when he said that God has great hopes for what United States will do in the near future? What near future? And how near in the future? Remember this is a Jesuit speaking. Could something very significant for the Roman Catholic Church be about to happen in the near future in relation to the United States of America? What does he know that the rest of the nation doesn’t know? We know that the coming of Jesus is in the near future, and that will be a significant event. Rome will tremble in fear. But I don’t think that is what Robert Drinan was referring to.
Revelation 13 tells us that America will deceive the whole word by miracles. Maybe Robert Drinan was referring to the miracles that America will be able to do in the sight of the beast. Here is the 14th verse. Referring to the second beast or the United States of America, it says that he “deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by the sword, and did live.”
When did the beast get a wound by the sword? That was in 1798 when French Revolution-inspired Napoleon’s general Berthier entered the Vatican and took the pope captive and sent him into exile. But Rome survived that deadly attempt at its power, and has slowly been rebuilding it all along.
Could Robert Drinan have been referring to the persecution that America will soon impose on God’s people? Here is the 15th verse and onward. “And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”
Perhaps Robert Drinan knew what is planned for God’s people. Perhaps he was aware of that which hardly anyone, including many in God’s church realizes; that there is coming a Sunday law to force all to worship on Rome’s Sunday instead of God’s holy Sabbath day. It is when the law of the land enforces Sunday observance that Sunday worship becomes the mark of the beast.
Rome changed the Sabbath in the fourth century onward officially, and required all nations, tongues and people in the Holy Roman Empire to worship on her day, or she persecuted them wherever she could. Now tracking alongside Rome, as Rome restores the Holy Roman Empire, the United States is setting up the mirror image of the beast. Little by little, step by step, America is preparing to enforce the dogmas of the church on its citizens through the laws of the land. That is why the separation of church and state is so important to the U.S. Constitution. That is why the removal of the wall of separation of church and state is so important to the Jesuits and Rome. That is why Rome wants to get as many Roman Catholics, especially Jesuit-trained Roman Catholics into the U.S. Congress. That is why Rome is working so hard to remove the principles of liberty in the U.S. that protect freedom of religion, conscience and faith.
Rome is relentless. She keeps up her agenda for generation after generation of lawmakers. Lawmakers come and go, but the papacy continues to press her agenda. Each successive pope and each successive bishop continue to pressure lawmakers to support her principles. Most lawmakers approach congress with their political views the way they are, and they don’t see the larger agenda behind the scenes. But many Catholics and certainly the Jesuits come to it with a more complete understanding of the goal. So they can maintain the trajectory of their plans until eventually they get them passed. Each new congress is co-opted by the Jesuits and the bishops to continue the step by step process of changing America from its protestant principles to Roman Catholic ones. The more Roman Catholics in power, the more effective Rome becomes.
In her eulogy for Drinan’s funeral on February 5, Nancy Pelosi referred to Robert Drinan’s sermon at her swearing in mass a few weeks before and said that “afterwards, he sent me a letter asking that I put his words in the Congressional Record,” reported the California Catholic Daily on February 5. “And I commend his call for ‘peaceful revolution’ to all of you gathered here today.” What is meant by “peaceful revolution?” Could that have something to do with significant developments in the near future that Robert Drinan spoke about? Could that be referring to a revolution that will change the U.S. Constitution so that religious liberty is eliminated, as the Bible predicts?
What does Nancy Pelosi know that the rest of the nation doesn’t know? It is obvious that Pelosi and Drinan were working together to accomplish something. Perhaps that something is in harmony with the purposes of the Jesuits and the Catholic Church. Pelosi’s final sentence in her eulogy for Robert Drinan sounds as if she was speaking to him in heaven. “Father Drinan: your statement has been entered in the Congressional Record, and your message has been heard.” What message? Is this a message with instructions for the future? What are Jesuits advising U.S. elected officials?
Pelosi has another close friend Jesuit in the president of the University of San Francisco, another Jesuit University. He is Father Stephen A. Privett, S. J. She became acquainted with him when she attended his inauguration as president of the university. At the opening of the 110th congress, Nancy Pelosi asked him to deliver the prayer. The prayer is revealing. He said, “We pray that the new leadership of this Congress and all of its members will write into law the story of a country that measures its success by God’s standards,” reported the University of San Francisco News.
Imagine praying a prayer like that in front of the Congress of the United States. What would it mean to make the law of the land “measure its success by God’s standards?” Jesuit Privett was referring to the Ten Commandments, and specifically to the 6th commandment not to kill when he went on to refer to the “weakest and most vulnerable among us.” He was obliquely referring to abortion and was using his prayer as a way to preach to Congress on one of the most important issues to the Roman Catholic Church. Father Privett is the first Catholic priest to pray before the full session of Congress in history.
Nancy Pelosi is certainly pioneering new ground in her love of the Jesuits. This occasion provided an opportunity for her to introduce more members of Congress to the Jesuits and create friendships that will last long beyond her years in Congress. It is another opening for the Jesuits in the U.S. Pelosi is very well connected with the Jesuits and obviously collaborates with them. She continues to work in their interests.
It happens that the two men who were vying to take Nancy’s place as the democratic Majority leader were both Roman Catholics. The winner of the election among the House Democrats was Steny Hoyer. He was also trained in Jesuit schools, in particular at Georgetown University. So, let us think about this for a minute. The Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, the House Majority leader, Steny Hoyer, and the House minority leader John Boehner are all Roman Catholics. Do you think that Rome has taken over the House of Representatives in the U.S. Congress? Two of these three were trained in Jesuit Universities and all three graduated from Catholic Institutions where they were no doubt trained in Catholic political thought.
The Senate majority and minority leaders at the moment are Harry Reid (D-NV) who is a member of the Latter Day Saints church, and Mitch McConnell (R-KY) who is a Baptist. Perhaps we will one day see the same kind of developments in the Senate as we now see in the House. Time will tell.
It happens that there are quite a number of Jesuit trained members of the 110th Congress. Of the 535 members 54 of them, or more than 10 percent are graduates or alumni of Jesuit colleges and universities. This is an increase of nearly 15 percent compared to the 109th Congress which had 47. Incidentally, 29 of them have been in Congress for more than 10 years. Of them, 8 have been there more than 20 years. As Rome continues to encourage its adherents to run for public office, expect to see more and more Jesuit-trained Roman Catholics in high positions of responsibilities.
The Spirit of Prophecy tells us that the Jesuit order sets for itself the goal of influencing the laws of the land. I quote “Under various disguises the Jesuits worked their way into offices of state, climbing up to be the counselors of kings, and shaping the policy of nations.” That is from the book Great Controversy, page 235. Could it be that the United States is now very strongly influenced by the Jesuit order as they have climbed up to be the counselors of kings, presidents and monarchs the world over and especially in the United States, the land of liberty? Could the Jesuits be shaping the policies of the United States in its legislative assemblies as they have wended their way into positions of political power? Could there be those in Congress who were trained as Jesuits and though they aren’t working openly for the church, they are silently and secretly working for the purposes of the Jesuit order while posing as regular people?
Listen to this familiar statement from Great Controversy, page 581. “[Rome] is silently growing into power. Her doctrines are exerting their influence in legislative halls, in the churches, and in the hearts of men. She is piling up her lofty and massive structures in the secret recesses of which her former persecutions will be repeated. Stealthily and unsuspectedly she is strengthening her forces to further her own ends when the time shall come for her to strike. All that she desires is vantage ground, and this is already being given her. We shall soon see and shall feel what the purpose of the Roman element is. Whoever shall believe and obey the word of God will thereby incur reproach and persecution.”
Is Rome silently strengthening her forces? Is she being given vantage ground? Is she stealthily and unsuspectedly exerting her influence in legislative halls? Could the current developments in Congress be largely a result of the work of the Jesuits in the U.S. Congress just as prophecy predicts? I hope you can see that this prophecy is being fulfilled right before our unsuspecting eyes. We can catch a glimpse of it if we are paying attention. But I suspect, based on this statement, that there is much more than meets the eye behind the scenes. Is Rome creating secret recesses where she can conduct her former persecutions? Perhaps one day this will come to light too.
On November 3, 2006 Benedict XVI met with the Jesuits in Rome at the Gregorian University which is the very university that Ignatius Loyola established in 1551 near the very beginning of the Jesuit order. This university is the source and spring of all Jesuit activity. For Protestants to attend and be trained at this university is an amazing denial of their faith. Pope Benedict met with some of the Jesuits that work there in a private meeting and told them that running this particular university is “’one of the greatest services’ the Jesuits perform for the Catholic Church throughout the world,…” and that the church “wants the Gregorian to preserve its Ignatian spirit.”
The pope told the students in a public meeting that “he hoped their education would help them become people who ‘know how to perform services and fulfill offices competently in the church and, especially, to be leaven for the kingdom of God in the temporal sphere.”
These statements make it clear to anyone who understands the history of the Jesuits that the church uses the Jesuits to effect change in the world and in the churches to favor Rome. The word “leaven” is significant because all Jesuits know that one of their key responsibilities is to work in the temporal world to fulfill the objectives of the church and the Society of Jesus; to overthrow all that Protestantism has done. The Jesuits are still dedicated to the work of overcoming all opposition to Rome on every front. They are the foot-soldiers that Rome uses in its war against God’s truth, and against the last generation of God’s people in history.
Are you ready for the final conflict? We can see the marshalling of forces preparing to surprise you with their power. Your life will be in danger if you are faithful to God. Your family, your friends and acquaintances need to know of the things that are coming upon the world. There is a concerted effort to overthrow your faith in the making. You may think that you are strong now. But wait until you are threatened with death. Wait until you are threatened with torture. Then what will you do?
Jesus, the One who died for you says, “I am with you always. Even unto the end.” Matt 28:20. Do you have an experience with Jesus that will help you resist the powers of darkness that are making their assault on this earth? You cannot do it. It is impossible for human beings to overcome the powers that are intending to bear down on your person and your soul. You have two choices. You can walk with Christ now and remain loyal to Him, and He will walk with you through the furnace of affliction; or you can stand on the side of Rome and the devil and live in peace with the world, but be at war with heaven. Which will it be my friends? Which will it be?
I pray that you and your family will remain faithful to Christ. Get under his protection by asking Him to come into your life and give you overcoming power. That is the only way. You cannot survive if you don’t overcome your sins by the faith of Jesus Christ. Now is the time.
Let us remember that we have a friend in the all powerful Jesus. He can and will fulfill His promises to give you a life of victory. He can fulfill His promise to give you an eternal destiny with the angels of God in the city of light, the New Jerusalem.
Let us pray. Our heavenly Father. We see the wicked, satanic forces building up in our world in such a way that there will appear to be no hope for your people. Yet we know that that extremity is your opportunity to show your power. I pray that every person listening to this message will surrender their lives to Jesus now, so that they can prepare for the crisis and the affliction that is coming. I pray that you will open the eyes of the blind, especially among your people, that they may see the signs of the times. In Jesus name, Amen.
Take a look at what is going on behind the scenes to lead the United States to become a persecuting nation.
Article printed from KEEP the FAITH: https://ktfnews.com
URL to article: https://ktfnews.com/portfolio/secret-forces-church-romes-foot-soldiers/
[1] Secret Forces of the Church: Rome’s Foot Soldiers: http://www.ktfministry.net/resources/audio/hd/en/podcast/Srm-200708.mp3
Copyright © 2015 KEEP the FAITH. All rights reserved.
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Ferrere (Paraguay)
Ferrere is the only multi-jurisdictional, purely South American law firm. It has 250 attorneys throughout Bolivia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Uruguay, and stands out for its US-style structure, methodologies and policies. The firm has developed international standards and homogeneous services across all its offices, guaranteed by integrated, vertical practice groups and procedures, and a firm-wide training programme.
Ferrere is exceptional in the four jurisdictions in which it operates. It is a fully merit-based organisation, it has a mandatory early retirement policy and a strong focus on promoting diversity, with women making up 30 per cent of the partnership.
Many of Ferrere's lawyers have US or European degrees and have worked for global law firms, financial institutions or at the headquarters of major multinationals. Regional and international companies, as well as global law firms, take advantage of the firm’s footprint to achieve full coverage of the region.
The firm has invested decades of hard work building practice groups dedicated to the areas of both law and industry. The firm’s industry specialisation is a differentiating feature that, along with cutting edge technology, allows it to provide clients outstanding quality legal advice with a high level of cost efficiency. Ferrere’s regional structure and depth of resources also enable it to handle the most complex cross-border and multi-jurisdictional transactions
The firm regularly deploys members of its highly specialised talent pool to any jurisdiction where they may be required, at any time.
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« Obama Criticizes Supreme Court Voting Rights Ruling | Main | McGuireWoods Assembles Water Industry Team »
D.C. Ethics Board Adds Veteran Attorney
The D.C. government's ethics board has picked up a veteran attorney from the D.C. Office of the Attorney General for its legal team, the panel announced this week.
John "Jack" Grimaldi has joined the D.C. Board of Ethics and Government Accountability as a senior attorney after more than a decade at the Office of the Attorney General. He was an assistant attorney general in the office's legal counsel division.
At the board, Grimaldi will help with ethics advice. The panel gives ethics guidance and training to D.C. officials. It also probes alleged ethics law infractions and handles lobbyist filings and officials' financial disclosure reports.
Grimaldi didn't immediately return a request for comment.
In 2011, he won the Charles L. Reischel Writing Award from the Office of the Attorney General for an internal memorandum exploring a piece of D.C. Council legislation that year. The accolade, which is the office's highest writing honor, pays tribute to the late deputy of the office's appellate division.
Posted by Andrew Ramonas on June 27, 2013 at 01:29 PM in D.C. Courts and Government, Laterals/Hiring | Permalink
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← “When We Read a Story, We Inhabit It.” Selectivity and the International Criminal Court
Justice for War Crimes in Liberia? An Interview with Adama Dempster →
The following piece was originally posted at EJIL:Talk!. Many thanks to Dapo Akande and Mary Guest for agreeing to publish the piece there and allowing it to be cross-posted here are Justice in Conflict.
(Sketch: ArchDaily)
What is the promise of the International Criminal Court (ICC)? What do we, as observers, scholars, and constructive critics of the Court, believe that the ICC should do in a world of populism, altered balances of power, and persistent atrocity? Why has the Court been able to achieve so little and what would be required, in terms of new strategies and reforms, to build a better ICC? What do we believe that the institution should look like in the future? What is our vision of the ICC?
Over the past few weeks, EJIL:Talk! has hosted a number of thoughtful and thought-provoking essays seeking to answer some of these questions. With this piece, I want to ask admittedly less than legal questions: is the ICC becoming a less aspirational institution and can we balance the aspirations of ICC justice with the need to deliver meaningful accountability?
The Shadow of Expectations
It is now conventional wisdom that, for the majority of its existence, the ICC and its backers promised too much to too many. As is often pointed out, the Court and its most fervent champions set expectations that the ICC could never meet. They insisted that the Court would end impunity for international crimes, put victims front and center in all of its work, transcend global power relations, deter mass atrocities, hold the most powerful to account, promote reconciliation… you name it. It’s a laundry list of things that the ICC didn’t achieve because it couldn’t achieve them. It should never have been asked to.
The ICC hasn’t been a panacea for political ills such as violent political conflict or social challenges such as reconciliation. Unmet expectations have thus left many proponents privately regretful of having espoused unrealistic expectations about the Court and worrying about the disappointment that ensued. Now, the aim of many – both inside and outside of the ICC – is to focus on being realistic and on what the Court can realistically achieve. But there may be a cost to bending too far towards practicality: the loss of an institution that is meaningfully aspirational. The goal must be to strike a balance practicality and aspiration.
The Turn to the Practical
The ICC’s turn to the practical has been subtle, though unsurprising given the turmoil surrounding the institution. The Court has very few successes to show for itself. It can count more recent controversies (the President suing his own court, a sitting Japanese Judge preferring to be an ambassador) and controversial decisions (on head of state immunity, on the Afghanistan investigation), than trials that end in verdicts.
It is also clear that in situations where the Court took potentially greater risks and where it would have, at best, limited access to crime scenes or cooperation from relevant states, it hasn’t paid off. For example, the interventions in Darfur and Libya at the request of the UN Security Council have not resulted in a single person from either situation being prosecuted at the ICC. But they have led to serious concerns about the Court’s relationship with the Council.
Against this backdrop, it makes sense that the Court and those who support it would want to be cautious and focus on more manageable goals in order to get some ‘wins’ – trials that lead to convictions – rather than on ‘hard’ cases that may or may never be won. But it shouldn’t be an either / or scenario. The ICC needs to find ways to be both realistic and aspirational.
The turn to the practical has been defined by arguments that are increasingly evident in the thinking of many of those who cover the institution: the ICC should focus on what it can achieve, biting off only so much as it can chew; never more. After so many setbacks, the Court’s ‘institutional interests’ should be put first. It should investigate only those situations and those cases that can be investigated and that have a decent chance of leading to prosecutions. It shouldn’t pick fights with states that have an arsenal of politically and legally coercive comebacks. If a situation or case isn’t likely to add ‘1s’ to the prosecution’s columns and to member-states’ performance indicator tables, it probably isn’t worth it.
The “interests” of the ICC and the Afghanistan Decision
More than anything else, I believe that this turn to practicality helps to explain the decision of ICC Judges not to approve an investigation into Afghanistan as well as the support that observers lent to it. It was not about victims or justice. It wasn’t about “interests of justice” either. It wasn’t even – and this bears stressing – about whether the situation in Afghanistan met the threshold required to open an investigation.
The decision was about what outcome would be best for the International Criminal Court. What was best, according to this logic, was to avoid an investigation into a situation where cooperation wouldn’t be forthcoming and which would lead to additional scorn from Washington. In its justification, it was all about saving the ICC from its aspirational self. An investigation was deemed too difficult, so it wasn’t even worth trying. Three robed officials decided that delivering justice didn’t look likely, so it wasn’t worth aspiring to.
Of course, the decision invariably affirms American exceptionalism, inspires governments wary of the ICC to violently oppose the institution, leaves victims disappointed, and stretches the meanings of pseudo-legal terms such as the “interests of justice”. That was all worth it as the presumably calculated cost of protecting the interests of the Court.
But the biggest drawback, in my view, was to the idea of the ICC as an aspirational institution. The Afghanistan decision fundamentally undermines the idea of the ICC as a court willing to do things that were unexpected of it, a court that defied the conventional wisdom that great powers enjoy impunity every time just because they are great powers; a court which understood that it means something to show up to the fight, even if you don’t or can’t ‘win’.
Balancing Aspiration and Practicality
Let it be clear: it did not have to be this way. Imagine, for example, that the Judges ruled that the investigation should be opened but – as they did in their decision – spoke to the difficulties that lied ahead with regards to successful investigations and the enforcement of any subsequent warrants. Imagine if they said that they were concerned about the Court’s chances to deliver, but that in the interests of justice it would be implausible to abandon the thousands of victims who asked for an ICC investigation. Imagine if they opened the investigation and worked to manage expectations of what justice would – and would not – be likely to follow. Just imagine a Court that spoke honestly about the prospects of accountability without stripping its constituencies of a reason to aspire.
None of this is to plead for a return to an era of unrealistic expectations and irresponsible rhetoric regarding what the ICC can achieve. The increased sobriety of claims made by senior Court staff and proponents of international criminal justice is welcome. Additionally, and as I have written elsewhere, the ICC should take its own interests into account. But that need not come at the cost of also being aspirational. This requires us to think through what the ICC is and wants to be, accepting that it is both an international organization that can affect global politics and a criminal court that can, at least sometimes, bring perpetrators of international crimes to justice. It also requires us to think about how the Court can deliver a regular stream of defendants to trial while working to achieve meaningful accountability for communities where justice is otherwise not on offer and holding those who historically enjoy impunity to account. And here’s the key: it should do this even if it doesn’t work, but in the hopes that it does. To quote hockey great Wayne Gretzky: “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
Just because the ICC aimed all over the place in its first decade and a half of operations, doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t aim high at all. The ICC should not have to sacrifice aspiration at the altar of practicality. As a community of engaged observers, we need to have a conversation about what the ICC can and should promise, what reforms are needed, and what its best (and most realistic) future looks like. But surely, we can all agree that it cannot abandon its ability to aspire to a better future – and not just for itself.
This entry was posted in Afghanistan, International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice. Bookmark the permalink.
1 Response to Is the International Criminal Court Still an Aspirational Institution? Can it Be?
Important and relevant to deal with it, but most of perceptions and opinions and debates, are simply irrelevant. The point ( or the main point ) is that we perceive it as court at first place. The problem, is, that this in not a court. This is part time court. It is an institution, which has double functions:
In one hat, a court, in the other, tracing, tracking and hunting criminals all over the world, and trying to make them being handed over to the court. But, this is not the duty of a court. This is the duty of : Police, and prosecutors.One court, is doing nothing, but until an indictment is served or put, and trying the person.
So, the issue is very simple in fact:
We look in one intuitive glance at the resume or reputation of the court, without separation between its function as global police, and its function as a court. As a court, it didn’t fail, it can’t fail indeed ( unless gross and consistent recklessness, unreasonable right now ).
But, as a hunter, it has failed. But, this is not its duty at first place to be a professional hunter. One must separate them both, establish professional operational International arm, and finally, the utmost frustrating element in this regard should be fixed:
The failure of the SC, to function, as operational or alike arm, of the court.
Problematic, and we fall short here….
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Q Money Has Been Arrested In Georgia For Murder
Less than 72 hours after surfacing reports of…
Less than 72 hours after surfacing reports of the rapper being wanted for murder, Q Money has been captured in Georgia.
DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office reports the 23-year-old, born Qamar Williams, was taken into custody on a felony murder charge on Thursday, April 18th. The warrant issued Monday (April 15), reports the Cleveland-area rapper “allegedly caused the death of Calvin Alexander Chappell by shooting him multiple times with a handgun on April 15 at a Decatur, Georgia residence.”
The report also states that after seeing Q standing over the dead body, his roommate ran to wake the victim’s cousin’s and the pair took the gun away from the rapper. From there, they reportedly forced Q Money out of their home and locked him out.
The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office says Q Money was arrested without incident.
