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The Best Baby Food Money Can't Buy
Breastmilk and breastfeeding protect you and your baby from dozens of diseases
July 3, 2012 / Author: Tara Haelle
When expecting, it can be nerve-wracking to consider all the changes going on in your life and how to be ready to take care of this new, tiny, amazing creature.
In the midst of all the decisions you have to make, one decision should be fairly simple: breastfeeding. As more and more research piles up to reveal the short-term and long-term benefits of nursing, many women do it for the simplest of reasons: it is natural and what women's bodies were designed to do.
"Breast is best. Breastfeed your baby at least six months exclusively."
Breastfeeding support is not always as available as it could be in the U.S., and many mothers feel a lack of support or knowledge. They experience difficulties with breastfeeding, don't know how to seek help or give up too soon.
The American Academy of Pediatricians and the World Health Organization both recommend exclusively breastfeeding infants for at least six months and then continuing to breastfeed with supplemental foods for at least one year.
If moms feel like this is an impossible request, they can do two things: first, seek help from a professional lactation consultant or an OB/GYN. Second, remind yourself of all the wonderful things breastfeeding does for your baby and for yourself - including protection from dozens of diseases.
The U.S. has among the lowest breastfeeding rates in the developed world. Although 71 percent of U.S. moms start to breastfeed, only 36 percent are still doing it when their child is 6 months old. Among African-Americans, the figures are even lower: only a little over half start breastfeeding, and just 24 percent are still breastfeeding at six months. Yet data reported in recent research and included in materials on federal health websites reveal that 1,000 babies' deaths a year could be prevented if 90 percent of mothers exclusively breastfed for six months.
There are also short-term and long-term financial benefits. In the short-term, families save an average of $800 per year or more by breastfeeding instead of formula-feeding. That figure is a drop in the bucket, however, compared to the money saved over a child's lifetime because of reduced disease and health conditions. Those figures range from a couple thousand to over ten thousand dollars saved in health costs because breastfed babies are statistically healthier and less likely to develop a range of health conditions than babies who have not been fed their mother's milk.
Breastfeeding Benefits Your Child Now and Later
Many people are already aware of the enhanced immunity that breastmilk provides. This means that the antibodies a mother's body naturally produces to fight off infection and disease are passed along to her baby through the breastmilk, giving her baby the ability to fight off infections that the little one has not even encountered yet. It's almost like a natural vaccine against hundreds of bacteria and viruses without any side effects.
This may be the best known benefit, but it's certainly not the only one. The list of health conditions that are less likely to occur to breastfed children grows regularly as more research uncovers links between breastfeeding and lower risks of disease. Children are less likely to be obese, less likely to develop type 2 diabetes, less likely to have respiratory infections and even less likely to develop certain cancers in childhood.
Because breastmilk is easier for infants to digest than formula - which uses soy, milk or goat products and is not something your baby's digestive system was designed to process so early in life - diarrhea, acid reflux and gastrointestinal problems are less likely in breastfed infants. In dire situations, breastfeeding is even protective against death, especially in developing countries. In Brazil, for example, formula-fed babies are at 14 times greater risk of death than exclusively breastfed babies.
Consider the list of lower risks that have been demonstrated in children who breastfeed, according to compiled research in the statement by the American Academy of Pediatricians in the journal Pediatrics:
Breastfed children are…
72 percent less likely to end up in the hospital with a respiratory infection such as pneumonia
64 percent less likely to have gastrointestinal infections
58 to 77 percent less likely to have necrotizing enterocolitis, a condition that especially afflicts premature or sick babies where their intestinal tissues die off
36 to 45 percent less likely to die from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS or crib death)
27 to 42 percent less likely to develop asthma, eczema or a chronic skin rash called atopic dermatitis
52 percent less likely to develop celiac disease
31 percent less likely to have inflammatory bowel disease
15 to 30 percent less likely to be obese in their teen or adult years
15 to 20 percent less likely to have childhood leukemia or lymphoma
Three to four times less likely to get diarrheal disease than formula-fed infants are
Breastfeeding also benefit babies' brains. Many researchers who have studied the effects of skin-to-skin contact between newborns and their mothers have found that it helps ensure the brain connections in a newborn's brain fully develop.
According to one such doctor and researcher, Dr. Nils Bergman, who promotes a form of parenting called Kangaroo Mother Care, "In the first 8 weeks of life, skin-to-skin contact is the most important stimulant for the development of the brain."
Breastfeeding is Best for Mom Too
So there's a long list of benefits to your baby when you breastfeed, but breastfeeding can still feel like hard work in the beginning. If you need some more motivation, consider the ways breastfeeding is better for your body as well - both in the present and in the long-term future. For example, women who breastfeed for a total of two or more years are 24 percent less likely to develop breast cancer. And no study has actually shown detrimental or bad effects to a woman's body from breastfeeding.
One of the best immediate effects of breastfeeding involves a hormone called oxytocin that is released in your body when you breastfeed. Called the "love hormone," oxytocin can help ward off postpartum depression, which occurs in lower rates among breastfeeding moms than non-breastfeeding moms. It also constricts, or shrinks, the uterus faster than in non-breastfeeding women. This means your uterus and related lady parts return to what they were before pregnancy much faster than they would without breastfeeding.
Plus, oxytocin isn't called the love hormone for nothing: it physiologically contributes to your bonding with your baby. It's a big part of the depth-less love you feel for your baby when you look into his or her eyes, and breastfeeding makes your body make more of it.
Just as babies have lower risks for a range of different diseases when they are breastfed, the act of breastfeeding offers protective benefits for mothers in terms of disease risk as well. Breastfeeding moms are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, high blood pressure, heart disease, osteoporosis and cancer of the breast, uterus, endometrium and ovaries.
One study in the Journal of Human Lactation found that women who breastfed at least 33 months over their lifetimes had stronger hip bones and tibia bones (in the leg) 16 to 20 years after the last time they breastfed compared to women who breastfed less than a year. Even the women who breastfed for "long" or "medium" durations - both over a year - had much greater hip strength, stronger tibia and femur bones in their legs and overall greater bone mineral density than women who breastfed less than 12 months.
Can Breastfeeding Limit My Diet?
While there is very little that a mom should not eat while breastfeeding, it is important to be conscious of what you are putting into your body because it will end up in your breastmilk as well. The most common questions women have about what they can eat or drink involve caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods and milk products.
In terms of milk product and spicy foods, you should follow your baby's cues. If your baby appears to be experiencing a lot of reflux after you have had a milk product, it is possible that your child is lactose-intolerant when it comes to cow's or goat's milk. Babies can also becomes extra gassy after a mother eats foods that can produce a lot of gas, such as broccoli. Some mothers report that their children experience discomfort after the mom has eaten spicy foods, but this information is based on individual stories and vary greatly from one child to the next.
If you have concerns about specific items in your diet and their impact on your baby, talk to a doctor, lactation consultant or a nutritionist or dietician who specializes in infants. You may have to track the foods you eat and your child's symptoms to identify whether something in your diet is causing distress to your little one. Most of the time, however, a woman can eat everything she ate during pregnancy and more (such as lunch meat and soft cheeses that she may have skipped while pregnant) without any problems.
The jury is still out on the extent to which caffeine can help or hurt your child. Caffeine in moderation has been shown to have a number of health benefits for adults, and it is used in hospital neonatology units to stimulate breathing in newborns with apnea, where they stop breathing for a time.
Most research has revealed that small to moderate amounts of daily caffeine are not harmful to your child, and a good rule of thumb is not to exceed 300 mg of caffeine - or about three regular cups of coffee - each day. It's important to remember, however, all the places you may be getting caffeine besides coffee, such as tea, soft drinks, chocolate and certain foods with caffeine added.
Alcohol can also be transferred to breastmilk, so if you want to have some drinks, you should plan ahead. Generally, one normal-sized glass of wine (4 oz) or a single beer does not pose a risk to your baby. If you want to have more than that, you can pump some milk ahead of time to be available for your baby if he or she becomes hungry while you still have the alcohol in your system. However, there is no need to "pump and dump" if you have more than a single drink. You can wait until your body metabolizes the alcohol and still breastfeed afterward.
Breastmilk "test strips" can be purchased that let you know how much alcohol is in your breastmilk so you can determine when it is safe to breastfeed your child. Keep in mind that if you abstained from alcohol throughout your pregnancy and you are breastfeeding, your tolerance level is likely lower than pre-pregnancy, so you risk becoming intoxicated much more quickly and easily than you may have before your pregnancy.
Feeding Your Baby the Best
Many lactation consultants and doctors believe that formula feeding except in emergencies where a mother is incapable of breastfeeding - such as with an HIV positive mother - can be harmful in small ways to a baby.
Gail Gresham, a lactation consultant in Austin, Texas who has worked with state agencies in promoting breastfeeding, said it's important for people to discuss the risks of not breastfeeding just as risks about other health behaviors are discussed.
"We don't hesitate for one second to talk about the health risks of smoking, drinking, etc.," Gresham told dailyRx. "[Not breastfeeding] is that serious and I don't think people realize it because we usually don't see immediate damage from artificial baby milk." Instead, the only damage that can be calculated are the higher risks for health conditions such as leukemia, celiac disease, obesity, diabetes, asthma and SIDS when a child is not breastfed.
Meanwhile, the benefits that children gain from breastfeeding do not taper off after a period of time. The immediate benefits continue for as long as the mother breastfeeds her child, and the long-term benefits are enhanced by having been breastfed at least to the recommendations of the AAP and WHO. There is no recommended time to wean children from the breast. WHO recommends that mothers breastfeed for a minimum of two years, and both WHO and American medical groups suggest breastfeeding until the mother and child mutually decide to stop.
Although it may seem culturally unusual for women to breastfeed their children into toddlerhood, there is no medical, psychological or health reason not to. No scientific data suggests that a 3-year-old or 4-year-old will experience detrimental physical, mental or psychological effects if they are still breastfeeding.
In short, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put it in their Healthy People 2010 report, "Breast milk is widely acknowledged as the most complete form of nutrition for infants, with a range of benefits for infants' health, growth, immunity and development." If feeding your baby the safest, healthiest and most natural substance possible is among your most important priorities as you prepare for your child's arrival, that's one less decision you have to make on delivery day.
Diabetes Type 2 Diabetes Healthy Eating and Diet Obesity Neuromuscular Disease Osteoporosis Obstetrics/Gynecology Prenatal Care Pediatrics Healthy Development Womens Health
"Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk" "Breastfeeding" "Healthy People 2010, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention" "Longer Cumulative Breastfeeding Duration Associated with Improved Bone Strength" "Can Consuming Caffeine While Breastfeeding Harm Your Baby? An Interview with Ruth Lawrence, PhD" "Kangaroo Mother Care: An Interview with Dr. Nils Bergman by Marit Olanders"
The Answers to Your Breastfeeding Questions
Three Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy
Understanding Birth Defects
Baby-Friendly Hospitals on Horizon
Protecting Yourself Around Furry Felines
Can't Stub Your Big Toe While Sleeping - Can You?
Foods that Boost Brain Power
Prenatal CareOsteoporosisMetabolic SyndromeObesityDown SyndromeGastroenteritisDiabetesFood AddictionType 1 DiabetesType 2 Diabetes
LiraglutideMakenaRisedronateFosamaxIbandronateAtelviaProliaReclastFosamax Plus DBinosto
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Principal 2002 - Speaks the Nightbird v4
2002 - Speaks the Nightbird v4
McCammon Robert
Categories: Fiction
Series: Matthew Corbett 1
Descarga (epub, 653 KB)
Mister Slaughter
McCammon Robert R
2007 - The Queen of Bedlam v4
The Providence Rider
2004 - Mimi and Toutou Go Forth
Foden Giles
Clarke Arthur C
Speaks the Nightbird: Judgment of the Witch
Series: Matthew Corbetts World [1]
After a decade, New York Times bestselling author Robert McCammon returns with an epic novel of suspense that reinstates him as one of the great storytellers of our time....The Carolinas, 1699: The citizens of Fount Royal believe their town is cursed by a witch. What else could explain the sudden fires, crop failures and gruesome murders? Convinced that Rachel Howarth, the beautiful widow of the recently slain minister, is to blame, they throw her into a gaol to await trial and execution.Presiding over the trial is traveling magistrate Issac Woodward, aided by his astute young clerk, Matthew -- who, despite the evidence against Rachel, believes in her innocence. But soon he realizes that there truly is Evil at work in Fount Royal: a malevolent force more powerful than any witch could ever hope to conjure....
Nightbird
MCCAMMON
New York London Toronto Sydney
TO HUNTER GOATLEY
Thinkwhere man's glory most begins and ends
Andsay that my glory was I had such friends.
—WilliamButler Yeats
CAME THE TIME when the two travellers knew night would catch them, and shelter must be found. It had been a joyful day for frogs and mudhens. For the human breed, however, the low gray clouds and chill rain coiled chains around the soul. By the calendar the month of May should by all rights and predictions be charitable if not merry, but this May had entered like a grim-lipped miser pinching out candles in church.
Waterfalls streamed through the thick branches that interlocked forty feet above the road. The leaves of ancient oaks and elms, and the needles of the lofty pines, were more ebon than green, the huge trunks bearded with moss and blotched by brown lumps of fungus the size of a blacksmith's fist. To say that there was a road beneath those branches would be taking liberties with language: it was a canchre-colored mudhole emerging from the mist and disappearing into the mist.
"Steady, steady," said the wagon's driver to the pair of laboring nags as they pulled southward, breath steaming and skinny flanks trembling against the weight of wooden wheels through slop. He had a small stinger of a whip close at hand, but he declined to use it. The horses, which along with the wagon had been afforded him from the municipal stable of Charles Town, were doing all they could. Beneath the wagon's soaked brown burlap canopy, and behind the raw pinewood plank that occasionally fired splinters into the travellers' rear ends, were two unmatched trunks, a valise, and a wig box, all four pieces of luggage bearing scars and gouges that betrayed lives of undignified shipment.
Thunder rumbled overhead. The horses struggled to lift their hooves in the muck. "Get up, there," the driver said, with not a smudge of enthusiasm. He gave the reins a halfhearted flick, his hands protected by a pair of gray cloth gloves, then he sat without further comment as raindrops fell from the furled edges of his black, mud-spattered tricorn hat and added more soggy bulk to his raven's-hue fearnaught coat.
"Shall I take them, sir?"
The driver glanced at his fellow sufferer, who was offering to hold the reins. By no idylls of the imagination could the two be called bookends; the driver was fifty-five years of age, the passenger fresh of twenty. The older man was big-boned and had a heavy-jowled and ruddy face, with thick and bristling gray eyebrows set like ramparts over deeply cast ice-blue eyes that were as congenial as newly primed cannon barrels. His nose—as a polite Englishman might say—was well-dimensioned. A forthright Dutchman might say its owner had bloodhound in his lineage. The driver's chin was also a sturdy piece of sculpture, a square bulwark scored with a cleft that could have sheltered a small musket ball. Usually his face was scraped clean by scrupulous passes of the razor, but today the salt-and-pepper beard was making an appearance.
"Yes," he said. "Thank you." He passed the reins over, one of the many times they'd exchanged this duty in the past hours, and worked some feeling back into his fingers.
The younger man's lean, long-jawed face had courted more candle glow than sunlight. He was thin but not frail, rather sinewy like a tough garden vine. He wore square-toed shoes, white stockings, olive-green breeches, and a short, tight-fitting brown jacket made of cheap kerseymere over a plain white linen shirt. The knees of his breeches and the elbows of his jacket had been patched at least as often as the older man's clothing. On his head was a dun-colored woolen cap, pulled down over finely textured black hair that had recently been cropped close to the scalp to combat an infestation of lice in Charles Town. Everything about the younger man—nose, chin, cheekbones, elbows, knees—conveyed the impression of sharp angles. His eyes were gray, flecked with dark blue, the colors of smoke at twilight. He did not urge on the horses nor spank them with the reins; he only intended to guide. He was if anything a stoic. He understood the value of stoicism, for already in his life he'd endured such trials as might break someone who did not.
As he worked his hands, the older man mused that if he saw fifty-six after this ordeal then he should put aside his vocation and become a Samaritan in thanks to God. He was not cut from the crude frontier cloth. He considered himself a man of taste and refinement, an urban denizen ill-suited to pierce this wilderness. He appreciated clean brickwork and painted fences, the pleasing symmetry of manicured hedges, and the solid regularity of the lamplighter's rounds. He was a civilized man. Rain was down his neck and in his boots, the light was fading, and he had but a single rusty saber in the wagon with which to protect their belongings and their scalps. The village of Fount Royal lay at the end of this mudtrack, but that was cold comfort. His task at that place would not be a gentle one.
But now a touch of mercy! The rain was tapering off, the sound of thunder more distant than before. The older man thought that the worst of the storm must be moving over the ocean, which they'd glimpsed as a frothy gray plain through brief breaks in the forest. Still, a nasty drizzle continued to sting their faces. The hanging folds of mist had curtained the treelimbs, giving the forest a phantasmagoric pall. The wind had stilled, the air thick with a swampy green smell.
"Carolina spring," the older man muttered, his husky voice carrying the melodic accent of well-bred English generations. "There'll be many new flowers in the graveyard come summer."
The younger man didn't answer, but inwardly he was thinking that they might perish on this road, that a stroke of evil could befall them and they'd vanish from the face of the earth just as Magistrate Kingsbury had vanished on this same journey not two weeks ago. The fact that wild Indians haunted these woods, along with all manner of savage animals, was not lost on his imagination. Even with its lice and plague deaths, Charles Town looked like paradise compared to this dripping green hell. The settlers of Fount Royal must be insane to stake their lives and fortunes on such a territory, he'd decided.
But what now was Charles Town had itself been wilderness twenty years ago. Now it was a city and a thriving port, so who could say what Fount Royal might become? Still, he knew that for every Charles Town there were dozens of other settlements that had been devoured by misfortunes. Such too might be the eventual fate of Fount Royal, but at present it was the physical reality of someone's hardworked dream, and the problem there must be tended to like any problem of a civilized society. But the question remained: why had Magistrate Kingsbury, en route from Charles Town to Fount Royal on this same—and only—road, never reached his destination? The older man had supplied a number of answers to the younger's inquiry—that Kingsbury had run afoul of Indians or highwaymen, that his wagon had broken down and he'd been set upon by beasts. But though the older man had the nose resembling a bloodhound's, it was the younger man who had the bloodhound's instinct. Any lingering scent of a question was strong enough to keep him pondering in pale candle glow long after the older man had retired and was snoring in his bedchamber.
"What's that?"
A gray-gloved finger pointed toward the mist ahead. In a moment the younger man saw what his companion had spied: the pitch of a roof off to the right side of the road. It was the same dark green and wet black as the woods, and might be as ruined a place as the trading post at which they'd expected to rest the horses and break bread in early afternoon, but instead had found only charred timbers and collapse. But there on the roof before them was a pretty sight: a stone chimney flying a flag of white smoke. The mist moved, and the roughhewn lines of a log cabin took shape.
"Shelter!" said the older man, with exultant relief. "God's grace on us, Matthew!"
It was a fairly new structure, which explained why it hadn't been marked on the map. The nearer they got, the stronger was the smell of freshly axed pinelogs. Matthew noted, perhaps ungraciously, that the cabin's builder had not been the most skilled nor neatest of craftsmen. Copious amounts of red mud had been used to seal the cracks and chinks in crooked walls. The chimney was more mud than stones, spitting smoke through its fissures. The roof sat at a precarious angle, like a tilted cap on the head of a blowzy drunk. The cabin was unadorned by any paint or decoration, and the small narrow windows were all sealed by plain plankboard shutters. Behind the cabin was an even more slovenly looking structure that must be a barn, beside which stood three swaybacked horses in a fenced enclosure. A half-dozen pigs snorted and grumbled in the nasty mire of a second pen nearby. A red rooster strutted about, followed by a number of wet hens and their muddy chicks.
A stake had been driven into the ground beside a hitching rail. Nailed to the stake was a green pinewood placard with the words Tavern Ye Trade scrawled on it in thick egg-white paint.
"A tavern too!" the older man said, taking the reins from Matthew as if his hands could speed them to that hitching rail any faster. "We'll get a hot meal tonight after all!"
One of the horses back by the barn began nickering, and suddenly a shutter opened and an indistinct face peered out. "Hello!" the older man called. "We're in need of shel—"
The shutter slammed closed.
"—ter," he finished. Then, as the horses made their last slog to the rail, "Whoa! Hold up!" He watched the shutter. "Inhospitable for a tavern-keeper. Well, here we are and here we'll stay. Right, Matthew?"
"Yes, sir." It was said with less than firm conviction.
The older man climbed down from his seat. His boots sank into the mud up to his ankles. He tied the reins to the hitching post as Matthew eased himself down. Even losing two inches to the mud, Matthew was taller than his companion; he stood ten inches over five feet, an exceptionally tall young man, whereas his companion was a more normal height at five feet seven inches.
A bolt was thrown. The cabin's door opened with dramatic flourish. "Good day, good day!" said the man who stood on the threshold. He wore a stained buckskin jacket over a brown shirt, gray-striped breeches and gaudy yellow stockings that showed above calf-high boots. He was smiling broadly, displaying peglike teeth in a face as round as a chestnut. "Come in and warm y'selves!"
"I'm not certain about it being a good day, but we will surely enjoy a fire."
Matthew and the older man scaled two steps to the porch. The tavern-keeper stepped back and held open the door for their entry. Before they reached him, both wished the pungence of the pinewood was stronger, so as to mask the appalling smell of their host's unwashed body and dirty clothes. "Girl!" he hollered to someone inside the tavern, just as Matthew's left ear got in the path of his pewter-melting voice. "Put another log on that fire and move y'self quick!"
The door closed at their backs and gone was the light. It was so gloomy in the place that neither of the two travellers could see anything but the red glimmer of fitful flames. Not all the smoke was leaving through the chimney; a duke's portion of it had made its home in the room, and hung in greasy gray layers. Matthew had the sensation of other shapes moving around them, but his eyes were blurred by smoke. He felt a knotty hand press against his back. "Go on, go on!" the tavern-keeper urged. "Get the chill out!"
They shuffled closer to the hearth. Matthew banged into a table's edge. Someone—a muffled voice—spoke, someone else laughed and the laugh became a hacking cough. "Damn ye, mind your manners!" the tavern-keeper snapped. "We got gentlemen among us!"
The older man had to cough several times too, to relieve his lungs of the tart smoke. He stood at the flickering edge of the firelight and peeled off his wet gloves, his eyes stinging. "We've been travelling all day," he said. "From Charles Town. We thought we'd see red faces ere we saw white."
"Yessir, the red demons are thick 'round here. But you never see 'em 'less they wants to be saw. I'm Will Shawcombe. This is my tavern and tradin' post."
The older man was aware that a hand had been offered to him through the haze. He took it, and felt a palm as hard as a Quaker's saddle. "My name is Isaac Woodward," he replied. "This is Matthew Corbett." He nodded toward his companion, who was busy rubbing warmth into his fingers.
"From Charles Town, do y'say?" Shawcombe's grip was still clamped to the other man's hand. "And how are things there?"
"Livable." Woodward pulled his hand away and couldn't help but wonder how many times he would have to scrub it before all the reek was gone. "But the air's been troublesome there these past few weeks. We've had hot and cold humours that test the spirit."
"Rain won't quit 'round these parts," Shawcombe said. "Steam one mornin', shiver the next."
"End a' the world, most like," someone else—that muffled voice—spoke up. "Ain't right to wear blankets this time a' year. Devil's beatin' his wife, what he is."
"Hush up!" Shawcombe's small dark eyes cut toward the speaker. "You don't know nothin'!"
"I read the Bible, I know the Lord's word! End a' time and all unclean things, what it is!"
"I'll strop you, you keep that up!" Shawcombe's face, by the flickering red firelight, had become a visage of barely bridled rage. Woodward had noted that the tavern-keeper was a squat, burly man maybe five-foot-six, with wide powerful shoulders and a chest like an ale keg. Shawcombe had an unruly thatch of brown hair streaked with gray and a short, grizzled gray beard, and he looked like a man not to be trifled with. His accent—a coarse lowborn English yawp—told Woodward the man was not far removed from the docks on the river Thames.
Woodward glanced in the direction of the Bible-reader, as did Matthew, and made out through the drifting smoke a gnarled and white-bearded figure sitting at one of several crudely fashioned tables set about the room. The old man's eyes caught red light, glittering like new-blown coals. "If you been at that rum again, I'll hide you!" Shawcombe promised. The old man started to open his mouth for a reply but had enough elder wisdom not to let the words escape. When Woodward looked at the tavern-keeper again, Shawcombe was smiling sheepishly and the brief display of anger had passed. "My uncle Abner," Shawcombe said, in a conspiratorial whisper. "His brain pot's sprung a leak."
A new figure emerged through the murk into the firelight, brushing between Woodward and Matthew to the edge of a large hearth rimmed with black-scorched stones. This person—slim, slight, barely over five feet tall—wore a patched moss-green woolen shift and had long dark brown hair. A chunk of pinewood and an armload of cones and needles were tossed into the flames. Matthew found himself looking at the pallid, long-chinned profile of a young girl, her unkempt hair hanging in her face. She paid him no attention, but moved quickly away again. The gloom swallowed her up.
"Maude! What're you sittin' there for? Get these gentlemen draughts of rum!" This command had been hurled at another woman in the room, sitting near the old man. A chair scraped back across the raw plank floor, a cough came up followed by another that ended in a hacking gasp, and then Maude—a skinny white-haired wraith in clothes that resembled burlap bags stitched together—dragged herself muttering and clucking out of the room and through a doorway beyond the hearth. "Christ save our arses!" Shawcombe hollered in her miserable wake. "You'd think we never seen a breathin' human before in need of food or drink! This here's a tavern, or ain't you heard?" His mood rapidly changed once more as he regarded Woodward with a hopeful expression. "You'll be stayin' the night with us, won't you, sirrah? There's a room right comfortable back there, won't cost you but a few pence. Got a bed with a good soft mattress, ease your back from that long trip."
"May I ask a question?" Matthew decided to say before his companion could respond. "How far is Fount Royal?"
"Fount Royal? Oh, young master, that's a two, three hour ride on a good road. The weather bein' such, I'd venture it'd take you double that. And dark's comin' on. I wouldn't care to meet Jack One Eye or a red savage without a torch and a musket." Shawcombe focused his attention once more on the older traveller. "So you'll be stayin' the night then?"
"Yes, of course," Woodward began to unbutton his heavy coat. "We'd be fools to continue on in the dark."
"I suspect you have luggage in need of cartin'?" His smile slipped off as his head turned. "Abner\ Get your arse up and fetch their belongin's! Girl, you go too!"
The girl had been standing motionlessly with her back against a wall, her face downcast and her bare arms crossed over her chest. She made no sound, but walked at Shawcombe's drumbeat toward the door, her feet and legs clad in knee-high deerskin boots. "Ain't fit for a pig out there!" Abner complained, holding firm to his chair.
"No, but it's just right for a hog like you!" Shawcombe countered, and daggers shot from his eyes again. "Now get up and get to it!" Muttering under his beard, Abner pulled himself to his feet and limped after the girl as if his very legs were stricken by some crippling disease.
Matthew had wanted to ask Shawcombe who "Jack One Eye" was, but he hated the thought of that girl and the old man—the girl, especially—struggling with the heavy trunks. "I should help." He started toward the door, but Shawcombe gripped his arm.
"No need. Those two sops sit 'round here too long, they get lazy. Let 'em stir a bone for their supper."
Matthew paused, staring into the other man's eyes. He saw something in them—ignorance, pettiness, pure cruelty perhaps—that sickened him. He had seen this man before—with different faces, of course—and he knew him to be a bully who revelled in power over the weak of body and feeble of mind. He saw also a glint of what might have been recognition of his perceptions, which meant Shawcombe might be more intelligent than Matthew had surmised. Shawcombe was smiling slightly, a twist of the mouth. Slowly but forcefully, Matthew began to pull his arm away from Shawcombe's hand. The tavern-keeper, still smiling, would not release him. "I said," Matthew repeated, "that I should help them."
Shawcombe didn't surrender his grip. Now at last Woodward, who had been shrugging out of his coat, realized some small drama was being played out before him. "Yes," he said, "they will need help with the trunks, I think."
"Yessir, as you say." Shawcombe's hand instantly left the young man's arm. "I'd go m'self, but my back ain't no good. Used to lift them heavy bales, port a' Thames, but I can't do it no—"
Matthew gave a grunt and turned away, walking out the door into the last blue light and what was now blessedly fresh air. The old man had hold of Woodward's wig box, while the girl was around behind the wagon trying to hoist one of the trunks up on her back. "Here," Matthew said, slogging through the mud to her. "Let me help you." He took hold of one of the leather handles, and when he did the girl skittered away from him as if he were a leper. Her end of the trunk smacked down into the muck. She stood there in the rain, her shoulders hunched over and the lank hair covering her face.
"Ha!" Abner chortled. In this clearer light, his skin was as dull gray as wet parchment. "Ain't no use you talkin' to her, she don't say nothin' to nobody. She's one step out of Bedlam, what she is."
"What's her name?"
Abner was silent, his scabby brow furrowing. "Girl," he answered. He laughed again as if this were the most foolish thing any man had ever been asked, and then he carried the wig box inside.
Matthew watched the girl for a moment. She was beginning to shiver from the chill, but yet she made no sound nor lifted her gaze from the mud that lay between them. He was going to have to heft the trunk—and the second one as well, most likely—in by himself, unless he could get Abner to help. He looked up through the treetops. The rain, strengthening now, pelted his face. There was no use in standing here, shoes buried in the mire, and bewailing his position in this world; it had been worse, and could yet be. As for the girl, who knew her story? Who even gave a spit? No one; why then should he? He started dragging the trunk through the mud, but he stopped before he reached the porch.
"Go inside," he told the girl. "I'll bring the other things."
She didn't move. He suspected she'd remain exactly where she was, until Shawcombe's voice whipped her.
It was not his concern. Matthew pulled the trunk up to the porch, but before he hauled it across the threshold he looked again at the girl and saw she had tilted her head back, her arms outflung, her eyes closed and her mouth open to catch the rain. He thought that perhaps—even in her madness—it was her way of cleansing Shawcombe's smell off her skin.
MOST INCONVENIENT," Isaac Woodward said, just after Matthew had looked under the straw-mattressed pallet of a bed and found there to be no chamberpot. "An oversight, I'm sure."
Matthew shook his head with dismay. "I thought we were getting a decent room. We'd have been better served in the barn."
"We won't perish from one night here." Woodward motioned with a lift of his chin toward the single shuttered window, which was being pelted by another heavy downpour. "I dare say we would perish, if we had to continue out in that weather. So just be thankful, Matthew." He turned his attention back to what he was doing: getting dressed for dinner. He'd opened his trunk and taken from it a clean white linen shirt, fresh stockings, and a pair of pale gray breeches, which he'd laid carefully across the bed so as not to snag the material. Matthew's trunk was open as well, a clean outfit at the ready. It was one of Woodward's requirements that, wherever they were and whatever the circumstances, they dress like civilized men for the dinner hour. Matthew often saw no point in this—dressing like cardinals, sometimes for a pauper's meal—but he understood that Woodward found it vitally important for his sense of well-being.
Woodward had removed a wigstand from his trunk, and had placed it upon a small table which, along with the bed and a pinewood chair, comprised the room's furnishings. On the wigstand Woodward had set one of his three hairpieces, this one dyed a passable shade of brown with curling ringlets that fell about the shoulders. By the smoky candlelight from the hammered-metal lantern that hung on a wallhook above the table, Woodward examined his bald pate in a silver-edged hand mirror that had made the journey with him from England. His white scalp was blotched by a dozen or more ruddy age spots, which to his taste was a thoroughly disagreeable sight. Around his ears was a fragile fringe of gray hair. He studied the age spots as he stood in his white undergarments, his fleshy belly overhanging the cinched waistband, his legs pale and thin as an egret's. He gave a quiet sigh. "The years," he said, "are unkind. Every time I look in this mirror, I see something new to lament. Guard your youth, Matthew. It's a precious commodity."
"Yes, sir." It had been said without much expression. This topic of conversation was not unfamiliar to Matthew, as Woodward often waxed poetic on the tribulations of aging. Matthew busied himself by shrugging into a fresh white shirt.
"I was handsome," Woodward wandered on. "Really I was." He angled the mirror, looking at the age spots. "Handsome and vain. Now just vain, I suppose." His eyes narrowed slightly. There were more blotches this time than the last time he'd counted them. Yes, he was sure of it. More reminders of his mortality, of his time leaking away as water through a punctured bucket. He abruptly turned the mirror aside.
"I do go on, don't I?" he asked, and he gave Matthew a hint of a smile. "No need to answer. There'll be no self-incrimination here tonight. Ah! My pride!" He reached into his trunk and brought out—very carefully and with great admiration—a waistcoat. But by no means an ordinary one. This waistcoat was the dark brown color of rich French chocolate, with the finest of black silk linings. Decorating the waistcoat, and glinting now in the candlelight as Woodward held it between his hands, were thin stripes woven with golden threads. Two small and discreet pockets were likewise outlined with woven gold, and the waistcoat's five buttons were formed of pure ivory—a rather dirty yellow now, after all the years of use, but ivory just the same. It was a magnificent garment, a relic from Woodward's past. He had come to breadcrumbs and briars on several occasions, facing a bare larder and an even barer pocketbook, but though this garment would procure a pretty sum in the Charles Town marketplace he had never entertained a notion of selling it. It was, after all, a link to his life as a gentleman of means, and many times he'd fallen asleep with it draped over his chest, as if it might impart dreams of happier years in London.
Thunder boomed overhead. Matthew saw that a leak had begun, over in the corner; water was trickling down the raw logs into a puddle on the floor. He had noted as well the number of rat droppings around the room and surmised that the rodents here might be even larger than their urban cousins. He decided he would ask Shawcombe for an extra candle, and if he slept at all it would be sitting up with the lantern close at hand.
As Matthew dressed in a pair of dark blue trousers and a black coat over his shirt, Woodward pulled on his stockings, the gray breeches—a tight squeeze around the midsection—and then his white blouse. He thrust his legs into his boots, which had been scraped of mud as much as possible, and then put on and buttoned up his prized waistcoat. The wig went on, was straightened and steadied with the aid of the hand mirror. Woodward checked his face for stubble, as he had shaved with the benefit of a bowl of rainwater Shawcombe had brought in for their washing. The last piece of apparel to go on was a beige jacket—much wrinkled but a sturdy traveller. Matthew ran a brush through the cropped and unruly spikes of his black hair, and then they were ready to be received by their host.
"Come in and set y'selves!" Shawcombe brayed as Woodward and Matthew came into the main room. If anything, the smoke from the hearth seemed thicker and more sourly pungent. A few candles were set about, and Maude and the girl were at work over a pot that bubbled and steamed on a hook above the red coals. Shawcombe was on his feet with a wooden tankard of rum in one hand, motioning them to a table; his balance, or lack of same, indicated the liquor was finding its target. He blinked and let out a low whistle that rose in volume. "Lord fuck the King, is that gold you're wearin'?" Before Woodward could draw back, Shawcombe's dirty hand had snaked out and fondled the glittering waistcoat. "Ah, that's a fine piece of cloth there! Maude, look at this! He's wearin' gold, have you ever seen the like?"
The old woman, revealed by the firelight to have a face like a mask of cracked clay under her long white hair, peered back over her shoulder and made a noise that could have been either mangled English or a wheeze. Then she focused again on her cooking, stirring the pot and snapping what sounded like orders or criticism at the girl.
"You two look the birds!" Shawcombe said, grinning widely. His mouth appeared to Matthew like a wet-edged cutlass wound. "The gold bird and the black bird! Ain't you the sights!" He scraped back a chair from the nearest table. "Come on, sit down and rest your feathers some!"
Woodward, whose dignity had been affronted by this performance, pulled out his own chair and lowered himself into it with as much grace as he could muster. Matthew remained standing and, looking Shawcombe directly in the face, said, "A chamberpot."
"Huh?" The grin stayed, crooked, on Shawcombe's mouth.
"A chamberpot," the younger man repeated firmly. "Our room lacks one."
"Chamberpot." Shawcombe took a swig from the tankard, a rivulet of rum dribbling down his chin. His grin had vanished. The pupils of his eyes had become dark pinpoints. "Chamber fuckin' pot, huh? Well, what do you think the woods are for? You want to shit and piss, you go out there. Wipe your arse with some leaves. Now sit down, your supper's 'bout ready."
Matthew remained standing. His heart had begun beating harder. He could feel the raw tension in the air between them, as nasty as the pinewood smoke. The veins in Shawcombe's thick neck were bulging, gorged with blood. There was a defiant, churlish expression on his face that invited Matthew to strike him, and once that strike was delivered the response would be triplefold in its violence. The moment stretched, Shawcombe waiting to see what Matthew's next move would be.
"Come, come," Woodward said quietly. He grasped Matthew's sleeve. "Sit down."
"I think we deserve a chamberpot," Matthew insisted, still locking his gaze with the tavern-keeper's. "At the very least a bucket."
"Young master"-—and now Shawcombe's voice drooled false sentiment—"you should understand where you are. This ain't no royal palace, and you ain't in no civilized country out here. Maybe you squat over a fancy chamberpot in Charles Town, but here we squat out behind the barn and that's how things is. Anyway, you wouldn't want the girl to have to clean up behind you, would you?" His eyebrows lifted. "Wouldn't be the gentlemanly thing."
Matthew didn't answer. Woodward tugged at his sleeve, knowing this particular skirmish wasn't worth fighting. "We'll make do, Mr. Shawcombe," Woodward said, as Matthew reluctantly surrendered and sat down. "What may we look forward to supping on this evening?"
Bang! went a noise as loud as a pistol shot, and both men jumped in their chairs. They looked toward the hearth, at the source of the sound, and saw the old woman holding a hefty mallet in one hand. "Eyegots at 'am bigun!" she rasped, and proudly raised her other hand, two fingers of which pinched the long tail of a large, crushed black rat that twitched in its death throes.
"Well, toss the bastard!" Shawcombe told her. Both Woodward and Matthew expected her to throw the rat into the cookpot, but she shambled over to a window, unlatched the shutter, and out went the dying rodent into the stormy dark.
The door opened. A wet rat of another breed came in trailing a blue flag of curses. Uncle Abner was soaked, his clothes and white beard dripping, his boots clotted with mud. "End 'a the damn world, what it is!" he pronounced, as he slammed the door and bolted it. "Gonna wash us away, d'rectly!"
"You feed and water them horses?" Shawcombe had previously commanded Abner to take the travellers' horses and wagon to shelter in the barn, as well as tend to the three other swaybacked steeds.
"I reckon I did."
"You bed 'em down all right? If you left them nags standin' in the rain again, I'll whip your arse!"
"They're in the damn barn, and you can kiss my pickle if you're doubtin' me!"
"Watch that smart mouth, 'fore I sew it up! Go on and get these gents some rum!"
"I ain't doin' nothin'!" the old man squalled. "I'm so wet I'm near swimmin' in my skin!"
"I believe I'd prefer ale," Woodward said, remembering how his earlier taste of Shawcombe's rum had almost burned his tongue to a cinder. "Or tea, if you have it."
"Myself the same," Matthew spoke up.
"You heard the gentlemen!" Shawcombe hollered at his hapless uncle. "Go on and fetch 'em some ale! Best in the house! Move, I said!" He took a threatening two steps toward the old man, lifting his tankard as if he were about to crown Abner's skull with it, in the process sloshing the foul-smelling liquor onto his guests. Matthew shot a dark glance at Woodward, but the older man just shook his head at the base comedy of the situation. Abner's soaked spirit collapsed before his nephew's ire and he scurried off to the storage pantry, but not without leaving a vile, half-sobbed oath lingering in his wake.
"Some people don't know who's the master of this house!" Shawcombe pulled a chair over and sat without invitation at their table. "You should pity me, gents! Everywhere I look, I have to rest my eyes on a halfwit!"
And a halfwit behind his eyes too, Matthew thought.
Woodward shifted in his chair. "I'm sure running a tavern is a troublesome business."
"That's God's own truth! Get a few travellers through here, but not many. Do some tradin' with the trappers and the redskins. 'Course, I only been here three, four months."
"You built this place yourself?" Matthew asked. He had noted a half-dozen sparkles of water dripping from the shoddy roof.
"Yep. Every log and board, done it all."
"Your bad back allowed you to cut and haul the logs?"
"My bad back?" Shawcombe frowned. "What're you goin' on about?"
"Your bad back that you injured lifting the heavy bales. Didn't you say you worked on the river Thames? I thought your injury prevented you from carrying anything like ... oh ... a trunk or two."
Shawcombe's face had become a chunk of stone. A few seconds passed and then his tongue flicked out and licked his lower lip. He smiled, but there was a hardness in it. "Oh," he said slowly, "my back. Well ... I did have a partner. He was the one did the cuttin' and haulin'. We hired a few redskins too, paid 'em in glass beads. What I meant to say is . . . my back's in pain more when it's wet out. Some days I'm fit as a fiddle."
"What happened to your partner?" Woodward inquired.
"Took sick," came the quick response. His stare was still fixed on Matthew. "Fever. Poor soul had to give it up, go back to Charles Town."
"He didn't go to Fount Royal?" Matthew plowed on. His bloodhound's instinct had been alerted, and in the air hung the definite smell of deceit. "There's a doctor in Fount Royal, isn't there?"
"I wouldn't know. You asked, I'm answerin'. He went back to Charles Town."
"Here! Drink 'til your guts bust!" Two wooden tankards brimming with liquid were slammed down in the center of the table, and then Abner withdrew—still muttering and cursing— to dry himself before the hearth.
"It's a hard country," Woodward said, to break the tension between the other two men. He lifted his tankard and saw, distressingly, that an oily film had risen to the liquid's surface.
"It's a hard world," Shawcombe corrected, and only then did he pull his stare away from Matthew. "Drink up, gents," he said, uptilting the rum to his mouth.
Both Woodward and Matthew were prudent enough to try sipping the stuff first, and they were glad at their failure of courage. The ale, brewed of what tasted like fermented sour apples, was strong enough to make the mouth pucker and the throat clench. Matthew's eyes watered and Woodward was sure he felt prickles of sweat under his wig. Even so, they both got a swallow down.
"I get that ale from the Indians." Shawcombe wiped his lips with the back of his hand. "They call it a word means 'snakebite.'"
"I feel soundly bitten," Woodward said.
"Second swaller's not so bad. Once you get halfway done, you'll be a lion or a lamb." Shawcombe took another drink and sloshed the liquor around in his mouth. He propped his feet up on the table beside them and leaned back in his chair. "You don't mind me askin', what business do you have in Fount Royal?"
"It's a legal matter," Woodward answered. "I'm a magistrate."
"Ahhhhhh." Shawcombe nodded as if he understood perfectly. "Both of you wear the robes?"
"No, Matthew is my clerk."
"It's to do with the trouble there, am I right?"
"It is a matter of some concern, yes," Woodward said, not knowing how much this man knew about the events in Fount Royal, and unwilling to give him any more rope with which to bundle a tale for other travellers.
"Oh, I know the particulars," Shawcombe said. "Ain't no secret. Message riders been back and forth through here for the last couple a' months, they gimme the story. Tell me this, then: you gonna hang her, burn her, or cut her head off?"
"Firstly, the accusations against her must be proven. Secondly, execution is not one of my duties."
"But you'll be passin' the sentence, won't you? C'mon! What'll it be?"
Woodward decided the only way to get him off this route was to run the distance. "If she's found guilty, the penalty is hanging."
"Pah!" Shawcombe waved a disapproving hand. "If it was up to my quirt, I'd cut her head off and burn her to boot! Then I'd take them ashes and throw 'em in the ocean! They can't stand salt water, y'know." He tilted his head toward the hearth and hollered, "Hey, there! We're waitin' for our suppers!"
Maude snapped something at him that sprayed an arc of spittle from her mouth, and he yelled, "Get on with it, then!" Another swig of rum went down his hatch. "Well," he said to his guests' silence, "this here's how I see it: they ought to shut Fount Royal down, set fire to everything there, and call it quits. Once the Devil gets in a place, ain't no remedy but the flames. You can hang her or whatever you please, but the Devil's took root in Fount Royal now, and there ain't no savin' it."
"I think that's an extreme position," Woodward said. "Other towns have had similar problems, and they survived—and have flourished—once the situation was corrected."
"Well,Iwouldn't want to live in Fount Royal, or any other place where the Devil's been walkin' 'round town like he's made hisself at home! Life's damn hard enough as it is. I don't want conjures bein' put on me while I'm sleepin'!" He grunted to emphasize his point. "Yessir, you talk pretty, but I'll wager you wouldn't care to turn down an alley and see ol' Scratch waitin' in the dark! So my advice to you, sir—lowly tavern-keeper that I am—is to cut the head off that Devil's whore and order the whole town burnt to the ground."
"I will not pretend that I know any answers to mysteries—holy or unholy," the magistrate said evenly, "but I do know the situation in Fount Royal is precarious."
"And damn dangerous too." Shawcombe started to say something else, but his open mouth expelled no words; it was obvious to Woodward and Matthew that his attention, made imprecise by strong drink, had been diverted from the matter of Fount Royal. He was admiring the gold-threaded waistcoat once more. "I swear, that's a fine piece a' work," he said, and dared to run his grimy fingers over the material again. "Where'd you get that? New York?"
"It . . . was a present from my wife. In London."
"I was married once'st. And once'st was enough." He gave a gruff, humorless laugh. His fingers continued to caress the fabric, much to Woodward's discomfort. "Your wife is in Charles Town?"
"No." Woodward's voice had thickened. "My wife ... remains in London."
"Mine's at the bottom of the bloody Atlantic. She died on the passage, shit herself to death. They rolled her up and rolled her over. Y'know, a waistc't like this . . . how much is somethin' like this worth?"
"More than any man should have to pay," Woodward said, and then he pointedly moved his chair a few inches away from Shawcombe and left the tavern-keeper's fingers groping the air.
"Clear room! Watchyer elbows, there!" Maude slapped two wooden bowls, both filled with a murky brown stew, onto the table in front of Shawcombe and the magistrate. Matthew's bowl was brought by the girl, who set it down and quickly turned away to retreat to the hearth again. As she did, her clothes brushed his arm and the wind of her passage brought a strong scent to Matthew's nostrils: the scent of an unwashed body, yes, but another odor that overpowered the first. It was musky and sweetly sour, a compelling pungency, and it hit him like a fist to the chest that it was the aroma of her private region.
Shawcombe inhaled deeply, with a raucous noise. He looked at Matthew, whose eyes had widened slightly and were still tracking the girl. "Hey, there!" Shawcombe barked. "What're you gawkin' at?"
"Nothing." Matthew averted his gaze to the stew bowl.
"Uh huh."
The girl returned, bringing with her their wooden spoons. Once more her skirt brushed his arm, and he moved it with a twitch as if his elbow had been hornet-stung. That smell wafted to his nostrils. His heart was beating very hard. He picked up his spoon and realized his palm was damp. Then he realized Shawcombe was staring intensely at him, reading him like a broadsheet.
Shawcombe's eyes glittered in the candlelight. He wet his lips before he spoke. "She's a fair piece, do y'think?"
"Sir?"
Shawcombe smiled slightly, a mean and mocking smile. "A fair piece," he repeated. "You fancy a look at her oyster basket?"
"Mr. Shawcombe!" Woodward grasped the situation, and it was not acceptable to him. "If you don't mind—"
"Oh, you both can have a go at her, if you please. Won't cost you but a guinea for the two of you."
"Certainly not!" Woodward's cheeks had flamed. "I told you, I'm a married man!"
"Yeah, but she's in London, ain't she? Don't mean to tell me you got her name tattooed on your cock now, do you?"
If the storm had not been raging outside, if the horses had not been in the barn, if there were anywhere else in the world to spend this night, Woodward might've gotten to his feet with all the dignity he could summon and bade farewell to this coarse-minded lout. What he really wanted to do, deep in his soul, was to strike an open-handed blow across Shawcombe's leering face. But he was a gentleman, and gentlemen did no such things. Instead, he forced down his anger and disgust like a bucketful of bile and said tersely, "Sir, I am faithful to my wife. I would appreciate your understanding of that fact."
Shawcombe replied by spitting on the floor. He riveted his attention on the younger man again. "Well, how 'bout you then? You care for a toss? Say ten shillin's?"
"I ... I mean to say—" Matthew looked to Woodward for help, because in truth he didn't know what he meant to say.
"Sir," Woodward said, "you force us into a difficult position. The young man . . . has lived in an almshouse for much of his life. That is . . ." He frowned, deciding how to phrase the next thing. "What you must realize is . . . his experience is very limited. He hasn't yet partaken of-—"
"Great sufferin' mother!" Shawcombe broke in. "You mean he ain't never been fucked?"
"Well... as I say, his experience hasn't yet led him to—"
"Oh, quit that foamin' at the mouth! He's a fuckin' virgin, is that what you're tellin' me?"
"I believe your way of expressing that is a contradiction of terms, sir, but . . . yes, that's what I'm telling you."
Shawcombe whistled with amazement, and the way he regarded Matthew made the younger man blush blood-red. "I ain't never met one of your breed before, sonny! Damn my ears if I ever heard such a thing! How old are you?"
"I'm . . . twenty years old," Matthew was able to answer. His face was absolutely on fire.
"Twenty years and no pussy? How're you able to draw a breath without bustin' your bag?"
"I might ask how old that girl is," Woodward said. "She's not seen fifteen yet, has she?"
"What year is this?" Shawcombe asked.
"Sixteen ninety-nine."
Shawcombe began counting on his fingers. Maude brought to their table a wooden platter laden with chunks of brown cornbread, then scurried away once more. The tavern-keeper was having obvious difficulty with his digital mathematics, and finally he dropped his hand and grinned at Woodward. "Never you mind, she's ripe as a fig puddin'."
Matthew reached for the snakebite and near guzzled it.
"Be that as it may," Woodward countered, "we shall both pass on your invitation." He picked up his spoon and plunged it into the watery stew.
"Wasn't no invite. Was a business offer." Shawcombe drank some more rum and then started in on his stew as well.
"Damnedest thing I ever heard!" he said, his mouth full and leaking at the corners. "I was rogerin' the girls when I was twelve years old, m'self!"
"Jack One Eye," Matthew said. It had been something he'd wanted to ask about, and now seemed as good a time as any to get Shawcombe's mind off the current subject.
"Earlier you mentioned Jack One Eye." Matthew dipped a chunk of cornbread into his stew and ate it. The bread tasted more of scorched stones than corn, but the stew wasn't at all objectionable. "What were you talking about?"
"The beast of beasts." Shawcombe picked up his bowl with both hands and slurped from it. "Stands seven, eight feet tall. Black as the hair on the Devil's ass. Had his eye shot out by a redskin's arrow, but just one arrow didn't stop him. No sir! Just made him meaner, is what they say. Hungrier, too. Swipe your face off with a claw and eat your brains for breakfast, he would."
"Jack One Eye's a fuckin' bear!" spoke up Abner, from where he stood steaming by the hearth. "Big one, too! Bigger'n a horse! Bigger'n God's fist, what he is!"
"Hain't no burr."
Shawcombe looked toward the speaker of this last declaration, stew glistening on his grizzled chin. "Huh? What're you sayin'?"
"Sayin' he hain't no burr." Maude came forward, silhouetted by the firelight. Her voice was still a mangled wheeze, but she was speaking as slowly and clearly as she could. This subject, both Woodward and Matthew surmised, must be of importance to her.
'"Course he's a bear!" Shawcombe said. "What is he, if he ain't no bear?"
"Hain't jus' a burr," she corrected. "I seen 'im. You hain't. I know 'hut he is."
"She's as addle-brained as the rest of 'em," Shawcombe told Woodward with a shrug.
"I seen 'im," the old woman repeated, a measure of force in her voice. She had reached their table and stood next to Matthew. Candlelight touched upon her wizened face, but her deep sunken eyes held the shadows. "I 'as at the door. Right they, at the door. Me Joseph was comin' home. Our boy too. I watch 'em, comin' out of the woods, over the field. Had a deer hangin' 'tween 'em. I lift up me laneturn, and I start ta holler 'em in . . . and all suddens that thang behind 'em! Jus' rose up, out of nowhar'." Her right hand had raised, her skinny fingers curled around the handle of a spectral lantern. "I try ta scream me husband's name . . . but hain't get nothin' out," she said. Her mouth tightened. "I try," she croaked. "I try . . . but God done stole me voice."
"Most like it was rotgut liquor stole it!" Shawcombe said, with a rough laugh.
The old woman didn't respond. She was silent, as rain battered the roof and a pine knot popped in the hearth. Finally she drew a long ragged breath that held terrible sadness and resignation. "Kilt our boy 'fore Joseph could tarn 'round," she said, to no one in particular. Matthew thought she might be looking at him, but he wasn't certain of it. "Like take his head off, one swang o' them claws. Then it fell on me husband . . . and weren't nothin' to be dun. I took a'running, threw me laneturn at 'im, but he 'as big. So awful big. He jus' shake them big black shoulders, and then he drag that deer off and leave me with what 'as left. Joseph 'as a-split open from 'is windpipe to 'is gullet, his innards a-hangin' out. Took 'im three days ta die." She shook her head and Matthew could see a wet glint in her eye sockets.
"My Lord!" Woodward said. "Wasn't there a neighbor to come to your aid?"
"Naybarr?" she said, incredulously. "Hain't no naybarrs out 'chere. Me Joseph 'as a trapper, dun some Injun tradin'. Tha's how we live. What I'm tellin' you is, Jack One Eye hain't jus' a burr. Ever'thin' dark 'bout this land . . . ever'thin' cruel and wicked. When you think your husband 'n son are comin' home and you liftin' a light and 'bout to holler 'em in. Then that thang rises up, and all sudden you hain't got nothin' no more. Tha's what Jack One Eye is."
Neither Woodward nor Matthew knew how to respond to this wretched tale, but Shawcombe, who had continued slurping stew and pushing cornbread into his mouth, had his own response. "Aw, shit!" he cried out and grasped his jaw. His face was pinched with pain. "What's in this bloody bread, woman?" He reached into his mouth, probed around, and his fingers came out gripping a small dark brown object. '"Bout broke my tooth on this damn thing! Hell's bells!" Realization had struck him. "It is a fuckin' tooth!"
"I 'spect it's mine," Maude said. "Had some loose 'uns this mornin'." She grabbed it from his hand, and before he could say anything more she turned her back on them and went to her duties at the hearth.
"Damn ol' bitch is fallin' to pieces!" Shawcombe scowled. He swigged some rum, swished it around his mouth, and started in on his supper once more.
Woodward looked down at a chunk of cornbread that he'd placed in his stewbowl. He very politely cleared his throat. "I believe my appetite has been curtailed."
"What? You ain't hungry no more? Here, pass it over then!" Shawcombe grabbed the magistrate's bowl and dumped it all into his own. He had decided to disdain the use of his eating utensils in favor of his hands, stew dripping from his mouth and spattering his shirt. "Hey, clerk!" he grunted, as Matthew sat there deciding whether to risk chewing on a rotten tooth or not. "You want a go with the girl, I'll pay you ten pence to watch. Ain't like I'll see a virgin ridin' the wool every day."
"Sir?" Woodward's voice had sharpened. "I've already told you, the answer is no."
"You presumin' to speak for him, then? What are you, his damn father?"
"Not his father. But I am his guardian."
"What the hell does a twenty-year-old man need with a fuckin' guardian?"
"There are wolves everywhere in this world, Mr. Shawcombe," Woodward said, with a lift of his eyebrows. "A young man must be very careful not to fall into their company."
"Better the company of wolves than the cryin' of saints," Shawcombe said. "You might get et up, but you won't die of boredom."
The image of wolves feasting on human flesh brought another question to Matthew's mind. He pushed his stewbowl toward the tavern-keeper. "There was a magistrate travelling to Fount Royal from Charles Town two weeks ago. His name was Thymon Kingsbury. Did he happen to stop here?"
"No, ain't seen him," Shawcombe answered without pause in his gluttony.
"He never arrived at Fount Royal," Matthew went on. "It seems he might have stopped here, if he—"
"Prob'ly didn't get this far," Shawcombe interrupted. "Got hisself crowned in the head by a highwayman a league out of Charles Town, most like. Or maybe Jack One Eye got him. Man travellin' alone out here's a handshake away from Hell."
Matthew pondered this statement as he sat listening to the downpour on the roof. Water was streaming in, forming puddles on the boards. "I didn't say he was alone," Matthew said at last.
Shawcombe's chewing might have faltered a fraction. "You just spoke the one name, didn't you?"
"Yes. But I might not have mentioned his clerk."
"Well, shit!" Shawcombe slammed the bowl down. The fury had sparked in his eyes again. "Was he alone or not? And what does it matter?"
"He was alone," Matthew said evenly. "His clerk had taken ill the night before." He watched the candle's flame, a black thread of smoke rising from its orange blade. "But then, I don't suppose it really matters."
"No, it don't." Shawcombe darted a dark glance at Woodward. "He's got an itch to ask them questions, don't he?"
"He's an inquisitive young man," Woodward said. "And very bright, as well."
"Uh huh." Shawcombe's gaze turned on Matthew again, and Matthew had the distinct and highly unsettling sensation of facing the ugly barrel of a primed and cocked blunderbuss. "Best take care somebody don't put out your lamp." Shawcombe held the penetrating stare for a few seconds, and then he started in on the food Matthew had pushed aside.
The two travellers excused themselves from the table when Shawcombe announced that Abner was going to play the fiddle for their "entertainment." Woodward had tried mightily to restrain his bodily functions, but now nature was shouting at him and he was obliged to put on his coat, take a lantern, and venture out into the weather.
Alone in the room, rain pattering from the roof and a single candle guttering, Matthew heard Abner's fiddle begin to skreech. It appeared they would be serenaded whether they liked it or not. To make matters worse, Shawcombe began to clap and holler in dubious counterpoint. A rat scuttled in a corner of the room, obviously as disturbed as was Matthew.
He sat down on the straw mattress and wondered how he would ever find sleep tonight, though he was exhausted from the trip. With rats in the room and two more caterwauling out by the hearth, it was likely to be a hard go. He decided he would create and solve some mathematics problems, in Latin of course. That usually helped him relax in difficult situations.
I don't suppose it really matters, he'd told Shawcombe in regard to Magistrate Kingsbury's travelling alone. But it seemed to Matthew that it did matter. To travel alone was exceptional and—as Shawcombe had correctly stated—foolhardy. Magistrate Kingsbury had been drunk every time Matthew had seen the man, and perhaps the liquor had enfeebled his brain. But Shawcombe had assumed that Kingsbury was alone. He had not asked Was he alone or Who was travelling with him. No, he'd made the statement: Man travellin' alone . . .
The fiddling's volume was reaching dreadful heights. Matthew sighed and shook his head at the indignity of the situation. At least, however, they had a roof over them for the night. Whether the roof held up all night was another question.
He could still smell the girl's scent.
It came upon him like an ambush. The scent of her was still there, whether in his nostrils or in his mind he wasn't sure. Care for a toss?
Yes, Matthew thought. Math problems. She's ripe as a fig puddin'. And definitely in Latin.
The fiddle moaned and shrieked and Shawcombe began to stomp the floor. Matthew stared at the door, the girl's scent summoning him.
His mouth was dry. His stomach seemed to be tied up in an impossible knot. Yes, he thought, sleep tonight was going to be a hard go.
A very, very hard go.
MATTHEW'S EYES OPENED with a start. The light had dwindled to murky yellow, the candle having burned itself to a shrunken stub. Beside him on the harsh straw, Woodward was snoring noisily, mouth half ajar and chin flesh quivering. It took Matthew a few seconds to realize that there was a wetness on his left cheek. Then another drop of rainwater fell from the sodden ceiling onto his face and he abruptly sat up with a curse clenched behind his teeth.
The sudden movement made a rodent—a very large one, from the sound—squeal in alarm and scurry with a scrabbling of claws back into its nest in the wall. The noise of rain falling from the ceiling onto the floor was a veritable tenpence symphony. Matthew thought the time for building an ark was close at hand. Perhaps Abner was right about it being the end of the world; the year 1700 might never be marked on a calendar.
Be that as it may, he had to add his own water to the deluge. And a bit more as well, from the weight of his bowels. Damned if he wouldn't have to go out in that weather and squat down like a beast. Might try to hold it, but some things could not be constrained. He would relieve himself in the woods behind the barn like a civilized man while the rats did their business on the floor beside the bed. Next trip—God forbid—he would remember to pack a chamberpot.
He got out of the torture apparatus that passed as a bed. The tavern was quiet; it was a slim hour, to be sure. Distant thunder rumbled, the storm still lingering over the Carolina colony like a black-winged vulture. Matthew worked his feet into his shoes. He didn't have a heavy coat of his own, so over his flannel nightshirt he donned the magistrate's fearnaught, which was still damp from Woodward's recent trek behind the barn. The magistrate's boots, standing beside the bed, were clotted with mud and would bear the administrations of a coarse hog's bristle brush to clean. Matthew didn't want to take the single candle, as the weather would quickly extinguish it and the wall-dwellers might become emboldened by the dark. He would carry a covered lantern from the other room, he decided, and hope it threw enough illumination to avoid what Woodward had told him was "an unholy mess" out there. He might check on the horses, too, while he was so near the barn.
He placed his hand on the door latch and started to lift it when he heard the magistrate cease snoring and quietly moan. Glancing at the man, he saw Woodward's face wince and contort under the freckled dome of his bald head. Matthew paused, watching in the dim and flickering light. Woodward's mouth opened, his eyelids fluttering. "Oh," the magistrate whispered, very clearly. His voice, though a whisper, was wracked with what Matthew could only describe as a pure and terrible agony. "Ohhhhh," Woodward spoke, in his cage of nightmares. "He's hurting Ann." He drew a pained breath. "Hurting he's hurting oh God Ann . . . hurting ..." He said something more, a jumble of a few words mingled with another low awful moan. His hands were gripping at the front of his nightshirt, his head pressed back into the straw. His mouth released a faint sound that might have been the memory of a cry, and then slowly his body relaxed and the snoring swelled up once again.
This was not something new to Matthew. Many nights the magistrate walked in a dark field of pain, but what its source was he refused to talk about. Matthew had asked him once, five years ago, what the trouble had been, and Woodward's response had been a rebuke that Matthew's task was learning the trade of judicial clerking, and if he did not care to learn that trade, he could always find a home again at the orphans' refuge. The message— delivered with uncharacteristic vinegar—had been clear: whatever haunted the magistrate by night was not to be touched upon.
It had something to do with his wife in London, Matthew believed. Ann must be her name, though Woodward never mentioned that name in his waking hours and never volunteered any information about the woman. In fact, though Matthew had been in the company of Isaac Woodward since turning fifteen years old, he knew very little about the man's past life in England. This much he did know: Woodward had been a lawyer of some fame and had found success in the financial field as well, but what had caused his reversal of fortune and why he had left London for the roughhewn colonies remained mysteries. At least Matthew understood from his readings and from what Woodward said about London that it was a great city; he'd never set foot there, or in England either, for he'd been born aboard a ship on the Atlantic nineteen days out of Portsmouth.
Matthew quietly lifted the latch and left the room. In the darkened chamber beyond, small flames still gnawed at black bits of wood in the hearth, though the largest of the coals had been banked for the night. Bitter smoke lingered in the air. Hanging from hooks next to the fireplace were two lanterns, both made of hammered tin with small nail-holes punched in the metal for the light to pass through. One of the lanterns had a burnt candle stuck on its inner spike, so that was the illuminator Matthew chose. He found a pine twig on the floor, touched it alight in the remains of the fire, and transferred the flame to the candle's wick.
"What are you about? Eh?"
The voice, cutting the silence as it did, almost lifted Matthew out of his shoes. He twisted around and the lantern's meager but spreading light fell upon Will Shawcombe, who was sitting at one of the tables with a tankard before him and a black-scorched clay pipe clenched in his teeth.
"You up prowlin', boy?" Shawcombe's eyes were deep sunken and the skin of his face was daubed dirty yellow in the candlelight. A curl of smoke oozed from his mouth.
"I . . . have to go out," Matthew replied, still unnerved.
Shawcombe drew slowly on his pipe. "Well," he said, "mind your legs, then. Awful sloppy out there."
Matthew nodded. He started to turn toward the door, but Shawcombe spoke up again: "Your master wouldn't want to part with that fine waistc't, would he?"
"No, he wouldn't." Though he knew Shawcombe was baiting him, he couldn't let it go past. "Mr. Woodward is not my master."
"He ain't, huh? Well then, how come he tells you what you can do and what you cain't? Seems to me he's the master and you're the slave."
"Mr. Woodward looks out for my interest."
"Uh huh." Shawcombe tilted his head back and fired a dart of smoke at the ceiling. "Makes you cart the baggage, then he won't even let you dip your wick? All that shit about wolves and how you ought to be guarded. And you a twenty-year-old man! I'll bet he makes you scrape the mud off his boots, don't he?"
"I'm his clerk," Matthew said pointedly. "Not his valet."
"Does he clean his own boots, or do you?"
Matthew paused. The truth was that he did clean the magistrate's boots, but it was a task he did without complaint. Some things over the years—such as organizing the judicial paperwork, keeping their living quarters in order, darning the clothes, packing the trunks, and arranging sundry other small affairs—had fallen to Matthew simply because he was much more efficient at taking care of details.
"I knew you did it," Shawcombe went on. "Man like that's got blue blood in his veins. He don't want to get them hands too dirty, does he? Yeah, like I said, he's the master and you're the slave."
"You can believe what you like."
"I believe what I see," Shawcombe said. "Come over here, lemme show you somethin'. You bein' a slave and all, you might well want to have a look." Before Matthew could decline and go on his way, Shawcombe lifted his right fist and opened it. "Here's somethin' you ain't never seen before and ain't like to see again."
The lantern's light sparked off the surface of a gold coin. "Here!" Shawcombe offered it to Matthew. "I'll even let you hold it."
Against his better judgment—and the urge to pee pressing on his bladder—Matthew approached the man and took the coin from him. He held it close to the lantern and inspected the engraving. It was a well-worn piece, much of the lettering rubbed off, but at its center was a cross that separated the figures of two lions and two castles. Matthew could make out the faint letters Charles II and Dei Grat around the coin's rim.
"Know what that is?" Shawcombe prodded.
"Charles the Second is the King of Spain," Matthew said. "So this must be Spanish."
"That's right. Spanish. You know what that means, don't you?"
"It means a Spaniard was recently here?"
"Close. I got this from a dead redskin's pouch. Now what's a redskin doin' with a Spanish gold piece?" He didn't wait for Matthew to venture a guess. "Means there's a damn Spanish spy 'round here somewhere. Stirrin' up some trouble with the Indians, most like. You know them Spaniards are sittin' down there in the Florida country, not seventy leagues from here. They got spies all in the colonies, spreadin' the word that any black crow who flies from his master and gets to the Florida country can be a free man. You ever heard such a thing? Them Spaniards are promisin' the same thing to criminals, murderers, every like of John Badseed."
He swiped the coin from Matthew's hand. "If you was to run to Florida and your master was to want you back, them Spaniards would jus' laugh at him. Same's true of somebody done a stealin' or a murder: get to Florida, them Spaniards would protect him. I tell you, once them blackamoors start runnin' to Florida by the scores and gettin' turned into free men, this world's gonna roast in Hell's fires." Shawcombe dropped the coin into the tankard, which still had liquid in it, judging from the sound of the wet plop, then sat smoking his pipe with his arms crossed over his chest. "Yeah," he said with a knowing nod, "a Spanish spy's out there, payin' the redskins to get up to some mischief. Hell, he might even be livin' in Fount Royal, an Englishman turned blackcoat!"
"Possibly." Matthew's need for relief was now undeniable. "Excuse me, I have to go."
"Go on, then. Like I say, watch where you step." Shawcombe let Matthew get to the door and then said, "Hey, clerk! You sure he wouldn't part with that waistc't?"
"Absolutely sure."
Shawcombe grunted, his head wreathed with blue pipe smoke. "I didn't think so," he said in a quiet voice.
Matthew unlatched the door and went out. The storm had quietened somewhat, the rain falling now as misty drizzle. In the sky, though, distant lightning flashed through the clouds. The mud clasped hold of Matthew's shoes. A half-dozen steps through the mire, Matthew had to lift up his nightshirt and urinate where he stood. Decorum, however, dictated that he relieve his bowels in the woods behind the barn, for there were no leaves or pine needles nearby with which to clean himself. When he finished, he followed the lantern's glow past the barn, his shoes sinking up to the ankles in a veritable swamp. Once beyond the forest's edge, he gathered a handful of wet leaves and then crouched down to attend to his business. The lightning danced overhead, he was soaked, muddy, and miserable, and all in all it was a nasty moment. Such things, however, could not be rushed no matter how fervently one tried.
After what seemed an eternity, during which Matthew cursed Shawcombe and swore again to pack a chamberpot on their next journey, the deed was completed and the wet leaves put to use.
He straightened up and held the lantern out to find his path back to the so-called tavern. Once more the waterlogged ground opened and closed around his shoes, his knee joints fairly popping as he worked his legs loose from the quagmire. He intended to check on the horses before he returned to the so-called bed, where he could look forward to the magistrate's snoring, the rustling of rats, and rainwater dripping on his— He fell.
It was so fast he hardly knew what was happening. His initial thought was that the earth had sucked his legs out from under him. His second thought, which he barely had an eyeblink of time to act upon, was to keep the lantern from being extinguished. So even as he fell on his belly and the mud and water splashed around him and over the magistrate's fearnaught coat, he was able to lift his arm up and protect the light. He spat mud out of his mouth, his face aflame with anger, and said, "Damn it to Hell!" Then he tried to sit up, mud all over his face, his sight most blinded. He found this task harder than it should have been. His legs, he realized, had been seized by the earth. The very ground had collapsed under his shoes, and now his feet were entangled in something that felt like a bramble bush down in the swampy muck. Careful of the lantern, he wrenched his right foot loose but whatever held his left foot would not yield. Lightning flared again and the rain started falling harder. He was able to get his right leg under him, and then he braced himself as best he could and jerked his left leg up and out of the morass.
There was a brittle cracking sound. His leg was free.
But as he shone the lantern down upon his leg, Matthew realized he'd stepped into something that had come out of the earth still embracing his ankle.
At first he didn't know what it was. His foot had gone right through what looked like a mud-dripping cage of some kind. He could see the splintered edges, one of which had scraped a bleeding gouge in his leg.
The rain was slowly washing mud off the object. As he stared at it, another flash of lightning helped aid his recognition of what held him, and his heart felt gripped by a freezing hand.
Matthew's anatomy studies did not have to be recollected to tell him that he'd stepped into and through a human-sized rib cage. A section of spinal cord was still attached, and on it clung bits of grayish-brown material that could only be decayed flesh.
He let out a mangled cry and began frantically kicking at the thing with his other shoe. The bones cracked, broke, and fell away, and when the last of the rib cage and vertebrae had been kicked loose Matthew crawled away from it as fast as the mud would allow. Then he sat up amid leaves and pine needles and pressed his back against a tree trunk, the breath rasping in his lungs and his eyes wide and shocked.
He thought, numbly, how distraught the magistrate was going to be over the fearnaught coat. Such coats were not easy to come by. It was ruined, no doubt. A rib cage. Human-sized. Ruined beyond all hope of cleaning. Damn this rain and mud, damn this wild land, and damn Shawcombe and the chamberpot he should have had.
A rib cage, Matthew thought. Rain was running down his face now. It was cold, and the chill helped him organize his mind. Of course, the rib cage might've belonged to an animal. Mightn't it?
The lantern was muddy but—thank providence!—the candle was still burning. He stood up and made his way over to the broken bones. There he knelt down and shone the light upon them, trying to determine what animal they might've come from. While he was so occupied, he heard a soft slithering sound somewhere to his right. He angled the lantern toward it and in a few seconds saw that a gaping hole some four feet across had opened in the boggy ground; the slithering sound was mud sliding down its sides.
Matthew thought it might have been what had collapsed under his feet and caused him to fall, for the earth itself was rebelling against this incessant downpour. He stood up, eased to the edge of the hole, and directed the lantern's light down into it.
At first he saw what looked like a pile of sticks lying in the hole. Everything was muddy and tangled together into an indistinct mess. The longer he stared, however, the more clear came the picture.
Yes. Horribly clear.
He could make out the bones of an arm, thrown across what might've been a half-decayed, naked torso. A gray knee joint jutted up from the muck. There was a hand, the fingers shriveled to the bones, grasping upward as if in a begging gesture for help. And there was a head, too; mostly a mud-covered skull, but some of the flesh remained. Matthew, his mouth dry of saliva and his heart pounding, could see how the top of the skull had been crushed inward by a savage blow.
A hammer could've delivered such a death, he realized. A hammer or a rat-killing mallet.
Perhaps there were more corpses than one in that burial pit. Perhaps there were four or five, thrown in and entangled together. It was hard to tell how many, but there were a great number of bones. None of the bodies seemed to have been buried with their clothing.