Photo credit: WireImage
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Bad ideas, Law
The Draft Labour Code on Social Security-Workers’ Concerns: Ramapriya Gopalakrishnan
15/05/2017 Ahilan Kadirgamar 5 Comments
Guest Post by RAMAPRIYA GOPALAKRISHNAN
In March this year, the Ministry for Labour and Employment unveiled the third of its series of Labour Codes aimed at simplifying and rationalizing the labour laws. The Draft Labour Code on Social Security has been placed in the public domain and comments and suggestions have been invited in respect of its provisions. The Draft Code is ambitious in scope and amalgamates the provisions of 15 central labour laws relating to social security. These include the Employees State Insurance Act; the Employees Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act; the Employees Compensation Act; the Maternity Benefits Act; the Payment of Gratuity Act; the Unorganized Workers Social Security Act; the Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Cess Act; the Beedi Workers Welfare Cess Act; the Beedi Workers Welfare Fund Act; the Iron Ore Mines, Manganese Ore Mines and Chrome Ore Mines Labour Welfare Cess Act; the Iron Ore Mines, Manganese Ore Mines and Chrome Ore Mines Welfare Fund Act; the Mica Mines Labour Welfare Cess Act; the Limestone and Dolomite Mines Labour Welfare Fund Act, the Cine Workers Welfare Cess Act and the Cine Workers Welfare Fund Act.
The Code applies to workers in the formal as well as informal sectors including casual workers, piece rate workers, fixed term workers, outworkers, self- employed workers, home based workers and domestic workers. It requires the formulation of various new social security schemes by the Central Government. These include a pension scheme, provident fund scheme, maternity benefit scheme, sickness, disablement, invalidity and medical benefit schemes and an unemployment benefit schemes. State Governments may frame supplementary schemes. The Code requires the establishment of various funds in each state and union territory. These include a social security fund, gratuity fund, welfare funds, a state social security reserve fund and a state administrative fund. The Code provides for the levy of cess on buildings and other construction, on manufacture of bidis on ores and minerals and on audio-visual productions.
Workers can derive benefits under the schemes by registering themselves with the State Board for Social Security. An Aadhar Card has to be necessarily produced for the purpose of registration. Each registered worker would be provided a portable Social Security account called the Vishwakarma Karmik Suraksha Khata (VIKAS).
The Code envisages the establishment of several new bodies for the implementation of its provisions. These include a National Social Security Council headed by the Prime Minister of India, a Central Board of Social Security, and State Boards of Social Security. Apart from these bodies, licenced intermediary agencies would be involved in the processes of registration of workers, receipt of contributions, management of funds and payment of benefits.
The existing schemes framed under the Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, namely, the Employees’ Provident Fund Scheme, Employees Pension Scheme, Employees Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme and the various schemes under the Employees’ State Insurance Act would be scrapped upon the establishment of the new scheme funds visualized under the Code. Similarly, the welfare schemes and welfare funds set up for workers in the informal economy in various states would cease to be in operation once the new scheme funds are established. The existing organizations administering these schemes would also be phased out consequent upon the establishment of the new funds.
Concerns of trade unions
From a workers’ perspective, the Draft Code raises concerns on several counts. Trade Unions point out that rather than scrap well-established schemes like the Employees Provident Fund Scheme and Employees State Insurance schemes and replace them with new ones, the Government ought to have simply widened the coverage of the existing schemes. They have also expressed concerns about the replacement of the existing state-wide welfare schemes with new ones as there is no clarity in respect of whether the new schemes will continue to offer similar benefits to the workers presently covered under the schemes.
They are doubtful about whether the new bodies to be established under the Code can administer the schemes as efficiently as the Employees Provident Fund Organization and the Employees State Insurance Corporation and whether the administration of the schemes at the state level would work as well. The involvement of various private players in the administration of the schemes in the name of intermediary agencies is also an issue of concern as they are unsure about how that would pan out. It will also lead to unnecessary transaction and administrative charges.
Secondly, while the Code is touted to offer social security to all workers in the country, the following features of the Code raise doubts about this claim. Only establishments that employ workers in numbers that are equal to or more than the threshold notified by the Central Government are required to be registered under the Code. Moreover, the state government could exempt any establishment or class of establishments from the application of the Code if it is satisfied that the workers are in receipt of benefits that are similar or superior to the benefits provided under the schemes framed as per the Code. In addition, the Government could exempt certain categories of workers that are yet to be specified from coverage under the Code. The exclusion of workers engaged as apprentices under the standing orders of an establishment is also a matter of concern given the fact that such apprentices are engaged in large numbers to perform work of a regular nature.
Thirdly, the Code equates workers in the informal sector with those in the formal sector in the matter of payment of contribution for securing social security coverage without appreciating the vast differences in the working and living conditions of the workers in the two sectors. Ignoring the precarious nature of their work and the fact that wages of workers in the informal sector are generally much lower than that of workers in the formal sector and barely enough for them to sustain themselves, the Draft Code requires both categories of workers to pay a uniform contribution of 12.5% of their monthly wage and raises it to 20% in the case of self-employed workers. On the other hand, there is no clarity in respect of whether at all the Government would make any contribution to the various welfare funds to be established under the Code. Furthermore, the Code allows the Central Government to exempt any employer of class or employers from the levy of cess. Moreover, such exemption may be granted even retrospectively!
Importantly, several provisions of the Draft Code point to the possibility of stock market exposure of not just amounts collected towards provident fund but also amounts collected towards gratuity and various welfare schemes. The Draft Code also does not specify the limits on such investment. While investments of funds in the stock market could potentially yield higher returns, the volatility of the equity market means that it is fraught with risks. That is the reason why trade unions over the past few years have vociferously opposed the Government’s moves to increase the investment of the funds lying with the Employees Provident Fund Organization in the stock market. However, these concerns seem to have been entirely overlooked while framing the Draft Code.
Yet another concern is about the enforcement of the provisions of the Code. In the name of curtailing arbitrariness in the inspection system and facilitating the ease of doing business, the Government has already issued guidelines in respect of a computer-generated risk-weighted inspection system. The Draft Code goes one step ahead and proclaims that ‘the parameters and criteria fixed for the inspection system may be changed from time to time by the Commissioner.’
All these concerns seem to indicate that no proper consultations have been held with trade unions before the framing of the Draft Code despite the fact that the central trade union organizations have repeatedly emphasized on the need for such consultations even since the Government embarked on the labour law reform exercise three years ago.
laboursocial securityTrade Unions
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5 thoughts on “The Draft Labour Code on Social Security-Workers’ Concerns: Ramapriya Gopalakrishnan”
By iintegrating various laws and acts pertaining to labour, the draft labour code is curtailing benefits and welfare measures that existed in earlier laws. The investment of provident fund in share market is an example of privatising the terminal benefits and abdicating responsibility of the government. In the garb of simplification, the design is to curtail benefits to the workers and labourers and assist private players to dictae terms
Zerg says:
Just to put the whole thing into perspective: no more than a tenth of the entire labour force is governed by the labour laws – they especially leave out of their ambit women, children, the disabled, the lower castes and persons employed in the ‘unorganized’ sector, that is to say, most everyone that works. The common belief that trade unions defend the rights of the workers (which have always been in a poor way) is not entirely true, since trade unions even at their best would only represent a tiny minority and not the working class as a whole. The new laws will likely reduce employer expense and obligation to represent and reflect the new status quo (the same as the old one) : labourers have no rights.
Hargopal Singh says:
The Modi government is bent upon depriving the labour-sellers of all the benefits hitherto provided to them under existing laws.These laws entitled them to certain benefits which now will be snatched from them and passed over to the insurance companies as is being done in the case of various schemes of social security to the farmers.The farmers have protested against this practice also.The Trade Unions are yet to wake up and make their objections to the newly drafted code.
Saravana Kumar M says:
Dissolving ESIC & EPFO and forming new Social Security Boards under state govt will spoil the social security of organized sector beneficiaries and also there is no demarcation of regular contributors from organised sector and seasonal or irregular contributors of unorganised sector. Moreover it is well known that how poor the state govts providing social security and medical benefits when compared to central govt. The social security benefits of organized sector must be under Central government or central board only. Especially the medical benefit provided by state govts are very poor and there in no difference between general public and contributors (insured personal).
There should be separate body for unorganised sector to implement socialsecurity in more effective way.
Also reorganisation of Group B, C & D Employees of epfo and esic to send under state government is clear discrimination and they loose already receiving pay and also many benefits which they are eligible under Central Pay rules.
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‘Hichki’ among top-selling movies of 2018 in India at Google Play
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New Delhi, (IANS) Rani Mukerji-starrer “Hichki” has found a place in a list of the top five movies sold in India at Google Play Store this year.
Google India on Monday announced this year’s top content across apps, games, movies, TV and books on Google Play.
“Black Panther”, “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle”, “Justice League”, “Deadpool 2” were the other four movies among the top five.
“Drops: Learn 31 new languages” which has been downloaded over 1 million times in just about a year emerged as the best app of 2018, Google India said.
The most loved game among Indian users this year was PUBG Mobile.
Among the books that made it to the top five list were “How to make money in intraday trading” by Ashwani Gujral, “Hands on computer science & IT” by Professor Neelima, “Calling Sehmat” by Harinder Sikka, “Will you still love me?” by Ravinder Singh and “Factfulness: Ten reasons we’re wrong about the world – and why things are better than you think” by Hans Rosling.
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Ola and Uber are Still Not Safe For Women
Ramya Reddy June 27, 2019
It’s 2019 and with the advent of technology, we’ve been blessed with the convenience of finding a ride at the click of a button. Gone are the days when we had to give-in to the demands of anonymous taxi and auto drivers, claiming arbitrary prices disproportionate to distances travelled. But for women, the reasons to resort to new-age applications goes beyond convenience.
I remember this one time, a taxi driver took a mysterious turn into a lane, and when asked why, he said, “Shortcut, madam.” Soon, I was in the middle of a secluded area in Delhi, and the driver wouldn’t stop or respond despite repeated requests to drop me off on the street. I raised my voice and yelled, demanding he stop immediately. I’m lucky that he did, as that ride could have taken any direction.
Today, women across the country would rather request a pick-up, instead of taking a rickshaw or taxi from the streets. Ola and Uber’s rides are women’s means to a safe journey. Receiving the driver and vehicle details beforehand, receiving a link that can track the ride, is so reassuring, yet women get into these vehicles knowing there’s a contingency. A set of possible outcomes arising from a system that provides no transparency or accountability.
Over the past few years, popular cab services have faced scrutiny for the continued risk to women’s safety. Several cases reported of harassment, sexual advances and rape, have brought into question the safety measures implemented by such agencies.
Also read: Why I Support Free Public Transport For Women in Delhi
In 2017, the Ministry of Women and Child Development made policy recommendations adopted by the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways. The New Taxi Policy Guidelines included dislodging the central locking system in taxis, mandatory fitting of GPS panic devices and the driver’s identification displayed more prominently. Emergency buttons have been installed in apps for passengers to raise alarm with safety response teams, in addition to having the 24*7 helpline number to assist passengers with a risk to their safety.
Yet, all these measures fall short when a woman finds herself in a threatening situation.
‘Unregistered Uber Driver Rapes 26-year-old Woman‘, ‘Woman Allegedly Forced to Strip, Driver Booked for Harassment‘. These are only a few instances. Despite all the cases reported, companies like Ola and Uber have managed to escape without being subjected to greater accountability. The result? “I knew no one could save her, says Ola driver accused of molesting Bengaluru woman.”
A few days ago, I was harassed by a drunk driver who demanded I pay him extra money. In the middle of the ride, all the driver details disappear on my app, and the tracking link stopped functioning. I noticed him pull out a bottle from which he began drinking. Not only was he slurring the whole time, he was speaking to himself in a language he assumed I didn’t understand.
In a disparaging and suggestive tone, he said, “She refused to pay me extra, let me take her to her destination” – an innuendo I wish I didn’t know the meaning of. I asked him to stop the vehicle, I booked another cab and fled.
When I contacted Ola’s safety emergency number, I was on hold listening to music for a good twenty minutes. “What if this was an emergency?” In response, all they could say was “I apologise for the inconvenience and delay.” They told me they would find the driver, investigate and, if found true, action would be taken.
I reached out to them the next afternoon after there was no communication from their side. Again, I found myself listening to music for a while. I was informed that the driver was found guilty of the allegations and was suspended.
When I asked them to send me a confirmation of my complaint, and in writing what steps had been taken, they refused on the grounds of their internal company policy that restricts sharing such information. An argument that lasted 42 minutes ensued, after which I received a generic email:
“We are sorry about the incident on one your rides bearing CRN 3200100258. Your request has been auctioned as per Ola policies.”
The vague nature of the email provided no assurance that any action had been taken. They accidentally revealed that the driver was given a “last warning and a temporary suspension.” My demands were now to receive additional information, of the measures taken, the policy implemented for the misconduct of employees, and the policy that restricts sharing information. How do you raise issues of accountability when crucial policy details are not available publicly?
India has struggled to bring information technology-based transportation aggregators like Uber and Ola under regulation, and one can only wait to see if the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill manages to usher in some changes to the situation.
Also read: A Feminist Guide to Delhi
The irony is that women in India are deterred from proceeding to initiate action and not the transgressors from committing grave violations. When I tried to reach the local police station, no one answered. I received a call half an hour later: “Is it an emergency? If yes, we will send someone. If not, come to the police station.” If it was an emergency, I would have already faced the consequences!
Next morning, I was called to the police station where the accused was waiting. The senior inspector questioned my credibility, he said I had no claim as the driver hadn’t made any lewd comments or touched me, neither did I have any evidence that he was drunk. He said, “Go to the consumer forum, your complaint belongs there”.
There have been several instances in the past where I’ve dealt with police stations in my personal and professional capacity. “She doesn’t have broken bones and is not bleeding, why should we file her complaint?” “She has no case of abuse, tell her to work it out with her husband.” “This is just a case of theft of a mobile” (ignoring that a man broke into her room in the middle of the night, covering all CCTV cameras with handkerchiefs), or taking no concrete measures when a man was found masturbating outside a girls’ dormitory.
It’s 2019, and we still ask: “What is the issue with women’s safety in this country?”
Ramya Reddy is a Human Rights lawyer.
Featured image credit: Flickr
At Aligarh Muslim University, I Hid My Caste Identity For Five Years
An Ode to the Mixtape
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A Guide to Employer Branding on Social Media
Written by: Jörgen Sundberg
How do employers know what social media updates they should be doing? How can they know what their audience thinks of these updates? What are the best-in-class employer brands doing on social?
To get some answers, I’ve spoken to everyone’s favorite Canadian in Sydney; David Brudenell.
Listen to the interview below, keep reading for a summary of our conversation. And don’t forget to subscribe to the Employer Branding Podcast.
Tell us about Universum and what you do there?
Universum is an employer branding research company and we’ve been around for 27 years now. We run the world’s largest talent preference survey where we talk to everyone from high school students all the way through to professionals. And we ask them who they want to work for, why? And we use a very key 40 attribute framework that we’ve been using for the past 25 years to be able to compare and contrast the preferences and why talent chooses one employer over the other. And what we do with this data is we release our, what we call our, rankings across the globe for the most attractive employers and then we use that data to help employers, what I like to say is be more sexy to talent. To really understand what motivates talent and how to get their attention and more importantly, how to keep it.
I have a pretty cool job. I lead two practice areas in the business. I’m responsible for new product development and the engineering functions of the business. So I like to sit with one foot into the future, where there’s hoverboards and time machines and all kinds of great stuff there, and the other part of my role is to focus on, what we call the activation part of our business. So with many of our customers they go through the data journey, an inside journey with us, and are quite inspired at what they’re able to find, but the next logical step is how do I communicate that? And the teams and great people that I lead help bring that insight to life, give it colour, give it a voice. And a principle that we have in our organisation is that we take the content and we make it data led, human, and purposeful. So I keep myself busy and it’s pretty fun these days.
Tell us about your new piece of research, Inside Social Media?
It’s been an exciting journey actually putting together this report. We’ve seen from our customers an incredible amount of demand for insight in understanding what’s going on from social media. So this report was really generated by the interests of our customers. Our researchers have gone out into the world and pulled in from third-party research. Tried to pull that together through the lens of the employer brand industry and also some snapshots into one of the new social media listing tool we employ, which is really talent’s perspective of social media.
So it’s really a unique view on what are the megatrends happening in the social media world. What to look out for and how to get invested in it and how to get started. Because what we’re finding is many of our customers are very new to social media so they’re very curious about how to really do the first, kind of, three to six steps really right so that they can be present and be meaningful. And then finally is, once they are started, is just to figure out what metrics matter, because there are a lot of metrics out there with digital, and it’s quite easy to get bamboozled by everything out there. So we really thought it was our opportunity to look across the measurement area and provide some key guidance for those employer brands out there.
The report states “we now have 31 hours in a day” – please elaborate?
It’s crazy, even more time than on Mars. So what’s happening, Jorgen, is it’s because of the proliferation of devices. We now, and I’ll testament to this, I have an iPhone sitting on my desk, I have two screens that I’m looking at, I have Amazon Kindle, I have an iPad, I have an Apple TV. We have all these devices in our world that are becoming more and more omnipresent for us. So what’s happening is that consumers, and vis-à-vis talent, are more often using both of these devices simultaneously. So because of multi-tasking, we’re able to increase the number of hours that we have in any one day.
Where is all this time spent on social and digital?
Well, what’s really interesting is as humans we’re makers of behavior, so we follow the same patterns again and again. We may all like to think that we are unique but in reality, when you start to look at us en masse, we have very similar behaviors. So what’s happening is that even though we are spending much more time on social media, on consumer and tech activity, in actuality of that 31 hours a day, 11 hours are spent on media consumption and consumer tech activity. More so than work, sleep, and housekeeping or non-work activities. But what’s happening is that even though we’re spending all this time, this 11 hours a day, it’s being spent on relatively few sites and few apps.
And what we discovered, and this was actually analysis presented at the Wall Street Journal Digital Conference, late last year is that when we think about our mobile phone, many people think about the proliferation of apps on your mobile phone. You have screens and screens and screens of apps but in actuality, the average user uses 27 of them per month but 80% of the time per month is only spent on five. So we’re a glutton for those apps which we love most. And the same thing goes for websites. Although there are billions of websites out there, in actuality we spend about just under 50% of our time on the same five websites, which we go to again and again.
So what this means for employers, is that we know where people are going. We know where talent is going but everyone else knows. So it’s going to become incredibly competitive in those five apps and in those five websites to be able to have meaningful content to cut through and to actually make an impact on, in the case of our conversation with our brands, to make your employer brand resonate and be remembered by talent.
What platforms perform best for employer branding?
We use all these platforms when we’re doing activation but I like to simplify them down into really if we made the employer brand an individual. So if they were just another human out there playing around on social media. It’s for me, Facebook is who we are as an employer brand, LinkedIn is what we do, Twitter is what we say and Instagram is what we want other people to believe we look like and how trendy we are.
Weibo, and some of the other country-specific platforms would follow those same areas. But I think from an employer branding perspective Facebook is still the 800-pound gorilla out there. An amazing stat that came through from Nielsen just earlier this year is that, with Facebook’s acquisitions over the past 24 months, one in three minutes spent on a mobile phone is spent on a Facebook property. So that’s Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and Whatsapp, which they purchased for $16 billion last year. So one in three minutes on a mobile phone really makes those purchases by Facebook seem like quite a deal that Mr. Zuckerberg bought.
For LinkedIn, really for employer brands, this is about showcasing your business. When we look at things from Universum, we apply our learning and our activation down this, what we call the talent funnel. We believe LinkedIn is very much for the initial education, kind of the corporate education of the company that I’m considering working for and as talent goes through the journey, their knowledge journey and goes through the acquisition funnel, we’re seeing LinkedIn as becoming increasingly a place to go to apply for jobs. So LinkedIn is making very, very good strides in competing with Indeed, Monster and some of the mega job boards out there.
With Instagram, they opened up their advertising engine in the summer of last year, and what’s really interesting about Instagram is that it’s about curation, less is more and really about showcasing the visual aspects of the employer brands. So we’re seeing with our customers, and we see through some of the measurement, that we have really amazing results with Instagram. It’s really cutting through some of the broadcast social media hang-ups that Facebook and LinkedIn have because Instagram is quite interesting. It’s not broadcast social media, like I said, like Facebook or LinkedIn but it’s not narrowcasting like Snapchat and, I would argue, some of the messaging services out there. So it’s a really interesting one to watch.
And when we look at Weibo and some of the more country specific. There’s obviously some in Germany, as well and even some in Brazil who offer that kind of micro-blogging service. China is an interesting marketplace and I don’t think any of the companies or social media platforms that I mentioned before have actually really cracked it. So those companies which are born out of Asia, like Weibo and also WeChat, are doing really great. So at the end of the day, talent uses these platforms to communicate in a bi-directional way with employer brands. But we are seeing the types and the usage of these platforms vary quite differently.
What about messaging apps, or narrowcast media?
So Snapchat’s all about sending private snaps to selected individuals that self-destruct, well let’s hope they all self-destruct, for the young generation. And WeChat and Messenger are the typical messaging apps. I think what’s really interesting about this is that it is this concept of narrowcast media. So it’s about talent in this case, in kind of the construct of this conversation, selecting a few employers to have deeper conversations with. Now that’s a really interesting concept because an employer brand has to go quite a long way to earn the trust of a private conversation. That either means that they’re far down the acquisition funnel, and the talent who they’re speaking to is really, really invested, or that they’ve done something great from their awareness perspective or kind of the desire of the employer brand that they’re getting these people in at the very top of the funnel and are able to then move them quickly through to the bottom.
So I think messaging looks to be faster growing than even social media. So, I think, in half the time that Facebook did, Whatsapp reached one billion active users. So there’s a real land rush happening when it comes to talent getting on to these platforms and I think, if I was to pick a winner out of Snapchat or some of the messaging services, I would certainly pick the messaging services. I think the behemoths that own them, Facebook and WeChat and Sina and Badoo and those companies are able to, and Facebook did this very successfully, shift almost their entire social media user base across these messaging platforms. So I think that, for me, messaging is going to be the next big thing.
What is the intention gap?
This is a Universum coined term, I think, in this report. And what’s really interesting that’s coming out of this, and why we created this concept of the intention gap, is that when we started to look at social media content and lots and lots of it. In actuality, we looked at over one million social media posts from thousands of employers. We saw that there’s this big gap between what an employer brand thinks they’re communicating, with what talent actually thinks that they are talking about. And we’re seeing this gap increasing over time.
And one of the things that we do with Iris, which is the social media listening tool we have, we actually get talent to look at those posts from employer brands and we use the same framework, that 40 attribute framework that we have at Universum, to allow talent to choose which one or more or those 40 attributes they believe that that employer in that post is trying to communicate. And what we’re seeing is that an employer may go out wanting to talk about corporate social responsibility in their content, but what happens is that when it hits talent, and talent has those few seconds in their very busy news feeds to look at that content, what they tell us that employer is talking about could be something very different. It could be about challenging work or it could be about inspiring management. So what we’re seeing is an increasing gap between what employers think they’re talking about with what talent actually thinks that they are communicating.