Hey, clerk! You sure he wouldn't part with that waistc't?
Matthew felt the earth shift and slide around his feet. There was a noise like a dozen serpents hissing and, as the ground began to collapse around him, Matthew saw more human bones being pushed up to the surface like the muddy spars of ships wrecked on vicious shoals. Dazed as if locked in a nightmare, Matthew stood at the center of the sinking earth as evidence of murders revealed themselves under his shoes. Only when he was about to be sucked under into an embrace with the dead did he turn away, pulling his feet up and struggling toward the barn.
He fought his way through the rain in the direction of the tavern. The immediacy of his mission gave flight to his heels. He slipped and fell once again before he reached the door, and this time the lantern splashed into a puddle and the candle went out. Red mud covered him from head to toe. When he burst through the door, he saw that Shawcombe was no longer sitting at the table, though the tankard was still in its same position and the bitter-smelling pipe smoke yet wafted in the air. Matthew restrained the urge to shout a warning to the magistrate, and he got into the room and latched the door behind him. Woodward was still stretched out and soundly asleep.
Matthew shook the man's shoulders. "Wake up! Do you hear me?" His voice, though pinched with fright, was strong enough to pierce the veil of the magistrate's sleep. Woodward began to rouse himself, his eyelids opening and the bleary eyes struggling to focus. "We have to get out!" Matthew urged. "Right now! We've got to—"
"Good God in Heaven!" Woodward croaked. He sat upright. "What happened to you?"
"Just listen!" Matthew said. "I found bodies out there! Skeletons, buried behind the barn! I think Shawcombe's a murderer!"
"What? Have you lost your senses?" Woodward sniffed the younger man's breath. "It's that damn Indian ale, isn't it?"
"No, I found the bodies down in a hole! Shawcombe may have even killed Kingsbury and thrown him in there!" He saw the magistrate's expression of bewilderment. "Listen to me! We have to leave as fast as we—"
"Gentlemen?"
It was Shawcombe. His voice beyond the door made Matthew's blood go cold. There came the rap of knuckles on the wood. "Gentlemen, is all well?"
"I think he means to kill us tonight!" Matthew whispered to the magistrate. "He wants your waistcoat!"
"My waistcoat," Woodward repeated. His mouth was dry. He looked at the door and then back to Matthew's mud-splattered face. If anything was true in this insane world, it was that Matthew did not lie, nor was he servant to flights of fantasy. The shiny fear in the younger man's eyes was all too real, and Woodward's own heart began beating rapidly.
"Gents?" Now Shawcombe's mouth was close to the door. "I heard you talkin'. Any trouble in there?"
"No trouble!" Woodward replied. He put a finger to his lips, directing Matthew to be silent. "We're very well, thank you!"
There was a few seconds' pause. Then: "Clerk, you left the front door open," Shawcombe said. "How come you to do that?"
Now came one of the most terrible decisions of Isaac Woodward's life. His saber, as rusted and blunt as it was, remained in the wagon. He had neither a dirk nor a prayer to protect them. If Shawcombe was indeed a killer, the time had arrived for him to deliver death. Woodward looked at the room's single shuttered window and made the decision: they would have to leave everything behind—trunks, wigs, clothing, all of it—to save their skins. He motioned Matthew toward the window and then he eased up out of the damp straw.
"What's got your tongue, boy?" Shawcombe demanded. His voice was turning ugly. "I asked you a question!"
"Just a moment!" Woodward opened one of the trunks, lifted a pair of shirts, and put his hands on the golden-threaded waistcoat. He could not leave this, even with a murderer breathing down his neck. There was no time to work his feet into his boots nor grab his tricorn hat. Grasping the waistcoat, he straightened up and motioned for Matthew to unlatch the window's shutter.
Matthew did. The latch thunked out of its groove and he pushed the shutter open into the falling rain.
"They're comin' out the winda!" Uncle Abner yelled, standing just beneath it. Matthew saw he was holding a lantern in one hand and a pitchfork in the other.
Behind Woodward, there was a tremendous crash as the door burst inward. He twisted around, his face bleached of blood, as Shawcombe came across the threshold with a grin that showed his peglike teeth. Behind him, Maude carried a double candlestick that held two burning tapers, her white hair wild and her wrinkled face demonic.
"Oh, oh!" Shawcombe said mockingly. "Looky here, Maude! They're tryin' to get gone without payin' their bill!"
"What's the meaning of this outrage?" Woodward snapped, putting on a mask of anger to hide his true emotion, which was raw and naked terror.
Shawcombe laughed and shook his head. "Well," he said, lifting up his right hand and inspecting the mallet with which Maude had earlier crushed the black rat, "the meanin' of it, you bloody ass, is that you and the clerk ain't goin' nowhere tonight. 'Cept Hell, I reckon." His eyes found the prize. "Ahhhhh, there 'tis. Give it here." He thrust out his grimy left hand.
Woodward looked at the dirty fingers and then at the waistcoat he held so dearly. His gaze returned to Shawcombe's greedy hand; then Woodward lifted his chin and took a long breath. "Sir," he said, "you'll have to kill me to take it."
Shawcombe laughed again, more of a piggish grunt this time. "Oh, indeedy I'll kill you! " His eyes narrowed slightly. "I 'spected you'd go out like a mouse 'stead of a man, though. 'Spected you might give a squeal like that other little drunk titmouse did when I whacked him." He abruptly swung the mallet through the air past Woodward's face, and the magistrate flinched but did not retreat. "Gonna make me take it, huh? All-righty then, ain't no skin off my bum."
"They'll send someone else," Matthew spoke up. "From Charles Town. They'll send—"
"Another fuckin' magistrate? Let 'em, then! They keep sendin' 'em, I'll keep killin' 'em!"
"They'll send the militia," he said, which was not nearly as fearsome as it sounded and was probably untrue anyway.
"The militia!" Shawcombe's teeth gleamed in the murky light. "They're gonna send the militia all the way from Charles Town? But they didn't come lookin' for Kingsbury or none of them others I laid to rest, did they?" His grin began to twist into a snarl. He lifted the mallet up to a striking position. "I think I'm gonna kill you first, you skinny son of a bi—"
Woodward made his move.
He whipped the waistcoat sharply across Shawcombe's eyes and rushed the man, grabbing his wrist before the mallet could begin its descent. Shawcombe hollered a curse and Maude started shrieking, a sound that surely scared the wall-dwelling rats into flight. Shawcombe's left hand came up—a fist now instead of a palm—and smacked into the magistrate's chin. Woodward's head rocked back, his eyes clouding, but he kept his grip on Shawcombe's right wrist. 'Abner! Abner!" the old woman was yelling. Woodward fired his own blow at Shawcombe's face, a fist that grazed the man's cheekbone when Shawcombe saw it coming and twisted to avoid it. Then Shawcombe clamped his free hand around the magistrate's throat and squeezed as they fought in the little room, one trying to get the mallet into action and the other intent on restraining it.
They staggered back against the bed. Shawcombe's eye caught a movement to his side and he looked in that direction a second before Matthew slammed him in the head with one of the magistrate's boots he'd picked up from the floor. Another swing of the boot struck Shawcombe on the shoulder, and now Matthew could see a glint of desperation in the man's eyes. Shawcombe, who had realized that the magistrate was more formidable than he appeared, gave a roar like an enraged beast and drove his knee upward into Woodward's genitals. Woodward cried out and doubled over, clutching himself. Suddenly the mallet was free. Shawcombe lifted it high, a two-handed grip, in preparation to bash in the back of the other man's skull.
"No!" said Matthew. The boot was already swinging forward, and with every ounce of strength he could muster, Matthew hit Shawcombe across the bridge of the nose with its wooden heel.
The noise of the blow was like an axeblade striking oak; somewhere in it was the crunch of Shawcombe's nose breaking. Shawcombe gave a strangled cry and stumbled backward, intent on grabbing at his wounded face instead of seeing the color of the magistrate's brain. Matthew stepped forward to wrest the mallet away, but suddenly he was attacked by the shrieking old hag, who grabbed at his coat collar with one hand and with the other shoved the candleflames toward his eyes.
Matthew reflexively struck at her, hitting her in the face, but he had to retreat to get away from her, and now Abner was coming into the room with his lantern and his pitchfork.
"Kill 'em!" Shawcombe whined, a nasal sound; he'd met the wall and slid down to the floor, his hands clamped across his face and the mallet lying beside him. Blood, black in the ochre light, was leaking between his fingers. "Abner! Kill 'em both!"
The old man, rain dripping from his beard, lifted the pitchfork and stepped toward Woodward, who was still groaning and trying to straighten himself up.
Matthew was aware of the open window behind him. His mind worked, faster than his body could react. He said, "Thou shalt not kill."
Abner stopped in his tracks. He blinked as if stunned. "What?"
"Thou shalt not kill," Matthew repeated. "It's in the Bible. You do know the Lord's word, don't you?"
"I . . . the Lord's word? Yeah, I reckon I—"
'Abner! Goddamn it, kill 'em!" Shawcombe bawled.
"It's in the Bible, is it not? Mr. Woodward, would you go out the window, please?" The magistrate had tears of pain streaming down his face. He'd regained enough sense, however, to realize he should move quickly.
"Shit! Lemme up!" Shawcombe tried getting to his feet, but both eyes were already turning purplish and starting to swell. He had a harder time than he'd expected finding his balance, and it yet eluded him. He sank back down to the floor. "Maude! Don't let 'em get out!"
"Gimme 'at damn pigsticka!" Maude grabbed the pitchfork and tugged at it, but Abner resisted her.
"The boy's right," Abner said; his voice was calm, as if a great truth had been revealed to him. "It's in the Bible. Thou shalt not kill. That's the Lord's word."
"Ya damn fool! Give it 'ere!" Maude tried, unsuccessfully, to wrench the pitchfork out of his hands.
"Hurry," Matthew said, as he helped the magistrate over the windowsill and out. Woodward fell into the mud like a flour sack. Then Matthew started climbing out.
"You ain't gettin' far!" Shawcombe promised, his voice tight with pain. "We'll hunt ya down!"
Matthew glanced back into the room to make sure Maude didn't have the pitchfork. Abner was still holding on to it, his face furrowed with thought. Matthew figured the old man wouldn't remain in that state of religious piety much longer, though; he was as much of a murderer as the other two, and Matthew had only rolled a stone in his path. Before Matthew let go of the sill, he saw another figure standing in the doorway. It was the girl, her face pale, the dark and dirty hair hanging in her eyes. Her arms were clasped around herself, a protective gesture. He had no idea if she was as mad as the rest of them, or what would become of her; he knew for certain, though, that she was beyond his help.
"Go on and run like a dog!" Shawcombe taunted. The blood was dripping between his fingers to the floor, his eyes becoming narrow, puffed slits. "If you're thinkin' to get that sword was in your wagon, it's done been got! Damn blade ain't sharp enough to cut a fart! So go on and see how far ya get!"
Matthew released the sill and jumped down into the mud beside Woodward, who was struggling to his feet. Maude began flailing Abner with curses, and Matthew knew they'd better put as much distance between them and the tavern as they could before the pursuit started. "Can you run?" he asked the magistrate.
"Run?" Woodward looked at him incredulously. "You might ask if I could crawl!"
"Whatever you can do, you'd best do it," Matthew said. "I think we should get into the woods, first thing."
"What about the horses and the wagon? We're not just going to leave them here!"
"There's no time. I expect they'll be after us in a few minutes. If they come at us with an axe or a musket—"
"Say no more." With an effort, Woodward began slogging toward the woods across the road from the tavern. Matthew followed close at his side, watchful in case he staggered.
The lightning flashed, thunder clapped, and rain fell upon their heads. Before they reached the forest, Matthew looked back at the tavern but saw no one yet following. He hoped Shawcombe had lost—at least for the moment—the desire to rouse himself and come out in this storm; he doubted if the old man and woman were very self-motivated without him. Probably Shawcombe was too busy dealing with his own pain to inflict it on anyone else. Matthew thought about going back for the horses, but he'd never saddled and bridled a mount in his life and the situation was volatile. No, he decided, it was best to head into the forest and follow the road in the direction they'd been going.
"We left everything," Woodward said disconsolately as their feet sank into the quagmire of mud and pine needles at the forest's edge. "Everything! My clothes, my wigs, my judicial robes! Dear Christ, my waistcoat! That animal has my waistcoat!"
"Yes, sir," Matthew answered. "But he doesn't have your life."
"And a sorry thing that will be, from this day forward! Ahh-hhh, that man almost made me a soprano!" He peered into the utter darkness that lay ahead. "Where are we going?"
"Fount Royal."
"What?" The magistrate faltered. "Has that man's madness impressed you?"
"Fount Royal is at the end of the road," Matthew said. "If we keep walking, we might be there in a few hours." An optimistic appraisal, he thought. This swampy earth and the pelting rain would slow them considerably, but it would also hinder their pursuers. "We can return here with their militia and retrieve our belongings. I think it's our only choice."
Woodward was silent. It was indeed their only choice. And if he could get his waistcoat back—and see Shawcombe kicking at the end of a noose—it would be worth a few hours of this vile indignity. He could not help thinking that once a man fell into the pit of disfavor with God, the hole was bottomless. He had no shoes, his balls were bruised and aching, his head was naked to the world, and his nightshirt was sopping and covered with mud. But at least they did both have their lives, which was more than he could say of Thymon Kingsbury. Execution is not one of my duties, he'd told Shawcombe. Well, that just might have to be amended.
He would come back here and get that waistcoat if it was the last thing he did on this earth.
Matthew was moving a little faster than the magistrate, and he paused to wait for Woodward. In time, the night and the storm swallowed them up.
AT LAST THE AFTERNOON SUN had cleaved a path through the clouds and shone now on the drenched earth. The weather had warmed considerably, compared to the chill of the night before. This was more like the usual May, though the clouds—dark gray and swollen with more ghastly rain—were still looming, slowly converging together from all points of the compass to overtake the sun again.
"Go on," said the heavyset, lavishly bewigged man who stood at a second-floor window of his house, overlooking the vista. "I am listening."
The second man in the room—which was a study lined with shelves and leatherbound books, a gold-and-red Persian rug on the pinewood floor—sat on a bench before a desk of African mahogany, a ledger book open in his lap. He was the visitor here, however, as the bewigged man had recently lifted his 220-pound bulk from his own chair, which stood on the other side of the desk facing the bench. The visitor cleared his throat and placed a finger upon a line written in the ledger. "The cotton plants have again failed to take root," he said. "Likewise the tobacco seedlings." He hesitated before he delivered the next blow. "I regret to say that two-thirds of the apple trees have been blighted."
"Two-thirds?" said the man at the window, without turning away from the view. His wig, a majesty of white curls, flowed down around the shoulders of his dark blue, brass-buttoned suit. He wore white ruffles at his sleeves, white stockings on his thick calves, and polished black shoes with silver buckles.
"Yes, sir. The same is true of the plum trees, and about half of the pears. At present the blackcherries have been spared, but it is Goode's opinion that a parasite of some kind may have laid eggs in all the fruit trees. The pecans and the chestnuts are so far unblemished, but the fields have been washed to the extent that many of their roots are now aboveground and vulnerable to harm." The speaker halted in his recitation of agricultural maladies and pushed his spectacles up a little further on his nose. He was a man of medium height and stature, also of medium age and appearance. He had light brown hair, a lofty forehead, and pale blue eyes, and he bore the air of a wearied accountant. His clothes, in contrast to the other man's finery, consisted of a plain white shirt, brown cloth waistcoat, and tan trousers.
"Continue, Edward," the man at the window urged quietly. "I am up to the hearing."
"Yes, sir." The speaker, Edward Winston, returned his attention to the items quilled in the ledgerbook. "Goode has made a suggestion regarding the fruit trees that he felt important for me to pass to you." Again, he paused.
"And that suggestion is?"
Winston lifted his hand and slowly ran two fingers across his mouth before he went on. The man at the window waited, his broad back held straight and rigid. Winston said, "Goode suggests they be burned."
"How many trees? Only those afflicted, yes?"
"No, sir. All."
There was a long silence. The man at the window pulled in his breath and let it slowly out, and when he did so his shoulders lost their square set and began to sag. "All," he repeated.
"Goode believes that burning is the only way to kill the parasite. He says it will do no good in the long run to destroy only the trees presently showing ill. Furthermore, he believes that the site of the fruit orchards should be moved and the earth itself cleansed with seawater and ashes."
The man at the window made a soft noise that had some pain in it. When he spoke, his voice was weak. "How many trees are to be burned, then?"
Winston consulted his ledger. "Eighty-four apple, fifty-two plum, seventy-eight blackcherry, forty-four pear."
"And so we start over yet again, is that it?"
"I fear it is, sir. As I always say, it's better to be safe than sorry."
"Damn," the man at the window whispered. He placed his hands on the sill and stared down through red-rimmed hazel eyes at his endangered dream and creation. "Is she cursing us, Edward?"
"I don't know, sir," answered Winston, in all candor.
Robert Bidwell, the man at the window, was forty-seven years old and scarred with the marks of suffering. His deeply lined face was strained, his forehead furrowed, more lines bracketing his thin-lipped mouth and cutting across his chin. Many of those markings had afflicted him in the past five years, since the day he had been presented with official papers deeding him 990 acres on the coast of the Carolina colony. But this was his dream, and there before him, under the ochre sunlight that slanted through the ominously building clouds, lay his creation.
He'd christened it Fount Royal. The reason for the name was twofold: one, to thank King William and Queen Mary for their fount of faith in his abilities as a leader and manager; and two, as a geographic waypoint for future commerce. Some sixty yards from the front gate of Bidwell's house—which was the sole two-story structure in the community—was the fount itself: an oblong-shaped spring of fresh, cold aquamarine-colored water that covered an expanse of nearly three acres. Bidwell had learned from a surveyor who'd been mapping the area several years ago and who'd also plumbed the spring that it was more than forty feet deep. The fount was of vital importance to the settlement; in this country of salt marshes and stagnant black ponds, the spring meant that fresh water would always be in abundance.
Bulrushes grew in the spring's shallows, and hardy wildflowers that had endured the intemperate chill grew in clumps on the grassy banks. As the spring was the center of Fount Royal, all streets—their muddy surfaces made firmer by sand and crushed oyster shells—radiated from it. The streets were four in number, and had been named by Bidwell: Truth ran to the east, Industry to the west, Harmony to the north, and Peace to the south. Along those streets were the whitewashed clapboard houses, red barns, fenced pastures, lean-to sheds, and workshops that made up the settlement.
The blacksmith toiled at his furnace on Industry Street; on Truth Street stood the schoolhouse, across from the general store; Harmony Street was host to three churchhouses: Anglican, Lutheran, and Presbyterian; the cemetery on Harmony Street was not large, but was unfortunately well-planted; Peace Street led past the slave quarters and Bidwell's own stable to the forest that stood just short of the tidewater swamp and beyond that the sea; Industry Street continued to the orchards and farmland where Bidwell hoped someday to see bounties of apples, pears, cotton, corn, beans, and tobacco; on Truth Street also stood the gaol, where she was kept, and near it the building that served as a meetinghouse; the surgeon-barber was located on Harmony Street, next to Van Gundy's Publick Tavern; and a number of other small enterprises, scattered about the fledgling town in hopes that Bidwell's dream of a southernmost city might come to fruition.
Of the 990 acres Bidwell had purchased, little more than two hundred were actually built upon, tilled, or used as pasture. A wall made of logs, their uptilted ends shaved and honed by axes into sharpened points, had been constructed around the entire settlement, orchards and all, as protection against Indians. The only way in or out—notwithstanding the seacoast, though a watchtower built in the forest there was occupied day and night by a musket-armed militiaman—was through the main gate that opened onto Harmony Street. A watchtower also stood beside the gate, allowing its militiaman a view of anyone approaching on the road.
So far in the existence of Fount Royal, the Indian element had offered no trouble; in fact, they'd been invisible, and Bidwell might have questioned whether there were indeed redskins within a hundred miles, if Solomon Stiles hadn't discovered strange symbols painted on the trunk of a pinetree during a hunting expedition. Stiles, a trapper and hunter of some regard, had explained to Bidwell that the Indians were marking the wilderness beyond the tree as territory not to be trespassed upon. Bidwell had decided not to press the issue, though by the royal deed all that land belonged to him. No, best to let the redskins alone until it was time to smoke them out.
Looking down upon the current decrepit condition of his dream hurt Bidwell's eyes. There were too many empty houses, too many gardens gone to weed, too many broken fences. Un-tended pigs lay about in the muck and dogs wandered, snapping and surly. In the past month five hard-built structures—all deserted at the time—had been reduced to piles of ash by midnight fires, and a burnt smell still tainted the air. Bidwell was aware of whom the residents blamed for these fires. If not her hand directly, then the hands—or claws, as the case might be—of the infernal beasts and imps she invoked. Fire was their language, and they were making their statements very clear.
His dream was dying. She was killing it. Though the bars of her cell and the thick walls of the gaol confined her body, her spirit—her phantasm—escaped to dance and cavort with her unholy lover, to plot more wreckage and woe to Bidwell's dream. To banish such a hydra into the judgment of the wilderness was not enough; she had plainly said she would not go, that no power on earth could make her leave her home. If Bidwell hadn't been a lawful man, he might have had her hanged at the beginning and been done with it. Now it was a matter for the court, and God help the judge who must sit in attendance.
No, he thought grimly. God help Fount Royal.
"Edward," BidweU said, "what is our present population?"
"The exact figure? Or an estimate?"
"An estimate will do."
"One hundred or thereabouts," Winston offered. "But that will change before the week is done. Dorcas Chester is ill onto death."
"Yes, I know. This damp will fill up our cemetery ere long."
"Speaking of the cemetery . . . Alice Barrow has taken to bed as well."
"Alice Barrow?" Bidwell turned from the window to face the other man. "Is she ailing?"
"I had cause to visit John Swaine this morning," Winston said. "According to Cass Swaine, Alice Barrow has told several persons that she's been suffering dreams of the Dark Man. The dreams have so terrified her that she will not leave her bed."
Bidwell gave an exasperated snort. "And so she's spreading them about like rancid butter on scones, is that it?"
"It seems to be. Madam Swaine tells me the dreams have to do with the cemetery. More than that, she was too fearful herself to say."
"Good Christ!" Bidwell said, the color rising in his jowls. "Mason Barrow is a sensible man! Can't he control his wife's tongue?" He took two strides to the desk and slapped a hand down upon its surface. "This is the kind of stupidity that's destroying my town, Edward! Our town, I mean! But by God, it'll be ruins in six months if these tongues don't cease wagging!"
"I didn't mean to upset you, sir," Winston said. "I'm only recounting what I thought you should know."
"Look out there!" Bidwell waved toward the window, where the rain-swollen clouds were beginning to seal off the sunlight once again. "Empty houses and empty fields! Last May we had more than three hundred people! Three hundred! And now you say we're down to one hundred?"
"Or thereabouts," Winston corrected.
"Yes, and how many will Alice Barrow's tongue send running? Damn it, I cannot stand by waiting for a judge to arrive from Charles Town! What can I do about this, Edward?"
Winston's face was damp with perspiration, due to the room's humid nature. He pushed his spectacles up on his nose. "You have no choice but to wait, sir. The legal system must be obeyed."
"And what legal system does the Dark Man obey?" Bidwell planted both hands on the desk and leaned toward Winston, his own face sweating and florid. "What rules and regulations constrain his mistress? Damn my eyes, I can't watch my investment in this land be destroyed by some spectral bastard who shits doom in people's dreams! I did not build a shipping business by sitting on my bum quaking like a milksop maid." This last had been said through gritted teeth. "Come along or not as you please, Edward! I'm off to silence Alice Barrow's prattling!" He stalked toward the door without waiting for his town manager, who hurriedly closed his ledger and stood up to follow, like a pug after a barrel-chested bulldog.
They descended what to the ordinary citizens of Fount Royal was a wonder to behold: a staircase. It was without a railing, however, as the master carpenter who had overseen the construction of the stairs had died of the bloody flux before its completion. The walls of Bidwell's mansion were decorated with English pastoral paintings and tapestries, which upon close inspection would reveal the treacheries of mildew. Water stains marred many of the whitewashed ceilings, and rat droppings lay in darkened niches. As Bidwell and Winston came down the stairs, their boots loudly clomping, they became the focus of Bidwell's housekeeper, who was always alert to her master's movements. Emma Nettles was a broad-shouldered, heavyset woman in her mid-thirties whose hatchet-nosed and square-chinned face might've scared a redskin warrior into the arms of Jesus. She stood at the foot of the stairs, her ample body clad in her customary black cassock, a stiff white cap enforcing the regimented lie of her oiled and severely combed brown hair.
"May I he'p you, sir?" she asked, her voice carrying a distinct Scottish burr. In her formidable shadow stood one of the servant girls.
"I'm away to business," Bidwell replied curtly, plucking from a rack on the wall a navy blue tricorn hat, one of several in a variety of colors to match his costumes. He pushed the hat down on his head, which was no simplicity due to the height of his wig. "I shall have toss 'em boys and jonakin for my supper," he told her. "Mind the house." He strode past her and the servant girl toward the front door, with Winston in pursuit.
"As I always do, sir," the madam Nettles said quietly an instant after the door had closed behind the two men, her flesh-hooded eyes as dark as her demeanor.
Bidwell paused only long enough to unlatch the ornate white-painted iron gate—six feet tall and shipped at great expense from Boston—that separated his mansion from the rest of Fount Royal, then continued along Peace Street at a pace that tested Winston's younger and slimmer legs. The two men passed the spring, where Cecilia Semmes was filling a bucket full of water; she started to offer a greeting to Bidwell, but she saw his expression of angry resolve and thought it best to keep her tongue sheltered.
The last of the miserly sunlight was obscured by cloud
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PPolitics
More on Miami eviction activist Max Rameau
byFlorida Independent
The activist arrested Tuesday while protesting evictions at a foreclosed low-income apartment complex in Miami’s Liberty City is behind some of the area’s most controversial and creative housing demonstrations. In 2006 Max Rameau established a shantytown on a vacant lot owned by the City of Miami to highlight how government keeps land dormant for years rather than put it to use. City officials were powerless to evacuate the village because of a federal ruling dictating that homeless people on city land engaged in life-sustaining conduct could not be moved.
The shantytown burned down in 2007 when a resident’s candle set a shack on fire. Rameau and his organization Take Back the Land then started a campaign to illegally move homeless families into foreclosed homes in the inner city, as well as other vacant homes, some owned by the county. That campaign received national attention.
Letting houses stand vacant due to foreclosure during a housing and employment crisis “is immoral and the laws should be changed,” Rameau says.
Last year, Rameau and Take Back the Land successfully blocked the eviction of a family renting a home on Eighth Avenue and 137th Street that was in foreclosure, by protesting and occupying the house on the day of eviction. The family continues living there. That campaign was featured in Michael Moore’s film Capitalism: A Love Story.
Tuesday, police charged Rameau with disobeying a lawful order, a misdemeanor, when he sat down in front of an apartment police and the property manager were trying to enter. It’s his third arrest since 2007. One of the building’s tenants, Ashaundra Young, was charged with inciting a riot, a felony.
Florida Independent
I am Florida Independent. I love to blog about everything and anything that can help people live a better life. I live in Florida and my family is the most important thing in my life. I love to travel with my wife and three kids and blog about my knowledge and experiences. I collect coins and bullion and love watching, playing, and coaching football.
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Ricardo J. Cata
Upchurch, Watson, White & Max
19 West Flagler Street
Website: www.uww-adr.com
Recognized to Florida Chapter for Mediation & Arbitration Other ADR Services: Med-Arb
Book an Appointment with Ricardo Cata's office
Please click your preferred available date to submit a request. Your Appointment Form will be sent to Ricardo's assistant, Cristal Galvez.
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Calendar Last Updated Jan 19 2020
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Practice Commenced: 2014
Total Mediations (as of Jan 2020): 395
Total Arbitrations (as of Jan 2020): 5
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Ricardo Cata practiced as a civil litigator and trial lawyer in South Florida for 38 years. His mediation practice focuses on: construction and design defects; commercial, franchise, partnership and contractual disputes; trademark infringement and trade secrets disputes; class action disputes, cross border disputes (in litigation or arbitration); aviation, maritime and cruise passenger claims; general, resort, product and premises liability; medical malpractice; wrongful death, third-party and first-party insurance coverage and e-discovery disputes.
He is certified to mediate civil cases by the U.S. District Court, Southern and Middle Districts of Florida. Ricardo has been a member of the American Arbitration Association (AAA) Mediator Panel since 2015, and a Florida Supreme Court Approved Arbitrator. He was also a member of the AAA Roster of Neutrals (2015 - 2019), the ICDR Cruise Line and Seafarer Arbitrator Panel (2016 - 2019), the CPR Panels of Distinguished Neutrals (2016 -2019), and the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals (NADN). Ricardo has served as arbitrator in four AAA commercial disputes.
During his legal practice, Ricardo represented resorts and tour operators from Latin America in Florida’s circuit and federal courts, obtaining dismissals on forum non conveniens or lack of personal jurisdiction. Ricardo also represented domestic and international manufacturers of products on claims of design and/or manufacturing defects, and represented U.S. and Latin American clients in commercial and contractual disputes; and represented clients in claims of design and construction defects, wrongful death suits, franchise litigation, maritime disputes, general aviation disputes, insurance coverage disputes, and medical and chiropractic malpractice suits.
A native of Cuba, Ricardo is bilingual in Spanish and English, and has mediated in Spanish. Ricardo served in the U.S. Army from 1967 to 1969 with the Armed Forces Police in Washington, D.C., with an honorable discharge.
For more information and a list of my Publications and Presentations, see my Profile and C.V. under the "Our Team" tab, at: www.uww-adr.com
ADA Disability
Business Dissolution
Trademarks/Patents
Wage & Hour/FMLA
B.A. ~ Long Island University, 1972, summa cum laude
J.D. ~ St. John’s University School of Law, 1975
M.A. ~ University of Miami Graduate School of International Studies, 1991
American Bar Association: Sections of Dispute Resolution and International Law (up to 2018)
Miami International Arbitration Society (MIAS) - up to 2018
The Florida Bar: Alternative Dispute Resolution
The Florida Bar: International Law Sections - up to 2019
Executive Council Member, Florida Bar’s ADR Section - up to 2018
AAA Mediator Panel- 2015 to the present
Chair, Mediation Committee, Florida Bar’s International Law Section, 2015-2018
AAA Roster of Neutrals - 2015 up to 2019
CPR Panels of Distinguished Neutrals - 2016 up to 2019
National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals (NADN)
Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) Accredited Mediator
Contact his Case Manager, Cristal Galvez, for details, at: cgalvez@uww-adr.com, or at: 305-266-1224.
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DSWD 5 to hold learning exchange visit for Partners
Posted on 13 June 2019.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office V Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program will be conducting a learning exchange visit for partner government agencies and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) on June 19-21, 2019.
The activity aims to provide a wider, deeper understanding and better appreciation of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. It also aims to clarify issues about the program and develop recommendations in enhancing the policies of 4Ps in the Region.
According to Regional Director Arnel B. Garcia, the activity will also serve as a venue for the beneficiaries to express their thoughts, experiences on how they are able to benefit from the services provided to them, how their living improved through the convergence efforts of the programs and services both internal and external partners.
A total of 50 participants from CSOs and government agencies including DSWD 4Ps staff will attend the said activity.
The learning exchange will be a two-day visit in Ligao City in the barangays of Tuburan, Cabarian, Santa Cruz, Catburawan and Maonon.
Regional Program Coordinator, Priscilla C. Saladaga said the partners will visit rural health stations and secondary schools of the said barangays.
Also, the partners will interview 4Ps beneficiaries, local officials, and government partners who directly provide assistance to 4Ps beneficiaries.
She added that Ligao City was identified due to its notable active performance along the implementation of programs of DSWD and received the highest number of social services last 2018.***GANLindio
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DSWD Bicol Bata Balik Eskwela campaign sends children back to school
To ensure that the children beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of Department of Social Welfare and Development in Bicol will enroll this opening of classes, said program sets a massive campaign dubbed as “Bata Balik Eskwela” in all of its covered municipalities and cities.
The Bata Balik Eskwela (BBE) campaign aims to encourage the children to return to school and continue their education so that they can fully maximize the benefits provided by 4Ps. Also, it aims to teach and inculcate to the children the value of education.
According to Regional Director Arnel B. Garcia, CESO II the target participants of the campaign are the children who are facing difficulties in continuing their studies
Among the identified reasons for not attending school are: there are significant numbers who are working in various sectors of economy to augment family’s income; children who were engaged in early marriage and got pregnant at an early age and children who are very sickly.
According to Dir. Garcia, the challenges identified which these children are facing are also addresses by the BBE Campaign.
Included in the BBE campaign are the current activities of 4Ps such as Youth and Family Development Sessions that are designed to develop a positive mind-set among the youth and parents and distribution of information materials.
Also, various interventions such as case management are administered by the program implementers in order to help these children or the whole family addressed their problems and in turn be able to make them realize the importance of sending back their children to school.
Dir. Garcia added that under the BBE, children beneficiaries will be equipped with necessary life skills so that they will realize their full potentials and decrease deterrents to their development with the end goal of enabling them to contribute meaningfully to improving the condition of their families.
Under BBE, the Parents are also asked for their commitment along providing guidance to their children, support along finances in school and active participation along conduct of community and school activities such as brigada eskwela.
The BBE is in partnership with other government agencies such as Department of Education and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).
At present a total of 9,940 4Ps children continue their education and about 19,000 children were provided with interventions through case management.***GANLindio-IO4Ps
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DSWD welcomes institutionalization of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program
Posted on 31 May 2019.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) lauded the signing into law of Republic Act 11310 institutionalizing the government’s flagship poverty reduction program known as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps.
4Ps is an investment in human capital which seeks to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty by focusing on education and health of the beneficiaries. It provides conditional cash transfer to poor households around the country, It is being implemented by DSWD, in partnership with other government agencies, such as the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Education (DepEd), and Commission on Higher Education (CHED), among others.
DSWD emphasized that the signing of the law is the realization of the long time clamor of beneficiaries to make the program regular and permanent. It can be recalled that beneficiaries have continuously expressed apprehensions that the benefits they are receiving from 4Ps might be stopped if the program will not be institutionalized. It is also important to mention that they played a role in achieving this feat by lobbying for the institutionalization of the program.
The Department added that with RA 11310, the continuity and sustainability of the program can be assured. The law makes the program more robust by prioritizing farmers and fisher folks, strengthening livelihood and employment opportunities for beneficiaries, ensuring civil society organizations’ seats in the advising councils, and providing automatic coverage to Philhealth.
The Department also stated that the law will further boost its goal of helping poor families achieve a better quality of life, thereby, contributing to the reduction of poverty incidence to 14 percent by 2022, as set by the present administration.
4Ps milestones
Since its inception in 2008, 4Ps has achieved several milestones in the areas of poverty reduction, health, and education.
The National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), in its launch of the 2015 Official Poverty Statistics said, “One of the major factors in this improvement of poverty reduction is the increased budget in government’s social development programs, which significantly augmented the income of the poorest households… The regularity of the cash transfer sustained for three years for many CCT beneficiaries has accorded them some resiliency to weather certain shocks. The program also induced more economic activity in the poor barangays given the presence of a cash economy. These conditions may have also encouraged a number of them to diversify their livelihood sources.”
Moreover, in its 2017 Socio-Economic Report, NEDA stated that, “By far, the most comprehensive program to address […] vulnerability is the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). This program needs to be sustained and even enhanced.”
Furthermore, the World Bank in its 2018 assessment of poverty in the Philippines (Making Growth Work for the Poor) reported that “transfers from government social programs [CCT] contributed about 25 percent of the [reduction in poverty incidence between 2006 and 2015.”]
Likewise, impact evaluations on the program done and completed in 2012 and 2014 showed that the program can break the intergenerational cycle of poverty, helping poor families escape the poverty trap of being poor because they have no decent jobs or undereducated and sickly.
Based on the two impact studies, the program had positive effects on education and health of children and pregnant women.
The studies showed that program beneficiaries have higher enrolment and attendance rates and lower drop-outs as compared to non-beneficiaries.
As regards health, children-beneficiaries have increased availment of basic health services and reduced severe stunting especially to children from 6 months to 3 years old.
The impact studies also showed that more pregnant women availed of maternal health services and an increased delivery in accredited birthing facilities, as compared to those who are not covered by the program.
Meanwhile, since 2015, the program has paved the way for almost 1 million children-beneficiaries to compete high school and more than 30,000 to graduate from college.
As of March 31, 2019, the program covers 41,552 barangays in all 145 cities and 1,483 municipalities in 80 provinces nationwide with 4.18 million active households.***Social Marketing Service
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Former grantee of DSWD and CHED now a teacher
Joseph Tobias, 24, former grantee of Expanded Student Grant-in-Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation (ESGP-PA) now a Professor in Catanduanes State University.
Unlike any other students who have their parents support during college years, Joseph Tobias, 24, has to work on his own having left by his parents at an early age.
Joseph and eight of his siblings were left by their parents at an early age. He was 16 years old when his father died due to heart attack and two years after his mother died due to congestive heart failure.
Four of his elder siblings were forced to stop education to work. While Joseph committed a promise to finish until college.
“Sabi ko ayoko mahinto sa pag-aaral, humingi ako ng tulong sa mga kapatid ko. Sinabi ko sakanila na pag-nakapagtapos ako, sila naman ang papag-aralin ko, [I told them I do not want to stop my studies, I asked help from them and told them that after I finished college I will send them to school],” he said.
During high school until college years, it was through the remittances of his elder siblings that he was able to finance his studies and through vending “kakanin” native foods made by his eldest sister–Ma. Josalie, 30.
According to him, there was a time that it was close to impossible that he would graduate in college.
“Mahirap na walang magulang na masasandalan. Ako kasama ng mga maliliit ko na kapatid ay kailangan na gumising ng 4:00AM para magbenta ng kakanin at sinisikap namin maubos iyon para makatulong sa kapatid ko, para may makain kami at makapasok sa paaralan, [It was hard for us having no parents that we could lean on to. I and my younger siblings have to wake up as early as 4:00AM to sell kakanin to our neighbors. Oftentimes, we came late in school because we wanted to sell as much as we can to help my sister earn for us to have food on the table, and be able to go to school],” he said.
However, after a year in college, Joseph has to stop and work as a security guard in Metro Manila to support his younger siblings education and be able to save money to continue his college studies.
“Yung sahod ng mga kapatid ko ay kaunti lang. Tama lang sa pagbili ng pagkain, tuition fee ng mga kapatid ko sa elementary at high school at sa school projects nila. Gusto ko silang tulungan kaya yung sahod ko napupunta sa kanila at nagtatabi lang ako sa pangaraw-araw ko na gastos, [My siblings income were very minimal. It is only sufficient to buy our food, tuition fee of my younger siblings in high school and elementary and school projects. I wanted to help them so all of my salary were sent to them and I only save a few for my daily expenses],” he stated.
But, his hopes of earning a degree still remained. Joseph save his last earning and went back to his hometown in Barangay Comagaycay, San Andres, Catanduanes. He continued his studies in Catanduanes State University with a course of Bachelor of Science in Agriculture.
To continue and be able to finance his education, he was helped by one of the faculty members providing him a small sleeping quarter in school to save money from commuting from home. He also asked for a part-time job as a janitor where he used to wake up 4:00 AM to clean the school’s comfort rooms, hallways, and classrooms.
“Yung panahon na iyon, masasabi ko na maswerte ako at may mga tumutulong sa akin, [That time, I can say I am still lucky that people helped me],” he said.
It was not an easy road for Joseph having to work before going to class, and thinking where to get money for his school projects. Until, on his third year, he was lucky to become a grantee of Expanded Student Grant-in-Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation (ESGP-PA) being implemented by Commission on Higher Education in partnership with Department of Social Welfare and Development Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.
Under the program, a student-grantee is entitled to a maximum grant of P60,000 per school year or P30,000 per semester for tuition and other school fees, textbooks or other learning materials, and stipend.
He said, being a grantee gave him strength and hope to pursue and get the degree he wanted. “Sobrang nakatulong iyon sa aming pamilya. Ang ginawa ko, nagtatabi ako para mabigyan ng pangklase mga kapatid ko. Tapos ang tuition fee ko secure na. Nung nagthesis ako malaki ang naitulong sa akin, [It’s a huge help to my family. What I did, I allocate some for the studies of my siblings. My tuition fee was secured. When we are doing our thesis, it is a big help],” he said.
According to Joseph, when he finally made it through the graduation, he could not stop crying because all that he had gone through was all worth it. He graduated with Academic Distinction and the degree he dreamt off.”Umiiyak pa rin ako hanggang ngayon pagna-aalala ko nung nasa stage ako para kunin ang diploma ko. Ang diploma ko ay para sa mga kapatid ko na nariyan para sa akin, sa mga magulang ko at sa lahat ng tumulong sa aming pamilya, [I am still crying until now every time I recalled the moment I was in the stage to get my diploma. My diploma is for my siblings who have been there for me, for my parents and to everyone who lends help to our family],” he said in teary eyes.
At present, Joseph is currently employed as a faculty teacher in the same school, working and earning to support his siblings.
He is also fulfilling his promise to his siblings providing support for their college education and the rest to continue to enter school.
“Ako ang unang nagkakapagtapos sa pamilya o sa aming clan. Pangarap namin na magkakapatid na makapagtapos kami lahat at balang araw ay ma-aabot namin ang pangarap ng aming mga magulang–na makapagtapos kami, may magandang trabaho, magkaroon ng maganda at masayang pamilya, [I am the first to graduate in college in our family or in our clan. We all dreamt to finish our education and in the future and be able to achieve the dream of our parents–to finish our education, to have a good job and to have a beautiful and happy family],” he said.
He also left a message to people who are going through the same situation as
him saying that “If we were able to make it, surely you can as well. As my parents usually said to us, those people who have a good education are those who have a better future].”***GLindio,4Ps-Information Officer
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Bangladesh Government Officials visits DSWD Bicol for its good practices
DSWD Regional Director Arnel B. Garcia, CESO II
Daughter of Prime Minister and Chairperson of National Advisory Committee of Autism and Neurodevelopment and Saima W. Hossain
Sixteen senior government officials from Bangladesh came in Bicol Region for a two-day study visit (May 1 -2) to learn about the experiences of the community, the good practices implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office V.
The study visit was led by the daughter of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh and Chairperson of National Advisory Committee of Autism and Neurodevelopment Saima W. Hossain.
Other delegates are Director General, Additional Secretary of Department of Women Affairs (DWA) Badrun Nessa, Additional Secretary, Health Service Division Habibur Rahman Khan, Additional Secretary Anwar Hossain, Director General of Bangladesh National Nutrition Council Mohammad Sha Nawaz, Head of World Food Program-Bangladesh Rezaul Karim, Chief Operating Officer of Shuchana Foundation Malka Shamrose, Programme Director of Maternity Allowance Programme A J M Rezaul Alam Bin Ansar, Secretary of Ministry of Women and Children Affairs Kamrun Nahar, Director of Maternal Neonatal Child Reproductive Health Care Mohammad Sharif, Additional Secretary Md Aynul Kabir, Additional Secretary Cabinet Division Shahan Ara Banu, Deputy Chief Shakil Akhter, Addtional Secretary of Finance Division of Ministry of Finance Habibur Rahman, Programme and Policy Officer of World Food Program of Bangladesh Masing Newar and Mamunur Rashid.
Also present are DSWD Undersecretary Camilo Gudmalin, Deputy Program Manager for Operations Irene Dumlao, Regional Director Arnel B. Garcia, and other DSWD field staff.
According to Hossain, she aimed at knowing the challenges faced by the Program and how it has been addressed and the good practices being implemented. “Through this visit, I would like to understand the programs and services being implemented for the poor families including the persons with disabilities who are vulnerable and marginalized. What are the things they are needed for support to come up with strategies, focused ideas and solutions that could be implemented in our country,” she said.
Rezaul Karim, head of the United Nations World Food Program- Bangladesh expressed his immense gratitude to DSWD Bicol for hosting the activity. He said that the visit would be an excellent opportunity to get detailed information and discover the good practices being implemented by the Region.
Also, H.E. Asad Alam Siam, Ambassador to the Philippines, Bangladesh Embassy mentioned that they would like to learn from the successful implementation of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in Bicol that can be useful for common future projects and future cooperation.
Regional Director Arnel B. Garcia said he aims the delegates to deepen their understanding of the programs and services extended by DSWD, share and exchange information and expertise that are beneficial to both countries to effectively deliver its services to those who are in need and establish linkages and network.
During the visit, Mr. Mohammad Aynul Kabir, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs gave an overview of the profile and primary front line services being implemented in their country.
After which, Assistant Regional Director Arwin Razo shared the latest accomplishments of 4Ps along with the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) and Listahanan.
He further discussed the effective strategies being applied on how the Region was able to attain more than its target and shared its best practices.
Citing of which are the conduct of Youth Development Session to selected beneficiaries that are not compliant to the conditions of the Program and the reporting, analysis and lobbying strategies to supply the gaps along the implementation of 4Ps. As to the disaster response, are the conduct of training along camp coordination and camp management for other agencies, cash for work during Mayon Phreatic explosion and deployment of Satellite communication during disaster and other best practices.
Moreover, Marilyn C. Valeza, Registered Nutritionist-Dietitian of National Nutrition Council presented their major programs and good practices and Mr. Cedric Daep of Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office presented the Disaster Risk Reduction Application supporting sustainable development.
Municipal Mayor Ann Gemma Y. Ongjoco, presented the profile of the Municipality of Guinobatan, and the best practices implemented by the local government in support to the implementation of 4Ps.
The Municipality of Guinobatan was selected as the area to be visited by the Bangladesh delegates on its second day to have the opportunity to encounter with the community residents.
The delegates are scheduled to visit Guinobatan West Evacuation Center, Maguiron and Muladbucad Grande Health Centers and the communal garden in Barangay Calzada Guinobatan, Albay.
Also, they will have an opportunity to witness the conduct of Family Development Session and the showcase of livelihood products of beneficiaries of SLP.***G.Lindio,IO-II
Assistant Regional Director Arwin O. Razo
Bangladesh Delegates with Local Government Officials of Guinobatan, Albay
Guinobatan West Evacuation Center
Daughter of Prime Minister and Chairperson of National Advisory Committee of Autism and Neurodevelopment and Saima W. Hossain expresses her love for children–carrying a baby of a beneficiary of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program at Maguiron Health Center, Guinobatan, Albay
Focus Group Discussion with beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program at Muladbucad Grande, Guinobatan, Albay
Bangladesh Delegates planted trees at the communal garden maintained by beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program of Barangay Calzada, Guinobatan, Albay
Bangladesh Delegates with Key Officials and DSWD Bicol Staff and Local Government Staff of Guinobatan
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Graduation Speech: 4Ps Beneficiary – Magna Cum Laude
Posted on 10 April 2019.
SANDRA E. RAMOS
Graduated Magna Cum Laude
4Ps Beneficiary
How great my joy is that all of our sleepless nights have now paid off after years of hardship today we are finally done, and at least we can now repay the sacrifices of the people behind our success.
After I learned about the news that I was qualified as the Magna Cum Laude of the 2O19 graduating class, a lot of people congratulated me and said good things about me like “Ang talino mo naman,” “Ang galling mo naman.” They even told me that I am almost perfect. There was one who asked, “ how to be you po?” How to be me? I am just an ordinary person, an ordinary student just like the rest of the Asteans. But thenI took the question seriously, how am I different from the rest? What did it take me to have been given this honor? Then these:
First, I am a listener. I listen to my teachers all the time. I see to it that I don’t to do what they require me to do. I study, I recite, I prepare my projects well and see to it that I always give extra effort in preparing all my requirements.
Second, I choose my friends well. I see to it that I am in the company of good friends whom I can rely on especially in trying moments of my student life. They are the friends who always lift me when I’m down, friends who I consider to be my family away from home.
Third, I always consider my family as my inspiration. My father is A PEDICAB DRIVER and my mother is a simple housewife. I always tell myself that I have to do my best because my parents are doing everything they can to make my school life lighter to bear. My father wakes up early in the morning to work until midnight, and my mother wakes up early too to prepare the things that I and my siblings needed for school. We may not have the luxuries that others have but we have all the love that we may ever need. We may not have a beautiful house, but we have a home that bound with happiness. The love of my family keeps me going. It is that love that inspires me to always do my best.
Fourth, I trust God. I fully entrust myself to Him. When I am weak, he becomes my strength; when I am in darkness, he provides the light; and when there are hindrances, He always clears the way. I am grateful for all my achievements but I keep myself humble because I acknowledge that I did not achieve them with my own strength but with the help of God. I am grateful for the honor that is given to me today but I am most honored knowing that I have done my best for His glory.
Lastly, I always do my best. I know that I am not the most intelligent but that fact makes me strive to do the best that I can. I believe that it is not just the intelligence that will make a person succeed but it is the way he understands and handles things the right way. I do my best not to impress others, but doing my best has already become a part of me. It has already become my way of life.
How to be me? I am unique and you too are unique individuals. But I tell you, In order to achieve the things that we dream of, we have to humble ourselves and to recognize our need for our family, for our friends and for God.
I will not be where I am now without my mentors, especially TLE instructors who patiently shared their knowledge and skills with us, and who did not tire of cheering, pushing and believing that we can always do better. Thank you for always protecting and reminding us not to belittle ourselves because there are a lot of things that we alone can do best. Thank you for always reminding us that we are greater than what others think we are.
To the College President, Sir Richard H. Cordial, Sir if you can still remember me, I was the student you talked to at the office of the SDS. You chose me to be the first one to use the computer for survey purposes. At that time I felt grateful for the opportunity to be with the College President. But what‘s more amazing is that I saw how you love and care for the students. I think I even saw tears in your eyes while you were talking about your dream for the Asteans. I deeply admire you and thank you Sir for your commitment, for your fatherly concern and for being our inspiration. We are proud Asteans because of you.
To my classmates and friends who shared with me the four fruitful, happy and challenging years in BISCAST, thank you. The challenges and difficult situations during our journey has become easier to face because of you. Rica Pacis, what you said was right I would never have made it here today if not because of our friends. My best friend Louila, thank you for your love and care ; my study group and research group thank you for the moments you shared with me and for always helping me ;Meco, thank you for your encouragement and for making everything lighter for me; my classmates, thank you for your support and love and for the happiness we shared together. All of you make me proud to be a TLE major student.
To my Tito’s and Tita’s thank you for helping me financially. To my family, thank you for your unending love, understanding, effort and sacrifices for me. Maybe we cannot buy the things we want, we may not have a concrete house, and we may not have all of the beautiful things in the world but, you have provided me the most important things that everyone needs-love, happiness and respect.
To my mother “Mama,” thank you for taking care of me and for the love and support that you have always given me. To my father who is my first love and my hero, Papa thank you for your immeasurable sacrifices. Being a pedicab driver for so many years is not easy but I know that it is your love for us that gives you strength.
Honestly, there have been times that I felt very tired, incompetent, pressured, depressed and weak. These have been the times that the idea of not studying anymore and not pushing hard enough crossed my mind. And in those times of weakness, I always see a father –waiting for me at the pedicab terminal smiling despite his tiredness; calling me and telling me, “uwi na tayo anak para sabay na tayo kumain.” Every time I think of quitting, I would see my father and I would feel guilty and even get mad at myself. Here is my father who for the longest time had been very tired of driving his pedicab but he never complained. He never stopped driving his pedicab. He never stopped my life from going I know that he is already tired and weak but he pretends to be okay so that he could provide us with the strength that we need.
Papa “salamat po sa ilang milyong pedal ng padyak na ginawa mo para sa amin, salamat po dahil hindi ka tumigil, natakot, nahiya at napagod magtrabaho para sa amin at salamat sa pagmamahal at suportang nabinigay mo sa akin. Sobrang ipinagmamalaki ko na kayo ang naging pamilya ko at ikaw papa ang ama ko.” Never in my life that I felt ashamed because of my family’s situation because I am proud that my father is a pedicab driver.
As stated in my favorite scripture verse,” Yea I know I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak therefore I will not boast of myself but I will boast of my God for his strength, I can do all things.” All glory to God in the highest! He made us this far. I experience so many miracles while I’m studying and I know that behind those miracles is Heavenly Father.
Finally, even though we have all the inspiration and people around us, we can never succeed if we do not first help ourselves. Ultimately, our success depends on us. My fellow graduates, we are always faced with difficulties but we need to continue and believe that after every sunset is always the sunrise. Let us continue to believe in ourselves even if others do not. Let us make ourselves better because it is in doing so that we can glorify God.
My fellow graduates, parents and sa lahat ng nakakarinig sa akin, let us be courageous to face the world and do our best to meet the expectations of others, pero kapag ginawa natin ang lahat at hindi pa rin tayo tanggap ng ibang tao, cheer up! for there is someone mightier than them, there is someone mightier than the world and it is the Heavenly Father. I know if we will do our best in everything and choose and do what is right in all times, I know we will make Him happy. We will make him proud. And, for me that is the most important thing that I will always consider.
How great this day is! And how blessed we are! Boast not of ourselves but boast on the persons behind our success!
Thank you and congratulations to all of us!
SANDRA ESTEFANI RAMOS
Bicol State College of Applied Sciences and Technology
Bachelor of Secondary Education, Major in Technology and Livelihood Education
Pantawid Pamilya Beneficiary
Barangay Bell, Magarao, Camarines Sur
Graduated April 2, 2O19
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DSWD 5 Advocacy Forum and Mobile Photography Contest held
Posted on 29 March 2019.
Regional Director Arnel B. Garcia during the Advocacy Forum held at La Roca, Legazpi City
In line with the Women’s Month Celebration with the theme: “We Make Change Work for Women,” the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office V recently held an Advocacy Forum on Women and Child Protective Laws and Mobile Photography Contest at La Roca, Legazpi City.
A total of 75 participants from the members of the Kalipunan ng Liping Pilipina (Kalipi), staff from the Municipal and City Social Welfare offices of Daraga and Legazpi attended the advocacy forum while students from Cabangan High School, Gogon High School, Oro Site High School and Pag-Asa National High School participated the Mobile Photography Contest.
According to Regional Director Arnel B. Garcia, the activity aims to give due recognition to the contributions of Filipino women in the society. He also made emphasis on the rights and welfare of women and girls to the participants.
During the activity, series of forum was held about the Republic Act No. 9710 “Magna Carta for Women” by Atty. Arlene Alangco, regional director of Commission on Human Rights Regional Office V, Republic Act No. 7877 “Anti Sexual Harassment Act” by Atty. Joyce O. Guerero, assistant regional prosecutor of Department of Justice (DOJ) Regional Office V and Online Sexual Abuse by Project Development Officer III Laisa Maoren Desolo.
Meanwhile, eight photo entries were submitted and captured on the same day, showcasing the daily activities of women and in the workforce. Entries were adjudged by Atty. Joyce O. Guerero, Atty. Arlene Alangco, Dr. Rafaelita O. Lucena of Department of Science and Technology.
Criteria for Judging are; Thematic relavance:25 percent; Composition:25 percent; Photographic quality:25 percent and Visual Impact: 25 percent.
Winners of the Mobile Photography Contest are Champion: Jericho R. Licup of Cabangan High School; First Runner-up: Justin Martin L. Olarte of Cabangan High School and Second Runner-up: Zandra E. Arena of Gogon High School. Certificates and Cash prizes were given to the winners amounting to P5,000, P3,000; P2,000, respectively.***G.Lindio
Atty. Arlene Alangco, regional director of Commission on Human Rights Regional Office V discuss the Republic Act No. 9710 “Magna Carta for Women”
Atty. Joyce O. Guerero, assistant regional prosecutor of Department of Justice (DOJ) Regional Office V discuss about Republic Act No. 7877 “Anti Sexual Harassment Act.”
Winner: Second Runner – Up – Zandra E. Arena of Gogon High School
Winner: First Runner-up- Justin Martin L. Olarte of Cabangan High School
Champion: Jericho R. Licup of Cabangan High School
ENTRIES MOBILE PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST
ENTRY # 1
Women’s Voice Women’s Weapon. Ruffa Lozado broadcasts and voices at her insights about the daily news and current issues in the Province.
GIANNA MIA A. PALOYO
Pag-asa National High School
Salute for Respect, Salute for Women Empowerment. The Lady Guard at Ayala Mall religously performs her duty by giving the utmost repect to other people.
ROCHELLE ESPELITA
Oro Site High School
To empower is to educate, to educate is to empower. The student is willing to extend help to the sampaguita vendor knowing that helping people from all walks of life learn something is the noblest thing to be done.
JOSHUA MICALLER
Guard on watch. Janine L. Orante, 26, writes report on the in and out patients in one of the hospitals in the city.
ALENDRA O. UY
Disabled but abled. A lady physical therapist at SM honing her skills while waiting for her customer.
JAMES MARTIN L. OLARTE
Cabangan High School
“If my man can’t drive, I will, just for the sake of my family.” Tiya Mina of Bagtang, Daraga, Albay earns her living through her tricycle. She is driving her tricycle for two decades.
JERICHO ROSAS LICUP
A spark made of steel. A versatile woman, Kathlyn Dela Fuente, a 22 years old construction welder at JRL3 Construction and Supply, Tahao Road, Legazpi City proves people not to stereotype women, thinking all are feminine. The strength aof a man can also be found in a woman.
ZANDRA E. ARENA
Gogon High School
Bizarre Pigment. A woman with passion for the arts, Ruby Decal, a 38 year-old furniture show owner, Imelda Roces Avenue, Tahao Road, Legazpi City express her love for children through brush and ink. With every stroke of her brush comes a perfectly painted wooden rocking horse. Making suck crafts brings joy to her heart. For a woman with a heart, is truly empowered one.
CHERRY ANNE LEOSALA
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DSWD announces delayed release of 4Ps Cash Grants
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office V Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) announced that there is a delay release of cash grants to its beneficiaries.
This is because the Landbank of the Philippines (LBP) has yet to secure the permission from the Commission on Election (COMELEC) to procure conduits during election ban. Conduits are responsible for the conduct of over the counter 4Ps pay-out.
According to DSWD Regional Director Arnel B. Garcia, the delay of cash grants will be for two months which starts from December 2018 to January 2019.
“The cash grants will be released on June 2019 as announced by LBP,” he said.
These cash grants are provided to 4Ps poor families to improve the health, nutrition, and the education of their children aged 0-18.
Under the health grant, a beneficiary family receives P500 per month or a total of P6,000 per year. For the educational grant, a beneficiary family whose children are in elementary receive P300 every month, per child. Also, a family with high school students receive a monthly grant of P500 per child. A maximum of three children are covered in every family under the program.
In addition, an amount of P600.00 per month is provided to a beneficiary family for their rice subsidy.
These cash grants are distributed to household beneficiaries every after two months through LBP cash cards– or through alternate payment schemes such as rural bank transactions through the LBP identified conduits.
Dir. Garcia made emphasis that the delay release of cash grants affects only those household beneficiaries whose mode of payment are through over-the-counter or those being paid through conduits.
He also reminded the 4Ps beneficiaries that they should comply with the program’s conditions: attending the monthly family development session; Children beneficiaries should attend or should reach 85% attendance in their classes and avail themselves of medical check-up and vaccines in health centers.
“We know these grants are needed by the beneficiaries to augment to their daily living. That is why the Department is working hard to ensure that the target household beneficiaries and individuals will receive their grants,” he said.
At present, a total of 363,870 households are beneficiaries of the Program.
For further queries, beneficiaries may reach their respective DSWD Municipal or City links assigned in their area or go to the nearest DSWD Office or send a text message to the Pantawid Pamilya’s grievance hotline at 0918-912-2813.***GANLindio
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Orlando Roncesvalles in books and authors, capital markets, economic thought, essays, philippine economy, technology, useful info March 21, 2012 March 21, 2012 469 Words
Facebook and Doronila
The connection looks remote. The first is a social web phenom, albeit an abuser of privacy rights of those who choose to join. The second is an old-school journalist in the Philippines who, unfortunately, has ‘lost it.’
Because Facebook exists, I have decided to make good on a teeny protest against the inanity of broadsheet newspapers, especially the Inquirer, who thinks highly enough of Amando Doronila to keep running his unreadable stuffs. And stuffs they are. The protest is simple: I will no longer be a paid subscriber to the Inquirer’s print version. In any case, I’m sure the newspaper will survive (it has enough ‘friends’ in the economy who will pay for ads). It’s also a protest against the presence of one Rigoberto Tiglao on the newspaper’s pages.
The protest is on balance easy, even profitable. Some news is still important. But aha, that’s where web 2.0 kicks in. The news I think important are those some FB friends consider as well. I noticed that we ‘help’ each other by linking to things we may agree – and more often – disagree on. This makes for an interesting experience. My news world has expanded to include the two Times (Los Angeles and New York), the Philippine Star (which used to have some kind of strange bias a while back), the Manila Standard (which is fast becoming the better version of the Daily Tribune), something called the Onion, and even that openly unbiased wanna-bee called Rappler.com. The reality is that everything out there has a bias, so caveat lector be.
Doronila has already taken up enough of my time. Fool that I was, I kept hoping there might still be some redeeming value in his pieces, but it seems that the better ‘gamble’ is to just say No. Now, I no longer have to pay real money to the Inquirer, but can keep a tab on what’s up through FB friends’ links. The nice thing is that pulling the plug was painless. I simply told the household help to call up, on the landline, the local news vendor. The dogs will miss barking at the delivery guy, but they have other folks to bark at.
It now turns out that FB has some personal value even if I can’t get a piece of its IPO incomings. I get to avoid P1,000/month of news print subscription fees. That’s not exactly peanuts. (It’s more expensive by twice than the monthly dues on an unli-call/text postpaid plan at the post-merger Sun.) The capitalized present value of this opportunity ‘gain’ is roughly US$1,200. Not bad as my valuation of my FB friends’ news-wise wisdom.
Finally, I must thank Mr. Doronila for getting me to think about the matter. He didn’t exactly show me the way, but, hey, you can’t win it all.
doronila
tiglao
Rene Saguisag vs. a Combine
The Dimatulac Files – Sexual harassment and the Azkals
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Liverpool Set To Beat Arsenal To Midfield Signing As Rodgers Eyes Triple Swoop
By Fraser Crawford on June 1, 2015
As the opening of the summer transfer window approaches, managers are working hard identifying targets and lining-up potential deals so we’ll bring you all the news and gossip. Today, Liverpool are closing in on Manchester City’s James Milner…
Liverpool look set to beat Arsenal to the signing of Manchester City midfielder James Milner as Brendan Rodgers hopes to wrap-up a triple swoop over the coming weeks, according to the Liverpool Echo.
Milner has been at the Etihad since moving to City from Aston Villa in 2010 but he’s struggled to establish himself as a first team regular under Manuel Pellegrini and has mostly been used as a utility player in recent seasons.
The 29-year-old is set to see his contract expire at the end of this month and despite City offering him a new bumper deal the England international is expected to snub their advances and move to a rival on a free transfer in search of more regular action.
The likes of Arsenal and Liverpool have been strongly linked with a move for Milner in recent months but it looks like the Merseysiders are now in pole position to wrap-up a deal.
According to the Liverpool Echo, Liverpool are due to hold advanced talks with the player this week and are confident they’ve done enough to persuade him turn to his back on a move to the Emirates in favour of Anfield.
The newspaper says Milner is one of Brendan Rodgers’ top transfer targets and it looks like the under-fire Northern Irishman is about to kick his summer business off by snapping-up the versatile midfielder on a free transfer.
As with any transfer story, it’s difficult to know how much truth there is behind it all but if the Echo’s report is accurate then it appears Liverpool are on the verge of pulling off something of a coup.
Milner may not be a world beater but he’s an extremely useful player to have in the squad as he can play anywhere across the midfield and is also capable of filling in at right-back, so he’d give Rodgers plenty of options.
READ MORE –> Arsenal transfer news | Liverpool transfer news
And it could be a busy few weeks for Liverpool as the Echo also claim the club is hoping to complete the free transfer signing of Burnley striker Danny Ings over the coming weeks and will table an improved offer for right-back Nathaniel Clyne after Southampton knocked back their opening £10m bid last week.
If Liverpool could sign Milner, Ings and Clyne it would mark an excellent start to the summer as they’d be getting three Premier League ready players that would fill three problem areas of the squad – and all three deals should only cost around £20m.
That would represent some excellent business by Rodgers and lift the mood around Anfield after a difficult season that saw them end up trophy-less once again and miss out on a top four finish.
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For the Press, Bloggers, Hacktivists, and others
Why These Articles?
Engineering Evil
Intel Portal for Weighted Data and Information
Did Petraeus mistress reveal new Benghazi details?
By Ralph Turchiano on November 12, 2012 • ( 1 Comment )
Engineering Evil: Initial video used by the FP was removed. We had to find a duplicate: Prisoner detail begins at about 1:17
Posted By Blake Hounshell Sunday, November 11, 2012 – 9:56 PM
So here is a bizarre twist in the David Petraeus resignation saga.
Paula Broadwell, the biographer revealed as the woman having a secret affair with the now-former CIA director, gave a talk at the University of Denver on Oct. 26 in which she appeared to reveal sensitive, maybe even classified, information about the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi.
The most interesting revelation is her claim that the CIA was holding several Libyan militia members prisoner, which may have prompted the attack. (Though she also sought to explain the Obama administration’s initial view that the attack was linked to the YouTube video Innocence of Muslims, an anti-Islam polemic that sparked riots across the Muslim world.)
[UPDATE: The CIA has denied holding prisoners at the annex, according to the DailyBeast‘s Eli Lake. The Washington Post‘s Greg Miller adds in a tweet, “CIA adamant that Broadwell claims about agency holding prisoners at Benghazi are not true.”]
Broadwell also said flatly that forces at the CIA annex had requested backup from a special Delta Force group she called the CINC’s in extremis force. It was not clear whether she was basing her comments on an Oct. 26 Fox News report by Jennifer Griffin, or whether her information came from elsewhere. (Griffin refers to it as “Commanders [sic] in Extremis Force,” but does not mention Delta Force or any Libyan prisoners.)
A CIA spokeswoman disputed the Fox News account at the time, saying, “no one at any level in the CIA told anybody not to help those in need; claims to the contrary are simply inaccurate.” The agency later released a timeline of that evening’s events that cast doubt on Griffin’s story; the Pentagon also released its own timeline.
In any case, Broadwell’s remarks, which were first reported by Arutz Sheva, are very interesting in light of this week’s big news, as well as the Wall Street Journal‘s revelation that the FBI found that Broadwell was in possession of classified documents (though she was never charged with any crime).
Her comments came in response to a questioner who asked her to comment on Petraeus’s handling of the events in Libya. I’ve transcribed them in full here:
Well, just to create some context for those in the room. As you know, the ambassaador in Benghazi was killed along with a couple of security agents who happened to be CIA security, paramilitary forces. That just came out today in Fox News.
But the challenge has been the fog of war. And the greater challenge is that it’s political hunting season, and so this whole thing has been turned into a very political sort of arena, if you will.
But the facts that came out today were that the ground forces there at the CIA annex, which is different from the consulate, were requesting reinforcements.
They were requesting the, what’s called the CINC’s in extremis force — a group of Delta Force operators, our very, most talented guys we have in the military. They could have come and reinforced the consulate and the CIA annex that were under attack.
Now, I don’t know if a lot of you heard this, but the CIA annex had actually, um, had taken a couple of Libyan militia members prisoner and they think that the attack on the consulate was an effort to try to get these prisoners back. So that’s still being vetted.
The challenging thing for General Petraeus is that in his new position, he’s not allowed to communicate with the press. So he’s known all of this — they had correspondence with the CIA station chief in, in Libya. Within 24 hours they kind of knew what was happening.
But if you remember at the time — the Muslim video, the Mohamed video that came out, the demonstrations that were going on in Cairo — there were demonsrations in 22 other countries around the world. Tens of thousands of people. And our government was very concerned that this was going to become a nightmare for us.
So you can understand if you put yourself in his shoes or Secretary Clinton’s shoes or the president’s shoes that we thought it was tied somehow to the demonstrations in Cairo. And it’s true that we have signal intelligence that shows the, um, the militia members in Libya were watching the demonstration in Cairo and it did sort of galvanize their effort. Um, so we’ll find out the facts soon enough.
As a former intel officer it’s frustrating to me because it reveals our sources and methods. I don’t think the public necessarily needs to know all of that. It is a tragedy that we lost an ambassador and two other government officials. Um, and something — there was a failure in the system because there was additional security requested. But it’s frustrating to see the sort of political aspect of what’s going on with this whole investigation.
Um, so the most recent news that came out was a Fox News report by Jennifer Griffin. I got it on a distribution list I’m on, and it has some pretty insightful stuff in it, if you want to look for it.”
In her prepared remarks, Broadwell, who attended the university’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies, spoke at length of her career ambitions. “My longterm goal had always been to become national security advisor,” she said.
That’s probably not going to happen now.
http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2012/11/11/did_petraeus_mistress_reveal_new_benghazi_details
Categories: Benghazi, Intelligence Gathering, M.I.C.E., Petraeus Compromise, Security
Tagged as: Benghazi, Central Intelligence Agency, CIA, David Petraeus, Delta Force, Jennifer Griffin, Libya, YouTube
CIA denies claim from Petraeus’ girlfriend that Benghazi annex held Libyan prisoners
Eric Holder ‘knew of David Petraeus affair’ for months but kept it secret until the day of the American election?
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Nonie Carr
Self-care and wellbeing are antidotes to burnout
By Nonie | Mindset, Psychology, Wellbeing
What is burnout? Maybe self-care and wellbeing are antidotes to burnout… Exhausted… Have to go to work, can’t leave the desk for lunch, maybe skip eating altogether, need to…
By Nonie | Anxiety, Mindfulness, Mindset, Performance
The elephant in the room… it’s that thing everyone knows is there but is ignoring. As we ignore the elephant it becomes more and more obvious. It starts to take…
EASIER? OR BETTER, FASTER, STRONGER…?
By Nonie | Mindset, Wellbeing
‘It never gets easier, you just get better’, I’ve heard variations on this theme many times… As a cyclist the most common variation is a quote that is attributed to…
Christmas Closure
By Nonie | Anxiety, depression, Mindfulness, Mindset, Performance, Wellbeing
Enhance Life Psychology will be closed from 21 December. We will be reopening on Monday 7 January. The email and phone will not be attended in this time. You are…
Enhancing Performance in Endurance Events
By Nonie | Mindset, Performance
Last weekend there were 2 major endurance events that friends and team mates competed in: the Tour of Bright (ToB) and Ironman Busselton. I am always impressed when…
Do you really want to give up?
Sometimes we just want to stop, lie down and take a break. We might feel like giving up. We might feel like what we’re doing doesn’t matter. We might feel…
More on mindset
By Nonie | Mindset, Performance, Wellbeing
I am aware that the articles published last week were focused more on the application of mindset to cycling, with a particular focus on competitive cycling. I wanted to explain…
The Psychology of Bike Racing – Part 3 MINDSET
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Part 3 of 3: SO, WHAT IS MINDSET? This series of articles was inspired by a few conversations I had with women who are relatively new to racing as well…
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PART 2 OF 3: I WANT TO RACE WELL. WHAT DO I DO NOW??? This series of articles was inspired by a few conversations I had with women who are…
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© 2020 Enhance Life.
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OpenRoads Tip: Terrain Model – How to Extract Break Lines
I recently fielded a question where the designer needed to extract the break lines which existed in the OpenRoads Terrain model. The designer could see them by toggling the display settings in properties but could not determine how to extract the break lines into separate and distinct graphical elements.
The following procedure will work for making graphical elements of any of the terrain model elements contained in the terrain model:
1. Open or create the DGN file which will contain extracted graphics.
2. Attach as reference the Terrain Model from which you wish to extract features.
3. Option 1. If you need the graphics from the entire Terrain Model, make a copy of the terrain. Just use the Microstation copy command. CAUTION: Make sure that you snap when copying so that you do not move the position of the copied terrain.
See Option 2 below if you need only a portion of the terrain model.
4. You can detach the referenced terrain
5. Then select the copied terrain and turn on the visibility of the features you wish to make graphics. In this example, only the break lines and boundary are desired.
6. Finally, use Microstation’s drop command with Application Elements option checked ON to drop the terrain element to graphical elements.
Option 2: If you only need features extracted from a portion of the terrain model, then instead of copy the terrain from the reference file use the Create Clipped Terrain command.
3.A. Make a shape which defines the area of interest. The clip terrain command only uses shapes and not fences.
3.B. Then use the Create Clipped Terrain command, which will make a copy of the terrain model in the active DGN but only the area within the shape.
3.C. Return to step 5 above.
Robert Garrett
Robert has over 25 years experience as a practicing engineer and is licensed in the State of Tennessee. After graduating from Tennessee Technological University, Robert worked for the Mississippi State Highway Department, Bridge Design Division. Then he spent 12 years with the Tennessee Department of Transportation in the Roadway Design Office and later served as Regional Manager in the Design Survey Office. From 2000 to 2006, Robert worked for Robert G Campbell and Associates in Knoxville, TN where responsibilities included roadway, site, and utilities design projects. Joining Bentley Systems in March 2006, Robert wrote specifications & documentation for software development. Duties included testing, customer feedback and ensuring the products met the needs of the civil engineering user base. He also developed training material for education both internally to Bentley and for outside organizations. He served as Product Manager for Utilities Products, including the new OpenRoads Subsurface Utilities Design and Analysis software. Robert also provided guidance and implementation services for new technologies. He is a frequent presenter and trainer at user conferences.
Tags: Surface, terrain
Additional Resources for OpenRoads
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 125. Show 10 | 20 | 50 | 100 results per page.
Project acronym 19TH-CENTURY_EUCLID
Project Nineteenth-Century Euclid: Geometry and the Literary Imagination from Wordsworth to Wells
Researcher (PI) Alice Jenkins
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW
Summary This radically interdisciplinary project aims to bring a substantially new field of research – literature and mathematics studies – to prominence as a tool for investigating the culture of nineteenth-century Britain. It will result in three kinds of outcome: a monograph, two interdisciplinary and international colloquia, and a collection of essays. The project focuses on Euclidean geometry as a key element of nineteenth-century literary and scientific culture, showing that it was part of the shared knowledge flowing through elite and popular Romantic and Victorian writing, and figuring notably in the work of very many of the century’s best-known writers. Despite its traditional cultural prestige and educational centrality, geometry has been almost wholly neglected by literary history. This project shows how literature and mathematics studies can draw a new map of nineteenth-century British culture, revitalising our understanding of the Romantic and Victorian imagination through its writing about geometry.
This radically interdisciplinary project aims to bring a substantially new field of research – literature and mathematics studies – to prominence as a tool for investigating the culture of nineteenth-century Britain. It will result in three kinds of outcome: a monograph, two interdisciplinary and international colloquia, and a collection of essays. The project focuses on Euclidean geometry as a key element of nineteenth-century literary and scientific culture, showing that it was part of the shared knowledge flowing through elite and popular Romantic and Victorian writing, and figuring notably in the work of very many of the century’s best-known writers. Despite its traditional cultural prestige and educational centrality, geometry has been almost wholly neglected by literary history. This project shows how literature and mathematics studies can draw a new map of nineteenth-century British culture, revitalising our understanding of the Romantic and Victorian imagination through its writing about geometry.
Project acronym 3D-FM
Project Taking Force Microscopy into the Third Dimension
Researcher (PI) Tjerk Hendrik Oosterkamp
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERSITEIT LEIDEN
Summary I propose to pursue two emerging Force Microscopy techniques that allow measuring structural properties below the surface of the specimen. Whereas Force Microscopy (most commonly known under the name AFM) is usually limited to measuring the surface topography and surface properties of a specimen, I will demonstrate that Force Microscopy can achieve true 3D images of the structure of the cell nucleus. In Ultrasound Force Microscopy, an ultrasound wave is launched from below towards the surface of the specimen. After the sound waves interact with structures beneath the surface of the specimen, the local variations in the amplitude and phase shift of the ultrasonic surface motion is collected by the Force Microscopy tip. Previously, measured 2D maps of the surface response have shown that the surface response is sensitive to structures below the surface. In this project I will employ miniature AFM cantilevers and nanotube tips that I have already developed in my lab. This will allow me to quickly acquire many such 2D maps at a much wider range of ultrasound frequencies and from these 2D maps calculate the full 3D structure below the surface. I expect this technique to have a resolving power better than 10 nm in three dimensions as far as 2 microns below the surface. In parallel I will introduce a major improvement to a technique based on Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). Magnetic Resonance Force Microscopy measures the interaction of a rotating nuclear spin in the field gradient of a magnetic Force Microscopy tip. However, these forces are so small that they pose an enormous challenge. Miniature cantilevers and nanotube tips, in combination with additional innovations in the detection of the cantilever motion, can overcome this problem. I expect to be able to measure the combined signal of 100 proton spins or fewer, which will allow me to measure proton densities with a resolution of 5 nm, but possibly even with atomic resolution.
I propose to pursue two emerging Force Microscopy techniques that allow measuring structural properties below the surface of the specimen. Whereas Force Microscopy (most commonly known under the name AFM) is usually limited to measuring the surface topography and surface properties of a specimen, I will demonstrate that Force Microscopy can achieve true 3D images of the structure of the cell nucleus. In Ultrasound Force Microscopy, an ultrasound wave is launched from below towards the surface of the specimen. After the sound waves interact with structures beneath the surface of the specimen, the local variations in the amplitude and phase shift of the ultrasonic surface motion is collected by the Force Microscopy tip. Previously, measured 2D maps of the surface response have shown that the surface response is sensitive to structures below the surface. In this project I will employ miniature AFM cantilevers and nanotube tips that I have already developed in my lab. This will allow me to quickly acquire many such 2D maps at a much wider range of ultrasound frequencies and from these 2D maps calculate the full 3D structure below the surface. I expect this technique to have a resolving power better than 10 nm in three dimensions as far as 2 microns below the surface. In parallel I will introduce a major improvement to a technique based on Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). Magnetic Resonance Force Microscopy measures the interaction of a rotating nuclear spin in the field gradient of a magnetic Force Microscopy tip. However, these forces are so small that they pose an enormous challenge. Miniature cantilevers and nanotube tips, in combination with additional innovations in the detection of the cantilever motion, can overcome this problem. I expect to be able to measure the combined signal of 100 proton spins or fewer, which will allow me to measure proton densities with a resolution of 5 nm, but possibly even with atomic resolution.
Project acronym 4DVIDEO
Project 4DVideo: 4D spatio-temporal modeling of real-world events from video streams
Researcher (PI) Marc Pollefeys
Host Institution (HI) EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICH
Summary The focus of this project is the development of algorithms that allow one to capture and analyse dynamic events taking place in the real world. For this, we intend to develop smart camera networks that can perform a multitude of observation tasks, ranging from surveillance and tracking to high-fidelity, immersive reconstructions of important dynamic events (i.e. 4D videos). There are many fundamental questions in computer vision associated with these problems. Can the geometric, topologic and photometric properties of the camera network be obtained from live images? What is changing about the environment in which the network is embedded? How much information can be obtained from dynamic events that are observed by the network? What if the camera network consists of a random collection of sensors that happened to observe a particular event (think hand-held cell phone cameras)? Do we need synchronization? Those questions become even more challenging if one considers active camera networks that can adapt to the vision task at hand. How should resources be prioritized for different tasks? Can we derive optimal strategies to control camera parameters such as pan, tilt and zoom, trade-off resolution, frame-rate and bandwidth? More fundamentally, seeing cameras as points that sample incoming light rays and camera networks as a distributed sensor, how does one decide which rays should be sampled? Many of those issues are particularly interesting when we consider time-varying events. Both spatial and temporal resolution are important and heterogeneous frame-rates and resolution can offer advantages. Prior knowledge or information obtained from earlier samples can be used to restrict the possible range of solutions (e.g. smoothness assumption and motion prediction). My goal is to obtain fundamental answers to many of those question based on thorough theoretical analysis combined with practical algorithms that are proven on real applications.
The focus of this project is the development of algorithms that allow one to capture and analyse dynamic events taking place in the real world. For this, we intend to develop smart camera networks that can perform a multitude of observation tasks, ranging from surveillance and tracking to high-fidelity, immersive reconstructions of important dynamic events (i.e. 4D videos). There are many fundamental questions in computer vision associated with these problems. Can the geometric, topologic and photometric properties of the camera network be obtained from live images? What is changing about the environment in which the network is embedded? How much information can be obtained from dynamic events that are observed by the network? What if the camera network consists of a random collection of sensors that happened to observe a particular event (think hand-held cell phone cameras)? Do we need synchronization? Those questions become even more challenging if one considers active camera networks that can adapt to the vision task at hand. How should resources be prioritized for different tasks? Can we derive optimal strategies to control camera parameters such as pan, tilt and zoom, trade-off resolution, frame-rate and bandwidth? More fundamentally, seeing cameras as points that sample incoming light rays and camera networks as a distributed sensor, how does one decide which rays should be sampled? Many of those issues are particularly interesting when we consider time-varying events. Both spatial and temporal resolution are important and heterogeneous frame-rates and resolution can offer advantages. Prior knowledge or information obtained from earlier samples can be used to restrict the possible range of solutions (e.g. smoothness assumption and motion prediction). My goal is to obtain fundamental answers to many of those question based on thorough theoretical analysis combined with practical algorithms that are proven on real applications.
Project acronym AFDMATS
Project Anton Francesco Doni – Multimedia Archive Texts and Sources
Researcher (PI) Giovanna Rizzarelli
Host Institution (HI) SCUOLA NORMALE SUPERIORE
Summary This project aims at creating a multimedia archive of the printed works of Anton Francesco Doni, who was not only an author but also a typographer, a publisher and a member of the Giolito and Marcolini’s editorial staff. The analysis of Doni’s work may be a good way to investigate appropriation, text rewriting and image reusing practices which are typical of several authors of the 16th Century, as clearly shown by the critics in the last decades. This project intends to bring to light the wide range of impulses from which Doni’s texts are generated, with a great emphasis on the figurative aspect. The encoding of these texts will be carried out using the TEI (Text Encoding Initiative) guidelines, which will enable any single text to interact with a range of intertextual references both at a local level (inside the same text) and at a macrostructural level (references to other texts by Doni or to other authors). The elements that will emerge from the textual encoding concern: A) The use of images Real images: the complex relation between Doni’s writing and the xylographies available in Marcolini’s printing-house or belonging to other collections. Mental images: the remarkable presence of verbal images, as descriptions, ekphràseis, figurative visions, dreams and iconographic allusions not accompanied by illustrations, but related to a recognizable visual repertoire or to real images that will be reproduced. B) The use of sources A parallel archive of the texts most used by Doni will be created. Digital anastatic reproductions of the 16th-Century editions known by Doni will be provided whenever available. The various forms of intertextuality will be divided into the following typologies: allusions; citations; rewritings; plagiarisms; self-quotations. Finally, the different forms of narrative (tales, short stories, anecdotes, lyrics) and the different idiomatic expressions (proverbial forms and wellerisms) will also be encoded.
This project aims at creating a multimedia archive of the printed works of Anton Francesco Doni, who was not only an author but also a typographer, a publisher and a member of the Giolito and Marcolini’s editorial staff. The analysis of Doni’s work may be a good way to investigate appropriation, text rewriting and image reusing practices which are typical of several authors of the 16th Century, as clearly shown by the critics in the last decades. This project intends to bring to light the wide range of impulses from which Doni’s texts are generated, with a great emphasis on the figurative aspect. The encoding of these texts will be carried out using the TEI (Text Encoding Initiative) guidelines, which will enable any single text to interact with a range of intertextual references both at a local level (inside the same text) and at a macrostructural level (references to other texts by Doni or to other authors). The elements that will emerge from the textual encoding concern: A) The use of images Real images: the complex relation between Doni’s writing and the xylographies available in Marcolini’s printing-house or belonging to other collections. Mental images: the remarkable presence of verbal images, as descriptions, ekphràseis, figurative visions, dreams and iconographic allusions not accompanied by illustrations, but related to a recognizable visual repertoire or to real images that will be reproduced. B) The use of sources A parallel archive of the texts most used by Doni will be created. Digital anastatic reproductions of the 16th-Century editions known by Doni will be provided whenever available. The various forms of intertextuality will be divided into the following typologies: allusions; citations; rewritings; plagiarisms; self-quotations. Finally, the different forms of narrative (tales, short stories, anecdotes, lyrics) and the different idiomatic expressions (proverbial forms and wellerisms) will also be encoded.
Project acronym AGALT
Project Asymptotic Geometric Analysis and Learning Theory
Researcher (PI) Shahar Mendelson
Host Institution (HI) TECHNION - ISRAEL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Summary In a typical learning problem one tries to approximate an unknown function by a function from a given class using random data, sampled according to an unknown measure. In this project we will be interested in parameters that govern the complexity of a learning problem. It turns out that this complexity is determined by the geometry of certain sets in high dimension that are connected to the given class (random coordinate projections of the class). Thus, one has to understand the structure of these sets as a function of the dimension - which is given by the cardinality of the random sample. The resulting analysis leads to many theoretical questions in Asymptotic Geometric Analysis, Probability (most notably, Empirical Processes Theory) and Combinatorics, which are of independent interest beyond the application to Learning Theory. Our main goal is to describe the role of various complexity parameters involved in a learning problem, to analyze the connections between them and to investigate the way they determine the geometry of the relevant high dimensional sets. Some of the questions we intend to tackle are well known open problems and making progress towards their solution will have a significant theoretical impact. Moreover, this project should lead to a more complete theory of learning and is likely to have some practical impact, for example, in the design of more efficient learning algorithms.
In a typical learning problem one tries to approximate an unknown function by a function from a given class using random data, sampled according to an unknown measure. In this project we will be interested in parameters that govern the complexity of a learning problem. It turns out that this complexity is determined by the geometry of certain sets in high dimension that are connected to the given class (random coordinate projections of the class). Thus, one has to understand the structure of these sets as a function of the dimension - which is given by the cardinality of the random sample. The resulting analysis leads to many theoretical questions in Asymptotic Geometric Analysis, Probability (most notably, Empirical Processes Theory) and Combinatorics, which are of independent interest beyond the application to Learning Theory. Our main goal is to describe the role of various complexity parameters involved in a learning problem, to analyze the connections between them and to investigate the way they determine the geometry of the relevant high dimensional sets. Some of the questions we intend to tackle are well known open problems and making progress towards their solution will have a significant theoretical impact. Moreover, this project should lead to a more complete theory of learning and is likely to have some practical impact, for example, in the design of more efficient learning algorithms.
Project acronym ANGIOPLACE
Project Expression and Methylation Status of Genes Regulating Placental Angiogenesis in Normal, Cloned, IVF and Monoparental Sheep Foetuses
Researcher (PI) Grazyna Ewa Ptak
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI TERAMO
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), LS7, ERC-2007-StG
Summary Normal placental angiogenesis is critical for embryonic survival and development. Epigenetic modifications, such as methylation of CpG islands, regulate the expression and imprinting of genes. Epigenetic abnormalities have been observed in embryos from assisted reproductive technologies (ART), which could explain the poor placental vascularisation, embryonic/fetal death, and altered fetal growth in these pregnancies. Both cloned (somatic cell nuclear transfer, or SNCT) and monoparental (parthogenotes, only maternal genes; androgenotes, only paternal genes) embryos provide important models for studying defects in expression and methylation status/imprinting of genes regulating placental function. Our hypothesis is that placental vascular development is compromised during early pregnancy in embryos from ART, in part due to altered expression or imprinting/methylation status of specific genes regulating placental angiogenesis. We will evaluate fetal growth, placental vascular growth, and expression and epigenetic status of genes regulating placental angiogenesis during early pregnancy in 3 Specific Aims: (1) after natural mating; (2) after transfer of biparental embryos from in vitro fertilization, and SCNT; and (3) after transfer of parthenogenetic or androgenetic embryos. These studies will therefore contribute substantially to our understanding of the regulation of placental development and vascularisation during early pregnancy, and could pinpoint the mechanism contributing to embryonic loss and developmental abnormalities in foetuses from ART. Any or all of these observations will contribute to our understanding of and also our ability to successfully employ ART, which are becoming very wide spread and important in human medicine as well as in animal production.
Normal placental angiogenesis is critical for embryonic survival and development. Epigenetic modifications, such as methylation of CpG islands, regulate the expression and imprinting of genes. Epigenetic abnormalities have been observed in embryos from assisted reproductive technologies (ART), which could explain the poor placental vascularisation, embryonic/fetal death, and altered fetal growth in these pregnancies. Both cloned (somatic cell nuclear transfer, or SNCT) and monoparental (parthogenotes, only maternal genes; androgenotes, only paternal genes) embryos provide important models for studying defects in expression and methylation status/imprinting of genes regulating placental function. Our hypothesis is that placental vascular development is compromised during early pregnancy in embryos from ART, in part due to altered expression or imprinting/methylation status of specific genes regulating placental angiogenesis. We will evaluate fetal growth, placental vascular growth, and expression and epigenetic status of genes regulating placental angiogenesis during early pregnancy in 3 Specific Aims: (1) after natural mating; (2) after transfer of biparental embryos from in vitro fertilization, and SCNT; and (3) after transfer of parthenogenetic or androgenetic embryos. These studies will therefore contribute substantially to our understanding of the regulation of placental development and vascularisation during early pregnancy, and could pinpoint the mechanism contributing to embryonic loss and developmental abnormalities in foetuses from ART. Any or all of these observations will contribute to our understanding of and also our ability to successfully employ ART, which are becoming very wide spread and important in human medicine as well as in animal production.
Project acronym ATOMKI-PPROCESS
Project Nuclear reaction studies relevant to the astrophysical p-process nucleosynthesis
Researcher (PI) György Gyürky
Host Institution (HI) Magyar Tudomanyos Akademia Atommagkutato Intezete
Summary The astrophysical p-process, the stellar production mechanism of the heavy, proton rich isotopes (p-isotopes), is one of the least studied processes in nucleosynthesis. The astrophysical site(s) for the p-process could not yet be clearly identified. In order to reproduce the natural abundances of the p-isotopes, the p-process models must take into account a huge nuclear reaction network. A precise knowledge of the rate of the nuclear reactions in this network is essential for a reliable abundance calculation and for a clear assignment of the astrophysical site(s). For lack of experimental data the nuclear physics inputs for the reaction networks are based on statistical model calculations. These calculations are largely untested in the mass and energy range relevant to the p-process and the uncertainties in the reaction rate values result in a correspondingly uncertain prediction of the p-isotope abundances. Therefore, experiments aiming at the determination of reaction rates for the p-process are of great importance. In this project nuclear reaction cross section measurements will be carried out in the mass and energy range of p-process to check the reliability of the statistical model calculations and to put the p-process models on a more reliable base. The accelerators of the Institute of Nuclear Research in Debrecen, Hungary provide the necessary basis for such studies. The p-process model calculations are especially sensitive to the rates of reactions involving alpha particles and heavy nuclei. Because of technical difficulties, so far there are practically no experimental data available on such reactions and the uncertainty in these reaction rates is presently one of the biggest contributions to the uncertainty of p-isotope abundance calculations. With the help of the ERC grant the alpha-induced reaction cross sections can be measured on heavy isotopes for the first time, which could contribute to a better understanding of the astrophysical p-process.
The astrophysical p-process, the stellar production mechanism of the heavy, proton rich isotopes (p-isotopes), is one of the least studied processes in nucleosynthesis. The astrophysical site(s) for the p-process could not yet be clearly identified. In order to reproduce the natural abundances of the p-isotopes, the p-process models must take into account a huge nuclear reaction network. A precise knowledge of the rate of the nuclear reactions in this network is essential for a reliable abundance calculation and for a clear assignment of the astrophysical site(s). For lack of experimental data the nuclear physics inputs for the reaction networks are based on statistical model calculations. These calculations are largely untested in the mass and energy range relevant to the p-process and the uncertainties in the reaction rate values result in a correspondingly uncertain prediction of the p-isotope abundances. Therefore, experiments aiming at the determination of reaction rates for the p-process are of great importance. In this project nuclear reaction cross section measurements will be carried out in the mass and energy range of p-process to check the reliability of the statistical model calculations and to put the p-process models on a more reliable base. The accelerators of the Institute of Nuclear Research in Debrecen, Hungary provide the necessary basis for such studies. The p-process model calculations are especially sensitive to the rates of reactions involving alpha particles and heavy nuclei. Because of technical difficulties, so far there are practically no experimental data available on such reactions and the uncertainty in these reaction rates is presently one of the biggest contributions to the uncertainty of p-isotope abundance calculations. With the help of the ERC grant the alpha-induced reaction cross sections can be measured on heavy isotopes for the first time, which could contribute to a better understanding of the astrophysical p-process.
Project acronym BIOFUNCTION
Project Self assembly into biofunctional molecules, translating instructions into function
Researcher (PI) Nicolas Winssinger
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERSITE DE STRASBOURG
Summary The overall objective of the proposal is to develop enabling chemical technologies to address two important problems in biology: detect in a nondestructive fashion gene expression or microRNA sequences in vivo and, secondly, study the role of multivalency and spatial organization in carbohydrate recognition. Both of these projects exploit the programmable pre-organization of peptide nucleic acid (PNA) to induce a chemical reaction in the first case or modulate a ligand-receptor interaction in the second case. For nucleic acid detection, a DNA or RNA fragment will be utilized to bring two PNA fragments bearing reactive functionalities in close proximity thereby promoting a reaction. Two types of reactions are proposed, the first one to release a fluorophore for imaging purposes and the second one to release a drug as an “intelligent” therapeutic. If affinities are programmed such that hybridization is reversible, the template can work catalytically leading to large amplifications. As a proof of concept, this method will be used to measure the transcription level of genes implicated in stem cell differentiation and detect mutations in oncogenes. For the purpose of studying multivalent carbohydrate ligand architectures, the challenge of chemical synthesis has been a limiting factor. A supramolecular approach is proposed herein where different arrangements of carbohydrates can be displayed in a well organized fashion by hybridizing PNA-tagged carbohydrates to DNA templates. This will be used not only to control the distance between multiple ligands or to create combinatorial arrangements of hetero ligands but also to access more complex architectures such as Hollyday junctions. The oligosaccharide units will be prepared using de novo organoctalytic reactions. This technology will be first applied to probe the recognition events between HIV and dendritic cells which promote HIV infection.
The overall objective of the proposal is to develop enabling chemical technologies to address two important problems in biology: detect in a nondestructive fashion gene expression or microRNA sequences in vivo and, secondly, study the role of multivalency and spatial organization in carbohydrate recognition. Both of these projects exploit the programmable pre-organization of peptide nucleic acid (PNA) to induce a chemical reaction in the first case or modulate a ligand-receptor interaction in the second case. For nucleic acid detection, a DNA or RNA fragment will be utilized to bring two PNA fragments bearing reactive functionalities in close proximity thereby promoting a reaction. Two types of reactions are proposed, the first one to release a fluorophore for imaging purposes and the second one to release a drug as an “intelligent” therapeutic. If affinities are programmed such that hybridization is reversible, the template can work catalytically leading to large amplifications. As a proof of concept, this method will be used to measure the transcription level of genes implicated in stem cell differentiation and detect mutations in oncogenes. For the purpose of studying multivalent carbohydrate ligand architectures, the challenge of chemical synthesis has been a limiting factor. A supramolecular approach is proposed herein where different arrangements of carbohydrates can be displayed in a well organized fashion by hybridizing PNA-tagged carbohydrates to DNA templates. This will be used not only to control the distance between multiple ligands or to create combinatorial arrangements of hetero ligands but also to access more complex architectures such as Hollyday junctions. The oligosaccharide units will be prepared using de novo organoctalytic reactions. This technology will be first applied to probe the recognition events between HIV and dendritic cells which promote HIV infection.
Project acronym BIOIONS
Project Biological ions in the gas-phase: New techniques for structural characterization of isolated biomolecular ions
Researcher (PI) Caroline Dessent
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERSITY OF YORK
Summary Recent intensive research on the laser spectroscopy of neutral gas-phase biomolecules has yielded a detailed picture of their structures and conformational preferences away from the complications of the bulk environment. In contrast, work on ionic systems has been sparse despite the fact that many important molecular groups are charged under physiological conditions. To address this probelm, we have developed a custom-built laser spectrometer, which incorporates a distincitive electrospray ionisation (ESI) cluster ion source, dedicated to producing biological anions (ATP,oligonucleotides) and their microsolvated clusters for structural characterization. Many previous laser spectrometers with ESI sources have suffered from producing "hot" congested spectra as the ions were produced at ambient temperatures. This is a particularly serious limitation for spectroscopic studies of biomolecules, since these systems can possess high internal energies due tothe presence of numerous low frequency modes. Our spectrometer overcomes this problem by exploiting the newly developed physics technique of "buffer gas cooling" to produce cold ESI molecular ions. In this proposal, we now seek to exploit the new laser-spectrometer to perform detailed spectroscopic interrogations of ESI generated biomolecular anions and clusters. In addition to traditional ion-dissociation spectroscopies, we propose to develop two new laser spectroscopy techniques (Two-color tuneable IR spectroscopy and Dipole-bound excited state spectroscopy) to give the broadest possible structural characterizations of the systems of interest. Studies will focus on ATP/GTP-anions, olignonucleotides, and sulphated and carboxylated sugars. These methodologies will provide a general approach for performing temperature-controlled spectroscopic characterizations of isolated biological ions, with measurements on the corresponding micro-solvated clusters providing details of how the molecules are perturbed by solvent.
Recent intensive research on the laser spectroscopy of neutral gas-phase biomolecules has yielded a detailed picture of their structures and conformational preferences away from the complications of the bulk environment. In contrast, work on ionic systems has been sparse despite the fact that many important molecular groups are charged under physiological conditions. To address this probelm, we have developed a custom-built laser spectrometer, which incorporates a distincitive electrospray ionisation (ESI) cluster ion source, dedicated to producing biological anions (ATP,oligonucleotides) and their microsolvated clusters for structural characterization. Many previous laser spectrometers with ESI sources have suffered from producing "hot" congested spectra as the ions were produced at ambient temperatures. This is a particularly serious limitation for spectroscopic studies of biomolecules, since these systems can possess high internal energies due tothe presence of numerous low frequency modes. Our spectrometer overcomes this problem by exploiting the newly developed physics technique of "buffer gas cooling" to produce cold ESI molecular ions. In this proposal, we now seek to exploit the new laser-spectrometer to perform detailed spectroscopic interrogations of ESI generated biomolecular anions and clusters. In addition to traditional ion-dissociation spectroscopies, we propose to develop two new laser spectroscopy techniques (Two-color tuneable IR spectroscopy and Dipole-bound excited state spectroscopy) to give the broadest possible structural characterizations of the systems of interest. Studies will focus on ATP/GTP-anions, olignonucleotides, and sulphated and carboxylated sugars. These methodologies will provide a general approach for performing temperature-controlled spectroscopic characterizations of isolated biological ions, with measurements on the corresponding micro-solvated clusters providing details of how the molecules are perturbed by solvent.
Project acronym BIOMOFS
Project Bioapplications of Metal Organic Frameworks
Researcher (PI) Christian Serre
Host Institution (HI) CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS
Summary This project will focus on the use of nanoporous metal organic frameworks (Fe, Zn, Ti) for bioapplications. These systems are exciting porous solids, built up from inorganic clusters and polycarboxylates. This results in open-framework solids with different pore shapes and dimensions, and applications such as catalysis, separation and storage of gases. I have recently initiated the synthesis of new trivalent transition metal carboxylates. Among them, the metal carboxylates MIL-100 and MIL-101 (MIL: Materials of Institut Lavoisier) are spectacular solids with giant pores (25-34 Å), accessible metal sites and huge surface areas (3100-5900 m2.g-1). Recently, it was shown that these solids could be used for drug delivery with a loading of 1.4 g of Ibuprofen per gram of MIL-101 solid and a total release in six days. This project will concentrate on the implication of MOFs for drug release and other bioapplications. Whereas research on drug delivery is currently focused either on the use of bio-compatible polymers or mesoporous materials, our method will combine advantages of both routes including a high loading and a slow release of therapeutic molecules. A second application will use solids with accessible metal sites to coordinate NO for its controlled delivery. This would provide exogenous NO for prophylactic and therapeutic processes, anti-thrombogenic medical devices, improved dressings for wounds and ulcers, and the treatment of fungal and bacterial infections. Finally, other applications will be envisaged such as the purification of physiological fluids. The project, which will consist of a systematic study of the relation between these properties and both the composition and structure of the hybrid solids, will be assisted by a strong modelling effort including top of the art computational methods (QSAR and QSPKR). This highly impact project will be realised by assembling experienced researchers in multidisplinary areas including materials science, biology and modelling. It will involve P. Horcajada (Institut Lavoisier), whose background in pharmaceutical science will fit with my experience in inorganic chemistry and G. Maurin (Institut Gerhardt, Montpellier) expert in computational chemistry.
This project will focus on the use of nanoporous metal organic frameworks (Fe, Zn, Ti) for bioapplications. These systems are exciting porous solids, built up from inorganic clusters and polycarboxylates. This results in open-framework solids with different pore shapes and dimensions, and applications such as catalysis, separation and storage of gases. I have recently initiated the synthesis of new trivalent transition metal carboxylates. Among them, the metal carboxylates MIL-100 and MIL-101 (MIL: Materials of Institut Lavoisier) are spectacular solids with giant pores (25-34 Å), accessible metal sites and huge surface areas (3100-5900 m2.g-1). Recently, it was shown that these solids could be used for drug delivery with a loading of 1.4 g of Ibuprofen per gram of MIL-101 solid and a total release in six days. This project will concentrate on the implication of MOFs for drug release and other bioapplications. Whereas research on drug delivery is currently focused either on the use of bio-compatible polymers or mesoporous materials, our method will combine advantages of both routes including a high loading and a slow release of therapeutic molecules. A second application will use solids with accessible metal sites to coordinate NO for its controlled delivery. This would provide exogenous NO for prophylactic and therapeutic processes, anti-thrombogenic medical devices, improved dressings for wounds and ulcers, and the treatment of fungal and bacterial infections. Finally, other applications will be envisaged such as the purification of physiological fluids. The project, which will consist of a systematic study of the relation between these properties and both the composition and structure of the hybrid solids, will be assisted by a strong modelling effort including top of the art computational methods (QSAR and QSPKR). This highly impact project will be realised by assembling experienced researchers in multidisplinary areas including materials science, biology and modelling. It will involve P. Horcajada (Institut Lavoisier), whose background in pharmaceutical science will fit with my experience in inorganic chemistry and G. Maurin (Institut Gerhardt, Montpellier) expert in computational chemistry.
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Donor stewardship
Stephen Mally Bequests, Birthdays, Donor care, Donor stewardship, segmentation
Remembering birthdays is an important step for donor stewardship
My birthday is 5 January. It’s a day I hear from many people on Facebook, LinkedIn, email, the telephone (live calls and SMS), and, of course, in person. Handwritten birthday cards are, for many, a thing of the past. Most who I hear from are family, personal friends, and colleagues/customers. I also hear from companies I do business with – airlines, family heritage websites, and others who know my birthday. It is rare I hear birthday greetings from charities I support. Remembering donor birthdays is an important step for donor stewardship.
On my 2018 birthday, I heard from two charities. This year, one non-profit organisation took the time to send me a Happy Birthday email, McGrath Foundation. McGrath Foundation sent me the birthday email at 10AM the day prior to my birthday. This email not only wished me a happy birthday, but it also thanked me for my support of McGrath Breast Care Nurses – doubt the donor care!
Simply wishing a donor a happy birthday is fantastic. In this case, McGrath Foundation used the opportunity to thank me for my ongoing support as a regular donor.
What are other reasons to track birthdays?
Other reasons to track your donor’s birthdays, which include:
Marketing segmentation.
Bequests marketing.
Bequests forecasting.
How do non-profit organisations obtain birth dates?
Obtaining birthdays from donors is a relatively easy task. Charities obtain dates of birth through the following:
Appeal response devices.
Donor screening.
Supporter surveys.
Electronic screenings of the database.
Asking the donor in person, via email, or the telephone.
All CRMs allow for you to track someone’s date of birth. For donor’s who are shy abut sharing their birth year, most will allow you to track the date of birth without tracking the four digit year. If they do not allow for the tracking of what is called a “fuzzy date”, non-profit’s typically create custom fields for DD, MM, and YYYY.
McGrath Foundation is not the only charity I support tracking my date of birth. I have informed others of my birthday when I signed up to be a regular donor, responded to their supporter survey and when I have responded to an appeal. McGrath Foundation is the only charity taking the time to utilise the information this year to wish me happiness on my birthday.
Charities that remember a donor’s birthday standout in the minds of the donors who are remembered.
Stephen Mally Ask, Donor stewardship, Fundraising, Stewardship, Thank you, Thank you calls
A thank you call per day
Stewardship calls are the easiest calls to make. Often times thank you calls are the most surprising for a donor to receive because donors do not expect them. It’s true. Donors expect calls asking for money, requests to purchase lottery tickets, and other asks. It’s rare a call from a nonprofit organisation has the simple purpose of saying “thank you”.
Make one thank you call today. Call a donor who has given for the first time. Call a donor who has given for the past three consecutive years. Call a donor who has increased their level of giving year on year.
Make a thank you call every day or at least one time per week. Document the call in your customer relationship management (CRM) system. Measure and monitor the results of the calls. I bet you will see further engagement by those you call.
There are many reasons to call donors. Calling to make an ask does not have to be tbe only reason.
Stephen Mally Charities, Charity, Donor care, Donor stewardship, Nonprofit, Stewardship, Thanksgiving, University of Queensland, Wisconsin Alumni Association
Happy Thanksgiving, USA
It’s Thanksgiving in the USA and, by now, many will have enjoyed a meal surrounded by family and friends. I woke up this morning to several Thanksgiving greetings from nonprofit organisations including the following from Share Our Strength, Boston Children’s Hospital, The Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, and SpeakEasy Stage Company:
Earlier this year I wrote about one of my favourite donor care messages from University of Queensland.
Messages such as these, and the one I received early week from the Wisconsin Alumni Association, are wonderful ways to show the love for your donors. These stewardship pieces are cost effective to produce and very fruitful in sharing the joy. These pieces are also great motivators for people to continue their support by making an immediate gift at calendar year end.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone, worldwide! And, to the charities taking the time to send these messages of gratitude out – thank you! You not only made this donor feel good, but you also added variety to my in box this morning, which is full of “black Friday” sales offers from retailers. Kudos.
Stephen Mally Charities, Charity, Donor care, Donor stewardship, Fundraising, Infographic, NFP, Non-profit
Now here’s an infographic!
Last week I wrote about the importance of telling your story via words and pictures in order to accommodate the two ways adults absorb information. I shared a terrific infographic received as part of an electronic direct marketing communications from my university, the University of Wisconsin.
I was pleased to receive another great example from MS Queensland later in the week. I am a MS Queensland lottery buyer (I love to take a chance on their great prizes and also to support MS Queensland). MS Queensland sent a stewardship or donor care email to all their lottery buyers. The infographic really displayed the difference the lottery program plays and the appreciation MS Queensland have for their lottery buyers.
Stephen Mally Charities, Charity, Data cleansing, Data hygiene, Donor care, Donor stewardship, Fundraising, NFP, Non-profit, Stewardship
Call from University of Queensland hits all the marks
I received a call from a University of Queensland student on Monday night.
I am a sucker for these calls. It reminded me of the type of calls I receive from my alma mater, the University of Wisconsin. This call from University of Queensland was superb.
The student, a female, thanked me repeatedly for my generous support of the university. She asked me why I give to the university, noting I am not a graduate of the university. Again, she thanked me for my support. She then confirmed, edited, and enhanced my contact details. Finally, she told me about an emergency fund, “Greatest Needs”, to help students in financial crisis and discussed the ways in which this fund helps students to remain in school rather than exit, before graduation, due to financial crisis.
She asked me to support the university once more by making a gift that night. I gave.
I gave because of the quality of the call and because this caller convinced me University of Queensland cared about my support, cared enough about me to check the data in their database and to keep it up to date, and cared enough to educate me about the emergency fund. I was convinced I needed to open my wallet and commit to giving again. Further, the call was not just about the next gift. The call was about stewardship, about data quality and, then, about fundraising. This multifaceted call proved to be a good use of University of Queensland resources and of my time. The call from University of Queensland hit all the marks.
Stephen Mally Charities, Charity, Donor care, Donor stewardship, Fundraising, Infographic, NFP, Non-profit, Stewardship
Infographics tell a story
Remember when you were a child and you loved it when your parents read you a book? You would listen to the story, but you really paid attention to the pictures. As adults we are really not much different. We appreciate the words in document, but we also value the pictures. As the 1971 Rod Stewart song is titled, Every Picture Tells a Story.
The University of Wisconsin, my alma mater, recently sent an electronic communications to alumni to highlight recent university rankings. They used an infographic to highlight the terrific standings. Each year, U.S. News & World Report rank the nation’s universities and the University of Wisconsin typically ranks in the top tier in a variety of areas. People love a winner and promoting these rankings offers an opportunity for Wisconsin to tell us how valuable our degree is in present day, as well as an opportunity to prove the money we are investing as alumni is paying dividends. Further, universities use this as an opportunity to attract new fundraising or additional gifts from those of us who may have already given this year.
How is your non-profit organisation using infographics to tell your story? You likely already have information together to tell a donor care or stewardship story. You likely put this type of information in writing. Why not translate it to an infographic, as well? Remember adults are pretty split in terms of absorption of information. Some adults learn by reading text and others by visual representation. Play to both audiences to be sure you capture the attention of the majority.
For universities in Asia-Pacific, U.S. News & World Report announced a global edition of the rankings as coming 6 Oct! Perhaps your alma mater or perhaps your university employer will be listed in this global edition.
How about a shout out to the University of Wisconsin for their outstanding achievements and for ranking so high amongst US universities? On Wisconsin!
Stephen Mally Charities, Charity, Donor care, Donor stewardship, Fundraising, NFP, Non-profit, Stewardship
Treat complaint calls like a gift
None of us like to get complaint calls or negative feedback. In fact, we hate it when someone complains about our non-profit organisation. People might complain about the mission of our organisation, the services we provide, or some other matter.
Each of us needs to treat complaint calls like a gift. Complaints calls are an opportunity to reconnect with the person making the complaint and to address issues within our organisation.
Some pointers when receiving complaints:
Respond the same day the complaint is received.
Even if your first response only tells the person you are investigating the matter and sets an expectation as to when the person may expect a full response.
Show gratitude when the complaint is received.
Let the person lodging the complaint know you appreciate their feedback.
Fully investigate the complaint.
Gather all the facts in order to respond intelligently.
The customer is always right may not always be right.
It is OK to point out the facts to the customer without shifting blame to the customer or making the customer out to be the issue.
Respond in the most personal manner possible.
If the person lodged the complaint on Twitter, send a direct message to ask them for contact details in order to call them. If the person wrote via email, try to send them a personal note via Post or, again, call them. Often times the personal touch will diffuse situations.
It is OK to escalate, but empower staff of all levels.
It is acceptable to escalate the response to those at the top of the hierarchy, but you also must empower staff of all levels to resolve issues.
Exam internal systems and protocols.
Improve performance, so another individual does not repeat the complaint in the future.
Track complaints in your CRM.
Tracking in your CRM will allow you to measure and monitor patterns.
In the age of Twitter, TripAdvisor and other forums, complaints are prevalent. Using them as an opportunity to re-engage with the person and also as an opportunity to “fix” issues within make the complaint well worthwhile.
Stephen Mally Charities, Charity, Donor care, Donor stewardship, Fundraising, NFP, Non-profit, Stewardship, thank you notes
Just say ‘thank you’
I received a thank you email from a charity this week – the McGrath Foundation. The subject read “Thank you, Stephen, we couldn’t have done it without you”. McGrath Foundation was not asking for money. The Foundation did not ask me to take any action.
The McGrath Foundation simply thanked me.
We do not thank each other enough in our personal and professional lives. Charities do not and cannot thank their donors enough. Too often, we as fundraisers have our hand out making an ask for a gift rather than our hand out to thank the donor. Often times a simple thank you will generate an additional gift and even a larger gift.
How often does your charity send a thank you to donors without making an ask? Have you picked up the telephone to thank a donor and to simply check to see how they are doing? When was the last time you wrote a hand written thank you note to a donor instead of sending an email? Go the extra mile (kilometre) and see the difference it makes.
McGrath Foundation placed a subtle message in their thank you email – the email told me they are halfway to their goal of 110 nurses. I interpret this line as a simple update. I might read that and believe McGrath want me to make a contribution to help the Foundation achieve the goal. I might read it and feel the need to help. McGrath Foundation hopes I feel gratitude by this email and, at the same time, no doubt hopes it generates some needed income. This stewardship email may be a wave as part of a campaign. Nonetheless, the focus of the email is on expressing appreciation and it makes recipients feel good.
Stephen Mally Charities, Charity, Charity data, CRM, Data cleansing, Data hygiene, Donor retention, Donor stewardship, NFP, Non-profit
Three steps to better data hygiene
This last week I was fortunate to be part of a talented panel of speakers talking about data at the Australian Event Manager’s Forum. This Forum meets once a quarter to talk about case studies and issues relating to the NFP sector and to event management.
I shared with 60 people in attendance the fact I receive a call each week from a non-profit organisation asking for help in finding the “right fundraising software” for the organisation. The charity wants to find software that will deliver not only in the event space, but across the organisation. For some organisations, FundraisingForce conducts constituent relationship management (CRM) searches to find the right fit.
Conversations can be had about the requirements of the organisation in order to find the right fit. But, put aside the software for a second and think about the practices that exist (or are likely absent) across the organisation.
Too few in the charity space focus on the detail in a single supporter record in the database. We are too busy worrying whether the software we own does this task or that task. We are too busy completing transactions and tasks (i.e. booking a donation, getting the tax appeal out) that we do not take the time, while in possession of a supporter record, to do what I have called CEE a record.
Change of Focus – Day to Day/Hour by Hour Data Cleansing
C – When in possession of a supporter’s record, no matter who you are in the organisation, Confirm the contact details with the supporter or Confirm the record is complete when you simply open a record to view information.
E – Edit anything in the record the supporter tells you or you view as incorrect.
E – Enhance anything in the record you see missing. Mobile phone numbers and email addresses are missing from about 70% of most charities supporter records.
Do the above day to day, hour by hour.
Monthly Data Cleansing
Once you have the day-to-day practices in place, you must focus on the masses. First, at the close of each month, someone on your team must troll the data base to look for known issues – incomplete records – addresses missing a post code, addresses missing a suburb, state, titles missing, etc. Make this one person’s job.
Cleaning up the house once a month makes it a lot easier for major clean-ups.
Annual Data Cleansing
Your organisation needs to perform Data Hygiene at least once per year before a big mailing or event.
Data Hygiene is the practice of cleansing the data, using a service provider who will access the Australia Post National Change of Address, NCOA, file on your organisation’s behalf. The service will also use other data sources and may enhance the data to offer you dates of birth, phone numbers or other enhanced information valuable for major gift and bequest efforts.
Why do annual Data Hygiene? I have over 300 charities in my direct marketing mystery shopping study. I have lived in three apartments during the time the study has been underway. Some charities are mailing me at my address 3 apartments ago. I only receive the mail because I continue to renew my mail redirection service with Australia Post. Most Australians only renew their mail redirection once at best, if at all.
Of the 300 charities in the study, only 3 have found me at my correct address.
What do the other 297 charities do when a person does not file a mail redirection service? What do the other 297 charities do when a person does not continue to renew the mail redirection?
Why don’t charities conduct an annual Data Hygiene process? They put it in the “too hard” bucket. They put it in the “too expensive” bucket.
Too Hard
It is “too hard” if you do not understand the process. If you tried it once and it was “too hard”, find a supplier in the market to conduct the process and document it for you once. We can then transfer the knowledge to you to make it easy and allow you to be self-sufficient each time thereafter.
I don’t buy this argument. It is very expensive to acquire a new donor. Sure Data Hygiene costs NFPs. But, it is less expensive to run a data hygiene process than it is to acquire a new donor. It is less expensive to do the Data Hygiene process annually than it is to continue to mail pieces, which do not reach their intended recipients.
Unless you practice good Data Hygiene, the work done in terms of event fundraising, donor acquisition fundraising, and other areas do not matter.
Stephen Mally Charities, Charity, Charity data, Donor care, Donor stewardship, Fundraising, NFP, Non-profit, Stewardship
Donor care gone wrong
I checked into a Doubletree hotel last week and I found a box of chocolates and a note written to…not me, but Ms Jensen. I have been called a lot of names in my lifetime, but never Ms Jensen.
When I received this note and the chocolates (which were placed in front of a television with the words “Doubletree welcomes Stephen Mally” on the screen), it made me think about the importance of accuracy in donor care.
It made me think about the first thing someone does when they receive your non-profit organisation’s annual report or when they walk into the lobby of your building. The donor looks for their name on your donor honour wall/honour roll.
Things can go very wrong at this point. We have all lived this nightmare – wrong spelling, wrong person, incorrect dollar category, or…a missing name altogether.
I receive calls from people this time of year as they prepare donor listings for annual reports, donor walls, and other forums. “How do I accurately get lists out of The Raiser’s Edge?”, “Why are my anonymous donors coming out in a variety of ways”, “How do you track the way the donor actually wants to be listed on the donor wall?’.
Make a new year’s resolution. Ask donor’s how they want to be listed in public forums. Create a place in your donor database to track donor listings. In The Raiser’s Edge, this place will be an Additional Addressee on the Addressees and Salutations Tab. Asking the donor for their preference, in advance, will save you the headache at end of financial year. Additionally, set a policy and a procedure for tracking anonymous gifts from donors.
Taking the time now to determine the processes for thee types of donor care activities will save you headaches on New Year’s Day!
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whiteraven_t1
About whiteraven_t1
whiteraven_t1 changed their profile photo January 13, 2017
[EU] [Semi-Milsim] [Teamplay+Fun] Black Fox Company
whiteraven_t1 posted a topic in ARMA 3 - SQUADS AND FANPAGES
Who we are: Black Fox Company is a new Arma group based on a public server, running a custom homebrewed COOP/Zeus mission called "Combat Patrol Operations". We're looking for "new to Arma" players and "veterans" alike to have some relaxed fun while running a semi-milsim game where teamplay, communication and real tactics matter. A few of our members have a long experience on Arma (1000+ hours), so we can easily show the ropes to newjoiners as well as undertake more complex missions with "grey wolves" ;) Our plan: Our intention, for a start, is to build a public community running platoon-sized COOP/Zeus operations (20-40 players). A long-term plan is to start also a private server for modded/more realistic missions and trainings. It's ideal if you want to give your contribution to start a new project! ;) How to join us: Server name: Black Fox Company - [EU] MILSIM COOP Server #1 Feel free to add me on Steam: http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198041220353/ :)
semi-milsim
teamplay
Misc Suggestions
whiteraven_t1 replied to whiteraven_t1's topic in TAKE ON MARS - SUGGESTIONS
Just checked again the game after some months... I find it awesome! I was really positively surprised to see some of these suggestions implemented in game. The game itself it's still not perfect, but it's now interesting and rewarding. As you mentioned in another thread, you guys are very busy and can't implement everything, while mods can. How about making some guides and suggestions on how mods can be made? Maybe some mod templates that show the ropes on how to modify certain things, on which people can start building. At least, this is the biggest need I've found while modding/scripting Arma 3: lack of documentation and no basis at all on which to build. Keep up the good work! ;) Edit: Thinking about it... The missions have become much better, but still feel a little "stiff". When you complete one, you immediately get the following one, provided that you have enough technology, otherwise you get the red message "insufficient technology for new missions". So: - How about a hint on what we should research to get those missions? Surely scientists know what they want to obtain from future missions, so having a little dialogue that tells you what technologies (or even better: what instruments) you're missing would be very useful. - Also, we could have a loading bar also for new missions: it takes time to analyze the collected data and identify new targets, evaluate mission feasibility etc. This could also open up the possibility of having another branch of the technology tree, in which you upgrade the available ground tools of the space agency: computational clusters, observatories (optical, x-ray, radio, ...), industry partnership programs, and such. Some of these technologies could be vital for making certain advanced objectives visible in the map, or to increase their value.
Nice Concept, but Lack of Freedom
whiteraven_t1 replied to EmissionGeneration's topic in TAKE ON MARS - SUGGESTIONS
I totally agree with EmissionGeneration. I'ave already expressed some suggestions in this thread http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?160545-Misc-Suggestions Basically, there's a big lack of freedom, lack of possible choices and kinda lack of drama. Yes, the game feels on rails and really needs major improvements, otherwise it's replayability will be very small.
whiteraven_t1 posted a topic in TAKE ON MARS - SUGGESTIONS
Having played TKOM for a while. Not a bad game, but it feels a bit "arcade-ish" and way too much straightforward. So, I'd like to give some personal suggestions on what I'd really like to see featured in game. Please don't take these as critics, I'm just trying to be useful :) 1 - More locations. I imagine that the available locations are only a fraction of what will be released in the end, but I'd like to write this anyway just to underline its importance. 2 - Locations shouldn't be *unlocked* "Unlocked" doesn't exist in research. You find the place among all the others for some specific reasons, after you have painfully collected an enormous amount of data about the planet itself. This leads to the next suggestion. 3 - Feature orbiters in game We should be able to launch not only landers and rovers, but also the first orbiting satellites that provide us all the information needed to identify the most interesting areas for research. To use a shortcut, you can think of a "interesting location found" achievement in game, but unlocking places just by clicking on it and paying a certain fee is something you see in a flash game to buy a power-up, not in a research-oriented game. 4 - Design your own mission Who is deciding them? Why can't be player in the committee deciding which place is useful and which not? We should be able to go through the satellite data (which is not only visual mapping, but also radar data of the soil and below it and so much more) to find our own objectives. 5 - Don't force the player to follow a specific order in using the instruments Why should we use the radiation monitor system only in a specific spot of the surface which is 10 meters wide? What does that even mean? And why do I have to take photos first, then go back to that meaningless spot to measure radiations which will be exactly the same where I already am and where I previously landed? This feels like a point-click adventure, not research, less than ever exploration. 6 - Research is not an unlock! No it's not. Really... it's not. You can't say "you unlocked this and this technology". Space agencies spend billions in research and testing of systems and components. It would be great if we could spend part of our budget to finance the research we're interested into. Am I interested in orbiters, maybe? Then research satellite technology and long range instruments? Rovers and collecting soil? Whatever? 7 - Vectors to reach Mars! It's so important! How comes that nobody is talking about the *vector* used to reach the planet. How about time windows? Are we really teleporting those rovers directly on Mars? That's also another totally new area where lots of features can be implemented: research new vectors, new engine systems, new payload systems, new landing systems. Are we using a moon base to launch it? The ISS? A new station? We need to know it and manage it! 8 - Competitors! There are always competitors. How about news talking about the endeavour of some other space agency which we should ideally beat in research production and achievements? That would give some challenge. 9 - Manage your colleagues Who are they? Am I alone in this space agency? Competence of the personnel is of capital importance. Also, a good and famous space agency will have great applicants, so their quality in game will be bound to our successes. Also, particularly complex research and solutions could be bound to our personnel's experience and capabilities. A vital layer of complexity, totally ignored by the game. I hope I've been useful with these suggestions. If I'll come up with new ones, I will post them if judged useful :)
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Showing results for tags 'International'.
[GREEN SEA BATTALION PMC] [INTERNATIONAL - MILSIM]
madmaxm posted a topic in ARMA 3 - SQUADS AND FANPAGES
Name: Green Sea Battalion. Branch: Semi-Serious Milsim. Timezone: EU. Language: English. Op Times: Every Saturday Between ~21:00 Gmt+1 and up to 01.00 Gmt+1. Op Types: Specialize in Police actions and Urban Combat, Ambush and small-unit tactics expertise, typically operates as a Motorised or Mechanized unit. Other Essential Info: Looking for a Paramilitary Unit to join? Or fight alongside your own unit? Then look no further! The GSB will accomplish any militaristic tasks set before it, we specialize in small-unit tactics and jobs which may be too politically incorrect for more visible forces: the sort of combat where the lines of morality are blurred but victory must be achieved at any cost! What kind of unir are we: We are a plurinational mercenary force that resides in the fictional country of Chernarussia. As such, we have tailored our own equipment (Guns, Uniforms, Vests, Add. Gear, Vehicles) to suit our unit, so your stay at the GSB is going to be markedly different from the rest of the units. We are looking for EU units for co op: Preferred would be PMC, Ex yugo or Russian units that are speaking English. We are looking for friendly co ops with a lot Laughter, jokes, vodka in large environment while helping each other and geting blown up togheter with vodka in our hands. New players: It doesn't really matter if you new or just buyed yourself arma 3 to play online. Becouse like us, we where also new players once and we did mistakes like you will. We will welcome you as our own. Arma 3 Unit page: https://units.arma3.com/unit/greenseabattalion Steam Group: https://steamcommunity.com/groups/GreenSeaBattalion Youtube channels: Grey Snail: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2CpUNfLZbHzr4w-ZFmz1Gg - Tzach: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnD5OpEfbco-vQ-6bE28SCg Discord: https://discord.gg/rV3E8NZ Contact: https://steamcommunity.com/id/PabstBlueRibbonTasteMurica/
TuPaS Team
Leo TuPaS posted a topic in SQUADS AND FANPAGES
New TuPaS MOD Visit our site download our OFP mod and joing on line game https://goo.gl/ui2usQ The readme files of the add-ins are included in the mod folder. We do not stay with the credit of others' work as some think. The TuPaS mod includes a variety of add-ons from various mods with the only purpose of enjoying the game for online games.
tupas
armarestance
99th Death Division
Mazz99 posted a topic in ARMA 3 - SQUADS AND FANPAGES
Hi, 99th Death Division is a group of people from NA and parts of Europe that get together every week for an immersive zeus event that includes realism and fun. We are looking for people (preferably 18 or older) that are interested in experiencing immersive, realistic community events and have fun doing it. We have a rank structure, however we do not do hyper-realism events such as marches or range etiquette. There is a training requirement for joining but it is just to test if you have a basic understanding of the game and are the kind of person we are looking for. While we prefer 18 or older, we will not turn you away if you are below that age, but you will have to prove your maturity and ability to listen. We will not recruit anyone below the age of 14, NO EXCEPTIONS. The main server we play on is currently 16 slots (mainly because this group was just founded), however we may expand that in the future as our group expands. If you would like to join, we currently meet on our Discord Channel on either Friday or Saturday at 10:30 pm EST. Discord Server:https://discord.gg/QenV27M
recruiting 10th Marine Expeditionary Unit
10thMEU posted a topic in ARMA 3 - SQUADS AND FANPAGES
Who are we? The 10th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) is an semi-realistic, international gaming community focussing mostly on ArmA 3 ALiVE structured missions. We have 3 main regiments; the 1st Battalion 10th Marines, 10th Marine Air Wing and 2/14th Combined Arms Regiment. Each regiment has unique training and courses that are required to progress within the community Additionally, there are multiple optional courses that help to develop skills, and open new pathways within the community. For example, we offer courses such as Corpsman, Weapons Team, Artillery, and Combat Diver Schools. What do we do? The 10th MEU run deployments using the ALiVE mod, this means that the server is constantly active and every action taken has an effect on the mission. We also run full battalion missions on Saturdays at 12:00 pm UTC (with more planned in the future), these missions are all preplanned and come with detailed mission briefings so that everyone is aware of what to expect. During these missions, we aim to take key objectives and to have a larger impact on the ongoing mission. We use a variety of different mods such as; ALiVE,CUP, RHS, ACE3, TFAR and also some custom made mods that have been created for exclusive use in our community. Additionally, we use a custom base building script that allows members to create new FOB’s and outposts to secure areas throughout the deployment. Each deployment will last roughly 4-6 weeks, sometimes longer depending on how long it takes to achieve key objectives. Every deployment will have an accompanying deployment brief that will explain the backstory, objectives, available assets and much more. Every member will be placed into an fireteam or vehicle crew (depending on regiment) and each regiment sticks to a fixed role roster during main events. This is to encourage teamwork and consistency, however members may play any roles they are qualified to during non-planned events (such as midweek patrols). To simulate as best of a real-world scenario as we can, we have a large range of highly-trained selected squad-leaders, trainers and officers that will help you with your journey through community ranks and departments. To help with realism and progression of the story, members are encouraged to fill out a small patrol report after every mission (this is usually done by the senior member of the patrol/unit). While this may seems excessive, we believe that it adds to the mission as a whole and gives missions a purpose. As the 10th MEU is a gaming community we also do play other games such as; Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, Hellion, Conan Exiles, GTA V, etc. Our members often play these games together, strengthening the sense of community and friendship, there is always something to do and no one is left out. What do we offer? Our community is still in the early stages but growing steadily, we have a handful of members already (around 20) and are looking to grow steadily over the next few weeks. We are looking for all types of members, everything from people that just want to play to those that want to take a bigger role within the community. We are looking for members that want to help develop and grow our community, help build trainings and populate missions. Additionally, we are looking for members that are interested in taking an active leadership role within the community, currently these roles will be limited but more will be available in the future as we expand. There are many opportunities within the 10th MEU, we encourage our members to pursue the career paths they want to take within the community and have multiple avenues for members to take. We employ a Warrant Officer system for members that want to still progress within the rank structure, but don’t want to become a Squad Leader etc. The Warrant Officers are our community’s trainers and specialists, they help educate every member and guide them to the next step on the community ladder. Currently. there are many communities available to join and it is hard to stand out against the flood of units. We are hoping to differentiate ourselves by offering a unique style of missions and gameplay, one that revolves around persistence and story, while also offering a strong and stable community to be a part of. The best way to learn about what we do and who we are is to join our teamspeak (see below) and speak to one of our recruitment team. They will discuss what we do and what you can expect from us, as well as answer any questions you may have. Joining Requirements. The 10th MEU has a comprehensive rule set to ensure that all members of the community are kept satisfied and are not bullied or mistreated. The few requirements to join are: All applicants must be of the age of 17 or older. All applicants must own a valid and legal copy of ArmA 3. No ArmA downloadable content is needed to join the 10th MEU. All applicants must have a ping of lower than 300ms to the server and Teamspeak (servers are based in the USA). All applicants must have a working and clear microphone. All applicants must have the TeamSpeak 3 program. All applicants must have read the rules prior to submitting an enlistment form. All applicants must have roughly 25Gb of hard disk capacity in order to download the modset. All applicants should take part in as many operations as possible with a minimum of 1 per month. All applicants must be able to speak and understand English It is also recommended that all candidates have some level of experience with ArmA 3, and the mods we use, however we do accept candidates that are new to ArmA and have documentation that will help get you introduced and familiar with the game. Still Interested? If you’re interested in joining the 10th MEU, go to www.10thmeu.net, go to the enlistment tab and fill out the enlistment form. Upon completion of the enlistment form you can join our TeamSpeak server: ts3.10thmeu.net and wait in the ‘Recruit Waiting Area’ and you’ll be attended to within a timely manner.
[EU][18+][RECRUITING] ARMA 3 MILSIM TACTICAL REALISM UNIT [REALITY GAMING]
AndrewsRG posted a topic in ARMA 3 - SQUADS AND FANPAGES
Reality Gaming ARMA 3 Mature Tactical Realism Community VETERAN ARMA 3 TASKFORCE Reality Gaming is now recruiting for ARMA 3: RG (Reality Gaming) is an international ARMA Community made up of ex-forces and senior professionals. We are an 18+ mature tactical community with decades of experience conducting large scale operations and campaigns. Our group has been playing the ARMA series since 2007 and have a structured mission building team dedicated to creating realistic senarios for our highly trained members. Our community uses military rank and allows you to qualify and earn specialist roles within our Task Force. We use a highly edited customised version of ARMA for all our missions development alongside scheduled training every week. Our community is designed to connect genuine adult gamers into an organised on-line Military Task force. We are a gaming community with decades of experience creating simulations in a realistic way. Our team create custom scenarios supported by role play. This combined with our first hand knowledge of military tactics and procedures, helps our team create and organise advanced large scale co-op campaigns and PvP battles. We provide our service for those whom seek to do the same. We are always looking for new volunteers and dedicated members. Our Community offers you: The chance to chat with others on our Teamspeak (3) server. Win Games & Prizes Exchange game experiences on our forum. Post new game video's within our YouTube channel. Play on our high performance dedicated Servers and Participate in our gaming events. The chance to gain experience and develop leadership skills. Training in ACRE and ARMA systems. (mods) First hand training from real soldiers. Our spirit and friendship developed over several years. ESTABLISHED 2007 CLICK HERE TO JOIN NOW
official 101st Airborne Division - Realism Unit (Modern)
CPT Dubois posted a topic in ARMA 3 - SQUADS AND FANPAGES
ABOUT The 101st Airborne Division - Realism Unit is an ArmA 3 focused milsim community. The unit is based off of the real life 101st Airborne Division. We provide and maintain the best quality of milsim within the limitations of ArmA 3. COMMUNITY This is a community driven volunteer organization of gamers, military enthusiast, and veterans alike. We provide a professional, interactive and fun environment for milsim, roleplay and content creators. This unit is currently in the active stage of stand up and seeks both leaders and regular members to fill its ranks. Visit our website for sign up details. MISSION Our mission is to continuously build and sustain a milsim community for the players by the players united under one name. Providing a platform under which to achieve multiple goals for both community and personal relations. We strive for and are proud to maintain the highest quality of milsim taken from the core values of our definition of realism within the ArmA universe. WHY JOIN? Do you enjoy military simulation and the realism aspects in video gaming? Being apart of a team or leading a team of like minded individuals while enjoying the idea of an organization that values strong bonds and unit cohesion? If so then you should consider joining the 101st Airborne Division - Realism Unit. You will not only be a member that's apart of an organization but you will also be a member who shapes the future of the organization. Features Army units Air Force units 25+ Ranks 40+ Awards Custom Award Display 14+ Skill Courses Dedicated Server Teamspeak Server Custom mod pack Annual unit events Plus more! Positions 11B - Infantryman 68W - Healthcare Specialist 153A - Rotary Wing Aviator 11FX - Fighter Pilot 1C4X1 - TACP More coming soon! CONTACT Email: fsec.official@gmail.com Teamspeak: 167.114.35.209:10881 (pass: screamingeagle) Website: http://www.101stabdrealismunit.net/ Units: https://units.arma3.com/unit/101stabd Thanks for your time and consideration, P. Dubois [101st] https://steamcommunity.com/id/Feenx-sama Our motto: "Together, we stand as one!"
fsec
Tactical Gaming TacSim
W1nt3rS0l3 posted a topic in ARMA 3 - SQUADS AND FANPAGES
Tactical Gaming is a widely established community, with games ranging from MOBAs to FPS's. Our Arma 3 division is a very strong and tight-knit community. We hold operations, FTX's, and side missions every week. We have "mandatory" practices every wednesday and sunday at 1900EST for US, and 1900CEST for Europeans. If you are interested, send in an application at TacticalGaming.net and we will have you saving the world with us in a timely manner. Hope to see you out there soldier!
tacsim
semi-serious
Recruiting | 17+ | EU | Joint Nordic Battlegroup 16
G. Joel posted a topic in ARMA 3 - SQUADS AND FANPAGES
Joint Nordic Battlegroup 16 We are a Arma 3 unit based in Northern Europe. "Semper metam contingimus - We always reach our goal" What are we? We are focused around the Swedish Armed Forces with infantry, Aviation, Armour, Support units. We offer a serious but still fun and relaxed community where everyone are welcome to play not only Arma 3 but any game or just have a talk in the lounge. We do our best to try and stay open minded about all ideas that our players can give us at all times. Sticking to the fun and serious without the BS. We do our trainings and operations on a weekly basis,1-2 Trainings and then operations on the weekends. Our requirements for all members are. You own a legit copy of Arma 3. You have a working microphone and ts3 client. You are atleast 16 years old. You can and will behave in a mature manner on our servers. You think you have what it takes? Take the first step and contact an officer or recruiter now. Teamspeak 3 server ip: 151.80.230.238:10147 E-mail: info@jnb16.com Website: http://www.jnb16.com Steam Group: http://steamcommunity.com/groups/JNB16 Arma 3 unit: https://units.arma3.com/unit/jnb16 Hope to see you on soon! // G. Joel Battlegroup Commander
503rd Infantry, 173rd Airborne ~ RECRUITING, JOIN NOW
BloodyEarlobe posted a topic in ARMA 3 - SQUADS AND FANPAGES
173rd Airborne The 173rd is a professional 'Military Simulation' unit; priding itself on professionalism, realism, accuracy and maturity. Through the guidance of both former and active service members of Armed Forces throughout the world, the 173rd meshes real-world tactics with the Arma game-play mechanics. Through these ideals and principles the 173rd strives to act in a manner that is, above all, other levels presented in other environments and communities. About Us We, as the 173rd Airbone, are seen to perform operations ranking from situations including direct action insertions, Air assaults, and dropping behind enemy lines. We pool our resources to create new content for all to enjoy, allowing a constant stream of feedback from our members to guide our direction. The mutual respect between members, regardless or rank, experience or status; is what allows for us to form a cohesive unit and to truly get the most out of the experience. Furthermore, our reenactment of the 173rd Airborne does not impede the enjoyment or structure of online game-play: We do not require for members to refer to each other by rank, sir or to fulfill unreasonable demands, as well as having a deep understanding that personal issues take precedence. That said, we require a basic understanding of hierarchy whilst in-game; meaning that each soldier must endeavor to perform as their selected role and commit themselves as a member of a team. Our training schedule is a method for continuous improvement across the entirety of the roster, as newer members may offer a wealth of experience, which veteran members may not have had access to. In essence, our focus is to bring all members to a basic standard and build upon existing systems, in order to create a more enjoyable and immersive experience for all. As well as this, we also see ourselves performing a variety of operations ranging from scheduled Campaign Operations; Field Training Exercises; Brief Missions & Co-Operative Scenarios with other Realism Units. Requirements Minimum age is 16 years Must be available for Friday 2000GMT, Saturday 2000GMT Must have a clear, working microphone Must have a legitimate Copy of Arma 3 Must have Teamspeak 3 How to contact us Website: 503inf.enjin.com Teamspeak: 151.80.230.238
Company Quebec [New unit, Experienced leaders][English]
zamorakiangamer posted a topic in ARMA 3 - SQUADS AND FANPAGES
Company Quebec http://companyquebec.enjin.com This community is where there is no "yes sir, no sir" system. Everyone is considered equal. We want a so called serious fun experince were we aim for perfection but in a more fun way. We're an international clan that will be playing on EU timezones, but that doesn't mean that people from NA should not consider applying. We're aiming qualities such as in our operations: -PvP & PvE oriented, as a member your expected to attend both sides. - 1st person only - Low powered scopes, we aim to have infantry men equipped with something that brings balance in PvP enviroment as well. -PvP enviroment will be heavily focused on TvT aspect, KOTH/Wasteland type deals are off the table. - Single life, with a respawn system & spectate mode. We aim to have that realism aspect in that if you're fatally wounded, you will die. We've modified our medical module so that there's a chance that you go unconcious and a medic will be needed to revive you, otherwise if you die, you'll be prompted to a spectate mode and you'll await for respawn which is controlled by the Zeus. -Fun factor in a realistic setting, this is first and foremost a game. We expect that your enjoying your time here rather than having flashbacks of Afghanistan & Iraq. We have fixed slots in squads but not hard fixed. If you want to play something else, then you can aslong as you dont take another persons fixed slot that him/her are going to play in that game. Example: Alpha squad has 2 missing, Johnson usually plays the AR in Alpha Squad, he can ask his SL if he can be apart of the AT team this mission. Example 2: Alpha squad has everyone participating, Johnson & Tyler ask their SL if they can take Roger & Adams spot for the AT team, Roger & Adams need to say it's okay for them to slot into it. We accept feedback & suggestions on community structure from members, but we don't offer company leadership positions to non-military experienced members. With company leadership positions we mean rules and how to community are going to progress. You will still be able to play as a squad leader or a platoon leader. At a base we are an infantry community focusing on warfare as a whole so we aim to play with vehicles and aircrafts. That said, we are not going to be using heavy units like attack helicopters and tanks that often because of balancing. Situations may occur where we field as a tank battallion for example. Age limit is 18. Exceptions can be made but then a current member must recommend you. You are expected to participate in atleast 2-3 dedicated operation monthly but real life always comes first. If real life does come first, we expect to be informed via forums / pms. Forums is the most preferred way. Recruitment process: -Fill in the application on our website (http://companyquebec.enjin.com/home) // If you have problems on filling out your application feel free to join our teamspeak for assistance. -Join our Teamspeak (109.169.56.47:10417) for a short interview. - If your accepted, we'll teach you the ropes of how we do things within this unit. (If there's something that we noticed that you already know, we'll skip it and move along to something that your not familiar with) -Trial period is 2 weeks long, under that time, you'll be evaluated further. -Once two weeks is over you are promoted to PVT
Company Quebec
ArmA3 Mil-Sim
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Cutts, Richard
post-Madison Presidency
Madison, James
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1From James Madison to Richard Cutts, 27 May 1817 (Madison Papers)
I have rcd. your two letters of the 21. & 22d. They came by the same mail. I return the letters inclosed in them. I missed the sale of my flour at the moment most favorable, in consequence of a trip to Charlottesville which I could not avoid, and which prevented the intended trip of Eddins to Fredg. My crop is still on hand, with the exception of a few barrels, which were disposed of before I...
2From James Madison to Richard Cutts, 13 July 1817 (Madison Papers)
I duly recd. your favor of the 6th. inst. As Mrs Cutts keeps you informed of what relates to herself & the part of her little family with us, I have only to make Mrs. Ms. and my returns to you and the part with you, for the affectionate remembrances you communicate. I am just closing my wheat harvest. It will not exceed 2/5 perhaps not ⅓ of what it would have been if uninjured by the Insect....
I have recd. yours of the 20th. and should with pleasure comply with the wish you intimate, but the remnant of my funds in Washington has been so reduced by necessary drafts, that there is little more there than will suffice for a debt I expect daily to be called for, incurred by Payne Todd on my account, in the purchase of a set of 4 if not 5 horses. The purchase has been made, and by the...
4From James Madison to Richard Cutts, 12 October 1817 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of the 8th. has been duly recd. as was that from Mrs. C. to her sister. I thank you for your attention to the Gardiner. Bizet has indicated a disposition to remain with us; and it is probable will suit the place better than a stranger, till we shall be able to avoid the expence altogether. The entire ignorance of our language and of the habits of the blacks wd be serious...
5From James Madison to Richard Cutts, [ante–26 November] 1817 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. yours enclosing the Bills of Exchange &c &c. The letter for Mr. Rush contains one of them for the amount in the hands of Barring & brothers & co. If there be time to forward it to Annapolis before the Franklin sails, be so good as to give it that destination; if not, it may be sent from the Dept. of State with the first despatches to him. We have had a spell of weather remarkable...
6From James Madison to Richard Cutts, 26 November 1817 (Madison Papers)
Before I left Washington, I authorizd the Editor of the W. City Gazette then a Weekly paper to continue to send it to me, and I believe he was paid the arrears due, & the requisite advance. The paper has lately been converted into a daily & triweekly one, and the former is now sent me. I must ask the favor of you to have it discontinued, and the triweekly paper sent in its place which will...
7From James Madison to Richard Cutts, 6 December 1817 (Madison Papers)
I must ask the favor of you to have the inclosed letters forwarded from the Dept. of State. I know not whether Mr. Brent or Mr. Purviance be the most proper hand to commit it to. Mrs. M. intended to accompany this with a letter to her Sister; but puts of[f] writing till the next mail, having nothing more to say now than this will say, that we are well and that you all enjoy affectionate...
8From James Madison to Richard Cutts, 6 January 1818 (Madison Papers)
I have not yet found it convenient to ascertain the deficiency in the numbers of Niles’ Register. I can only at present say that I have not recd. a single no. since I left Washington, whence I conclude that those addressed to me have taken some other permanent direction, which will on explanation not deprive me of the claim to have them replaced. I wish however to apply at once for both the...
9From James Madison to Richard Cutts, 24 February 1818 (Madison Papers)
I recd. yesterday your favor of the 20th. Eddins has not yet recd. the pattern of a Rifle Stock. The information is very acceptable that the option is afforded him; and not less so that if his fund of Walnut should not hold out, it will be no disappointment to the ordnance Dept. He will soon be able to judge of this point; and to send down to Fredg. his first delivery. If I am not mistaken,...
10From James Madison to Richard Cutts, 14 March 1818 (Madison Papers)
As it appears from your letter of the 5th. that Mr. Gideon adheres to his plan of publishing the 2 pamphlets in the same volumes with the Federalist, and desires a corrected copy of the one written by me, I have thought it best to send one. Be so good as to let it be put into his hands. I have limited the corrections to errors of the press and of the transcriber; and to a few cases in which...
11From James Madison to Richard Cutts, 5 May 1818 (Madison Papers)
Do me the favor to have the inclosed handed to the Editors of the Nal. Messenger in George Town who will return you a small balance & a receipt. Mrs. M. writes to her Sister, I believe. I can add nothing but that we have been for some days again got back to Winter. The mountains before us, as far to the South as they are visible, are covered with snow half way down their sides. Our fruits, the...
12From James Madison to Richard Cutts, 27 July 1818 (Madison Papers)
Be so good as to obtain for two letters inclosed a conveyance from the Department of State. We learn with much pleasure that we may expect a visit from Mrs. C. & the little family. We hope you will not remain behind. I shall set off tomorrow or next day for Rockfish Gap, but hope to get back in 7 or 8 days. Yrs. sincerely RC ( ViU ). Docketed by Cutts.
13From James Madison to Richard Cutts, 28 December 1819 (Madison Papers)
Judge Washington is to send me shortly a packet of papers. I have taken the liberty of desiring him to put it into your care and I ask the favor of you to forward it by some safe hand coming into this neighborhood. The papers are of a sort that makes safety more important than despatch. Mrs. M. will tell Mrs. C. that we are all well, and I add my assurance to hers of our affectionate regards....