Social media is not about a one-hit wonder. It’s not where big Super Bowl style campaigns win. It’s about small, snackable and continuous content. So to win on social media it’s not about one post, it’s about the 100 or 200 posts that you are putting out across the year and hoping that you’re curating one, the right talent who are looking at it and they’re looking at it and engaging with it on a fairly regular basis. So I think that’s where, and there’s a lot of grey in social media, it’s very noisy and what we’re seeing over the past 10 years or so is further fragmentation of the reason why talent choose to be a part of the employer. You know, we didn’t always have 40 attributes that we use to measure. There were fewer when we first started and new things like work/life balance didn’t exist seven or eight years ago as something that is important to talent but as our research says, over the past couple of years it is, if not “the,” it is one of the most important attributes for talent when choosing an employer.
Great brands outpace good brands on social media. What does that mean?
To win on social media it’s all about continuity and it’s about being there, being present on a regular basis and building on the back of the content that you released yesterday or the day before. Now what’s happening, if we take a step back and we look at these social media platforms, their main function for users is to provide relevant content to us. Because, if you went into your Facebook feed today and the first 200 posts were ads, you probably wouldn’t stick around in Facebook very long. So it’s in Facebook’s best intentions to be able to give you the most relevant content.
Now Facebook knows you much better than I. It knows where you’ve been, it knows what you’ve looked at, what posts you’ve engaged with, with what friends you have engaged with and so on and so forth. And Facebook is trying to balance this with being a public company and their obligations to shareholders. So what they do is, they invest into more and more sophisticated algorithms to be able to make sure that you are getting the most relevant content. But Facebook’s a true network. They have their social graph so there are people who look like you and Facebook is going to use your data, and everyone else’s, all one billion daily users in Facebook, to be able to fine tune that algorithm. So what that means is that if you’re present as an employer brand, you’re continually putting out content, you’re going to be rewarded by growing your organic reach because the right people are actually interacting with your content.
And secondly, is that those employer brands who are active on social media platforms, and I gave that example of Facebook before but it’s applicable to all social media platforms, they all have algorithms and they’re all trying to get relevant content to their users. Is that those employers who are active and they realize that social media is not something you can just chuck an intern at and to post about random stuff, that there is a sophistication that goes behind it, they start to look at the economics of it. And there are really fantastic examples of employers who are turning these social media platforms into massive recruitment funnels into their business, where they can go out and spend a few hundred pounds or a few hundred dollars and get quite tremendous returns on the back of it.
I wrote an internal memo, and it was titled, “The Great are Outpacing the Good.” And what I meant by that is that it’s those companies who have gone into social media early, who are continually posting and now are starting to experiment with sponsored advertising, they are getting between 100 and in some instances, we saw 10,000 times higher engagement than the average. So now the average is being pulled down a bit, because there is a land rush into social media now by employers. Everyone and their dog is getting into it so that’s pulling down the average, or keeping it relatively flat because you have so many new entrants who are at amateur level and they’re leveling up. Is that what we are seeing is that there are a few brands out there who are up in the stratosphere with engagement and they are capturing the majority of the share of voice.
Again this is everybody, all talent, but we don’t have the ability today to look into subsets of talent, but I would imagine that some of those employers on social media are actually capturing the lion’s share of specific types of talent, like IT talents or people studying sales and marketing, and things like that.
What employer brands were social top performers last year?
The regular players are up there. Probably the company who works well across the most, was the most consistent across channels, we’re seeing L’Oreal and Unilever, who are sitting up there at the top. Some of Unilever’s programs, their future leaders programs they run in multiple countries have been really fantastically executed across social media channels and we can see some in the reports, some amazing results in the case studies that they have graciously allowed us to publish.
And also we see the non-traditional social media style employer brands, like ExxonMobil, really get into social media in a fast and meaningful way and really on a weighted basis they are getting quite fantastic returns. They are being able to get enormous engagement returns and what’s really interesting about ExxonMobil is the participation rate on their posts. They’re getting hundreds of what looks like engineers commenting, participating, asking questions. And it really feels like what one would assume is being a very reluctant company to get on social media, ExxonMobil has really embraced it and is really winning in this case.
And then you have other companies like IBM really taking, allowing talent to really see what it’s like to work inside IBM. They’ve done really amazing things such as kind of socially optimized videos. They use integrated social media very well, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and they integrate their channels very well. And I think that’s really giving their content a lot of pop at the beginning because one of the great things about social media is the viral opportunity that it presents. I think IBM is really using that in a meaningful way.
And then maybe a local call-out would be PWC in Brazil. Brazil, we see as one of the most competitive marketplaces when it comes to social media. There’s a great article I think it was published by Forbes, which said that the Internet was born in Brazil. So we’re seeing the Brazilian population, because of a whole bunch of different factors, socioeconomic, economic, that they went straight from no Internet to mobile Internet and everybody and their dog in Brazil has a mobile phone and participates on social media. So we’re seeing some really progressive stuff coming out of Brazil, and especially out of PWC. One of their campaigns on Instagram was just human, authentic, and fantastic.
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A post shared by Nova Geração PwC (@novageracaopwc) on Jan 27, 2016 at 11:53am PST
What are the top data-driven recommendations for social recruiting in 2016?
Well I think we probably need to start with table stakes, right? And the first thing is to make sure you have your employer value proposition, or your EVP. If you don’t have something to really hold you to the shore, you’ll drift off into the seas of content and social media. And I think that one for me is probably, is the most important. To make sure you have an EVP that is true, it’s credible, it works inside, it works outside and that you can really hook onto and keep you grounded, or close to shore, to continue my analogy.
Another thing is to really appreciate that, the old saying is, “horses for courses” and to make sure that the way that talent and to appreciate that the way that talent interact with a platform like LinkedIn, the reasons why they go to LinkedIn are very, very different than the reasons that they would go and participate with an employer brand on Facebook. So it’s not about one piece of content just cross-posted, it’s what we’re seeing is that is the first sign of an early, or entry-level, employer brand on social media. They take one post, usually, that content has come from marketing or corporate relations that’s been approved by legal and they can get it up quickly, and what they do is they just post it across all channels. But that just gets lost in the torrent of content.
And to quote Facebook is brands and employer brands want to create thumb stoppers. So it’s those pieces of content as you’re whipping through with your thumb on your mobile phone, and let’s not forget the majority of social media content is consumed by mobile, almost than 75%, right? So it’s about creating thumb stoppers. So what we’re seeing is a big change in the traditional, linear process of ideation and content development. So the old way is very linear, right? Have your agency come in and pitch a humongous idea that costs a bundle of money, substantiate that with some user research, spend a bunch of money on design and things like that and then push it out and then repeat.
But with a more agile process, or an agile employer branding content production, what you are doing is you’re using micro strategies. So start small. Know that you don’t have the answers but you have a solid EVP. Push it out really quickly. I’m talking about anywhere as small as ffive-daycycle to one month and then iterate on the back of it. So I think that allows you to not be beholden to any one platform but rather choose the platform for the outcome that you want to achieve during that period. And we all know with employer brands and for recruitment marketing, there are cyclical ups and downs, valleys and peaks throughout the year and there are different stakeholders within the organisation that you have to serve. So let’s not try and jam all of those requests into one big campaign but rather just get them in when they’re needed.
And in my recommendations is to make sure that when you are producing content, to make sure that it’s data led, meaning that it is founded on the data. It doesn’t matter where it comes from but just start to use it because if you don’t have it you’re as good as guessing.
The second thing is human. So make sure that your content is about the employees within the organisation. On social media, these people go these platforms to socialise, right? It’s about people connecting to people. It’s not about people connecting to brands and things like that. So you need to appreciate that and our data suggests that more than 80% of talent, when they connect to an employer brand on a social media platform, do so to see what it’s like to work inside the company. So that means they want to see what it’s like for you and me as we work in our companies.
And finally purposeful, don’t just put up content for the sake of putting up content. It’s not going to be seen if it doesn’t have a purpose. And going back to the recognising why social media platforms are there for socialising is that if you have achieved the luxury of having a talent connect to you, give you the endorsement or the permission to go into their news feed, then let’s talk to them. Give your post purpose. Ask questions. Challenge them. Ask them questions and I think what we see in our results with our customers is that, not surprisingly, when you start to socialise as an employer brand, the audience socialises back with you.
What mistakes do you see companies making?
Well, there are two that really stick out. One is turning into an auto-posting robot, we see lots of that. I think that when a corporation starts its social media journey, they see all the platforms and they go, “How am I supposed to get content across all of these?” And they go to centralised posting tools, like Percolate or Hootsuite and stuff like that, and they go, “My problems are solved because now I can push out one piece of content across all of these platforms. And better yet, because I need to put up content all the time, I’m going to auto-populate my Twitter feed with the job posts that are coming from my ATS system.” And that’s one of the worse things they can do. I’ve seen Twitter feeds that are nothing but just job postings. Like boring, pardon my French, but boring as batshit as the saying goes is that who would ever want to participate in a Twitter feed that over 99% of the job posts are not relevant to talent? So that’s the first thing, don’t go on auto-post or robot mode.
And the second thing is what we’re seeing in our data is that it’s really noisy. Every employer brand and their dog wants to talk about how awesome their products and services are, according to talent. And I think as employer brands are rushing to social media, I mentioned this earlier, that they’re really being a bit paralysed by where they’re going to get content. And, you know, employer branding function in many organisations is still new and growing, so I’d imagine they don’t have limitless budgets or even comparable budgets to marketing departments, so they have to make really critical decisions.
So what they do naturally is instead of going out and using very much user generated content, going around with their mobile phone, recording people, asking them questions, putting up really authentic content, is what they’re doing is going to their current repositories. They’re going to marketing, they’re going to corporate relations and they’re just taking that content. You know, that really eye sucky, boring, corporate relations photo with some guy in a hardhat with earplugs, fixing some sort of oil well and putting it up for talent and expecting that that highly staged photo and link to a direct career site, just the front page of the career site, is just gonna be meaningful for talent. So I think, too, it’s about thinking a bit before you go out and having, like we talked about in the top recommendations, is having an EVP, which will drive your content strategy.
What is the ROI on social media for employers?
If you’re getting into social media, all of the social media sites have very easy and manageable ways to track the click-throughs coming from the sites. All of these platforms have very deep demographic and preference data on which traffic that’s engaging with your post. And you can spend money and you can quantify the organic content that you are creating with dollars and cents. And you can also invest in, when you do invest in small street advertising, that’s also very quantifiable.
So what I think is really sexy about these social media programs is that you can link them all the way to that ATS system and perhaps in the next 18 to 24 months we’ll go beyond to employee performance and things like that. But I think the ROI can be very clearly measured. I mean what we’re doing with some of our customers is we begin small with a pilot because it kind of still exists in the employer branding sphere. And I believe that many, many people in HR and recruitment marketing are able to communicate the value of having a good employer brand and what that means to the volume of talent coming into the business or interacting with that employer brand.
But also we’re seeing, once you have a social program up and running, now that can be multichannel, omnichannel, single channel, it doesn’t really matter. But because you are able to quantify it we are seeing some employers now shift some of the recruitment dollars into social media. So there is a way to look at your costs per hire and to put social media in that consideration set. So I think we’re getting very close and there are some of the top employer brands that I mentioned today who are certainly looking at the cost per hire and looking at social media as a viable channel for that. But again, to measure your everyday success you want to look to the most common type of measurement is engagement, which is a combination of not only, on Facebook it’s likes and shares and comments, on LinkedIn it’s shares, comments, and likes as well, is that it’s a combination of these. Because according to Facebook, and this came from their blog in the summer last year, they said that likes don’t matter any more. It’s about really how their algorithm picks up value is when people are commenting, when they’re sharing your content, and when they’re viewing your videos that you’re putting up and things like that.
What’s the best technology for employer branding on social?
Yeah, here’s the plug. Well, I think before I start with Iris, I think the first thing is that there are many, many tools out there. You know, when we were doing our research when we were going to be building Iris, we discovered that there is well over 250 social media listing tools. So there is a lot out there. And it really depends on where you are as an employer brand and getting started. I mentioned Hootsuite as one of those tools. A cautionary tale about Hootsuite, but a cautionary tale about where you can centralise and see all of the metrics coming into your social feed. That’s a great tool and there are a number of Hootsuite competitors that are out there. HubSpot, Percolate, those are other content publishing tools that go beyond just social media for a great way to really bake-in solid work flows into your business.
So if you work with agencies or you work with multiple internal stakeholders, you’re able to then go through an online tool as opposed to flinging emails back and forth with pictures and text all over the place. And they also have content calendars in it so they help you visualise when you should be publishing that content. In some cases, they help you automate that in a good way. In an authentic automation way, not the robo automation way.
And when we took a look at all these tools out there, there are many that are great but what we discovered is that much of these have been built for marketers and not HR. And so we saw that we had three key opportunities at Universum. One is we had this framework that when we know that if an employer focusses and uses the data we provide, they become more sexy and more talent goes there, want to work for them. The second thing is at Universum we touch, with our surveys, we have well over 1.5 million talent every single year interact with us. So we had this huge platform of real people, real talent who were volunteering and participating in giving us data. And the third thing, and this is the new technology that we’re bringing into Universum as we kind of transform into a technology company, is that we’re really been able to put this together with some cool tech and that’s really what Iris separates itself from the other social media listing tools. It does a lot of the same things but what separates Iris from the rest is that it’s a human powered content coding engine. So actual talent are looking at the posts from employer brands every single day and they’re using the same framework that we use for our research that’s been running for 25 years.
So we’re able to see the macro trends with our research but we’re able to zoom in at the micro moments for talent because what we learned in social media it’s a daily battle. It’s truly a marathon, it’s not a sprint. So being able to look at your competitors, see what they’re talking about and to see if it’s effective, right? If it’s resonating with talent. You can, if you have an EVP, you typically have between two and five core attributes that you want to focus on. But your number one attribute may not be the best one to choose for today or this week. It may be number five. And that’s what we’re seeing in the results with our customers who are using Iris is that it allows them to strategically look at what’s going on from a content perspective across platforms but then operationally zoom in on a daily basis go in and see what’s great. And we have a 1.2 million social media posts case study library that you can, is searchable by attribute, and country, and industry, and particular company.
What brands are doing it right in your opinion?
The first one is certainly Adidas. I think Adidas does some very, very cool stuff on employer brand but also as a consumer brand.
I think that when we look at, there may be many people who don’t like me out here, but I think when we look at the Kardashians and them as a brand. I certainly don’t agree with what they talk about, but the method and their techniques are truly astounding. So I think from a technical, or a technique perspective, the Kardashian family is very, very good. Talk about omnichannel, they’re in every channel. From GIFs to mobile games to twitter feeds.
And I think finally I would look to the military services in America. Air Force, Navy, Marines. They have always been so forward thinking in recruitment. I believe as a result of the type of work that those great people do and I think that they really push the boundaries with content. When I look to see what and how employers should be talking in the near future, I look to the military services. Obviously, I’ve obviously talked about America, but typically whether it’s the Secret Service here in Australia, where I’m in calling in from, to Canada, to Singaporean Army, they all do some very, very cool and progressive stuff.
Follow David on Twitter @DavidBrudenell and don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast.
Filed Under: Popular The Employer Branding Podcast
Tagged With: david brudenell employer branding interview iris podcast social media universum
Filed Under: The Employer Branding Podcast
How the FBI Investigates Its Employer Brand
How Southwest Airlines Puts Employees First
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Facsimile: 609.258.5196
Electronic Mail: lisd@princeton.edu
Translations provided by the Princeton University Language Project
Beth English
Top Person Message
Director, Project on Gender in the Global Community; Lecturer, Princeton Writing Program
baenglis@princeton.edu
017 Bendheim Hall
Research Field:
Beth English is director of the Liechtenstein Institute's Project on Gender in the Global Community. She is a lecturer in the Princeton Writing Program, and is also an instructor with Princeton University’s Prison Teaching Initiative. She received her Ph.D. in History from the College of William and Mary, where she was a Glucksman Fellow and Visiting Assistant Professor, and has taught at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research has been funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
English's research and teaching focus primarily on gender, historical and contemporary labor and working class issues, politics and society, global economy, and the U.S. and Global Souths. She is the co-editor of Global Women's Work: Perspectives on Gender and Work in the Global Economy (with Mary E. Frederickson and Olga Sanmiguel-Valderrama); author of A Common Thread: Labor, Politics, and Capital Mobility in the Textile Industry; and a contributing author to several edited volumes focusing on gender and on the U.S. South. Her recent articles include, “Global Women’s Work: Historical Perspectives on the Textile and Garment Industries” (Journal of International Affairs), and “La mort de Dixie? (The Death of Dixie?)” (Politique Américaine, with co-author Bryant Simon). Her article, "'I . . . Have a Lot of Work to Do': Cotton Mill Work and Women's Culture in Matoaca, Virginia, 1888-1895" was recognized as one of the Organization of American Historians' Best American History Essays of 2008 (David Roediger, ed.). She is the producer and host of the podcast, Working History.
As director of the Project on Gender in the Global Community, English oversees the Institute’s initiatives on Women, Peace and Security; Women’s Economic Security; Children and Armed Conflict; and Prevention of Sexual- and Gender-Based Violence. Around these issues, English has organized and chaired policy workshops, and frequently presents at symposia and conferences. She co-directs the Project's student fellows program, organized around the theme of "Gender, Law, and Security."
(Ph.D., William and Mary, 2003)
Gender at Work
WRI 139
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Queen Still Hasn’t Made a Penny From ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’
Even after earning $900 million
Tiana Timmerberg
Jamie McCarthy, Getty
Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody is one of the biggest movies of the past year, and the biggest music documentary of all time. Despite its huge success and estimated profits of $900 million, the band that it’s entirely based on hasn’t seen a drop of revenue from it.
In a new interview with BBC Radio 2's Zoe Ball, guitarist Brian May explained that the band still isn’t seen any money from the movie. But they don’t seem too upset about it.
Related: Queen's Brian May Calls for Live Aid Concert to Tackle Climate Change
"It was a long labor of love — about 12 years in development, I guess. We thought it would do well in the end and we felt good about it, but we didn't realize it would do that well,” May explained of the film that took over a decade to come to fruition.
After needing to find a lead fit to play Freddie Mercury, the film was put on hold until Rami Malek came around. The actor was the perfect choice, earning him a slew of award nominations that include an Oscar win for best actor… and probably a lot of money.
“We had an accountant in the other day, and we still haven't earned a penny from it. How successful does a movie have to be before you make money? There's so many people that people don't realize will take pieces off the top, but the feeling of it is so great,” May explained of why they’re still not profiting off of the film.
While they may not be making money directly from the film, their album sales skyrocketed afterwards. It also helped boost “Bohemian Rhapsody” to the 20th century’s most-streamed song in the world.
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Malta Genealogy
Stories & Facts
Genealogical Content
Arabs of Malta & Sicily
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“DEBATE: PEERAGE SUCCESSION: MAY 2008” Retrieved from: Hereditary Peerage Associationhttp://www.hereditarypeers.com/debate.htm
DEBATE: PEERAGE SUCCESSION: MAY 2008 -
In the 2008 Newsletter, the Editor raised the subject of whether there should be a move to bring the rules for succession to peerages up to date in the light of anti-discrimination legislation in other fields. Further contributions to this debate from your Lordships would be welcomed and should be sent to [email protected]. They will be added below.
Viscount Torrington:Your Lordships will recall that there have been a number of initiatives over recent years to bring peerage succession more into line with modern thinking on ‘gender equality’. The idea that peerages should be inherited by the eldest child of whatever sex has, however, been opposed as a step too far but there is a feeling that bringing the entire peerage into line with the rules governing peerages of Scotland , i.e. inheritance by the eldest daughter where no immediate male heir exists, might find fairly general favour. We understand that the Baronets are actively pursuing initiatives in this area and the Association would be interested to hear the views of your Lordships on this matter. If there ever is to be any change by legislation, it would seem best that it be initiated while there are still hereditary peers in Parliament. (1.04.08)
The Earl of Cromer: I just wanted to lend my support to the initiative to bring peerage succession into line with 'gender equality' particularly inheritance by the eldest daughter should no son exist. Although it does not affect me or my heirs directly, I do think this is a very good idea and should be encouraged. (9.04.08).
Lord Coleraine: I think this is a case where sleeping dogs are best left to lie. The Scottish rules seem to me to fall awkwardly between Scilla and Charybdis. Whoever proposed them would be seen as attempting to extend the rights of peerage beyond those existing before 1999, solely in order to reduce the number of peerages becoming extinct. This could open the sluice gates to a more politically correct gender-blind primogeniture, the principal of succession through the female line having been accepted. (11.04.98)
Lord Gisborough: So many peerages have died out for lack of female heirs including the Royal Family. I would support inheritance of the title through the female, though one problem lies in the title of the husband. Does he become Lord xx with the wife being the one eligible to sit in the Lords? Then would extinct titles be able to be rehabilitated through female lines in the past? (12.04.08)
Earl Kitchener of Khartoum: I am interested by your paragraph on "Rights of Succession," most particularly, I freely confess, since it touches on my own case. My peerage faces extinction because, as the law stands, my brother's daughter may not inherit, even though, had she been born a boy, she would have been the uncontested heir. This might have felt unjust at any time, but, in the present climate, it seems to fly in the face of current thinking.
There is talk now of altering the succession to the Crown to primogeniture, irrespective of sex. Should this be done, and with the other equality bills being processed, it may be that the present remainder laws will be rendered illegal, ipso facto - or at least someone may try to make such a case. Consequently, I would suggest that, unless their lordships wish to be overtaken by history, and if they want to retain the rights of sons over older daughters, then they had better act while there are still hereditary peers in Parliament and before the matter is taken out of their hands. If such a change is made by them, and if they give women some, if not quite equal, inheritance rights, there is a possibility that a future Government may simply choose to leave it alone. But if no change is made, and someone sees fit to challenge the status quo, there is a danger that many long-laid plans will go awry. That, at any rate, is my impression.
The difficulties in the business are not as insurmountable as some pretend. It would be a question of confirming all present holders and altering all remainders henceforth with a similar bill to that which altered the remainder of the Dukedom of Marlborough. This was achieved in 1706 without creating a new dukedom, which still dates from its original creation in 1702. Of course it will bring some disappointment, but few peers will not prefer to see their titles inherited by daughters or nieces, rather than pass to distant cousins or into complete extinction. (27.05.08)
Mr Julian Fellowes: I was present at the debate on Lord Diamond's bill for female succession. The fatal flaw in the wording was that the measure should be voluntary. He, in his innocence, thought this would make it more acceptable but the peers instinctively shied away from the concept of voluntary exclusion or inclusion, since that is directly contrary to the manner and morality of peerage selection, and necessarily so.