14From James Madison to Richard Cutts, March 1820 (Madison Papers)
Yours of the 21st. Ult: came duly to hand. I thank you for your attention to the expected papers from Judge Washington. It was not my intention to trouble you with an application to him, but merely to receive & forward the papers which he was to put into your hands. I have sincerely sympathized with you in your pecuniary difficulties. Whatever inconveniencies may have resulted to myself from...
15From James Madison to Richard Cutts, 3 June 1822 (Madison Papers)
I recd. some time ago a letter from Mr. Geo: Joy in London, requesting me to search my files for a letter from him to me of Apl. 16. 1804. which I inferred he meant to make some use of with the Board of Commissioners on Spanish Claims. I have apprized his brother Ben: Joy that I have found the letter, and that I should send it to you to dispose of it according to the instructions you might...
16From James Madison to Richard Cutts, 14 October 1822 (Madison Papers)
Yours of the 12th. came to hand this morning. I regret most sincerely, the circumstances which compel you to take the step you meditate, as the only resort under the pressure of your debts. I wish it were more in my power to aid you in your distress. Short crops, low prices, and other causes limit my present means, & suggest caution as to future engagements. I have determined nevertheless to...
17From James Madison to Richard Cutts, 4 November 1822 (Madison Papers)
I recd. yours of Ocr. 31. on saturday but not in time to answer it by the return mail. Inclosed are the papers from the Bank, with my name to the promisory Notes. Not wishing to resort to an Indorsor in the City, I embrace the alternative of accepting a bond for the conveyance of the lotts, for the reason you suggest. Be so good as to have the Bond executed on the delivery of the Notes, and...
18From James Madison to Richard Cutts, 1 September 1823 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. your favour of Aug. 27. It will be an accommodation to me, & I am glad it will not be inconvenient to the Bank, to indulge me with six months for payment of my note due Novr 4. I am not sure, such have been my past disappointments in receiving several expected payments, that I may not have occasion to avail myself a little further of the accomodating spirit of the Bank. I think...
19From James Madison to Richard Cutts, 10 September 1823 (Madison Papers)
The Carriage we brought from Washington being nearly worne out, & not well to be replaced here, you will oblige Mrs. M. & myself, by procuring for us one suited to the Country at a price between 5 & 6 hundred dollars on a credit till the 1st. of Jany. next, on or before which payment will be remitted. Friendly respects RC ( MHi ).
I have this moment recd. your 2 letters the last inclosing the note now returned with my signature. I had previously written to Mr. G. Graham and inclosed him $345. the interest due on the whole debt on the 4th. next month. Be so good as to attend to this circumstance, as the interest is in the new note made payable on the postponed instalment from Novr. 22. to Novr. 23. I send this by a...
I have recd. yours of the 22. referring to my note to the Bank which becomes due early in May. The entire failure of my Wheat, and partial one of my Tobacco Crop last year, after like failures in preceding years with other disappointments have obliged me to apply thro’ Mr. Graham for a further indulgence from the Bank of six months, which I hope may not be refused. But if it should not, I must...
I have recd. yours of Apl. 29. The discount for the next six months, amounting to $44 77/100 , was remitted some days ago to the Cashier. If I should not previously draw for what is in hand, be so good as to send it, by Mr. P. Barbour on his return from Congs. or by Mrs. Cutts, as the one or the other may give the first opportunity. In the mean time you will oblige me by having ten dollars out...
Do me the favor to have the enclosed handed to Judge Woodward, if in Washington, or if gone to his Official residence, to change the direction accordingly & have the letter put into the post office. Let me know, if you please, the precise sum I must provide for the Bank by the approaching November. Mrs Cutts with her eldest son & daughter are on a visit to Monticello. They are expected back...
I have recd. yours of the 17th. inst. Be so good as to mention the amount of interest required for the 2d. note to the Bank in order to a Credit for 90 days and I will forward it in time for the occasion. Let me know also & forward whatever paper will require my signature for it. Respects & good wishes RC ( MHi ). Letter not found.
I return the note Mr. Smith was so good as to prepare, with my name to it. Whatever else may be requisite now or hereafter from me, you will let me know. With Friendly respects RC ( MHi ). Below this signature are a number of computations which relate to JM ’s bank loan for the purchase of the Cutts’s house in Washington. The amount ($1,437.50) was for one year’s payment: 1437.50 172.44 3...
I inclosed in my last of the 22d. the note prepared by Mr Smith, with my signature, which it appears had not been recd. at the date of yours of the 25th. I shall be content with any arrangement that will satisfy the Bank and answer my purpose. Be so good as to drop me a line saying what has been finally done. With friendly respects RC ( MHi ). Letter not found.
27From James Madison to Richard Cutts, 1 July 1825 (Madison Papers)
Mr. Fowler of Allen’s Lot. & Exc: office holds a note of mine for $500 payable on the 10th. instant. From his letter to me on the subject I infer that the enclosed Check will be a payment not inconvenient to him; and I prefer it to the risk & trouble of remitting bank notes by the Mail. On substituting the check for the promisory note, be so good as to send me the latter in a cancelled State....
28James Madison to Richard Cutts, 1 November 1826 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. from Mr. Van Zandt a copy of his Bill in Chancery: of course known to you, and have answered the communication by a letter a copy of which I have thought it proper to inclose you. This error of fact which it corrects make me hope that I shall be rescued by the explanation from the disagreeable situation in which the Bill places me. With friendly wishes RC ( MHi ); FC (DLC) .
29James Madison to Richard Cutts, 2 June 1828 (Madison Papers)
I did not receive yours of the 30th. Ult. in time to be answered by the return mail. I now inclose the note sent for my signature, which I hope will not be too late. I cannot but regret the circumstance that threatens to connect me with a Judicial investigation. If the Gentleman bringing be influenced solely by a hope of discovering what he professes to seek, the purport of my letter to Mr....
30James Madison to Richard Cutts, 26 July 1828 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. yours of the 23. The view you give of the proposed transfer of my debt from the Bank of the U. S. to that of the Metropolis shews it to be an eligible arrangement; and I return with my signature the note you enclosed. I am much obliged to Mr. Nourse for his ready aid in the case, and beg you to make him sensible of it. You will insert his name in the note & fill the blank for the...
31James Madison to [Richard Cutts], 4 August 1828 (Madison Papers)
I have rec’d yours of July 30 & inclose a letter to Mr. Smith which please seal and deliver, requesting that the property I purchased of the bank & for which the closing payment has been rec’d may be duly conveyed to me. I hope this conclusive evidence will not be without effect on staying the purpose of your creditor in Charleston, to involve me in his chancery experiment. Extract (Robert F....
32James Madison to Richard Cutts, 24 December 1828 (Madison Papers)
Hearing nothing on the Subject of my answer to the Bill in Chancy. I begin to fear that some miscarriage has taken place or that a throng of business has not left Mr. Jones time to attend to it. Which ever be the cause, time must now be pressing, as I understood from you the Court was to sit in this month. If the adversary in the suit be at all likely to make out a troublesome case, you can...
33James Madison to Richard D. Cutts, 4 January 1829 (Madison Papers)
Your letter, my dear Richard, gave me much pleasure, as it shews that you love your studies, which you would not do if you did not profit by them. Go on, my good boy, as you have begun; and you will find that you have chosen the best road to a happy life, because a useful one; the more happy because it will add to the happiness of your parents, and of all who love you and are anxious to see...
I inclose a draft on Mr. Allen of Fredericksburg, for $150. which I hope will be in time to extinguish the debt to the Bank, before a renewal of the note and a further call on the friendship of Mr. Nourse, become necessary. Do not fail to make him fully sensible of my thankfulness, for the aid of his name so obligingly furnished throughout the period which made it acceptable. I am recovering...
35James Madison to Richard Cutts, 13 June 1829 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. your two letters of June 8 & 9. As my draft on Mr. Allen lately sent you will have furnished the means of extinguishing my debt to the Bank, I suppress the discounting note inclosed in one of them. It has not been my wish to precipitate the sale of the House & lots in Washington, & hope it may not be necessary. But the hold my Creditors have on my landed property here, exposing me...
36James Madison to Richard Cutts, 19 March 1831 (Madison Papers)
I recd. yesterday your favour of the 17th. That of the 4[th?] copied into it never came to hand. The rent you have ready for me (with the exception of $63 to be forward[ed by m]ail) may be placed to my Credit in the Branch Bank of the U.S. in Washington; on which be so good as to send [m]e 2 or 3 blank Checks if there be printed ones. With cordial regards & good wishes. RC (NjP : Crane...
Yours of the 25th. with the articles it refers to came duly to hand. And that of the 4th. supposed to be lost has also made its appearance. What has been the upshot, or is the present condition, of the suit in Chancery? and what a suitable fee to Genl. Jones to whom it has been a troublesome one? I thank you for the steps taken for ensuring the House. With cordial respects & salutations RC (NjP) .
38James Madison to Richard Cutts, 23 January 1832 (Madison Papers)
Yours of the 15th. was duly recd. It being thought not amiss that you shd. know you were not liable to be called on by the Collector, the circumstance was mentioned by Mrs. M to Mrs. C. I regret sincerely the difficulties you experience; I have my felt them, and notwithstanding the great mutilations of my property, my situation is far from being free from them<.> My Rheumatism is of an...
39James Madison to Richard D. Cutts, 12 September 1835 (Madison Papers)
I have received your letter of the 5th. instant in which you request my advice on the choice of a profession. Observing your decided bias in favor of the Law, and not dissenting from it, I need only express the pleasure with which find you so determined to aim at success, by distinguished qualifications for it—You will be apprized by better counsellors than I am, that you will have so much to...
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Trina Addresses Her A&R Speaking On Nicki Minaj
Late last night, Trina took to Instagram to address her A&R representative speaking out regarding Nicki Minaj.
A little overwhelmed right now but tomorrow ????????
87.4k Likes, 5,742 Comments - katrina (@trinarockstarr) on Instagram: "A little overwhelmed right now but tomorrow ????????"
Trina addressed the issue via a video on her Instagram page. “First of all, everybody that knows me knows anything that I gotta say I will say it and address it,” the Miami rapper said.
“I don’t need anybody to speak for me,” Trina continued.
“Second of all, everything that I have to say, I will address it tomorrow, so catch me live. And I will say it one time and one time only,” Trina said, referring to an Instagram Live session.
“I will not repeat myself.”
As we previously reported, Trina’s A&R, Reginal Saunders recently went on a rant regarding Trina’s “BAPS” single featuring Nicki Minaj, and Minaj’s non-response to a request to participate in the video for the track.
“I want to address the issue so bad about this #BAPS record and VIDEO and it’s taking everything inside of me to remain quiet. This isn’t the first time @nickiminaj has pulled this stunt and trust me it’s cool. I can’t get over how fake people can be for a Lil fame, likes and followers,” Saunders wrote.
“When everyone tried to warn me I still gave her the benefit of the doubt. I can’t wait to see how all of this is about to play out because you can’t stop karmas reign, shame on you.. I mostly feel sorry for the #barbs because they have no clue of the deceiver and manipulator their leader is. #igottimetoday #imnotbeingquiet #myvotegoestoCARDIB”
Youtuber Funky Dineva did an exclusive interview with Saunders where he expounded upon the entire situation.
“In the beginning, Nicki was very corresponding. As far as getting the song back to us because she was in Miami. She was in a very dark place at that time. Just living out here. I guess it was only right to connect with Trina,” Saunders explains.
“Trina is a f**king legend at the end of a day. I don’t care how many barbs are out there. If there was no Trina there would be no fat a**es. There would be none of this stuff that’s going on right now. You know Trina don’t have no problems with nobody. So we do the song or whatever, and then Nicki moves back or whatever. We’re trying to put together a great body of work…and Nicki even acknowledged that on her radio show.”
“The correspondence with Nicki then to do the video. Trina was unsuccessful with getting in contact with her. We would text her. Nobody knew where she was. Nicki just fell off the face of the earth. And her process of falling off the face of the earth, nobody knew where she was. She was in a hiatus. Whatever it was whatever she was going through. I know you still got the text from Trina. And one thing about it, people do what they want to do when they want to do it,” Saunders continues.
Saunders went on to say that people started calling him because they got a whiff of the collaboration, and they told him that Nicki wasn’t going to do the video.
Saunders said that he gave her the benefit of the doubt because he worked with her before and he was supportive of her when she blew up.
“I don’t want anyone to think that I’m being bitter, ” Saunders said. “If you don’t want to do a video with the artist then don’t do the song,” Saunders said. “Her excuse is more less going to be like we didn’t have a date or we took too long to do this, but she didn’t even know that there was all of this other stuff going on.”
“It’s not like we were just actually taking our time or pu**yfooting around,” he continued. When Saunders was asked why did he wait to address the issue now, and if it was because Nicki Minaj did the video with Megan Thee Stallion for “Hot Girl Summer,” he said “I am addressing it because as we sit back and we watch. Everybody is watching. Everybody is hitting me up.”
BAPS,Nicki Minaj,Reginald Saunders,Trina,Trina BAPS,Trina BAPS featuring Nicki Minaj
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Home Press Release Noted entrepreneur & environmentalist Viral Sudhirbhai Desai bags energy conservation award 4th time
Noted entrepreneur & environmentalist Viral Sudhirbhai Desai bags energy conservation award 4th time
by Moderator January 13, 2020
by Moderator January 13, 2020 0 comment
On the National Energy Conservation Day, a National Energy Conservation Award ceremony was organised by the ministry of energy in New Delhi. In this event, noted entrepreneur & environmentalist Viral Sudhirbhai Desai was awarded first prize in the textile sector. This is the fourth time that Desai, who is the CEO of Surat-based Zenitex, has bagged the award.
Interestingly, Desai is also the chairman of the Energy and Renewable Energy Committee of the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce (SGCCI). The award ceremony, organised by BEE under the ministry of energy, was attended by RK Singh, Union minister of state for power and new & renewable energy and minister of state for skill development & entrepreneurship, and officals of various renowned global corporates and Indian public limited companies working for energy conservation.
Desai, who is also known as Greenman of Gujarat due to his efforts towards sustainability & environment protection, has achieved a rare feat of being awarded this National Award four times by the ministry of energy, three times in which he was ranked first in the country. In addition to this, in the past he has been awarded a national award for outstanding entrepreneurship by President of India.
“Energy saving is the moral duty of all of us and if we truly love our country, we all have to save energy at our own levels. I take every step in conserving energy, not just in my home, but also in my company Zenitex. This award is also special for me as it’s the first award for our Katargam unit of the city. The Government of India has appreciated this work from time to time. I am grateful to the Government of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for this topmost honour for public and private enterprises of Indian origin,” said Desai. “It is a matter of pride for Surat and Gujarat that despite being an SME, Zenitex has bagged this award for the fourth time setting a new benchmark for others to follow.”
Energy minister RK Singh appreciated the efforts of energy conserving organisations and said, “Saving energy is not only saving money, but also saving the environment. And protecting the environment is one of the first demands of today.”
As Greenman of Gujarat, Desai is credited to have turned Udhna Railway Station into first green railway station of the country under his ‘Clean India Green India’ campaign. He has been also inspiring many to adopt trees though the ‘We Work For Trees’—a tree adoption campaign by Hearts at Work foundation. One such young couple inspired by Viral Desai adopted 100 trees on account of their wedding celebration. His innovative concept of decorating cars with eco-friendly artificial green grass created huge awareness among people towards his ‘Clean India Green India’ & ‘Save Environment’ movement. This idea was even lauded by national and regional media after his company designed two such green cars and named them ‘The Green Crusaders’. He was even honoured internationally with ‘Bharat Gaurav’ Award, held in the House of Commons, British Parliament at London in the United Kingdom a few months back for his efforts towards environment protection and sustainability.
A coffee table book named ‘Breathing Green’ has been published documenting the journey of transformation of Udhna station to become the first Green Railway station of India spearheaded by Desai as ecopreneur under his ‘Clean India, Green India’ movement. The book depicts interesting facts and details about the initiative and will inspire many others to join the campaign. Indeed, the movement run by Desai to save environment and green cover of earth has proved to be a powerhouse of inspiration for many others to follow.
(This story has not been edited by our staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed from NewsWireIndia.)
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Gaming Daze
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Unsung Warriors fits nicely in a crowded Metroidvania genre
Surely not another Metroidvania? The genre seems to be more alive these days than it’s ever been thanks to an army of independent developers exposing our love and desire for it. There is something extremely enticing about a good Metroidvania giving gamers the freedom to explore vast 2D (usually) worlds whilst having to use our brains and come back to previously visited areas once a certain ability has been obtained. On the flip side, it’s the backtracking that puts a lot of non-fans off and while I understand their notion, I will be explaining in as much detail as I can why even the non Metroidvania fans should at least give Unsung Warriors a look in. After giving the prologue demo a go (which you can see below) I came to the conclusion that Unsung Warriors has enough in its locker to hold its own and stand shoulder to shoulder with the many great Metroidvanias currently on the market.
The world of Unsung Warriors is inspired by Iron Age Europe and will feature many celtic style tribes, the demo has you control a Viking style guy and is a story of its own, hence why it’s called a prologue. The game is a 2D action platforming-adventure Metroidvania game which boasts lush hand drawn visuals and will offer a serious challenge to those who deem themselves worthy of it. You will be able to explore the vast world in which the game resides while shopping for new shields, skills, melee and ranged weapons in order to take down nasty foes and bosses. Players will need to learn new abilities as the game progresses if they are to master the art of dispatching multiple enemies at once while utilizing their dash and shield techniques in order to stay alive. When I played the demo for the first time I was often greeted by several skeleton enemies both with swords and bows, the ones with swords trying to surround me and cut me to shreds while the ones with bows standing from a safe distance trying to arrow me down! It is clear that you will have to get used to this type of scenario if you want to get far in the game as I imagine it will only get more crowded the further you progress.
The developers of the game, Osarion and Mountaineer insist that they are committed to giving us a great gaming experience as they aim to launch Unsung Warriors in 2020. While the game will be initially released on PC, Mac and Linux, the developers have made a Nintendo Switch port their second stretch goal on their Kickstarter campaign as they are such big Nintendo fans. As with most (if not all) Indie games, the Nintendo Switch seems to be a good fit and I am confident they will hit this stretch goal considering the game has already received almost £5,000 out of a required initial £25,000 at the time of writing this with 23 days to go. I am sure they will at least smash the initial funding goal! Check out their Kickstarter page for more details on other stretch goals planned for the game. Anyway, lets talk more about some of what the game has to offer, starting with a little bit more detail on the combat.
Throughout the game you will be able to buy and sell your weapons in the mini shop that you will often come across and naturally, the more expensive weapons will inflict more damage. You start the demo with a basic sword for your melee weapon and a basic bow (which auto aims) for your ranged but there are many close and mid-ranged weapons on sale including axes, scythes and halberds. I brought myself an axe before heading to the boss fight as it gave me more attack damage, the basic sword you start with has a 2-4 attack while the axe has a 4-4 attack. It’s not all about mashing the attack button either as doing so will only give you a 3 hit combo, if you time your hits properly you can get several more hits in. I was able to chain 5 hit combos with my axe. You will also be able to purchase additional ranged attack weapons that deal magic attack and are able to swap between it and your bow on the fly. Some of these magic abilities include zapping your enemies with an electrical bolt or even sapping their life to you. I was also able to hold down the attack button in mid air which sent me crashing to the ground pulverising the enemies beneath which came in handy against multiple enemies. Using your shield effectively will aid you in combat greatly as well, not only are you able to block enemies attacks with it but you can also use it to hurt enemies by dashing into them. A true warrior will need to utilize all of their different types of attacks while being prepared to dodge and defend with sharp reflexes. You will also be gaining xp as you defeat enemies and will have access to unlocking additional skills in your skill tree giving you the freedom to craft your player as you see fit.
Unsung Warriors offers more than just running around gorgeous hand drawn environments and an addictive battle system against ferocious enemies and epic bosses, you also need to master the art of platforming. Multiple puzzles will require solving and will get more challenging the further you get, the demo has a couple of basic puzzles to get you started like cutting a rope sending a chandelier crashing onto enemies and moving boxes to hold several switches down in order to open a door. But I am sure they are only the tip of the ice berg and I am very much looking forward to seeing what other platforming gold Unsung Warriors will have you try out. Double jumping is an important mechanic in the game, as it is in most games of this genre and you will need to use it effectively to help locate all those secret areas that are not visible at first glance. It is also worth noting that the game world will feature many different types of environments to platform through like a land of mountains, a town under siege and a snowy land etc. All of this sounds very good but we have eluded to one of the biggest factors of the game, the fact that you and a friend can play the whole game co-operatively couch co-op style! Unfortunately I haven’t had the pleasure of trying the game in co-op mode but I can imagine it is double the fun.
Give Unsung Warriors a try at least, it deserves that and you have nothing to lose, except your life in game many times…But seriously, give the demo a try and I’m sure you will agree that it was well worth your time and you will no doubt understand the games potential like I do. Give me your thoughts in the comments below and stay tuned for another look at more Indie magic soon.
Witten by Sammy J on 26th January 2019
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Elsie Elizabeth Edwards 1903 - c2001
[ Home ] | [ Descendants ] | [ Census Index ] | [ Surname Index ] | [ Family History ] | [ Calendar ] | [ Reports ] | [ Timeline ]
The child of Edward Edwards and Ellen Munday, Elsie Edwards, the second cousin twice-removed on the mother's side of Nigel Horne, was born in Ramsgate, Kent, England on 13 Aug 19031,2,3,4 and and married Thomas Miles (with whom she had 1 child, David Peter) in Thanet, Kent, England c. Aug 19285.
During her life, she was living at Winstanley Crescent, St Lawrence, Thanet in 1903; at 85 Winstanley Crescent, St Lawrence, Thanet on 2 Apr 19111; and at 194 Grange Road, Ramsgate on 29 Sep 1939, less than a mile from her second cousin on her father's side Edward Lawrence who was living at 22 Grosvenor Road, Ramsgate, Kent, England2.
She died c. Feb 2001 in Thanet4.
Edward Frederick was born c. Nov 1871
Ellen Louise was born in 1879
David Peter was born on 2 Dec 1930
Thanet Advertiser - 22 Aug 1903
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=bmd/b/1903/3/az/000185/241
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=bmd/d/2001/1/84403339
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=bmd/m/1928/3/az/000398/010
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=tna/r39/1765/1765e/011/41
1911 Census for England & Wales - Findmypast (was age 7 and the daughter of the head of the household)
1939 Register - Findmypast (was the wife of the head of the household)
England & Wales births 1837-2006 - Findmypast
England & Wales deaths 1837-2007 - Findmypast
England & Wales Marriages 1837-2005 - Findmypast
Residence record for 1903 contains no citation
Listed in the residence for 29 Sep 1939, but spouse Thomas Miles is not
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Category Archives: radio
When the TV goes dark (Somehow, I’ve managed)
By David Yamada on September 10, 2014 | 1 Comment
Free clip art courtesy of clker.com
For the past ten days, I’ve been without a functioning television set. This is not exactly the stuff of deprivation or sacrifice, but it is a tad inconvenient, especially now that the pro and college football seasons are in full swing. Fortunately, help is on the way. The other day, I went to an electronics store and ordered a new TV — a fairly basic and surprisingly affordable widescreen model — which should be delivered and set up by the end of the week.
The TV I ordered represents my first purchase of a brand new model since buying a $99 cheapo set some 20 years ago! Every other TV has been a discard or a used one, including the 15-year-old kaput model that will be carted away soon.
Many moons ago, I didn’t even have a TV. During law school, I went without. I listened to the radio a lot, and I really enjoyed talk radio programs at a time when that genre was more conversational and fun, rather than a stream of political soapboxes. On occasion I’d go to the TV room in the law school dorm to watch a favorite program or two, or maybe one of my friends would have us over to watch something, but that was about it.
Right after law school, I was working as a Legal Aid lawyer and was barely scraping by, so I didn’t have a TV until some benevolent friends gave me an old portable black-and-white set that had been gathering dust. It may seem hard to imagine that I was quite happy with the social and entertainment options in my life at the time without cable or a VCR (these were the pre-DVD and streaming days, folks), but it really was so.
You know what I’ve rediscovered during this brief time? Listening to football games on the radio can be fun, at least when your team wins. On Saturday I was pulling for Navy to beat Temple and for Notre Dame to beat Michigan. Good results there. But my beloved Chicago Bears took it on the chin against Buffalo, and the Patriots fell apart against Miami.
The weekend reminded me of when I was a kid, listening to games on the radio during a time when lots fewer games were televised.
Of course, this time around I also have the Internet, which I periodically accessed on Sunday to follow the fortunes of my two fantasy football teams. (Two wins there, baby!)
So…radio and the Internet. Old meets new.
Practically speaking, listening to games on the radio made it easier to get some work and chores done. I’m not glued to my TV set when it’s working, but even so I realize how easy it is to dump hours into gazing at the screen. I’ll keep that in mind once my new TV arrives and everything is up and running.
Posted in: radio, technology, television | Tagged: radio, technology, television
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Check dams and storages beyond trapping sediment, carbon sequestration for climate change mitigation, Northwest Ethiopia
Solomon Addisu1 &
Mulatie Mekonnen2
Global warming as a result of increased greenhouse gases (GHGs) concentration in the atmosphere is threating the existence of life on earth. Reducing the concentration of such gases with sequestering mechanism on the surface of the land helps to treat the problem. One of such methods is trapping carbon in the form of soil organic carbon (SOC) together with sediments, by implementing sediment trapping practices. Direct field measurements, calculations and laboratory analysis were used.
The result shows that sediment storage dams (SSDs) sequestered/trapped ~ 60.97*103 t of sediment with the SOC content ranged from 14 to 87 g kg− 1 and check dams (CDs) trapped 7.8*103 t of sediment with the SOC content ranged from 20 to 290 g kg− 1. In general, the studied SSDs and CDs sequestered ~ 44.68*105 kg of SOC together with ~ 68.8*106 kg of sediment. In this study, SSDs and CDs were found to be important SOC sequestering practices together with sediments.
Thus, it is concluded that soil and water conservation structures can be used as carbon sequestering methods to reduce the concentration of GHGs in the atmosphere in addition to reducing soil erosion.
Global warming will continue being a critical problem in the twenty-first century due to increased carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) concentration in the atmosphere. The atmospheric concentrations of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) is increasing from time to time. In 2011 the concentrations of these GHGs were 391 ppm, 1803 ppb, and 324 ppb, which exceeded the pre-industrial levels by about 40%, 150%, and 20%, respectively (IPCC, 2013).
The exchange of carbon (C) between soils and the atmosphere is a significant part of the carbon cycle since carbon is a major component of soils as organic matter content. Globally, the soil organic carbon (SOC) pool stores ~ 1500 PgC in the first one meter depth of soil, which is more carbon than is contained in the atmosphere (~ 800 PgC) and terrestrial vegetation (~ 500 PgC) (FAO and ITPS, 2015) although their distribution is spatially and temporally variable. The 2300 Gt of C stored in global soil is 3 times the size of the atmospheric C pool and 4.1 times the biotic C pool (Lal, 2003).
SOC is the main component of soil organic matter (SOM). According to FAO and ITPS (2015), SOM contains roughly 55–60% C by mass. A high SOM content provides nutrients to plants and improves water availability, which enhances soil fertility and improves crop productivity. Moreover, SOC improves soil structural stability and porosity, which ensures sufficient aeration and water infiltration to support plant growth.
The carbon flux derived from land use change was more predominant in preindustrial times (between 1750 and 2011) in which one-third of all anthropogenic GHGs was derived from land use changes (IPCC, 2014). On a long-term basis, atmospheric CO2 has increased from about 180 to 280 ppm since the last glacial period, adding about 220 PgC to the atmosphere over a 10,000 year period at a rate of ~ 4.4 PgC yr.− 1 (Baldocchi et al., 2016).
The global soil water erosion process has been described both as a net C source of around 1 Gt yr.− 1 (Lal, 2003) and a net C sink of up to 1.5 Gt yr.− 1 (Stallard, 1998). The carbon-based GHGs emitted by soil are CO2 and methane (CH4), which are two of the most leading anthropogenically emitted GHGs (IPCC, 2014). This means dead organic material incorporated into the soil can be potential sources of carbon through organic material transformation by heterotrophic microorganisms. SOC sequestration is the process by which carbon is fixed from the atmosphere via plants or organic residues and stored in the soil. When dealing with CO2, SOC sequestration involves three stages: (i) the removal of CO2 from the atmosphere via plant photosynthesis; (i) the transfer of carbon from CO2 to plant biomass; and (i) the transfer of carbon from plant biomass to the soil where it is stored in the form of SOC (FAO, 2017).
As a result of soil erosion & deposition processes, the sediments trapped by sediment trapping dams or structures can potentially serve as natural carbon sinks (Poch et al. 2006; Harden et al. 2008; Van Oost et al. 2008; Cao et al. 2009, 2010). The organic carbon content in deposited sediments & eroded material was over twice that of the original soils (Jacinthe et al., 2004). Globally sedimentation resulting from soil erosion can sequester ~ 1 Pg C yr.− 1 (Stallard 1998; Smith et al. 2001). Dean and Gorham (1998) estimated the organic carbon sequestering role of reservoir sediments with a rate of 0.16 × 1015 g yr.− 1. Floodplain sediments have also been documented as potential organic carbon stores up to 0.22 kg C m− 2 yr.− 1 (DeLaune and White, 2012; Kayranli et al., 2010).
SOC sequestration for check-dams (CDs) was evaluated in China (Bao, 2008; Wang et al. 2011) based on the sediments volume & average SOC contents. The result showed that CDs trapped over 21*109 m3 with an average SOC content of ~ 3.31 g kg− 1 (Bao, 2008) and 0.952 Gt (1Gt = 109 t = 1015 g) with an average SOC content of 3.4 g kg− 1 (Wang et al., 2011).
In Ethiopia, CDs and sediment storage dams (SSDs) have been implemented in large areas as sediment trapping measures, which stored large amounts of sediment (Mekonnen et al., 2015; MERET, 2008). Together with the sediment, these structures are trapping and storing large amount of organic carbon. However, the amount of carbon sequestered together with the sediment and their climate change mitigation role is not yet evaluated (MERET, 2008). According to Li et al. (2007) and Cao (2008), although CDs, which are widely used to trap sediments in areas with high soil erosion, are acting as carbon sinks, only a few assessments of their carbon sequestration have been performed.
Therefore, the objectives of this study were to (i) quantify the amount of sediment trapped and stored by check dams (CDs) and sediment storage dams (SSDs) in northwest Ethiopia, (ii) determine the amount of soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil organic matter (SOM) sequestered by CDs and SSDs together with the sediment, and (iii) asses the climate change mitigation role of such sediment trapping structures.
Study area description
The study was conducted in the Amhara National Regional State, northwest Ethiopia (Fig. 1), at eight sediment storage dams constructed at the outlet of micro-watersheds with an area ranging from 35 to 105 ha (Segno Gebeya, Woybila, Shehena Borkena, Enchet Kab, Tigrie Mender, Worka Wotu, Dodota, Wuha Chale) and six check dams constructed within gullies for the purpose of gully treatment (Rim/Debre Yakob, Minizr/Adibera, Gosheye, Debre Mewi, Debre Tabor and Bure). Farmland is the dominant land use type in each sub-catchment amounting to about 80% while about 20% is used as grazing land, eucalyptus plantation and/or bush land. The slopes in the sub-catchments ranged from 0.4–31% with dominant average slopes of 11.6–24%.
location map of the study areas
During site selection difference in soil type, elevation and rainfall amount were considered. Five structures were selected at an elevation less than 2200 m a.s.l.; five structures between 2200 and 2700 m a.s.l. and four structures above 2700 m a.s.l. Difference in soil types were also taken into account such as Nitosols, Cambisols, Leptosols, Regosols and Vertisols. Table 1 summarizes the geographic location (X, Y coordinates), mean annual rainfall, soil type and elevation of each of the study sites.
Table 1 Study sites geographical location, soil type, rainfall and elevation
Measuring trapped sediment
In this study, eight sediment storage dams (SSDs) and six check dams (CDs) were selected and the amount of sediment trapped behind each structure was measured based on the geometric nature of the gullies, SSD/CD dimensions and the area of sediment deposition using GPS and measuring tape. Some of the structures have trapezoidal shapes and others have rectangular shapes. Figure 2 shows two example SSDs investigated.
Example SSD pictures constructed to sequester sediment and SOC two years old (left, Segno Gebeya watershed) and five years old (right, Woybila watershed), in the northwest highlands of Ethiopia
To calculate the volume (V) of the sediment accumulated behind the trapezoidal shape SSDs/CDs, the area (A, m2) of the sedimentation times the length (L, m), which is from the SSDs/CDs to the end of sedimentation upstream was used (Eq.1). The area (A) of the trapped sediment is the average of the top and bottom widths (b1 and b2; m) of the sediment multiplied by its height (h, m) measured from the base of the dam to the sediment surface (Eq.2). For rectangular shape SSDs/CDs, length (L, m) times width (W, m) times depth (D, m) of the trapped sediment was used.
$$ V=A\ast L $$
$$ A=\frac{1}{2}\left(b1+b2\right)\ast h $$
Dry sediment mass calculation
To convert sediment volume, which was directly measured in the field to dry sediment mass, the bulk density of the trapped sediment was estimated using the cylindrical core method (McKenzie et al., 2002, Mekonnen et al. 2015). In the middle of the deposited sediment from 1 to 1.5 m deep pit (based on the depth of the deposited sediment) was dugout vertically downward and cylindrical core sampling was done at three locations along the side walls of the dugout pits (upper, middle and lower) inserting the cylindrical core sampler (100 cm3) into the side wall at the desired depth. The collected samples were oven dried at 105 °C in the laboratory for 24 h and sediment density was calculated weighing the dried sediment and subtracting it from the wet sediment mass.
Quantifying sediment organic carbon and organic matter
To quantify the amount of sediment organic carbon (SOC) and sediment organic matter (SOM) sequestered by SSDs and CDs together with the trapped sediment, from 1 to 1.5 m deep pits were dugout vertically downward in the middle of the deposited sediment behind the SSDs and CDs based on the depth of the trapped sediment. Sampling was done at three locations (upper, middle and lower) along the side of the walls in each pit. Samples collected from the upper, middle and lower locations were thoroughly mixed and 1 kilogram composite sediment sample was taken for laboratory analysis for each location, i.e. 14 kg composite sediment samples were used for laboratory analysis in total. The Walkley-Black titration method (Nelson and Sommers, 1982), which is one of the cheapest and rapid methods for the analysis of organic carbon (OC) in soils and sediments, was used. Soil organic matter was calculated by multiplying soil organic carbon by a factor of 1.724.
Trapped sediment
The eight SSDs and six CDs investigated, built from gabion and stone trapped a total of ~ 50.5*103 m3 or ~ 68.8*103 t of sediment (44*103 m3 or 60.97*103 by SSDs, and 6.5*103 m3 or 7.8 t by CDs).
Sediment bulk density values ranged from 1.18–1.53 g cm− 3 with an average value of 1.36 g cm− 3 in the case of SSD sediments and from 1.04–1.32 g cm− 3 with an average value of 1.23 g cm− 3 in the case of CD sediments. Sediment bulk density is lower in heavy clay sediment deposits and higher in sandy loam dominated sediments. Sediment bulk density of the trapped sediment in SSDs and CDs ranged from 1.04–1.53 g cm− 3 with an average value of 1.3 g cm− 3. Table 2 shows volume, mass and bulk density of the trapped sediment behind each SSDs and CDs.
Table 2 Volume and mass of sediment trapped by SSDs and CDs
Sediment organic carbon and organic matter
Through laboratory analysis, the deposited mass of SOC and SOM were determined (Table 3). SOC trapped by SSDs ranged from 14 to 87 g kg− 1 of sediment. SOM trapped by SSDs ranged from 24 to 147 g kg− 1 of sediment. SOC trapped by CDs ranged from 20 to 290 g kg− 1 of sediment. SOM trapped by CDs ranged from 35 to 530 g kg− 1 of sediment.
Table 3 SOC and OM trapped by SSDs and CDs
The evaluated eight SSDs trapped ~ 28*105 kg SOC and 56.6*105 kg SOM together with 61*106 kg sediment and the six CDs trapped 16.68*105 kg SOC and 29.2*105 kg SOM together with 78*106 kg sediment. A kilogram of sediment contains 47–59% more SOM compared with SOC (Table 3 and Fig. 3). SOC and SOM contained in a kilogram of sediment showed direct correlation with R2 = 0.99 (Fig. 4). In general, the studied SSDs and CDs sequestered ~ 44.68*105 kg of SOC and 85.8*105 kg SOM together with ~ 68.8*106 kg of sediment.
Amount of SOC and SOM contained in a kilogram of sediment collected from fourteen locations
the correlation between SOC and SOM contained in a kilogram of sediment collected from fourteen locations
Role of SSDs and CDs practices in trapping sediment
Rising soil erosion emphasises the need to trap sediment along the sediment transfer pathways. Dam construction of both large and small sizes to trap sediment can reduce soil erosion, downstream sedimentation, flooding and other environmental problems. Sediment storage dams (SSDs) and check dams (CDs) are soil and water conservation practices constructed in large areas of Ethiopia by Governmental offices and non-governmental organization with the objective to trap sediment and reduce soil erosion (Mekonnen et al. 2014; Mekonnen et al. 2015; MERET, 2008). SSDs are physical structures or barriers made of stone or gabion mostly constructed at the outlets of catchments and CDs are physical structures like SSDs but mostly constructed within gullies.
The sediment trapping role of eight SSDs and six CDs were investigated in this study and the result shows that SSDS trapped 44*103m3 or 60.97*103t and CDS trapped 6.5*103m3 or 7.8*103t of sediment. Both SSDs and CDs trapped a total of ~ 50.5*103m3 or ~ 68.8*103 t of sediment. Dams are important practices in reducing downstream sedimentation problem. In addition to reducing downstream reservoirs sedimentation, SSDs contributed in conserving soil within the larger catchment and re-filling and stabilizing gullies. An SSD constructed at Woybila catchment within a gully, which is serving as a temporary drainage channel during the rainy seasons, trapped ~ 22*103 t of sediment and refilled a 8 m deep and 20 m wide gully in 5 years reducing slope gradient by 12% on average, which can slow down the speed of runoff and give time for infiltration and sediment deposition. The sediment trapping role of dams of different sizes were evaluated by previous studies and proved their contribution. For example, Vorosmarty et al. (2003) noted that the world’s registered 45,000 large dams can trap 4–5 billion t yr.− 1 of sediment. In China more than 100,000 smaller check dams trapped 21 billion m3 of sediment (Wang et al., 2011). Sougnez et al. (2011) estimated the sediment volume trapped by 20 check dams in southern Spain as ranging from 4 to 920 m3. Sediment trapping dams not only help to trap sediment but also can be used to estimate sediment yield of the sediment contributing catchments above the dams, to refill gullies with sediment and reduce gully channel gradient.
Sediment a sink for organic carbon
Sediments trapped by sediment trapping dams or structures can potentially serve as carbon sinks (Poch et al. 2006; Harden et al. 2008; Van Oost et al. 2008; Cao et al. 2009, 2010; Zougmoré and Mando, 2010). Globally sedimentation resulting from soil erosion can sequester ~ 1 Pg C yr.− 1 (Stallard 1998; Smith et al. 2001). Bao (2008), Wang et al. (2011) and Li et al., (2007) evaluated the SOC sequestration role of CDs and the result showed that CDs trapped over 21*109 m3 with an average SOC content of ~ 3.31 g kg− 1 (Bao, 2008) and 0.952 Gt with an average SOC content of 3.4 g kg− 1 (Wang et al. 2011) and from 2 to 43 g kg− 1 of sediment (Li et al., 2007). In this study, SSDs and CDs showed a great role in sequestering carbon in the form of SOC. SSDs trapped ~ 60.97*103 t of sediment with the SOC content ranged from 14 to 87 g kg− 1 and CDs trapped 7.8*103 t of sediment with the SOC ranged from 20 to 290 g kg− 1. The SOC contents obtained within the trapped sediments are higher compared with other study findings mentioned above. The potential reason will be that the mass of SOC will vary spatially since the sources of carbon differ spatially. The possible sources of such SOC is decomposed crop stubbles, plant leaves and fertilizers applied in fields by farmers in addition to the nutrient content of the soil in the area. Moreover, the SOC content of sediments will increase when soil erosion is intensified and will decrease when soil erosion reduced. This means the quantity of SOC storage by sediments is controlled by the amount and type of organic residues that enter the soil (i.e. the input of organic C to the soil system) (FAO and ITPS, 2015).
SSDS and CDs also played an important role in trapping SOM. The SOM contents sediments trapped by SSDs and CDS ranged from 24 to 147 g kg− 1 and 35–531 g kg− 1 of sediment, respectively. The SOM content of sediments was higher than its SOC content. A kilogram of sediment contains 47–59% more SOM compared with SOC, which agreed well with the findings of FAO and ITPS, (2015) that is SOM contains roughly 55–60% C by mass. The mass SOC and SOM contained in a kilogram of sediment also showed direct correlation with R2 = 0.99. The evaluated eight SSDs trapped ~ 56.6*105 SOM together with 61*106 kg sediment and six CDs trapped 29.2*105 SOM together with 78*105 kg sediment. This shows that SSDs and CDs are also important C sinks. In general, the studied SSDs and CDs totally sequestered 85.8*105 kg SOM together with ~ 68.8*106 kg of sediment, which is a great contribution in reducing the GHGs concentration in the atmosphere. It also helps to have a good knowledge of the current SOC and SOM sinks, its spatial distribution and its sinking mechanisms to inform various stakeholders (e.g. farmers, policy makers, land users) to provide the best opportunities to mitigate climate change. After carbon enters the soil in the form of organic material from soil fauna and flora, it can persist in the soil for decades, centuries or even millennia. When the soil carbon is released into the atmosphere it becomes an important source GHGs. Soils are major carbon reservoirs/sinks containing more carbon than the atmosphere and terrestrial vegetation (Lal, 2003; FAO and ITPS, 2015; FAO, 2017).
Sediment storage dams (SSDs) and check dams (CDs) were found to be important structural sediment trapping measures trapping large amount of carbon at the outlets of small sized catchments and within gullies. The eight SSDs and six CDs investigated, trapped a total of ~ 50.5*103 m3 or ~ 68.8*103 t of sediment. In addition to trapping the sediment and reducing soil erosion SSDs and CDs played a promising role in sequestering soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil organic matter (SOM). The result shows that SSDs and CDs trapped from 14 to 87 and 20–290 g of SOC within a kilogram of sediment, respectively. In general, the studied SSDs and CDs sequestered ~ 44.68*105 kg of SOC together with ~ 68.8*106 kg of sediment. This means sediments are important reservoirs of SOC and plays an important role in reducing the amount of organic carbon that could be released to the atmosphere as a GHG. In conclusion, SSDs and CDs have retained substantial amount of carbon that could otherwise release to the atmosphere and contribute to global warming and thus SSDs and CDs can be used as climate change mitigation measures in additions to trapping sediments as soil and water conservation practices.
CDs:
check dams
CH4 :
Food and Agricultural Organization
GHGs:
IPCC:
SOC:
soil organic carbon
soil organic matter
SSDs:
sediment storage dams
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This study would never be completed without the contribution of many people to whom we would like to express our gratitude. The administrative kebele’s development agents, district agricultural officials, local guiders, committee leaders and respondent households in each of the sampling kebeles were indispensable for the successful completion of the field work. We would like also to acknowledge people who contributed their knowledge and time in data collection and entry processes.
Self-funded.
The dataset supporting the conclusions of this article is included within the article.
I, Solomon Addisu, holder of ORCID hereby declare that this research article is written by the authors whose names have been appropriately indicated.
Bahir Dar University, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, P.o.box 5501, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
Solomon Addisu
Mulatie Mekonnen
Search for Solomon Addisu in:
Search for Mulatie Mekonnen in:
MM has made substantial contributions in conception design, acquisition of data, and interpretation of results and leading the overall activities of the research; FA has been involved in data collection, entry, coding, and analysis. SA contributed in writing, drafting the manuscript, revising it critically for important intellectual content. He has given also the final approval of the version to be published. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Correspondence to Solomon Addisu.
The authors hereby declare that, this manuscript is not published or considered for publication elsewhere.
All authors read the manuscript and agree to publication.
Addisu, S., Mekonnen, M. Check dams and storages beyond trapping sediment, carbon sequestration for climate change mitigation, Northwest Ethiopia. Geoenviron Disasters 6, 4 (2019) doi:10.1186/s40677-019-0120-1
Soil and water conservation structures
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Services: IMDb Poll
Live Poll: Most Hated Biggest Blockbuster?
The most commercially successful movies are not always the most loved ones. On the contrary, sometimes they may even become quite hated.
Which of the 35 all-time highest grossing movies, adjusted for ticket price inflation, do you dislike the most?
Please find the list here. My source is this.
Poll: https://www.imdb.com/poll/JoCz3YnCcxM/
B_sides_B
rocky-o
wow...some good stinkers here...avengers...dark knight...phantom menace...
but my vote has to go to avatar...
Pauline Belval
moi je trouve beaucoup de films géniaux
For me Doctor Zhivago and Avatar are the worst.
Jessica, Champion
Stephen Atwood
Sh@rtvatar of course.
Why are you using domestic totals instead of world wide box office totals?
Good point. Worldwide would be at least as interesting. However, it's too late to change it now. In a future poll we could do worldwide.
I've changed the wording in my list description and requested a re-push for this one.
Peter, Champion
https://www.imdb.com/poll/JoCz3YnCcxM/
Breumaster
I think, the movies should be all-timers worldwide unless you clearly write "domestic",
because mostly evertytime half of the profit is made in "the rest" of the world. And
in alltime-worldwide, there are blockbusters, which are not in this list. I would rather
pick one of them. ;)
I've changed the wording in my list description and requested a re-push. In a while it will say 'highest grossing movie in the US'.
Worldwide may be at least as interesting. We could try such a poll next time.
Ok, so i'll vote. ;) Thank you for changing that. :D
Dan Dassow, Champion
15621 Reply Likes
Congratulations B_sides_B on your 7th live poll! As of 11-Apr-2018 10:38 PM Pacific your polls have 8,012 or more votes, for an average of 1,145 votes per poll.
Most Hated Biggest Blockbuster?
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This is the list of B_sides_B's polls as of 5-Apr-2018:
Sorted Alphabetically http://mypollwatch.blogspot.com/2014/05/imdb-polls-alphabetical-by-author.html#B_sides_B
In Decreasing Order of Votes http://mypollwatch.blogspot.com/2015/03/imdb-polls-descending-order-of-votes-by.html#B_sides_B
Alphabetical List of Polls http://mypollwatch.blogspot.com/2014/03/imdb-polls-alphabetical.html
Top IMDb Polls http://mypollwatch.blogspot.com/2015/07/top-imdb-polls.html
IMDb Polls - Descending Order of Votes http://mypollwatch.blogspot.com/2013/12/imdb-polls-descending-order-of-votes.html
Summary Statistics http://mypollwatch.blogspot.com/2016/05/summary-statistics.html
Key Threads - IMDb Poll FAQs Index https://getsatisfaction.com/imdb/topics/faq-key-threads-imdb-poll-faqs-index
How to Improve the Chance of Having your Poll on the Home Page https://getsatisfaction.com/imdb/topics/faq-how-to-improve-the-chance-of-having-your-poll-on-the-hom...
Someone who Wears Pants
That movie makes me vomit even thinking about it.
IMDb Poll
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Intergenerational Report ignores global warming and must be rewritten by PBO
Christine Milne 5 Mar 2015
The Greens say the Abbott government has destroyed all credibility in the Intergenerational Report process by ignoring global warming and with partisan politics. The Greens will move in the Senate to require the Parliamentary Budget Office to rewrite this and all future reports.
"There's nothing new in this report and it ignored global warming. It is pure politics and utter rubbish," Greens Leader Christine Milne said.
"It must be rewritten by the independent Parliamentary Budget Office in order to restore credibility to the Intergenerational Report process.
"This is an election pamphlet, not a serious economic document. It is an insult to the intelligence of the parliament, the media and the public.
"Typical of the Coalition government's born-to-rule ‘we know better' attitude, Joe Hockey is treating Australians as children, trying to disguise politics and ideology as serious economics.
"The report tells us nothing. There is no actual information here. Journalists will emerge from a two-hour lock up with nothing to report on except focus group messaging and talking points.
"Pure spin, pure politics, utter rubbish," Senator Milne said.
At the next opportunity the Greens will move in the Senate to amend the Charter of Budget Honesty Act 1998 to require the Parliamentary Budget Office to rewrite the 2015 report and that all future intergenerational reporting be the statutory obligation of this independent body.
"Who knows, the PBO might even be able to deliver future reports on time," Senator Milne said.
Referral to Senate inquiry
"In the meantime, the Greens will seek to refer the report to a Senate inquiry to debunk its partisan claims."
Global warming ignored
"Global warming has been ignored. All that's here is a regurgitation of the government's current and almost non-existent global warming policy.
"The report supposedly looks forward to 2055, but in 50 years people will look back at this report in the same way we now look at tobacco industry's lies from the 1950s.
"Big polluters are making a lot of money out of global warming and the destruction that will come with it. This report says nothing about it.
"You can't have true intergenerational reporting without examining global warming and pollution from fossil fuels.
"You also can't just quarantine global warming to an environment section. Global warming will impact on everything from agriculture to public health and migration and population."
No new direction: blinkered to revenue opportunities
"If the report was supposed to provide new direction and purpose to a flailing Prime Minister and government, then Joe Hockey has seriously let down Tony Abbott.
"There is no new direction here, just spin and the same blinkered focus on protecting the big end of town that ultimately doomed the budget."
First Australians ignored
"Closing the gap is relegated to one paragraph. The First Australians have been ignored, again. What a sad reflection on this narrow-minded and mean-spirited government."
Fossil Fuel Companies Should Pay Pollution Levy: Greens
Richard Di Natale 18 Dec 2019
Adani gets 12.5 billion litres of water while 67% of Queensland in drought
Larissa Waters 10 Dec 2019
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Lisi Green Town
Lisi Green Town is the Company's first large-scale project which unites: residential apartments; duplexes; townhouses and private houses – villas, parks, swimming pools, and gym. Children and entertainment zones, open and closed parking areas are also arranged on the territory. Lisi Green Town is distinguished by its innovative, green principles. Electric chargers that allow our residents to charge their electric cars in the parking lot, have been installed in the Town. Rain collectors serve for not spending potable water for irrigation purposes. Our customers save up to 30% of the utility expenses due to the energy efficiency standard which we have implemented in our construction.
Our mission is to create a safe and cozy atmosphere in the ecologically clean part of the town, where all the conditions are created for a person to feel special every day. Our responsibility is to contribute to the development of our city, establish new standards, add more GREEN to it and create an eco-oasis.
A 50 person team of gardeners and service managers look after Lisi Green Town daily. Over 30,000 trees had been planted on our territories since the start of the project. 50 square meters of greenery is defined per capita in the Town. This is relevant to the standard set by the EU.
Badri Japaridze
Mariam Megvinetukhutsesi
Bob Meijer
Mamuka Khazaradze
Nodar Adeishvili
Khatuna Kiknavelidze
Mariam Osepaishvili
Elene Zamtaradze
Kote Gelashvili
Giorgi Machavariani
Marika Paliani
Teo Beridze
Giorgi Gigauri
Tamar Kurashvili
Beso Tulashvili
Head of construction
Dato Nikoladze
Bachi Katsitadze
Levan Bashinuridze
Natia Abashidze
Mariam Beruchashvili
Ani Robakidze
Mariam Charkhalashvili
Keti Vashalomidze
Kote Gunia
Sandro Bakhtadze
Lisi Bath
The company began renovation of Lake Infrastructure in 2012. Sporting and children's playgrounds, open cafés, waterway station for boats and new beach appeared on the territory one by one. Since then slowly Lisi Lake became the most popular recreation place for Tbilisi citizens.
Lisi Lake
Lisi Greens
Environment protection and sustainable development, as well as healthy lifestyle are some of the core principles of Lisi Development. One of the main distinctive features of our projects is greenery and sustainable landscape design. For this reason Lisi Greens – a plant nursery is a logical addition to the project. Lisi Greens nursery offers particularly wide range of quality plants exclusively from Italy: evergreen and deciduous flowering trees and shrubs, rare species of fruit trees, Japanese maple, Liana, bonsais, Rose and Juniper collections. Exclusive partner of Lisi Greens is the Italian nursery Innocenti & Mangoni Piante, which has been dedicated to the production and marketing of top quality outdoor ornamental plants since 1950.
American Academy in Tbilisi (GZAAT) was incorporated in 2001 by a Georgian US citizen, genuine supporter of Georgia, Guivy Zaldastanishvili. over the ten years of existence the GZAAT grew from an idea to the best education institution. It has 280 graduates, majority of which study at such famous universities of US and Europe as the Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Brown and Emory universities, US Marine and navy academy, Bocconi university in Milan, American university in Paris, London School of economics(LSE), Saint Andrews and Edinburg Universities in Scotland and many others. With a new type of building constructed in the vicinity of the Lisi lake the GZAAT became not only an exemplary education hub, but also an environmentally-friendly place. The building constructed with a green principle uses the energy-efficient elements: natural lighting, geo-thermal heating, special control and regulation systems, energy-efficient materials. All the aforesaid is provided with a single modern, exquisite architecture with a swimming pool, library and almond gardens. The space allocated to the GZAAT covers about 4 thousand square meters. From the 2012 academic year GZAAT admits 290 students.
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Keywords: Un Noël tous ensemble Házhoz jön a karácsony
The Light and the Little Girl
A young girl finds herself entranced by a beam of light moving through her home and tries to capture it in a jar, only to realize that there are things she loves that she cannot posses.
A beautiful love story in danger. Our future depends on an amazing love story between the flowers and fauna consisting of bees, butterflies, birds and bats, which allow these species to reproduce. Delicate and graceful, the flowers are not content to be the ultimate symbol of beauty. On the contrary, their vibrant colors and their exotic flavors are so many wonders that attract pollinators and drunk with desire. All these animals are involved in a complex dance of seduction on which one third of our crops, a dance without which we could survive … Pollen presents the unsung heroes of the global food chain. Their fantastic worlds are full of stories, drama and beauty. While a fragile and threatened, essential for the balance of the planet, it should now actively protect …
Country: Mexico, Panama, USA
Genre: Documentary, Family, News
A young witch, on her mandatory year of independent life, finds fitting into a new community difficult while she supports herself by running an air courier service.
Genre: Adventure, Animation, Drama, Family, Fantasy
The California Atoms are in last place with no hope of moving up. But by switching the mule from team mascot to team member, (He can kick 100 yard field goals!) they start winning, and move up in the rankings, Hurrah! The competition isn’t so happy.
Genre: Comedy, Family, Sport
LEGO Hero Factory: Rise of the Rookies
A new Rookie team has been assigned to complete their training with Stormer and his crew – but someone from Stormer’s past is trying to take down the Hero Factory and Stormer himself.
Genre: Action, Adventure, Animation, Family, Sci-Fi
Echo is a youngster who can’t quite decide if it’s time to grow up and take on new responsibilities-or give in to her silly side and just have fun. Dolphin society is tricky, and the coral reef that Echo and his family call home depends on all of its inhabitants to keep it healthy. But Echo has a tough time resisting the many adventures the ocean has to offer.
Genre: Documentary, Family
Diego, Manny and Sid return in this sequel to the hit animated movie Ice Age. This time around, the deep freeze is over, and the ice-covered earth is starting to melt, which will destroy the trio’s cherished valley. The impending disaster prompts them to reunite and warn all the other beasts about the desperate situation.
Genre: Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Kim Possible So the Drama
Dr. Drakken has an evil new plot for world domination, but his ultimate success depends upon finding out KP’s weakness which may involve a new hottie at Middleton High School named Eric, who suddenly sparks feelings in Ron about Kim that resemble much more than friendship. To make matters worse, Bueno Nacho, Ron’s favorite fast food chain has turned sour on him by bombarding him with little Devils
Genre: Action, Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
The Dam Keeper
In a desolate future, one small town has survived because of a large windmill dam that acts as a fan to keep out pollution. The dam’s operator, Pig, works tirelessly to keep the sails spinning and protect the town, despite abuse from classmates and an indifferent public. When a new student joins Pig’s class, nothing will be the same again.
Genre: Animation, Drama, Family, Fantasy
Kuky se vrací
Young Ondra has asthma and so his parents throw away his favourite toy: a musty old stuffed bear named Kooky. That night Ondra dreams that Kooky is determined to find his way back home from the dump. In the boy’s fantasy, the bear gets lost in a forest occupied by strange animals and remarkable beings that he never heard of while living on the toy shelf in Ondra’s room. And of course even in this small imaginary world, true good exists as does real evil, which Kooky must face up to in order to become a real hero.
Genre: Adventure, Family
Adventures of Dally & Spanky
A girl inherits a miniature horse that develops an unlikely friendship with her half-sister’s Jack Russell Terrier, who takes to riding on the horse’s back.
Wo lai zi Niu Yue
Sarah, raised in New York, visits Malaysia for the first time and learns why her grandfather, Gen, and mother, Sophia, have not seen each other since she was born, and why they care so much about their cultural traditions.
Country: Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore
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5 Things to Do in Santa Cruz September 19-25
From ‘Radical Reels’ to a festival all about belly dancing
By GT Staff
A weekly guide to what’s happening.
Green Fix
Adventure sports’ larger-than-life stories are coming to the big screen yet again. The 42nd annual Banff Mountain Film Festival brings a selection of short films to about 400 communities around the world, including Santa Cruz. This year’s Santa Cruz list includes films about a one-armed, cupcake-loving climber, a cyclist who’s riding across 43 states and counting, and an American skier who sets out on a 2.5 million vertical foot route. Photo: Cedar Wright.
INFO: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 21. Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. 423-8209. riotheatre.com. $18.
Third Annual Coastal Belly Festival
No this is not a festival about bellies—put the gut away unless you have mad belly dancing skills (or want to learn how to get them). Belly dancing is a great workout; it’s no wonder belly dancers have fabulous abs. Move and groove your way to the hardest and most alluring core workout ever. For those taking a pass on workshops, there will be plenty of pro belly dancers showing off their skills in a gala show.
INFO: 10 a.m. start, gala at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 22. Vets Hall, 846 Front St., Santa Cruz. coastalbellyfest.com. $5-$20, workshop pricing separate.
Wild and Scenic Film Festival
It’s easy to get down about the environment these days, what with the political climate and diesel spills right in our backyard. Ventana Wilderness Alliance, a conservation group working to protect public lands in the Big Sur backcountry, is bringing the Wild and Scenic Film Festival from Nevada City to Santa Cruz to uplift and inspire change. Along with some picturesque scenery and stunning footage, a few lucky filmgoers will win raffle prizes from national and local sponsors like REI, Patagonia, and Alvarado Street Brewery. Can’t make the Santa Cruz screening? There’s also one in Monterey on Sept. 22. Check online for details.
INFO: 7 p.m. Del Mar Theatre. 1124 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. ventanawild.org. $25/$30.
19th Annual Santa Cruz Oktoberfest
It’s not October yet, but it’s never really too early for Oktoberfest. Enjoy some brews and brats at Santa Cruz’s longest-running independent Oktoberfest celebration. There will be homemade authentic german food, a live German Polka band, and, of course, all of the German beer anyone could ever drink. There will also be a non-German jump house, petting zoo and face painting, because what would a German petting zoo look like anyway?
INFO: 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Messiah Lutheran Church. 801 High St., Santa Cruz. 423-8330. Free admission, $15 meal tickets.
Hearts for Hart Fundraiser
Local surfer Brian Hart was surfing at Steamer Lane back in July when he hit a cliff, broke his back and drowned. Though he has been paralyzed, he’s breathing on his own and starting to regain some feeling in his body. He improves more every day, and is defying the odds, according to his doctors. To support his long-term recovery, friends and family are hosting a fundraiser. There will be food and drinks, entertainment, and a raffle featuring more than $5,000 worth of items from local businesses. All money collected will go directly to helping the Hart family rebuild their lives during Brian’s recovery.
INFO: 2-7 p.m. Haut Surf Shop, 345 Swift St., Santa Cruz. heartsforhart.eventbrite.com. $15.
Friday 9/21-Sunday 9-23
Santa Cruz Mountain Sol Festival
Summer officially ends on Sept. 22, but there’s something about Santa Cruz Mountain Sol Festival—maybe the fresh mountain air or the grassy field—that feels more summer-y than ever. Oteil and Friends, Lettuce, and Nahko and Medicine for the People headline this year’s Mountain Sol Festival in Felton. Grab a chair, blanket and sunscreen and get there early for the best spots. Parking will be limited and hard to find, so carpool if possible. Photo: Alex Varsa.
INFO: 2-7 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Roaring Camp Meadows, 5401 Graham Hill Road, Felton. santacruzmountainsol.com. $20-$135.
About the author Related posts
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Retiree struck in traffic collision, as such fatalities climb nationwide
Opinion: Jan. 8, 2020
4 Things To Do This Week: Jan. 8-14
Nuz: What’s the Historic Part of the Circle Church?
Rob Brezsny’s Astrology Jan. 1-7
Free will astrology for the week of Jan. 1
Rob Brezsny’s Astrology Jan. 15-21
Free will astrology for the week of Jan. 15
Rob Brezsny’s Astrology Jan. 8-14
A Year Like No Other: Risa’s Stars Jan. 8-14
Esoteric Astrology as news for the week of Jan. 8, 2020
A Toast to Santa Cruz Dining Standbys
Plus the end of an era for Bonny Doon Vineyard
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GOSSIPONTHIS.COM Tags Tony Parker
Tag: Tony Parker
NBA Finals 2013: Miami Heat Beat San Antonio Spurs (103 to 84) in Game 2 to Tie Series 1-1
If the first two games of the 2013 NBA Finals have proved anything, it's that this is going to be one hell of a...
Old Man Paul Pierce’s Ankles Are Having A Bad Week (VIDEOS)
We don't know what the hell has been going on with Boston Celtics player Paul Pierce lately, but it looks like he has become...
Tony Parker: “I Almost Lost My Eye!” After Chris Brown/Drake Fight + He’s Suing for $20 Million
NBA star Tony Parker says he almost lost his eye after Chris Brown and Drake's fight at W.i.P nightclub in New York City earlier...
Tony Parker and Model Ingrid Gutiérrez Among Those Injured in Chris Brown/Drake Nightclub Brawl
Chris Brown and his bodyguard weren't the only ones injured during last week's bottle-smashing brawl with Drake and his crew at a New York...
Eva Longoria Calls Divorce from Tony Parker “Devastating”
During an interview on Thursday on the Piers Morgan Tonight show, Desperate Housewives actress Eva Longoria broke her silence and disclosed how she felt...
Eva Longoria Still Sad About Divorce from Tony Parker: “I want to cry every time I talk about it…
In the upcoming April 2011 issue of Allure magazine, Eva Longoria, the ex-Mrs. Tony Parker, dished about the hardships of parting ways with her NBA superstar husband...
Tony Parker Says He’s Not Worried About Who Ex Wife Eva Longoria is Seeing
Eva Longoria may be out having the time of her life with Penelope Cruz' little brother Eduardo Cruz.......but Tony Parker doesn't seem to be...
Tony Parker Remains Positive Following Eva Longoria Divorce
Tony Parker is remaining positive after his divorce from Eva Longoria. In an interview with French radio station Europe1, the NBA star admitted that things...
Tony Parker Relying on Basketball to Get Through Divorce from Eva Longoria
Tony Parker has finally opened up about his pending divorce with Eva Longoria. In an interview with France's Le Parisien newspaper, the NBA star...
Erin Barry Denies Having an Affair with Tony Parker
Erin Barry has finally broken her silence on rumors that she had an affair with NBA star Tony Parker, who just so happened to...
Quick Pic: Tony Parker Eva Longoria Meet Up for Lunch
Tony Parker and Eva Longoria met up for lunch yesterday in L.A....and appeared to be having one serious conversation. And from the expression on...
Mario Lopez Says His BFF Eva Longoria is “Devastated” About Her Divorce from Tony Parker
TV personality Mario Lopez is speaking up for his good friend Eva Longoria. The "Extra" host says that after filing for divorce from her husband...
Eva Longoria OFFICIALLY Files for Divorce from Tony Parker
We knew this was true from the beginning...... Tony Parker and Eva Longoria are getting divorced after all! According to People.com, Eva filed divorce papers...
Eva Longoria & Tony Parker’s Reps Deny Divorce Reports
Shortly after it was announced that Eva Longoria and her husband Tony Parker were getting a divorce, the couple's reps went on immediate damage...
Eva Longoria and Tony Parker Filing for Divorce?
First Steve Nash...now this??? According to TMZ, NBA Star Tony Parker and his wife Eva Longoria are getting a divorce. The two married back in July...
Celebs Seen on the Scene: Melanie Fiona, Chris Bosh, Diddy, Shaggy, Ne-Yo, Eva Longoria and More!
R&B singer Melanie Fiona made an appearance last night (Oct 14) at the 2nd annual ASCAP "Women Behind the Music" Series at Touch in...
Eva Longoria Says She’s “Always Wanted to Shave” Her Husband Tony Parker
Have you ever noticed how rugged NBA player Tony Parker keeps his facial hair? Well his wife, Eva Longoria wants to help her husband...
Eva Longoria Throws Birthday Party for Her Husband Tony Parker at Her Las Vegas Nightclub
Actress Eva Longoria Parker threw a birthday party for her husband, basketball player Tony Parker (of the San Antonio Spurs, at her Eve Nightclub...
★ Courtside Shots: Eva Longoria-Parker, Khloe & Kim Kardashian, Terry Crews and Taylor Lautner Attend the LA Lakers vs. San Antonio Spurs Basketball Game
Even though their husbands were on opposing teams, that didn't stop actress Eva Longoria-Parker and "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" reality TV star Khloe...
Event Pix: Bow Wow, Maxwell, Ashanti, Adrienne Bailon and Others
Here are some more recent pictures of celebs hitting up various events throughout the past couple of days. Bow Wow walked the red carpet of...
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marc maron
Marc Maron’s WTF with John Turturro and Irwin Winkler!
Podcast of the Day: Marc Maron’s WTF with John Turturro and Marc Maron’s WTF with Producer irwin Winkler.
I have been listening to WTF for years. The first episode i listened to was with Jimmie Walker of GOOD TIMES fame, and that episode which played like a surprisingly rich and erudite history of comedy and comedy clubs, blew my mind in just how good it was.
I do not think you can get that episode for free any longer, but it is worth the few dollars to gain access to it. Anyhow that was the original introduction to WTF, and i have been a fan ever since. Talk shows, especially of the broadcast kind, tend to the meaningless and vacuous. It is all about pushing something.
And while WTF also has to hawk wares to keep the lights on, the difference is the content is actually rich, and important and heartfelt, discussions (not interviews) with people who we are introduced to, not just because they may or may not have something to hawk, but because Marc Maron finds them genuinely interesting, and cares what they have to say, beyond catching a sound-byte.
Something you almost never get on any talk or broadcast show… in WTF you get someone passionate about what he is doing, and how he is doing it, and that comes across.
Today I listened to two recent 2019 WTF shows, with Irwin Winkler (Episode 1015) and John Turturro (Episode 1024) and both episodes are so different, and yet both so great, and insightful into the current state of our world. And don’t fast forward the Maron monologues, as that is part and parcel of the brilliance.
Especially the Turturro show, I think, is a very, very important listen. Especially to an America where so few people take the time to listen to anything beyond their uninformed opinions. Start informing your opinions, and you and I and the world, may all start making better decisions.
https://wtfpod.libsyn.com/
If you like this post give some love to the following link. Your support allows this blog to put out quality content, more often. We live in insecure times, and a bit of security, that gets stored in your trunk (one in your house, one in your vehicle); well… it is best to have it and not need it, then need it, and not have it. Money Back guaranteed on the below link. Give a try and tell them HT sent Ya!
marc maron, Podcast, wtf
Currently Listening to Marc Maron WTF #837
It’s funny that the best analysis of America you won’t find on Fox or Abc or CNN, you will find on an interview show. Marc Maron’s preamble to this August episode on the sound of an Authoritarian America… must listen.
Here’s the website:
http://www.wtfpod.com
And here’s the link to the show:
http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episode-837-kareem-abdul-jabbar-phil-stutz
America, authoritarian, marc maron, Podcast, sound, wtf
BEST EPISODES of Marc Maron WTF PODCAST!
PODCASTS : Currently Listening to WTF. There is a reason why people who hate interviewers and hate interviews decide to do this show.
Marc Maron manages to be actually concerned and interested in what these people have to say, and just wants to have a conversation with them and it illicits a trust in the interviewed and the listener. And it comes across. There is a reason President Obama chose this podcast to give arguably one of the most potent public interviews/conversations a seated President has ever given.
There is something about audio that lends itself to an intimate conversation better than video. It involves the listener in the theater of the mind, and you end up actually listening to people rather than just watching the spinning plates, the stock in trade of most tv talk shows.
Airing since 2009, now in its eighth year, The first three years of the WTF Podcast it was strictly comedians. But the names became ever larger so that by the end of 2011 he was interviewing movie star level comedians.
2012 was when it really transitioned from a comedian interview show to just a great ‘whoever interests me’ interview show. And 2015 with the startling appearance of President Obama on the show is when it rocketed into the Stratosphere of world wide prominence, with now a whole new level of guests appearing.
Episode #327 from 2012 starring Jimmie Walker, was recommended by another great podcast… 11oclock Comics, and became my first introduction to Marc Maron and WTF. That episode, a brilliant show that is a wonderful history of comedy, it remains one of the best episodes, and I’ve been hooked ever since.
Mark Maron’s WTF is arguably not just one of the best ‘podcast’ shows, but is orders of magnitude better than any ‘talk show’ you’ll find on TV, or cable, or streaming.
Here are a few episodes that stand out for me as, not just this show done well, but really pivotal and important additions to culture and the history of entertainment.
This is by no means a comprehensive list, just some of the ones that stood out to me.
Without further ado they are:
#327 JIMMY WALKER 2012 Brilliant and informative history of post 60s comedy and the comedy clubs
REMEMBERING ROBIN WILLIAMS August 11 2014 – Heartbreaking and an essential listen
#523 BOB NEWHART 2014 Excellent
#544 ANDRE ROYO 2014 Fun
#593 HENRY WINKLER 2015 Rich
#605 TOMMY DAVIDSON 2015 Engrossing
#613/614 PRESIDENT OBAMA 2015 Podcast of the Year
#621 SIR IAN MCKELLAN 2015 Riveting and charming, and a masterclass on being an actor and surviving it
#622 WYATT CENAC 2015 Compelling
#624 SINBAD 2015 I like that he stood up for Bill Cosby, as Cosby remains very much THE comedian of much of the pivotal years of the late 20th century, and remains a person I hold in high regard
#638 SIR PATRICK STEWART 2015 Genius and very open about a harrowing coming of age
#684 WILLIAM FRIEDKIN 2016 Brilliant
#761 MIKE SHANNON 2016 Unexpectedly charming and nuanced
#783 BIll PAXTON 2017 Wonderful
#804 WALTER HILL 2017 Great and Bittersweet stories. Including playing part of episode #783 at Bill Paxton’s funeral
Hear these and more here:
https://wtfpod.libsyn.com
ACTING, best, CENAC, comedy, Favorite, favourite, FRIEDKIN, interview, JIMMIE WALKER, marc maron, Music, Obama, patrick stewart, PAXTON, Podcast, podcasts, Robin Williams, ROYO, talk, wtf
7 Best Podcasts of Jan 2016!
KNIFEPOINT HORROR ‘These tales of supernatural suspense by Soren Narnia adhere to the most primal element of storytelling: a single human voice describing events exactly as it experienced them. The stories, stripped of even proper titles, spill forward as taut, uninterrupted confessions. Knifepoint Horror leaves nothing but the story’s riveting spine to compel and chill you to the core. Music by Kevin MacLeod.’
BOOK RIOT‘Book Riot – The Podcast is a weekly news and talk show about what’s new, cool, and worth talking about in the world of books and reading, brought to you by the editors of Book Riot.’
11’OCLOCK COMICS ‘VinceB, David Price, and Jason Wood talk comics and stuff.’
B-MOVIE CAST ‘The B-Movie Cast is a website podcast and forum devoted all things B-movie and cult move related.’
THE BLACK TAPES PODCAST ‘The Black Tapes is a weekly podcast from Pacific Northwest Stories and Minnow Beats Whale, and is hosted by Alex Reagan. The Black Tapes is a serialized docudrama about one journalist’s search for truth, her enigmatic subject’s mysterious past, and the literal and figurative ghosts that haunt them both.’
COMIC GEEK SPEAK ‘Comic Geek Speak (CGS) was started in March, 2005 when Bryan and Peter decided to try their hand at the then-new world of podcasting. They quickly invited their friends to join them and then the show was complete.
CGS is far more than just a few friends in a room with microphones. CGS is now a worldwide community of comic fans that helps to foster and grow the love of comics that is vital to the industry’s success.’
11 o'clock, audio, b-movie cast, best, Black Tapes, book riot, cgs, comic geek speak, Comics, Day, drama, Favorite, feed, Horror, knifepoint, marc maron, month, mp3, of the, OTR, Podcast, Radio, rss, wtf, year
2015 Podcasts the Year in Review: Old Favorites ended and New ones discovered
Looking back over the ten year history of this blog I’ve praised my share of podcasts, and seen quite a few shuffle off this mortal coil.
2015 seemed to be a volatile year, with many of my long standing podcast favorites either no longer releasing episodes on a regular schedule or hanging up their mics.
Among some of the great ones that seem to be on hiatus or done are:
HORROR ETC
All of these shows are and were great, and will be missed. And join other great departed podcasts such as:
INDIE SPINNER RACK
MONDO MOVIE
FREQUENCY OF FEAR
But I completely understand, these podcast and blogs, while dearly loved, require HUGE expenditures of time and energy, and sometimes… life gets in the way. And considering most of these podcasts are not a revenue stream, it is understandable that when the effort exceeds the rewards… it’s time to stop doing it. What is amazing is that some of these shows have gone as long as they have.
All that said, you may or may not still find old episodes online. I recommend grabbing them if you can. SIDEBAR particularly interviewed some great artists, and for those interviews to be not easily accessible, seems… a loss.
INDIE SPINNER RACK had the best interviews with both Alan Moore (One of the greatest and most influential writers in the comics/graphic novel medium – it is a crime that companies, marvel and dc, are releasing books missing his name , and shorn of his insightful interviews. the reasons for this are both well documented and trivial. yes, alan moore can be something of a bridge burner, but his brilliance makes him worth the effort to mend those fences. when he passes off this mortal coil, as we all must, no one wants to be remembered as the company that stole his characters, and froze him out of work. pay alan moore and get him at least authorizing director’s cut versions or writer approved versions of his most celebrated works. it’s one of the reasons i will not part with my swamp thing paperbacks, it is because later introductions are devoid of his introductions, which are as entertaining and informative as his stories. )
and Stephen Bissette (Who remains to this day, with his run on swamp thing, one of the greatest and most influential artists to work in the medium).
So the above are the podcasts lost in 2015. Here are some select podcasts enjoyed in 2015:
Head over to the German Music Magazine GROOVE and pick up two of the best mix tapes of 2015:
http://groove.de/2014/12/17/groove-podcast-37-tevo-howard/
http://groove.de/2015/10/15/alex-banks-groove-podcast-47/
DECONSTRUCTING COMICS – anytime you get the chance to hear Stephen Bissette speak, take it. Not only one of the great superstar artists of the 80s with his game changing work on Swamp Thing, but simply an informed, erudite speaker on a number of topics.. including the history of horror and cinema. This Sept 2015 podcast is a recommended listen. They also have an episode of huge interest to any fan of either Edgar Allen Poe or Richard Corben. They also offer a Transformers episode that offers reviews on recent transformer comics.
http://deconstructingcomics.com/?p=4985
THE DOLLAR BIN (Also a show that appears to be on indefinite hiatus) had a couple intriguing episodes in 2015, one covering HIP HOP FAMILY TREE, and one with Golden Age artist Allen Bellman:
http://www.thedollarbin.net/shows/2015/7/14/heroescon-2015-hip-hop-family-tree-panel
http://www.thedollarbin.net/shows/2015/4/1/sc-comicon-2015-allen-bellman
And if these guys really are done producing new shows, some of their classic shows that you want to get, while avaiilable, are:
http://www.thedollarbin.net/shows/2014/2/19/episode-326-interview-with-steve-englehart
I grew up on Steve Englehart comics and you don’t get today’s sophisticated comics, without first going through him. One of the first to help transition comics from kids entertainment to college and beyond entertainment.
http://www.thedollarbin.net/shows/2014/1/28/episode-325-interview-with-todd-mcfarlane
Not one, but two interviews with one of the most elusive, and one of the most talented and innovative writers in comics, Christopher Priest (His SPIDERMAN VS WOLVERINE remains one of the joys of my collection, as well as his excellent run on BLACK PANTHER and QUANTUM AND WOODY).
http://www.thedollarbin.net/shows/interview-christopher-priest-part-1.html
http://www.thedollarbin.net/shows/2013/12/12/episode-322-interview-with-christopher-priest-2013
A Bob McLeod interview (Made important because Bob McLeod’s work on the NEW MUTANTS is burned into my brain. That fight with the New Mutants and the Sentinels in a mall, blew my mind as a kid. And as an adult, those images still define for me what great artwork and storytelling should be.)
http://www.thedollarbin.net/shows/interview-bob-mcleod.html
So quite a few of my favorite podcasts slowed down or completely stopped in 2015. However when one door closes another, as they say, opens.
So some podcasts I started listening to in 2015, and have added to my subscriptions are:
THE COMICS ALTERNATIVE- Their monthly preview episodes helped me all last year put in my monthly comics order
INKSTUDS- Interviews with Comic Book Creators… some really indispensable interviews.
READING LIVES- Interviews with Writers… LOVE IT.
WTF- I think without argument the most listened to and successful podcast, with guests from comedians, musicians, actors, and now a sitting president, Marc Maron out of his garage has created podcast as both high art, and passionate conversation.
FILMSPOTTING:SVU- Reviews for the streaming age
GILBERT GODFREY PODCAST – I do not find Gilbert Gottfried funny, but his knowledge and love for classic film and television, means he interviews people I want to hear, and he has had some GREAT gustd this year. Thankfully co-host Frank is there to get the podcast back on track when Gilbert starts amusing himself and no one else
FAT MAN ON BATMAN- Kevin Smith’s love for the creative process and all things Batman… is an addictive listen
HOUSE TO ASTONISH – A comic book podcast from across the pond
AND WRAPPING UP MY 2015 REVIEW, WANT TO GIVE ACCOLADES TO SOME OF MY FAVORITE, AND LONGEST RUNNING PODCASTS THAT ARE STILL GOING STRONG. ALL AWARD WINNING PODCASTS (they all won my Welles Award a few years back, and in my mind have been award winners every year since):
CGS – Comic Geek Speak -one of the oldest podcasts, and with great losses, and welcome additions, still an eagerly awaited listen
11′ OCLOCK- One of the most informative and jam-packed and fun of any podcast. The chemistry these three have… works.
B-MOVIE CAST – Love this podcast on classic, crazy, genre cinema. Wonderful chemistry between the hosts.
Well folks, that is the podcast scene here as 2015 ends and 2016 takes the stage. Please use this list to see what was special about those shows we lost, and to jump aboard and support those we still have.
Thanks for reading and be well!
11oclock, 2015, 2016, Alan moore, audio, B-movie, best, cast, Christopher Priest, comic geek speak, Comics, fatman on batman, Favorite, favourite, Film, filmspotting, FREQUENCY OF FEAR, indie spinner rack, isr, marc maron, mp3, of the, Podcast, richard corben, stephen bissette, streaming, subscription, svu, wtf, year
Holiday Gift Guide : 5 BEST COMEDY Albums of ALL TIME & The Final Word on Bill Cosby!
From Redd Fox to Bob Newhart to Bill Cosby to Eddie Murphy, here are the best comedy albums of all time:
REDD FOXX UNCENSORED
THE BUTTON-DOWN MIND OF BOB NEWHART
IN LIVING BLACK AND WHITE
EDDIE MURPHY COMEDIAN
BILL COSBY WONDERFULNESS
If you have to start with one album, start with Bill Cosby’s WONDERFULNESS, just hilarious. Now I know it’s popular because of the controversy to demonize Bill Cosby. Here’s my first, last, and best measure on Bill Cosby, it is a line from a Sam Peckinpah movie… “When you side with a man, you stick with him and if you can’t do that, you’re like some kind of animal.”
When I was a kid growing up in the 70s and 80s it was Bill Cosby who defined so many of the opportunities and enjoyment and broke so many of the barriers to pave a way for a young, punk kid like myself and millions of others to dream bigger, aspire better.
From an accomplished college sports figure to a ground breaking televsion actor in the beloved ISpy series to a world acclaimed commedian to a producer of kids’ television shoes (FAT ALBERT!), to a great, classic series of 70s movies, to a really groundbreaking 80s television series,to a civil rights and human rights fighter, and economic fighter…. the accomplishments of Bill Cosby are staggering for any ten people, but that he fit all this into one life… is the stuff of legend. To call him a Renaissance Man is apt.
Is he guilty or innocent of these accusations?… That’s for a court of law to decide rather than this televsion lynching the American Mass Media has been fond of with prominent people of color. This assassination by media is out of proportion, by a generation grown and raised on the tearing down of idols.
Guilty or Innocent, a man’s falling down must be weighed against his standing up. And if many of us presume to not have committed the perceived sins of Bill Cosby, neither have those same rock throwers committed the triumphs and the groundbreaking accolades of a Bill Cosby. We are none of us Saints, and most of us Sinners, but I posit that the good Bill Cosby has done, is larger and grander than the good his detractors have done.
You want to stand in judgment of a man’s evil, then you have to be capable of also judging or equaling his good, and none out there speaking against Bill Cosby have fought as tirelessy as Bill Cosby to make the world better… and Cosby has made the world… for punk kids like myself… better.
I heard the comedian Sinbad, a man who knew and learned from Cosby, state the same, he can not judge on some strangers’ accucations, but only on how Cosby impacted his life. And for Sinbad, and myself, and generations who grew up in a world precipitously devoid of opportunities for people of color, Cosby’s impact is overwhelmingly to the good. Cosby always used his talent and his resources to carve out such opportunities for others.
And now because of suspect accusations, that if true hints at someone who needs counseling over incarceration, all that good is what…. forgotten? Made Moot? You strip him of honorary titles? Really?
Here is the secret to those of you misguided enough to think that way… the price of greatness is sometimes perilous and steep. The soldier we thank for his service is back from blowing off some kids face, the president we applaud… has rained down fire on civilian targets, the sports figure you idolize is an adulterer and flawed father…. none of us are saints, and most of us are sinners, and the best we can hope to do is weigh a man’s good and his bad, and decide which part of that equation touches us the most and be ruled by that.
How you view the soldier with blood on his hands, depends on whether you are close to him or close to those he killed. In an imperfect world it’s the best we can do…side with those who have sided (if only tangentially) with us.
As a young kid turning into a young man, Cosby gave me the gift of laughter, of hope, of options, of the pleasure of seeing TV change into something more representative of the ethnically diverse nation it was supposed to speak to. So I can only judge him based on that, his personal failings beyond that are perhaps for those close to him or affected by them… to be offended by. And if criminally liable for a court to determine, however, where this shouldn’t be played out is in trial by media.
Shame on those schools and organizations quick to pull bestowed honors based on the lip service of media’s mob.
“When you side with a man, you stick with him. And if you can’t do that, you’re like some kind of animal.”
So that ends my rant and stance on Bill Cosby. His albums are still hilarious, and his achievments… still achievements.
70s, album, albums, assassination, best, bill cosby, bob newhart, cd, cds, character, civil rights, comedy, controversy, dick gregory, eddie murphy, Favorite, hero, LEGACY, marc maron, Media, Podcast, Politics, private, public, redd foxx, sam peckinpah, sinbad, wild bunch, wtf
Quick (kinda) 2015’s The Best Of Podcasts Primer!!
Starting off 2015 let’s do a lightning quick primer on what podcasts are, how you listen to them, and quick recommendations on some good podcasts to start subscribing to. Cool? Let’s begin!
What are podcasts?
Simplest definition they are the radio programs of the 21st century.
Almost 100 years ago radio (the medium, the invention) was the mass media wunderkind and juggernaut and technological cutting edge of the world. It united the world and united disparate geographically separated people in a way that was largely inconceivable just generations before. It redefined communication, but more it redefined entertainment.
No longer did you have to go to New York or LA or London to see the greatest and most exciting acts of the day, the comedies, the dramas, the concerts, the debates, but now with radio the greatest acts in the world, this sea of entertainment, and news, and interests… with a flip of a switch, comes to you.
Radio of a hundred years ago was a watershed evolution in the way people communicated, it expanded the width of our collective conversation, even if lessening to some degree the depth of the impact of the individual and the local community on that conversation.
TV tends to get the hype, but is nothing more than an extrapolation of that model that radio defined, radio being the true 1st evolutionary leap of the 20th century. The next real evolutionary dialog changer of the 20th century would come at the end of that century, with the mass adoption of the WWW, the Internet. The Internet into the 21st century has been the evolutionary next leap in communication from the medium Radio.
That brings us to podcasts and VOD. In a world where traditional terrestrial radio and television just doesn’t meet the needs of a 21st century audience, the on demand nature of podcasts and VOD platforms such as Amazon Prime or Netflix, perfectly fits the needs of an internet age that wants to “watch what it wants whenever it wants”.
And podcasts (recorded audio files on a near infinite range of topics, available for streaming or download or subscription through select syndication hosts) particularly are dear to me, as someone who grew up on the idea of radio drama, the theater of the mind, and loving shows like THE SHADOW, ESCAPE, SUSPENSE, and recognizing the intimate power of the audio format to move you in a way that television rarely does, I’m thrilled to see the flourishing of audio drama and audio commentary in the 21st century.
So that in a horribly non-brief way is what podcasts are and why they rock. But now how do you get them?
There are a bunch of ways to do it, depending if you are doing it on your smart phone, or tablet, or media player, or computer. I use an android tablet, so that’s the process I’m going to cover here. And we’ll wrap this puppy up with some quick shows to get you started with in 2015:
1- Get a tablet. My personal preference is Android 10″. Android OS because I don’t want to put up with the gatekeeping of Apple or Microsoft, and I like the bang for the buck I get. Your preference may be different and that’s perfectly fine, just telling you what works for me. As far as 10″ , I like reading books, magazines, and comics on the tablet, so that form factor works great for me. All this to say you do your homework, you can end up with a great tablet for around Ebook prices.
2- Find an app to use to subscribe to podcasts: Being tech savvy, I have tried MANY, MANY apps looking for the most useful, least obtrusive podcast app (also known as a podcatcher) and most of them are ultimately disappointing. The exception, and my current podcatcher of choice is PODKICKER. You can easily stream shows or you can download shows you want to keep for posterity, the “WTF Robin Williams” episode comes immediately to mind. Have been using PODKICKER for most of 2014, and still using it in 2015. Highly Recommended!
3- And now last but not least… choose podcasts to start your 2015 off right. Just type the following into your podcatcher search engine to subscribe to them, and job done.
SIDEBAR SIDEBARNATION
11OCLOCK COMICS
B MOVIE CAST
GILBERT GODFREY
Start with those few, guys and gals, as they were all shows I consumed voraciously in 2014, and will remain in rotation in 2015 as new shows are discovered.
Hope this primer has been helpful!
11 o'clock, 2014, 2015, android, apple, b-movie cast, best, download, Favorite, favourite, gilbert godfrey, horror etc, how to, la mejor, marc maron, mp3, nation, Podcast, podcasts, podkicker, rss, sidebar, vs, wtf
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Linux, Cloud Computing, Trusted computing, Gnome and other technologies to be concerned about!
As much as previous posts have lambasted Microsoft, Linux is not without its faults.
The major one being Linux distros, following in Microsoft’s Footsteps to a degree with the instant on technology, and integration of the web into the desktop experience.
Jumping on the idiotic ‘Cloud’ bandwagon, which is really if you think about it, a process to reduce your desktop to the thin client paradigm of yesterday.
The difference being that rather than trusting a centralized server for serving applications and storage of your sensitive information, the cloud is you trusting the entire internet with access to your desktop and your data. It’s the evolution of this inherently moronic Youtube, Facebook, twitter idiocy where the bulk of people blithely surrendering privacies to strangers at best, and corporations at worst.
Everyone moving to reduce the desktop experience to the same thin client style interface as the mobile experience. Hey it that’s your cup of tea, you want the entirety of your life freely roamed and stored on the internet, well more power to you, though every week brings news of one online database after another being violated and hacked.
Not to say a desktop can’t be hacked, but you’re looking at one point of failure, as opposed to having via peer to peer, and facebook, and gnome, and numerous other sites, now potentially thousands of points of failure, and entry to your sensitive data.
Ubuntu, a great Linux distro, unfortunately is also embracing this ‘no-desktop’ paradigm, as is Gnome with their latest update.
It is not for me.
I want to decide when and if my computer connects to the internet, with this new instant on/cloud push, being shoved down peoples’ throats, you don’t turn on the internet, the internet turns you on… and that is a dangerous and insecure place to go.
Trusted Computing, another Microsoft word game, doesn’t mean you can trust your computer, it means Microsoft and its partners can trust you, because they have every bit of information about what you are doing with your computer.
So Ubuntu, you’re going in the wrong direction. Gnome, you’re going in the wrong direction. And Microsoft … well that goes without saying.
I would suggest people avoiding any version of Gnome later than 3.0, (3.0 has a lot of issues, but it’s a lot to like about it as well, and with a little work you can clean up most of its garbage and built in insecurity) and I do find many Linux distros are heading toward this cloud idiocy, and becoming problematic because of it (example being Opensuse 11.2? very good, 11.3? not so much, 11.4? pretty darn broken. However Gnome 3.0 on top of 11.4 does resolve many of 11.4s issues).
So, in summation, just research your computing options with care, and realize that ease of use, at some point becomes ease of abuse.
Word to the wise.
11.2, 11.3, 11.4, 3.0, 3.2, bios, cloud, computing, distribution, distro, gnome, instant on, kde, linux, microsoft, open suse, opensuse, trusted computing, ubuntu, windows 7, windows 8
Just Say No to WINDOWS 8!!! or Star Trek, Al Capone, Linux, Apple and Terrorism!
The snazzy logo courtesy of LinuxBird here.
“The acquisition of wealth is not our prime motivation, we seek to better ourselves.”
That paraphrasing of Patrick Stewart’s dialogue from the film STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT, is central to Gene Roddenberry’s enduring mythos, his conceit of a world… beyond greed.
I think as mission statements go, as core beliefs go… that is as good a one for the human race as I can think of.
However with the move to an industrial society at the launch of the 20th century, and the gutting of the previous agrarian/barter model, the acquisition of wealth, the consolidation of wealth, became the driving theme of the 20th century.
And it’s no coincidence that the 20th century also became the bloodiest in the history of the world, though clearly the 21st century is on fast track for supplanting it. Never in the history of the world, have so many, died so quickly, from nuclear weapons, to biological weapons, to push button wars, and all of it driven by the 20th century deification of money.
Not to say money is not felt throughout other centuries, but not to the global, and near religious personification, that the pursuit of wealth became with the 20th century, it has become idol absolute of an entire world.
But the 21st century with concepts such as peer to peer, open source, social networking, was poised to create a model for the 21st century. A model that akin to Roddenberry’s dream, could very much usurp the industrial model, just as the industrial model had usurped the Agrarian model.
The age of technology, open technology, had it, and has it in its grasp, to bring us more in line with this slightly Utopian concept, of life lived for improvement and discovery, rather than accumulation and subjugation.
But the dinosaurs, The Microsofts, the RIAAs, the Sonys, the Disneys, have co-opted, and outlawed, and sued, and bullied and terrorized the new hope, all so they may maintain… the old terror.
Scared Dinosaurs, holding humanity back… from visionary new days. Companies,courts, and politicians… and their paid enforcement arms, all working so hard to hold onto the bloody old, all working so hard not to evolve.
Microsoft and their setting up of the DMCA, and their last couple of years of buying their way into the open-source movement, worming their way into ‘helping’ with the open-source movement, particularly Linux, all so they could destroy and extort the movement from within.
You see this on the mobile side, where their various mobile Window initiatives cannot compete with Apple or Android. They now are extorting money from companies that do utilize Android on the basis of ridiculous and innovation killing software patents.
(It’s largely recognized that Software Patents are a lunacy that need to be done away with)
It is the act of a gangster and a thug, and if IBM was allowed to act like this in the 80s there would have been no Microsoft and no Apple, because these actions exterminate free enterprise and innovation.
Microsoft has spent the last twenty years burning every bridge and every freedom, that they themselves utilized in order to be innovative and initially successful, and now completely outlawing those liberties, indeed those necessities, for companies other than themselves.
Microsoft’s time has passed. They are a dinosaur using terror and intimidation to extort customers they can no longer earn with quality. They are no different than a 20th century Capone, selling liquor and protection at the barrel of a gun.
And Windows 7 was an improvement over Vista, they had ‘borrowed’ enough of the concepts and look from other operating systems to make it one. But that said, Windows 7 was and is still inferior to any half decent Linux Distribution.
So just as they are committing extortion against Android on the mobile front, on the Desktop/Server front they are dealing with the brilliance and the growth of Linux, that is now ready for prime-time, ready to be the next big thing, to replace the sick, twisted, decaying, and immoral dinosaur that Microsoft has become…. they are dealing with this fresh beautiful new thing, by basically collaborating with hardware vendors to KILL the very ability to install Linux operating systems on your computer. They are so afraid of Linux they want to make it impossible for you to even install it on YOUR computer.
It is so sad and pathetic, that it is almost funny.
Again what if IBM had done that to them, Microsoft and Apple? We would, as a society, be the poorer for it. And we are going to be the poorer for it if we allow Microsoft to continue to get away with dismantling any innovative idea or company they can’t compete with.
Can you understand? For Microsoft to do this, for a tech, for a software person, for someone with a rudimentary concept of how companies like Microsoft and Apple came to be, it is a betrayal of not just everything that is the technology movement, it is an attack on innovation and free enterprise that must stand as one of the most blatant and disgusting that I have ever witnessed.
It is a crime. As great a crime, in its way, as US drone airplanes killing indiscriminatingly in darker lands, so that a white press can gloat about another bounty collected, another arab, another nigger dead.
Though they don’t dress it, this 21st century crusade, in those crude terms, any more then Microsoft dresses its actions as what it is, a bloody monopoly committed to eradicating your option to choose.
“Pay us or else!” That’s how business talks to consumers in the 21st century. And it is a form of war. Less bloody to be sure, but the repercussions of what it can mean to freedoms subtle and gross… is staggering.
And I… am not having it.
I haven’t used Windows in my personal computer in 3 to 4 years. I fix Windows machines and work on them for other people, but for myself Linux is the only OS/distribution I deal with. I love the freedom of it, the very thing Microsoft is working so hard to legalize and sue and intimidate away.
I’m not going back to Microsoft. And to those companies that they are intimidating, extorting, bullying, I can only tell you what I would tell anyone being bullied… you start letting people push you, and they are never going to stop.
You have to stand against them.
And maybe you win, and maybe you lose. But you teach them to pay for every foot of ground. You give them a bloody nose, and win, lose or draw… it will give them pause.
Microsoft is a pathetic, barren, immoral, and worst of all inferior and scared technology company, and they are standing in the way of a better life…for everyone.
They are protecting the rotting, diseased old, when what it is time for… is the new.
And if you’re a company, and have been on the Microsoft merry-go-round it’s scary to consider getting off of it, but it is infinitely scarier to stay at the mercy of an immoral monopoly.
There are viable open source alternatives to Microsoft’s over priced crap.
Explore them.
Not only for your own sake, but for something companies start out believing in, but lose along the way, for the sake… of progress.
That’s an idea that Microsoft gave up on, a long time ago.
It’s the only goal, that will save us from all this blood.
If you’re a subscriber to this blog and want help ditching Microsoft and finding something that works for you, reach out to me… and we’ll find an answer that works for you.
We’ll be a new age Untouchables, facing the tyranny that is Microsoft’s Capone.
And maybe we win, and maybe we lose. But my God, we’ll give them reason to pause.
agrarian, Al Capone, android, apple, arab, Bill Gates, Boycott, boycott microsoft, bullies, bully, crusade, Democrat, Disney, endless war, evil, Future, holy wars, IBM, industrial, Just Say No to WINDOWS 8, linux, monopoly, News, open source, os, Politics, race, Racism, Republican, revoke software patents, Samsung, Software patents, sony, Star Trek, Steve Jobs, tech, Technology, terrorism, villany, windows 7, windows 8
Microsoft, Apple, Marvel, DC, Boom Studios, FBI, HTML Comics and suing customers to own them
A few things.
We’ll start with 2:
1/Marvel and DC trademarking the term Super-Hero and 2/The “Task-Force” of comic companies that unleashed the FBI on HTML comics.
Stick with me, we’ll get to the other stuff. But a lot of it begins here.
With comics.
On the first point, Marvel and DC trademarking the term Super-Hero, yes, as quiet as it is kept these 2 companies have trademarked that term. Originally done in 1978 an odd time, when the field was looking ripe for the plucking. With Charlton on its last legs, and soon to sell their superhero interest to DC. and Time/Kinney/Warner in all its various names having owned DC since 1967, with the Superman Movie on the horizon, the TW/Kinney/WB suits smell… that finally they can make some money from these stupid comic properties. And bringing that studio mentality of trademark everything they’ll let you get away with, they do just that, even partnering (out of necessity) with the only other big player on the field, Marvel Comics, to push their trademark claim through. And having recently (smelling a new generation of superhero money in the water) renewed that trademark.
Trademarking the term super-hero when both companies are quite aware they have no claim to that term. Here is how you know the validity of that trademark. Would DC have been able to trademark the term Superhero without Marvel objecting (and I think successfully spoiling any trademark attempt)? No.
Would Marvel have been able to trademark the term Superhero without DC objecting (and successfully spoiling any trademark attempt)? No.
So if individually neither company has a valid trademark claim, why together should their claim be any more valid?
Answer: It’s not.
I understand they are thinking in terms of 25 year plans, and the new money-making viability of concepts such as comics and superheroes, that were considered, just a decade ago, as beneath notice.
But that mindset taking into consideration, it still takes some fing balls to try and trademark that term, just as it takes a monumental amount of ignorance (or greed) on the US Trademark Office’s part to actually award such a trademark.
But make no mistake, these companies have no more right to trademark that term then they have to trademark the word man or dog or adventurer or witch. It’s part of the popular lexicon and is used by companies besides the so-called “Big 2”. Used before the so-called “Big 2”., and it is used by other companies today. Small startups like Marvel and DC used to be.
If I’m a comic company in the business today, Like BOOM or IDW or Dynamic Forces or Dark Horse or Image, then one of my goals would be putting out a superhero book every other month, or something with superhero on the cover every other month.
Not because you particularly care for Superhero books or have any real interest in that market, but because you one day may have an interest, and you don’t want to, on that day, have to beg Marvel /DC to use that term. You make an issue if it now, because you do not want to roll over for that ideological land-grab by these two companies .
That trade-mark is bs, and any creative person at marvel and DC, is aware it’s bs.
But it is a funny thing, we tend to cede our better natures to the storms that carry us. So while a company may boast talented, creative, and astute, humanitarian people, the actually company they work for may be one step away from barbarism. And because of the storm, they don’t even think of questioning their companies policies (providing they are in positions to do so. Though none of us should be so lowly at a company that we can’t share a constructive viewpoint on that company. If you are unable to, that may be a sign you need to find a different company).
So whether that storm is Marvel or DC or Germany of 1937 or America post 2001, what is best and rational in us, tends to remain quiet to the insane storms that decide to see how far they can blow every so often. But I find that you have to hold your ground, sometimes I think that’s even what the wind is looking for, a man who will stand up to it, until it can put its heavy weight of howling down.
So comic book companies of today would be well served by challenging that particular trademark and getting it thrown out while there is still plentiful proof of prior art, and living reminders to the fact that Marvel and DC did not invent, nor do they own the term super-hero.
But it never fails, companies that only gained popularity and market share due to certain freedoms, use those freedoms as a ladder, than start outlawing and destroying those freedoms, they burn the ladder, for others. Like robber barons of oil, or rubber or transportation who only gained their status by taking liberties of the most heinous nature, now having the temerity to use their clout to get declared illegal the very practices they used to gain market share!!
Amazing, and predatory and nothing remotely resembling free enterprise, at least not in any sane definition of that term.
In a free enterprise system Linux and not Microsoft would be the major operating system being used. It’s benefits over Microsoft are just staggering, and on a side by side comparison, the best Linux distros, blow Microsoft away!
But what does Microsoft do when they can not out innovate a problem, or buy it out? They get in bed with the movie studios, and they lobby to make various codecs (software) illegal. Like record companies, and every other company these days, they don’t want to earn your business by creating a better product, they want to force, sue, intimidate, and lock, you… their supposed customer, the person they are supposed to be working for, into paying.
21st century companies have become some twisted version of protection rackets selling liquor at the point of a gun. You have to buy their overpriced, and shoddy product, whether you want to or not, or else.
And corporate talking heads, suits, will justify this predatory and clearly immoral business model, as being true to their responsibility to increase revenue for their shareholders.
Anyone who tells you that is full of utter crap.
Fuck the bs about working for shareholders, the purpose of even having shareholders is only to earn money to better innovate and serve your customers. Your real customers! A shareholder is only a means to an end, not the end.
The satisfaction of your customer, and continued improvement of your product is the end. And the fact that companies and wall street have lost sight of this is why, particularly, the American economic outlook is so dire.
It is run by people who increasingly have no fucking common sense. People who lose sight of why they even started a business to begin with.
It wasn’t to crush other companies, and to stifle and outlaw innovation and civil liberties.
Was it Jobs? Was it Gates?
No you started the paltry startup, because it was the fucking wild west, and there was no Microsoft or Apple to legalize you out of the game, and because you were young, and you were having fun, and you had a product you thought was the bomb (yes, I did just say Da Bomb :)), , and the world looked like an endless tomorrow. I was there, I remember.
Microsoft and Apple.
My God, from where you two began how did you get to where you are. Into someplace, odd and petty, and somehow while grandiose and large, somehow… stinking of fear, and afraid of tomorrow.
So that fear at work, Linux basically is legalized into being a crippled system. Competition is legalized away. Law enforcement and the legal system again as thugs, always as thugs, for the deepest pockets.
Companies seeking to take an adversarial approach to their customer base. They seek to maintain and grow their dominance by governmental protections and indeed enforcement of their status qua. That is not free enterprise, this concept of grandfather clauses, and law enforcement and the FBI as the attack dogs of companies from Movie Studios, to Apple and Microsoft, to now the comic book companies.
This recent case of comic companies siccing the FBI on a bloke for offering scans of comics online. And everyone is rushing to roll over or attack or disparage this person’s claim of being a library, or to call it immoral.
I heard someone on a podcast saying “you can’t just call yourself a library.” Why the fuck not? You just called yourself a podcast didn’t you?
Where is your license to do that ?
You don’t need one right now do you? Same with a library.
So shut the fuck up before you do.
It’s getting to the point in this world, because of people who roll over like these fucking podcasters (and yes I like podcasters. But for the love of God, think before you talk), that you are going to need a license even to breathe.
Even to breathe.
The dictionary definition of Library is (if you need one. Or here’s a thought, be original. Define yourself) : A collection of books and a place where books are collected.
It says nothing about you having to be licensed by any particular governmental agency.
It pisses me off when people just roll over and take the side of whoever can pay the press to tell you something. Just cause someone with a badge says it’s wrong don’t make it wrong. Been a long time in this country since the law and right were the same bloody thing.
So the man says he had a library, that’s good enough for me.
Now that said, that definition of his service, does not free him from his responsibility to remove material others feel they have a right to. If indeed he received cease and desist letters for particular works he was holding (that’s another thing that pisses me off, lawyers and their fucking cease and desist letters. Come to someone like a person, before you turn the fucking lawyers loose. You might get someplace that is better than where we’re going, if we can settle things without lawyers first) he should, finding the request valid… comply.
But from what I understand a lot of the site was public domain comics. So I’m not seeing a reason to throw the baby out with the bathwater, and go after this dude civilly and criminally for, bottom line, being a collector.
Maybe not the brightest of collectors, but a collector none the less.
And the lawyer who commented on this case, like lawyers do, is trying to say it’s about sending a message, and a moral victory. Don’t ever say the word moral and the greed of companies (or the culpability of the FBI) in the same sentence. A lawyer has nothing to do with morality.
I like collectors, always have.
I come from a people who believe in Sineaters. Believe there are those who perform a vital, if not always loved or lauded duty, to the health and functioning of a society. For the Sin-eater it was assisting with the passing of the spirit, clean, into the other world.
I think the collector, while no such spiritual heavyweight, still serves still a most significant function in our culture. Particularly the American culture, because we’re in such mercenary hands, where everything is in flux. Buildings, neighborhoods, stadiums, all having a relatively brief life before they are torn down for something else.
That’s not healthy. Never has been. Never will be.
A collector, seeks to maintain things, that the bankers of a culture, may not find value in, but things that should persist, and still have a life, beyond a mercenary and fleeting view of value. Things that in and of themselves… are beautiful or artistic.
In the words of a long remembered poem, “Against the day of trouble, lays by some trifling thing, a smile, a kiss, a flower, for sweet remembering”. That’s what a collector does. It’s an odd calling, neither loved nor lauded, but necessary. Oh so necessary.
This guy was/is a collector.
It’s because of guys like this that we have today copies of films such as Metropolis or The Third Man or any number of beloved Film Noir movies, saved from the bonfires of Studios that did not forsee a financial worth to old films beyond their cinema release, Companies that burned their films, and ordered theaters to do the same, when the films cinema life was up.
Thank god, for collectors, who gave a finger to big companies back then, and said, “you know what, I like this movie, and I want to keep it around, regardless if you think it has no financial value anymore”. Fast forward a few decades and those saved films now become money making DVD releases by studios that in their short sightedness would have let them burn.
Same thing for Old time Radio shows. I love listening to Old Time Radio. I was not around when that stuff came out, but today I love listening to it. I love listening to stuff like THE SHADOW, or SUSPENSE or ESCAPE, etc.
These shows didn’t survive because of the companies that produced them, or the stations that aired them, these shows survived because of collectors.
Because of collectors.
So when people start ragging about so-called “bootleggers” or “scanners” or whatever, I’m always very mindful that it was these often single minded individuals that kept alive much of what otherwise would have been lost to time and neglect.
When the production companies were erasing old tapes because they could not foresee a financial value to them, it was collectors who often, copying this stuff off the air, preserved much of these classic radio programs, and by so doing preserved not just entertainment for a new generation, but a historical record of a time, and a place in a younger America. The same goes for music.
And the same with comics. The comics medium, has survived extremely lean years, because of rabid collectors like this man they have loosed the FBI on.
“A task force to protect their rights.” really?
A man and his family being raked over the coals, because the suits smell money in the water. And they want to play RIAA. And sheep like you just bow your heads, and say “yes massa” and regurgitate words like “copyright infringement” like dogs being taught to beg.
You make me sick. And you know who you are.
Hell the companies finally caught on, years after the fact, to the viability and need for scanning because of collectors. Now I understand companies, finally pulling their head out of their ass and seeing the viability of digital distribution, may see free labors of love, that offer comics for free, as a barrier to their money making schemes. I get that.
I don’t necessarily agree with it.
I think much of the product companies claim is owned should be in public domain.
I think this continued erosion of public domain, by companies that continually push for extension of copyright is utter crap.
I think all concepts that have persisted for 50 years, should be in the public domain.
Because it means these concepts have been around long enough to be part of the cultural language, the cultural conversation and as such, have been both enhanced, diluted, and changed by that conversation.
I think there is a great beauty in anyone being able to do an Edgar Allen Poe story, I think the world is invaluably richer because we have a million different takes on Edgar Allan Poe tales, From Roger Corman to Marc Olden to Jan Svankmajer and the list goes on. We are enriched as a society by everyone being unhindered to use this common concept, that has made its way, survived as part of the cultural conversation.
So I think Superman should be in the public domain, it is a public domain concept, period. So is Batman, and Mickey Mouse, and Captain America, and the Shadow to name a few. And the fact that companies are disputing the public domain status of concepts such as these is just plain criminal.
They all need to join Frankenstein and Don Quixote and… it shows you how bad the 20th century was for the concept of Public Domain, in that you really have to go back to the 19th century to get unchallenged concepts that are in the public domain. And we as a culture and a society are poorer for it.
All that brings us back to the law being used by companies… poorly.
It is being used to deprive the individual and the culture of rights, at the behest and to the benefit of corporations.
When the last days of America are written, that will be the reason. Is the reason.
Corporations are lobbying our supposed representatives to deprive us of rights, so they can make a nickel more.
Comics were immune from this attention for a long time, but with Hollywood dollars focused on the medium, it means we now get Hollywood type “protection” or “hired thugs” whichever you prefer.
We get the F of the B of the I.
We get one of those pleasant acronyms, designed to make us… relent.
Never relent baby.
Never relent.
So in closing my support is always with the Collector. Not the companies, and not the FBI. Because these companies, these bankers of our age, gray men, with gray souls, seeking to make a gray world, do what they do for petty monetary reasons, no different from their earlier versions that burnt films or smashed records, they do nothing for beauty’s sake.
And because of that, nothing these gray men do… will last. Because in the end, even if beauty fades, the things we do for beauty’s sake… will not. These and these alone… persist.
apple, Books, Boom Studios, Bootleg, cgs, Collectors, Comic Books, Comics, Dark Horse, DC, Disney, FBI, Film, Freedom, HTML comics, IDW, Image, ipad, ipod, lawyers, Liberty, lies, linux, Marvel, microsoft, News, OLD TIME RADIO, OTR, podcasts, SUPERMAN, The Shadow, Trademark, ubuntu, Wallstreet, windows 7
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Find Hotels in Adelaide
Adelaide Hotels & Accommodation
Named as one of Lonely Planet top 10 must visit cities for 2014, Adelaide is so much more than just the city of churches.
It's a cosmopolitan hub, defined as much by restaurants, bars, cafes, art and culture as gorgeous heritage, where well-ordered streets and abundant parklands play host to some of the finest festivals and events throughout the year.
Benefitting from the vision of its founder, Colonel Light, who ensured the city was well planned and blessed with plenty of green space, Adelaide offers a superb lifestyle.
And Adelaide accommodation is well-appointed for you to tap into this experience, whether you're looking for a plush five-star room or a budget stay at a cheap Adelaide hotel. There's plenty of options to stay in the CBD, but you'll also find a selection of Adelaide hotels, motels and bed and breakfasts to the north and along the coast.
Wherever you base yourself, it's easy take in the diversity of the city, whether you're looking to check out the traditional pubs, cafes and restaurants of its east end, visit Chinatown or the Central Market, or spend a day watching the action at the newly refurbished Adelaide Oval. Be sure to take your time to explore the streets, enjoying the heady mix of old and new: Adelaide rewards the inquisitive with its vibrant artistic and cultural life.
A natural holiday destination, the city's airport is just seven kilometres away from the CBD while major beaches are accessed under half an hour by car. And then, of course, the wine-lover is spoilt for choice: whether they're after a red from the Coonawarra, a Riesling from the Clare Valley, or a white from the Adelaide Hills.
An immensely liveable city, it's no surprise that it's the perfect host for thriving cultural events like the Adelaide Festival, Adelaide Fringe Festival and WOMADelaide. Meanwhile the city buzzes for sporting events such as the award-winning Santos Tour Down Under and the Clipsal 500 V8 car race.
Maturing like a fine-wine, Adelaide is rich in possibilities and at just a quick flight from Melbourne or Sydney, make sure you take the chance to savour the experience!
Where to Stay in Adelaide
Areas and Suburbs in Adelaide
Adelaide - CBD
Camden Park
Christies Beach
Clovelly Park
Frewville
Gepps Cross
Gilles Plains
Glen Osmond
Glenunga
Mawson Lakes
Medindie
Mitcham (SA)
Mitchell Park
Old Reynella
Plympton Park
Pooraka
Tusmore
West Lakes
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Jay Leno Involved in Bestiality Lawsuit
By Kimberly Ruble on November 18, 2013 No Comment
Jay Leno involved in a bestiality lawsuit would be the source of a lot of jokes from the strange media story that has just being released, if he was not at the center of it.
The Tonight Show host is being served with a complaint by a woman who says that she was wrongly blamed of committing bestiality during a segment on Leno’s show.
In the lawsuit, which was filed in Supreme Court in New York, a former flight attendant by the name of Louann Giambattista claims that on a a July 2013 episode of The Tonight Show, it carried a story about her allegedly sneaking her pet rat onto work flights inside her underwear or pantyhose and that she was performing bestiality.
The flight attendant, who is 55 years of age, states Leno aired the piece mocking the claims she had made in a federal lawsuit against her previous employer of 32 years, which was American Airlines.
Leno also stated that one of Giambattista’s co-workers said she saw the woman feeding the rat, though Giambattista explained she was only eating a dinner roll out of a cup. Leno responded with saying he did not know anyone who ate rolls from cups. The show aired on television back on July 18 of this year.
In the suit, it read that Leno and various guests falsely stated that Ms. Giambattista was performing bestiality with the rat, mainly during comments made by the panelists during the segment of “Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda.”
Since the piece was on television, Giambattista states that she and her spouse, Steven Goldring, have become exiles within their own community, among their friends, among co-workers and even with family.
Giambattista and Goldring’s personal life has allegedly endured much suffering because each time he looks at her he thinks Jay Leno and the monstrous segment depicting his wife as committing bestiality.
After announcing the story with Giambattista’s picture, Jay Leno had the three comedians comment on the story, according to the flight attendant. She claims they systematically defamed, criticized and humiliated her, also saying she was into bestiality, although she has named none of them defendants in the lawsuit.
In a horrible attack on the plaintiff’s character, one of the comedians accused Ms. Giambattista of using the rat for her own personal sexual pleasure and depicted Ms. Giambattista as a woman who engaged in bestiality, the lawsuit reads.
All through the show segment, defendant Jay Leno laughed as his guests condemned Ms. Giambattista’s character and he also continued to engage them on.
The show has caused extreme havoc on Giambattista’s marriage, the plaintiff has stated because her husband now is experiencing severe sexual dysfunction.
She says that Leno knew that the story was based on completely false and nasty rumors, and that she was the innocent victim of discrimination fueled on by American Airlines’ shocking belief that she suffered from some sort of mental ill health.
Giambattista is seeking an unspecified amount of damages, along with her lawyer’s fees and the pay she says she will never get because Leno’s television show destroyed her career.
Jay Leno Involved in Bestiality Lawsuit added by Kimberly Ruble on November 18, 2013
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Research ArticleVaccines Free access | 10.1172/JCI122110
Mucosal vaccine efficacy against intrarectal SHIV is independent of anti-Env antibody response
Yongjun Sui,1 George K. Lewis,2 Yichuan Wang,1 Kurt Berckmueller,1 Blake Frey,1 Amiran Dzutsev,3 Diego Vargas-Inchaustegui,1 Venkatramanan Mohanram,1 Thomas Musich,1 Xiaoying Shen,4 Anthony DeVico,2 Timothy Fouts,5 David Venzon,6 James Kirk,7 Robert C. Waters,7 James Talton,8 Dennis Klinman,3 John Clements,9 Georgia D. Tomaras,4 Genoveffa Franchini,1 Marjorie Robert-Guroff,1 Giorgio Trinchieri,3 Robert C. Gallo,2 and Jay A. Berzofsky1
1Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
2Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
3Cancer and Inflammation Program, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, Frederick, Maryland, USA.
4Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
5Profectus, Inc., Sarasota, Florida, USA.
6Biostatistics and Data Management Section, NCI, Rockville, Maryland, USA.
7Nanotherapeutics, Inc., Alachua, Florida, USA.
8Alchem Laboratories, Alachua, Florida, USA.
9Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
Address correspondence to: Yongjun Sui or Jay A. Berzofsky, Vaccine Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 41 Medlars Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA. Phone: 240.760.6726; Email: suiy@mail.nih.gov (YS). Phone: 240.760.6148; Email: berzofsj@mail.nih.gov (JAB).
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First published February 18, 2019 - More info
Published in Volume 129, Issue 3 on March 1, 2019
J Clin Invest. 2019;129(3):1314–1328. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI122110.
First published February 18, 2019 - Version history
Received: May 18, 2018; Accepted: January 8, 2019
It is widely believed that protection against acquisition of HIV or SIV infection requires anti-envelope (anti-Env) antibodies, and that cellular immunity may affect viral loads but not acquisition, except in special cases. Here we provide evidence to the contrary. Mucosal immunization may enhance HIV vaccine efficacy by eliciting protective responses at portals of exposure. Accordingly, we vaccinated macaques mucosally with HIV/SIV peptides, modified vaccinia Ankara–SIV (MVA-SIV), and HIV-gp120–CD4 fusion protein plus adjuvants, which consistently reduced infection risk against heterologous intrarectal SHIVSF162P4 challenge, both high dose and repeated low dose. Surprisingly, vaccinated animals exhibited no anti-gp120 humoral responses above background and Gag- and Env-specific T cells were induced but failed to correlate with viral acquisition. Instead, vaccine-induced gut microbiome alteration and myeloid cell accumulation in colorectal mucosa correlated with protection. Ex vivo stimulation of the myeloid cell–enriched population with SHIV led to enhanced production of trained immunity markers TNF-α and IL-6, as well as viral coreceptor agonist MIP1α, which correlated with reduced viral Gag expression and in vivo viral acquisition. Overall, our results suggest mechanisms involving trained innate mucosal immunity together with antigen-specific T cells, and also indicate that vaccines can have critical effects on the gut microbiome, which in turn can affect resistance to infection. Strategies to elicit similar responses may be considered for vaccine designs to achieve optimal protective efficacy.
The protective immune correlates of the RV144 vaccine trial were non-neutralizing anti-envelope (anti-Env) antibodies (1, 2). It is widely believed that protection against HIV or SIV acquisition requires anti-Env antibodies, and that cellular immunity may affect viral load (VL) but not prevent acquisition. Here, we provide contrary evidence that antibodies are not always necessary for protection. We have been developing a mucosal SIV vaccine, with components analogous to RV144 (including poxvirus vectors and protein or peptides), with which we achieved reduction of VLs in an SIVmac251 infection model (3). In that model, the magnitudes of Gag-specific polyfunctional CD8+ T cells and the expression levels of innate factor APOBEC3G inversely correlated with VL (4). However, Env-specific antibody responses were not elicited (4). In light of RV144, we asked whether the combination of mucosal T cell– and antibody-based vaccines would generate better immunity to mediate protection. In the current studies, we have included full-length single chain (FLSC), which is a chimeric protein containing HIV-1BaLgp120 and the D1 and D2 domains of macaque CD4, in the mucosal vaccine regimen. Recombinant FLSC containing rhesus CD4 (rhFLSC) has been shown to induce cross-reactive antibodies and protective immune responses in macaques (5, 6), including V2 loop antibodies that correlated with protection (7). We hypothesized that the inclusion of rhFLSC would help to induce anti-Env antibody responses. However, in the first study, we found that even with rhFLSC in the mucosal vaccine regimen, anti-Env antibodies were not elicited above background levels. The second study confirmed that antibodies against other non-HIV components of the mucosal vaccine, but not Env, were induced. Since most HIV and SIV vaccination regimens elicit virus-specific cellular and antibody responses, and not all vaccine-induced immunity mediates protection, it is difficult to dissect the protective mechanisms. Our mucosal vaccine provided an opportunity to address this question in the absence of anti-Env antibodies.
In the third cohort, which was an expansion cohort of the first one, we immunized 21 macaques using a similar regimen, and challenged them with repeated low-dose HIV/SIV (SHIV). As predicted, anti-Env antibody responses were not elicited in blood or mucosa. Nevertheless, the vaccinated animals demonstrated significantly reduced risk of viral acquisition, with 44% vaccine efficacy. Therefore, the reduced risk of viral acquisition was achieved solely through antigen-specific T cell responses and/or innate immunity. Though indeed, Gag- and Env-specific cellular responses were elicited, the magnitude of the responses did not correlate with the reduced risk of viral acquisition. Instead, the mucosal vaccine induced significant increases in myeloid cell subsets in the PBMCs (including CD15+ myeloid-derived suppressor cells [MDSCs]) and colorectal intraepithelial compartment of the vaccinated animals, both correlating with viral acquisition. Upon ex vivo stimulation with SHIV, the myeloid cell–enriched population from the vaccinated animals produced more TNF-α and IL-6, which are the markers of trained immunity, as well as virus coreceptor agonist MIP1α, than those from the naive ones. The rapidly produced TNF-α, IL-6, and MIP1α correlated with the reduced viral Gag expression in the ex vivo system, and/or reduced in vivo infection risk, suggesting the involvement of trained immunity. Furthermore, the composition of the gut microbiome was altered in the vaccinated animals. The latter correlated with viral acquisition and colorectal monocytes. Overall, our data suggested that the current mucosal vaccine might induce trained innate immunity (8, 9), which affected vaccine efficacy against heterologous SHIV challenge. Thus, a combination of T cell and/or trained immunity appears capable of mediating protection without anti-Env antibody responses. Antigen-specific T cells may confer the necessary specificity to guide the trained innate immune cells to the relevant targets. Since the mucosal vaccines had different correlates of protection from those of RV144, the combination might lead to increased vaccine efficacy.
In the absence of anti-Env antibody responses, partial protection against a single high-dose SHIVSF162P4challenge was achieved in the combination group. To test whether combination of a T cell–based mucosal HIV vaccine with an Env antibody–based vaccine will mediate better protection against intrarectal SHIV challenge, we vaccinated 4 groups of macaques in the first study (Supplemental Tables 1 and 2; supplemental material available online with this article; https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI122110DS1). Each group had as close to an equal number of Mamu-A*01–positive and -A*02–positive animals as possible, and very few B*08 and B*17 animals, distributed evenly. Group-1 macaques were vaccinated with a T cell–based mucosal vaccine, which included HIV/SIV peptides adjuvanted with TLR agonists and IL-15 as a priming immunization, and modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) expressing the SIV Env, Gag, pol, Rev, Tat, and Nef with the same adjuvants as a boost, while group-2 macaques were vaccinated with rhFLSC adjuvanted with mutant heat-labile E. coli toxin (mLT). The vaccine components were delivered either intrarectally or orally, all targeting the colorectal tissues. We developed a Eudragit-coated microparticle/nanoparticle formulation oral delivery system to induce immunity in the colorectal mucosa in mice (10) and translated that here to macaques. The Eudragit-coated microparticle/nanoparticle formulation was optimized for oral delivery in macaques (Supplemental Figure 1) based on our previous murine study (10). Groups 3 and 4 were given the combination of both vaccines with the peptides/adjuvants either intrarectally (group 3) or orally (group 4), but were otherwise identical. Seven weeks after the last boost, the animals were challenged intrarectally with a single high-dose SHIVSF162P4, which infected all 29 control animals that were part of a large set of collaborative studies in the same facility with animals from the same source (including 6 adjuvant, and 4 mock controls) (Figure 1, A and B). Seven animals in the T cell–based vaccine were all infected, while 1 of 7 was uninfected in the rhFLSC-alone group. In the combination of groups 3 and 4, three of 14 animals were protected, which was significantly different from the 29 control animals (P = 0.03), indicating the protection was significant. After SHIV infection, there was no difference among the groups in the VLs of those animals that were infected (Figure 1C).
Partial protection against a single high-dose SHIVSF162P4 challenge was achieved in the first cohort study. The 3 protected macaques that were vaccinated with the combined mucosal vaccines had Gag-specific CD8+ T cell responses in the rectal mucosa. (A) Schematic illustration of mucosal vaccination and challenge protocol of the first study. (B) Challenge outcome. Fisher’s exact test was used to calculate the P values. TLRLs, TLR ligands. (C) Geometric mean of the viral load (VL) in the plasma of the infected animals. (D) Dominant CM9-tetramer+CD8+ T cell responses were induced in one of the protected animals, which was Mamu-A*01+ in the rectal lamina propria (LP). The 2 other protected animals were Mamu-A*01–. (E) Intracellular cytokine+ CD8+ T cell responses against SIV Gag were induced in the rectal LP of the 2 Mamu-A*01– animals. †MVA, modified vaccinia Ankara, plus adjuvant (triple TLR [TLR2, -3, and -9] agonists) plus IL-15. ††FLSC, full-length single chain, plus cross-linked gp120-CD4 complexes. IR, intrarectal; mLT, mutant heat-labile E. coli toxin (R192G); OR, oral.
We initially hypothesized that the protection against acquisition was mediated by anti-Env antibody responses, based on the fact that all the protected animals were in the groups including rhFLSC. However, when we measured the humoral immunity against Env, we were surprised to find that there were no or extremely low levels of binding antibodies against gp120 of either the vaccine strain (BaL) or the challenge strain (SF162P4), rhFLSC, or CD4, let alone neutralizing antibodies against SHIV. There were also no CD4-inducible antibodies or antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity activity (ADCC) in the plasma. Moreover, no mucosal antibodies in the rectal mucosa or Env-specific B cell responses in mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) were observed (Supplemental Table 3 and Supplemental Figure 2, A–D). Taken together, these results show that the mucosal vaccines induced negligible to very low levels of systemic or mucosal Env-specific humoral immune responses (not significantly different from prevaccination background levels), which showed no correlations with acquisition.
We then examined the Gag-specific CD8+ T cell responses in the colorectal tissues. Among the 3 protected animals exposed to Gag, high Gag CM9-tetramer+CD8+ T cell responses were induced in the only Mamu-A*01–positive animal (Figure 1D), and Gag-specific polyfunctional CD8+ T cell responses were induced in the 2 Mamu-A*01–negative animals in the colorectal tissues (Figure 1E). However, the magnitudes of the Gag-specific responses did not correlate with protection. The animals in group 1 had the 2 highest Gag-specific CD8+ T cell responses, but none of them was protected (Figure 1E).
Anti–cholera toxin, but not anti-rhFLSC, responses were effectively elicited after intrarectal immunization of rhFLSC with cholera toxin in the second study. The finding that the mucosal vaccine did not induce anti-Env antibodies is consistent with what we have found in the second study, where we explored whether cholera toxin (CT) coformulated with rhFLSC could elicit long-lived anti-rhFLSC responses after intrarectal immunization (Figure 2, A and B). We have had a long-standing interest in overcoming the poor persistence of anti-Env antibody responses, a major problem confronting HIV-1 vaccine development (11–14). Previous studies from our group in mice suggested that mucosal immunization with a gp140 Env immunogen formulated with wild-type CT, enzymatically inactivated K63 mutant of CT (CT-K63), or wild-type A1 domain of CT efficiently elicited persistent antibody responses to Env (11, 12, 15, 16). Based on these observations, we immunized the macaques intrarectally with 300 μg of rhFLSC and with varying doses of wild-type CT with the idea of ultimately determining whether persistent antibody responses to rhFLSC could provide protection against a rectal challenge with SHIV. After immunization of 30 macaques intrarectally with 300 μg of rhFLSC plus varying doses of CT, surprisingly, only marginal anti-rhFLSC responses were elicited at the highest CT dose and no detectable responses at lower CT doses (Figure 2C). By contrast, anti-CT antibody responses were elicited in a dose-dependent fashion (Figure 2D). It should be noted that macaques immunized with 100–300 μg rhFLSC by various routes and adjuvants routinely elicit anti-rhFLSC antibody responses (5, 6, 17), suggesting that a factor other than the immunogen itself accounts for the poor rectal immunogenicity observed here.
Anti-rhFLSC responses were not effectively elicited 21 weeks (3 weeks after the last vaccination) after intrarectal immunization with rhFLSC plus cholera toxin (CT) in the plasma of the macaques in the second study. (A and B) The immunization groups (A) and protocol (B) of the 30 macaques. (C) Only marginal anti-rhFLSC responses (IgG) were induced at the highest CT dose and no detectable responses at the lower doses of CT. (D) Anti-CT antibody responses (IgG) were elicited in a dose-dependent fashion.
The mucosal vaccine mediated delay of viral acquisition without Env-specific antibody responses in the expansion (third) cohort. Most vaccine platforms elicit a myriad of innate, cellular, and humoral responses, not all of which contribute to protective immunity. The finding that our mucosal vaccine did not induce Env-specific antibody responses gave us a unique opportunity to evaluate the role of virus-specific T cell responses and/or innate immunity in mediating protection against viral acquisition. We therefore initiated an expansion cohort to examine protective mechanisms (Supplemental Table 4). Twenty-one macaques were primed with MVA-SIV plus rhFLSC, and boosted with rhFLSC, in both cases with adjuvants (TLR ligands and IL-15 for the MVA and mLT for the rhFLSC boost, the latter delivered in Eudragit-coated microparticle/nanoparticle formulation). Peptides were omitted from this vaccine, as we had noted protection with the animals that received rhFLSC in the first cohort. Eight weeks after the last boost, we intrarectally challenged the animals with 8 repeated weekly low doses of SHIVSF162P4 (Figure 3A). Compared with naive controls, the vaccinated animals demonstrated significant delay of viral acquisition, with vaccine efficacy of 44% (P = 0.028, Figure 3B). We did not observe any VL difference between the vaccinated and naive groups once the animals were infected by SHIVSF162P4 (Figure 3, C and D).
The mucosal vaccine mediated delay of viral acquisition against repeated low-dose SHIV challenges in the absence of anti-Env antibody responses in the third cohort study. (A) Schematic illustration of mucosal vaccination and challenge protocol of the third cohort study. Twenty-eight macaques were distributed into either a vaccine group (n = 21) or naive group (n = 7). MVA-SIV with adjuvant combination of triple TLR (TLR2, -3, and -9) agonists plus IL-15 was given intrarectally, while FLSC with mLT in nanoparticle format was given orally. (B) Infection-free curves for the vaccinated and naive groups. A Kaplan-Meier curve analysis was performed after a series of 8 weekly intrarectal challenges. (C and D) The plasma VLs of each of the infected animals (C) and the geometric mean and SEM of the vaccinated and naive groups. (E) Anti-HIV humoral responses in the colorectal samples (rectal swab, rectal pinches, MLNs) 4 weeks after the last vaccination were measured. No gp120-specific IgG or IgA was detected. HIV Env–specific B cell responses in the rectal pinches 4 weeks after the last vaccination did not change. Mann-Whitney test was used to compare the 2 groups (n = 6, and 12 for naive and vaccinated groups). †MVA, modified vaccinia Ankara, plus adjuvant (triple TLR [TLR2, -3, and -9] agonists) plus IL-15. ††FLSC, full-length single chain, cross-linked gp120-CD4 complexes. IR, intrarectal; mLT, mutant heat-labile E. coli toxin (R192G); NS, not significant.
To explore the protective mechanisms, we first examined the humoral immune responses. Consistent with the previous cohorts, we did not find significant titers of binding antibody responses against gp120 (either BaL or SF162) in either the plasma or the rectal mucosa, including IgM, IgG, and IgA (Supplemental Table 5). Thus, surprisingly, in the absence of measurable anti-Env antibody, we have achieved significantly reduced risk of acquisition in this repeated low-dose SHIV challenge model, consistent with our finding in the earlier high-dose challenge study. Similarly to the second cohort, we found that the antibody responses against adjuvant mLT were induced (Supplemental Figure 3, A and B), suggesting different antigens may have different antibody induction mechanisms.
We further evaluated B cell responses in the rectal mucosa after vaccination. For the Env-specific memory B cells, the vaccinated animals did not differ from the naive animals (Figure 3E). Only very weak responses in several animals were found, concordant with the lack of anti-Env antibodies in the rectal swab. The total plasmablasts were also not affected by the mucosal vaccine (Supplemental Figure 3C).
In the present study, no antibodies were detected against CD4, as shown in Supplemental Figure 2A, consistent with the observations that rhFLSC did not raise anti-CD4 autoantibodies in any previous macaque studies, including a formal immunotoxicological study published by Schwartz et al. (18). Other components, e.g., MVA, did not contain any xeno antigens. Furthermore, the SHIV stock was grown in rhesus cells, which is different from some of the studies using virus stocks grown in human cells.
The mucosal vaccine induced Gag- and Env-specific T cell responses in the colorectal mucosal tissues and MLNs. In the first cohort, we found that the protected animals had vaccine-induced Gag-specific T cell responses in the colorectal lamina propria. In this cohort, we focused on both Gag- and Env-specific T cell responses. As 10 animals were Mamu-A*01 positive, we monitored the dominant Gag-specific CM9-dextramer+ CD8+ T cell responses in colorectal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) during the vaccination, since this is the compartment most closely exposed to the colorectal luminal contents. The frequency was increased after priming, but decreased after boosting. After boosting, some animals demonstrated Gag-CM9 dextramer+ T cell responses in IELs, but they did not correlate with delay of viral acquisition (Figure 4A). In MLNs and PBMCs, the CM9-dextramer+ T cell responses were either low or absent (Supplemental Figures 4 and 5). Overall, none of them correlated with viral acquisition.
The mucosal vaccine induced Gag- and Env-specific T cell responses in the colorectal mucosal tissues and MLNs, and MDSCs in PBMCs, which inversely correlated with viral acquisition in the third cohort. (A) Gag-specific CM9 dextramer+CD8+ T cell responses were induced in the colorectal tissues of the vaccinated Mamu-A*01+ macaques 4 weeks after the last vaccination. Left panel shows a representative staining, while the right panel shows a negative control without the dextramer. (B) Env-specific CD8+ and CD4+ T cell responses were induced in the MLNs of the vaccinated animals 4 weeks after the last vaccination. (C) The kinetics of the MDSCs in the PBMCs upon each vaccination. Wilcoxon’s signed-rank test was used to compare each time point with prevaccination. (D) CD15+, but not CD14+, MDSCs in the PBMCs at 2 weeks after the last vaccination inversely correlated with number of viral exposures necessary for viral acquisition. Spearman’s r and exact Jonckheere-Terpstra test P value of the correlation are indicated. NS, not significant.
The HIV Env–specific T cell responses were evaluated in the MLNs of all the vaccinated animals 4 weeks after the last vaccination (Supplemental Figure 6A). Fifteen of 21 animals showed positive IFN-γ+CD8+ T cell responses against Env, and similar responses were found for CD4+ T cells (Figure 4B). However, just as in the case of the Gag-specific T cell responses, the magnitude of Env-specific T cell responses did not correlate with delay of viral acquisition (Supplemental Figure 6B).
The mucosal vaccine–induced MDSCs in PBMCs. The fact that neither Gag- nor Env-specific T cell responses correlated with viral acquisition suggested that regulatory factors might affect the challenge outcome besides a possible role for T cells. Our previous study demonstrated that the vaccine-induced MDSCs could dampen protective immunity to SIV (19). In the third cohort, we asked whether this mucosal regimen could induce MDSCs; if so, what role did the induced MDSCs play in this repeated low-dose SHIV challenge model? MDSCs act as a double-edged sword in HIV and SIV infection, depending on which type of immunity the MDSCs suppress more, the immune activation of CD4+ T cells as viral targets, or the adaptive antiviral immunity that suppresses the virus. To answer these questions, we measured the kinetics of the MDSCs in PBMCs. Two subsets of MDSCs, namely, CD14+ (monocytic) and CD15+ (granulocytic), were investigated. In the naive animals, the frequencies of both MDSC subsets were consistently low over time (the mean of the sum of both types of MDSCs <0.5%). For the CD14+ subset, compared with the low level at prevaccination, the first MVA prime induced a sharp increase, which then gradually declined (Figure 4C). Throughout the whole course of vaccination, CD14+ MDSCs persisted in the blood, at significantly higher levels than the prevaccination baseline levels, which were very low (Figure 4C). In contrast, the CD15+ MDSCs were mostly unchanged from prevaccination through 1 week after the last vaccine (except a few time points), after which they sharply increased 2 weeks after the last boost (Figure 4C). Thus, the mucosal vaccine induced a significant quantity of both MDSCs in the PBMCs. In the previous study, we found expansions of MDSCs in the vaccinated animals, but not in the adjuvant-only group, suggesting that the vaccine components such as vaccinia virus or HIV proteins might play roles in MDSC inductions (19).
We then used the data from the 2-week time point after the last boost to assess the role of MDSCs in viral acquisition. CD15+, but not CD14+, MDSCs inversely correlated with viral acquisition (Figure 4D). Animals with higher CD15+ MDSCs were more likely to be infected early, suggesting the detrimental role of the induced CD15+ MDSCs. This might be mediated by suppression of virus-specific T cell responses.
Mucosal vaccine induced newly migrated monocytes in the colorectal IELs, which displayed a biphasic positive correlation with viral exposure. We next checked the viral target cells (defined as Ki67+CCR5+CD4+ T cells) in the rectal mucosa, which have been shown to be able to influence the challenge outcome (21, 22). The frequencies of viral target cells in the rectal IELs 4 weeks after vaccination did not significantly differ from those prevaccination, or those in the naive controls (Supplemental Figure 7).
However, the CD14+ monocytes in the rectal IELs were dramatically increased after the boost (Figure 5, A–C). The majority of the CD14+ monocytes accumulating in the colorectal IELs after vaccination were HLA-DR negative/low, resembling the phenotype of newly migrated monocytes from blood (23). Most of these cells were phenotypically CCR5+Ki67+CD69–CD38–CD4–.
Mucosal vaccine induced newly migrated monocytes in the IELs of the colorectal tissues, which demonstrated a biphasic positive correlation with viral exposure in the third study. (A and B) In the CD45+ live mononuclear cell gating of one representative animal, the CD14+DR– subset was dramatically increased after vaccination. The majority of the CD14+DR– subset was CCR5+Ki67+CD69–CD38–CD4–. (C) The kinetics of the CD14+DR– subset before and after prime/boost in the vaccinated animals. Wilcoxon’s signed-rank test was used for comparison. (D–F) The CD14+DR– subset did not correlate with the number of viral exposures in all the vaccinated animals. If the animals were split into early- and later-infected animals, in both subpopulations of the animals there were positive associations (trends) between the CD14+DR– subset and the number of viral exposures. Spearman’s test was used to calculate the r and P values of the correlations. (G) The adherent cells from naive PBMCs were treated with vaccine components or medium/glucan (as indicated in the figure) for 24 hours. After washout, the cells were cultured for 6 days in R10 medium. On day 6, the cells were detached and analyzed by flow cytometry. NS, not significant.
To determine whether these monocytes affected viral acquisition, we performed a correlation analysis. If all the animals were included, the frequencies of CD14+ monocytes in the colorectal IELs did not correlate with viral acquisition (Figure 5D). However, if we split the animals into the early (N ≤ 4) and later-infected groups (N > 4), both the early- and later-infected animals showed positive correlations (P = 0.03) (Figure 5, E and F). To investigate which vaccine component drove the biggest shifts in monocytes and MDSCs, we did an in vitro stimulation study, and found that MVA or any combination with MVA induced a high accumulation of CD14+ monocytes (Figure 5G). Considering the immature nature of these monocytes, the biphasic correlation may indicate the existence of a transition point where the monocytes either matured or differentiated to other cell types dependent on the gut microenvironment. Since myeloid cells respond to microbial signals to initiate innate and adaptive immune responses, the dramatic increase of these myeloid cells suggested that the gut microbiome might also be altered in the vaccinated animals.
The gut microbiome correlated with viral exposure, and CD14+HLA-DR–/lo monocytes in the colorectal IELs. To test this hypothesis, we sequenced the 16S rRNA using fecal samples collected 1 week before the serial viral challenges (Supplemental Table 6). We first compared the number of species identified in the vaccinated and naive animals. Notably, the bacterial richness was significantly lower in the vaccinated group than the naive group at both the genus (Figure 6A) and species (Supplemental Figure 8A) levels. Furthermore, the bacterial richness at both levels inversely correlated with viral acquisition, but this may be an indirect association due to the differing group means (Figure 6B and Supplemental Figure 8B). Commensal microbes have been shown to promote the Tfh and germinal center B cell responses, which led to IgA production against commensals (24). We found that the frequency of total plasma cells among CD45+ cells was significant lower in the rectal mucosa of the vaccinated animals than that of the naive ones (Figure 6C). Given the lack of mucosal virus-specific antibody, this could also relate to the alteration of gut microbial microenvironment. One likely explanation was that the alteration of the gut microbiome, especially the reduction of the bacterial richness, might lead to these changes. Future studies are needed to confirm this interpretation. Total Tfh in the MLNs, which were upstream of the plasma cells, also correlated with bacterial richness (Figure 6D and Supplemental Figure 8C).
Gut microbiome correlated with viral exposure, Tfh in MLNs, and newly migrated monocytes in the IELs of the colorectal tissues in the third study. (A) The diversity of the gut microbiome at the genus level was lower in the vaccinated animals compared with that of the naive controls. Mann-Whitney test was used for comparison. (B) Bacterial richness inversely correlated with viral acquisition. (C) The total plasma cells were lower in the rectal pinches 4 weeks after the last vaccination compared with those of the naive controls. (D) Bacterial richness positively correlated with Tfh cells in the MLNs. (E and F) Principal component analysis (PCA) plot of the gut microbiome at the genus level 1 month before vaccination (E) and 7 weeks after the last vaccination (F). The blue dots indicate vaccinated animals, while the yellow ones indicate the naive animals. (G and H) PCA-1 of the gut microbiome at the genus level was exported for each animal. The bacterial PCA-1 showed associations with the number of viral exposures (G), and Tfh in the MLNs (H). (I and J) CD14+DR– cells in the IELs of the colorectal tissues correlated with bacterial richness (I) and bacterial PCA-1 at the genus level (J). Spearman’s test was used to calculate the r and P values of the correlations.
Further analysis revealed that the vaccinated groups had different gut microbiome compositions. We visualized the gut microbiome data using principal component analysis (PCA, Supplemental Figures 8D and 9). The naive and the vaccinated animals displayed different bacterial compositions after (Figure 6F and Supplemental Figures 8E and 9) but not before vaccination (Figure 6E and Supplemental Figure 8D). Bacterial PCA-1 did not correlate with the viral target cells in the rectal mucosa (Supplemental Figure 10), but it did correlate with viral acquisition (Figure 6G and Supplemental Figure 8F), suggesting that the gut bacteria might associate with SHIV susceptibility. The bacterial composition correlated with total Tfh in the MLNs (Figure 6H and Supplemental Figure 8G).
The mucosal vaccine induced a dramatic increase of CD14+DR– monocytes in the colorectal IELs. The accumulation of these cells correlated with the bacterial richness and bacterial PCA-1 (Figure 6, I and J, and Supplemental Figure 8, H and I). It is possible that the gut microbiome attracted the CD14+ monocytes from blood to the gut, as this was concurrent with the disappearance of CD14+ MDSCs in the blood. Alternatively, the alteration of the gut microbiome caused the local monocyte proliferation. Regardless, the gut microbiome might interact with the CD14+DR– monocytes in the colorectal mucosa, and further studies are needed to determine the exact mechanisms mediating the accumulation of and roles of these myeloid cells.
Although the frequency of viral target cells (Ki67+CCR5+CD4+ T cells) did not change after vaccination (Supplemental Figure 7), it inversely correlated with CD14+DR– cells in the colorectal IELs, suggesting that the CD14+DR– cells might be suppressive to viral target T cells (Supplemental Figure 11A). Furthermore, the other markers of immune activation on the T cells did shift after vaccination (Supplemental Figure 11, B and C). To determine whether the shift in immune activation markers with vaccination had any association with microbiome complexity, we did correlation analyses. We found that before vaccination, the gut microbiome PCAs correlated with HLA-DR on T cells and CCR5 on CD14+ monocytes; after vaccination, the gut microbiome PCAs correlated with CD38, CCR5, and CD69 on T cells, and CD69 and CCR5 on CD14+ monocytes (Supplemental Figure 11D). This cross-sectional study of the immune activation and gut microbiome suggested a possible link between immune activation and gut microbiome. This is consistent with our recent ex vivo study, where we found that the gut microbiome can shape the immune activation of the T cells (25). Nevertheless, a longitudinal study will provide a better picture of the shift.
Enhanced expression of TNF-α, IL-6, and MIP1α by monocytes was inversely correlated with viral Gag expression upon SHIV stimulation ex vivo, and associated with reduced viral infection risk in vivo. The reduced risk of viral acquisition was achieved in the absence of anti-Env antibody responses and did not correlate with virus-specific T cell responses, suggesting a key role of innate immunity, especially memory monocyte–mediated trained immunity (8). Trained immunity previously has been described in bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination and in vitro restimulations with TLR agonists on monocytes (9, 26). Monocytes and macrophages can respond with an increased cytokine production upon restimulation after priming with fungal cell wall component β-glucan, TLR agonists, or BCG, with TNF-α and IL-6 as the primary markers of trained immunity (26, 27). Furthermore, BCG-educated myeloid cells could generate protective innate immunity against tuberculosis in vivo (28). We hypothesized that CD14+ myeloid cells induced by our mucosal vaccine might constitute trained immunity and have contributed to control of SHIV acquisition. To test that, we thawed PBMCs from vaccinated (1 week after the last boost) and naive animals and enriched the adherent myeloid cells by washout of the suspension cells after 2 hours of culture. Cytokine indicators of trained immunity (TNF-α, IL-6), an agonist of viral coreceptor CCR5 (MIP1α), and a cytokine unrelated to trained immunity (IL-8) were measured after 18 hours of stimulation with SHIV. We found that the expression of TNF-α, IL-6, and MIP1α (but not IL-8, an internal negative control) was higher in the vaccinated group than in the naive group upon SHIV stimulation (Figure 7, A–D). We also evaluated the SHIV Gag RNA expression in the cells exposed to SHIV as a measure of viral replication. The median relative Gag level was 3.54 in the naive controls and only 1.99 in the vaccinated group (P = 0.1 by nonparametric Mann-Whitney test). Interestingly, TNF-α, IL-6, and MIP1α showed inverse correlations (or trends) with viral Gag expression (Figure 7, E–G), suggesting the enhanced production of TNF-α, IL-6, and MIP1α by monocytes was associated with inhibition of viral replication. These inverse correlations also suggested that the cytokine/chemokine difference cannot be simply related to infection levels across these samples, or Gag would have been expected to positively correlate. IL-8 as a negative control did not show any association with Gag expression (Figure 7H). Moreover, the expression of IL-6 and MIP1α was positively correlated with numbers of viral exposures required for the animals to become infected in vivo (Figure 7, J and K), but not TNF-α and IL-8 (Figure 7, I and L). Besides the original trained-immunity markers, TNF-α and IL-6, MIP1α might be another marker of trained immunity against HIV infection. Overall, increased expression of 2 indicators of trained immunity (TNF-α and IL-6) were found in the monocytes from vaccinated animals compared with those from the naive animals. The enhanced expression of TNF-α and IL-6 demonstrated associations with decreased viral Gag expression as a measure of virus replication in the ex vivo restimulation system, and/or with reduced viral acquisition in vivo. Though further supporting data are needed, our results support the hypothesis that trained immunity mediated by monocytes might be involved in mediating reduction of viral acquisition.