The point is there is a fundamental truth underpinning all this which those loyal to the Crown ignore at their peril. When the Government ruled in the early 60s that there were to be no further hereditary peerages outside the Royal Family, thereby eradicating hereditary status as a legitimate ambition for men and women to strive for, they effectively condemned to death the hereditary selection of the Head of State. I am told that the King of Spain refused to abide by such a suggestion ten years later for this very reason. Any Court must employ hereditary peers and peeresses in the great offices, since they have no option but to support the hereditary principle. By having no hereditary peerages given more recently than the 1960s (bar a couple of Mrs. Thatcher's experiments), it inevitably means that the Court would and must drift further and further away from the centre of public life, until, by the time a century had passed, it would have no connection whatever to the great careers and the great events of the previous hundred years. But if they go against this and enrol lifers in their service, in order to get new men and women into Court positions, then they are snubbing and undermining the hereditary principle that has brought the Monarch to the Throne and inevitably suggesting that it is flawed as a method of selection. In other words, it is Catch 22 - as it was intended to be.
In the end, this will have to be addressed. The present situation where the British social pyramid is still topped by a locked group into which nobody may now aspire to enter, will (and should, actually) ultimately prove unacceptable. At the same time, Mr. Blair and Co. have successfully created a new, extremely rich and powerful, aristocracy that is unconnected to the old one and therefore without obligation to either tradition, generally, or the Crown. In former days, this separation didn't happen because the new, successful people of every generation were absorbed into the system which was thereby envigorated and strengthened. Obviously, the present weakening of the whole hereditary structure was a deliberate ploy by the Monarchy's enemies but what is hard to understand is why the friends of the Palace in government went along with it when, in the end, it must carry the seeds of the Throne's destruction. Until that sad day comes, however, the extension of hereditary rights to women can only create a sense of an aristocracy renewing itself, even though it will not really be doing so. There will be a good deal of publicity and the various women who are then promoted will give a new face to the proceedings, This can do nothing but good, and will buy time for those who do not want to see the system die.
However, the danger is more immediate than this. Your correspondents do not appear to have grasped the simple fact that the exclusion of women is very possibly already illegal. No one has yet tested it in the European courts but when somebody does, as they will, there is every likelihood that the judges there will rule it contrary to European law. This now states specifically that while people may be discriminated against because of the order of their birth (i.e. an older sibling may still inherit over a younger without breaking the law) or because of skills or physical capacity, it is now against the law to discriminate on the basis of sex, where both sexes may perform whatever function is required. Discriminating against women solely on the basis of their sex where a privilege is concerned is also illegal. The European judges are notoriously tricky when dealing with England and, were this to be challenged and were they to rule against the old custom, they would almost certainly implement primogeniture irresepective of sex, which already exists in law in Europe, with the new succession to the Swedish Throne among other examples. These include the Spanish aristocracy, where the government has attempted to implement the principle. This change imposed on England would cause havoc in a great many families, not least because of measures that have been put in place to avoid inheritance tax, and might result in many cases in the splitting of the title from the land. Nor would any English court allow the time or space to appeal.
Even before that test, the recent Harman Equality Bill and the proposed change to the Royal succession, the latter creating the legal concept of primogeniture irrespective of sex, as well as female primogenture among sisters, neither of which previously existed in English law, will almost certainly result in a situation where the practice of passing over women is outside the law in any context, and leave the peerage open to attack.
The other danger is that, at any moment, the government might respond to the inequality of the peerage laws by abolishing the peerage altogether as a legal rank, which many of them would love to do. This was the measure adopted by the French government in a similar philosophical climate. For a time, the dukes remained legal when the others were not but that was so clearly illogical that they too were swept away in the end. Now, in France, whatever people may call each other in private, no legal document, no appointment, no passport, nothing, may bear a title. The Labour government may well use the excuse of inequality between the sexes to do this, and it would be hard to get a politician of any party to argue against it.
That said, there is a chance that if, while there are still hereditary peers in Parliament to push it through, a measure is taken which gives some rights to women, then the Powers may leave it alone. If the plan is to give women succession rights after their brothers, even those who would prefer to see primogeniture irrespective of sex would be forced to concede it was an improvement. No distant, male heir would have a realistic expectation of winning a case against a female heiress more closely related to the present peer and nobody else would have an interest in taking it to Court. There is always this issue of the disappointed expectations, but, quite frankly, when it comes to that in a few cases or the whole thing going under, surely it could not be sensible to argue for the latter. As it is, these days not many peers have the disicipline of their ancestors in leaving their possessions to the cousin or nephew who inherits their title instead of to their own daughters. The result is that family after family finds that their rank and their possessions are travelling down two different lines of descent, something the old Scottish/Spanish custom avoided.
People will tell you how difficult it would be and how it would involve re-creating all the peerages from new. I have often heard this but it is completely untrue. When the Duke of Marlborough was needed for another campaign and his only son was dead, a bill was introduced into Parliament granting a new remainder allowing a unique form of female descent to the existing title, without recreating it. The dukedom still dates from its first creation, despite the later, altered, female-friendly remainder. One also hears how hard it would be to trace the new, correct descent, given that women will have been passed over in the past who would, under the new legislation, now have rights. Again the solution is simple. Once the decision is made, all peers would be confirmed in their titles at such-and-such a date (which would more sensibly be one that has already passed), then, using the Marlborough Bill as a basis, all remainders would be made to apply to the descendants male and female, from those men included in the first remainder of the title (i.e. usually in descent from the first holder but there are exceptions), the difference being that the female siblings would be included in the computation. After that, the College of Arms would work out the line of inheritance but, crucially, making the present holder the starting point. So his daughters and then sisters and nieces would come into play, and his female first cousins as well as his male ones, etc., all the women taking second place to their brothers. Once each title had an order of five successors, that would take care of it in 99% of cases. And that would be that.
The only thing I personally would add to this would be to invite applications for succession to any titles which have become extinct since the day of Her Majesty's accession or D-Day or something (i.e. some specific date and not too far back) as this would (a) take the hysteria out of the process, and (b) guarantee a batch of new peeresses, making the peerage look refreshed and modern from the first moment of the change, as opposed to having to wait years for any alteration really to show.
The question is when would you ever be allowed time for the bill. Once you manage to get a vote on it, you may be past the worst. Even with this government, the argument against helping peerages to survive being used against female inclusion would be a thin one, especially as the political element is gone out of it. Most of the older titles are going to survive anyway, as long as the peerage survives that is, with or without the measure. It's just they will almost all be held by men, something the Socialists would find it awkward to support, if the speeches at the debate are correctly written. Their real resistance would, of course be because of anger at seeing the peerage renew itself and seem more modern and less fuddy duddy, which is the main reason they would not allow current hereditary peers in Parliament to retire. I believe the intention was to make the majority look ancient and out of date. But my guess is they would mostly abstain or avoid the vote altogether. The hereditary peerage, itself, has nothing to lose and everything to gain if the change is allowed. Otherwise, I am fairly sure that within ten years, you will see a challenge in Europe that will risk blowing it to bits or a Labour measure that could destroy its legal status and make it into a sort of Neapolitan joke.
The Earl of Cranbrook: Is it not the case that, except in the more ancient instances, each peerage was created by letters patent? Although in general based on a common model, there have been exceptions to the terms, of which Kitchener was one. However, if each creation was a separate and unique event, could all collectively be amended retrospectively? (4.08.08)
Professor Noel Cox: The Human Rights Act, with its general prohibition on discrimination on the basis of sex, could be seen as requiring that peerage succession law be changed. However, as with all human rights laws, there are limits to its effect. It must also be recalled that peerages are not offices, nor are they equivalent to access to housing, jobs or any other “human right”.
Lord Wrenbury observed in the Viscountess Rhondda Claim [1922] 2 A.C. 339 that:
"A peerage is an inalienable incorporeal hereditament created by the act of the Sovereign in which, if and when he creates it, carries with it certain attributes which attach to it not by reason of any grant of those attributes by the Crown, but as essentially existing at common law by reason of the ennoblement created by grant of the peerage."
Thus a peerage is descendible as an estate in fee tail (a form of real property), and an incorporeal and impartible hereditament (property which has no physical existence), inalienable and descendible according to the words of limitation in the grant, if any. The key elements here, I would argue, are that the peerage is a form of property, and that its descent is controlled by the original grant. It is possible for property laws to change – as seen, for instance, in the abolition of primogeniture for real property in 1925 (Administration of Estates Act 1925 (15 & 16 Geo V c 25)). However, to do so can also result in the current heir being deprived of their legal right to the “property”. This would also be a retrospective piece of legislation, which is generally regarded as being bad practice.
Another key point is that the property is inalienable and descendible according to the words of limitation in the grant. Thus the descent of a peerage can only be altered by Act of Parliament (though there have been examples, in Scotland , of a grant being surrendered to the Crown and a new, altered, grant, being made. This would most likely create a new peerage in England , (and now the peerage of Great Britain and the United Kingdom ), but not necessarily in Scotland . Changing the succession of peerages be complicated by the fact that the letters patent of the original grant do differ, and there a thus a number of different modes of succession – quite apart from the special limitations which exist.
Thirdly, there is the danger that any legislative intervention would go rather further than would be desirable. It could be taken as an opportunity to abolish the peerage altogether. The collateral effect on the law of succession to the Crown is also something to keep in mind. That question is also much more complex than is often thought, not least in its international aspects (The Queen is sovereign of almost a score of countries). (5.08.08)
Lord Revelstoke: I am entirely in favour of inheritance by the eldest daughter where no immediate male heir exists or claims, for the reasons already explained by others. I am not sure Julian Fellowes is right when he says "...the extension of hereditary rights to women can only create a sense of an aristocracy renewing itself, even though it will not really be doing so." The aristocracy has always renewed itself in the usual way by marrying 'outside', also internationally and inter racially. Extending hereditary rights can add to the possibilities. (5.08.08)
Viscount Torrington: I would simply comment on Lord Revelstoke's observation that while the 'existing' aristocracy, or rather, peerage, may have renewed itself by marrying 'outside', the institution was renewed by the regular creation of fresh hereditary peers from those who people who were the 'peers' of their generation. This is no longer happening. (5.08.08)
Mr Julian Fellowes: There is certainly something in Professor Cox's argument, but I'm afraid it will ultimately only lead to abolition. Once a custom is unacceptable to a society its days are numbered, whatever the justification. It is also worth remembering that the basis of entail law has been completely subverted, and now barely holds water when challenged, because people felt it infringed on their liberty. The other key element which the public is often unaware of is that European law is not based on precedent, as British law has always been. It is simply based on the opinion of the sitting judges. So they are in effect creating new law every time they open their mouths. If they decide our peerage law is wrong, all the precedent and entail in the world will not necessarily affect them. Of course, in that case, someone might try to appeal back in Britain against their judgment but others would wish to abide by it, and the ensuing chaos would sink us all.
(5.08.08)
Lady Saltoun of Abernethy: I would like to address Lord Torrington’s and Mr. Julian Fellowes’ contributions to this debate. I note that Mr. Fellowes did not declare his interest in the subject, which is that his wife is the lady who would succeed Lord Kitchener, should the law of succession be changed in accordance with their wishes! I am afraid that my contribution may rival Mr. Fellowes’ in length. My views on the wisdom of attempting such changes are similar to Lord Coleraine’s, but I should like to explain how the Scottish situation arose – not through anyone’s proposals.
In Scotland in early times, all titles were tied to fiefs or freeholds of land, held of the Crown in chief, in return for military service. The right to sit in Parliament was tied to the fief, not to any specific person. Whoever owned the fief had the right, unelected, to sit in Parliament. The Barons were the holders of those fiefs which had been erected by Charter from the Crown into a Barony or Regality, which gave the owner, among other things, the right and duty to hold Barony or Regality Courts to administer justice.
Every freeholder of a fief, held of the Crown in chief, however small, whether it was Barony or not, as well as the holders of Baronies and Earldoms, had a seat unelected, of right, in Parliament. The right to sit in Parliament went with the fief, the Barony or the Earldom, and passed on the death of the holder, to whomsoever inherited the land, as a rule to the heir general or heir of the body. If the fief were sold the right passed to the purchaser, even in the case of an Earldom (The reader will understand how it is that I find it difficult to get very worked up about the purchase of Peerages – it has been with us for centuries!). The destination might be varied, when, as frequently happened, the holder resigned his holding to the Crown, in return for a new charter, which might, for instance, erect a freeholding into a Barony, or a Barony into a Regality or Lordship; and a revised destination might then be incorporated into that charter.
Women were never deemed incapable in Scotland of holding or succeeding to land, and where the heir was a female, she took without division. They could not of course sit in Parliament themselves, but it was customary for their husbands to do so on their behalf, and to take their titles.
Attendance at Parliament was no joy and privilege then, but a burden, and it was compulsory. Frequently it involved long journeys, at considerable expense, in bad weather, over almost impassable roads, with no inns, and with the danger of attack by hostile tribes, bandits or even wolves, so fines had to be imposed on those who absented themselves. If you were a very small freeholder you really couldn’t afford it, and there was no claiming expenses for attending in those days!
When James I returned to Scotland in 1427 after his long imprisonment in England , in the course of which he had received an excellent education and acquired modern ideas on the promotion of trade and agriculture, he was horrified at the poverty and ignorance he found, and resolved to introduce legislation to improve matters. This would involve holding frequent Parliaments and he realised that in order to secure adequate attendance at these Parliaments from the smaller freeholders to balance the power of the greater Barons, reform would be necessary. The Earls and the larger Barons were appointed to be summoned to Parliament by a precept directed to each of them, which they were required to obey (“waiving all excuses”!).The smaller Barons and freeholder were not excluded, but their attendance was dispensed with on condition that they appointed 2 proxies per shire or county to attend in their stead, whose expenses they would defray.
The creation of some of these Barons into Lords in Parliament dates from the reign of his son, James II. These Lords, of which my ancestor was one, received no writ nor letters patent. They merely received the usual summons to attend Parliament, and were created by investiture only, analogous to feudal investiture. An entry would be made in the journals of Parliament, and might or might not be followed by a charter specifying the destination. Copies were not always kept of the records (no back-up discs!) and many of the records were lost, some at sea, stolen or sunk in a watery grave.
In 1457 unconditional dispensation was given to all whose estates were under 20 merks that were not Barons or persons who should be specifically required to attend. In 1503 this was raised to 100 merks on condition they sent proxies. But they still all retained the right to sit in Parliament without election until 1587. In that year, James VI abolished the right which the tenure of land had given to a seat in Parliament, and thenceforth no commoner had a seat unless elected. Two freeholders were to be chosen from each county to attend at the expense of all. Lords and Earls still had to attend, and, moreover, could not vote in the election of freeholders, just like members of the House of Lords to-day. From then on, all Peerages were personal and ceased to be dependent on the ownership of the Lordship or Earldom. Impoverished Peers had become a possibility! Peerages were mostly created by letters patent, and were not transferable, but strictly entailed. In many cases the entail was limited to the heirs male of the body, because only men could sit in Parliament, but in instances where there was no heir male of the body, other arrangements were made.
Having said all this, and although I think our Scottish system is much better than the English system of abeyance which only leads to a lawyers bonanza, I think it would be very unwise to attempt to interfere with the devolution of Peerages created in the past. To do so is to introduce retrospective legislation, and it seems to me similar to overturning the wills of long deceased persons, both royal and otherwise, and every instinct tells me that once that cat is out of the bag, a whole lot of other cats, which we hadn’t realised were there, will follow. I agree with Professor Noel Cox that the introduction of any Bill gives the Government a golden opportunity to tack on other things which we do not want, including the abolition of all Peerages, although I think they themselves enjoy being Lords too much to be in a great hurry to do that!
I think the Baronets are being very unwise. Sniffing the air, I smell the wind of change on the feminist front. I think that women are beginning to realise that the storming of all male citadels has had the unwanted consequence of landing them with doing two jobs for one wage, and all the stress that involves, besides depriving them of the right to any female citadels such as single sex wards in hospitals and dedicated ladies’loos!
My advice is keep quiet, do nothing, say nothing, and hope that no-one notices you! (6.08.08)
Mr Charles Shirkey: I'm an American friend of Tim Torrington. Questions aside as to how I made it on the circulation list, I wish to comment. Although I come from a country founded on the proposition that "all men are created equal", I appreciate the indispensable role the hereditary peerage has played in the making of Britain . I read Churchill's "A History of the English Speaking Peoples" when I was 13 and wrote a research paper in high school on "The French Influence on England" -- the lasting impact the Normans had on England and beyond. While a student at Oxford , I studied your political history beginning in 1800. During my summer vac, my father and mother and I put 5,000 miles on my old Vauxhall touring the British Isles for 7 weeks. While my father was learned in English literature, my mother was steeped in English history. We visited the sites where very many notables of English history and literature were born and buried. I am familiar with the role and value of the hereditary peerage for England , its former colonies, its allies, and its fellow members in the European Union.
There is no question the institution of hereditary peerage is under siege, perhaps increasingly so. It began with the changes effectively terminating the creation of inherited titles in the early 1960's. As changes progressed, I became aware of the personal impact they have when my friend Tim Torrington was removed from his hereditary seat in the House of Lords and his position of responsibility in the chamber.
The matter immediately before you involves finding a way to prolong peerage lines that otherwise would come to an end. But there is a broader matter at stake. It is how the institution of the peerage will evolve.
Mr. Julian Fellowes raises the prospect that "By having no hereditary peerages . . . inevitably means that the Court would and must drift further and further away from the centre of public life, until, by the time a century had passed, it would have no connection whatever to the great careers and the great events of the previous hundred years." The challenge before you is how to reverse that. It is twofold: First, is how to sustain the family and social ties that nurture and retain the tested values and noble traditions and that long-range view of history and lessons learned. Second, is how your heirs will respond in decades ahead, regardless of how the political winds blow. To what lengths will they go to retain the respect of their countrymen and take their earned place in the nation's leadership. For certain, it will not be easy. Worst would be if many in new generations withdraw from the "great events" that lie ahead.
Once again, Britain is needed and so are you. The former Soviet republics, the EU as a whole, NATO, the United States and the Western Alliance are being tested once again by the crisis in Georgia . How will you respond?
Viscount Torrington: It seems appropriate to bring this debate to an end at a moment when (3rd February, 2009) the House of Lords is yet again the subject of heated debate in the media, following revelations or rather allegations that certain life peers have been attempting to influence legislation for reward. I am sure, sadly, that such a practice was not altogether unknown when the House was comprised solely of hereditary peers. Some might allege however that in the old days it was the other way round. Lloyd George's party accepted payments from peers to get into the House to influence legislation.....or was it just to get in?
I would like to thank noble Lords and others who have contributed to the debate. I have a suspicion that there will be attempts to change the rules of succession to peerages and that these may or may not succeed in broadening the franchise. If, however, the current furore leads to the usual knee-jerk over-reaction then Britain may have an elected senate in the quite near future. At the same time, hereditary peerages will become yet further divorced from their original parliamentary role, and be seen even more perhaps as an anachronism. Presumably, no more peerages, life or hereditary will then be created. Peerages will the tend inevitably to die out, but the process would be slower if women could succeed where no direct male heir exists. We may perhaps return to this debate in the future.
The Debate closed on 3rd February, 2009
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A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. ... Share Your Faith Products
19 designers and 31 writers invested their energy and creativity to this collection, each riffing on the timeless, inspired words of Scripture. Each designer worked hard to capture the essence of each verse in its historical and cultural context, and to design in a way that makes clear the way in which the original readers would have understood it. Then, after each design was complete, a writer reflected on each piece of art and the verse that inspired it. The result is 100 pairs of art and devotional that illuminate the words of Scripture. Christian Gifts
Artists were commissioned more secular genres like portraits, landscape paintings and because of the revival of Neoplatonism, subjects from classical mythology. In Catholic countries, production continued, and increased during the Counter-Reformation, but Catholic art was brought under much tighter control by the church hierarchy than had been the case before. From the 18th century the number of religious works produced by leading artists declined sharply, though important commissions were still placed, and some artists continued to produce large bodies of religious art on their own initiative.
During the development of Christian art in the Byzantine Empire (see Byzantine art), a more abstract aesthetic replaced the naturalism previously established in Hellenistic art. This new style was hieratic, meaning its primary purpose was to convey religious meaning rather than accurately render objects and people. Realistic perspective, proportions, light and color were ignored in favor of geometric simplification of forms, reverse perspective and standardized conventions to portray individuals and events. The controversy over the use of graven images, the interpretation of the Second Commandment, and the crisis of Byzantine Iconoclasm led to a standardization of religious imagery within the Eastern Orthodoxy. Christian Gifts
“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you. ... Share Your Faith Products
Then Moses said to the people of Israel, “See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft. And he has inspired him to teach, both him and Oholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. ... Christian Gifts
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song. In Judah God is known; his name is great in Israel. His abode has been established in Salem, his dwelling place in Zion. There he broke the flashing arrows, the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war. Selah Glorious are you, more majestic than the mountains of prey. The stouthearted were stripped of their spoil; they sank into sleep; all the men of war were unable to use their hands. ... Bible Verse Wall Art
He also made two pillars for the front of the house, thirty-five cubits high, and the capital on the top of each was five cubits. He made chains in the inner sanctuary and placed them on the tops of the pillars; and he made one hundred pomegranates and placed them on the chains. He erected the pillars in front of the temple, one on the right and the other on the left, and named the one on the right Jachin and the one on the left Boaz. Christian Canvas Art
He measured the length of the building along the front of the separate area behind it, with a gallery on each side, a hundred cubits; he also measured the inner nave and the porches of the court. The thresholds, the latticed windows and the galleries round about their three stories, opposite the threshold, were paneled with wood all around, and from the ground to the windows (but the windows were covered), over the entrance, and to the inner house, and on the outside, and on all the wall all around inside and outside, by measurement.read more. Bible Verse Wall Art
"The house which I am about to build will be great, for greater is our God than all the gods. "But who is able to build a house for Him, for the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain Him? So who am I, that I should build a house for Him, except to burn incense before Him? "Now send me a skilled man to work in gold, silver, brass and iron, and in purple, crimson and violet fabrics, and who knows how to make engravings, to work with the skilled men whom I have in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father provided. Christian Canvas Art
“See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft. And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you: ... Bible Verse Wall Art
"Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall cover it inside and out with pitch. "This is how you shall make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its breadth fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. "You shall make a window for the ark, and finish it to a cubit from the top; and set the door of the ark in the side of it; you shall make it with lower, second, and third decks. Christian Canvas Art
Since the advent of printing, the sale of reproductions of pious works has been a major element of popular Christian culture. In the 19th century, this included genre painters such as Mihály Munkácsy. The invention of color lithography led to broad circulation of holy cards. In the modern era, companies specializing in modern commercial Christian artists such as Thomas Blackshear and Thomas Kinkade, although widely regarded in the fine art world as kitsch,[4] have been very successful. Bible Verse Wall Art
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Boostore / Spiritual Reading / St. Teresa of Avila
Her Life in Letters
by Teresa of Avila
St. Teresa of Avila quantity
Categories: Saints & Holy People, Spiritual Reading Tags: Saints, Spiritual Reading, St.Teresa of Avila
St. Teresa of Avila, one of the most interesting and important figures in the history of the Catholic Church, was also one of the most candid, entertaining, and brilliant correspondents of her century. This selection of letters offers a unique “behind the scenes” look at this most charming Doctor of the Church with details of her life not originally meant for the public.