Enhanced expression of trained-immunity markers was inversely correlated with SHIV Gag expression ex vivo and positively with number of viral exposures in vivo. PBMC samples collected from the vaccinated (1 week after the last boost) and naive animals were thawed, and the monocytes were enriched by 3 washes with warm PBS to remove the suspended cells after 2 hours of adherence to 48-well plates. The adherent monocyte-enriched cell populations were then cocultured with SHIV (1:100) for 18 hours. The supernatant was collected and the production of TNF-α, IL-6 (both as classical trained-immunity markers), MIP1α (SHIV coreceptor agonist), and IL-8 (negative control unrelated to trained immunity) were measured. The cells were further cultured for 2 more days before the expression levels of SHIV Gag in the cells of each sample were measured by qPCR. (A–D) The protein levels of TNF-α, IL-6, MIP1α, and IL-8 were compared between the naive and vaccinated animals. Mann-Whitney test was used for comparisons. Mean ± SEM are shown. (E–H) The cellular expression of SHIV Gag RNA was inversely correlated with TNF-α, IL-6 (trend), and MIP1α (but not with IL-8) production in the supernatant. Spearman’s r and P values of the correlations are indicated. (I–L) IL-6 and MIP1α (but not TNF-α or IL-8) were positively correlated with the number of viral exposures required for the animals to become infected in vivo. Jonckheere-Terpstra test was used to calculate the r and P values. Naive n = 7, shown in red triangles; vaccinated n = 21, shown in black dots. NS, not significant.
Antibody against HIV/SIV Env, whether it be neutralizing or V2-binding, has been widely thought to be essential to prevent acquisition of HIV or SIV infection. In contrast, we demonstrated here that the mucosal vaccine composed of MVA and rhFLSC coinjected with TLR agonists, IL-15, and mLT mediated significant protection, or reduced risk of acquisition against SHIV intrarectal viral challenges. These 2 vaccine-challenge studies conclusively demonstrated that SHIV vaccine efficacy could be achieved without anti-Env antibody responses, and therefore, could be mediated by adaptive cellular and/or innate immunity. Further delineating the immune correlates will inform future HIV vaccine design.
HIV-specific T cell responses have been detected in a significant proportion of exposed but uninfected individuals, and certain T cell response patterns correlate with infection risk (29). Rectal virus-specific CD8+ T cells, positioned at the mucosal site of viral entry, play critical roles in preventing and/or clearing of viral infection (30–33). Here, we found that mucosal Gag- and Env-specific T cell responses were elicited in both cohorts, although the magnitude of the responses did not correlate with viral acquisition, indicating mucosal T cells alone did not directly prevent virus transmission. This is consistent with the recent finding that rectal CD8+ T cells have lower expression levels of perforin and GrzB compared with blood counterparts, and therefore are not programmed primarily for cytotoxicity (34). Since mucosal virus-specific CD8+ T cells are intrinsically biased toward chemokine/cytokine production rather than cytotoxic responses (35, 36), it is likely that upon viral challenge, the vaccine-induced virus-specific T cells released chemokines and cytokines, which either directly blocked the viral infection (such as MIP-1α and 1β) or initiated innate immune responses to limit viral acquisition. In addition, correlation of T cell responses with protection may be masked by negative regulatory factors such as MDSCs that affect T cell efficacy, requiring both to be considered. However, a simple ratio of T cell to MDSC numbers was not predictive of protection. Nevertheless, infection of all 6 adjuvant-only controls suggested that there was some role for adaptive immunity. Thus, a combination of T cell immunity and innate immunity may determine protection.
In both cohorts, the viral challenges were performed 7–8 weeks after the last boost. The long interval between vaccination and challenge suggested the involvement of adaptive immunity. However, the lack of associations of anti-Env antibody and virus-specific T cell responses with viral acquisition argued against this notion, suggesting a key role of innate immunity. We have shown in our previous study that APOBEC3G, combined with virus-specific polyfunctional T cell responses, correlated with viral control after SIV infection (4). However, innate immunity alone traditionally was considered to lack antigen specificity and long-term memory. Recently, this concept was challenged by studies showing that certain stimuli can prime innate immune cells, especially the myeloid cells, to respond to future stimuli more strongly (8). Experimental and proof-of-concept clinical studies have demonstrated that protection against infections could be achieved in vaccination models independently of lymphocytes (37). This phenomenon of mammalian innate immunity exhibiting an immunological memory of past insults is termed trained (innate) immunity (8), which is regulated through epigenetic programming (38, 39). These epigenetic and associated metabolic changes led to enhanced (training) or decreased (tolerance) cytokine production, depending on the insults (26, 38, 39). Since myeloid cells, including monocytes and macrophages, are among the main innate immune cells that can be trained (26, 38, 40), we examined these cells in our studies. We found that 2 subsets of myeloid cells were associated with viral acquisition. One was the MDSCs, which we have shown in our previous study to dampen the protective immunity against VL (19). Both CD14+ and CD15+ MDSCs were increased in the PBMCs of the vaccinated animals, and only CD15+ MDSCs inversely correlated with reduced risk of viral acquisition. As MDSCs can be infected by SIV in vivo (41), the correlation could be the result of MDSCs suppressing the protective immunity, or MDSCs directly acting as viral target cells. The other subset of myeloid cells was the CD14+DR– monocytes in the colorectal intraepithelial compartment, which was dramatically increased after vaccination. These cells had possibly newly migrated from blood, as the increase of these cells was concurrent with the disappearance of CD14+ MDSCs in the PBMCs. The chemokines released by antigen-specific T cells in the colorectal mucosa might contribute to the recruitment. Once these myeloid cells entered the gut, they could differentiate into different cell types, such as DCs, or M1/M2 macrophages depending on the gut microenvironment, and differentially influence host defense (38). Notably, another poxvirus vaccine has just been found to induce protection associated with CD14+ monocytes, which were hypothesized to provide trained immunity working in combination with anti-V2 antibodies to protect (42). Immunological imprinting of either tolerance or trained immunity determines the functional fates of the macrophages and susceptibility to secondary infections (38). It is tempting to hypothesize that these myeloid cells might constitute the trained innate immunity, and mediate protection in these 2 cohorts. Since trained immunity was mostly studied in BCG and Candida infections, LPS or glucans were used as surrogate stimulation reagents for bacteria or fungi. When we investigated the roles of trained immunity in protecting against SHIV infections, stimulation with SHIV would better predict outcomes of the in vivo challenges. Therefore, we stimulated with SHIV instead of LPS or glucan, and measured MIP1α, and viral Gag expression besides traditional trained-immunity markers TNF-α and IL-6. We found in our ex vivo study that upon SHIV stimulation, the monocyte/macrophage–enriched cell population in the vaccinated animals produced more TNF-α, IL-6, and MIP1α than those of the naive ones, and most importantly, the enhanced expression of cytokines/chemokines also correlated with the control of ex vivo SHIV replication and/or reduced in vivo viral infection risks. This suggested that myeloid cell–mediated trained immunity might be involved in protection. However, whether this was through the vaccine-mediated epigenetic modification of the monocyte/macrophage, and whether part of the vaccine and/or the whole vaccine platform is necessary for the enhanced production of cytokines/chemokines upon SHIV stimulation, remain unknown. Further vaccine component breakdown studies and characterization of the epigenetic modification of these myeloid cells are underway and will provide more information on the involvement of trained immunity. Nevertheless, we did observe that induction of CD14+ monocytes was dependent on the MVA component of the vaccine (Figure 5G). Whether MVA alone was sufficient for the whole process of training is unknown and will be determined by further epigenetic studies. Because trained immunity is less specific than adaptive immunity, we expect that training by one virus could provide innate protection against some other viruses.
We used proportional hazards modeling to investigate the number of viral exposures before infection as a function of multiple factors. Because of the size of the challenge study (28 animals with the primary outcomes), we limited the models to at most 3 factors. The association with IL-6 seen in Figure 7J was a component of all the most significant models, and the association with CD15+ MDSCs seen in Figure 4D made a secondary, weaker contribution while reducing the study size to 21. No other factors added substantial independent improvements or interactions to the models.
Bacteria, viruses, and proinflammatory cytokines induce trained immunity in myeloid cells (26). Notably, commensal microbiota are required to program the innate immune cells, and the H3K4m3 histone modification of inflammatory response genes in NK cells is increased in normal mice compared with germ-free ones (43, 44). In line with this, gut microbiota have been shown to impact immune cell development and differentiation, and thus affect the immunogenicity and clinical efficacy of some vaccines (45, 46). Our mucosal vaccine, composed of poxvirus, rhFLSC, TLR ligands, mLT, and IL-15, had the capacity to potentially train innate immunity, and thus influence the vaccine efficacy. Moreover, since the mucosal vaccine was either delivered directly to the colorectal lumen or given orally but also targeting the colorectal mucosa, the vaccine itself could physically interact with the gut microbiome, and alter the bacterial composition. Trained monocytes, in turn, have been shown to cause metabolic changes including the induction of HIF1α (47), which promoted MDSC accumulation (48), and enhanced aerobic glycolysis (47, 49), which might affect the gut microbiome composition. Indeed, the richness and the composition of the gut microbiome were significantly different between the vaccinated animals and the naive ones, in contrast to no difference before vaccination. Interestingly, CD14+DR– monocytes in the colorectal mucosa also correlated with bacterial PCA-1 and richness at both genus and species levels. Determining whether the vaccine-altered gut microbiota functionally reprogrammed the myeloid cells and/or NK cells will help to evaluate the relative contribution of trained immunity to protection. Overall, the mucosal vaccination had a profound impact on the gut microenvironments, and caused the alteration of the gut microbiome, total plasma cells (possibly related to microbiome changes), Tfh, and CD14+DR– monocytes, which altogether might contribute to reduced risk of viral acquisition.
Since Env-specific non-neutralizing antibodies (nnAbs) have been identified as a protective immune correlate in the RV144 trial, great efforts have been made to test whether such nnAbs could mediate protection/delay against SHIV acquisition using adoptive transfer macaque models. However, so far, there is no proof of concept that such nnAbs mediated protection against viral acquisition (50–52). One study showed stronger antibody responses associated with less or no protection (53). In other studies the nnAbs were found to limit the number of founder viruses (54), and reduce (55) or not reduce VL after infection (56). The mechanistic role of nnAbs in protection against HIV infection remains undefined.
In the absence of detectable anti-Env antibodies, viral acquisition in the vaccinated macaques was significantly delayed or prevented. This opens a new avenue of HIV vaccine development. Mechanistically, this mucosal vaccine platform is complementary to the RV144 vaccine platform, so it is tempting to speculate that the combination of both might lead to enhanced vaccine efficacy, although an RV144-like regimen may also induce protection through monocytes and antibodies (42). Even more interesting is that our data suggested that the mucosal vaccine might induce trained innate immunity, which, alone or together with T cells, mediated the protection/reduced risk of viral acquisition against SHIV challenges. Adaptive HIV- and SIV-specific T cells may help confer specificity to trained immunity to target relevant HIV- and SIV-infected cells or virus. To our knowledge, this and a concurrent study (42) (but which also required antibodies) are the first demonstrations that trained immunity against HIV is possible via vaccination, in the present case even without antibodies. Here we also provide more evidence to indicate induction of trained innate immunity (Figure 7). Moreover, our findings provide insights for interpreting other reported vaccine effects achieved with complex immunization regimens. Overall, the induced trained immunity may be a new opportunity for innovative HIV vaccine design.
Animals. Two cohorts of a total of 66 adult Indian rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) were housed in the NCI animal facility. All macaques were free of SIV, simian retroviruses 1, 2, and 5, and simian T cell leukemia/lymphotropic virus type 1 before the study. The basic information on sex, age, weight, and major histocompatibility complex alleles of the animals is shown in Supplemental Tables 1 and 4. Twenty-nine control animals (including the control animals in the first cohort), which were challenged with intrarectal inoculation of 1 high dose (1:5 diluted) of SHIVSF162P4 stock, were used for analysis in the first cohort. Twenty-two of them were housed in the NCI animal facility, while 7 of them were maintained in Advanced BioScience Laboratories. The second cohort of 30 adult Indian rhesus macaques was housed in, and approved by, the University of Maryland animal facility.
Development of Eudragit-coated microparticle/nanoparticle formulation oral delivery system. We had previously shown in mice that to protect against rectal mucosal challenge with a virus without antibody neutralization, a local mucosal T cell immune response was necessary (30), and that the most effective way to induce that in mice and macaques was by direct intrarectal immunization (31, 32). However, intrarectal immunization has not been considered practical for widespread human use. Oral administration would be much more practical but is hindered by the need to protect the vaccine against acid and enzymes in the stomach and small intestine and successfully deliver it to the large intestine or colon. To accomplish this, we have designed and developed a new mucosal vaccine delivery strategy that allows colorectal immunization through the oral route (10). We incorporated antigen and adjuvants into nanoparticles of the appropriate size for uptake by DCs, and then coated these with a Eudragit coating (forming microparticles) that protects them from stomach acid and releases them selectively at the pH in the small or large intestine. Using the formulation to deliver the vaccine contents to the large intestine, we found that we could mimic the efficacy of intrarectal delivery to protect against intrarectal challenge with a recombinant vaccinia virus expressing the HIV Env protein in the mouse model (10).
To translate this approach to rhesus macaques, we have optimized 2 formulations: Eudragit FS-30D single-coated BSA-FITC and double-coated BSA–Alexa 647 microparticles. The 2 types of microparticles were given orally to the same macaque, and followed by necropsy after 24 hours. Single-cell suspensions from the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, caecum; ascending, transverse, and descending colons; and rectum were collected. Flow cytometry was run to identify the fluorescently labeled particles in live cells. We found that the double-coated rather than the single-coated microparticles mainly released their contents for uptake in the large intestine (Supplemental Figure 1). Therefore, we used the double-coated formula for oral delivery of our mucosal SHIV vaccines. The double-coated formula was manufactured at Nanotherapeutics, Inc. under a Collaborative Research and Development Agreement. PLGA nanoparticles were manufactured with NanoDRY technology (US Patent 8,501,232). Chloroform solution (0.9 ml) containing 9 mg of PLGA was prepared, followed by addition of 0.1–0.2 mg of antigen in 0.1 ml of water to form the primary emulsion. The PLGA mixture was emulsified with a vortex mixer for 30 seconds to form the water-in-oil emulsion. The mixture emulsion was added dropwise into 9 ml of isopropanol in a small stainless-steel bowl agitated at low-frequency sonication (60 hertz, 60% max) with 4 MOJO beads (1-cm ceramic marbles). Nanoparticles were precipitated at 300 to 400 Torr for 15 minutes at 25°C. The suspension was allowed to settle for 1 hour in a freezer followed by centrifugation and the supernatant removed. EUDRAGIT FS30D (Evonik) in isopropanol was used to coat PLGA nanoparticles, with 20 mg of FS30D microparticles containing 200 μg of antigen (1% loading).
Immunization of the first and third cohorts. Rhesus macaques were immunized with a combination of a peptide vaccine, MVA expressing SIV antigens, and a protein vaccine consisting of the macaque FLSC fusion protein of HIV-gp120 fused to 2 domains of macaque CD4 to expose CD4-induced epitopes (5). The SIV/HIV peptide vaccine has been described in previous studies (4, 19). In both cohorts, recombinant MVA viruses expressing SIVmac239 Gag, Pol, Env, Rev, Tat, and Nef (5 × 108/immunization for each) (57) were administered intracolorectally with different adjuvants. The adjuvants included a combination of 500 μg per dose of D-type CpG oligodeoxynucleotide (TLR9 agonist), 10 μg per dose of MALP2 (TLR2/6 agonist), 1 mg per dose of PolyI:C (Invivogen) (TLR3 agonist), and 300 μg per dose of recombinant human IL-15 (Peprotech). The peptide vaccine incorporated 0.5 mg of each peptide mixed with DOTAP (Roche, 100 μl per dose), with a mixture of molecular adjuvants consisting of IL-15 and ligands cited above for TLR2/6, -3, and -9 that induce innate as well as adaptive immunity against SIV (3). The rhFLSC vaccine contained rhFLSC (at 100 μg per dose) mixed with mutant E. coli labile toxin R192G (mLT) (at 100 μg per dose) (58). The peptide and rhFLSC vaccines were prepared in nanoparticle format or not as indicated in Figures 1 and 3, and Supplemental Table 2. Intracolorectal inoculations were performed as previously described (4).
The details of the immunization protocol and groups of the first cohort are shown in Figure 1 and Supplemental Tables 1 and 2. Group 1 (T cell vaccine): Pep/MVA + TLRLs + IL-15; group 2 (FLSC vaccine): rhFLSC + mLT; group 3 and 4: the combination of group 1 and 2 vaccines in oral nanoparticle format (group 4) or direct intrarectal delivery (group 3). Adjuvant-only and naive animals were designated as groups 5 and 6, respectively. The animals were primed at week 0, 3, and 6, and boosted at week 13 and 16.
For the immunization of the third cohort, 7 macaques served as naive control, while 21 animals were the vaccinees (Supplemental Table 4 and Figure 2). The same doses of vaccine were given in the third cohort except for rhFLSC, in which 200 μg instead of 100 μg per dose was mixed with mLT (at 100 μg mLT per dose). MVA with adjuvant intrarectally along with rhFLSC plus mLT in oral nanoparticles were used for priming at week 0 and 4, followed by boosting with rhFLSC plus mLT in oral nanoparticles at week 8 and 12.
SHIV challenge of the first and third cohorts. Seven weeks after the last boost, all animals in the first cohort received an intrarectal inoculation of 1 high dose (1:5 diluted) of SHIVSF162P4 stock (M661-derived harvest 1 dated October 5, 2006), which was provided by Nancy Miller, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH.
Eight weeks after the last boost, all animals in the third cohort were intrarectally exposed to 8 weekly low-dose SHIVSF162P4 (1:35 diluted) from the same stock until they were infected. Once the animals were confirmed infected, they were not challenged further. SIV RNA levels determined by nucleic acid sequence–based amplification (NASBA) assays, and absolute CD4+ T cell counts were monitored for 6–14 months after infection by Advanced BioScience Laboratories. The cutoff threshold for viral RNA detection was 50 copies/ml.
Immunization of the second cohort. A cohort of 30 Indian rhesus macaques was divided into 5 groups (each with n = 6 macaques). Group 1 was the naive group, while groups 2–5 were immunized intrarectally with 300 μg of rhFLSC, and with varying doses of wild-type CT (0, 10, 100, and 300 μg). Four immunizations were given at week 0, 6, 14, and 18. Three weeks after the last immunization, plasma was collected to measure the antibody titers against rhFLSC and CT. Because we did not observe anti-rhFLSC antibodies in the CT titration study we did not challenge the macaques.
Flow cytometric analysis of virus-specific T cell responses, Env-specific B cell responses, Tfh, MDSCs, and immune activation in PBMCs, MLNs, and colorectal tissues. Virus-specific T cells were measured in mononuclear cells isolated from colorectal lamina propria and MLNs by flow cytometric intracellular cytokine analysis, as previously described in detail (4, 59). Tfh cells were measured in MLNs 4 weeks after the last vaccination. For dextramer staining, we used Mamu-A*01–positive CM9 dextramer obtained from ImmuDex. MDSCs in PBMCs were measured freshly using blood processed with Lympholyte-H Cell Separation Media (Cedarlane) as previously described (41). The immune activation in the colorectal tissues was also measured freshly after processing the tissues as described previously (4, 59). The details of the processing of the colorectal tissues is described in the Supplemental Methods. For MDSC and immune activation measurements, cells were first incubated with Fc receptor (FcR) blocking reagent (Miltenyi Biotec) to saturate FcR and then labeled with monoclonal antibodies. The gating strategy and the definition of CD14+ (CD33+CD11b+DR–CD14+) and CD15+ (CD33+CD11b+DR–CD15+Lin–) MDSCs were as described in a previous study (41). Yellow viability dye was used to distinguish the live/dead cells (Invitrogen). For Env-specific memory B cell, plasmablast (PB), and plasma cell (PC) flow cytometry assays, details are provided in the Supplemental Methods. Mucosal PBs were identified as CD19+CD20+/–HLA-DR+Ki67+IRF4+CD138+/– and mucosal PCs as CD19+CD20–HLA-DR–Ki67–IRF4+CD138+ as previously described in mucosal tissues (60). The antibody information is listed in Supplemental Table 7. Data acquisition was performed with a BD LSR II flow cytometer, and data were analyzed with FlowJo software (Tree Star Inc). Env-specific memory B cells were defined as CD19+CD20+CD21+/−IgD−gp120+ B cells, as described previously (61).
Measurements of rhFLSC-binding antibodies in rectal secretions and rectal tissue explants. Rectal sample processing has been described previously and is provided in the Supplemental Methods (62, 63). rhFLSC-specific IgA and IgG antibody titers were measured by ELISA using recombinant rhFLSC protein (17). The titer was defined as the reciprocal of the sample dilution at which the optical density (OD) of the test serum was 2 times greater than that of the negative-control samples obtained from naive unvaccinated macaques (64). To account for varying amounts of total immunoglobulin in samples, total concentrations of IgA and IgG were measured in each sample by ELISA and used to normalize rhFLSC-specific IgA and IgG titers. Details of the protocol are provided in the Supplemental Methods. rhFLSC-specific IgA and IgG are expressed as titer of rhFLSC-specific IgA/G per μg of total IgA/G (65).
Gut microbiome analysis. In the third cohort, fecal samples were collected 1 week before the SHIV challenges. A Qiagen DNA Stool Mini Kit was used for DNA extraction from stool samples. The sequencing was performed on the V4 region of the 16S rDNA gene (515F–806R) using the Illumina MiSeq platform (66). Chimeric sequences were filtered out of the FASTQ files containing the 16S rRNA gene sequences using the USEARCH (version 8.1.1831) utility’s UCHIME implementation and the ‘gold’ database (version microbiomeutil-r20110519) (67, 68). The reads, thus filtered, were then binned into operational taxonomic units (OTUs) at 97% similarity using USEARCH’s cluster_otus command. QIIME (1.9.1) scripts were used to classify and align the obtained OTUs (69). The assign_taxonomy.py script was used to assign taxonomy using the default RDP method and GreenGenes database (http://qiime.org/home_static/dataFiles.html).
In vitro/ex vivo SHIV stimulation experiments. Frozen PBMCs collected from vaccinated (1 week after last boost) and naive animals were thawed, washed, and diluted to 5 × 106/ml. PBMCs (400 μl/well) were added to 48-well plates and incubated for 2 hours before washing with warm PBS to remove the cells in suspension. For in vitro assays, PBMCs from naive animals were used. Different components of the vaccine, or medium, or glucan were added to stimulate the cells for 18 hours. After 3 washes to eliminate the stimulators, the cells were cultured in R10 medium with 10% human AB serum, with medium changed every 3 days. On day 6, the monocytes/macrophages were collected and stained with antibody mix after treatment with Versene for 1 hour to detach adherent cells. The cells were then analyzed by flow cytometry. For ex vivo study, the monocyte-enriched cells were then stimulated with SHIV (1:100 diluted, in vivo challenge stock virus) for 18 hours. Supernatants were collected and TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, and MIP1α were measured using ELISA kits from R&D Systems. The cells were washed 3 times with warm PBS to remove SHIV on the cell surface. The cells were cultured for another 48 hours with fresh R10 medium added before the cells were lysed, and RNA was isolated using Qiagen RNA isolation kits. For measuring Gag expression and GAPDH, TaqMan probe and primer sets were used (Thermo Fisher Scientific). RNA transcription kits and qPCR mixture were from Bioline USA Inc. Relative mRNA expression levels were compared by the comparative threshold cycle (Ct) method of relative quantification (PerkinElmer User Bulletin no. 2) as described previously (41). After normalization to GAPDH, Gag expression in one animal was used as the reference to calculate the Gag fold changes in the rest of the animals.
Statistics. We performed statistical analyses with Prism version 6 (GraphPad). Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon tests were used as shown in the figures. Spearman’s analysis and Jonckheere-Terpstra tests were used for correlations. A 2-sided significance level of 0.05 was used for all analyses. PCA was performed with Qlucore Omics Explorer or SAS.
Study approval. All animals were maintained in accordance with guidelines of the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International and in protocols approved by the NCI Animal Care and Use Committee, or the Animal Care and Use Committee of the Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland.
YS, JAB, and RCG conceived and designed the projects, and interpreted the data for the first and third studies. GKL, A. DeVico, and RCG designed, ran experiments, and/or interpreted the data for the second study. For the first and third studies, YS, YW, KB, and BF processed samples. YS, A. Dzutsev, GT, DVI, VM, TM, MRG, XS, GDT, and JAB performed and interpreted experiments. GKL, A. DeVico, and TF provided the rhFLSC protein. JK, RCW, and JT optimized and produced the nanoparticle vaccine. DK synthesized and provided D-type CpG oligonucleotides and contributed to experimental planning. JC provided the mLT. GF provided the seeds of the MVA-SIV. YS and DV performed statistical analyses. YS and JAB wrote the manuscript with input from all the authors.
View Supplemental Table 6
We thank H.K. Chung, R. Pal, and S. Orndorff from Advanced BioScience Laboratories, Inc. for the viral load and CD4 assays; A. Hogg and H. Yu for tissue processing; H.X. Liao and the Duke Human Vaccine Institute Protein Production Facility for providing Rh CH38 IgA; D. Watkins (University of Miami) for MHC typing; Nancy Miller (NIAID) for providing SHIVSsf162P4 challenge stock; and Chris Miller (UC Davis) for helpful discussion. This work was supported by the Intramural Program of the NIH/NCI Center for Cancer Research funding Z01 SC 004020 (to JAB), NIH NIAID HHSN 272201100016C, NIAID/NIH P01AI124912 (to RCG, GKL, and A. DeVico), and NCI innovation award (to YS).
RCW’s present address is: Ology Bioservices, Inc.
License: Copyright 2019, American Society for Clinical Investigation.
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Eating Off Duty with Kwame Onwuachi
Dining Out 3 minutes 21 August 2019
We explore where and what celebrated chefs eat outside their kitchens.
Eating Off Duty
An author and award-winning chef, Kwame Onwuachi was born in Long Island, New York, and grew up in the Bronx. His mother was a caterer and private chef, and he started cooking with her at five years old. "I really enjoyed cooking and saw my mom do it everyday and ended up falling in love with it too," Onwuachi says.
At age 10, he was sent to live with his grandfather in Nigeria for two years from 2001 to 2003. "I was sent to live in Nigeria because I was heading down a slippery slope to ruining my life. It's pretty easy to do that where I'm from and my mother wanted to change that."
His time in Nigeria with his grandfather profoundly impacted his future cooking style: "Nigeria definitely shaped the way I view food now for a multitude of reasons. Mainly seeing where and how my food was produced; raising my own livestock and cultivating my own produce gave me a serious appreciation for ingredients," Onwuachi says.
After returning stateside, Onwuachi graduated from high school in the Bronx, briefly studied business administration in college without completing his degree, and then moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he ended up becoming the head chef on a boat serving crews cleaning up the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
MORE: Kwame Onwuachi's Memoir Puts His Life on Display
"I moved to Baton Rouge to turn my life around and find myself. I had gotten kicked out of college and needed a reset button," explains Onwuachi. "I fell into cooking because of my mother. She was a caterer that operated from the house, so I grew up in the kitchen. When I moved back home from college, it was the only thing I was good at and could get a job quickly."
He returned to New York City in 2010, waiting tables at Tom Colicchio's Craft before opening his own catering business, Onwuachi's Coterie Catering. In 2012, Onwuachi enrolled at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. During culinary school, Onwuachi worked an externship at Per Se, and after graduation he worked as a line cook at Eleven Madison Park.
His much buzzed about first restaurant, Shaw Bijou in Washington, D.C.'s Shaw neighborhood, came to a close after less than three months at the beginning of 2017. On lessons learned from the abruptly shuttered Shaw Bijou: "I learned that picking the right partners is a crucial aspect of a successful team. Running a business is a marriage and you can't quit when the going gets tough. Take your time and find someone to build something with that is in it for the long haul."
But the tides turned for the better—in late 2017, Onwuachi was hired to open a restaurant in the new InterContinental Hotel on D.C.'s Wharf waterfront complex. He named it Kith and Kin, serving Afro-Caribbean cuisine influenced by his family ties to Louisiana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Nigeria. It is here that he has honed his cooking philosophy: "A dish should tell a story. If it does then it has a soul." He has also started a fast-casual chain called Philly Wing Fry that serves cheesesteaks, wings and fries.
Of importance most recently, Onwuachi published his memoir, Notes from a Young Black Chef, which tells the story of his life through the opening of the Shaw Bijou. His life story will even be turned into a feature film based on the book, with Onwuachi played by Lakeith Stanfield.
As for the future, the young, celebrated chef is "just putting my head down and focusing on the restaurants at hand."
Uni escovitch at Kith and Kin. (Photo courtesy of InterContinental Washington, D.C.)
What was the last thing you ate?
The last thing I ate was linguine with clams while attending the FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen.
It's your day off. What do you have for breakfast and where?
I only eat breakfast when I'm traveling! Breakfast will always be either a bagel with lox or a bacon, egg and cheese. It reminds me of home—growing up in New York City that's all I ate.
Controversial question: Do you believe in brunch?
Love brunch when I can go! Convivial or Le Diplomat for brunch in Washington, D.C. I always order smoked salmon or quiche.
What is your 2:00 a.m. go-to food?
Chinese food. More specifically, Asian American II in Washington, D.C. It's always the same thing and will never change: pork fried rice and chicken wings.
What is your local coffee shop and what do you order?
I only drink coffee for fuel, I don't like the taste. I just get whatever's close.
Where do you go when you travel to your favorite city?
Trisha in Mumbai. I always get the butter garlic crab, black dhal and romali roti. So goooood! It is just so flavorful. They bring out these giant crabs to the table and cook them in like equal parts butter and garlic. They serve it with a couple chutneys and the thinnest flat bread you've ever seen. Side note: around the corner is Badameya. They serve Bheja Fry, which is lamb brains in a super spicy sauce rolled up in that same thin flatbread. Probably my second favorite meal in the world.
What is the "laziest" meal you put together for yourself this past week?
My laziest meal is popcorn from Costco, and it's also my favorite snack food. It's just the best. I also love the truffled Marcona almonds from Trader Joe's.
What is your guilty pleasure?
My guilty pleasure is the jerk chicken at Kith and Kin. I eat it everyday.
Headshot by Scott Suchman.
Written by Marisel Salazar
Marisel Salazar is a New York City-based food and travel writer. She also produces culinary events and neighborhood dining guides with chefs across the U.S., and consults for a variety of brands on trends and social media. She comes to New York by way of Panama, Hawaii, and Japan.
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GuruTicket
Buy tickets online on shows, sports and concerts
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You will be thankful to Meghan Trainor for her Thank you album, because her hits with “All About that Bass” on the top will pursue you to make your mood high and take the life easy. Pick up your tickets at GuruTickets and enjoy your night!
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Meghan Trainor tickets are on sale! See the “All About that Bass” pop star sing her hits off her new album Thank You. It’ll be a night full of upbeat fun and sassy lyrics. See Meghan Trainor while you can with tickets from Ticket Liquidator.
About Meghan Trainor
Meghan Trainor first caught mainstream attention with her song “All About that Bass” that promoted self love and confidence. Born and raised in Nantucket, MA, Trainor released music independently in her teens. After signing with Epic Records in 2014, Trainor then released her first studio album Title in 2015 that included “All About that Bass,” ” Lips Are Movin’,” and “Like I’m Gonna Lose You.” Trainor embraced a retro, girly style with bright colors and bubblegum pop artistic sound. Trainor released her second album Thank You that produced hits “No” and “Me Too.” This album took a cockier, sassy approach to her music that fans had not fully heard before.
Meghan Trainor Discography
Title (2015)
Posted in ConcertTagged Pop, R&B
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HÄXAN (1922)
Holy shit guys and girls. So recently I have found myself drawn to early fantasy, science fiction, and horror of the silent film era. In the last review, we took a trip to the goddamn sun with George Meleieis Impossible Voyage. I enjoyed the films of the early 20th century for their brevity where 20 minutes was adequate time to digest wondrous travel. Now we have a film which is not only 2 hours in length but is probably one of the more dense subjects tackled in early film making. Holy shit guys and girls, are you ready for the history of witches through the ages and to read paragraphs of droll occult lore? Fuck yeah, I know I am.
The intention of Haxan was the analysis of witchcraft as a social construct and how mental illness and religious zealousness contributed to the hysteria of the occult. Documentaries in the early 20th century were actually well represented so Haxan was not that great of a milestone. The legacy this Swedish/Danish film left behind is perhaps unintentional as the live action reenactments of the subject matter was hellish and extracted from pure nightmare. Compared to many contemporary films of the era, Haxan as arguably the premiere horror film for its depictions of demons engaged in sacrificial rites. Whether or not it scared patrons of the time is of course apart of conjecture but I can tell you that in 2015, Haxan was and still is fucked up beyond belief. Are you ready to kiss the arse of Satan?
Holy fuck Haxan…calm down…you are scaring everyone.
As oppose to many silent films, having a translation is sort of important for Haxan. there is a lot of text and narrative. This is sort of frustrating as finding english streaming versions are either terrible in quality or avant versions of the film made in the 60’s. While many soundtracks have been made for Haxan, the majority retain the same supposed mood of foreboding doom. This combined with the imagery makes a wondrous experience. This particular film has gone through many iterations and finding the right one can be a chore with great reward. This is of course if you can retain attention for its duration.
The plot of Haxan is broken into lecture and vignettes. The first part details the views of the middle ages and their beliefs in heaven, hell, and the role of demons. The second part of the film throws the viewer into small tableaus of Satan and witches interacting with the public. From love potions, curses, profane dismemberment, to the devil literally surprising monks and fucking shit up, these scenes are weird and must have been terrifying for viewers of the early 20th century. the scenes alternate between informational and surreal as the film strikes themes of both horror and commentary on religion.
To be honest, you can pause any scene in this film and have a metal album cover.
For a film made in the 1920’s Haxan is surprisingly critical of the Church and its actions during the inquisition and salem witch trials. It is true themes horrendous time periods can never ben really softened but the tense torture scene of the seamstress in from the church judges is something that comes unexpected as well as the unequal justice system constructed by fear, misogyny, and power. Though Haxan is wild with its surreal scenes of baby eating and surprisingly sexual nature, it is the undercurrent of sober reason which is truly the most interesting aspect of the film.
Haxan’s third section is a long and arduous examination of the inquisition and the madness which overtook people like the plague. At the beginning of the final conclusion of the film, the filmmakers make mention that the actor who played the seamstress believed in the devil herself and had a book on the identification of evil. Many times have I mentioned the progressive nature of this film but the self referential nature of Haxan which toggles between documentary, hellish fantasy, and social commentary is astounding. The film ends with a connection between the witchcraft trials and the unearthing of the then contemporary psychological condition of hysteria. This 1922 danish/Swedish film was near light years ahead in its attitudes towards gender which is both interesting and embarrassing given what would follow after.
You can watch Haxan for many of reasons. The scene of the Witches Sabbath is so vivid and daring that the scene of the devil holding up an infant is perhaps the most famous still from the film. Though the film is 2 hours in length, its running time melts away as the viewer is pulled into a dated but still relevant topic of religion, fear, science, reason, power, and logic. Who would have thought that there would be so much to think about in the early dawn of filmmaking.
Tags: Classic Horror, Film Review, Haxan, Hollywood Metal, Kaptain Carbon
Categorised in: Film
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Home/Other/Pakistani actress Mahira Khan said against the removal Article 370. Shahrukh Khan brought her to Mumbai.
Pakistani actress Mahira Khan said against the removal Article 370. Shahrukh Khan brought her to Mumbai.
Almost every person living in Pakistan is a fanatic. Everyone is a terrorist, be it a madrassa, a mechanic who moves a pump, be an actor or a singer. We are saying this because Pakistan almost always shows its own insanity and is spreading fanaticism.
Mahira Khan, a Pakistani actress, was brought to India by Shah Rukh Khan in Bollywood from Pakistan. There is no shortage of talent in India but it has become a trend to bring Pakistanis to India. And because of this, Mahira Khan was brought. Mahira Khan got a lot of supporters.
The secular gang was saying that the art industry has no limits and so on. This time, Mahira Khan poisoned India against the Kashmir issue. She is giving anti-India remarks living within India’s border.
Article 370 is not any move to talk by Pakistanis, it is an internal lawsuit of India. On this subject, Khan did not sit quietly provoking Pakistan.
Mahira Khan today said that India is burning Kashmir by removing Article 370 so we should not sit quietly. Mahira Khan is saying in a way so that they can take action against India. Mahira Khan has hit spot on the face of people of all secular classes in India today, especially those who say that there is no limit to the arts.
Ajaz Khan said ''I am not a Hindu, not a Muslim, I am an Indian'' After receiving a brutal beating from Mumbai police
Krishnan and Shehla Rashid, leftist intellectuals, have joined the movement against the removal of Article 370.
Ganesh festival will be celebrated with a blast in India-Pak border! The idol is set to depart from Mumbai.
The merciful Modi government over the residents of Jammu and Kashmir, 4000 rupees sent to the bank account of 8 lakh people
Bangladesh is ahead of us, and the government is talking about Kashmir: Pakistani intellectuals.
Sushma Swaraj was waiting for the day “Removal of Act 370”, Sudha Swaraj tweeted Before Death
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[Translate to Italy (Italian):] TOTO reaches record WASHLET™ sales
[Translate to Italy (Italian):] WASHLETs are growing in popularity, with over 50 million sold since being brought to market in 1980.
[Translate to Italy (Italian):]
The elegant WASHLET RX is one of the latest WASHLET models from TOTO. The design of the new RX is consistent and harmonious.
The Neorest belongs to the TOTO WASHLETs of the luxury class and has, in addition to the standard hygiene technologies have proven to offer some extras, including the enhanced Hygiene function ewater+.
TOTO continues to develop its WASHLET models in function and design. With its clear form, the new WASHLET SX expands the range of shower toilets and integrates the proven hygiene technologies.
[Translate to Italy (Italian):] TOTO’s shower toilets – known as WASHLETs – have gained a firm foothold in the European market for over 10 years now. The Japanese market leader was recently named “World’s no. 1 brand” in shower toilet sales. The TOTO brand, embodying the pinnacle of stunning design, comfort and Japanese bathing culture, constantly impresses with its technical innovations – inspiring more and more people to embrace the luxury and comfort of the shower toilet. Of these, 10 million were sold in the past four years alone.
There’s no better way to show a product’s success than its outstanding sales. TOTO has sold an impressive 50 million WASHLETs since their launch in 1980, with 10 million of these in the past four years alone – around the entire world. According to a study conducted by the Japanese government, 77.5 of all Japanese households have shower toilets – and they are increasingly common in public spaces as well, such as shopping centres, office buildings, train stations, airports, trains and airplanes.
Luxury hotels and private homes Architects and designers trust the reliable quality and high-tech features of the shower toilets. This is why they are increasingly popular in the suites and rooms of luxury wellness hotels with a strong focus on design and comfort. TOTO WASHLETs are found in Europe’s best hotels – from the nearly 100-year old Hotel Schloss Elmau near Garmisch-Partenkirchen to the sophisticated flair of Grandhotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski Munich and exclusive Park HYATT Vienna. These major names are trendsetters, and their international guests often borrow interior design ideas to replicate in their own homes.
Enjoy comfort
Once people have enjoyed the benefits of the shower toilet, they don’t want to do without. Some even describe the first time they used WASHLET as a life-changing, comforting experience. The heated toilet seat that warms to body temperature and extendable wand jet for intimate warm water cleansing are standard WASHLET features available since the very first model. Warm air dryers and a self-cleaning function using antibacterial water are also available in other models – features that make this toilet ideal for even the most discerning tastes.
Cleanliness through innovation
WASHLETs embody the idea of “cleanovation” – a blend of the words “clean” and “innovation” – by representing the highest standards of hygiene. Purity is TOTO’s highest priority. All toilets are equipped with the highly efficient TORNADO FLUSH. The powerful whirlpool created by the flush thoroughly cleans the entire inside of the toilet bowl with just 3 or 4.5 litres of water, leaving nothing behind. The wand jet is positioned above the ceramic bowl, and a flap protects it from flush water and even faeces. It’s also easy to descale all WASHLET models.
Clean, streamlined design
The rimless design of the shower toilet has become a veritable classic in the industry. The angular WASHLET SX and its curved counterpart, WASHLET RX, introduced in 2018, sport new, even more streamlined designs. The ceramic and WASHLET blend together seamlessly to create a harmonious unit. These models expand the selection of shower toilet models with their proven comfort technologies. TOTO Europe Sales Director Hubertus Brüggemann is confident about the potential for these new models: “These innovations have the outstanding functional and aesthetic quality to help WASHLET maintain its international leadership as the “World’s no. 1 brand” in shower toilet sales.” As an innovator in sanitary technologies, TOTO is always striving to enhance bathroom design and hygiene – and is setting new standards in this field world-wide, even in terms of the great value for money TOTO offers to consumers. The extraordinary success of 50 million WASHLETs sold speaks for itself.
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Category - Strategy
Strategy ITECH 24
Strategic or strategy games are the genre which requires players to make accurate decisions. These games are designed strategically to test your own decision-making skills to determine the result. Our natural decision tree style thinking comes into play in almost all games of this kind and very high situational awareness is required.
Today, mobile games are no longer limited to only platform and puzzle games. Developers are now planning a lot of console-quality strategy games to provide more immersive experience. If you are bored of endless runners like Temple Run and want something more challenging, move to Strategy genre.
Strategy games have really been attracting smart minds over the years. Be it a set of chess or board game, players always love to have a challenge. The evolution of technology has redefined strategy games a lot. These days, players can easily get indulged in the world of gaming on their 6-inch screen. These games are not as simple as they seem to be. They have very unique strategy which takes patience and proper planning.
If you are ready to roll, it’s time to train your lazy mind with some heavy brain lifting by playing these games. They are definitely not like most common mobile games which have repetitive pattern and simple gameplay. If you need some amazing and thrilling twitch-fests, these games literally challenge your mind. You can expect some strategic challenges, tactical puzzles, and resource management techniques.
If you are really into strategy games, you may definitely have played award-winning title Plants vs. Zombies. It is the hottest favorite strategy game which involves endless battle between plants and the herds of undead. This legacy has now been continued with Plants vs. Zombies Heroes. You can emerge as a Plant hero once again to take fight to another level. It is basically a collectible card game where you are tasked to collect up to 20 heroes to make your own team.
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Okwuagbala Uzochukwu Mike P (Uzochukwu Mike)
Joined 6 years ago from Anambra State, Nigeria Last activity 5 days ago
Contact Okwuagbala Uzochukwu Mike P
Uzochukwu Mike is a university graduate. He graduated from the department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering in his first degree. He is from Oba in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria.
Uzochukwu Mike is a web designer and can help you create website(s) for your business, organizations or personal use at affordable price. You can contact him on +2347037278694 for this.
He is a writer, researcher, and financial advisor. His writing skill made him came second in the 2013 Naija Writers Coach Essay Competition. He possesses great writing skill. He also came 7th in the 2013 Change Makers Club Essay Competition. He is intelligent and derives joy in writing on educational and social issues of various kinds.
He has authored a number of books. The books written by the author are "Understanding the Usefulness of Computer in the Twenty-first Century", "Basic Information in Youth and Youth Empowerment", "Tips for becoming a Successful Youth", "Guide to Youth Challenges", "Powder Metallurgy: It's Engineering Consideration and Applications on Copper", Metallurgical and Materials Engineering: Introduction and Applications" and "Nigerian Youth Challenges" . All these books of the author are marketed globally through a book selling giant called Amazon. So you can get a copy for in-depth study.
Note that you can buy some of his published books through "amazon.com/author/uzochukwup". Copy and paste the link in your internet browser and his published books will be displayed.
Because Okwuagbala Uzochukwu Mike is a youth that has dynamic skills, he is hired by First Bank of Nigeria Insurance to showcase his skills. He is currently working as a Financial Advisor in the Insurance subsidiary of First Bank Holding in Abraka, Delta state, and certified by College of Insurance and Financial Management of Nigeria. Feel free to contact him on +2347037278694 for any investment advice. You can also hire him to write for you.
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Laws & Legal Systems around the World
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Theories on the Functions of Law
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Law & Legal Issues
Law and Morality
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Objectives of Law
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Graduate Unemployment in Nigeria
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Features of Law
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Effects of Single Parenthood
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The Evolution of Law
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Effects of Industrialization
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Kidnapping: Overview, Causes, Effects, and Solutions
Kidnapping is a global problem that affects countries all over the world—from the United States and Mexico to many countries in Africa, Asia, and beyond. Learn more about this global scourge.
Science Fairs & Experiments
Importance of Science and Technology
The advent of science and technology has brought so many progresses in the life of today and to the entire world. Science and technology is of good importance that cuts across many areas.
Human Trafficking in United States of America
It is true that slavery has been banned in the world long time ago, but something of that nature still exists silently in United States. There is high human trafficking in United States.
Corruption in Nigeria: Review, Causes, Effects, and Solutions
Corruption is the biggest challenge faced by Nigerians today. Every citizen of Nigeria is aware of the level of the high level of corruption in the country.
Banks, S&L's, Credit Unions
How Nigerians can have United States Bank Account Numbers
Whether students or non-students, there is a way through which Nigerians can receive money from United States by owning account number (s) in the country with ATM card being issued by U.S Company.
How Ghanaians can Own United States Bank Account Numbers
Years back, it had been difficult for Ghanaians to receive money from friends and relations unless they go to bank and queue up to cash their money through Western Union.
Skin Lightening: Contents, Causes and Effects
Skin bleaching or lightening is common among people. There are causes and effects of bleaching. Ingredients and examples of skin bleaching creams are to be given in this write-up.
Challenges Facing Secondary Schools in Africa and Solutions
There are various challenges that secondary school education of Africans is facing for years. These challenges can be reduced if some solutions are applied.
The Power of the Holy Eucharist
Holy Eucharist is one of the Sacraments of the Church. The Eucharist performs many wonders and miracles. The power of the weapon cannot be underrated in any way
Moral Decline in United States
There is high decline in moral standard of United States. There are many areas where the moral decay is experienced. Causes of moral decline in the country are many, and there are solutions to it.
Food Hygiene and Poisoning in Industries and Homes
Food poison is very harmful to human. There are many causes of food poisoning, and preventive measures. There are also micro-organisms that causes food poisoning in various places.
Corruption in Ethiopia
There are many faces of corruption in Ethiopia. There are causes and solutions to corruption in the country. Corruption has many consequences.
Income & Making Money
How a Non-PayPal Approved Country can use PayPal Account
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Managing Credit Cards & Payment Options
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Publishing and Monetizing Failed Essays in Competitions
There are lot of students and youths who have written many essays in competitions that did not succeed. This piece suggests how these essays can be monetized to yield money for the writers.
Bubblews Scams Writers
Bubblews have scammed writers. I wonder what it will profit an establishment to make quick money by scamming people and then spoil his reputation throughout his life time.
Importance of promotion
Promotion can be defined as an increase or advancement in any employee working under an organization to a better job, which includes increase in salary, rate of payment and more prestige.
Overview of HubPages
Hubpages Pays Well
Hubpages is a very good sites to write because it pays the users once they meetup with the requirements needed. It is not like other site that will forget your efforts.
Self-Employment Merits and Demerits
Self employment is a system of entrepreneurship or living where the business is managed by a person instead of being employed in a company established by another manager.
Review of the Federal Government of Nigeria Policy Thrust on Railways
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Disciplinary Procedures in Management
There are ways things are done in every organization. Any organization that has no procedure, which is way things are carried out, is likely to fail if care is not taken.
Principles of Good Discipline
Principle in this context is a generally accepted truth or propositions which any rule or rules guiding an organization should adhere with. There are needed principles in organizations.
Basic Management Functions
There are many basic management functions which every manager should practice. Any management that does not carry out these functions is likely to fail in his or her management duties.
Causes of Family Crises and Their Management
So many cases have been reported in various courts of Law because of family crisis. Crisis is defined as problems which may be caused by humans or other natural occurrences.
Types of Organizations
Organization, which many people interpret differently, is of many types. As there are many types of animals that exist on this earth, so are types of organizations.
How to Type Fast with Computer as Student
In many occasions, I have seen many students complain that they were unable to type the assignments being given to them by their teachers or lecturers. The reason is because they cannot type fast.
Positive Contributions of Immigrants in United States
Almost all people in the world see United States of America as a good place to spend good life. Due to this, many travel to the country. The immigrants have contributed positive to the country.
Causes of Gender Inequality
Long time ago, female gender is not regarded as 'anything serious' in any way. Christians who must have read a particular passage in the Bible should have come across a part on census in Bethlehem.
Important Features of Management
Management has some important features that distinguish it from other human activities or functions. The word, feature, has to do with the characteristics or attributes of a thing.
Events that Changed the World
Adverse Effects of September 11 Attacks on America (Terrorist Attacks)
The attack carried out by the terrorists on United States of America has infringed many injuries in many Americans. It is like a thorn in many Americans flesh till today.
Technophiles and Technophobes
The technophiles are the group of persons that see the merits of technological advancement as all pervading. The technophobes are the group that see technological innovations as the cause human issues
Why People Immigrate to United States of America
What is immigration? Immigration is the action of coming to live permanently in a foreign country (Oxford Dictionaries). There are reasons that make foreigners immigrate to U.S.
Challenges in United States of America (USA) and Solutions
No country in this world that we live in is completely free from any challenge. No matter how clean people think any country is, there are challenges in that country and United States is no exception.
Magazines, Journals, Periodicals
How to make Money as a Student in United States of America USA
Being a student is an advantage and offers many upper hands which others do not have. When you mention that that you are an undergraduate to some who are uneducated, it makes them to see you a senior.
Economy & Government
Causes of Unemployment in United States of America
Unemployment in the United States is a big problem. The country has been facing this problem for a long time. To be discussed in this article are the causes of unemployment in the country.
Improving Your Article
How to Disable Image Load in Mozilla Firefox
Discussed in this article is how to disable Mozilla Firefox from lading images. The guide is simple and easy to understand. If you have been searching on how to do this, here is the solution.
Examination Malpractice and Causes
Examination malpractice is the illegal action that students take during their examinations. It can also be defined as cheating by students in their examination halls.
College Exam Preparation
Causes of Road Accident
An accident is an unfortunate incidence that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally. Road accident is an unexpected incidence that occurs on roads which may result to sustenance of injury or death.
Unemployment in Nigeria and Solutions
Unemployment is defined as the state of being without a paid job. It is a major challenge in Nigeria. To be discussed are the problem of unemployment in Nigeria and the possible solutions.
Importance of Training and Development
Training can be defined as adapting or moulding of a person to increase his fitness for a specific activity. Development when related to management is the process of advancing in any particular field.
Small Businesses & Entrepreneurs
Roles of entrepreneurs
There are many roles performed by the entrepreneurs. These important roles are well explained in this piece of article to guide readers of various kinds
Elements of Management by Objective
Based on this topic, elements of Management by objective are the components that make management by objective. For every product that exists in the world, there are components that make it.
Importance of Skill Acquisition
Skill is very important in the life of any rational citizen. It can take you to places you do not expect you will ever find yourself. Skill acquisition give upper hands to people.
Cleaning and Inspection of Castings
Cleaning and inspection of castings are the processes through which products called castings are made neat and then subjected to examination before they are applied to particular use.
Defects in Casting
Defects in casting(s) are flaws in castings which either results from carelessness of the casting engineer or through other factors that were not taken into consideration during the casting process.
Strengthening Mechanisms of Metals
Strengthening mechanisms are processes of increasing the quality of metals by making the metals stronger so that they can be suitable for particular applications or usefulness.
Causes and Effects of Poverty
Poverty has been a problem which human race at large has been fighting to conquer. When a person is poor, people around him takes him as nobody and the people will not consider them.
Mechanical and Technological Properties of Metals
What are the mechanical and technological properties of metals? Metals are of great importance to human race even before the birth of Christ (BC).
Frequency, Polarity and Phases
Frequency, Phase, and polarity are three important parameters in both Physics and Geophysics departments. This topic explains them.
Hardness and Hardenability: Factors and Tests
Hardness is a property of metal which is the ability of metals to resist indentation. Hardenability is the depth of hardness penetration in metals. Both are mechanical properties of metals.
Good Things about Nigerians
Nigeria is a country located in African continent and it is known to be the giant of Africa. Nigeria contains 36 states and the Federal capital territory called Abuja.
Investment Casting Process
Investment casting is a casting process which involves the use of pattern made from wax or plastic that has low melting temperature and it is used for producing castings which has intricate shapes.
Solutions to Questions on Corrosion
Corrosion is an important subject in the field of Engineering or areas related to it. Its importance makes some industries to consider it even before production.
Brazing and Soldering Techniques
Brazing is an important working on a jointed portion of a welded metal to produce mechanically acceptable bond between two surfaces. Soldering is similar to brazing but temperature defines the two.
Core-Making Process and Application
A core is a moulded shape or object which is used in forming the internal shapes of cylindrical or hollow shapes. Cores have contributed a lot in the production of many metallic hollow castings.
Sand Casting Process
Sand casting is the process of producing castings by the use of molten metal, sand and moulding box. By far sand casting is the most versatile of various methods of casting.
FiberBoard: Classifications and Properties
Fiberboard is a core topic in material engineering. Fiberboard has many definitions and each of the definitions is specific to a particular organization. Also, it has different classifications.
Job Evaluation: Reasons, Elements, Advantages and Disadvantages
Job evaluation is one of the tools that government and organizations use to determinate the salaries that workers will be paid after completion of their functions
Things to Do and Not to be done on Christmas Day
Christmas is a worldwide Christians celebration. It is known that all Christians in the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christian on every 25th of December.
Elementary, Middle School & High School
Importance of Education to Nations
Education is an important tool needed by every nation to achieve great and remarkable results. It is a key for unlocking embedded gifts in citizens of every nation. It is needed for all-round growth.
Paper Manufacturing Processes and Uses
Manufacturing of paper has many processes that accompany it. People find it easy to use paper without knowing the brain behind its production. This article throws little light on uses of paper.
The Blast Furnace: Zones and Type
Blast furnace is a heating machine used in smelting of metals. The machine has several zones. Its type is discussed in this write-up. The type of blast furnace that is most popular is the Iron type.
Youth Empowerment and Development: Step to Secure Nations Prosperity
Youth empowerment is the means of encouraging the youths of many nations for them to succeed in life. This is the means through which prosperity of nations can be secured.
Importance of Youth Empowerment
The youths are not only the leaders of tomorrow but the leaders of today. Empowering the youths of every nations is of great importance. This article details out these importance.
Types of Fluids
In the field of Engineering, their are many types of fluids. They are classified as Newtonian and non-Newtonian. The non-Newtonian fluids are classified into other classes.
Sources of Nigerian Law
This book centers on the sources of the Law of Federal Republic of Nigeria. Every nation have source of their Law. The sources include Received English Law, custom, equity and so on.
Classification of Offences
An offence is defined as an act of breaking a Law, illegal act or a crime. Offences are not equal in all proportions. In Law, offences are categorized based on what is contained in it or its "weight".
Classifications of Law, Negative and Positive Effects of Law
There are different classifications of Law. Each class has its explanations and where it is applicable. The individual classifications of Law have their source also.
Safety Precautions in the Workshop
Safety Precautions can be defined as measures taken in the workshop to avoid accident or harm which one may encounter in the workshop. These are many and are explained in this write-up.
Features of Nigeria Constitutional Law and Development
Federal Republic of Nigeria has features of Her Constitutional Law. This article explains these features well. The development of the constitution is also given.
Teaching Tips for Teachers
To teach is to give lessons to students in schools, colleges, universities, e. t. c. There are some important tips teachers need to know before going into teaching profession.
How to Make Metal Moulding Box
Molding box or moulding box is a shaped object made of wood, Plastic or metal which is used in casting processes. In this note, I am discussing on the steps for production of metal molding box.
Christan Faith and Science: Similarities and Differences
Faith is defined as trust in somebody’s ability or knowledge. There are many similarities between science and faith. In contrary, there are disagreements between the two.
Importance and Example of Business Planning
Business planning is deciding and organizing how to control the affairs of a business. The importance and example of business planning is shown on this page. The topic is well explained on this page.
Transport in Animals
Materials transport is very necessary in animals system. These materials transported are many. There are mechanisms and importance of transportation in animals which are discussed in this text .
How to Achieve Academic Excellence
This article is on the guide on what students should do to make it in their academic pursuit. A well explained points on how to be one of the best in your department of study.
How to Write Winning Essays
This topic is on essay guide, facts, and directions on how to write winning essay. The article is written to guide writers in their writing careers.
Economic Freedom: Rankings, Importance and Factors
Economic Freedom is of good importance to every nation in the world. Many nations are ranked more than the other in the practice of this freedom. There are some factors that promote economic freedom.
The Illuminati: Real or Just a Mere Story
Many pop musicians’, famous leaders, footballer and even the pope had been criticized as members of a secret cult named illuminati. What is Illuminati? Is it true that Illuminati exists?
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Saint Barbara
Updated on June 12, 2009
thecatholicexpert
About Saint Barbara
Saint Barbara lived in the third century, and became a martyr in the year 306. St. Barbara is the patron saint of miners, engineers and also people who work with explosives. St. Barbara's name is often mentioned when there are violent storms, including lightning and thunder. The legend of St. Barbara is truly amazing. Barbara's story is a lesson about bringing God into your life to deal with anger, rage and impossible situations.
St. Barbara was the daughter of a very rich man named Dioscorus. As the story goes, her father thought she was too beautiful for a common man. But he also disliked her growing faith in God. So her father built a tower on his property where she was instructed today, and she lived alone.
Dioscorus decided to have a bath house built for Barbara. He brought men to his property to work on the bathhouse, as he was preparing to leave for a long trip. While he was away on the trip, Barbara came down from the tower to see how the construction was going. Barbara noticed there were only two windows in the bathhouse, which let in very little light.
Barbara instructed the men to build a third window, to let in more light. The men initially resisted her instructions, but Barbara persisted and told the men she would accept all the responsibility for the change in plans. As the work was being done, Barbara also carved a cross into the marble wall of the bathhouse.
When Dioscorus returned, he was enraged to see the bathhouse not being built as he instructed. When confronted, the men told Dioscorus the changes were made at Barbara's request. Barbara told her father that, unlike him, she believed in Christ and the three windows represented the Trinity and the light that guides her life.
Dioscorus' attempts to keep his daughter hidden in darkness, and all way from God, were falling apart. She affirmed her belief in God to her father, Dioscorus. He took his daughter to the Roman leaders in his community and instructed them to torture her because of her beliefs. Barbara was beaten and had severe wounds. Vinegar was then rubbed into her wounds and she was locked in a cell. Barbara knelt down and began to pray for strength. She believed her faith would bring her through any torture.
The next morning, all of Barbara's wounds were miraculously healed.
Not far away, in another cell, a woman named Julianna observed was happening with Barbara. She too was imprisoned because of her belief in God. When Julianna saw how Barbara had prayed and her wounds were healed, she also reaffirmed her faith in God.
Both women were brought before the leaders and were commanded to deny their faith in Christ. Both Barbara and Julianna refused to deny their belief, and both were sentenced to die. Dioscorus was ordered to behead his own daughter, another man was chosen to do the same to Julianna. After Dioscorus and the executioner had finished killing the women, a mighty storm unfolded. As the legend goes, immediately after beheading his daughter, a lightning strike killed Dioscorus, Barbara's father. Moments later, a second lightning strike killed the executioner.
From Rapunzel to Tangled: The History of Real Rapunzel(s)
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AngelaKaelin
Very interesting... very helpful. Thank you!
Kim, this is indeed a great example of the type of faith you talk about in your Hub.
Kim Garcia
OK...I need to post this story to my Hub about Faith.
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Digital & UX
Brand Communications
hello@i-amonline.com
Nearly 90 per cent of guests happy to use apps to organise hotel stays – survey
< Back to Press
HSyndicate: I-AM Hospitality Trends
A hospitality trends survey commissioned by a leading London-based international branding and interior design agency has revealed that 88 per cent of people staying in hotels would like to reserve, check in and check out through a mobile app.
The survey, entitled ‘Exploring The Future of Hospitality’ and recently unveiled by I-AM, also reports that 77 per cent of people would like to request room service or other facilities through an app.
80 per cent of people would like to take virtual tours of hotels before booking
91 per cent of people would like the ability to choose their hotel room as they would a seat on an airplane
85 per cent of respondents think hotels should provide them with the opportunity to link their streaming devices such as Spotify or Netflix
95 per cent believe the hotel has a responsibility to introduce them to local culture
94 per cent would like their hotel to provide them with an itinerary of places to visit depending on their interests
Commenting on the report, I-AM Group Partner, Pete Champion, said: “People are travelling and moving around more than ever before, and this has allowed for a new breed of players to think about how to provide hospitable experiences on the move.
“Transport providers are taking cues from hotels to provide novel and comfortable experiences. This, combined with the popularity of sharing economy services like Airbnb, may begin to take some of the hotel industry’s market share away. Hoteliers need to begin thinking about how they can weigh in and possibly collaborate on projects outside of their permanent sites.”
Mr Champion added: “Consumers are requesting more control at all levels of their hotel experience. They want to build their own packages, receive transparency about costs, and cater their activities to their own interests and this is happening at many levels of the market, from budget to luxury.”
I-AM, headquartered in Shoreditch and with overseas offices in Istanbul, Dubai and Mumbai, has a portfolio of clients in many sectors including food and drink, banking, fashion, retail estate, telecom and tech, showrooms, education, transport and destinations.
The survey was conducted among 500 people aged 20 to 35 in the UK, Germany and France.
The Winter 2017 report can be downloaded at I-AM Shift – I-AM’s interactive trends and insights portal that explores the trends set to transform the hospitality sector: https://www.i-amshift.com/home
About I-AM Associates
I-AM create People Inspired Experiences. More than simply “understanding the target audience” all our creative work is driven by real customer insight. We have an in-house insights/trends capability that is central to the way we work. It ensures that we never lose sight of the customer”s wants and needs, right through the process, not just at the start of a project. We”re fascinated by people – how they think, act, react and buy – we believe that our “People Inspired” approach can help us design brand experiences that resonate with consumers on an more emotive level.
Published By HSyndicate on 13th February 2018
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Archive for the ‘Jamaica’ Category
Beacons of hope & exemplars of the soul’s triumph
The pessimists in us are not happy about 15 Filipino athletes coming to the Beijing Olympic Games. They think it’s a waste of time, money and effort sending the delegation with a dismal chance of winning. Yet considering the support we have for sports, it’s a wonder that we have a contingent of brave competitors willing to sweat it out for the glory and edification of the country.
Like Laos, Kiribati, Uruguay, Myanmar, Liechtenstein, Yemen, Zambia, and many others, Philippines went home wanting of an Olympic medal. But for sure all these countries are richer in experience and hope. To be part of a world where cultural differences is transformed into a gesture of friendly competitiveness is an accomplishment by itself.
To be the best in the field isn’t everything. By our participation in the games, we affirm the universal aspiration for excellence and our desire to connect with people. By cooperating with China’s hosting of a tantalizing “coming out” party which wowed the world, we bouy up cooperation and friendship among nations. We demonstrate that winning and losing are life-realities that all of us must contend with.
We salute the cash-strapped people of Zimbabwe whose hyperinflation and economic hardships didn’t deter their athletes to bring home 4 medals. We admire Malaysia and the small West African country of Togo which brought a silver and bronze respectively.
Turbulent Georgia, which nurses wounds from separatist South Ossetia and suffers border conflict with neighbor Russia, won 6 medals. Moslem Iran, threatening Israel and the world with its nuclear program basked in victory with two well-earned medals. Our southern Asian partner Indonesia celebrates success from 5 impressive wins, one of them gold in badminton.
Amidst the dominance and superiority of the United States with 110 medals (eclipsing China in total number but not in the count for gold,) the Middle Eastern nation of Bahrain with barely a million people produced for the first time a gold medal winner in track in field. Jamaica, a Carribean country of 2.5 million brought home a spectacular win of 11 medals, 6 of them gold. War-torn Afghanistan with a population less than half of the Philippines, won a taekwondo bronze in the 17-day grueling competition.
With 85 million of us, how come we’re lagging behind these countries? How come winning an Olympic medal seems to be so unreal— a pipe dream for us? The answer probably lies in our attitude, endurance, and value judgment. We need to trust ourselves more. We must support and appreciate the sportsmanship of our athletes. We must believe in our capacity to win, stirring us to fight as a team and as an individual for our own self-fulfillment and survival.
The aspiration of humanity to excel and be part of a cause greater than its own is part of the Olympic tradition. In a time when we doubt ourselves if we can go beyond what others expect of us, our athletes stand as beacons of hope and exemplars of our soul’s triumph. Even if our athletes didn’t win, in the field of dreams, their hearts shine as bright as the torch and the gold of the Olympics.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FILIPINO OLYMPIC ATHLETES!
Eric Ang—Shooting; Ryan Paolo Arabejo—Swimming;
Daniel Coakley—Swimming; Henry Dagmil—Track & Field; Hidilyn Diaz—-Weightlifting; Rexel Ryan Fabriga—Diving; Tshomlee Go—Taekwondo; Mark Javier—Archery; Miguel Molina—Swimming; Sheila Mae Perez—Diving; Mary Antoinette Rivero—Taekwondo;
Christel Simms—Swimming; Harry Tanamor—Boxing;
Marestella Torres—Track & Field; JB Walsh—Swimming. (PhotoCredits: AFP/NicolasAsfouri; Reuters/OlegPopov; Reuters/MikeBlake)=0=
Posted in Afghanistan, Athletes, Bahrain, Beijing, China, Filipinos, Georgia, Jamaica, Kiribati, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Olympics, Philippines, sports, Togo, USA, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe | Leave a Comment »
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PROGRAM MANAGER for a federal customer providing support to Cyber Security for the United States Marine Corps and Director of the Command, Control, Communications and Computers (C4) Directorate responsible for managing and supervising multiple projects with technical scope areas including Information assurance, computer network defense, certification, and accreditation, web risk assessment, network operations and Project / Portfolio Management. Responsible as the overall leader of assigned projects for meeting costs, schedule, performance, and quality requirements of the contract. Serve as the primary point of contact for the customer and take primary responsibility for customer satisfaction.
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PROGRAM MANAGER, Control, certification, accreditation, schedule, performance, Military, Security Clearance, Leadership, Military Operations, DoD, Marine Corps, Collaboration & Teamwork, Streamlining Complex..., Data Analysis, Equipment Installation, Operations Management, human resource..., leadership and mentoring, policy development, Exceptional public..., Scheduling Management, Training Facilitation, writing and editing, Military Experience, Top Secret, Force Protection, Command, Policy, Intelligence Analysis, Defense, Personnel Management, Air Force, Afghanistan, Special Operations, Information Assurance, Training, Operational Planning, Army, Intelligence, Government, Exercises, National Security, Weapons, Counterterrorism, Navy, Government Contracting, Command & Control, Homeland Security, SIGINT, Electronic Warfare, Security+, Tactics, Counterinsurgency, Combat, Interagency Coordination
United States Marine Corps from January 1989 to April 2013 Summary of Qualifications:-Collaboration & Teamwork- Complex Problem Solving- Data Analysis- Disaster Recovery Contingency Planning- Equipment Installations & Operations- Human Resource Management- Leadership & Mentoring- Math Skills- Network Security- Operating & Achieving Results- Operational Planning- Policy Development- Project Management- Public Speaking- Safety Test Equipment- Scheduling- Training & Education- Writing & Editing Specialties: -Top Secret / Sensitive Compartmentalized Information-Comptia, Security+ ce DOD 8570.01 -Harcourt Learning Direct, PC Repair
Military, Security Clearance, Leadership, Military Operations, DoD, Marine Corps, Collaboration & Teamwork, Streamlining Complex Work Processes, Data Analysis, Equipment Installation, Operations Management, human resource management, leadership and mentoring, policy development, Exceptional public speaker, Scheduling Management, Training Facilitation, writing and editing, Military Experience, Top Secret, Force Protection, Command, Policy, Intelligence Analysis, Defense, Personnel Management, Air Force, Afghanistan, Special Operations, Information Assurance, Training, Operational Planning, Army, Intelligence, Government, Exercises, National Security, Weapons, Counterterrorism, Navy, Government Contracting, Command & Control, Homeland Security, SIGINT, Electronic Warfare, Security+, Tactics, Counterinsurgency, Combat, Interagency Coordination
"Think Resources, Inc." SIGINT
PROGRAM MANAGER, Control, certification, accreditation, schedule, performance, Military, Security Clearance, Leadership, Military Operations, DoD, Marine Corps, Collaboration & Teamwork, Streamlining Complex Work Processes, Data Analysis, Equipment Installation, Operations Management, human resource management, leadership and mentoring, policy development, Exceptional public speaker, Scheduling Management, Training Facilitation, writing and editing, Military Experience, Top Secret, Force Protection, Command, Policy, Intelligence Analysis, Defense, Personnel Management, Air Force, Afghanistan, Special Operations, Information Assurance, Training, Operational Planning, Army, Intelligence, Government, Exercises, National Security, Weapons, Counterterrorism, Navy, Government Contracting, Command & Control, Homeland Security, SIGINT, Electronic Warfare, Security+, Tactics, Counterinsurgency, Combat, Interagency Coordination, PC Repair
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United States Navy (1)
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John Waickwicz
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'SENIOR SPAN' SIGINT
DC/NOVA Rep
Rite-Solutions is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business headquartered out of Middletown, R.I. It possesses a seasoned workforce with demonstrated abilities in systems engineering and software development. Its scope spans the spectrum of government and commercial sectors.
Rite-Solutions
Commander, Naval Mine and Anti-Submarine Command
Command, Quality Assurance, Navy, Contract Negotiation, Requirements Analysis, Integration, Engineering, National Security, Systems Engineering, Defense, Communication Skills, DoD, Security Clearance, Operational Planning, Program Management, Leadership, Defence, C4ISR, Intelligence Analysis, Electronic Warfare, Military, Earned Value Management, Information Assurance, Government Contracting, Military Experience, Military Operations, Aviation, Organizational Leadership, Foreign Military Sales, Helicopters, Security, Army, Special Operations, Aerospace, Readiness, Aircraft, Intelligence, Tactics, Government, Weapons, Air Force, Force Protection, Counterterrorism, Defence Sector, Military Aviation, Homeland Security, Command & Control, Interagency Coordination, SIGINT, NATO
General Manager of a $106M business unit, led the integration of acquired multi-site businesses into a seamless organization. Restructured management, QA, contracts, financial control and marketing processes to focus on customer requirements and improve net income. Coordinated the integration of two seperate engineering P&L centers, made up of PhD level technologists and systems design specialists located across four states, to support a business strategy focused on advanced technologies and product design serving the global markets. Implemented and maintains an ISO 9001:2008 quality assurance program for design engineering services and maintains a CMMI Level III environment. Expanded contract backlog to over 110 unique projects, funded to $260M. Improved net income margins by over 20% through pro-active staff management, control of indirect expenses and leading a market shift to higher margin product design projects.
Alion Science and Technology
CMMI, QA, contracts, Command, Quality Assurance, Navy, Contract Negotiation, Requirements Analysis, Integration, Engineering, National Security, Systems Engineering, Defense, Communication Skills, DoD, Security Clearance, Operational Planning, Program Management, Leadership, Defence, C4ISR, Intelligence Analysis, Electronic Warfare, Military, Earned Value Management, Information Assurance, Government Contracting, Military Experience, Military Operations, Aviation, Organizational..., Foreign Military Sales, Helicopters, Security, Army, Special Operations, Aerospace, Readiness, Aircraft, Intelligence, Tactics, Government, Weapons, Air Force, Force Protection, Counterterrorism, Defence Sector, Military Aviation, Homeland Security, Command & Control, Interagency Coordination, SIGINT, NATO, Organizational Leadership
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William Grayson
Sr. Network Engineer/Architect - NTT Data Professional Services
Senior IT Network Engineer/Architect, with over 15+ years experience in the internetworking industry and with high-level hands-on Architecture Design & Implementation with a track record of evaluating core business functions, issues and needs and developing projects from concept to completion.