St. Teresa’s formal works—The Interior Castle and The Way of Perfection—were written with an eye toward censors. Her personal correspondence, however, tell the story of her life in vivid detail, including her struggles to reform the Carmelite order; Spanish mysticism in its formation; and the extraordinary range of relationships she maintained with priests, theologians, royalty, fellow religious, advisors, and friends.
The letters begin when St. Teresa was forty-six—six years after she entered the Carmelite Monastery of the Incarnation in Avila, Spain—and continue until her death twenty-one years later. She exhibits worries, troubles, sadness, joy, triumphs, and questions throughout. Recipients of these letters, and the people discussed in them, include some of the famous and fascinating figures of late sixteenth-century Catholic Europe: St. John of the Cross; María Enríquez de Toledo y Guzmán, the Duchess of Alba; St. Peter Alcantara; St. John of Avila; Ana de Mendoza, the Princess of Eboli; and Jerónimo Gracián de la Madre de Dios.
The story these letters tell is one of enduring importance to the history of the Church. From nascent beginnings to more detailed plans, it is possible throughout St. Teresa of Avila: Her Life in Letters to witness the birth of Spanish mysticism, the reform of the Carmelite Order, and the experiences of contemplative prayer and meditation that resulted in The Interior Castle.
WITH THE CHURCH, VOLUME I: ADVENT TO THE ASCENSION
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The Crown’s Claire Foy confirms split from husband of four years
Rebecca LewisThursday 22 Feb 2018 11:03 pm
Claire and Stephen ‘continue as great friends’ (Picture: WireImage)
The Crown’s Claire Foy has confirmed she has split from her husband Stephen Campbell-Moore.
In a statement, the pair confirmed the news: ‘We have separated and have been for some time. We do however continue as great friends with the utmost respect for one another.’
The pair wed in 2014 and have a two-year-old daughter, Ivy Rose.
Claire and Stephen in 2016 (Picture: Getty)
The news comes weeks after Stephen revealed that while she was filming the second season of The Crown, he was battling a devastating brain tumour diagnosis.
The 33-year-old actress was the toast of Tinseltown thanks to her role as Queen Elizabeth II on the Netflix drama, winning Golden Globes and Baftas, but in her personal life, Claire was coping with the news that her husband, and the father of her daughter, would be going through a life-changing operation.
The two attend the 2011 BIFAs (Picture: Wireimage)
Stephen, also an actor, was diagnosed with the benign tumour on his pituitary gland, at the base of the brain, at the end of 2016 when Claire was filming the second season with Matt Smith, and underwent surgery.
The pair (left and centre) met on the set of Season Of The Witch (Picture: Wireimage)
Of the split, a close friend told The Sun: ‘After seven years together this came as a real shock to many of their friends, but they’re lovely people and are determined to keep everything civilised.
‘They’ve just decided that unfortunately their relationship simply wasn’t working and that this would be for the best.’
MORE: Emma Watson, Jodie Whittaker and host of UK actresses write open letter supporting Time’s Up ahead of 2018 Baftas
Claire FoyThe Crown
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Jeffrey Brown (JB) was named chief executive officer of Ally Financial in February 2015 and also serves on its board of directors. Brown is driving Ally’s evolution as a leading digital financial services company. Under his leadership, Ally is building on its strengths in auto financing, retail deposits and corporate financing, as well as diversifying its offerings to include digital wealth management and online brokerage, a credit card and mortgage products.
Brown has deep financial services experience, having previously served in a variety of key leadership roles at Ally. Prior to being named CEO, Brown was president and CEO of Ally’s Dealer Financial Services business, where he oversaw the company’s automotive finance, insurance and auto servicing operations.
Brown joined Ally in March 2009 as corporate treasurer and, in 2011, was named executive vice president of finance and corporate planning, where he oversaw the company’s finance, treasury and corporate strategy initiatives.
Prior to joining Ally, Brown was the corporate treasurer for Bank of America, where he had responsibility for the core treasury functions, including funding and managing interest rate risk. Brown spent 10 years at Bank of America, beginning his career in finance and later joining the balance sheet management division. During his tenure at Bank of America, he also served as the bank’s deputy treasurer and oversaw balance sheet management and the company’s corporate funding division.
Brown received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Clemson University and an executive master’s degree in business from Queens University in Charlotte. He serves on the Board of the Clemson University Foundation, an independent, not-for-profit entity that promotes the welfare and future development of Clemson University, the Trevillian Cabinet of the College of Business and Behavioral Sciences at Clemson University and on the Board of Trustees for Queens University in Charlotte. In 2018, Brown was appointed by the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago to serve as the Federal Advisory Council representative for the Seventh Federal Reserve District.
Brown was recognized for his commitment to family, career and community with a 2016 Father of the Year award by the Father’s Day Council and benefiting the American Diabetes Association.
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Home News Vodafone Foundation and Hestia launch the UK’s first app to provide nationwide domestic abuse support
Vodafone Foundation and Hestia launch the UK’s first app to provide nationwide domestic abuse support
Screenshot showing Bright Sky app
The Vodafone Foundation, Vodafone’s philanthropic arm, and Hestia, London’s leading domestic abuse charity, are launching Bright Sky, a free and unique mobile app to help people affected by domestic abuse.
According to a survey by Hestia, 1 in 3 people in the UK would not know how to help a friend or family member who was a victim of domestic abuse. The findings highlight the need for Bright Sky, the first smartphone app to provide a UK-wide directory of specialist domestic abuse support services. Bright Sky enables users to locate their nearest support centre by searching their area, postcode or current location.
Designed to log incidents of domestic abuse without any content being saved on the device itself, the app enables users to record incidents in a secure journal tool, using a text, audio, video or photo function.
The app provides comprehensive support and information to people affected by abuse, and also acts as a resource and source of advice for people wanting to help others. A short questionnaire helps users assess the safety of a relationship and there is information about different forms of abuse, the types of support available, steps to consider if leaving an abusive relationship and how to help a friend affected by domestic abuse.
The Bright Sky app brings together the Vodafone Foundation’s expertise from its work with TecSOS – the technology it developed to help people at the highest risk of domestic violence – and Hestia’s wealth of experience in supporting those affected by domestic abuse.
The Hestia survey, carried out by market research company Opinium, also found that:
Almost 2 in 5 surveyed (38%) have either suspected or been made aware that someone they knew had been a victim of domestic abuse
29% of people surveyed would not feel confident giving advice to those suffering domestic abuse and 14% don’t know how confident they’d feel. For those who’ve never been aware of domestic abuse in other relationships, this rises to a third.
The Bright Sky app is part of the Vodafone Foundation’s portfolio of TecSOS products and services, which use technology and connectivity to support people affected by domestic abuse. Previous TecSOS technology has helped over 82,000 vulnerable people across five countries. The specially-adapted technology enables users to contact the police quickly and discreetly when they feel under threat.
Since it launched in the UK in 2011, TecSOS has been adopted by 40 out of 43 UK Police forces and has given over 14,000 UK users a sense of protection and security, with over 1,900 activations in the UK alone. TecSOS was credited with saving at least seven lives over an eight-month period in an independent evaluation of one Police Force. The initiative also operates in Spain, where the project was originally developed, Ireland, Germany and Portugal.
The Bright Sky app is available in English, Urdu, Punjabi or Polish and is free to download on both iOS and Android devices on the App Store and Google Play Store. To learn more about the app, please visit: http://www.hestia.org/brightsky/
Minister for Crime, Safeguarding, Vulnerability and Women Victoria Atkins said:
“The Government’s consultation on domestic abuse, which closes at the end of May, is designed to transform society’s response to how we tackle these devastating crimes.
“However, with nearly two million people in Britain abused each year by those closest to them, we must combine new laws and intervention projects with better practical support for victims.
“The new Bright Sky app is precisely the type of initiative which can help victims, families and their friends reach the help and support they need.”
Helen Lamprell, a Trustee of the Vodafone Foundation and General Counsel & External Affairs Director at Vodafone UK said:
“The Vodafone Foundation is committed to using connectivity and technology to support vulnerable people. Domestic abuse affects families right across the UK. Building on our TecSOS programme, which has helped thousands of people experiencing domestic abuse over the past seven years, Bright Sky aims to support those affected by abuse and provides a resource for people wanting to help them.”
Patrick Ryan, Hestia CEO said:
“Domestic abuse sadly touches the lives of everyone in the UK, either directly or through our friends, family and colleagues. For someone who is a victim of domestic abuse, the support they get from their friends and family can be lifesaving. It is heart-breaking to think that so many of us wouldn’t know how to help our loved one in their hour of need. Bright Sky’s innovative features can put an end to this. By simply downloading the app onto our phone, we can all play our part in ending domestic abuse.”
Case studies are available for comment and interview
Full copies of the report ‘#WhatICanDo: Friends & Family’ & the Bright Sky FAQ are available on request
About Bright Sky
Bright Sky is a free app providing support and information for anyone who may be in an abusive relationship, or those who are concerned about someone they know. You can download Bright Sky for free on both iOS and Android devices on the App Store and Google Play Store.
In 2015 Hestia formed a partnership with Aspirant to explore digital solutions to support victims of domestic abuse. V.1 was released in 2016 with the aim of reducing the amount of time and the number of people a victim of abuse speaks to before they access the support that they need.
In 2017 Hestia partnered with TecSOS (supported by Thames Valley Partnership and the Vodafone Foundation) to expand Bright Sky and improve on its design and usability with enhanced content on sexual violence, online abuse, stalking and harassment, three additional languages and an expanded directory of services. Additional funding was supplied by Comic Relief and the Home Office.
About Hestia
At Hestia, we support adults and children across London in times of crisis. Last year we worked with more than 9,000 people including women and children who have experienced domestic abuse, victims of modern slavery, young care leavers and older people. From giving someone a home to helping them to get the right mental health support, we support and enable people at the moment of crisis.
Hestia is the largest provider of domestic abuse refuges in London and last year we supported 3,657 people to recover from the trauma of domestic abuse including 668 children. We provide families refuge accommodation, dedicated children and family support, IDVA (Independent Domestic Abuse Advocates) and MARAC (Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Centre) support and community group support.
Hestia is also the home of UK SAYS NO MORE, a national campaign to raise awareness of domestic abuse and sexual violence across the UK. UK SAYS NO MORE Week takes place 21st – 27th May 2018.
Hestia.org
@hestia1970
UKSAYSNOMORE.org
@UKSAYSNOMORE
About the Vodafone Foundation
The Vodafone Foundation invests in the communities in which Vodafone operates and is at the centre of a network of global and local social investment programmes. The Vodafone Foundation’s Connecting for Good programme combines Vodafone’s charitable giving and technology to make a difference in the world. The Vodafone Foundation is a UK registered charity, registered charity number 1089625.
For more than six years, the Vodafone Foundation has been investing funds through their TecSOS project to use connectivity to help support those affected by domestic abuse in the UK and across Europe. As part of a commitment to scale solutions for the benefit of more vulnerable people in the UK, the Vodafone Foundation supported the expansion of the TecSOS portfolio of products, including the development of the Bright Sky app, in partnership with Hestia.
@VodafoneUKComms ukmediarelations@vodafone.com
Vodafone UK partners with businesses of all sizes - from start-ups and small businesses to the largest corporates and the public sector. The company has worked with UK businesses for over 30 years, starting out as a mobile provider and becoming one of the UK’s leading total communications partners. It provides a range of voice and data services, secure communications infrastructure, fixed and contact centre capability, and unified communications, and was the first mobile phone operator to offer a truly converged service for fixed and mobile.
Vodafone Foundation and Imperial College London launch groundbreaking new crowdsourcing app to speed up cancer research
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Celiac sprue - foods to avoid
Celiac disease causes inflammation in the small intestine and damage in the lining. This prevents the body from properly absorbing the nutrients in food. The damage to the lining of the intestine comes from a reaction to eating gluten, which is found in wheat, rye, barley, and possibly oats, and in food made from these ingredients. The inability to absorb nutrients can lead to weight loss, fatigue, malnourishment, and other health problems. Gluten may be found in many foods, especially processed foods and baked goods. Breads, cakes, desserts, alcoholic beverages (except wine), cereals, and pastas may all contain gluten. Eating a gluten-free diet heals the intestines and prevents further damage.
Updated by: Michael M. Phillips, MD, Clinical Professor of Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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Home | Node | The Bombardment of Fort Sumter
The Bombardment of Fort Sumter
Tags Historia de EEUUGuerra y Política Exterior
05/23/2018Chris Calton
Season 3, Episode 6. The official beginning of the Civil War came on April 12th, when the Confederacy commenced their attack on Fort Sumter. In this episode, Chris Calton gives the immediate context of the battle, and tells the incredible story of one of the most significant episodes in the history of the United States.
Chris Calton recounts the controversial history of the Civil War. This is the sixth episode in the third season of Historical Controversies.
Chris Calton
Chris Calton is a 2018 Mises Institute Research Fellow and an economic historian. He is writer...
Chris Calton: The March to America's Civil War
Chris Calton, host of the Mises Institute's Historical Controversies podcast, is back with a fascinating account of the...
Massacres and Marijuana: Vietnam and the Drug War
Chris Calton explains how the US government escalated the War on Drugs at home, while serving as a drug runner in...
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Philadelphia Eagles Win Super Bowl LII
It has been 14 years in the making. Since 2004, the Philadelphia Eagles have been waiting to rematch New England Patriots. The last time the two teams went head-to-head, Super Bowl XXXIX, the Pats claimed a 24-21 victory. Today was the Eagles' chance to make a comeback and finally claim a Super Bowl victory of their own. And they succeeded in pulling out their very first Super Bowl win.
Super Bowl LII, the 52nd Super Bowl and the 48th modern-era National Football League (NFL) championship game, was held at the US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN. This marks the 10th Super Bowl appearance for New England. They won five of the previous nine Super Bowls making this their fifth loss.
After a spot-on National Anthem performance by Pink who is battling the flu, both teams came in swinging. By the second quarter, Philadelphia was driving into scoring range, turned the ball over on the 10 yard line. New England then took the ball and drove 90-yards downfield and scored a touchdown. The second quarter ended 22-12 with Philadelphia in the lead.
Justin Timberlake took the field to perform the halftime show. He performed his new song "Filthy," classic hits, and included a tribute to the late rocker, Prince. Timberlake performed “I Would Die 4U" and sang alongside of Prince who was projected onto a sheet. He concluded the show by going into the crowd and singing and dancing with the audience.
In the third quarter, the Patriots scored 14 points while Philadelphia scored seven. The decisive moment came in the forth quarter when the ball was sack stripped from Brady with only two minutes and 16-seconds left in the game - Philadelphia up by five points. Philadelphia went on to kick a field goal. The final score was 41 to 33 with underdogs Philadelphia Eagles taking the victory.
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John Oliver's deep dive into the way WWE treats its wrestlers is pretty shocking
Wrestling, as John Oliver makes clear in the video above, is ridiculously fun to watch. It just is.
But it's not without its problems. In a 20-minute monologue for Last Week Tonight, Oliver breaks down the issues faced by those working under billionaire Vince McMahon at the WWE.
"The shocking thing about McMahon and his company is the extent to which he's shielded himself from responsibility for his wrestlers' welfare," says Oliver, before launching into a breakdown of the many things wrong with the company — from the fact its wrestlers aren't technically classed as employees to the WWE's failure to care for the health of those working for it.
The WWE responded on Monday with a statement, saying they before the show aired they had "responded to his producers refuting every point in his one-sided presentation. John Oliver simply ignored the facts." They added, "The health and wellness of our performers is the single most important aspect of our business, and we have a comprehensive, longstanding Talent Wellness program." They've invited Oliver to attend WrestleMania this weekend.
UPDATE: April 1, 2019, 5:01 p.m. EDT This post has been updated to include a statement from the WWE.
Hundreds of drones light up Kennedy Space Center for moon landing tribute
What could Elon Musk's Hyperloop stations look like? This VR video shows you an idea.
Stephen Colbert slams Trump: 'Racism is your brand'
Topics: Entertainment, John Oliver, Last Week Tonight, Sports, talk show, wrestling, wwe
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by Thomas Bhisitkul
The lapse of a variance is a troubling issue for a real estate developer. Variances are subject to stringent legal standards that are difficult to meet, and obtaining a variance can involve protracted, expensive (in both monetary and political capital) and sometimes venomous proceedings before local zoning boards of appeal (or, worse, litigation). The risk of lapse of variances (and other development permits) is an increasingly urgent problem for real estate developers who have stalled projects due to lack of financing and/or adverse market conditions.
Now there is a significant recent case in Massachusetts that may give some developers protection against (or, perhaps, even a temporary safe harbor from) the risk of losing their variances to lapse while they continue to wait for this grim market cycle to run its course.
In the case decided this past year, Cornell v. Board of Appeals of Dracut, 453 Mass. 888 (2009), the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court provided some long-overdue guidance on the actions a developer must take to "exercise" a variance to prevent it from lapsing. Under the Massachusetts Zoning Act (G.L. c. 40A, §10), a variance will lapse one year from the date of grant unless "the rights authorized" thereunder are "exercised." One vexing problem is that the statute does not define the term "exercised," which has created ambiguity as to what types and levels of activity will be sufficient to meet the "exercise" threshold.
Imagine a hypothetical developer who holds a variance to construct an office building on its site in violation of minimum zoning setback requirements. If the developer actually constructs the building in the otherwise prohibited location, there is little question that the variance has been "exercised." But, what if the developer cannot proceed with construction of the building, due to financing or other constraints? Can some set of activities short of actual construction be sufficient to constitute "exercise" of the variance? What if the developer had completed the building foundation - is that enough? What if the site had only been excavated, but no construction has taken place? What if no actual site work at all has been done, but the developer has obtained other permits and approvals that were necessary for construction (e.g., a building permit, site plan approval, order of conditions, subdivision approval, etc.)? These types of questions have plagued developers with projects in imperfect states of completion on the one-year anniversary of their variance grant. Until the Cornell case, there was very little case law on this issue to help develop the meaning of "exercise" through judicially created standards.
While not answering all of these questions, the Court in Cornell has now established at least a few concrete standards to guide developers on this issue:
Actual Construction is Not a Prerequisite
The significance of this principal is highlighted by comparison with lapse standards applicable to other development permits, such as building permits and special permits, which require that construction be (at least) "commenced" within the lapse period. Given the significantly higher degree of difficulty and cost to obtain a variance in the first place, and given the paucity of available construction financing in the current market, the Court's application of this more liberal standard to prevent the lapse of a variance is a major benefit to developers.
The Issuance of a Building Permit for Dimensional Variances Is Sufficient
In Cornell, the Court established that obtaining a building permit is the watershed moment when a variance holder "realize[s] the benefits of the variance" (the court reasoned that a building permit is "the culmination of the permitting process" which allows the variance holder to "utilize" its property "in a way that does not otherwise conform with the applicable zoning provisions"). In fact, the Court's ultimate holding in the case what that the variance in that case had lapsed because the variance holder had not "at the very least" obtained a building permit.
Conveyance of a Nonconforming Lot is Sufficient
Cornell also affirmed that when a variance has been granted to build on a nonconforming lot, the conveyance of that lot in reliance on the variance is sufficient to exercise the variance. This would apply where, for instance, a developer wanted to subdivide a tract of land into two or more building lots, but (due to site constraints) is unable to create those lots in conformity with applicable zoning requirements. If the developer obtains a variance to building on those otherwise nonconforming (unbuildable) lots, the developer's sale or conveyance of one or more of those non-conforming lots would be sufficient to "exercise" the variance.
Other Preliminary Permits/Approvals Are Not Sufficient
The Cornell case also established that the developer's expenditures of time, effort and money to obtain other types of permits and approvals within a typical permitting process are not sufficient to "exercise" a dimensional variance. In Cornell, the variance holder had hired consultants to perform wetlands delineation, to prepare a septic system plan, and to prepare an ANR plan (a type of subdivision plan), had submitted applications for an order of conditions and a septic system approval, and had obtain approval of the ANR plan during the one-year lapse period (but, notably, did not obtain a building permit). The Court held that all of the permits and approvals sought by the variance holder were not sufficient to exercise the variance, but, rather were "essentially preliminary to the issuance of a building permit."
Thus, developers who have obtained variances, but have not completed the full permitting process as necessary for the issuance of a building permit, are at risk of having their permit lapse (if, however, the developer can clearly demonstrate that one or more of the permits could not have been obtained "but for" the variance, a valid argument could be made that obtaining the interim permit was sufficient to exercise the variance).
Variance Periods Can be "Equitably Tolled"
Although discussed in dicta, the Court in Cornell further indicated that the one-year lapse period may be tolled where, due to circumstances beyond the developer's control, delays are encountered that prevent the holder from obtaining a building permit within the one-year lapse period. Thus, for instance, if the variance is appealed and the developer is tied up in litigation for several months or years, the variance may be tolled due to the practical impediments created.
Notably, the Court established clearly that, in order to assert that a variance has been equitably tolled, the developer must have sought a statutory extension of the variance (under the Zoning Act, a variance holder can apply for an extension of the exercise period for up to six months). Accordingly, if a developer holds a variance but cannot (despite the developer's diligence) obtain a building permit due to legitimate delays in obtaining all other permits and approvals that are prerequisites to the building permit, then the variance may protected by tolling of the lapse period. n
Thomas Bhisitkul is a partner at Hinckley, Allen & Snyder in Boston.
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Scientists find gold worth $2 million in Swiss sewage
by Alanna Petroff @AlannaPetroff October 11, 2017: 9:20 AM ET
Why gold is considered an investing safe haven
Scientists have struck gold in an unlikely place: Swiss sewage and waste water treatment plants.