Self-starter who monitors industry trends and executes IT initiatives to maintain competitiveness.
• Managed and saved $2 million on $3.5 million networking project by renegotiating contracts with key vendors.
• Technical Project Lead for 20 month Data Center project, developed RFPs managed selection and implementation of entire network and telecommunications infrastructure.
• Developed strategy and project plans for Fortune 500 companies to convert LANs to a Data/VoIP converged infrastructure.
Team leader and motivator able to implement plans and procedures that increase productivity and decrease costs.
• Reduced long distance service contract from $12M to $7M, representing a 42% costs savings. Reduced maintenance costs 25% by consolidating global purchases to maximize discounts through Gold Level customer status with IBM, Nortel, Lucent & Cisco.
• Led network team on evaluation of Disaster Recovery Data Center facility to support fulltime data backup operations. Provided space assessment and evaluation on diverse carrier services availability. Performed network capacity planning for SONET OC-12 services, PBX support and LAN/WAN backbone integration.
• Created project plan and managed the execution for the relocation of POP and MDF facilities, supervised installation of WAN, LAN and Telecom services for secondary data center, improving space availability and lease costs.
Creative thinker who demonstrates strong problem-solving ability, an entrepreneurial spirit and high-level management skills.
• Reduced MTBF statistics 40% and improved network capacity/performance by 100% by initiating complete infrastructure redesign of corporate R&D campus network.
• Played key role in $1M, 5-month sales increase as major supporter of pre-and post-field sales team.
• Plan, execute and manage all the activities of the new business development process.Technical Skills:
• Cisco Routers: 2500, 2600, 2691, 2821, 3600, 3725, 3745, 3550, 3760 3750, 3800, 3945, 7000, 7204VXR, 7206VXR, 7304, 7500, 7600, 7513, Cisco ESR 10000, GSR 12410, ASR-1002 and 9006.
• Cisco Switches: 1900, 2900, 3500, 3750, 3900, 4000, 4500, 4506, 4509, 5500, 5509, 6500, 6509, 6513, Nexus 1000V, 5000,7010.
• Cisco Blade Servers: UCS C210 M2
• Cisco Voice Gateways/Gatekeepers: 2821, 3745, 3825, 3845, AS5300, AS5400
• Avaya Gateways: G860 G650, S8730 S8300
• Juniper Routers: M7i, M10, M20, M40, M320.
• Routers and Switches: Riverstone (3000, 8000, 8600), 3COM, Extreme BlackDiamond, FORE, Foundry 4802.
• Protocols: RIP, RIP v2, IGRP, EIGRP, SNA, OSPF, BGP, QoS, IPX/SPX, HSRP, MPLS, H.323, SS7, TCP/IP, SIP, SNMP, PPP, CHAP, VRRP, FTP, Telnet, SMTP, MGCP, NFS, NetBios, LDAP, DLSW+, NTP, DHCP, DNS, TFTP, BOOTP, MLPPP, HTTP, RTP, SCCP.
• Load Balancers: Citrix Netscaler, Cisco ACE 4710, Cisco WAAS, Riverbed 1050, 1160 and 5050.
• Network Tools/Management: SNMP, HP Openview, CiscoWorks, T-berds, Sniffers, Concord e-Health, Micromuse NetCool, Probes, SolarWinds, Whats UpGold, PRTG and Cisco RTMT (Real Time Monitoring Tool), Nagios, Mazu, Optnet.
• Network Topologies: VoIP, ATM, SONET, Frame Relay, ISDN, T-1-T-3, Gigabit Ethernet, Metro-Ethernet, Token Ring, Broadband/Wireless, DSL, MPLS
• Wireless: Cisco Aironet 12000 Series, Satellite, Foundry IronPoint 200, Cisco Prime NCS Wireless Appliance
• Security Platforms: VPN, RADIUS, TACACS+, NAT, ACLs, Checkpoint FW-1, Cisco PIX 515, 525, Cisco ASA 5520 and 5585, RAS, IPSEC, Juniper Netscreen Firewall 204, 550 SG, Juniper ISG 1000, Juniper IDP 8200.
• Network Operating Systems, Management Applications and Databases: VMWare, ESX, Linux, Solaris v8 & v9, Windows NT, 2000, 2003 and 2008
• Videoconference: Polycom VSX4000, 7000, SONY PCS-1, Cisco Telepresence Server, Tandberg MCU solutions
Certifications/Courses:
• VMware Infrastructure 3: Install, Configure and Manage v3.0 (August 2013)
• CCIE (written Dec 2012)
• CCNP-Voice ( Pursuing March 2014 - Passed (2) out of (5) exams)
• Troubleshooting Cisco Unified Communication System (March 2010)
• Cisco Unified Communication Architecture and Design (January 2010)
• Implementing Cisco Unified Communication IP Telephony System Part I (May 2009)
• Implementing Cisco Unified Communication IP Telephony System Part II (May 2009)
• Deploying Cisco Unified Contact Center Express 2.0 (April 2009)
• Cisco IPCC Bootcamp v7.0, October 2007
• Cisco Voice Over IP (CVOICE) Course, May 2007
• Configuring Veraz Softswitches and Media Gateways (March 2007)
• Implementing Netscreen Security Firewalls (March 2007
• Configuring Juniper Network Routers M-Series, February 2007
• Introduction to Sonus Softswitch Voice Networks, October 2001
GOTS, COTS/GOTS
Sr. Network Engineer/Architect
Responsible for designing, implementing, configuring and supporting a new major Health Care Voice and Data Datacenter network system for The State of California.
• Responsible for troubleshooting and supporting technologies such as MPLS, Nexus 2248, 5K, 7K Switches, Cisco ASA 5585 Firewalls and Cisco ASR 1002, 9006 Routers and Oracle Sun Infinity 10GE Switches.
• Configured and implemented EIGRP, OSPF, BGP, and HSRP. Hardware and software recommendations, parts lists and Bill of Materials.
• Composed architecture/design documentation, project plans, network diagrams, and call flows for healthcare network.
• Installed and maintained security infrastructure, including Cisco IDS/IPS, log management, and security assessment systems. Assess threats, risks, and vulnerabilities from emerging security issues. Implemented security measures such as: ACL, RADIUS, TACACS+ and IDS/IPS.
• Designed, deployed, and supported Cisco Call Manager/Call Manager Express and Cisco Unity Standalone solutions. Deployed/Upgrade Cisco Call Manager 7x and 8.x Cisco Unity 5.x, 7x, Unity Connection 8.5 and Cisco UCCE 8.x.
• Installation & patching, maintenance and performance tuning of windows operating systems, and application servers.
• Completed Oracle ZFS 7420 blade server installs, VMware installs, physical to virtual server conversion and SAN. Hands on experience with iSCSI, NFS and Fibre Channel protocols on NetApp storage. VirtualCenter management, LabManager, vCloud Director, Consolidated Backup, DRS, HA, DPM, vMotion, VMware Data Recovery, VMware Site Recovery Manager (SRM), vCenter Operations Manager, Horizon Workspace, Horizon Mirage, ThinApp and VMware View desktop virtualization infrastructure (VDI).
• Helped build a new West Coast Disaster Recovery Data Center, including the roll out of a new server platform (Cisco UCS Blades) and a remote management model.
• Deployed virtualized CUCM on the Cisco UCS C260 M2, Cisco UCS C200M2 and Cisco UCS C210 M2 rack-mount servers and ran load on the CUCM instance.
• Deployed Unified Communications, VMware vSphere 5.0, 4.1, ESXi 5.0, 4.1, Data Center Virtualization, UC on Cisco UCS, Cisco Hosted Collaboration Solution (HCS) 8.6.2 and running Unified Communications Applications in a Virtualized Environment
• Responsible for configuring and implementing Riverbed 1050, 1160 and 5050 appliances and responsible for configuring and implementing Cisco 4710 ACE Load Balancers.
• Created cut sheets, Call Flows etc. Programmed Call Manager, Unity, and worked with Enterprise systems to configure routers. Programmed all Voice Gateways with Call Manager (MGCP's/SRST). Including setup of all Media Resources. (DSP's, transcoding, conferencing bridges, etc.).
• Deployed and install VoIP phones 7920, 7921, 7936, 7940, 7960, 7961, 99xx models.
NTT Data Professional Services
TACACS, SONY PCS, IPCC, CVOICE, 2600, 2691, 2821, 3600, 3725, 3745, 3550, 3760 3750, 3800, 3945, 7000, 7204VXR, 7206VXR, 7304, 7500, 7600, 7513, GSR 12410, 2900, 3500, 3750, 3900, 4000, 4500, 4506, 4509, 5500, 5509, 6500, 6509, 6513, Nexus 1000V, 5000, 3825, 3845, AS5300, M10, M20, M40, 8000, 8600), 3COM, Extreme BlackDiamond, FORE, RIP v2, IGRP, EIGRP, SNA, OSPF, BGP, QoS, IPX/SPX, HSRP, MPLS, H323, SS7, TCP/IP, SIP, SNMP, PPP, CHAP, VRRP, FTP, Telnet, SMTP, MGCP, NFS, NetBios, LDAP, DLSW+, NTP, DHCP, DNS, TFTP, BOOTP, MLPPP, HTTP, RTP, Cisco WAAS, Riverbed 1050, HP Openview, CiscoWorks, T-berds, Sniffers, Concord e-Health, Micromuse NetCool, Probes, SolarWinds, Whats UpGold, Nagios, Mazu, ATM, SONET, Frame Relay, ISDN, T-1-T-3, Gigabit Ethernet, Metro-Ethernet, Token Ring, Broadband/Wireless, DSL, Satellite, TACACS+, NAT, ACLs, Checkpoint FW-1, 525, RAS, IPSEC, 550 SG, ESX, Linux, Windows NT, 2000, SONY PCS-1, October 2001, RADIUS, UCCE, CUCM, implementing, Nexus 2248, 5K, 7K Switches, project plans, network diagrams, log management, risks, deployed, 7x, VMware installs, LabManager, vCloud Director, Consolidated Backup, DRS, HA, DPM, vMotion, Horizon Workspace, Horizon Mirage, 41, ESXi 50, transcoding, conferencing bridges, 7921, 7936, 7940, 7960, 7961, 99xx models, UNITY, SONET OC, MTBF, Nortel
Completed Dell 360 blade server installs, VMware installs, physical to virtual server conversion and SAN.
• Responsible for designing and implementing technologies such as MPLS, VoIP, Cisco IPT Telephony, and IP Contact Center.
• Responsible for budgeting, planning of IPT Voice project.
• Responsible for deployment, installation and implementation CUCM/Unity Unified Messaging/Meeting Place/WebEx Collaboration services.
• Responsibilities included technical leadership, architecture, design, project management oversight and deployment of the company integrated solution. The position is recognized as integral to both revenue generating operationally efficient functions of the company.
• Designed, deployed, and supported Cisco Call Manager/Call Manager Express and Cisco Unity (VM/UM)/Unity Express solutions. Deployed/Upgrade Cisco Call Manager 4.x, 6.x, 7x and 8.x Cisco Unity 5.x, 7x and Cisco IPCC Express 5.x.
• PBX integrations with T1 CAS, PRI, and QSIG.
• Deployed and install VoIP phones (7920, 7921, 7936, 7940, 7960 and 7961) Unity Voice Mail. Worked with local Telco's to bring up MPLS WAN circuits, PRI's and POT's lines to each site. Manage the day to day service of the Cisco VoIP clustered network. Install new phones, adds, moves and changes as requested.
• Responsible for network architecture design and system engineering support in the following areas: VoIP gateway router/services, routing implementations & configurations, IP subnets, SRST, QoS policies, network security implementations, Cisco ASA 5520 implementation and network management.
• Installed and maintained security infrastructure, including Juniper IPS, IDS, log management, and security assessment systems. Assess threats, risks, and vulnerabilities from emerging security issues. Implemented security measures such as ACL, RADIUS, TACACS+ and IDS.
• Responsible for network traffic analysis, capacity planning, and monitoring and reporting network throughput via Solarwinds, PRTG and Cisco RTMT (Real-Time-Monitoring Tool). Implemented traffic measures such as NetFlow.
• Led project to design and deliver a global videoconference network spanning 22 U.S. cities to improve collaboration, reduce travel costs (15%) and provide secure effective alternatives to business travel. Configure and deployed Cisco, Polycom and Tandberg solutions.
• Responsible for design, configuration, installation and deployment of all LAN/WAN environment for new core and access node in U.S. cities utilizing network hardware such as Cisco 2800 & 3800 series routers, Cisco 4506, and Cisco 6509 switches.
• Responsible for engineering the design for the data and voice network with MPLS, BGP, EIGRP, OSPF, HSRP, and VoIP for various U.S. locations.
• Responsible for designing, implementing, configuration and deploying WAAS devices for all U.S. sites.
TACACS, SONY PCS, IPCC, CVOICE, 2600, 2691, 2821, 3600, 3725, 3745, 3550, 3760 3750, 3800, 3945, 7000, 7204VXR, 7206VXR, 7304, 7500, 7600, 7513, GSR 12410, 2900, 3500, 3750, 3900, 4000, 4500, 4506, 4509, 5500, 5509, 6500, 6509, 6513, Nexus 1000V, 5000, 3825, 3845, AS5300, M10, M20, M40, 8000, 8600), 3COM, Extreme BlackDiamond, FORE, RIP v2, IGRP, EIGRP, SNA, OSPF, BGP, QoS, IPX/SPX, HSRP, MPLS, H323, SS7, TCP/IP, SIP, SNMP, PPP, CHAP, VRRP, FTP, Telnet, SMTP, MGCP, NFS, NetBios, LDAP, DLSW+, NTP, DHCP, DNS, TFTP, BOOTP, MLPPP, HTTP, RTP, Cisco WAAS, Riverbed 1050, HP Openview, CiscoWorks, T-berds, Sniffers, Concord e-Health, Micromuse NetCool, Probes, SolarWinds, Whats UpGold, Nagios, Mazu, ATM, SONET, Frame Relay, ISDN, T-1-T-3, Gigabit Ethernet, Metro-Ethernet, Token Ring, Broadband/Wireless, DSL, Satellite, TACACS+, NAT, ACLs, Checkpoint FW-1, 525, RAS, IPSEC, 550 SG, ESX, Linux, Windows NT, 2000, SONY PCS-1, October 2001, RADIUS, CUCM, MPLS WAN, WAAS, VMware installs, 41, ESXi 50, VoIP, architecture, design, deployed, 6x, PRI, transcoding, conferencing bridges, 7921, 7936, 7940, adds, IP subnets, SRST, QoS policies, IDS, log management, risks, capacity planning, configuration, Cisco 4506, implementing, UNITY, SONET OC, MTBF, Nortel
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CELEBRATING AMERICAN SHE-POETS (29): Emma Lazarus and Liberty Lighting the World … “I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”
by Jamie Dedes.In American She-Poets, Celebrating American She-Poets, Poem/Poetry, She-Poets, Writers/Poets.5 Comments on CELEBRATING AMERICAN SHE-POETS (29): Emma Lazarus and Liberty Lighting the World … “I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”
Emma Lazarus, 1849 – 1887
In a letter to Emma Lazarus about Alide, an episode of Goethe’s Life. the Russian novelist Turgenev wrote “An author who writes as you do is not a pupil in art anymore; he is not far from being himself a master.”
“Emma Lazarus is a new name to us in American poetry, but ‘Admetus’ is not the work of a ‘prentice-hand’; few recent volumes of verse compare favorably with the spirit and musical expression of these genuine effusions of Emma Lazarus.” The Boston Transcript, c 1871
“What Emma Lazarus might have accomplished, had she been spared, it is idle and even ungrateful to speculate. What she did accomplish has real and peculiar significance. It is the privilege of a favored few that every fact and circumstance of their individuality shall add lustre and value to what they achieve. To be born a Jewess was a distinction to Emma Lazarus, and she in turn conferred distinction upon her race.” Josephine Lazarus, Emma’s elder sister who gather her poems together and published them in two volumes, The Poems of Emma Lazarus, 1881
“Until we are all free, we are none of us free.” Emma Lazarus
EMMA LAZARUS, poet, writer and activist, was by all accounts shy and she died at thirty-nine years, much too young. Nonetheless she accomplished a lot in addition to that for which she is most well-known, The New Colossus, the sonnet that is on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World) in New York Harbor, having been installed there in 1903.
Unveiling of the Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World (1886) by Edward Moran. Oil on canvas. The J. Clarence Davies Collection, Museum of the City of New York.
“The copper statue, designed by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, a French sculptor, was built by Gustave Eiffel and dedicated on October 28, 1886. It was a gift to the United States from the people of France. The statue is of a robed female figure representing Libertas, the Roman goddess, who bears a torch and a ]a tablet evoking the law upon which is inscribed the date of the American Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776. A broken chain lies at her feet. The statue is an icon of freedom and of the United States, and was a welcoming sight to immigrants arriving from abroad.” [Wikipedia]
In fact Lady Liberty greeted my own father and maternal grandparents and their children as they entered the harbor just as she probably did for the families of those reading here today. Their children and grandchildren learned the poem by heart in school. I suspect the majority of us took the ideals expressed as our own.
The bronze plaque inscribed with Emma Lazarus’ poem, The New Colossus.
A hymn to America, the “Mother of Exiles,” The New Colossus, was written to raise money for the construction of the pedestal for the Statue of Liberty.
The New Colossus – 1883
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
– Emma Lazarus
Emma came from a large Sephardic-Ashkenazi family, the father’s side from Germany and the mother’s side from Portugal. Her maternal great-grandmother was also a poet. Emma’s first book of poems was published by her father when she was fourteen and apparently showed much promise. She continued to write poetry and eventually wrote a five-act play, a novel and a short-story as well. She was a linguist, editing and translating works from the German, notably those of Goethe and Heinrich Heine. She wrote fourteen essays entitled Letters to the Hebrews. She was a forerunner in advocating a Jewish homeland, predating Theodore Herzi. She was friends with and an admirer of the American political economist, Henry George, who was instrumental in the birth of several reform movements of the Progressive Era. Essentially, George believed that workers should own the value of what they create, while the land should be held in common. Ralph Waldo Emerson was both friend and mentor.
Emma Lazarus received many posthumous awards. The Emma Lazarus Statue of Liberty Award is sponsored by the American Jewish Historical Society (New York and Massachusetts) and P.S. 268 in Brooklyn is named for her.
Life and Art
Not while the fever of the blood is strong,
The heart throbs loud, the eyes are veiled, no less
With passion than with tears, the Muse shall bless
The poet-sould to help and soothe with song.
Not then she bids his trembling lips express
The aching gladness, the voluptuous pain.
Life is his poem then; flesh, sense, and brain
One full-stringed lyre attuned to happiness.
But when the dream is done, the pulses fail,
The day’s illusion, with the day’s sun set,
He, lonely in the twilight, sees the pale
Divine Consoler, featured like Regret,
Enter and clasp his hand and kiss his brow.
Then his lips ope to sing–as mine do now.
Obituary, Emma Lazarus, The New York Times
Emma Lazarus and The Statue of Liberty, Henry Weinrib. Jewish Magazine
"The New Colossus"Emma LazaruspoemspoetPoetryStatue of Liberty
danielpaulmarshall says:
one more thing, i think you’d like this blog https://poethead.wordpress.com/ which is run by Chris Murray, who publishes myriads of brilliant female poets.
glad i found this blog, some informed & interesting articles here. i especially liked the Landay post. i would be lying if i said i liked Lazarus’s poetry though, sorry, a bit wooden for me— if you fling me back 5 or 6 years i’d be more sensitive to it, but i feel i sort of grew out of formal verse, i can’t even read Shelley anymore, well his lyrics, i still like his long poems immensely. perhaps i’d like Lazarus’s essays. was Lazarus her real name or a pen name? daft question, it just seems dramatic.
I’m not always particularly excited by formal verse myself and only very rarely write in formal verse forms. Nonetheless, it is almost always of value in exploring our histories. Given some of the current attitudes toward immigrants, I selected Emma today as a reminder of our roots and ideals. Yes, her legal name – birth name – family name is Lazarus. Thank you, Daniel for taking the time to visit, read and comment.
i understood your intention, but thank you for the clarity anyway. i think a reminder that women poets were making a dent in patriarchy is always important. some of the Romantic women poets like Charlotte Smith, Anna Barbauld & Felicia Hemans, were industrious women keeping house, children whilst writing poetry for financial stability, & writing droves of it, some of it very good about women’s domestic troubles & child birth. it would be erroneous to say it was women’s Lib-conscious, but it certainly wasn’t mimicking Wordsworth or the male poet’s of that generation. maybe i foresee a future post on these poets in the folds of your blog.
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DNEG Careers
HR Advisor – Global Mobility & Immigration
Human Resources London, United Kingdom
A fantastic opportunity has arisen within the busy HR Team at DNEG’s head office. Our London Studio is made up of a VFX Film & TV Division, a new and developing Feature Animation division, a large technology division, plus our core support functions.
We are looking for an HR Advisor - Global Mobility & Immigration (FTC) to join our team to provide generalist operational HR support for assigned departments within the Company, as well as overseeing UK business immigration compliance and International Transfer and Assignment policies, projects and workflows.
As part of the generalist HR support within this role, you will partner closely with your client group, providing comprehensive HR support, coaching managers through a range of ER issues and advising on best practice, whilst at the same time ensuring a pragmatic and business focus, appropriate to DNEG. You will work collaboratively with Managers/Heads of Departments (HoDs), ensuring the best solutions are provided and effective communication at all times.
In supporting the HoDs for your client groups, you will take the lead on a variety of HR activities including ER issues, performance management (formal & informal), talent management, annual performance & salary review process, absence management, redundancies and managing ad-hoc people issues. You will also work as part of a wider HR team, to oversee the administrative function as well as manage and support our Global Mobility & Immigration Assistant.
Within this role, you will be DNEG’s Global Mobility & Immigration internal expert. Working closely with our external Immigration lawyers, you will be the Authorising Officer for DNEG’s UK Sponsor License for Tier 2 and Tier 5 visas, ensuring our sponsor license is up to date and DNEG is compliant at all times. You will oversee all reporting duties and administrative tasks carried out by our Global Mobility & Immigration Assistant, and advise on visa requirements and applications where necessary. You will also be responsible for providing advice and training to Managers, HR and Talent Acquisition on all UK immigration processes. For this role, it is important you keep up to date with all UK Immigration legislation, Brexit and the new immigration system due to be launched in 2021.
Within this role, you will also be responsible for advising on all matters relating to Global Mobility including, visas for employees going on-set globally, and immigration requirements for International Transfers and Assignments into London. You will support the Global Mobility and Immigration Assistant when advising employees about upcoming trips, providing guidance on relocation, vaccinations and other policy elements. Within this role, you will also be responsible for maintaining policies and processes for International business travel, Transfers and Assignments.
This role would ideally suit someone who has experience as an HR Advisor with responsibility for UK Immigration and International Transfers and Assignments. You will be highly motivated and thrive in a fast-paced environment, with a keen eye for detail.
Proven experience in a generalist HR role, operating at Advisory level
Knowledge of UK visa sponsorship, specifically Tier 2 and Tier 5, with experience of using the Sponsorship Management System
Experience in dealing with International Transfers and Assignments, including policies management, relocation packages, immigration and tax
Able to demonstrate a practical understanding and interpretation of UK employment law
Excellent general IT skills, knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Word and other packages as appropriate
CIPD Qualified
Experience of working within a creative industry
Experience within a large Company structure
Educated to degree level
Team player but able to motivate self and work independently on own initiative
Discrete, approachable and reliable
Flexible, can-do attitude with the ability to react calmly in a pressurised situation
Ability to liaise confidently and credibly with people at all levels
Proven ability to influence and build strong business partnerships within a business
Ability to own and follow-through on projects required and issues raised
Ability to see the bigger picture, problem solve and operate accordingly
Excellent organisational and time management skills
We are DNEG, one of the world's leading visual effects, animation and stereo conversion companies for feature film and television, with studios in London, Vancouver, Mumbai, Los Angeles, Chennai, Montréal, Chandigarh, Hyderabad and Goa.
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Houses for sale in Greenville, SC
Looking for homes for sale in Greenville, SC? Greenville, SC is a lively, fast-growing city located in the upstate region of South Carolina and the perfect place to call home! From the robust downtown with a variety of shops, restaurants and cultural venues, to the quiet tree-lined suburbs with historic homes, Greenville is an exceptional community to call home.
Real Estate in Greenville, SC
Homes in Greenville vary in size and style, including traditional, Colonial, modern, Craftsman and more. Neighborhoods in Greenville are well-maintained with pristine landscaping, providing a pleasant and attractive atmosphere. Greenville real estate includes quaint single-story homes, grandiose mansions on spacious lots, brand new condominiums, and nearly anything in between. The diversity in the real estate landscape of Greenville means there is an option for just about every buyer.
Lifestyle and Attractions
Greenville is the third-largest municipality in the state, and serves as the county seat of Greenville County. It is located about halfway between Atlanta and Charlotte, which are easily accessible via Interstates 185 and 385, both of which run through the city. Greenville has been named amongst one of the fastest growing cities in the country, due to its high concentration of international powerhouse companies.
Popular attractions in Greenville include the Greenville County Museum of Art, the Greenville Zoo, the Roper Mountain Science Center and more. Greenville hosts several sports games, concerts and events at their cultural event venues, including the enormous Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Peace Center, Centre Stage and Fluor Field at the West End, home of the Greenville Drive baseball team. Greenville also hosts a variety of community events and annual festivals, including Euphoria Greenville, Fall for Greenville, Artisphere and more. Outdoor enthusiasts have plenty of options for adventure in and around Greenville. In particular, they may head to the 32-acre Falls Park located on the Reedy River, or travel to nearby state parks and the Blue Ridge Mountains less than an hour’s drive away.
Nearby Schools and Higher Education
Greenville County School District is the largest school district in the state, hosting 14 high schools, 18 middle schools, and 50 elementary schools. Greenville hosts a number of private schools as well, including Christ Church Episcopal School, Hampton Park Christian School and many more. Greenville is home to several colleges and universities, including Bob Jones University, a Christian liberal arts university; Furman University, a private four-year liberal arts university; and Greenville Technical College, with more than 100 programs geared toward career preparation.
The Greenville area served as hunting grounds of the Cherokee Indians until its first European settler, Richard Pearis, arrived in 1770. Greenville County was established after the Revolutionary War, in 1786, and settlers poured into the area. By 1795, the village centered on a log courthouse built near the Reedy River Falls, and the city’s name was later changed to Greenville after Revolutionary War hero, Nathanael Greene. By 1910, Greenville was a thriving cotton town, as grist mills were built along the banks of the Reedy River in the 1830s and the railroad arrived to town in the 1850s. Thousands of Scots-Irish tenant farmers moved to Greenville to seek jobs in the mills, which spelled the beginning of the area’s textile boom. This continued through the 1920s and into the late 1960s. Construction executives lured new industries to the area in the ‘60s, including automotive and tire companies.
Approximate Distance to:
Spartanburg: 32 Miles
Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport: 13.5 Miles
Charlotte Douglas International Airport: 96 Miles
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Greenville Memorial Hospital: 3 Miles
St. Francis Downtown: 2.5 Miles
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I-385: 0.5 Miles
Properties within a 1.19 mile radius and similar in price (± 10%)
119 Dime Street
16 Monticello Avenue
101 Tuskegee Avenue
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14 Webster Road
212 Keith Drive
27 Scarlett Street
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{{#price}}{{price}}{{/price}} MLS# {{mls}} {{#bed}}{{bed}}{{/bed}} {{#bathfull}}{{bathfull}}{{/bathfull}} {{#bathhalf}}{{bathhalf}}{{/bathhalf}} {{#sqft}}{{sqft}} SqFt{{/sqft}}
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Some properties that appear for sale on this website may subsequently have been sold and may no longer be available. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. School assignments are subject to change. Please consult with the appropriate school system for student assignment.
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Group 65Go to Motiva AI
What is Rate Uncertainty?
Written by Matt Hill
In the Motiva Message Testing AI results, the rate chart plots the expected open or clickthrough rate over time of every email variation being tested. In the following example, there are four options plotted over 5 days:
It's a bit difficult to see in the screenshot, but there are lightly colored areas around each line in the chart. These areas represent the uncertainty interval for each option over time. Motiva believes the true rates will fall within these intervals 99% of the time.
In our app, to get a better look, hover over one of the lines in the chart to highlight that option's uncertainty interval. In the example below, we've hovered over the blue option. As you can see, the uncertainty interval gets smaller over time as Motiva gets more confident in its estimates.
On the 1st and 2nd days, the uncertainty interval overlaps the other options quite a bit. Towards the end of the campaign, as Motiva becomes more confident that the blue email is the best, the uncertainty interval only minimally overlaps the others.
The degree of overlap you see between the various options' intervals gives a visual indication of how confident Motiva is in the differences in performance.
If intervals for two particular options overlap significantly, their performance is quite similar. If one email option outperforms all others with high confidence, the interval for that option will be higher and minimally overlap the others.
Motiva collects just enough evidence to be confident that a particular email option is not the best, thereby accelerating the learning process.
Motiva AI
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Thomas R. O'Donnell
Iowa Science Interface
About Thomas R. O’Donnell
Posts Tagged ‘David Epstein’
Aaron Dopf, Betsy Dopf, David Epstein, DNA, Drake University, Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy, genetics, GoFundMe, Jill Viles, lipodystrophy, Priscilla Lopes-Schliep, ProPublica, Robert Dopf, The Atlantic, This American Life, Thomas Horiagon
This Iowa mom uses a scooter. This Olympian vaults hurdles. A rare condition links them.
In Uncategorized on February 11, 2016 at 7:20 am
Jill Viles (with her son, Martin) uses an electric scooter to get around. Priscilla Lopes-Schliep is a world-class hurdler. The women have discovered they share a rare muscle condition. For Viles, it’s part of the reason she can no longer walk. For Lopes-Schliep, it’s one reason for her dominance on the track. Image via the Toronto Star.
The idea seemed ludicrous: A muscle-bound world-class athlete and an Iowa mom with arms and legs reduced to sticks, sharing the same rare muscle condition.
When her sister suggested it, Jill Viles scoffed. “Who in a million years would possibly put together somebody who can’t walk and somebody who’s an Olympic hurdler?” Viles said this week from her home in Gowrie, in north-central Iowa
But doctors had been wrong before about Viles, who lost use of her legs several years ago. And the more she examined photos of Priscilla Lopes-Schliep, a Canadian who won bronze in 2008, the more she began to think her sister was right.
Looking a picture of Lopes-Schliep from the back, “it was absolutely my dad. It was something I had seen since I was a little girl,” said Viles, a Des Moines native. “Our family is connected to that picture and we have a mutation” in a gene that led to the unusual physique. “It’s uncanny.”
But did they really share a genetic hiccup? And if so, why did it put Jill Viles into a motorized scooter but made Priscilla Lopes-Schliep a track champion?
The search for answers led Viles onto another leg of an already remarkable tale of discovery. It’s a science story, but also a human-interest story that has gotten attention from across America and around the world.
The quest goes on. Viles is seeking donations to support research into the differences and similarities between her and Lopes-Schliep – the anti-Jill Viles – with the hope it could lead to new therapies, even for those suffering from more common muscle conditions. With enough donations, Viles also hopes to help others travel to consult with the world’s leading expert in her condition.
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Kathryn Rudge events LIVERPOOL MUSEUMS RECITAL LADY LEVER ART GALLERY
LIVERPOOL MUSEUMS RECITAL LADY LEVER ART GALLERY
Join Mezzo-Soprano Kathryn Rudge and pianist Naomi Kayayan for a recital in our beautiful Main Hall. The recital will include English songs by composers Gurney and Quilter and solo piano transcriptions of J.S. Bach.
Kathryn completed her vocal studies at the Royal Northern College of Music and became an English National Opera Young Artist in 2011 and was a YCAT artist (2010-2014.) She made her professional opera debut at the London Coliseum in the role of Cherubino in Mozart’s ‘The Marriage of Figaro’ directed by Fiona Shaw. Kathryn featured as The Times ‘Rising Star of Classical Music 2012.
VENUE MAIN HALL – FREE DROP IN EVENT
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Looking Back 1910-1919
MenuHomeAboutInteractive TimelineLooking Back 1910-1919Looking Back 1920-1929Looking Back 1930-1939Looking Back 1940-1949Looking Back 1950-1959Looking Back 1960-1969NewsLinksSupportContact
Jun 13 2014 by
KAYS HOUSE EMERGES AS FIRST A-STATE PROPERTY TO BE LISTED IN NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
JONESBORO — One thing that makes the appearance of the V.C. Kays House on the National Register of Historic Places special is the fact it is the first property on the Arkansas State University campus to be included in this prestigious list.
The announcement of the Kays House being added to the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program (AHPP) list came the day before Arkansas State sustained substantial damage to the campus and several buildings during a forceful thunderstorm. Luckily, the Kays House that is undergoing restoration escaped serious damage.
Arkansas State officials received official notification from Ralph Wilcox, National Register and Survey Coordinator for the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program. The properties are nominated by AHPP and the National Park Service makes the final decision as to which properties are included in the historic listing.
The certification letter, sent to Chancellor Tim Hudson, also outlines additional benefits to accompany the stature of presence on the list. In addition, the AHPP offers free technical advice to owners of National Register properties to help maintain properties in historically accurate condition. A-State will also receive a certificate signed by the Governor that acknowledges the placement of a property on the National Register.
In addition to the V.C. Kays House, 17 other properties in Craighead County appear on the list. They are the Bay Mounds, and in Jonesboro — Bell House, Berger House, Berger-Graham House, C.A. Stuck and Sons Lumber, Earl Bell Community Center, Craighead County Courthouse, Craighead County Road 513C Bridge, Edward L. Westbrooke Building, Frierson House, Mercantile Bank Building, Nash-Reid-Hill House, U.S. Senator Hattie Caraway gravesite, West Washington Avenue Historic District.
In Monette, the First National Bank and the Water Tower are in the list as is the St. Francis River Bridge in Lake City.
For the original A-State news article, click here.
Kays House Advocate Recognized
GOVERNOR BEEBE, ARKANSAS STATE ANNOUNCE PLANS FOR GUBERNATORIAL ARCHIVES, CAMPUS SITES
KAYS HOUSE IS LISTED IN NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
Arkansas State Gets Grants for Dyess Colony, V.C. Kays Home
Arkansas Heritage Sites
Arkansas State University
State University, AR 72467
White Throw Pillows
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#blogging – [spiritual] thing we do before new year?!
kihuPotru awareness, blog, inspiration, life, work aware, bless, bliss, blog, blogger, blogging, evaluation, light, message, mission, New Year, people, society, spiritual, unity Leave a comment
.are u a blogger? do u blog often? when was d first time when u hear about blog? even that I can say that is more then decade, I will just try to make d frame of my 10 years experience in blogging. u know it’s not easy to be constant, to be interesting, to be with d right content in d right time? I’ve never been so into it, but u know, years are passing…
I look in this blog and I see that this year was totally out for my blogging “in English”. I open this blog few years ago because I was thinking that I’ll have much more free time, and I’ll just share what I think is new and attractive, what can be viral and popular. I hit d button once when I wrote article about woodkid. I know that this music is great and that he will be popular very soon. that’s like it was!
I didn’t wrote article about zaz, but when I saw her in Paris 4 years ago somehow I had that feeling when u are aware that there is star in front of u. I try(ed) to share earlier here things that are important for me, d way of living, d way of believing, d way of acting…
are u active citizen? are u part of ur civil community? are u pushing for changes in ur area, in ur home place or wherever u are? hard times are coming, nobody cares about nobody, capitalism, consumerism, corruption. on d other side poverty, violence, minorities.. what are we doing actually? we are blogging about that? really?! so awesome! c’mon people, it’s 21 century and all we are sharing on d social media is what we eat, where we’re having fun, what is our favorite pet, plus 10 cats & 10 dogs for free, because they look cute, yea.
.I must share this old story with u, somehow I think that is really necessary to repeat d things that we know and we count them as important for ur life:
An old man and his grandson are sitting by the fire outside the tepee, wrapped in furs and gazing into the leaping flames. High on a snowy ridge, a wolf howls at the moon and another answers from far away. Soon after, the old man removes the pipe from his mouth.
‘Grandson,’ he says. ‘There are two wolves inside you. One is white and the other is black.’
‘What are they doing there, Grandfather?’ asks the wide-eyed boy.
‘They are fighting each other,’ says the old man.
The boy considers this, then asks, ‘Why are they white and black?’
‘The white one is your love, your peace and your truth. The black one is your fear, your anger and your lies.’
The fire crackles and sparks flare in the night. The wolf on the ridge howls again and the old man puffs contentedly on his pipe.
Finally, the boy says, ‘Which one will win, Grandfather?’
‘Ah,’ says the old man, removing the pipe once more. ‘The one that wins is the one that you feed.’
:being person that will show some new perspective to d circle of people that are close to u is harder then ever. nobody listen, nobody cares, I write this not because someone will read it, I write this just because now I’m alone and I think it’s time for me “again” to face d situation and “try” to accept it as it is. for me ignorance and acceptance are not d real answer, I can swallow whatever d media have to offer to me, but I don’t trust, I don’t trust my neighbors, I don’t trust my cousins, my government… why should I? we have to push harder if we want to see anything from that what we’re dreaming about when we were kids. we have d power to control how we’re vibrating, positively or negatively. therefore, the ability to bring whatever we want to our life is our right, if we are aware about that. we have d power to create our own wonderful reality, with faith that d universe is on our side – but for that we need to be more active. and when I mean more active I think about offline activism, when we are doing d things that we know about. when we meet people that we are sure they know what we are talking about. d new era brings new challenges. everyone that stops on our road is important. we listen and we don’t speak a lot, but we select what we say loud. it’s message, either for us, either for d listener.
:what if u could find
d nature of reality in a work of fiction?
.we no longer have to be a passive spectators or victims of uncontrollable circumstances around us. we no longer have to reactively live a life of randomness and worry. we no longer have to hope or wonder if everything is going to turn out okay, instead, we can develop into an active creators — an inventors of thoughts, feelings and positive energy that will elevate our state of being. we need to have faith that, whatever our face experiences, we’re gaining wisdom and d tools are bringing us closer and closer to our goals.
.are u a #leader? do u want to be one? what do u know about leaders. are u d change that u want to see in d world? what are u doing? what is ur work? do u trust urself? do u believe to urself? are u sure that u’re doing d right steps? where u see urself in (close) future? is it correct place for u? what is ur mission? are u happy? do u know what is love? eternal existence of ur soul? are u transcendental?
keep d struggle, answer those questions every time when they come inside ur mind, be d bird, no, be d person that will release ur bird from d cage.
new year is coming, d bells will bring d new beginning very soon. till next time – stay blessed friends!
:peace, love, unity, bliss and light! ❤
kihuPotru educate, inspiration, life greeting, lechuga, meaning, word Leave a comment
I know that this is my first post for this year so I want to say in d begining to all of u who’re actually subscribed somehow to my news feeds HAPPY NEW YEAR & all d best in this one.
Few days ago it was old new year, traditionally we’re celebrating it with making fires etc & aside all this story I want to keep here something that I pretty much like it.
When you want to encourage someone not to give up, you tell that person: “Lechuga” which is the short pronunciation of “never give up” in Spanish.
This is truly meaningful and gorgeous.
So in that manner I want to wish for all of u motivation, inspiration and good will to never give up from ur ideas, fantasies and imagination!
~ bless bless & light ~
:тime for new Samsara. year 2012
kihuPotru art, awareness, Cinema, creativity, film, FREEDOM, history, inspiration, joy, knowladge, life, Love, movie, music, nature, photography, story, video 2012, 70mm, Baraka, Bön, birth, Buddhism, date, ground, Himalayas, Hinduism, Jainism, life, reicarnation, samsara, trailer, world, Yoga, zone 1 Comment
“Visually breathtaking. Unlike anything you will ever see.” IndieWire
“The stunning new trailer for Samsara offers a tantalizing peek at the dozens of exotic locations visited by the filmmakers in their quest to capture the ‘ever turning wheel of life’ on Earth.”
If you are familiar with the stunning and transcendent visual poetry of Ron Fricke’s non-narrative documentary BARAKA (1992), his follow up film SAMSARA might interest you as well! He filmed everything with 70mm film so I will no doubt be gorgeous. I would write more about this, but part of the magic of Fricke’s films are that they have to be seen and experienced, and preferably in a giant theatre. Here is the trailer.
A spiritual love-story set in the majestic landscape of Ladakh, Himalayas. Samsara is a quest; one man’s struggle to find spiritual Enlightenment by renouncing the world. And one woman’s struggle to keep her enlightened love and life in the world. But their destiny turns, twists and comes to a surprise ending.
Release date August 23, 2012. Samsara – Filmed over a period of five years in twenty-five countries on five continents, and shot on 70mm film, Samsara transports us to the varied worlds of sacred grounds, disaster zones, industrial complexes, and natural wonders. “Samsara” is a sanskrit word meaning “continuous flow”; it is the repeating cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth (reincarnation) within Hinduism, Buddhism, Bön, Jainism, Yoga and Sikhism.
SAMSARA is a Sanskrit word that means “the ever turning wheel of life” and is the point of departure for the filmmakers as they search for the elusive current of interconnection that runs through our lives. Filmed over a period of almost five years and in twenty-five countries, SAMSARA transports us to sacred grounds, disaster zones, industrial sites, and natural wonders. By dispensing with dialogue and descriptive text, SAMSARA subverts our expectations of a traditional documentary, instead encouraging our own inner interpretations inspired by images and music that infuses the ancient with the modern.
:wisdom vol.I [shortly]
kihuPotru awareness, celebrate, educate, inspiration, joy, knowladge, life, quote, story art, Earth, lesson, life, living, Native, origin, Osho, planet, quote, respect, story Leave a comment
The paper is not the writing, yet it carries the writing. The ink is not the message, nor is the reader’s mind the message – but they all make the message possible.
[Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj]
Everybody wants freedom as far as talking is concerned, but nobody really is free and nobody really wants to be free, because freedom brings responsibility. It does not come alone. And to be dependent is simple: the responsibility is not on you, the responsibility is on the person you are dependent on.
So people have made a schizophrenic way of life. They talk about truth, they talk about freedom, and they live in lies, they live in slaveries – slaveries of many kinds, because each slavery frees you from some responsibility. A man who really wants to be free has to accept immense responsibilities. He cannot dump his responsibilities on anybody else. Whatever he does, whatever he is, he is responsible.
[Osho]
You must teach your children that the ground beneath their feet is the ashes of your grandfathers. So that they will respect the land, tell your children that the earth is rich with the lives of our kin.
Teach your children what we have taught our children, that the earth is our mother. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth.
If men spit upon the ground, they spit upon themselves.
Treat the earth well. It was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children.
[Native American Wisdoms]
There is a road in the hearts of all of us, hidden and seldom traveled, which leads to an unknown, secret place. The old people came literally to love the soil, and they sat or reclined on the ground with a feeling of being close to a mothering power. Their teepees were built upon the earth and their altars were made of earth. The soul was soothing, strengthening, cleansing and healing. That is why the old Indian still sits upon the earth instead of propping himself up and away from its life giving forces. For him, to sit or lie upon the ground is to be able to think more deeply and to feel more keenly. He can see more clearly into the mysteries of life and come closer in kinship to other lives about him.
[Chief Luther Standing Bear]
:what is d Universal #Truth
kihuPotru 11.11.11, 2012, awareness, educate, education, experience, film, life, Love, message, video aware, chakra, energy, frequency, knowledge, planet, sacred, system, transmission, truth, vibration Leave a comment
Higher frequency energies being transmitted by the forces of light onto this planet allow individuals that are open to receive (through opening their beliefs and mindset) to activate their higher Chakras (7 to 15), which opens their central channels (Universal Kundalini), raise their frequency and DNA between NOW (2011) and December 2012. These activations help bypass the restriction programs being activated on this planet.
via: Klaus Wallbrunn
Why has this universal truth been hidden from the beings on this planet?
This is the biggest mystery. For over 25,000 years the Universal Truth was not available to the people of this planetary system. It is now finally being received on this planet. Deep seekers of the truth that are open minded and ready will receive it.
The higher energies of 2012 and beyond have a two fold effect. We have been stuck in a Universal Time Matrix System that has been disconnected from the higher dimension frequencies for thousands of years. Ancient Earth history shows manipulations of the planetary grids by beings from other more advanced systems (Draco-Orion, Sirius, Pleiades).
:d universal solvent _by justin totemical
The Universal Time Matrix system we are in is being manipulated. The energies of 2012 and beyond are opportunities for faster ascension and manipulation into restriction of ascension.
“Higher frequency energies being transmitted by the forces of light onto this planet allow individuals that are open to receive (through opening their beliefs and mindset) to activate their higher Chakras (7 to 15), which opens their central channels (Universal Kundalini), raise their frequency and DNA between NOW (2011) and December 2012.”
These activations help bypass the restriction programs being activated on this planet. The restriction program energies get activated in March 2011 (force field of energy that restricts human ascension process) and is planned to go full force in December 2012. Those that do not raise their frequencies will fall into these energies and will not be able to ascend to the higher dimensions (beyond dimension 11.5). The DNA of most people on this planet has already been mutated. That is why only 3-5 DNA strands are active instead of the 12-48 DNA strands (which used to be the norm for angelic human race).”
This is hard to believe. There is a lot going on in this planetary system that people are not being made aware of.
IT IS TIME TO WAKE UP AND REALIZE THE HIGHER TRUTH OF WHAT IS GOING ON.
~sacred knowledge of vibration and the power of human emotions~
:a sense of wonder
kihuPotru author, book, creativity, education, experience, Interview, life, literature, story, writer 1990, books, creativity, Ernesto Sábato, inspiration, interview, literature, observation, UNESCO, writer Leave a comment
Interview with Ernesto Sábato
:what I really like in my facebook friends, d real ones that I’ve met in Real too is that some of them are perfect sources for information. I like d content that my friend Slobodan Nikolic [Serbian poet] shares on his profile and is connect with literature cause not very rare he wants to play some games on net. I’m sure that he’ll not share it on some other place/ blog or smt and cause it’s not my first time to steal from his content [Sumatra and d explanation of Sumatra] I decide that this is d right place for this interview. 🙂
:before he close his profile early in d day [hopefuly shortly] he shared this amazing interview from 1990 that I find pretty interesting for me and for my blog (readers) so voila’ if u’re one of them EnJoy! [1ox Slobo’]
.Q: You have written many essays, notably a collection entitled Hombres y Engranajes (1951;”Men and Gears”), on the dehumanizing effects of science and technology. How did a scientist like yourself come to see things in this light?
A: Although I studied physics and mathematics, disciplines which offered me a kind of abstract and ideal refuge in a “platonic paradise” far from the chaos of the world, I soon realized that the blind faith that some scientists have in “pure” thought, in reason and in Progress (usually with a capital “P“) made them overlook and even despise such essential aspects of human life as the unconscious and the myths which lie at the origin of artistic expression, in short, the “hidden” side of human nature. All that was missing in my purely scientific work – the Mr. Hyde that every Dr. Jekyll needs if he is to be a complete individual – I found in German romanticism and, above all, in existentialism and surrealism. Lifting my eyes from my logarithms and sinusoids, I looked on the human face, from which I have never since looked away.
Q: Some great contemporary writers have managed to reconcile science and creativity…
A: That may be so, but it does not lessen my belief that our era is strongly marked by the opposition between science and the humanities, which today has become irreconcilable. Since the Enlightenment and the days of the Encyclopaedists, and above all since the advent of positivism, science has withdrawn to a kind of Olympian retreat, cut off from humanity. The absolute sovereignty of Science and Progress over the greater part of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries has reduced the individual to the status of a cog in a gigantic machine. Capitalist and Marxist theorists alike have contributed to the propagation of this sadly distorted vision in which the individual is melted into the mass and the mystery of the soul is reduced to physically quantifiable emissions of radiation.
Q: Yet, even in the nineteenth century, there was a strong philosophical current that questioned the monumental rational edifice constructed by Hegel, the weight of which crushed the individual. We are thinking of Kierkegaard, about whom you have written extensively.
A: Kierkegaard was the first thinker to question whether science should take precedence over life and to answer firmly that life comes first. Since then, the object deified by science has been dislodged as the centre of the universe and been replaced by the subject, the man of flesh and blood. This led on to Karl Jaspers and Martin Heidegger, to twentieth century existentialist philosophy in which man is no longer an “impartial” scientific observer but a “self” clothed in flesh, the “being destined to die” of whom I have written and who is the source of tragedy and metaphysics, the highest forms of literary expression.
Q: But not the only ones…
A: Of course not, but to my mind they are the most important because of their tragic, transcendental dimension. One has only to think of Dostoyevsky’s Notes from the Underground, that bloody diatribe in which, with almost demented hatred, he denounced the modern age and its cult of progress.
Q: We are right into literature now…
A: Yes, because the novel can express things that are beyond the scope of philosophy or the essay such as our darkest uncertainties about God, destiny, the meaning of life, hope. The novel answers all these questions, not simply by expressing ideas, but through myth and symbol, by drawing on the magical properties of thought. All the same, many of the characters in novels are just as real as reality itself. Is Don Quixote “unreal”? If reality bears any relationship to durability, then this character born of Cervantes’ imagination is much more real than the objects that surround us, for he is immortal.
Q: So literature interprets reality?
A: Fortunately, art and poetry have never claimed to dissociate the rationaf from the irrational, the sensibility from the intellect, dream from reality. Dream, mythology and art have a common source in the unconscious – they reveal a world which could have no other form of expression. It is absurd to ask artists to explain their work. Can you imagine Beethoven analysing his symphonies or Kafka explaining what he really meant in The Trial? The notion that everything can be “rationally” explained is the hallmark of the Western positivist mentality typical of the modern age, an age which overestimates the value of science, reason and logic. Yet this form of culture represents only a brief moment in human history.
Q: You seem to consider our age to be the final phase in a line of modem thought beginning in the middle of the nineteenth century and ending in our own times.
A: Literary fashions should not be confused with the major trends of thought. In the vast and tragic movement of ideas there are advances and retreats, sideways excursions and counter-currents. It is clear, however, that we are witnessing the end of an era. We are living through a crisis of civilization in which there is a kind of confrontation between the eternal forces of passion and order, of pathos and ethos, of the Dionysian and the Apollonian.
Q: Can this crisis be resolved?
A: The only way we can escape from this harrowing crisis is by snatching living, suffering man from the gigantic machine in which he is enmeshed and which is crushing him. But it must not be forgotten, at the dawn of a new millennium, that an age does not end at the same moment for everyone. In the nineteenth century, when Progress was triumphant, writers and thinkers such as Dostoyevsky, Nietzsche and Kierkegaard were not “of their time”, for already, despite the optimism of scientists, they had a presentiment of the catastrophe that was in store for us and which Kafka, Sartre and Camus were to portray.
Q: Is that why you reject the concept of ”progress” in art?
A: Art can no more progress than a dream can, and for the same reasons. Are the nightmares of our contemporaries any more advanced than those of the prophets of the Bible? We can say that Einstein’s mathematics are superior to those of Archimedes, but not that Joyce’s Ulysses is superior to Homer’s Odyssey. One of Proust’s characters is convinced that Debussy is a better composer than Beethoven for the simple reason that he was born after him. There’s no need to be a musicologist to appreciate Proust’s satirical irony in this passage. Every artist aspires towards what may be called an absolute, or towards a fragment of the Absolute, with a capital “A”, whether he be an Egyptian sculptor in the time of Ramses II, a Greek artist of the classical age, or Donatello. This is why there is no progress in art, only change and new departures that are due not only to the sensibilities of each artist but also to the tacit or explicit vision of an epoch or a culture. One thing at least is certain; no arust is better placed than another to attain these absolute values simply because he was born later.
Q: So you do not believe that there can be a universal aesthetic?
A: The relativity of history is reflected in aesthetics. Each period has a dominant value – religious, economic or metaphysical – which colours all the others. In the eyes of the people of a religious culture preoccupied with the eternal, Ramses II’s hieratic and geometric colossus would encapsu late more “truth” than a totally realistic statue. History shows us that beauty and truth change from one period to the next, that black culture and white culture are based on different criteria. The reputations of writers, artists and musicians are subject to swings of the pendulum.
Q: There is no justification, therefore, for speaking of the superiority of one culture over another?
A: Today we have come a long way from conceited positivist certainties and from “enlightened thought” in general. Following the work of Levy-Bruhl, who after forty years of research admitted in all honesty that he could see no “progression” in the move from magical to logical thought and that the two had inevitably to coexist in man, all cultures must be seen as deserving equal respect. We have finally come round to rendering justice to what were once condescendingly called “primitive cultures”.
Q: You are, nevertheless, dissatisfied with the education currently available in schools and universities. What do you think it lacks?
A: When I was young, I was made to swallow a mountain of facts that I forgot as quickly as I could. In geography, for example, I barely remember the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Horn, and perhaps that’s only because they are often mentioned in the newspapers. Someone once said that culture is what is left when you have forgotten everything else. For a human being, learning means taking part, discovering and inventing. If people are to advance, they must form their own opinions, even if, at times, this means making mistakes and having to go back to the beginning again. They need to explore new paths and experiment with new methods. Otherwise we shall, at best, merely produce a race of scholars or, at worst, of bookworms or of parrots regurgitating ready-made phrases from books. The book is a wonderful tool, provided that it does not become an obstacle that prevents us from pursuing our own research.
Q: How do you see the educator’s role?
A: Etymologically speaking, to educate means to develop, to bring out what exists in embryonic form, to realize potential. This “labour”, this delivery by the teacher is rarely fully accomplished, and this perhaps is the origin of all the faults of our education systems. Students must be made to ask themselves questions, and be convinced of their own ignorance and of ours, so that they are prepared not only to ask questions but to think for themselves, even if they disagree with us. It is also very important for them to be able to make mistakes and for us to accept questions and approaches that may seem odd. Given this state of mind, students will understand that reality is infinitely more complex and mysterious than the small area encompassed by our knowledge. Everything else will follow automatically. This is what gives rise to questionings and to certainties, the mixture of tradition and innovation that constitutes the cultural dynamic. As Kant said, people should not be taught philosophy, they should be taught to philosophize. This is the method of Plato’s “Dialogues”, based on direct, spontaneous exchange, in the course of which questions emerge from our awareness of our fundamental ignorance.
Q: Can you give us a specific example?
A: A long time ago, I traveled through Patagonia in a jeep with a forester who told me how much the forest was receding with each successive forest fire. He told me of the defensive role played by cypress trees, which he compared to the stoical heroes of an army rearguard since they sacrifice themselves to delay the spread of a fire and to protect the other trees. This made me wonder what the teaching of geography could be like if it were linked to the struggle between species, the conquest of the oceans and of the continents, and to the history of mankind, which is pathetically dependent upon the terrestrial environment. In this way the pupil would get the idea of a true adventure, of a thrilling battle against the hostile forces of Nature and of history. Far from the dead weight of encyclopaedic knowledge, from dusty volumes and ready-made ideas, knowledge thus perpetually renewed would give each pupil the feeling of discovering and participating in an age-old story. For example, to engrave indelibly on students’ minds the complicated geography of the American continent, as a lived through rather than a book-learned experience, would not the best way be to teach it through the adventures of great explorers such as Magellan or conquistadores such as Cortes? We should be formed, not informed. As Montaigne said, “Learning by heart is not learning”. What an exciting manual of geography and ethnology for teenagers Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days would make! We have to kindle astonishment at the profound mysteries of the universe. Everything in the universe is astonishing if you think about it. But familiarity has made us blasé and nothing astonishes us any more. We have to rediscover a sense of wonder.
Q: You even recommend “back to front” teaching, starting with the present and reaching back into the past.
A: I believe that the best way to interest young people in literature is to start with contemporary authors, whose language and concerns are closer to the students’ own hopes and fears. Only later can they really become interested in what Homer or Cervantes wrote about love and death, hope and despair, solitude and heroism. The same could be done with history by tracing back to the roots of current problems. It is also a mistake to try to teach everything. Only a few key episodes and problems, enough to provide a structure, should be taught. Few books should be used, but they should be read with passion. This is the only way to avoid making reading seem like a walk through a cemetery of dead words. Reading is only valid if it strikes a chord in the reader’s mind. There is a kind of pseudo-encyclopaedic teaching, invariably associated with book-learning, which is a form of death. As if there were no culture before Gutenberg!
Q: For years you have been pointing out the risks inherent in nuclear weapons, in the arms race and in ideological confrontation throughout the world. Aren’t the upheavals of recent years, and in particular of recent months, taking some of the force out of this message?
A: I’m not so sure about that. First of all, the proliferation of nuclear weapons is a fact. Many countries already have their own atomic “mini-bombs” and a chain reaction starting with some irresponsible terrorist action cannot be discounted. But this is only the purely “physical” aspect of the question, monstrous though it is. What really worries me is the spiritual catastrophe facing our era, which is the sad outcome of the repression of the forces of the unconscious in contemporary society. I see evidence of this in the proliferation of all kinds of protesting minorities, as well as in our collective history. We live in an anguished, neurotic, unstable age, hence the frequency of psychosomatic disorders, the upsurge in violence and in the use of drugs. This is a philosophical rather than a police matter. Until quite recently the “peripheral” regions of the world were unaffected by this phenomenon. In the East for example, as well as in Africa and in Oceania, mythological and philosophical traditions maintained a certain harmony between man and the world. The abrupt, unchecked irruption of Western values and technology has wreaked havoc, just as, during the Industrial Revolution, the mill-owners of Manchester swamped with their cheap cotton goods peoples who knew how to produce exquisite textiles. This mental catastrophe is leading us towards a terrifying psychological and spiritual explosion which will give rise to a wave of suicides and scenes of hysteria and collective madness. Ancient traditions cannot be replaced by the transistor industry.
Q: Do you see nothing positive in the balance-sheet?
A: Yes, perhaps, but frankly I suspect that I belong to a race that is on the road to extinction. I believe in art, dialogue, liberty and the dignity of the individual human being. But who is interested in such nonsense today? Dialogue has given way to insult and liberty to political prisons. What difference is there between a left-wing and a right-wing police state? As if there could be good or bad torturers! I must be a reactionary because I still believe in dull, mediocre democracy, the only regime which, after all, allows one to think freely and to prepare the way for a better reality.
Interview with Ernesto Sábato: A Sense Of Wonder, The UNESCO Courier, August 1990
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Robots from Scotland
Robots that have forfeited a battle
Team Triforce
Euan Mutch
Aluminium, HARDOX &
Elevate is a Scottish featherweight robot which competed in the 2018 King of Bots UK International Championships. Entered by Edinburgh-based Team Triforce, it had a very limited run of success, initially forfeiting its first qualification round against Amnesia and Strix after not being ready in time to fight. Elevate managed to compete in its remaining melees, but lost to Nigel Barrage due to issues with its drive belts[1], and Nelly the Ellybot following a knockout blow from Telekinesis, despite landing critical damage to the latter. As a result, it was eliminated from the 2018 UK International Championships.
Elevate also fought in one eight-way whiteboard battle, but suffered more traction issues, resulting in it getting flipped over by Impact in the opening seconds. As a result of not being able to drive upside-down, it was counted out, and later sustained a blow from the drum of X-303 which re-righted it.[2]
Elevate at the King of Bots UK Championship
Elevate was a four-wheel drive, box-shaped robot equipped with a front-mounted spinning drum. The drum, weighing 3.5kg, featured two black single-toothed discs and was designed to rotate at 14,000rpm[3], with a maximum of 10,500rpm being recorded during testing.[4] Elevate’s design also incorporated a 20mm aluminium chassis, with 4mm HARDOX 500 and 2mm titanium panels being used for armor.[5] The robot's top speed was claimed to be 25mph according to its statistics card, although Elevate was not able to demonstrate this capability due to the issues it faced in combat.
ELEVATE - RESULTS
Rumble vs. Amnesia, Strix Forfeited (0 points)
Rumble vs. Nigel Barrage, The Mighty Unicorn Lost (1 point)
Rumble vs. Nelly the Ellybot, Telekinesis Lost (1 point)
Whiteboard vs. The Claw, Impact, Satanix, X-303, Mini ACE, Forge Master, BANE Lost
NOTE: Although the winner of its whiteboard was not announced, Elevate was counted out and eliminated after being flipped by Impact.
Prior to building Elevate, Team Triforce constructed a heavyweight full-body spinner, Triforce, which was intended to appear in the rebooted series of Robot Wars. Utilising an invertible design with a rim spinner and an omni-directional drive system with three pairs of wheels, it was initially not selected to compete in Series 9, but successfully entered and attended filming for Series 10. Planned to participate in the fourth heat of the series, Triforce encountered mobility issues while testing in the main arena, and withdrew from Series 10 as a result.
Elevate 2 in August 2019
In mid-2019, Team Triforce completed Elevate 2, boasting a large 5kg drum with top speeds of over 10,000rpm. It debuted at Robodojo in July 2019, although issues with its weapon plagued it throughout the event, and it lost its four fights to Drumroll, Get Shrekt, Captain Jack Spinnah and Burnout. Elevate 2 returned for the UK Featherweight Championship in 2019, but lost all four of its fights in its heat to Amnesia, Revolver, Blunt Force Trauma 3 and Plastic Fantastic, only collecting a win by default over Virus. However, it instead managed to win the Tag Team title, alongside Forge Master II.
↑ https://www.facebook.com/TeamTriforceUK/posts/1959826677648627
↑ https://www.facebook.com/TeamTriforceUK/photos/a.1627650834199548/1947697615528200/?type=3&theater
↑ http://www.fightingrobots.co.uk/threads/14026-team-triforce-featherweight-drum
Team Triforce Facebook page
Retrieved from "https://king-of-bots.fandom.com/wiki/Elevate?oldid=8095"
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Home › News & Gossip
‘Empire’ Recap: Tariq’s New Plan Is To Go After Cookie By Making Anika Snitch
Tariq's new plan of attack is to try to take Cookie down.
Starr Rhett Rocque
Source: FOX / Getty
Tonight’s episode of Empire is full of drama, but also kind of slow. That’s okay, because it’s definitely building to some major ish that’s about to go down. Anyway, the episode picks up in the aftermath of Cookie’s She Hulk Smash situation last week. We find the clean up team is at Empire clearing the damage she caused while Cookie is home showering and kicking it with her sister, Candace. Cookie is nervous about the fact that she kissed Lucious, and even though she stopped it, she’s also disgusted, but still in love and not ready to come to terms with that. Cookie wants to tell Angelo what happened, but Candace talks points out the obvious. In other words, bad idea.
Back at Empire, Lucious doesn’t tell the team what happened. They all just think someone vandalized the place and that Thirsty is “looking over the footage.”
You already know that footage will come back to haunt Cookie. It’s just a matter of when.
Meanwhile, Andre is working with Shyne on their pact. They want to kill Lucious and take over Empire, so they’ve been hanging tough lately. Andre is eager to meet some of Shyne’s “business” associates aka goons who get ish done. One of those goons is big time in Las Vegas, which could mean mega mula for Empire. Hold that thought though.
Jamal is doing well with his rehab situation and making good music with Tory Ash. In fact, they work so well together that even Cookie, who often comes close to delivering Tory massive fade, can’t even Jamal’s new found creativity. Jamal and Tory are actually working on a fire song, which is right on time since he has an album to finish.
However, you already know what show this is, so it shouldn’t be a surprise to find out that Lucious gets a hold of the song later on, and steals the melody. And even worse is, he put Tory on the song. He basically tapped her for a hook and a guitar riff (the Devil’s Tritone), which happens to be the same riff Jamal initially shot down on his song with Tory.
Lucious, Lucious, Lucious. Low down dirty devil. No pun intended, but the lore of the Devil’s Tritone should not be lost on…anyone music history/theory nerds.
Anyway, hopefully you didn’t think Tariq was done harassing the Lyons. Tariq is off the Lucious case, which is closed, but he’s still nosing around and this time going after Cookie. He had the nerve to subpoena Anika. Anika can talk about Cookie all day, just not her husband, Lucious.
And Then we find out that Cookie almost got in trouble for a parole violation for “consorting with a felon,” but like…she works at a hip-hop label. They’ve known this for years.
Angelo got it stricken from her record, but he thinks Lucious is behind this so he stopped by Lucious’ place ready to nuck and buck. Luckily for Angelo, Lucious wasn’t moved enough for a fight, and he’s convincing when he says it wasn’t him who did it. To be fair, Lucious is Satan, but even he wouldn’t stoop that low (maybe). He’s probably not lying, though. This actually has Tariq written all over it, a point Lucious makes.
The episode wraps with Shyne to Andre going to meet a shady business connect mentioned earlier—the one with pull in Vegas. Andre’s goal is to get Empire artists Vegas residencies, which would be major. They meet up at a warehouse (classic) and for some reason, the business connect freaks out when he learns that Dre is representing Lucious. He thinks his wife, Juliana (played by Nia Long), set him up somehow and starts dang near beating her until Dre and Shyne intervene. The connect cuts his rough housing short and then pulls out a gun with the intention of shooting Dre, but Juliana shoots him dead first. She then steps over the body like nothing happened—that’s how you know she’s a G—and says that she’s actually still interested in doing business with them. Basically, they’re all about to try to take Lucious down.
They all shake on it…and scene.
‘Empire’ Recap: Lucious Might Need Security For Cookie
‘Empire’ Recap: Dre Is About To Step Up To Get Lucious Out For Good
‘Empire’ Recap: Tariq’s New Plan Is To Go After Cookie By Making Anika Snitch was originally published on hellobeautiful.com
Bryshere Grey , Cookie Lyon , Empire , Empire Season 3 , Lucious Lyon , Taraji P. Henson , Terrence Howard
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Tear off: the mask of th...
Does the employment of p...
In Merefa burned cinema
On the outskirts of the ...
Odessa citizens will be able to register at the place of residence, right from the comfort of home
magictr | July 8, 2019 | News | No Comments
The Department of administrative services of the Odessa city Council is introducing new services for citizens.
Reported about it at hardware meeting in the mayoralty the Director of Department Evgenia Abramova, who told about the objectives of the centre of administrative services (of tspau) in the second half of this year.
“We are at the stage of concluding negotiations and of establishing work with the regional employment center over the granting of permission to employ foreign nationals in the regional service center. Signed the contract and purchase the equipment. Also hope soon to enter the provision of services for registration of vehicles and issuance of driver’s licenses. In addition, negotiate with the Main territorial Department of justice in the Odessa region at the transfer office for registration of acts of civil status”, – reported Abramov.
She added that at present, the debug software, within a few weeks of work the website, and identified the services that will be provided in the city exclusively in electronic form.
“In the test mode in your account on the site you will register students living in the dorms… After this test within a couple of weeks, all Odessa citizens who have passports as ID cards, will be able, without coming to the center of administrative services, to register and remove themselves from the place of registration”, – said the representative of the municipality.
In addition, she said, with the patrol police Department of the city should be agreed scheme of Parking vehicles and designated Parking lots (also developed and agreed the route of oversized and heavy vehicles on city roads).
All of tspau provides Odessa 247 types of services. Only for the first half of 2019 the staff of the centre took 150 thousand 551 statement or 13.1 % more than in the same period last year and 26.7 % more than in the first half of 2017. In this reporting period citizens have made 110 thousand 748 different finished results (13.9 % more than in the first half and 27.3% higher than in the same period in 2017).
“That we are still increasing provided services”, – said Evgenia Abramova.
According to it, 68% of applications received relate to the registration of place of residence and de-registration, a 13.9% questions issuing biometric passports and gluing photos in the passport, and 9.1 % – orders geokadastr (statements and the like).
For the first half of this year to the city Treasury received 2 million 550 thousand UAH. for services on registration of residence and registration of biometric passports, and over the last 1 million 630 thousand UAH.
In Zaporozhye was sent under house arrest of a pedophile
That’s why dogs like to lick their owners
In Kharkiv ethnic group terrorized entrepreneurs
Broken electrical wires, fallen trees, stolen trolley is the result of rampant disaster in Krivoy Rog
magictr
USA displace Russian gas suppliers to the European market
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The end of the war in the Donbass APU went on the attack wounded the leader of the invaders
Review: intelligence Operations to eliminate the people – a frightening trend
Johnson refused Putin in the normalization of relations between Britain and Russia
© 2020 The Koz Telegram.
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Philippine Visas
Singapore Incorporation
Indonesia Incorporation
Vietnam Incorporation
News & Advisories
iADVISORY SEMINAR: The Philippines’ Consumer Economy
Home Press Release iADVISORY SEMINAR: The Philippines’ Consumer Economy
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By Admin Press Release April 11, 2019
Atty. Amanda Carpo, Country Head of InCorp Group’s subsidiary company in the Philippines, Kittelson & Carpo Consulting, will participate as speaker in a seminar titled “The Philippines’ Consumer Economy: An Overview of the Philippine Market, its Consumer Landscape and Opportunities Available for Singaporean Companies” on Tuesday, 16th of April 2019 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Little Red Dot, Level 10, 230 Victoria St., Bugis Junction Tower, Singapore.
Atty. Amanda will discuss the different types of investment vehicles that Singaporean companies can utilize in setting up a business in the Philippines.
The event will feature a panel discussion on how best to capture the Philippine consumer market, with the following panelists:
Amanda Carpo, Country Head of InCorp Group’s subsidiary company in the Philippines, Kittelson & Carpo Consulting
Adrien Desbaillets, Managing Director of SaladStop!
Wong Kai Jun, Co-Founder and Director of Play Nation Pte Ltd
Mark Chim, Managing Director and Senior VP of Primer International Management Ltd
There will also be one-to-one business consultation sessions with Orissa International as well as one-to-one legal consultation sessions with InCorp Group, both of which are on a first come, first serve basis.
The event will be hosted by our parent company, InCorp Group, in partnership with Enterprise Singapore.
To reserve your slot, please click here.
Atty. Amanda CarpoDoing Business in the PhilippinesInCorp GroupKittelson & Carpo ConsultingSetting up business in the PhilippinesThe Philippines’ Consumer Economy
Admin / About Author
Kittelson & Carpo Consulting provides consulting and assistance to local and foreign companies starting and doing business in the Philippines. Our main areas of expertise are incorporation, business registration, fda, immigration/visas, payroll, human resources, and recruitment.
Foreign Investors Tap Mining Industry in the Philippines
According to data from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), the government recently issued 20 new exploration permits in the first three months of 2010 alone. An exploration permit enables mining companies to tap the mineral resources of a particular area, and open them up to mining activities.
Doing Business in the Philippines: Regulations, Law, and Taxes and Policies
Atty. Amanda Carpo, Country Head of InCorp’s subsidiary company in the Philippines, Kittelson & Carpo Consulting, and Mr. Eric Chin, Group Head of Business Development of In.Corp Group, took part as speakers in the event, “Doing Business in the Philippines: Regulations, Law, and Taxes and Policies”.
What You Need to Know About Corporate Visas
Atty. Diana Jean M. Tuazon-Cruz, Associate Lawyer of Carpo Law & Associates took part in the Business Breakfast by dispensing her invaluable knowledge on the topic, “Corporate Visas”, hosted by the British Chamber of Commerce Philippines in partnership with Kittelson & Carpo Consulting and Carpo Law & Associates last February 15, 2019 at BCCP Boardroom, W Fifth Building, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.
Tourism Enterprise Zones Take Global Competitiveness to New Heights
Republic Act (RA) 9593, or the Tourism Act of 2009 passed by the Arroyo administration, cements a national policy bolstering investments and improving employment in the Philippines’ tourism industry. Fast forward to 2011, less than two (2) years since the law’s inception, and the country is seeing a rise in international visitor arrivals, which spiked to 7.89% in the first quarter of 2010.
Government Agencies in the Philippines
Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) – This is the government agency where single proprietorship enterprises register and secure its certificate of registration.
InCorp Group Acquires Kittelson & Carpo Consulting
In.Corp Group announced today the acquisition of Kittelson & Carpo Consulting, a business consulting firm headquartered in Taguig City, Philippines, with additional offices in Makati City and Cebu City.
The Present and Future of Work
Atty. Greta Monica Trazo, Senior Associate of Carpo Law & Associates took part in the Labor Briefing by sharing her knowledge and expertise on Labor specifically on the topic, “Expanded Maternity Leave Law”, hosted by the British Chamber of Commerce Philippines and Kittelson & Carpo Consulting, one of the main partners, last May 16, 2019 at Makati Diamond Residences.
Commerce Flows into Subic, Philippines
Subic Bay, Philippines is bordered on the east by Zambales mountains and the South China Sea on the west. A former US Naval base, Subic is now a freeport zone and a gateway for the transportation of goods. And, while it’s topography is more of a jungle paradise, technology, infrastructure, and industry have changed the landscape and the standard of living in the community.