An estimated 95 pounds of gold is flushed through Swiss sewage systems each year, according to a study by the aquatic science institute Eawag.
The lost gold is worth nearly $2 million at current prices.
The researchers believe the tiny flecks of gold flow into the waste water system from the country's famed watchmaking industry and gold refineries.
The study, commissioned by the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment, involved surveys of 64 waste water treatment plants across the country.
Some areas had higher concentrations of gold than others.
In one part of southern Switzerland that is home to several gold refineries, elevated levels of metal deposits might even be worth collecting.
"Concentrations of gold in sewage sludge are sufficiently high for recovery to be potentially worthwhile," the researchers wrote.
Researchers conduct tests at a waste water treatment plant in Zurich.
The scientists found other unexpected elements in the water: large amounts of silver and even rare earth minerals often used in the manufacture of electronic devices.
The researchers estimated that over 6,500 pounds of silver ($1.8 million at current prices) flows into Swiss waste water each year.
Related: Germany repatriates $31 billion in gold from Paris and New York
Gold and silver aren't the only valuable items found in Swiss waste water this year.
In September, Swiss investigators launched a probe into why two Spanish women flushed roughly €100,000 ($120,000) down toilets in Geneva.
The Geneva Prosecutors' Office said they found cut-up €500 bills had been flushed down toilets at a UBS bank branch and three nearby restaurants.
The investigators said they were concerned the women were trying to get rid of illegal cash.
CNNMoney (London) First published October 11, 2017: 8:01 AM ET
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622. Tony Martin: “The Two Of Us”
Posted by The Nixon Administration in Tony Martin
Motown M 1082 (B), August 1965
B-side of The Bigger Your Heart Is (The Harder You’ll Fall)
(Written by Billy Page)
Tamla Motown TMG 537 (B), October 1965
Unlike the Ron Miller-penned A-side The Bigger Your Heart Is (The Harder You’ll Fall), a record which only narrowly fails to attain the necessary escape velocity to become Not Actually That Bad, this B-side is instead very obviously from the same writer as 51-year-old Tony Martin’s horrifically gloopy début single Talkin’ To Your Picture and – especially – its all-or-nothing nightmare of a flip, Our Rhapsody.
Here, the intensity of Our Rhapsody has been thankfully dialled down a bit – but only from “astonishingly pompous” to “embarrassingly puffed-up”, which isn’t really all that much of an improvement. What we’re left with is another grotesquely swollen MOR ballad, continually reaching out to pluck heartstrings it hasn’t earned the right to approach, and fronted by a man ten years past his best and whose voice is so artificial it makes me instinctively cringe. It’s not a winner, let’s put it that way.
As with the A-side, though – and, if I’m being scrupulously fair, as with Our Rhapsody too – there’s actually a pretty little tune going on here, a tiny spring bubbling away somewhere deep in the caverns of self-satisfied glurge. Unlike Our Rhapsody, the overdone production isn’t quite all-consuming enough to squash it.
I’m left with the feeling that, were you able to somehow scrape Tony off of this, along with some of the Hollywood excesses of the LA orchestra, the end result might actually come out as quite a nice little song. Of course, we can’t, and it doesn’t, but the failure’s not as ignominious as it might have been.
(Or maybe you’re only interested in Tony Martin? Click for more.)
“The Bigger Your Heart Is (The Harder You’ll Fall)” Richard Anthony
“I Don’t Know What To Do”
9 thoughts on “622. Tony Martin: “The Two Of Us””
Was this recorded in LA?
Yes, it was. “Don’t Forget the Motor City” [link given in column on right] gives the recording studio when known.
W.B. said:
That site didn’t mention exactly which studio this was recorded at, but if judging from the sound quality (as I heard on a YouTube clip), I’m guessing it could’ve come from the “Music Center of the World” studios Martin’s old label, RCA, operated at 6363 Sunset Boulevard (the sound quality leaves a bit to be desired, especially in certain frequencies, and is very similar aurally to such other West Coast RCA recordings of the period as Sam Cooke’s “Shake,” Glenn Yarbrough’s “Baby The Rain Must Fall” – and The Rolling Stones’ 1965-66 recordings, although in their case RCA Hollywood’s particular sound quality matched the Stones’ “dirty” ethos and image of the time).
I wonder if The Supremes ever listened to it. (Which I think would have required pressure.)
If it’s true that Mary Wells held some resentment about the profits she was bringing Motown being, what appeared to her, squandered, maybe by this point, Diana, Mary and Florence had some similar, private thoughts: “We’re going out there every night, busting our asses to earn the butter, working ourselves underweight, and this is the kind of shit he’s investing it in….?”
A few years after Martin’s Motown run, he ended up cutting a single on Dunhill (yet another incongruous fit – the label of The Mamas & The Papas and The Grass Roots – and, later, such acts as Steppenwolf and Three Dog Night). His 45 for them was “Theme From ‘The Sand Pebbles’ ” / “This Year” (45-D-4073, 1967). His producer? Marc Gordon, by then gone from Motown (and serving as manager of, among others, The 5th Dimension who were just getting started on Johnny Rivers’ Soul City label at the time). The arranger on both sides was Ernie Freeman . . . makes one wonder who was the uncredited arranger on his Motown 45’s (the last of which will follow in this sequence).
And you think his time at Motown was bizarre? . . .
Maybe his arranger was pianist, Johnny Allen?
nafalmat said:
Its a shame Motown didn’t start regularly crediting the arranger on labels until 1969/70. Just the occasional string arranger eg Riley C Hampton were mentioned now and then. Many other companies gave arranger or orchestra directed by credits long before. Strange really when the arranger is equally as important to the finished product as the producer and often as important as the performers.
In R&B music, the arranger was USUALLY one of the performers, as well. Not sure what % of Motown instrumentals that the arranger played on. I wouldn’t even be able to make a wild guess. But , I suspect that from 1959 through 1962, it was probably a high percentage, with Joe Hunter, Popcorn Wylie, Johnny Allen and others of their regular musicians , doing the arranging.
Amazing to think these stodgy ballads were written by the same person that came up with the fabulous, exciting “The ‘In’ Crowd”.
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New Music New Haven features faculty composer Aaron Jay Kernis in Apr. 30 concert
Kernis draws inspiration from the Italian Renaissance in his "da L'Arte dalla Dansar"
The Yale School of Music presents a New Music New Haven concert on Tuesday, April 30, 2013. The concert features faculty composer Aaron Jay Kernis and his 2011 piece da L’Arte della Danssar, written for the unusual combination of soprano, flute, viola, harp, and percussion.
The concert also features new music by graduate composers in the School of Music’s prestigious composition program: Stephen Feigenbaum, William Gardiner, Michael Holloway, Bálint Karosi, and Brendon Randall-Myers.
Kernis’s piece, translated in English as From the Art of Dance, is inspired by the music and dance of Renaissance Italy. Kernis said, “Over the course of my composing life I’ve been repeatedly drawn to dance, and my works are full of references to it. This most recent group of works draws upon my fascination with mid–15th-century texts and music of that time (and slightly later), which I very happily channeled.”
A review of the piece’s premiere said the piece has a “buoyant clarity… each musician pulls a different kind of weight. Simultaneous activities managed to be both independent and interdependent… Vocal contours were efficient and affecting, revealing intimacies with deliberate manner and spare harp accompaniment.” The composition was commissioned by Astral Artists with funding from the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage through the Philadelphia Music Project.
The concert begins at 8 pm at Trinity Lutheran Church (292 Orange Street, New Haven). Admission is free, and no tickets are required. For more information, call the Yale School of Music concert office at 203 432-4158 or visit music.yale.edu.
About the Featured Composer
Among the most esteemed musical figures of his generation, Grawemeyer- and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Aaron Jay Kernis has been on the faculty at the Yale School of Music since 2003. He has been commissioned by sopranos Renee Fleming and Dawn Upshaw, violinists Joshua Bell and Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, guitarist Sharon Isbin, and institutions including the New York Philharmonic and Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, BBC Proms, Los Angeles, Walt Disney Company, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and Rose Center for Earth and Space at the Museum of Natural History. His upcoming works include commissions for the New York Philharmonic and a consortium of “Top 10” college wind ensembles, the Seattle Symphony, and Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. Recent recordings include song cycles by soprano Susan Narucki (Koch), and orchestral works by the Grant Park Festival Orchestra (Cedille). He has received the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s Stoeger Prize, Rome Prize, Guggenheim Fellowship, and multiple Grammy nominations, and was Composer-in-Residence for the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Minnesota Public Radio, and American Composers Forum. He is New Music Advisor for the Minnesota Orchestra and chairman and co-director of its Composer Institute.
aaron jay kernis, balint karosi, brendon randall-myers, Michael Holloway, new music, new music new haven, stephen feigenbaum, william gardiner
[…] April 30 This month’s audacious New Music New Haven concert, 8 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church (292 Orange Street, New Haven; 203-432-4158), features works by […]
April 29th, 2013 | This Week in New Haven (April 29 – May 5) | Daily Nutmeg
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11.14.16Conrad Hotels & Resorts Introduces New Luxury Hotel To Chicago’s Magnificent Mile
“The team at Conrad Chicago has worked tirelessly to create what will be a hotel that will truly inspire guests,” said Kelly Vohs, general manager, Conrad Chicago. “In partnership with Geller Capital Partners and Wanxiang America Real Estate Group, we were presented with an opportunity to build a luxury hotel that appeals to today’s worldly traveler in a way that other hotels in the city don’t, or perhaps, can’t. The magic is our unique ability at Conrad Chicago to combine technology and design with team members who are committed to doing whatever it takes to make our guests’ stay memorable. We do that one interaction at time, every time.”
10.19.16Conrad Maldives Rangali Island Unveils Striking New Beach Villas
Reinforcing its position as a champion of smart luxury, the iconic Conrad Maldives Rangali Island has emerged from refurbishment as one of the Maldives’ most applauded resorts. In a strategic move to continually attract guests, the resort has invested US 3.2 million in redeveloping its award-winning beach villas which are set to launch this October.
10.03.16Local Influences Inspire Conrad Dublin Transformation
Conrad Dublin has been transformed, and today unveiled the final elements of a major refurbishment programme that has been heavily inspired and influenced by Dublin’s rich literary culture and local heritage.
08.24.16Hilton to Introduce Two New Brands to Kuwait at The Avenues Mall
Hilton and Al-Rai Real Estate Co – owned by Mabanee Co – announced plans today which will see Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton’s smart luxury hotel brand, and midscale Hilton Garden Inn open their doors to guests in early 2019. The development forms part of an ambitious expansion project which will see almost $1billion devoted towards solidifying the position of The Avenues Mall in Kuwait City as one of the world’s top retail destinations.
08.22.16Conrad Hotels & Resorts Unveils Smart Luxury in China’s Fujian Province with Opening of Conrad Xiamen
Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton’s (NYSE: HLT) smart luxury hotel brand, today announced the opening of Conrad Xiamen, on the southwestern coast of Xiamen Island. Owned by Shimao Group and managed by Hilton, Conrad Xiamen is the first Conrad hotel in Fujian province, the sixth in China among a portfolio that includes Conrad Hong Kong, Conrad Sanya Haitang Bay, Conrad Dalian, Conrad Macao, and Conrad Beijing, and joins the larger Hilton portfolio of over 70 hotels in China.
08.19.16Conrad Dublin launches stylish new bar as part of £8million renovation plan
Lemuel’s, part of Conrad Dublin’s €8 million renovation plan, is now open. The stylish new restaurant is named after fictional traveller Lemuel Gulliver from the international classic Gulliver’s Travels, and the design of the bar is infused with touches of the tale woven into every corner.
07.11.16Conrad Hotels & Resorts to Debut Smart Luxury in the South Pacific
Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Worldwide‘s (NYSE: HLT) luxury hotel portfolio for the new smart luxury traveler, today announced the signing of a franchise agreement with SA BORA BORA NUI for the Conrad Bora Bora Nui. The 115-key resort, formerly known as Hilton Bora Bora Nui Resort & Spa, will undergo a multimillion-dollar refurbishment and open as Conrad Bora Bora Nui in March 2017.
06.29.16Construction Begins on Hines and Qatari Diar’s Conrad Washington, D.C. Luxury Hotel at CityCenterDC
Hines, the international real estate firm, Qatari Diar, the real estate development entity of the Qatar Investment Authority (the co-developers of CityCenterDC), Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Worldwide’s (NYSE: HLT) smart luxury hotel brand, and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser confirmed today the start of construction of the Conrad Washington, D.C., a 360-room luxury hotel with 30,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space at CityCenterDC; the landmark 10-acre, mixed-use development located in the heart of the nation’s capital. Initial occupancy for the hotel is expected in the first quarter of 2019.
06.15.16Conrad Hotels & Resorts Debuts Smart Luxury in the Philippines with Opening of Conrad Manila
Today, the inspired luxury of Conrad Hotels & Resorts makes its debut in the Philippines with the opening of Conrad Manila. Owned by SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation, a subsidiary of SM Investment Corporation and managed by Hilton Worldwide (NYSE: HLT), the 347 room Conrad Manila is located at the forefront of the Mall of Asia complex, in the heart of the 42 hectare Bay City development, a destination earmarked as a shopping, leisure, and business hub.
06.07.16Conrad Hotels & Resorts Opens the Doors to Conrad Makkah in the Heart of the Holy City
Conrad Hotels & Resorts today celebrates the opening of its first hotel in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – the 438-room Conrad Makkah. Set in the heart of the Holy City and overlooking the Sacred Mosque, Al Masjid al Haram, and the Holy Kaabah, the hotel is designed for today’s smart luxury traveller, combining intuitive service with sophisticated, locally inspired surroundings.
04.13.16Conrad Hotels & Resorts Set to Debut Smart Luxury in Doha, Qatar
Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Worldwide's (NYSE: HLT) luxury hotel portfolio for the new smart luxury traveller, today announced the signing of a management agreement with Assets Real Estate Development Company for the 325 guestroom Conrad Doha, expected to open in early 2019.
04.06.16Conrad Hotels & Resorts Announces Debut of Conrad Pune in India
The smart luxury and intuitive service of the Conrad Hotels & Resorts brand debuts in India with the opening of Conrad Pune. Located in the heart of the central business district, the iconic Art Deco inspired Conrad Pune is the epitome of curated experience, services and sophisticated style. The hotel is managed by Hilton Worldwide and owned by Palm Grove Beach Hotels Pvt. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of the K. Raheja Constructions Group.
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Press Release -- December 2nd, 2014
Source: Global Telecom & Technology
GTT Named one of Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 Companies
McLean, VA, December 2, 2014—GTT Communications, Inc. (NYSE: GTT), the leading global cloud networking provider to multinational clients, announced today that GTT is ranked on Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500™ as one of the fastest growing technology companies in North America.
“GTT is proud that Deloitte has ranked us as one of the fastest growing technology companies in North America,” said Rick Calder, GTT President and CEO. “Our strong growth is driven by the successful execution of our strategy, to provide ubiquitous network connectivity worldwide, expand our cloud networking services to multinational clients and deliver outstanding client experience.”
“The companies ranked on the 2014 Deloitte Technology Fast 500 continue to set the bar for their industry higher each year,” said Eric Openshaw, vice chairman, Deloitte LLP and U.S. technology, media and telecommunications leader. “There are so many exciting products and smart thought leaders driving this list. We congratulate the Fast 500 companies and look forward to seeing them continue their momentum into 2015.”
The Deloitte Fast 500™ rankings are based on the percentage fiscal year revenue growth from 2009 to 2013.
“GTT reported revenue of $157 million in 2013, reflecting a growth rate of 145% since 2009,” said Michael Bauer, GTT’s Chief Financial Officer. “For the last quarter ended September 30, 2014, GTT’s annualized revenue run rate grew to $197 million. GTT’s next financial objective is $400 million in revenue and $100 million in adjusted EBITDA.”
About GTT
GTT operates a global Tier 1 IP network connecting to any location in the world and with any application in the cloud. Our cloud networking services provide a better way for multinational clients to embrace the cloud. Our clients trust us to deliver solutions with simplicity, speed and agility so they can compete effectively in the global economy. For more information, visit www.gtt.net.
GTT Media Inquiries
Ann Rote
ann.rote@gtt.net
Previous: Ericsson maintains a leadership position in Gartner’s Operations Support Systems Magic Quadrant
Next: NSD Vault Expands Into Data Foundry’s Houston 2 Data Center
PAETEC Again Named to the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 List of Growing Companies
EdgeCast Ranks in Fastest Growing Companies in North America on Deloitte’s 2013 Technology Fast 500™
Acme Packet named among North America’s fastest growing companies in Deloitte’s 2011 Technology Fast 500™
BTI Systems is Named to Deloitte Technology Fast 50 for Sixth Year
Cbeyond Ranked on Deloitte’s 2010 Technology Fast 500(TM) List of Fastest Growing Companies in North America
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ICE to see if 75 businesses in NJ hired unauthorized immigrant workers
A nationwide crackdown on the hiring of people living in the country illegally included ICE officials visiting dozens of New Jersey businesses.
A spokesperson for ICE confirmed that 75 businesses in the state were served notices of inspection. The agency on Thursday did not publicly identify the businesses.
The 75 businesses in New Jersey were just a small fraction of the more than 5,200 notices that were delivered to businesses across the country. These businesses are required to allow ICE agents to check their I-9 forms in order to show they are complying with federal employment laws.
As a result of the more than 5,000 notices, ICE agents arrested more than 90 people. Upon receiving the notices, employers are required to provide their company's I-9s within three days or they could face fines or other legal action. In the fiscal year for 2017, businesses paid more than $97 million in forfeitures, fines and restitution, and another $7 million in civil fines.
"This is not a victimless crime," Acting Executive Associate Director of HSI Derek N. Benner said. "Unauthorized workers often use stolen identities of legal U.S. workers, which can significantly impact the identity theft victim's credit, medical records and other aspects of their everyday life."
ICE workforce enforcement operations can often lead to uncovering other criminal activity, according to a statement from the agency. These crimes can include human trafficking, money laundering, document fraud and substandard working conditions.
Immigration enforcement officers have been busy in New Jersey in recent weeks. ICE recently arrested 37 people in Middlesex County over a five-day period. More than a dozen had been previously arrested and held at the county jail, before being released despite ICE detainer orders.
Filed Under: immigration, Newsletter
Categories: Money & Business, New Jersey News
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Tag Archives: abbey road
The Technical Constraints That Made Abbey Road So Good – The Atlantic.
The sanctum sanctorum of Abbey Road is Studio Two, the room where the majority of The Beatles’ recordings were made.
Standing at the threshold of Studio Two, it doesn’t look all that different from a small school gymnasium: a big rectangular box with white walls, 24-foot-high ceilings, and a parquet floor. But as soon as we entered, any thoughts of dribbling basketballs fell away, as I began to remember images of John Lennon and Paul McCartney standing around a microphone at the far end of the room, working out their harmonies.
When each of the tools in that display was first introduced, many music experts were totally wrong about the impact they would have on creative culture. “Records will kill live music,” they said as the phonograph gained popularity. Tape recording was initially viewed with suspicion by recordists accustomed to using disc-cutting lathes.
As digital technology arrived, many people thought it would surely relegate analog recording equipment to the scrap heap. In what seems like a stunning example of shortsightedness, some of Abbey Road’s most noteworthy gear was sold off in a 1980 sale as “memorabilia” at bargain-basement prices. One example—A 4-track recorder used on “Sgt. Peppers’” went for just $800 (that’s $2,300 in today’s money).
For melodic pop music, Studio Two has physical, tonal qualities which transcend its humble appearance. “It emphasizes the midrange,” Kehew says, ”and has a warm, short reverb unusual for a room its size.” These reverberant qualities are so well known that Abbey Road’s rental contract actually prohibits any sampling of its distinctive acoustic signature. As I stood in the room, I could hear the echoes of the vocals and kick drums on some of my favorite recordings of all time.
Kehew agrees that every tool can have a place as part of an artistic palate. “Old is not good or bad,” he said. “Question it. Try it. Listen. Buy weird bad gear and great quality gear—see what it does for you. I love Jon Brion’s quote—‘I don’t want to be Lo-Fi or Hi-Fi, I want to be ALL-Fi!’”
Scott touched on this in the lecture too, recounting that this was the approach that caused Beatles producer George Martin to turn down Abbey Road’s first 8-track recorder for use on the White Album. The 4-track recorders used for years by The Beatles had been specially modified to help create some of their signature sounds. Because the new 8-track recorder lacked those modifications, Martin declined to bring it into the session. His thinking, Scott said, was that it would be better for the process to maintain continuity.
In an ironic twist, Scott mentioned that The Beatles themselves had a different idea. They decided to use the 8-track without Martin’s permission, which got Scott and another engineer into a fair amount of trouble. The fact that the device was used to track parts of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” probably helped accelerate the forgiveness. Even though new technologies can kill off old ways of working, it’s ultimately up to humans to decide the hour that they should.
“It was the 60s,” Scott said of the incident. “Rules were meant to be broken.”
At the beginning of the Beatles era, technicians had to complete what amounted to an extended apprenticeship program—and were even required to wear white lab coats (Winston Churchill once quipped that Abbey Road made him feel like he was visiting a hospital). Prospective engineers were brought up through the ranks slowly and instructed on the “rules of the process” at each stage.
But as the 60s went on, culture—specifically counter-culture—began seeping into the studio and changing that dynamic relationship between the engineers and their tools. Over time, the room became filled with incredibly skilled people who were willing to break any rule if it helped their artists create new and interesting sounds.
It was this combination of playfulness, openness to risk-taking, and deep professionalism which enabled Abbey Road’s technicians to respond to seemingly off-the-wall requests from The Beatles. Engineers began to record amps inside cupboards to get unique sounds. The studio’s tape recorders were rewired to automatically double-track performances. The tapes themselves were sped-up, slowed-down, sliced, and looped—to great effect. Even a joke, Scott says, was turned into an engineering puzzle that he had to solve when John Lennon took him up on his “suggestion” to fit the entire band in a small utility closet for the recording of “Yer Blues.”
A sort of positive feedback loop was happening: Culture was driving the development of technologies which, in turn, emboldened that creative culture to go even farther to create new tools and techniques. This embrace of the unorthodox didn’t mean that the Abbey Road staff abandoned everything they had been taught in the “white coat days,” though. In fact, Scott says it was that training which gave engineers the necessary skills to successfully and intelligently break the rules and develop all those new sounds and techniques.
When you listen to recordings from a generation or two ago, though, you often hear all sorts of rough edges: large dynamic transitions between loud and quiet, the sounds of oversaturated tape and tubes, instruments bleeding together. Chunked notes. Vocals that are out of pitch. Drums that drift in and out of time. Mistakes. Lots of mistakes.
Today’s creative paradox is that this human element, which often makes a song distinct or artistically interesting, is the thing which is almost always erased from modern productions.
“Do mistakes make music better?” I asked Kehew. Not really, he responded. It’s just that, when it comes to what people like about music, there was actually only one thing worse than these imperfections: perfection.
“I’ve done it and seen it many times,” he said. “Take something flawed, work on it ’til every part is ‘improved’ then listen. It’s worse. How could that be? Every piece is now better. But it’s a worse final product.”
This tendency towards incessant improvement has been encouraged by the power of modern tools. These days, sounds are almost always passed through a computer at some point in the recording process. These computers have their own working paradigms—things like cutting-and-pasting, the automated repetition of tasks, and “infinite undo”—which gives them incredible power to alter performances. It also adds more potential for overpolishing and something recording engineers refer to as “option paralysis,” a state where the sheer number of choices available prevents decisions from being made. Almost any element of a recording can be changed, right up until the moment that a song is released to the public.
The limitations of Beatles-era technology were substantial by comparison, and they forced a commitment to creative choices at earlier stages of the recording process. If, for example, an engineer wanted to exceed the number of recorded tracks that their tape machine allowed, two or more tracks had to be mixed together and “bounced” to an open track elsewhere. Cuts were physical, done with razor blades and tape. Mixes were performed by engineers in real time. Big mistakes at any point in the process could force an entire recording to be scrapped.
It was because artists were often stuck with the mistakes they made that they sometimes decided to embrace them. Once while recording a Beatles song called “Glass Onion” Scott accidentally erased a large number of drum parts that had been painstakingly overdubbed. Certain that he’d be fired, he played the tape to John Lennon. To Scott’s surprise, Lennon said that he liked the unexpected effect created by the glitch—and both the track and Scott stayed.
Scott was clear in his opinion: It isn’t so much the use of these new tools as it is their overuse that serves to undermine musicality.
“The trick,” Kehew says, “is a savvy or talented producer or engineer knows when to be bold and stop. To let character and roughness and lack of polish exist. I can bet most people spend more time polishing something than writing or creating the substance of it. The only cure is to work faster, more often, so you don’t treat every damn thing as being so precious that ‘It Must Be Perfect For All Time.’”
I asked Kevin Ryan if he was able to heed Scott’s warning in his own work. He laughed and acknowledged that knowing the risks of overusing digital tools didn’t make it any easier for him to resist that temptation. Kehew’s final word on the subject was, I thought, an especially Beatle-like principle for not overworking something: “Let it be what it was,” he says. “If it’s not that good, you shouldn’t be recording it.”
Today, Abbey Road straddles a line between modern culture and English Heritage. It has become Pop Music’s Westminster Abbey: partly a tourist attraction, partly a working cathedral where all the traditional rites and rituals are still observed.
Abbey Road is still producing hits though—even as tighter budgets and rising costs have caused many other recording facilities to close. An almost unbelievable number of influential artists and projects have worked (and continue to work) at the studio. Even if you eliminated the entire Beatles oeuvre the list is impressive. Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” was tracked there. Acts like Kate Bush, Elton John, Oasis, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Green Day, U2, Radiohead, and Kanye West have all recorded there. Countless film scores, too—Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Lord of the Rings.
This entry was posted in Main and tagged abbey road, acoustics, audio, constraints, creative process, creativity, document, error, imperfection, limitations, music, perfection, record, recording, sound, studio, technology, the beatles, uk on 01/11/14 by russi4nblue.
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Where does ZAGALA rank in the most common names in the U.S.?
ZAGALA is identified by the U.S. Bureau of the Census as a surname with more than 100 occurrences in the United States for the year-2000 U.S. Census. In "Demographic Aspects of Surnames from Census 2000", the Census Bureau tabulated the surnames of all people who had obtained Social Security Numbers by the year 2000.
ZAGALA ranks # 88461 in terms of the most common surnames in America for 2000.
ZAGALA had 195 occurrences in the 2000 Census, according the U.S. government records.
Out of a sample of 100,000 people in the United States, ZAGALA would occur an average of 0.07 times.
For the last name of ZAGALA the Census Bureau reports the following race / ethnic origin breakdown:
20.51 percent, or 40 total occurrences, were "Non-Hispanic White Only"
31.79 percent, or 62 total occurrences, were "Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only"
8.72 percent, or 17 total occurrences, were "Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races"
38.46 percent, or 75 total occurrences, were "Hispanic Origin"
Search the web for more on the name ZAGALA :
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Resumen Semanal de las Noticias sobre la Discapacidad: Lunes, 14 de Abril – Viernes, 18 de Abril →
Disability News Weekly Roundup – Monday, April 14 – Friday, April 18
Posted on April 18, 2014 by bchaiken2014
Human Interest:
Amy Purdy’s bionic grace on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ (The Washington Post)
A dancer who is a double amputee wears her prosthetic limbs to get through four weeks of competition on ABC television’s Dancing With the Stars. The contestant survived bacterial meningitis, which robbed her of her legs, kidney function, the hearing in one ear, and very nearly her life. Seven months after receiving her prosthetics, she was back on her snowboard, regaining the moment-to-moment responsiveness, core strength, and sense of balance that make her a sensation on the dance floor. She and her partner have been scoring just below favorites such as Olympic gold-medalist ice dancer Meryl Davis. The article includes a video.
Groups want Federal autism dollars reallocated (Disability Scoop)
With the nation’s primary autism legislation set to expire, some disability advocates are pressing for major changes in the Federal government’s approach to the disorder. In a letter to key members of Congress, 18 national organizations are asking for a greater emphasis on services and the needs of adults with autism when lawmakers reauthorize the Combating Autism Act. At present, a significant portion of the funding goes toward underwriting research through the National Institutes of Health. The groups would also like the law renamed to remove the negative connotation they see in the word “combating.”
Social skills a casualty of childhood head injury, study suggests (HealthDay)
A study conducted at Brigham Young University indicates that serious head injuries may be linked to children’s lack of ability to interact with others. For the study, researchers looked at a group of children who had suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) three years prior to the investigation. Those with lingering damage in the brain’s frontal lobes had lower-quality social lives. The researchers found that the problem may be with something called cognitive proficiency, a combination of short-term memory and brain-processing speed. The children with TBI had a harder time remembering things and staying focused, which would affect the way they would interact with other people.
Stem-cell treatment for blindness moving through patient testing (MIT Technology Review)
A new treatment for macular degeneration is close to the next stage of human testing. The treatment is based on retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells that have been grown from embryonic stem cells. The cells are injected under a patient’s retina, which is temporarily detached for the procedure. RPE cells support the retina’s photoreceptors, the cells that detect incoming light and pass the information on to the brain. The company that developed the treatment, Advanced Cell Technology, has already reported impressive therapy results with one patient, who recovered vision after being deemed legally blind.
Intelligent prosthetic liners could ease pain for lower limb amputees (Science Daily)
Researchers at the University of Southampton in the UK are developing the first prosthetic “intelligent” liner with integrated pressure sensors. The sensors measure the pressure and pulling forces at the interface between the patient’s stump and socket of their prosthesis. In excess, these pressures can cause tissue damage, leading to painful sores. Researchers hope that the intelligent liner will be the first step leading to the “holy grail” in prosthetics: a fully automatic, self-adjusting smart socket interface for amputees.
World Cup mind-control demo faces deadlines, critics (MIT Technology Review)
Moving toward a deadline set by the opening day of the 2014 soccer World Cup in Sao Paolo, Brazil, a Duke University neuroscientist is working on a mind-controlled exoskeleton that he says a paralyzed Brazilian volunteer will don and use to make the ceremonial opening kick of the tournament on June 12. The project is called Walk Again. If the kick goes as planned, it will be a highly public display of research into brain-machine interfaces, a technology that aims to help paralyzed people control machines with their thoughts and restore their ability to get around. But the Walk Again project is drawing doubters, who say the demonstration is as much publicity stunt as science.
Panasonic’s robotic bed/wheelchair first to earn global safety certification (gizmag)
Panasonic’s Resyone robotic bed recently became the first of its kind to be certified ISO13482 compliant, the new global safety standard for service robots. The bed-wheelchair combo features a mattress that is split in half, with one side remaining firmly in place when the other half is separated to form the body of the chair. A patient simply needs to move over a few inches to one side and, with a few adjustments, will be sitting upright in a powered wheelchair. A single caregiver assists during the transformation process, significantly reducing the burden on staff.
Winners of Stanford Center on Longevity’s design challenge announced (Medgadget)
The Stanford Center on Longevity in California announced three winners of its challenge to design products that can improve and help extend the lives of the elderly. The grand prize was awarded for a set of EatWell tableware, featuring bowls colored blue to add a visual contrast with the food within, bottom-heavy cups to prevent spillage, and utensils with wide, angled handles. The second-place prize went to Taste+, a spoon that electrically stimulates the taste buds of seniors with diminished taste sensation. The third-place award was given for Memory Maps, a system that allows the recording of memories attached to real-world locations.
This entry was posted in Weekly News Roundup and tagged adapted tableware, adapted utensil, Advanced Cell Technology, Alzheimer's Disease, autism, brain-machine interface, children with traumatic brain injury, Dancing With the Stars, dementia, double amputee, elderly, electronic tastebud stimulator, exoskeleton, frontal lobe brain injury, funding, legislation, lower limb amputation, macular degeneration, memory recorder, mind-controlled exoskeleton, prosthesis, prosthetic leg, prosthetic limbs, prosthetic liner, retinal pigment epithelium cell therapy, robotic bed, robotic wheelchair/bed, seniors, social skills, socket interface for amputees, stem cell treatment for blindness, traumatic brain injury. Bookmark the permalink.
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Notre Dame welcomes retirees back to the classroom
Tom Naatz | Friday, September 14, 2018
At the beginning of the school year, some Notre Dame students might have noticed something a little different about some of the people in their classes. In addition to the usual demographic of 18- to 22-year-old college students, sprinkled in classes throughout campus for the first time was also a group of 15 retirees, the first class of fellows in Notre Dame’s Inspired Leadership Initiative (ILI).
The ILI is a new program at Notre Dame this year that allows retirees to come to Notre Dame for a year, take classes and discern what they want to do in their retirement. It is based on similar programs at Harvard and Stanford.
In 2016, Tom Schreier, founding director of ILI, was among the many retirees who had ended their careers, and he was wondering what to do next in his life.
“I finished up what I call my ‘traditional career.’ I was leading a very large financial services firm based in Chicago,” he said. “We sold that firm. I was really trying to decide, ‘What’s next for me?’ I thought, ‘I think I want to do something different from what I have done, but I want to do something that leverages the kind of skills and knowledge and relationships that I have.’”
Schreier, who attended Notre Dame for his undergraduate studies and Harvard for graduate school, discovered an article about Harvard’s program for retirees: the Advanced Leadership Initiative.
“I thought that to be very interesting,” he said. “I thought it to be a very intriguing, smart way to make a transition as opposed to just meeting with friends and colleagues … and saying, ‘What kinds of things have you done?’ To do it in a structured, thoughtful way.”
Ultimately, Schreier applied to both the Harvard and Stanford programs for retirees. In the fall of 2016, as he was considering the two programs, he and his wife dropped their youngest child off for her first year at Notre Dame.
“I was approached by people I know who are in the University leadership and they asked, ‘What are you going to do now?’” he said. “I was telling them I was trying to decide between the two programs and they said, ‘Would you ever consider catalyzing a program like this at the University of Notre Dame?’ They said the senior leadership of the University was very interested in doing it and believed very strongly that Notre Dame could create a truly distinctive offering in this space.”
Schreier ultimately decided to help establish such a program at Notre Dame. Two years later, the first class of ILI fellows arrived at the University.
For ILI co-founding director Chris Stevens, the program is a glimpse into a future where people are living much longer — perhaps living for decades after they retire.
“For people who have had an accomplished life — maybe a career in business, or law, or medicine, or non-profit — and they’ve done it for 30 years or so and they want to pivot and do something different, there [was] no place for them to go until Harvard started [its] program about 10 years ago and then Stanford started their version of the program about five years ago,” Stevens said. “We feel like we can do it here at Notre Dame. It really is filling an unmet need. The retirement model is totally outdated. People who are 55 to 60 have maybe another 20, 25 years of life left to them.”
Stevens said the fellows audit between two and four Notre Dame classes of their choosing in a given semester. In addition to those courses, they meet as a group once a week to take a great books class. The group usually has a luncheon with a guest speaker on Thursdays. In February, the group will travel to Notre Dame’s Rome Global Gateway. In May, they will make a trip to Notre Dame’s global gateway at Tantur Ecumenical Institute in Jerusalem. Fellows’ spouses are invited as well, and some of them are taking a class or two, Stevens said. Applications for the fall of 2019 open in October.
One of the focuses of Notre Dame’s iteration of the program, Stevens said, is discernment and working for the public good.
“Many people in this stage of life want to be a greater force for good,” he said. “They’ve been crushing it on Wall Street or working 60 hours a week in medicine, or whatever. Sometimes they want to stop for a second and really discern what they want to do for the rest of their life to be a greater force for good.”
Stevens said he hopes the program is a positive experience for Notre Dame students, faculty and fellows alike.
“We think there are tremendous mentor opportunities, for both students and for faculty. Some students, as the program evolves, may adopt a fellow,” he said. “And perhaps that fellow will come to a hall once a week, or something like that, and be available to mentor and talk. We think there’s all kinds of engagement opportunities.”
Tuck Hopkins of Fort Wayne, Ind., a retired labor lawyer and 1974 graduate of the University, said he has loved his time in ILI so far.
“The first three weeks have been a breath of fresh air, because instead of waking up and having to get things done — because that’s your job — I wake up now and I’m looking forward to just learning,” Hopkins said. “Already I’m hoping that it doesn’t end.”
Hopkins — who is taking a history class about colonial America, an art class about Renaissance art and an economics class about the Federal Reserve in addition to the great books course — said students and professors have been very welcoming.
“The professors have been so supportive,” he said. “For students, looking at someone who’s 66 years old sitting next to you, I wonder what you’re thinking. The students have been outstanding.”
An important part of ILI is the total cohort. Hopkins said he has particularly enjoyed getting to know other fellows. The inaugural group, who Stevens referred to as “co-creating fellows” due to their role in pioneering the program, come from multiple countries and a wide variety of careers.
“The other fellows are fantastic. We’re meeting a couple times a week and getting to know each other,” Hopkins said. “These people are just great people.”
Hopkins noted that despite their diverse backgrounds, the fellows all possess good leadership abilities and, as a result, the group is getting along very well with one another.
“I think across the cohort, I don’t think there’s anyone who has been successful in the same field. So we’re looking at all sorts of lives, all sorts of careers,” he said. “The thing they have in common is that everyone was a leader. Everyone has that desire to succeed, to be successful. The other thing I’ve seen in them is they have the leadership skills that you would want in terms of getting along. … It’s very obvious the reason that they’re successful is that they show their employees the way. They lead by example. As a result of that, we are getting along unbelievably well. We’re almost a protective group now. It’s almost funny. Friendships were almost immediate. Everybody wants everybody else to be successful.”
Though Hopkins is not sure exactly what he wants to do once he has completed ILI, he said his participation in the program will definitely shape his life in the future.
“Three weeks in, right now I’m just having the time of my life and enjoying every day,” he said. “At the end of it, I think I’m going to be a better person for it.”
Tags: Inspired Leadership Initiative, later life education, retirement
About Tom Naatz
Tom is a junior at University of Notre Dame. He is majoring in Political Science and Spanish and is originally from Rockville, Maryland. When he's not working as the News Editor at The Observer, you can find him juggling, watching D.C. sports, or juggling to distract himself from the stressful nature of D.C. sports.
University aims to offer opportunities for discernment through the Inspired Leadership Initiative
Notre Dame is launching the Inspired Leadership Initiative (ILI), a one-year program that aims...
John Affleck-Graves announces retirement as executive vice president of Notre Dame
Vice president of student affairs reflects on time at Saint Mary’s
Inspired Leadership Initiative graduates its inaugural class
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by The Mighty Regis
© Copyright - The Mighty Regis / The Mighty Regis (837101417242)
Irish punk/folk/rock from the the LA based band of misfits
Genre: Rock: Punk
Buy 2 or more of this title's physical copies and get 20% off
1. The Parting Glass (Intro)
2. Real Deal Irish
3. Black Shamrock
4. Reilly's Daughter...
5. Murphy's Broken Heart
6. 21 Patty Finn
7. The Brothers Rafferty
8. Me Mother Became a Werewolf
9. Take Me Home
10. (Untitled)
This band of misfits have been bringing their brand of floor-stomping Celtic punk rock to clubs all over California and beyond for the past 4 years. While their sound is rooted in traditional Irish folk, the 7 members of The Mighty Regis inject a variety of influences into their music. Most often likened to The Pogues, who lead singer Franky refers to as "The Old Guard", TMR also draws inspiration from such bands as The Clash, NOFX, Johnny Cash, The Clash, Bad Religion, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, The Misfits and The Police. Its members having made ends meet in Hollywood via all manner of artistic endeavors, the entertainment value of their live show pairs perfectly with their tight musicianship. They have a rare ability to dissolve any demographic or musical genre lines and make instant fans of any crowd no matter the venue.
Formed in Los Angeles in 2007, TMR landed an early residency at Molly Malone's pub, best known for launching the career of their friends Flogging Molly. After playing countless gigs all over southern California, the band began to spread their sound by striking out on DIY tours up and down the west coast, on the east coast and points in between. Countless music festivals followed, bringing the band further out of pubs and into clubs, and as the band's lineup changed in small ways their sound progressed by leaps and bounds. They were honing in on something special, finding their own specific balance of traditional Irish and modern punk that would set them apart from other bands in the burgeoning Celt punk genre. The buzz quickly translated into a spot on the 2010 Vans Warped Tour, putting the band in front of its largest audiences yet all over the U.S. and Canada. Something of an anomaly for an unsigned, unsupported act, spending well over a month on Warped proved to be the band's strongest testament yet to its cohesion and determination.
A Japanese distribution deal with Uncleowen Records and plans to get in front of exponentially more fans all over the world in 2011 has the band scratching their heads as to how they've gotten so far with no help - be it management or record label - on their own soil. A relentless work ethic and utter refusal to beg for handouts are at the heart of it and have gotten them a very long way. Featured not only on FuseTV but also 'Live! With Regis & Kelly', the band have a magnetic, infectious dynamic whether they're rocking a stage, doing press or waking up on a bus in some creepy parking lot. 'The Reege' continue to plow forward making lifelong friends and fans every stop of the way; and they're coming for you next.
Sláinte.
Florian Richter
You Rcok
The best independent music i've ever heard. I hope you'll get signed by a label... ;)
JIM OWENS
Mighty they are
An excellent spin on the old Celtic sound
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Now You See It, Now You Don’t
by Karen Greenberg and Tom Engelhardt Posted on May 15, 2019 May 14, 2019
Originally posted at TomDispatch.
Back in 2012, I stumbled across figures on the U.S. government’s classification of documents and was stunned. In 2011, 92,064,862 of them had been sequestered and 26,058,678 of those given “top secret” status. (Who even knew that so many documents could be generated by a single government?) And that top-secret figure, in turn, represented a jump of 20,373,216 over all the documents classified in 1995. As such, it offered a striking sense of just how “secure” America’s national security state, including its (by then) 17 intelligence agencies, had become.
In the years since, though figures on the subject seem scarce indeed, such a world of secrecy has only rooted itself more deeply in Washington. Even in what were considered the “open” years of the Obama administration – in 2014 to be exact – there were still 77.5 million “decisions to classify information,” another slightly bizarre way of tabulating the spread of secrecy in Washington. And keep in mind that the Obama administration used the Espionage Act to prosecute more officials – call them “whistleblowers” – for leaking such information to journalists than all other administrations combined.
I think you can take it for granted in the age of Trump, at a moment when the executive branch won’t even hand over a range of documents to its theoretical co-equal, Congress, that matters are not on the upswing. In fact, as TomDispatch regular Karen Greenberg points out today, it’s not just the Mueller report that’s being redacted in Washington, but significant parts of our American world. ~ Tom
Redacting Democracy: What You Can’t See Can Hurt You
By Karen J. Greenberg
The Nobel Prize-winning Czech author Milan Kundera began his 1979 novel, The Book of Laughter and Forgetting, by describing two photographs. In the first, two men are standing side by side, a Czech nationalist later executed for his views and the country’s Communist ruler. In the second, the dissenter is gone, airbrushed out. Just the dictator remains. Today, if Kundera hadn’t written that opening to his book, only someone with a long memory or a penchant for research would know that the two men had ever shared a podium or that, on that long-gone day, the dissident had placed his fur hat on the dictator’s cold head. Today, in the world of Donald Trump and Robert Mueller, we might say that the dissident was redacted from the photo. For Kundera, embarking on a novel about memory and forgetting, that erasure in the historical record was tantamount to a crime against both the country and time itself.
In the Soviet Union, such photographic airbrushing became a political art form. Today, however, when it comes to repeated acts meant to erase reality’s record and memory, it wouldn’t be Eastern Europe or Russia that came to mind but the United States. With the release of the Mueller report, the word “redaction” is once again in the news, though for those of us who follow such things, it seems but an echo of so many other redactions, airbrushings, and disappearances from history that have become a way of life in Washington since the onset of the Global War on Terror.
In the 448 pages of the Mueller report, there are nearly 1,000 redactions. They appear on 40% of its pages, some adding up to only a few words (or possibly names), others blacking out whole pages. Attorney General William Barr warned House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler about the need to classify parts of the report and when Barr released it, the Wall Street Journal suggested that the thousand unreadable passages included “few major redactions.” On the other hand, House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey was typical of congressional Democrats in suggesting that the speed – less than 48 hours – of Barr’s initial review of the document was “more suspicious than impressive.” Still, on the whole, while there was some fierce criticism of the redacted nature of the report, it proved less than might have been anticipated, perhaps because in this century Americans have grown used to living in an age of redactions.
Such complacency should be cause for concern. For while redactions can be necessary and classification is undoubtedly a part of modern government life, the aura of secrecy that invariably accompanies such acts inevitably redacts democracy as well.
Airbrushing Washington
Redaction, like its sibling deletion, is anything but an unprecedented phenomenon when it comes to making U.S. government documents public. My generation, after all, received the Warren Commission Report on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy with significant redactions in the very records on which it was based. And who among us could forget that infamous 18-and-a-half minute gap in the tapes President Richard Nixon secretly used to record Oval Office conversations? That particular deletion would prove crucial when later testimony revealed that it had undoubtedly been done to hide evidence connecting the White House to the Watergate burglars.
Still, even given such examples, the post-9/11 period stands out in American history for its relentless reliance on redacting material in government reports. Consider, for instance, the 28 pages about Saudi Arabia that were totally blacked out of the December 2002 report of the Joint Congressional Inquiry into the failure to prevent al-Qaeda’s attacks that fateful day. Similarly, the 2005 Robb-Silberman Report on Weapons of Mass Destruction, classified – and therefore redacted – entire chapters, as well as parts of its chief takeaway, its 74 recommendations, six of which were completely excised.
Infamously enough, the numerous military reports on the well-photographed abuses that American military personnel committed at Abu Ghraib, the Iraqi prison, came out with substantial redactions. So, too, have the reports and books on the CIA’s use of enhanced interrogation techniques on war on terror detainees held at its “black sites.” In FBI agent Ali Soufan’s book, The Black Banners: The Inside Story of 9/11 and the War Against al-Qaeda, for example, large portions of a chapter on Abu Zubaydah, an al-Qaeda figure who was brutally waterboarded 83 times, were redacted by the CIA. It mattered not at all that Soufan had already testified in a public hearing before Congress about his success in eliciting information from Zubaydah by building rapport with him and registered his protest over the CIA’s use of brutal techniques as well. And the nearly 400-page executive summary of the extensive Senate Select Intelligence Committee’s Torture Report was partially redacted, too, even though it was already a carefully chosen version of a more than 6,700-page report that was not given a public airing.
It’s worth noting that such acts of redaction have taken place in an era in which information has been removed from the public domain and classified at unprecedented levels – and unacceptable ones for a democracy. In the first 19 years of this century, the number of government documents being classified has expanded exponentially, initially accelerating in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. Between 2001 and 2005, for instance, the number of government documents classified per year doubled. Even former New Jersey Governor Tom Kean, chairman of the 9/11 Commission, pushed back against the growing urge of the national security state to excessively classify – that is, after a fashion, redact – almost any kind of information. “You’d just be amazed at the kind of information that’s classified – everyday information, things we all know from the newspaper,” he said. “We’re better off with openness. The best ally we have in protecting ourselves against terrorism is an informed public.”
Along the same lines, well-known judges in national security cases have repeatedly commented on the way in which information that, to their minds, did not constitute sensitive material was classified. For example, Judge T.S. Ellis III, who has overseen numerous high-profile national security cases, admitted his “firm suspicion that the executive branch over-classifies a great deal of material that does not warrant classification.” Ellis’s colleague, Judge Leonie Brinkema, underscored the obstacles classification imposed in the trial of now-convicted terrorism defendant Zacarias Moussaoui, expressing her frustration at the “shroud of secrecy that had hampered the prosecution of the defendant.” Other judges have echoed their sentiments.
In the first days of his presidency, Barack Obama declared his intention to reverse the trend towards over-classification. His administration then issued a memo, “Transparency and Open Government,” that promised “an unprecedented level of openness in government.” In April 2009, he also ordered the release of the 2002-2005 memos from the Office of Legal Counsel that had been written to justify the “enhanced interrogation techniques” that President George W. Bush’s top officials had put in place for use in the Global War on Terror. In 2010, Obama also signed into law the Reducing Over-Classification Act aimed at decreasing “over-classification and promot[ing] information sharing across the federal government and with state, local, tribal, and private sector entities.” And for a time, the rate of classification of new documents did indeed drop.
In the end, though, it proved impossible to stanch, no less reverse the urge to keep information from the public. As Obama explained, “While I believe strongly in transparency and accountability, I also believe that in a dangerous world, the United States must sometimes carry out intelligence operations and protect information that is classified for purposes of national security.”
Disappearing Democracy
Another government tactic that, as with former FBI agent Soufan’s book, has given redaction a place of pride in Washington is the ongoing strict pre-publication review process now in place. Former public servants who worked in intelligence and other positions requiring security clearances (including former contractors) and then wrote books about their time in office must undergo it. In April, the Knight First Amendment Institute and the ACLU focused on this very issue, jointly filing suit over the pre-publication review of such books, citing, among other things, the First Amendment issue of suppressing speech. In the words of Harvard law professor Jack Goldsmith and Yale law professor Oona Hathaway:
“Clearly, the government has a legitimate interest in preventing disclosure of classified information. But the current prepublication review process is too expansive, slow, and susceptible to abuse… In an era characterized by endless war and a bloated secrecy bureaucracy, the restrictions on commentary and criticism about government policies and practices pose an intolerable cost to our democracy.”
And bad as the urge to redact has been, in recent times the Trump administration and the national security state have taken its spirit one step further by trying to prevent the actual reporting of information. In March, for instance, President Trump issued an executive order revoking the need for the Pentagon to make public its drone strikes in the war on terror or the civilian casualties they cause. In a similar fashion, the American military command in Afghanistan announced its decision to no longer report on the amount of territory under Taliban control, a metric that the previous U.S. commander there had called the “most telling in a counterinsurgency.” Similarly, President Trump has repeatedly displayed his aversion to any kind of basic note taking or record-keeping during White House meetings with aides and lawyers (as the Mueller report pointed out).
In this century, the American public has learned to live in an increasingly redacted world. Whether protest over the level of redactions in the Mueller report will in any way change that remains doubtful, at best.
Certainly, Congressman Nadler has been insistent that the Judiciary Committee should see the entire unredacted report. At the recent Judiciary Committee hearing that Attorney General Barr refused to attend, Nadler acknowledged the dangers to democracy that lay in an increasing lack of transparency and accountability. “I am certain,” he said, “there is no way forward for this country that does not include a reckoning of this clear and present danger to our constitutional order… History will judge us for how we face this challenge. We will all be held accountable in one way or another.”
As he suggested, democracy itself can, in the end, be redacted if the culture of blacking-out key information becomes Washington’s accepted paradigm. And with such redactions goes, of course, the redaction of the very idea of an informed citizenry, which lies at the heart of the democratic way of life. Under the circumstances, perhaps it’s not surprising that polls show trust in government in steady decline for decades (with a brief reversal right after 9/11).
In the end, blacking out the record of the grimmest aspects of our own recent history will leave American citizens unable to understand the country in which they live. Informed or not, we all share responsibility for the American future. As with that photograph in the Kundera novel, our children may one day see the consequences of our past acts without truly recognizing them, just as many Czechs who saw that photo Kundera described undoubtedly thought it represented reality.
The record of how democracy is being redacted – sentence by sentence, passage by passage, fact by fact, event by event – would surely have rung a bell with Milan Kundera. He summed his own time’s version of the process this way: “The struggle of man against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting.” Today, Americans are forgetting.
Karen J. Greenberg, a TomDispatch regular, is the director of the Center on National Security at Fordham Law and editor-in-chief of the CNS Soufan Group Morning Brief. She is the author of Rogue Justice: The Making of the Security State. She also wrote The Least Worst Place: Guantánamo’s First 100 Days. Julia Tedesco helped with research for this article.
Follow TomDispatch on Twitter and join us on Facebook. Check out the newest Dispatch Books, John Feffer’s new dystopian novel (the second in the Splinterlands series) Frostlands, Beverly Gologorsky’s novel Every Body Has a Story, and Tom Engelhardt’s A Nation Unmade by War, as well as Alfred McCoy’s In the Shadows of the American Century: The Rise and Decline of U.S. Global Power and John Dower’s The Violent American Century: War and Terror Since World War II.
Copyright 2019 Karen J. Greenberg
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2000's 6 Candles 7 Candles Action Adventure Drama J.J. ABRAMS Science Fiction Star Trek
STAR TREK (2009) – REVIEW
Posted on May 9, 2013 by nEoPOL
DIRECTOR: J.J. Abrams
DVD Review
Not to much has changed since my review back in May, but its second viewing did improve it somewhat. Unfortunately, it DIDN’T improve the plot which at several points crosses the border into ludicrousness, but I did find it more enjoyable, certainly as a blockbuster rather than a genre Star Trek film.
It does not fail as a Star Trek movie by any stretch of the imagination, but it doesn’t succeed either. It is filled with solid, entertaining and faithful nods to classic Trek, in everything from tone, dialogue, casting, characterisation and sound design.
Some of its failings are in the its very average score, which while I understand the logic behind building up to the memorable theme, feel that they left it too late, and seemed to be afraid of reminding the audience that they were watching Star Trek.
The set design was also confusing in parts and left me wondering where we were and how the interiors corresponded to the exteriors of the Enterprise.
On a plus note, the pacing was very good, for an action adventure film, and the sound design was first rate, now I’ve heard it on a real system and not the broken down and poorly calibrated sound system at the cinema.
Overall, I feel that on its second viewing I will up my rating to 3 and half stars, and though I would actually love to go higher as I really enjoyed it, even the first time, it was enjoyable, I feel that there is still too much wrong with it to justify a higher rating.
CINEMA REVIEW (MAY 2009)
(Revised above)
Star Trek: It had been over 7 years since the last, somewhat underrated outing, and it was clear that Star Trek as we’d known it was a dying franchise. At 36 years old in 2002, it had clearly done well and done more than its bit for Sci Fi and Television over that time.
But, in a time of re-makes and reimagineings, Star Trek needed a reboot if it was going to continue. One of the main reasons attributed to Star Trek: Enterprise’s premature cancellation was the fact that it had become bogged down in over a decade of Star Trek lore and its own back story etc.
I was certainly not against the idea of taking this massive universe and re-thinking it, taking the elements of back story and themes into a new and concise vision. Like comic books, TV series build up their characters back stories week by week and James Kirk, for example, had his constructed in the same way.
This in turn meant that you have to either be a fan boy or follow every episode to understand where these characters came from.
Battlestar Galactica’s reboot was nothing short of brilliant, but like many, I felt that Star Trek didn’t need such an extreme rethinking, and for a long while, it would seem that J.J. Abrams agreed.
Now, I understand that setting a 2009 blockbuster in the cardboard sets of 1966 TV land would have been a little ambitious, but the new look of this film fell very short of what you would expect as serious movie to do in my opinion.
Now, the film:
****************** SPOILERS ********************
Well, to start with, the highlights of the casting were Karl Urban’s Dr. McCoy and Simon Pegg’s Scotty. Urban’s McCoy was authentic in both tone and expression. The character was down as well as the inflections. This is a stark contrast to Pegg’s Scotty, who was more Simon Pegg than anything else but did bring a great energy and comic relief to the film. He, as was Urban, were a pleasure to watch.
Chris Pine’s Jim Kirk on the other hand was a worthy performance and I felt that he did carry enough weight to take to the lead role in the film, but didn’t embody the character enough. He was very watchable and fun, but I didn’t feel the commanding confidence was there. Now, I do accept that this was meant to be a young Kirk who will grow into the James T. Kirk we all know, but still, I felt that was missing.
Zachary Quinto’s Spock was very admirable interpretation of Leonard Nimoy’s creation, but I felt that it was lacking something else. It lacked the actor’s own presence and when he did veer from the like for like impression he seemed to end up doing a great Sylar, from his other TV show, Heroes.
Zoe Saldana’s Uhura was a completely different interpretation than Nichelle Nichols, but I felt was a superior one. She has a lot about her and the role seemed to simply role off effortlessly.
Checov & Sulu’s performances were okay, with Sulu leaving me with a sense, whatever, he’ll do, and Checov with a feeling that his accent was completely over done. Shame really.
The sets left me cold at best, appalled at worst. ‘The iBridge’ with its endless lens flares was just sickening to me. Utter gloss over substance, white is not the way to go in my opinion, though the sound design was very good.
The Engine Room and other sets just seemed to be cobbled together, and lacked any sense of cohesion, certainly not what I’d expect from a state of the art starship of 300 years in the future.
And the Water-tubes sequence which culminated with the ‘The Big Red Hatch’ conceit! This was poor, poor, poor writing and to me sums up the theme of his film. It lacks respect for the audience, who no doubt flocked to see The Dark Knight last year, a film which many hailed as a masterpiece, and in small way due to its complex characters and plotting.
As for the music, its new Hero Theme was second rate at best. Michael Giacchino is not one of the best names out there for film scores by half, in fact in even my rudimentary musically knowledge has picked up a four note hook often used by the massively superior Hans Zimmer.
Michael Giacchino is nothing short of a hack and his days of scoring anything for the big screen should be ended right now! Also, the decision to copy Casino Royale’s choice to not use the iconic Bond theme till the very end, until James Bond had become the Bond we knew was poor. In the case of Star Trek though, this didn’t strike me as plot conceit, as more a lack of confidence.
It was more a case in my opinion that the mainstream audience would have been put off by the iconic Star Trek theme, so include it at the end and it’s to late! They’ve been ensnared because the audience is apparently too stupid don’t forget, to know that they’ve spent the last 2 hour watching Star Trek!
And then there’s J.J. Abrams. This man is the most overrated Director/Producer I have ever seen. He has noting to his name worthy of praise as far as I’m concerned besides Mission: Impossible III. The never ending perfume commercial which is Lost is hardly an endorsement and is in fact a savage indictment, and the less said about Fringe, the better!
One of the biggest issues I had with this movie was its pacing. It had a good sense of pace which I certainly liked, but in this case it was trying to introduce too much too fast and wouldn’t pause for breath or to take in details when needed.
The new look Enterprise was okay, but again, I’m not too sure why they felt the need to change it that much.
The Kobiashi Maru sequence was entertaining but vacuous. Reprogramming the test was one of Star Trek lore’s most important plot points, certainly regarding Kirk, but it just seemed to be overly simple and left me cold.
Now, the Delta Vaga/Vulcan plot conceit was one of the most LUDICROUS things I have seen! Forget about the fanboy point that Delta Vega was supposed to be on outer reaches of the galaxy, but if you open a black hole inside a planet, thereby destroying said planet, thereby replacing the planet with a black hole, wouldn’t Delta Vega have been affected or destroyed too?
Don’t forget, Vulcan was bigger than the Earth’s moon in Delta Vega’s sky, so that would mean that Vulcan and D. Vega were about as far apart! This is ridiculous and was unnecessarily written into the film. Sloppy, isn’t the word.
In summary, some great and good performances, great special effects and a sense of fun make this film very watchable, but it has certainly lost touch with its cerebral roots. It was way to stylised, and not even in a good way, for its own good. And the direction and scoring were amateurish and naive.
We may have hoped for something on par with The Dark Knight or on the other side of the coin, Spiderman and got something more a kin to The Fantastic Four!
N.B. Originally posted 22nd November 2009, revised from the review from May 2009. Star Trek Into Darkness is out in U.K. Cinemas today!
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Trip Kuehne Pulls Away For Mid-Amateur Win, 9 And 7 October 4, 2007 | Bandon, Ore. By Craig Smith
(USGA/Steven Gibbons)
Trip Kuehne, 35, of Irving, Texas, won four of the first six holes and pulled away to claim the U.S. Mid-Amateur title over Dan Whitaker, 26, of Cle Elum, Wash., 9 and 7, at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.
"It’s been a long journey; one that started 13 years ago,” said Kuehne in reference to his runner-up finish to Tiger Woods at the 1994 U.S. Amateur. “I got the job done this time. It doesn’t get any better than this. It truly is a dream come true. I thought this day would never come.”
Kuehne never really gave Whitaker a chance. He was the equivalent of 5 under par for his 29 holes and never made a bogey. His reward was the Robert T. Jones Memorial Trophy and a spot in next year’s Masters Tournament.
"He made par after par after par and it was tough to catch him,” said the long-hitting Whitaker, who was playing in his first Mid-Amateur. “It still was an awesome week. To get this far at this level is something I’ve not done before.”
Kuehne made four birdies in the morning round over the par-72, 6,988-yard Bandon Dunes layout, including three for winners in the last six holes.
He jumped out to an early lead, winning four consecutive holes to stand 4 up after the six holes. Whitaker’s troubles started with a poor tee shot on the third hole. He also had poor tee shots on the next three holes. He got a bit closer with a birdie from 15 feet on the eighth hole.
Kuehne rebounded to go 5 up with back-to-back wins on holes 12 and 13. Whitaker won the 14th with a birdie to gain a hole back before Kuehne won with birdies on holes 16 and 18 to go 6 up. He rolled in an eight-footer on 16 and two-putted for birdie at the par-5 18th.
Whitaker didn’t win another hole the rest of the way. And in the afternoon round, when Kuehne won the third, seventh and 11th holes, the match was over.
When Kuehne lost to Tiger Woods in the 1994 U.S. Amateur final, he was 4 up at the lunch break. Woods came back to win, 2 up. It took Kuehne 27 more tries to win his national title.
Kuehne has held the dream of winning a USGA title ever since. He even changed his mind about professional golf, choosing to stay a career amateur and start a venture capital business. His younger brother, Hank, won the 1998 Amateur and his younger sister, Kelli, won back-to-back U.S. Women’s Amateurs.
The Mid-Amateur, for those age 25 and older, is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the U.S. Golf Association, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.
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Zach Gibson/Getty
Why Won’t the EPA Watchdog Fully Investigate Pruitt?
The agency's cash- strapped inspector general shouldn't have to choose between administrative scandals and programs that protect public health.
By Emily Atkin
The Environmental Protection Agency’s independent watchdog can’t keep up with all of Administrator Scott Pruitt’s scandals. In January, EPA Inspector General Arthur Elkins revealed that his office will limit its investigation of Pruitt’s controversial first-class travel to the previous calendar year. The Office of the Inspector General lacks the “people, time and funds” necessary to investigate the matter beyond 2017 while continuing its other investigations, Elkins wrote in a letter to House Democrats. “The fact is that the OIG has been funded at less than the levels we deem adequate to do all of the work that should be done, and we therefore have to make difficult decisions about whether to accept any given potential undertaking.”
That the OIG must cut short any investigation due to insufficient resources is troubling enough, but even more so given the revelations about Pruitt’s travel in a Washington Post report this month. The Post found that in June alone, Pruitt and his entourage racked up at least $90,000 in travel bills, mostly from exorbitantly-priced first-class flights and one $36,000 military jet from Cincinnati to New York. Under pressure to justify these costs, the EPA said Pruitt has a “blanket waiver” to fly first class wherever he goes, due to vague “security threats.”
How is it that EPA can afford such luxurious travel, but not enough money for its independent watchdog to investigate whether that travel was improper? The EPA and its OIG have separate budgets—and Trump wants to further tighten the OIG’s budget. If he gets his way, this wouldn’t only limit scrutiny of Pruitt, but of the programs that reflect the EPA’s core mission of protecting Americans from pollution.
Pruitt is the subject of at least four OIG investigations opened last year at the request of Democrats in Congress, including the travel audit (which was expanded twice). The OIG is looking into Pruitt’s four-day, $40,000 trip to Morocco to promote the use of American natural gas, which may be improper because the EPA has no role in natural gas exports; his purchase of a $25,000 soundproof security booth for his office, which may have run afoul of appropriations law; and his use of EPA enforcement agents to provide him with 24/7 security detail, which may be improperly pulling resources away from enforcement programs against polluters.
An OIG spokesperson declined to detail the cost of these investigations, citing their ongoing nature. The travel audit appears to be the most demanding. OIG investigators will have to obtain and audit of hundreds of receipts for Pruitt, his many aides, and his security detail. Staff must then determine whether EPA travel policies were followed for each individual on every trip. That’s a lot of work, said Peter Tyler, an investigator for the Project on Government Oversight. “This looks like a full-on audit to be written by the IG himself,” said Tyler, who used to work in the inspector general’s office of the Department of Health and Human Services. “It seems legitimate for them to say, I’m setting a priority, and only looking at 2017.”
Inspectors general across the government—there are more than 70—consistently struggle to prioritize what to investigate with their limited funding. It’s a problem that dates back decades, as Laura Reston reported for The New Republic last year. “[Inspectors general] serve as the frontline against government waste and fraud,” she wrote. “Studies show that for every dollar invested in their offices, they save taxpayers $14.” Still, many inspector general positions across the government remain unfilled, while budgets in others suffer. The budget for the EPA’s relatively small OIG office, which has 253 employees, has hovered around $41 million since at least 2014. Trump’s recently released budget proposal would reduce it to $37.4 million.
Limited budgets often force inspectors general to choose between investigating an agency’s spending or evaluating the effectiveness of its programs. The EPA’s mission, for instance, is to protect human health from pollutants. “The EPA is dealing with life and death issues,” Tyler said. “Are kids still dying of lead poisoning even with EPA lead programs? That’s a question OIG could answer.” The agency’s OIG does investigate some programs intended to improve human health, but it’s also required by Congress to publish numerous yearly reports. The office, for example, must audit and assess EPA employees’ financial statements and credit cards and their compliance with cybersecurity and data preservation laws.
Surely the OIG, despite its limited budget, could evaluate more EPA programs if it weren’t conducting so many investigations into Pruitt—and on behalf of him. The office routinely investigates security threats against him, which are unusually numerous for an EPA administrator. Those investigations, however, don’t appear to have found much so far: In July, the OIG found that two female protesters who were deemed a “security threat” by Pruitt’s security team after briefly interrupting a speech could only be charged with a misdemeanor for unlawful entry to a private event, and the U.S. Attorney’s office declined to prosecute. Another OIG investigation into a “threatening tweet” also resulted in no charges after the woman apologized. (She said she’d gotten overly angry while drinking and watching The Rachel Maddow Show.)
Ironically, these same “security threats” are the ones Pruitt uses as justification for his expensive first-class travel habit. “Unfortunately, ... we’ve had some incidents on travel dating back to when I first started serving in the March-April timeframe,” he said earlier this month. The Associated Press later reported that “unpleasant interactions with other travelers” led to the blanket waiver. But the OIG only has to look at its own files to figure out if that justification is warranted: None of their investigations of threats to Pruitt pertained to air travel, a spokesperson recently told Politico.
Ideally, the EPA’s OIG could focus on making sure agency programs are efficient and effective. But doing both with so little funding is challenging, and the current administration is making it even harder. Pruitt’s personal scandals aside, Trump is aggressively repealing anti-pollution regulations, so it’s more important than ever that the OIG evaluate whether the EPA is fulfilling its core mission. It’s a shame that the OIG has to choose between investigating administrative waste or programs to protect public health; few would fault the office for prioritizing the latter. But it’s a false choice, because any well-functioning government operating in good faith would provide its watchdogs with enough funding to do both.
Emily Atkin is a staff writer at The New Republic.
@emorwee
Politics, Climate Change, Environment, Environmental Protection Agency, Scott Pruitt, Donald Trump
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