Doing Business in the Philippines: Business Registration Process Made Simple
Business registration in the Philippines is comprised of a hierarchical process of acquiring certificates and licenses from various government agencies. If you are planning to set up a business in the country but are unsure of the requirements involved in the registration process, here’s a quick overview.
Drilling into the TRABAHO Bill
Atty. Rhondee Dumlao, Senior Associate Lawyer of Carpo Law & Associates took part in the Business Breakfast by sharing his invaluable knowledge on the TRABAHO Bill, hosted by the British Chamber of Commerce Philippines in partnership with Kittelson & Carpo Consulting last October 24, 2018 at BCCP Boardroom, W Fifth Building, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.
Makati versus BGC
The term ‘location, location, location,’ applies to where you decide to put your office. Metro Manila, the capital of the Philippines is home to several business districts: Makati, Bonifacio Global City, and Ortigas being the main hubs. Choosing a location is the most important factor when starting your business in the Philippines. Determining the best area for your organization is key for your employees alleviating them from the congestion of the entire city.
Booming Business in the Metro
The Philippines, being a rapidly developing country, have cities that act as its engines of growth. If the urban-growth is well-organized and executed properly, the cities can help increase the regional innovation, economic growth, and prosperity.
Business Opportunities in the Pharmaceutical Industry in the Philippines
The Philippine pharmaceutical market is similar to China and Iran. But according to investphilippines.gov.ph the overall market is comparable to Pakistan, Thailand, Taiwan and Indonesia in per capita, and is “consistently ranked as the 11th most attractive pharmaceutical market in the Asia-Pacific region, and the third largest market in ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, after Indonesia and Thailand.”
Business Breakfast: Doing Business in the Philippines
Kittelson & Carpo Consulting and Carpo Law & Associates, in partnership with the British Chamber of Commerce Philippines, brings you “Doing Business in the Philippines”. This covers discussions on how new updates and issuances from the SEC, PhilHealth, and BIR will affect current business operations, as well as projections on how the newly implemented TRAIN Law will channel favorable changes in the current Philippine business climate.
Philippine Energy Companies Seize Investment Opportunities
Renewable energy is a growing industry in the Philippines, thanks in part to increased investor optimism in renewable energy investments. Both foreign and local investors alike, including two of the Philippines’ top trading partners, are confident in the country’s potential as a major renewable energy investment destination.
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About NYK Assist
Asphalt Green | March 22
Apply to Host a Game
Paul Chin
Benefiting the 501(c)(3) programs of:
$200 of $1,000 raised
Plus an additional to cover processing costs for the Charity.
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Donation Total: $100.00
I have always believed in the power of team sports to positively impact kids as they grow up. The lessons I learned from playing basketball and football as a kid have stayed with me in every stage of my life. This game represents a great opportunity to support community youth basketball programs within the Tri-State area and to help spread that positive impact to kids who may not have previously had access before. As a devoted, life-long Knicks fan, I am excited about the opportunity to do so with the organization that I continue to stick with through thick and thin, alongside some of the heroes I cheered for as a kid. Let’s go Knicks!
Thank You to My Donors
Kathy Chin
Hunter College Sportsplex
153, 63 E 68th St.
Have you purchased your tickets to the game?
Date: Saturday, March 2, 2019
Game starts: 12:30PM
Doors open: 11:45PM
Autograph session (for those who purchased autograph tickets): will start ASAP following the conclusion of the game.
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No, seats are first-come-first-served
It’s raining are you still playing?
Yes, game is rain or shine.
I can’t make it, can I get a refund?
No, there are no refunds.
Will there be food and drinks?
Yes, there will be snacks available for purchase.
Most parking is street parking.
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Understanding Economic Damages
Home/Uncategorized/Understanding Economic Damages
There are two types of damages that are recoverable under Nebraska law: economic damages and non-economic damages. Economic damages are defined by Nebraska statute as meaning “monetary losses, including, but not limited to, medical expenses, loss of earnings and earning capacity, funeral costs, loss of use of property, costs of repair or replacement, costs of obtaining substitute domestic services, loss of employment, and loss of business of employment opportunities[.]” Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-21,185.08(2) (Reissue 1995).
Medical expenses may be recovered, both those that the plaintiff has already incurred, and those that the plaintiff is reasonably certain to incur in the future. Steinauer v. Sarpy County, 217 Neb. 830, 843, 353 N.W.2d 715, 724 (1984) (citing Stanek v. Swierczek, 209 Neb. 357, 307 N.W.2d 807 (1981)). Such expenses must be reasonable. Id. “[T]he amount of future medical expenses need not be established with mathematical certainty.” Id. The need for future medical services and the reasonable value thereof may be inferred from proof of past medical services and their value. Nor is direct evidence, according to the general rule, always essential to establish the permanency or future effects of an injury. The test is whether the particular issue can be determined from the evidence presented and the common knowledge and usual experience of jurors.Steinauer, 217 Neb. at 843, 353 N.W.2d at 724 (quoting Schaeffer v. McCreary, 216 Neb. 739, 743, 345 N.W.2d 821, 824 (1984)). Such future medical expenses cannot be uncertain, speculative, or conjectural. Amick v. Welsh, 1994 WL 50766, *10 (Neb. App. Feb. 22, 1994) (citing Karpf v. Karpf, 240 Neb. 302, 481 N.W.2d 891 (1992)).
Loss of earnings refers to the earnings that the plaintiff lost as a result of his injury from the time of the injury until the date of trial. See Laun v. Roach, 191 Neb. 11, 213 N.W.2d 450 (1973); Caster v. Moeller, 176 Neb. 30, 125 N.W.2d 89 (1963). Loss of past earnings must be specifically pled and proven in order for a plaintiff to recover. Washington v. American Community Stores Corp., 196 Neb. 624, 629, 244 N.W.2d 286, 289 (1976). In order to prove lost earnings, it is sufficient to show the plaintiff’s typical wages or salary prior to the injury, average income, and then an estimate of the time lost from work. Caster, 176 Neb. at 43-4, 125 N.W.2d at 97.
Earning capacity should not be equated with loss of earnings, as it is a different measure of damages. Recovery for the loss of earning capacity is based upon a number of factors, which include the plaintiff’s age, life expectancy, health, habits, occupation, talents, skill, experience, training, and industry. Washington v. American Community Stores Corp., 196 Neb. 624, 629-30, 244 N.W.2d 286, 289 (1976) (citing Baylor v. Tyrrell, 177 Neb. 812, 131 N.W.2d 393 (1964) overruled on other grounds, Larsen v. First Bank, 245 Neb. 950, 515 N.W.2d 804 (1994); Wortman v. Northwestern Bell Tel. Co., 195 Neb. 637, 240 N.W.2d 15 (1976); Siciunas v. Checker Cab Co., Inc., 191 Neb. 766, 217 N.W.2d 824 (1974); Lake v. Southwick, 188 Neb. 533, 198 N.W.2d 319 (1972)). Actual loss of earnings or wages is not required in order to prove a loss of earning capacity. Washington, 196 Neb. at 629, 244 N.W.2d at 289 (citing Baylor, supra; Siciunas, supra).
Jeanelle Lust
www.knudsenlaw.com
February 6th, 2008|Uncategorized|
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Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/oup/ecinqu/v26y1988i1p75-88.html
Addiction, Compulsion, and the Technology of Consumption
Michaels, Robert J
The consumption technology model of K. J. Lancaster and G. S. Becker is extended to include addictive activities. Assum ing a utility function in which the individual places a premium on ma intenance of self-esteem, the model generates empirically verified pa tterns of habituation, withdrawal, and the compulsive restarting of a n abandoned habit. It is then applied to the analysis of public polic ies toward drug abuse. Their frequent ineffectiveness is shown to res ult from an unwarranted emphasis on deterring the addictive activity rather than on encouraging acceptable behavior. Copyright 1988 by Oxford University Press.
Michaels, Robert J, 1988. "Addiction, Compulsion, and the Technology of Consumption," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 26(1), pages 75-88, January.
Handle: RePEc:oup:ecinqu:v:26:y:1988:i:1:p:75-88
Jones, Andrew M., 1999. "Adjustment costs, withdrawal effects, and cigarette addiction," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 125-137, January.
Sophie Massin, 2011. "La notion d'addiction en économie : La théorie du choix rationnel à l'épreuve," Revue d'économie politique, Dalloz, vol. 121(5), pages 713-750.
Sophie Massin, 2008. "La notion d'addiction en économie : la théorie du choix rationnel à l'épreuve," Documents de travail du Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne r08054, Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris 1), Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne.
Frank, Bjorn, 1997. "On Samuel Cameron's 'The economics of preference change: The case of arts therapy'," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 465-468, June.
All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:oup:ecinqu:v:26:y:1988:i:1:p:75-88. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.
For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: (Oxford University Press). General contact details of provider: http://edirc.repec.org/data/weaaaea.html .
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Think Snow
larrymccoyonline.com
2020 Questions
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Bright Side of a Firing
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Year In Review -2043
My 81st
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Welcome to larrymccoyonline.com
1937 – Born in Frankfort, Indiana.
1942 – Rode tricycle off curb. Immediate and awful swelling in what was then called the “privates.” I have never been the same.
1943-1944 – After grandfather died, we moved to his farm. No electricity or indoor plumbing, but we did have cows, chickens and horses. Dad kept full-time job as salesman in town and instructed me and older brother, Jim, on gathering eggs and milking cows. The gathering was a breeze, the milking wasn’t. Cow named Big Red kicked when tits were touched, providing valuable lesson for later life. Situation complicated because neither Jim nor I had hands strong enough to squeeze once tit-touching accomplished. Farm boy Dad couldn’t comprehend such incompetence. If anyone milked the horses, it wasn’t me.
1945 – Farm sold. Moved back to Frankfort. Stories about Big Red get better as years pass.
1951 or thereabouts – Front page of Frankfort Morning Times reports that Halloween “vandals” messed with chains holding street lights up. A friend, Jim Painter, and I had a hell of a lot of fun doing it and we didn’t break anything.
1955 – Graduated from Frankfort High School with honors, if you consider being voted “Class Clown” an honor.
1955-1959 – Officially enrolled at Indiana University. Even attended a class now and then. While working part-time as a disc jockey in Bedford, Indiana, told by radio station owner: “sarcasm doesn’t go in a small market.” I didn’t believe her.
1960 – Married the first Hungarian I ever met, a student at Indiana University and a woman to boot. Practiced for hours saying “stuffed cabbage” in Hungarian but in-laws always rolled eyes and looked away when I said it. (To this day I haven’t looked up the Hungarian word for “snickering.”)
1960-1965 – Writer-editor for UPI in Chicago. Little money but profitable in terms of vast improvement in drinking capacity.
1965-1968 – Writer-editor at ABC Radio News in New York. Rode Long Island Rail Road to and from work, always sitting in the smoking car, smoking. For this alone I should go to hell.
Early 1969-1971 – Editor in English-language newsroom at Radio Free Europe in Munich. Bought a how-to-speak German book. Went to store and confidently announced I wanted a dozen “augen.” Didn’t get them. Thanks to a kindly German, did leave with a dozen eggs and not the dozen eyes that I asked for.
1971-1973 – Writer-producer at CBS News, Radio in New York. Met Gary Swigert (not his real name), a writer who had been on the overnight shift for so long, riding the same nearly empty commuter train, that all the conductors thought he was one of them and never asked for a ticket. Which was good because he didn’t have one.
1973-1980 – Back to RFE in Munich. Promoted to Senior News Editor and later Assistant News Director. Learned enough German to buy a beer, get a room and ask for a ski lift ticket. Never could figure out how much money any of the Germans were asking me to hand over because these folks say their numbers backwards. (Note that I left the United States every time Dick Nixon was elected President.)
1980-1998 – Informed by Irene, my wife, that we were returning to States, contacted CBS News, Radio and was rehired, this time as an editor. Swigert still there. Still riding without a ticket. After a year or two moved to television news as a manager and met Bill O’Reilly. Soon returned to radio. Named Executive Editor. Entry into radio Management coincided with drastic decline in morale company-wide. Not entirely my fault. Top honchos made a series of brilliant moves, among them firing non-union personnel during a writers’ strike.
1999-2006 – After loafing for a year, answered a newspaper ad and went to work at a place with too many managers. Approximately 1,373 too many. This meant the focus was usually on protecting turf not on turning out readable, coherent copy. Management’s other big concern was frequent mass e-mailings to the staff on transit conditions, including times for ferry sailings. Swigert had retired by this time or would have alerted him about ferry sailings in case he wanted to try his luck at a free ride on water.
2006 – Retired. With lots of free time learned lots of new things, including how to send text messages. (Deleting sent messages remains a mystery. Oldest granddaughter, Rachel, once deleted 774 messages for me.) Other things I’ve learned since retiring: how enjoyable it is to eat lunch in a restaurant rather than at your desk and how to play the publishing game. I sucked up to an old friend who knows a publisher, leading to contract with Sunstone Press to publish a book on aging, “Did I Really Change My Underwear Every Day?”
2011 – Book published. A guy at the gym calls it “toilet reading.” A very close relative tells me “it’s crude.” I don’t argue with them because they bought both their own copies.
Late 2014 – “Everyone Needs an Editor (Some of Us More Than Others)” published by Sunstone Press. Yes, it’s a memoir about my days in news and radio and TV. Several years ago when I told a former CBS News desk assistant what I was working on she said, “Everyone writes a memoir, Larry.” Well, maybe so, but not every memoir includes a few lines on the champion apple-thrower (indoor division) of Bavaria, so there!
November 2016 –Finished a book about grandkids—I have four—called “Grandma Told Me Never To Believe Anything Grandpa Says.” Started looking for an agent or a publisher. Most of what I wrote is true. If the grandkids don't think so, they can write their own books.
April 2017- Began writing a monthly column, The Musings of a Grandfather, for the Great South Bay Magazine.
September 2018 - After many rejections or no responses from publishers and agents, signed a contract with Covenant Books to publish "Grandma Told Me to Never Believe Anything Grandpa Says."
October 2019 "Grandma Told Me to Never Believe Anything Grandpa Says" is published. As of now (December 2019), none of the grandkids have sued me.
“IT’S ALL IN THE BOOTS.”
Roland Eggleston, an old ski buddy, said that many years ago. I didn’t believe it then. I don’t believe it now, but I’ve never forgotten it.
If something I wrote left an impression, good or bad, use this page to let me know. If you really liked a piece, tell your boss, tell a stranger, tell a relative (even the ones you try to avoid most of the time), tell your bartender, tell someone. Please?
Thanks for spending some time here.
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Mindset Ventures & Microsoft to Invest in International Startups with Market Potential in Brazil
(PR Web) Mindset Ventures, a Brazil-based investment group, and Microsoft Accelerators have announced a global partnership agreement to invest US$100k-US$150k in graduate companies of Microsoft Accelerators with market potential in Brazil.
Today Mindset Ventures, a Brazilian Investment Group, and Microsoft Accelerators announced a global partnership agreement to invest in graduates of the Microsoft Accelerator from Tel Aviv, Israel and Seattle, USA. The amount invested in each company will vary from US$ 100,000 to $150,000 and will benefit 10 startups from Seattle (USA) and Tel Aviv (Israel) in the first year. Mindset Ventures’ goal is to invest in businesses with market potential in Brazil. The selected startups will be in announced in October, 2016.
Mindset Ventures is focused on companies accelerated by Microsoft Accelerator that have potential to expand to the Brazilian market. According to Daniel Ibri, Managing Partner of Mindset Ventures and CEO of Acelera Partners, this initiative can benefit several sectors.
“We will prioritize international startups with ideas that can contribute to the development of critical areas in Brazil such as agribusiness, fintech, healthcare and smart cities,” says Daniel Ibri. The selection of startups to be accelerated will be made by Mindset Ventures’ Managing Partners, Microsoft Accelerators’ executives and other international partners.
The partnership also seeks to improve venture capital investment knowledge in Brazil by importing the best global practices in benefit of the Brazilian startup ecosystem. According to Sebrae (Brazilian Support Service for Micro and Small Enterprises), the most relevant private entity that supports entrepreneurship in Brazil, micro and small businesses create 52% of total jobs in Brazil and are responsible for 27% of the Brazilian GDP, and therefore they are vital for the country’s competitiveness.
“Microsoft has been operating in Brazil for nearly 27 years. Since the beginning we have been committed to local development. That is why we support the ‘entrepreneurship journey’, with a set of tech programs that benefit individuals from children and young people in schools, universities and NGOs, to innovative ideas and early-stage startups. With Mindset Ventures, we are expanding our scope of operation in the Brazilian market by attracting global entrepreneurs,” says Franklin Luzes, COO of Microsoft Participações.
“Brazil is a huge market, and one of the biggest smartphone markets. Our culture is open-minded to new trends, making Brazil the perfect location for international startups to test their own apps before exploring new markets,” adds Franklin.
Mindset Ventures & Microsoft to Invest in International Startups with Market Potential in Brazil was last modified: May 18th, 2017 by Editor
AgribusinessBrazilFintechHealthcareMicrosoftMindset Venturessmart citiesStart-ups
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Iraqi Christians helped Trump win Michigan, then his immigration crackdown split their community
Liz Goodwin for the Boston Globe tells an interesting political story about Iraqi Christians in Michigan, which Donald Trump won by an extremely small margin in the 2016 election. The close-knit Iraqi Christian community in southeastern Michigan is divided on President Trump, which could affect the 2020 presidential election in this crucial Midwestern state.
Trump captured the votes of many Iraqi Christians with his antiabortion stance, promise to protect Christian minorities in the Middle East, and commitment to crush ISIS. When Trump denigrated other immigrant groups, some Iraqi Christians — who are also called Chaldeans, after the name of their branch of the Catholic Church — saw no threat to their community whose members largely entered the country legally.
Altar servers waited before a service at St. Joseph Chaldean Catholic Church on a Sunday morning in the largely Chaldean neighborhood of Sterling Heights. Erin Clark for the Boston Globe
Influential Iraqi Christian figures supported Trump. A Chaldean priest was photographed giving a blessing to Trump in a brief meeting before the election in an image that was shared widely on Facebook. Other Chaldeans attended Trump rallies holding signs of support.
“There’s a very good chance he won Michigan because of our community,” said Nahren Anweya, an Iraqi-American Christian activist from southeast Michigan who backed Trump. “We did trust President Trump to protect us.”
The image of Trump as protector was shaken early in his presidency. Just days after he took office, Trump banned the admission of persons from several majority-Muslim nations, which initially included Iraq. Soon after, ICE agents rounded up Iraqis across the US. Most were legal immigrants but had committed crimes, often decades ago, making them eligible to be deported to a country where they feared death or torture.
Iraqi Christians began arriving in Detroit in the early 1900s. More Iraqi Christians arrived in the 1990s in the aftermath of the Gulf War, and settled in Detroit about a mile from “Chaldean Town” — an Iraqi Christian community filled with churches, bakeries, and shops that closely replicated life in the Northern Iraqi villages.
https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/immigration/2019/10/iraqi-christians-helped-trump-win-michigan-then-his-immigration-crackdown-split-their-community.html
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Articles » Findings & Discoveries
2 Characters in Animal Crossing Who Changed Gender in Localization
Posted on June 22, 2013 by Clyde Mandelin ‧ 44 Comments
With the new Animal Crossing game out now, I thought I’d do some quick looking around and see what interesting localization changes might exist. There’s SO much I could dig into and write about that it’d probably take years to document it all, so for now here’s just a little tidbit!
In the English versions of all the Animal Crossing games, there are two female characters known as Gracie, who’s a fashion-loving giraffe, and Saharah, a carpet-selling camel:
In the Japanese versions, they’re called “Grace” and “Roland”. And they’re actually male characters! In the Japanese versions of Animal Crossing , these characters are actually males who speak in an extremely feminine manner:
When they were localized into English, they were changed into female characters entirely:
But, wait, how do we know they’re supposed to be male in Japanese? Well, the official Japanese site (which you can see here) specifically says so:
Graces’s text there even says, “Oh, and just so you know, Grace is a he!”
Also, while we’re sort of on the subject, Saharah’s Japanese text also has a strong “foreigner who doesn’t speak Japanese natively” vibe to it. Off the top of my head I can’t recall if that was reflected in the English translations too. I feel like it might’ve been, though.
Anyway, I don’t play Animal Crossing as much as I used to, so this was all news to me! Was it news to you, or is this something everyone and their dog already knows?
Also, do you think this gender change was a good localization choice, or should it have been left alone? I’m really curious to know what fans think – let me know in the comments!
If you enjoyed this post and know any fellow Animal Crossing fans, it'd mean a lot if you shared it with them. Sharing is one of the best ways to support Legends of Localization!
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Cleveland Rock June 22, 2013 at 6:34 pm
You might be inviting a political argument with these comments, but I think it’s a terrible idea changing effeminate male characters into female characters. Especially in a game where you can cross-dress.
Roland/Saharah doesn’t even look feminine to me.
Andrew June 22, 2013 at 6:36 pm
I think the gender change was awful. Nintendo basically said men have to act “mainly”. Nintendo of America seems to have their head up their ads when it comes to censor ship.
Woof June 22, 2013 at 7:35 pm
They’re not saying that. They’re avoiding the scandal of having an openly gay character in an American kid’s game. It’s a business decision. Any level headed person, gay or otherwise, would understand that.
ILDC June 22, 2013 at 9:06 pm
Openly gay?
Woof June 23, 2013 at 3:01 am
Flamboyant fashion designer with a pink scarf and eye makeup.
Ana June 23, 2013 at 10:59 am
That’s not openly gay… Openly gay is when it’s stated they’re gay.
Olivia June 23, 2013 at 11:08 am
Not all openly gay people are flamboyant fashion designers with pink scarves and make up as well as a straight man could dress that way
Princess June 23, 2013 at 11:12 am
The thing is that femininity and masculinity has nothing to do with sexuality. It never did. Just because the character dresses a certain way says nothing about them being ‘openly gay’ or not.
Hey guys? I know that you’re technically right, and you know that the average American would consider a flamboyant fashion designer with a pink scarf and eye makeup to be gay. Nintendo cares about what the average American would think. They changed him to a girl to avoid controversy, not to say that “men have to act manly”. That was my point.
Patrick Murphy June 22, 2013 at 6:37 pm
I think it’s always cool to see some genderbending in video games, and I think Animal Crossing would have been a pretty good place to do this–especially in New Leaf, where the girl main character can wear pants and shirts and the boy main character can wear dresses and skirts without any trouble. Baby steps are okay too though!
I never actually knew until a few days ago that Sahara was supposed to be a girl, I honestly thought she was a guy. It’s funny though, she reminds me so much of Eyelashes from One Piece, and he was a guy. Is that just an odd coincidence?
J.J. June 22, 2013 at 6:39 pm
It seems like a bit of a dilemma. On the one hand, some will credit NOJ for having the courage to depict gender-bending or “gender queer” characters. On the other, some will bash NOJ for having the insensitivity to depict campy, effeminate, stereotypically gay characters.
I don’t know enough about Japanese culture to say for sure what motive is more genuine. Tomato, would you say that when characters like this are included in games, it’s because their effeminate nature is considered grotesque and funny? Or is it just because the Japanese are generally cooler with gender-subversion, and thus gender-bending characters are just a normal way to include some diversity in the cast?
Mato June 22, 2013 at 6:58 pm
I think it’s a lot more common and normal in Japanese entertainment – I haven’t lived there in a good while so I can’t say how things might’ve changed/progressed over the last few years, but if anything, these two characters are portrayed more or less the same way openly homosexual celebrities/talents/personalities portray themselves in the Japanese media. So I don’t think it was NCL “pushing the envelope” or needing courage or anything, it’s just how things are there.
Alec June 22, 2013 at 6:51 pm
Woah, that’s actually pretty interesting. I’d love to read a LoL about Animal Crossing, though that’s probably a lot of text to sift through.
Toal June 22, 2013 at 8:32 pm
That comment about the giraffe sounding like a non-native speaker reminded me of something about the first Shenmue that I always found amusing. Tom, the american guy that could teach you some badass kick move. AFAIK, he was the only native english speaker in the game and yet he spoke in broken english and had the funniest accent of the entire cast.
It’s pretty obvious why this happened, since in the original version he’s the stereotypical funky black foreigner with poor japanese. Keeping that trait in a game for english-speaking countries just makes him sound dumb, though.
CrouchingMouse June 22, 2013 at 8:38 pm
Wow, that is quite honestly news to me! And here I thought I knew a lot about Animal Crossing. I guess it doesn’t surprise me too much though, since this certainly isn’t the first time Nintendo has changed a character’s gender to avoid reference to cross-dressing…
Well, that explains why “Gracie” spoke in one of the “male” voices. Saharah/Roland, I think, shares a voice with only the warthog lady(?).
Darien June 22, 2013 at 9:58 pm
Business as usual, really. I think the first time I can recall Nintendo changing an effeminate male character into a female for the US localisation was Birdo in SMB2. Animal Crossing wasn’t the last time, either; Paper Mario Y2k’s Vivian was male in the Japanese version also.
I think I’ll avoid going down crazy street and speculating on Nintendo executives’ innermost thoughts in re: cross-dressing and just mention that these changes are clearly made based on the taste of the audience and not on, like, what Reggie thinks about RuPaul.
stone cold steve austin (scsa) June 22, 2013 at 11:56 pm
IIRC Saharah did speak with a non-native vibe in English.
But man them being changed to girls! That’s a pretty odd decision.
R_N June 22, 2013 at 11:59 pm
I can kind of understand why Gracie was made female, considering the original game was translated in 2002 and it might have been more controversial than, say, today.
But Saharah being changed always seemed odd to me. He wears an open vest, nothing he says in the english version implies femininity (and yes, the dialog is done in a sort-of broken english way. Very short sentences, kind of simple structure). It’s such a random change.
FireflyMelody December 30, 2013 at 5:08 am
I’ve heard it was the long eyelashes. To avoid making Saharah/Roland LOOK like a girl, they actually MADE him a girl. …Confusing, but entirely possible. Since when has Nintendo made sense, anyway?
Tharthan January 3, 2014 at 5:38 pm
More controversial than today? What are you implying, exactly?
Andrew June 23, 2013 at 11:05 am
Hey Mato. I’ve been wondering about what Tom Nook says in the japanese games when you walk into his store and he greets you. Is it at all similar to what he says over here, “Feel free to browse, but try not to carouse?” Carouse means having a party with drinking by the way, and I’ve always thought it was odd that they snuck in a drinking reference.
Carouse actually has the primary meaning of “to drink in excess”. The “engage in a drunken gathering” meaning is a secondary meaning.
It’s derived from Middle French carousser (“to drink copiously”), which is derived from German “gar aus”, which is a shortened form of gar austrinken (“to guzzle”).
Morgil June 23, 2013 at 4:44 pm
Wow, this just really blew my mind.
Justin June 23, 2013 at 5:50 pm
Saharah definitely speaks in a stilted English. It’s fairly subtle — very good work by Nintendo’s translators — but it’s definitely there.
Casey June 25, 2013 at 3:39 pm
I always found it obnoxious when effeminate men are changed into girl characters in English localizations of games…
Also, Sahara/Roland speaks in borked English in the American version, s/he says stuff along the lines of “Me Sahara, I sell you carpet, you give me carpet and bells first”, something like that.
Margarita Law July 14, 2013 at 1:19 am
I hope that there was no gender change. Their original status should be retained and just the subtitles are change to like English from Japanese. Translation is very important so that we can understand each other and we can convey what we really wanted to tell on other people.
Ashley July 15, 2013 at 7:43 pm
You people do realize these are animals right?
I don’t think human rules apply.
“crossdressing giraffes”.. .-.
Bohepans February 3, 2014 at 3:39 am
Thank you! I’m glad someone said it.
That and let’s consider, I’m pretty sure that this is a fictional world. Correct me if I’m wrong, but given that there are talking animals running around, well… My point being, who said the same rules apply to this world as ours? It strikes me as a tiny bit odd, but I shrug it off. Their world, their game, their rules. Whatevs! It’s all find by me. It’s nothing blatantly offensive to my eyes and/or ears…and I’m bisexual, so, I feel like I have at least some small right to say that.
nihiloEXmateria July 18, 2013 at 7:13 pm
According to a friend of mine this may have been accidental: In the Japanese version of the game “Special”-characters (NPCs who are not villagers) have no gender defining variables. So the translators may have just stumbled upon situations where they felt the need to define what gender these characters where and just assumed they where female by mistake. (I have no idea how they came to the conclusion that Saharah/Roland was female though, even in the English version I always thought she/he was male.)
Interesting to note is that New Leaf’s villager Julie kept his gender, only having his name changed to the more masculine Julian. Also this:
http://24.media.tumblr.com/89084009000c2254671215208e877f71/tumblr_mpdswiHWEf1qmc4vro1_500.png
Azure Lazuline August 2, 2013 at 10:30 pm
For Saharah, I honestly think the gender swap had nothing to do with stereotypes or personalities or anything – they just wanted to make that awesome name pun, and “Sarah” happens to be a girl’s name, that’s all.
Gracie is a little different, though. If you listen closely, she uses one of the male voices, and her face looks a little bit masculine if you don’t count the makeup. However, everyone calls her “she,” including herself. You know what that means, right? NoA should be thanked, not criticized, because they are progressive enough to depict the first transsexual character in Nintendo history! So be careful, I don’t think Gracie would appreciate it if you say you wish her gender didn’t change.
Cheryl August 11, 2013 at 10:03 am
Why do we have to bring this gay or cross dresser into a game for children? Don’t froget this is a child’s game. So adults play and have to interject their why of life.
Children hare pure in thought and dont even know what transgender, cross dresser or gay is. Unles a adult try’s to bring it up. Children don’t see if it is a guy or a girl.
Please keep this game free from politics!!!!
Demosthenes August 25, 2013 at 3:18 pm
Being LBGT is not a “way of life”. Sexual orientation and gender identity are distinct from behavior. Many of the children playing AC are LGBT themselves, and are going to realize it sooner than you think (Put it this way – when did you first know you were straight? When did you first know that your physical and mental genders were the same? How much sooner would you have noticed if, rather than being the same as 90% of the world, you were different than them?).
Don’t reduce people, particularly those who have traditionally been victimized and marginalized by society, to mere impersonal political “issues” to be dealt with.
[/soapbox]
Irrespective of whether such is the case, the way they are depicted in the Animal Crossing series is both stereotypical and annoying.
I’m tired of seeing effeminate fashion designers every five seconds. I really am.
Nichi January 6, 2014 at 4:19 pm
It’s not keeping the game “Free from politics” by giving a few cartoon animal vaginas. You CAN crossdress in the game, as both genders, so that one’s . No one is gay because the only characters that ever mention romantic interest are randomized and usually just gossip from third parties. Children don’t see if it is a guy or a girl, and moreso they don’t CARE, and that’s exactly why randomly making the friendly carpet salesman a saleswoman makes no sense once so ever. Nothing about the game is offensive in Japan, it’s appearance + traits + outfit + voice. None of the traits are “rapist” or “pedophile” or “weirdly political about everything”, they’re “gentlemanly and flirty” or “afraid of bugs”.
TL;DR: Sure, and let’s make Nan a white goat instead of a black goat to avoid racism, eh? You’re a dick.
Mskitty August 16, 2013 at 3:35 pm
Well i already knew about this but i didn’t care very much.
I Think that having a male fashion designer would make some people be all like “OH GRACE IS GAY!” and be yelling it like everywhere. Some people are just stupid like that but i think the people who actually play animal crossing aren’t at all like that because animal crossing is complicated in so many ways.
Ryan C. October 10, 2013 at 5:47 am
I find pointless censorship like this VERY offensive. It tells me that Nintendo doesn’t respect its audience’s intelligence or understanding when it comes to topics such as cross dressing, sexuality, and gender identification; even in games like Animal Crossing. They only changed the text and character dialog, but it tells me a lot about the people who make the choices about localization. This isn’t 1992, western audiences will be able to cope, understand, and possibly relate to these “issues.” It was a creative decision by the Japanese developer to portray Grace and Roland as they did. Localization like this, while small, can impact the intended message. Animal Crossing is all about interacting will interesting characters in an accepting world. How “unique” is a girl who likes fashion? Give me my cross-dressers dammit xD. It makes me wonder what else they edited to appeal to our “Western” sensibilities. Perhaps I’m over reacting, nope!
Dinner Sonic December 20, 2013 at 12:11 am
It’s been sorta kinda mentioned in comments, but while Animal Crossing: New Leaf surprisingly had the ability to cross dress and have it both pointed out and complimented by other characters, these characters first appeared in earlier games. It makes me wonder if they would have not done this if they first appeared in New Leaf?
Well that just makes SO much sense; after all, in real life only females have eyelashes and male fashion designers are a myth! Nintendo needs to stop being stupid with localization, and I’m just glad they realized they couldn’t genderbend the fabulous peacock. Grac(i)e will always be my favorite character because of their hilarious attitude,
Also, I want to know what Mabel says when you wear a skirt; in English, it really sounds like she’s insulting you under her breath with the way she says it, the English version is “Oh… well, I guess it’s OK to be a bit more adventurous sometimes.” Though mostly it just bugs me because of how oblivious she is at the girl wearing a tuxedo or ‘grandpa’ outfit. When those actually ARE gendered, moreso than a kilt at least.
The fact that Nintendo (and especially Nintendo America) is more offended by the idea of dudes in skirts than many, many furniture items having visible genitalia and nipples really makes me judging of moral guardians in general. I mean, I’m fine with the visible naughty bits too, but there’s at least a relatively legitimate reason to censor nakedness.
Actually, the gender change came up even earlier than that. On the official E-Cards, all of the characters have their gender listed. Gracie, Saharah and Blanca all have the male symbol on their cards. This happens on every card for them, even some promotional cards with different artwork. Another interesting change that you might want to cover is Jane’s drastic art change.
Kyle August 22, 2014 at 3:13 pm
Honestly, I knew this, but I see the reasoning behind Nintendo’s decision. Nintendo thinks the kids they’re marketing to can’t handle effeminate males and will get uncomfortable playing it.
Anon January 22, 2016 at 3:26 am
What? No, that’s not it at all. It’s because Nintendo thinks that PARENTS (ie soccer moms) can’t handle their children seeing effeminate males. Huge difference.
Nintendo is afraid of controversy, because a lot of it has happened here in the states because of uneducated or intolerant idiots. Like the Pokemon card with a swastika on it, “Koga’s Trick” if I remember correctly, or Mario Party (7?) being recalled in the UK because it used the word “spastic” (which is completely tame in the US but apparently the equivalent of “retarded” in the UK).
Nintendo thinks that the US is full of puritans (because until very recently, we really were) and want to maintain their family-friendly image.
Kyle February 5, 2016 at 4:51 pm
You are correct about Saharah’s English text. Her text is intentionally fragmented, and also includes asking ‘yes’ and ‘no’ at inappropriate times.
Peter August 2, 2018 at 5:22 am
Hopefully, after these last three years of RuPaul’s Dragrace being a global phenomenon, Nintendo won’t have to change the assigned gender of a fashion concious giraffe in localization.
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Compared to things like literature and film, video games are an incredibly new form of expression, and the concepts behind game translation are even newer. So let's explore how translators have coped with new challenges while blazing a new linguistic frontier!
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Jordan and Jesse Eaton were affected by the liquidation of Wedding Planners Whitsundays. The couple married at Earlando on Wednesday as planned. Pic: Summer Rain Photography
Wedding planner goes bust, dozens affected
by Hayden Johnson
15th Oct 2019 12:20 PM
ALMOST 40 couples planning their dream ceremony in the Whitsundays have been left in the lurch after the region's largest wedding planner unexpectedly shut its doors.
Wedding Planners Whitsundays was put into liquidation on October 4 with 39 weddings on the books.
About 30 suppliers, staff and the Australian Tax Office is understood to be owed thousands of dollars, but an exact figure has not been revealed.
Liquidator Dennis Offermans of Offermans in Townsville had the unenviable task last week of contacting couples to deliver the news of the company's collapse.
"The key was doing it as early as possible and obviously they were very upset," he said.
"Most were extremely polite and we've just tried to keep them informed.
"That was our main focus, to try and ensure the weddings would go ahead.
"It hasn't been our easiest assignment."
Jordan and Jesse Beattie were affected by the liquidation of Wedding Planners Whitsundays. The couple married at Earlando on Wednesday as planned. Pic: Summer Rain Photography
But what might have turned out to be a disaster for affected couples wasn't to be, with generous suppliers and Tourism Whitsundays rallying to facilitate the weddings.
Last week three ceremonies went ahead, almost as planned, thanks largely to the work of Airlie Beach company Fish D'Vine.
"It was through enormous cooperation through suppliers and this particular party we've made it happen pretty quickly...within a week," Mr Offerman said.
"They (couples) won't be out of pocket one cent.
"We thought that was a fairly good outcome."
Fish D'Vine director Kevin Collins said there were about $100,000 in lost deposits his business would have to cover.
Despite the hardship, Mr Collins said it was vital out-of-pocket suppliers honoured payments and didn't "burn the couples".
"Weddings in the Whitsundays are big business," he said.
"It's too big an industry to let fail.
"It's saved the poor brides and grooms.
"It would have been a horrendous experience for them."
Kevin Collins of Fish D'vine at Airlie Beach.
Mr Collins said he was shocked and disappointed when the region's largest planner went under, but said he didn't give a second thought about helping the couples.
"Thankfully we are big enough we can recoup the losses over a few years," he said.
"It's a blip on our financial radar but it's the right thing to do.
"We're in the business of being nice to people."
Mr Offerman said his early investigations suggested the company's overheads were not commensurate with revenue, but a debt to creditors had not been determined.
"It's too early to crystallise a figure," he said.
"The director is extremely upset about it all."
Tourism Whitsundays CEO Tash Wheeler said the industry "has proven its determination to save the industry they love and have rallied to support each other".
Liquidators or administrators were appointed to 113 Queensland businesses in September.
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level 9 paranoia
About Level 9 Paranoia
About Peter Rosch
But I Love You: A Novel
My Dead Friend Sarah: A Novel
Like the way my brain works? Consider my most recent book then, won’t you?
Tag Archives for forbidden love
The Interview by Peter Rosch
Very little green in this “green” room, but it is a quiet place to temporarily cower. Maybe the outrage will be easily dismissed. No more difficult to sweep into the next sunset than making an apology. Own my guilt, even as I try to explain it away with the simplest of rationales: What God-fearing, red-blooded American boy born in the seventies didn’t hope that at some point, like Andrew McCarthy before him, some easy-on-the-eyes mannequin would magically come to life and bone him?
Like I said, simple. But we’ll get to that.
I sat down. I’m sitting now, but I mean earlier. I’d been told to sit down. And that was fine; some of us need to be instructed on exactly what we are supposed to do. The similarities between the heroic take-charge movie characters you only think are me and the actual-me end at the mandatorily crafted physique and bleach-white-toothed-mug. When the overly-caffeinated blonde, in charge by way of the authoritative headset strapped atop her power-crop-do, barked towards me, Let’s do this people! Nicholas, I need you to sit down, I did just that.
Do exactly as your told, my mother used to say. Not the first mother to say it; not the last to say it either.
I didn’t hesitate. That direction had my fifteen-million-dollars-a-picture-ass finding its seat pronto. The hard, ever so subtly curved plank of wood atop four metal legs was trying to pass itself off as a stool. Dreadfully uncomfortable; the same torturous device for the interviewee and the interviewer. It was a backless number chosen for an aesthetic reason, comfort be damned. We can safely nominate the “chair” as the first item on a list of things to blame for the possibly detrimental admission I’d be making just fifteen minutes after sitting upon it—just an hour ago actually.
You can watch my snafu play out with your own judgmental mind later tonight if you watch dreck like this. I suspect you’ll learn about it regardless. My affliction made light of by way of late night monologues or the callous reporting of TMZ. Perhaps your friends, the ones with nothing original to say, will post a link to the clip. It’ll be “trending” as they say. The point is, for a spell, you’ll have ample opportunities to recoil in disgust. Easier to mock another’s sordid perversion than examine your own. Get all holier-than-thou on me, even though my soon-to-be-public confession has finally set me free.
If you follow Hollywood going-ons, gossip, or what tragically passes for news on CNN or Huffington Post, then you already know that Nicholas Devlin (this guy) never had any intention of becoming an actor. I certainly didn’t foresee a life of celebrity, not as a child nor as an adult. The story of my serendipitous discovery by a well-known agent is the kind of modern day folklore the industry loves to perpetuate. It keeps young blood flocking to the polished hustle and bustle of The City of Angels. Were my chance encounter five years ago with the fat man I still call my agent a fabrication, you’d only be the wiser when he and his information agents decided spilling the beans about its falsity would be financially beneficial. The anecdote is the truth though, until it isn’t, so take it as The Gospel. Yes! Some day, you too might be grabbing a cup of coffee in between unspeakable acts, only to be “discovered” by one of fame’s gatekeepers. But only if he or she believes that bilking a mess of pretty pennies by pedaling your veneer to the masses is an almost certain slam-dunk.
You are ugly, you say? Friend, no need to fret. I was as well. Nearly forty years of anything but handsome, in fact. Maybe, like me, you just need to give the features that decorate your face a little more time. Possibly a lot of time. I’m not the first odd bird to wake up two decades into adulthood only to finally find the hawkishly large nose, squinty eyes, and the peculiarly large forehead all of a sudden pulling together brilliantly between deep wrinkles that somehow work. A façade that my agent recognized, or at least surmised, would be sellable under the guise of rugged manliness. Dare to dream, you have my permission to do so. Today’s toad, tomorrow’s prince–you just need a little kiss from father time.
My agent is persuasive. I’ve heard his colleagues use the cliché, Pit Bull, to describe his tenacity. Never to his face, of course. Of all my heaviest-set acquaintances, Marty’s smile works best. It’s a thinner man’s grin plastered onto the puff of a doughboy’s face. One need not be fit to rule some small part of the world. His successes are surely predicated on the combination of that disarming smirk and his ability to coax other players into believing that what he sees in an “aspiring” actor is profitable. A cash cow the world will fall in love with. His track record is impeccable; his sculpting of each new lump of human clay is bonafide. I took some convincing. He slow-baked my indoctrination by simply suggesting that I leave the door open to the possibility of what he’d labeled some “quick” photographs. I imagine he’d already begun greasing the wheels of his social circle with hype about his latest find, me, well before I showed up for the snaps several weeks later. In observing his methods play out with others since our working relationship began, I’ve been privy to his dance. How he twirls his latest finds is likely identical to the behind the scenes moves he’d made with me. We are Marty’s pretty little soldiers, and our entire pre-fame histories have been scripted by him and his small team of storytellers.
Marty is not some black-ops stonemason sort. The naive might be amazed at how much factual information one can bury about oneself with cash and the connections to fabricate non-fiction. Stuffed amongst enough digital destinations, and over time the truth about me (or any of the others) is dozens of additional clicks away from ever being found. All but the most obsessed fans remain blissfully ignorant of actual facts. Even when those tidbits of reality are finally discovered, it isn’t atypical for them to delightfully and dutifully serve as playful sorts of controversy for the media to fill their countless hours of programming, websites, and remaining paper pages with. The sheer volume and churn of modern-day information leaves most “revelations” pertinent for less than forty-eight hours. Say you’ve a film opening, a book due out, a song climbing the charts, or anything else that’ll make my agent’s twenty percent that much fatter, you can be certain he’ll be all for a wee bit of accidental (or manufactured) drama. That aforementioned skinny-man’s smile goes ear to ear when the most inane of facts lights a caustic fire on the World Wide Web.
“Let the sheeple fuss over your supposed nose job,” he might say. “Why the fuck they care so much has always been beyond me. It’s vexing, but let’s hope they stay that dumb forever.”
Marty made me, but he doesn’t know me. he never dug all that deep into who I was pre-Marty. Don’t get me wrong; he wasn’t entirely careless about it. In fairness, very early on, he did ask me three questions. He insisted the trio was all he needed answered truthfully by me, on the spot, so that he could work around any disagreeable responses once our first major motion picture broke.
“Are you a homosexual?”
“Do you diddle little kids?”
“Is there anything—I mean anything—that you know could become a problem for us down the road?”
“I don’t think so,” I offered with a wavering commitment.
“Come on, Nick. You either know, or the answer is ‘No, Marty. There isn’t.”
“Like what exactly?” I asked.
“I’m not going to laundry list examples of all the fucked-up shit I’ve heard or seen in my three decades at this dog and pony show. I’ll ask again. Is there anything I should know about you that someone can dig up at some point to make our lives at all inconvenient?”
I acted like I had to think about it.
“No, Marty. There isn’t.”
“You know, I don’t believe you, Nick,” he said before squeezing himself back into a two thousand dollar jacket. “Don’t take any offense though, I don’t believe anyone about nothin’.”
Even if today’s new “news” about Nicholas Devlin had been put onto the table for my agent back then, it wouldn’t have altered our course. I think he’d have laughed it off. I held back the information about my sexual preference on the technicality he presented. In that moment, I chose to keep my habit to myself because I knew (or at least believe I knew) that nary a single soul on the planet could unearth anything to expose that part of me. It wasn’t public knowledge, I’d never ben caught, arrested, or had anyone approach me to discuss it or harass me about it either.
Let’s add the punishing heat of the directional lamps bearing down on me earlier to the list of things we might blame. Unless you’ve sat under them, it’s impossible to have any real idea of just how hot it can become when you are trying to play the part of cool as cucumber. Like my “friend,” Gwyneth, once said, at times, an interview with the press is on par with Guantanamo. Her words, not mine. Nonetheless, the frying effect of those illuminating beams is a fair scapegoat to include. Number two on the list of reasons I’ll prattle off to my agent when he comes back down from livid to help me craft an apology. More accurately, write the entire mea culpa for me. We’ll be blaming a lot of things; we’ll be taking the blame while doling blame.
We could blame Kristen, or possibly KrYsten, the faux-hyperactive talking head, surely some man’s ten-on-a-ten-scale bedpost notch, who’d conducted the interview. She certainly wasn’t waiting around for an apology when the dust of what I’d dished had settled. I’d pin her as aged around twenty-five or six; a touch to young to be trusted with anything other than the kind of bubblegum-pop-schlock a show like this delivers from three to five in the afternoon to the tragically homebound. She’s fit, wrinkle-free, and still a handful of years away from having to endure the painfully repetitive ticking of the Hollywood clock that counts down to the eventual disposal of dime-a-dozen cherubs like herself. I’m sure she’s already blown Marty. It’s fare when any unattended female in the room under the age of thirty hasn’t, usually within the first half-hour of their introduction.
If anything “good” manifests from today, I’d bet it all on it being a slight uptick in her own popularity. Parlaying this thirty-minute interview into a gig with another show, her own show, or even a few bit rolls in C or B films isn’t at all far fetched. Like any sycophant fluttering at the edges of those inflicted with the disease that is fame, she is likely biding her time. Eyes peeled for the the opportunity to hop a coattail to the party, even if it’s tattered and filthy with stink. I’ve no sympathy for her plight. She made the decision to come out here. The mid-western accent that she has almost perfected hiding hadn’t gone unnoticed by me. She isn’t native to SoCal; she’s playing the game too. I’m by no means rooting against her, I’ll be sincerely pleased if the result of her having put my feet to the coals with her semi-hypnotic posits bestows pun her a next-rung-leap with a more respected “journalism” program.
In the pisser, right after we’d wrapped, it’d occurred to me that her voice had mimicked my mother’s, before a two pack a day routine had caught up with her. That was a long, long time ago. It’d be too expected to blame Mom for any of this, though I think we probably could. Any therapist worth a nickel would, you can be sure of that. Marty has already “suggested” to me by way of text message that we are to make therapy a part of the damage control play he’s currently orchestrating. In time, we’ll all find out if Krysten (I’m going with the Y version, call it a hunch) can thank my mom at some point for her future gig. She’d have to find Mom first.
I didn’t kill my mother, if that’s what you are thinking. She’s been as good as dead to me two and a half decades, but I don’t know if she’s dead-dead. Surprisingly, when I “made-it,” there’d been no classic tale of a reunion between the recently fame-ized Nicholas and an out-of-the-woodwork opportunistic mother. If she’s still out there, and if she’d been teetering on the fence about such a thing, lying in wait just days away from venturing to Los Angeles to re-introduce herself to me, I think my little stunt today will knock her solidly to the side of the pickets that have nothing to do with visiting me. You never know though; predictability wasn’t her friend. If she isn’t six-feet under, maybe it’s now more likely than ever that she’ll come rushing to her baby boy’s side. Help see him through the forth coming shit storm. Inadvertently, I may have given her the first real reason to try and re-connect. Even if it’s only to defend her reputation in light of my having implicated her directly. So, if we shine this Devlin-turd up real nice, Krysten might get a promotion and Mom might show up on my doorstep, open arms and all, to “help” her only child.
When Krysten sat herself across from me, I’ll admit, it invoked a fleeting vision of my mother—how my brain remembers my mother anyway. I’d tell you that she and the younger version of my mother could be twins, but I’d be lying, or at least basing the declaration on no real concrete evidence. I’ve never been able to locate any photos of Mom. Krysten’s appearance wasn’t nearly as responsible as her first spoken words had been. Her voice, the pentameter she used to deliver her first phrase that was meant to put me at ease before we began, these had been the culprits.
“Okay, Nicky,” she playfully poked, “this shouldn’t be too, too painful.” Insert huge toothy lie of a smile here.
The double use of the word too was a staple in my mother’s use of that very same fib. The memory of the way Mom used to say the same reverberated within me as the silent count of a stranger’s finger was made from behind one of a half dozen cameras set up to capture the interview in earnest.
“Nicholas,” Krysten began, “let’s get the promotional plug for your new film, Haymaker, out of the way, shall we?”
“Sure, let’s,” I nodded.
“The story of a crooked Detroit cop who becomes smitten with the goody two-shoes sister of a his knowingly wrongful arrest.”
She let the synopsis of the movie hang in the air, having completed it with just enough of an upswing in pitch that it rode the room like a question. It was rhetorical, but she tilted her head to one side, indicating to me that she was looking for an unnecessary confirmation.
“That’s the gist, yes,” I answered.
“I saw the other day that your co-star, Lorna Alden, said that that the two of you kept in character from day one until you wrapped, to keep the tension between you both as real as was possible throughout. True or not, the uncomfortable interaction between your characters was spellbindingly brilliant. Did you find it difficult to keep that fiction up during the long hours between takes?”
Her first question was routine enough, though wordy. An entirely normal ask that I was having trouble replying to directly as I fought to shake of the memory-lane jaunt of my mother that Krysten had instigated with her mimicry.
“How so?” I asked only to give my brain a chance to shake the cobwebs of my past.
“Well, we all know you to be a peach of a guy, but your character, Detective Lazlo Frost, is anything but. I’d suggest he’s a remorseless sociopath, even on his best behavior day, and I imagine keeping that up for six straight weeks must have been challenging for a good like you, no?”
It hadn’t been actually. I’m not trying to be glib. Yes, it was my first foray into that method of acting at the behest of my coach, but pretending to be something you are already pretending to be isn’t that difficult once you commit. I do it everyday. Still, the world wants to hear that I struggled with that duality. So, I’m to confirm that it’s true, admit that it was difficult, and the praise my agent’s insistence that I work with the renowned performance guru, Jacob Crowley, in order to achieve such a realistic portrayal.
“Method acting is not for the timid,” I said through a forced smirk. “Hopefully, the end result of my agent’s insistence that I work with Jacob Crowley to explore extreme method acting is a film in which the viewers aren’t watching Nicholas Devlin at all. I think I owed that effort to the writers.”
“Any sparks between you and Lorna off-set then?”
I’d expected a deviation from a purely film-centric interview. The personal life of the celebrity sells tickets ten fold in comparison to most else. Still, I was bummed she put the lowest hanging fruit on the table so quickly.
“Well now, it wouldn’t have been Lorna. After all, she never deviated from player her own character, Caroline.”
A hearty laugh from Krysten followed my attempt at a subtle quip. That’s a mandatory for the role, and she delivered it flawlessly.
“Some people have suggested that if you and Lorna were to become an actual item, that’d it’d rival Brad and Angelina’s power-duo status. Maybe we’re all secretly hoping that the chemistry, which was akin to theirs in Mr. And Mrs. Smith, will also transcend the silver screen.”
“Well, I know Brad and Angie very well, and I doubt that they’d relinquish the crown without a fight.”
I don’t know either of them, but it’s a safe bet the dishonest remark won’t offend. I was simply perpetuating the myth that all of us Hollywood-types hang fabulously with one another whenever possible.
“I’ll be sure to left the know you said so though,” I assure Krysten.
That commitment seemed to genuinely please her. I’m sure no one else detected it, but I caught just the smallest addition of a wrinkle above the already twinkling eyes on that previously smooth and flawless forehead. The tiny crease came and went, but I saw it. Her return to a staged enthusiasm absorbed the defect quickly, but it had popped up over the bridge of her nose just long enough to suggest that my assurance to mention her behind the curtains of the great and powerful Oz was an exciting proposition to her. It pissed me off. I don’t know why. Perhaps I thought I was boring her, believed that talking about only me wasn’t quite enough to satisfy Krysten. Who can be certain, but I’d add that momentary lapse in an already broken self-esteem to the list of potential to-blames.
“Please do!” She tried to play it off. “Now, back to Haymaker. Some critics have already suggested Oscar nods are in the future—in your future for that matter. I believe Rolling Stone Magazine even went as far as to suggest that it was a modern-day Godfather, and that your performance was worthy of the comparison.”
I haven’t seen The Godfather. Absurd, I know. Both that I’ve not seen it, and the comparison itself I’m sure. The compliment pissed me off more than the Brangelina bit, and I was compelled to interrupt.
“That’s just ridiculous,” I started.
Right then, I know my agent, the studio, dozens of producers, and other egos must have shuddered with disgust on the heels of those three bank-robbing words. It’s always a good play to be humble, I’ve been told, but not to engage in blasphemy against one’s own project.
“I’m faltered by the comparison, it’s not really for me to decide,” I corrected myself without overcorrecting for the no-no.
“Have you seen it?” she asked.
“Haymaker,” I pretended, “of course!”
“No, The Godfather.”
“More times than I can count,” I lied. “What actor hasn’t studied it habitually, along with its legendary performances, in the hopes of joining their very ranks?”
I’d asked her a question, also frowned upon. No number of times at bat leaves you prepared to do the pitching. As it was, we’d deviated off the topic of plugging Haymaker too soon. I haven’t watched The Godfather, and the lie suggesting the opposite had left me an open target for the possibility of an even more in-depth questioning about the film and those “legendary” performances that I’ve never seen. If so, they’d have been queries I’d have been unable to field. I’m a fraud. I know this. I’ve always known this, and maybe I was a bit more anxious at that moment than is my norm. She’d ruffled this chicken’s feathers, I don’t know why. Throw anxiety onto the pile of reasons for the admission that had yet to come.
“Who are you a fan of? Who does Nicholas Devlin aspire to be?” she kindly asked, keeping a healthy ambiguity to our subject matter like an old pro. It put me back at ease, momentarily.
For her questions, I already had answers—two actually. My agent prefers for me to list an unlikely pairing that covers the whole gamut of what appeals to the public: a master and a clown; a king and a fool.
“Daniel Day-Lewis and Jim Carrey,” I said with a scripted pause for maximum effect. “Day-Lewis for his chameleon-like ability to be anyone but himself on screen, and Jim because a world without guffaws ins’t a place I want to live.”
I’ve never seen either actor’s films. I doubted it’d matter, as I sensed a growing disinterest in my interviewer’s demeanor. Her attempts at steering us away from something that wasn’t built on stock answers hadn’t succeeded, and mid sentence I witnessed a subtle slump that suggested she was over it. These inane and entirely dishonest responses had her ready to join me in a routine ping-ponging of infotainment tripe until its efficient end.
“I’m sure either would be delighted to know you carry a torch,” Krysten playfully mocked. But then came the curveball. An incident that my agent will later insist (with the video evidence to prove it) simply did not occur. “Though I’m sure you are full of shit, Nicky. Lying, and being just another naughty little boy.”
Mom used to say I was full of shit. She often insisted it was the reason my eyes were so brown. Krsyten had called my bluff. My eyes worked to find faces past the harsh lights of the set, to see if anyone was thinking of pulling the plug due to the curse word and insult. It was certainly unprofessional, but what little I’d been able to gleam indicated no panic from anyone. Marty’s scowl was there, but for the wrong reason. While I tried to find the calm to react to her insinuation, he angrily nodded for me to situate my state back onto my interrogator. She’d jumped to the next related subject, but whatever her words, that hadn’t register with me. Marty appeared trusted with me and indifferent to her prior offense.
“Nicky?” I heard her prod.
“Hmmm?” I stalled, trying to ignore an increasing pulse, that was running rampant due tot he re-use of my mother’s y-ified version of my name.
“I asked if there were any performances from Daniel Day-Lewis specifically that might have helped sculpt your character,” she claimed.
“Which?” I stumbled.
“From Haymaker, of course,” she sternly pressed, “you limp-dick imbecile.”
Again, no reaction from the peanut gallery; no one moved. In fact, everyone and everything around me seemed frozen. Though I knew that Day-Lewis had played a cruel character in some Scorsese flick, I sat in silence, hoping the authoritative blonde might shout, Cut! Allow for a reset after berating Krysten for her disobedience.
“Something on your mind, Nicky? Cat got your tongue? Out with it you pervert,” is what I heard. Though the video you’ll see later clearly shows Krysten asking, “Are you alright, Nicholas? Do we need to pause for a second?” Her verbal concern followed by an equally sincere peer towards her superiors searching for some guidance in proceeding.
Cat got your tongue? Another mom-ism.
“I was lying,” I spat. “I’ve not seen any of his films.”
I heard the word come from my mouth, and I already knew exactly where I was going with it.
By my own count I’ve done in excess of two hundred and fifty of these types of interview for five different films on multiple continents over the past four years. Frankly, the conclusion of each of the previous had always left me one step closer to the moment I found myself riding. The moment I made my admission just beyond the walls of this supposedly “green” room.
“Truth is this: I’ve only ever been a fan of one film.”
“Do tell,” Krysten asked with an obvious cruelty. I swear I saw the flicker of flames behind her eyes. “Come on, Nicky. This is your chance to come clean, pun intended,” she nearly sang.
The racing of my heart stilled. I’d zero left in the way of anxiety, which was odd because I’d not even bothered to take the Xanaz that Marty had handed me in the “green” room when we’d arrived this morning. I cleared my throat for effect.
“I’m sure that during and after the filming of Haymaker, I could have fucked Lorna senseless. I mean, that’s what a guy like me is supposed to be doing, right? Fucking starlets at every possible turn?”
Krysten didn’t’ answer. For me she wore a permissive grin, but for the world she’ll be wearing wide eyes and noticeably parted lips meant to express her shock with what I’d just said.
“No doubt, with a minimal amount of coaxing, you too would accept an invitation to meet me back in the dressing room right after we conclude our business here,” I suggested.
She didn’t verbally respond, but I saw that grin getting bigger. It egged me on; it had a comforting effect that made me want to cop to my charade.
“You, like so many other capable ladies before you I’m afraid, would be tragically disappointed.”
“Why’s that, Nicky?”
“I’ve an unusual way about me.”
“I was fifteen the last time I saw my mother—”
“Yes, we know. She left you around then, very sad,” Krysten tried to participate. I wasn’t having it.
“You don’t know fuck all about it. None of you know anything about me really. You’ve been fed a story; you believe only what Hollywood’s masters have let you hear and see about Nicholas Devlin.”
“So, she didn’t leave you then?” Krysten said, trying to remain professionally confused. But I didn’t mind the ruse, it was a good seque.
“On no, she bailed. That part is true. Right after she came home from the Piggly Wiggly one crisp fall day in eighty-eight. She had three things on her: two cartons of cigarettes, and a VHS rental tape she’d snagged from the Blockbuster Video two doors down from that P.W.”
“And what movie was that?”
“Mannequin, actually.”
“The Kim Cattrall flick?”
“It’s funny, you know? You kids who grew up on Sex in the City see it that way. I’m sure Andrew McCarthy is rolling over in his grave, but I suppose it’s moot.”
“Is McCarthy dead?”
“Probably not. But inside, yes.”
“I’m sorry, Nicky. You were saying?”
“My mother had met a guy. I remember that. Uncle Patrick was what I’d been told to call him, and so I did. And maybe she skipped her merry way out of Wisconsin that day in lockstep with that deadbeat, who can say?”
“Wisconsin?” Krysten pries sincerely.
“Yes. Wisconsin. I don’t know why Marty thought revising my history to have me born and raised in Colorado was necessary, but he’s the pro.”
“Again, I apologize. Please continue.”
“Mom handed me that VHS tape. Put one side of it into my hand, while she clung to her side of it and told me this: feed yourself with what you can find around here, and watch this until I get back home. And so I did. Thing is, and you may have already done the math, she didn’t come back home. Yes, I was plenty old enough to leave the apartment on my own. Yes, we had a phone. Maybe I could have rung a family friend or even tried Uncle Patrick to see if she was with him. But I didn’t. Like always, I did exactly as I was told.”
“Watched Mannequin, you mean?”
“Until Social services arrived some eleven days after my mother had bounced. I’d paused the film a few times to eat what grub was around–crackers and mostly dry Cheerios, water from the tap. Anyway, before the city intervened, I had been able to watch Mannequin roughly one hundred and sixty times straight, back-to-back-to-back. I know this because I counted as I kindly rewound. Funny enough, the goons didn’t see me snag the tape on our way out. Other than the clothes on my back, it was the only thing that made the trek with me to the boys home they stuck me in two days later. Not surprising really, not a whole many grown men, or women for that matter, working civil service jobs are apt to risk digging around the stuffed pants of an almost grown boy. So, the tape made it with me.”
“Were you able to watch it there?”
“No. There was no VCR at Cleveland Academy.”
“Cleveland?”
“An odd name for a home in Union Grove, Wisconsin, sure. But I was able to keep the tape a secret from the sisters. It found its way under my pillow many nights. I had it memorized, word for word, by the fiftieth viewing, and so I replayed the entirety of the picture in my head while I fought off sleep. Cleveland wasn’t a place you wanted to spend too much time paling around with the sandman.”
“Are you saying Mannequin helped shape your acting? Or that Andrew McCarthy is someone you admire because of that early connection?”
“No. Not at all. Jesus. I’m saying it’s the only movie I’ve seen since the day my mother told me to watch it until she got home.”
“Oh,” Krysten responded. It was feigned concern mustered in the face of something tragic, yet comically un-tragic. It pissed me off. I was laying it all out there, and she couldn’t even be bothered to care.
Fuck it, I thought. I was speaking for me at that point. I decided to carry on for the good of me.
“Now, I wasn’t always this guy,” I said as I pointed at myself. “A beauty the likes of you wouldn’t have given me the time of day when I left Cleveland Academy at eighteen. None of this,” I continued with a circling motion around my face, “was really working together like they tell me it does now.”
“I was an ugly-duckling too,” Krysten chimes.
“The fuck you were, I’m sure. Lots of beautiful women like to pretend that they had to tough it out as teens. I doubt it. And who cares? Would you like for me to interview you instead? I’d be happy to stop and hit you up with some questions.”
“No, no,” she retreated. “Do go on.”
“Right.” I turned my head and body to address camera, to speak directly to the world. “The simple fact of my matter is, I can’t get it up for anything other than mannequins.”
“Well, that’s not so odd—” Krysten tried to cover.
“No. I suppose it would be, say, if I had my own home; if I’d kept it a private matter.”
“What do you mean?” She asked, conceding the floor for good, if even unintentionally.
“Honestly, I swore up and down after the first incident that I’d never do it again. You have to understand, that even at the age of eighteen, I didn’t know how to procure my own mannequin. There was no Google, no Internet—no easy way to order a plastic lady and have it delivered to me discreetly and directly. So, I went to them. Hit the stores where they lived.”
Krysten belted out her biggest laugh. “Are you saying you once masturbated to a mannequin in a store itself?”
“I’m saying, that until Marty found me, that until my recent fame, I used to jerk off to mannequins all over the country. And did it while folks like you were busy picking through bargain racks of useless shit you didn’t’ need. I’m saying that if you’ve been to any major clothing retailers in the malls that sit beside most major interstates west of the Mississippi, there’s a damn good chance you’ve walked over, bought something with, or if you worked there, cleaned my jizz off of something. Because here’s the thing: I’ve never been all that comfortable with blowing my load in my pants. It’s doable, but not preferable. Not, I’m not huge in-between the legs, so stroking myself to climax through a pocket has never been terribly difficult. A quick unzip or tug at my pants to get them down, and I simply shoot my baby-makers onto the nearest garment before tucking my pecker back into my slacks, or jeans as the case may be.”
Krysten wasn’t stunned; she didn’t believe me. “This is a Joaquin Phoenix-type prank, right? Like how he pretended to be retired and a beard rapper instead?” she insisted.
“Wish I could say it was Krysten, but no. The honest truth about Nicholas Devlin is this: I’d been whacking off to plastic ladies for the better part of my twenty years, and fuck me if I don’t miss it. For whatever reason–my own preparation for the deed, people’s self-absorption, inadequate surveillance technology–no one has ever been the wiser, and I’ve never been caught. I used to keep a tally of the time, but I had to stop counting somewhere around the number twenty-two hundred or so.”
“Nicholas?” Krysten finally eked, ” I think we should stop.” No longer of the belief that I was pulling her leg, the mask of go-along that she’d worn had morphed to one of deep unease.
Why no Nicky now, I’d thought. This wasn’t the same woman who’d essentially asked me to do what I’d nearly completed. My admission needed a conclusion. Krysten wasn’t going to get that promotion without a solid finale, and it was evident that she required some help seeing it through to that grand end. I decided to put a bow on the whole spectacle for her.
“I stowed the urge away for a bit. I wanted to believe the famous version of Nicholas Devlin could be something other than a grown man whose only literal release was that which I’ve described. I’ve had every Hollywood Doctor Feelgood hit me with Cialis, Viagra, Coke, Meth—you name it. Shrinks, therapists, pyshcobabblists, all of them, and the bottom line here Krysten? I’m a guy who doesn’t want to stop. I’ve certainly the fortune to keep my own home-harem of the best dummies ever built, but that’s not the same. And I’m done denying myself. This is the happy ending—for all of us.”
There was a long pause. Krysten received the go-ahead from her producer to bring the interview to a close. The only audible sound as of Marty clearing his throat. She corrected her posture for her best attempt at dropping the curtain.
“Nicholas Devlin, everyone,” she forced, “if that is even his real name.”
“Fair enough,” I graciously conceded. “It’s Foltz. Nicholas Foltz.”
That wrinkle over her brow returned. Her curiosity peeked by what, I thought.
“Nicholas Foltz then, everyone. Haymaker hits theaters this weekend. Thanks for talking to us, Nicholas. It was really very enlightening. I mean that.”
The lights went up. Other lights went down. No one spoke. Marty was already on his phone, and Krysten’s handlers had scooped her away from me without a word. A production assistant handed me the obligatory post-interview bottled water and I showed myself back to the very green room I’m sitting in now. Marty was explicit in his instructions: do not leave this room until I come to collect you, he’d said.
There’s a knock on the door.
“Come in,” I mutter, expecting Marty.
The door opens and Krysten slips in through just enough of a crack to allow for the action. She shuts it gently behind herself. Her hair is in a ponytail now, and she’s dropped the professionalism form the face she’d worn earlier. It’s relaxed, no make-up (or less at least). She leans back onto the door, keeping a distance from me, but does so with a casualness that suggests she’s here without fear. She studies my face.
“That was quite a story,” she says.
“Fact usually belittles fiction.”
“Nicholas Foltz, you said.”
“My given name, yes.”
She moves closer, grabs the chair I’m seated in, and slowly spins it around so that we are both looking into the large lit mirror atop the table. She’s staring at me, into me, by way of the reflection of us both.
“Your mother,” she asks suggestively, “was her name Louise?”
I’ve been referring to my mother as Mom for so long, the use of her actual name sends a confused chill up my spine. I meet Krysten’s penetrating gaze with my own. Her eyes, our eyes, the same eyes. She puts a hand on my shoulder, while keeping the mutual stare affixed through the reflection. Neither of us says anything for a minute that feels like thirty. The longer I observe her face and form, the more I find my own features living with a dainty femininity underneath her remaining traces of cosmetics.
“You look just like Mom, you know,” Krysten shatters the stillness.
The calm I’d been clamoring to ever since the interview ended slowly begins to turn. My pulse is racing again, and there’s an unusual tingle in my groin. I’m as horrified as I am relieved when my sister’s gentle squeeze of my tensing shoulder under her hand, a smaller version of my own hand, leaves me semi-erect. I’m certain she isn’t aware of it, but I know this marks the beginning of a new secret for Nicholas Foltz—a new secret for us both. She cements that fate with a reprisal of our mother’s favorite tease.
“Cat got your tongue, Nicky?”
October 8, 2014 by peterrosch Categories: Attention Span: Bored and Avid Reader of Drivel | Tags: andrew mccarthy, brother sister love, But I Love You, dirty, dirty little secrets, forbidden love, humor, incest, interview tips, kim cattrall, kindle fiction, mannequin the movie, mannequins, movie stars, new fiction, new suspense, peter rosch, sex with mannequins, short stories, skeletons in the closet, writer, writers like Chuck Palahniuk | Leave a comment
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LFortran
Why We Created LFortran
Posted on April 30, 2019 | 6 minutes | 1272 words | Ondřej Čertík, Peter Brady, Pieter Swart
We recently open sourced LFortran, an interactive Fortran compiler built on top of LLVM that we have been developing for the last 1.5 years. It is a work in progress and at the link you can find what works already, what is planned and a roadmap.
Here is our motivation.
Why are almost no new scientific or engineering software projects started in Fortran?
Usually (in our neck of the woods) C++ is chosen instead. The following are the most cited reasons for such a choice:
lack of GPU support (no Kokkos equivalent)
Need for more advanced data structures than a multidimensional array
Better, more modern tools in C++ (testing, IDE support, …)
Lack of generic programming in Fortran (e.g., to write a single subroutine that works for both single and double precision)
More libraries that one can readily use in C++
C++ after C++11 is actively maintained, has a wide community
Fortran has a bad reputation at CS departments.
Fortran usage
Fortran used to be a very popular language for scientific computing from 1960s all the way through 1980s and early 1990s. The lack of interactivity forced many new users to pick other languages and tools, including MATLAB and later Python and Julia. The growing lack of modern tools and a growing failure of Fortran compilers to develop to their full potential (such as GPU support, IDE support, etc.) is forcing developers of large production codes to move to C++.
How to fix that
One approach is to take a language like Python and try to make it as fast as possible, while preserving the interactivity and ease of use. One is forced to modify the language a bit so that the compiler can reason about types. That is the approach that Julia took.
The other approach is to take our current compiled production languages: C++ and Fortran and try to see how interactive one can make them without sacrificing speed (i.e., without modifying the language). For C++ this has been done using the cling interactive compiler. However, the C++ syntax is not as intuitive as Fortran or Python (both of which have a very similar syntax for array operations). The Fortran language when used interactively (e.g., in a Jupyter notebook) allows similar look and feel as Python or MATLAB, enabling rapid prototyping and exploratory workflow. The same code however offers superior performance when compiled with a good mature compiler, such as the Intel Fortran compiler, because it is just Fortran after all.
We believe the root of the problem is a lack of a modern Fortran compiler with the following features:
Open source (permissive license)
Create executables (static and dynamic binaries)
Interactive usage (Jupyter notebook)
First class native support for Windows, Mac, Linux and HPC
Works well with other (especially C++, but also Fortran!) compilers: MSVC, g++, clang++, gfortran, Intel Fortran…
GPU support (similarly how NumBa works on GPU via LLVM)
Able to compile the latest Fortran standard (2018)
Designed as a library, modular design with a priority of being easy to contribute to
Large and active community around the compiler that contributes to the development, thus supporting many tools that people build on top:
IDE support
Language interoperability: automatic wrappers to and from other languages (C, C++, Python, Julia, MATLAB, …)
Automatic transformation of code to older Fortran standard that other Fortran compilers can compile — allowing developers to use the latest standard, and still be able to use current Fortran compilers
Better debugger (IPython.embed() for Fortran)
New real types: arbitrary precision floating point, automatic differentiation type, interval arithmetics (Arb) etc.
“Safe mode”: the compiler will warn about “obsolete” usage, and will check arrays, pointers and other things to never segfault in Debug mode
Allow projects to restrict what Fortran features are allowed and not allowed for their particular project (the compiler will give errors on the CI when new pull request contains forbidden code)
Having such a compiler will catalyze creation of modern tools based on it, and by nurturing and encouraging the community to build upon it, this has a potential to make Fortran cool again.
Currently a lot of Fortran users use Fortran because they have to (for legacy codes), but are not necessarily very excited about it. The aim of LFortran is to make people want to use Fortran, want to try the newest toys (whether Jupyter Notebook, or interactive debugging, or nice IDE support, MATLAB, Julia or Python style interactive exploratory development workflow, etc.). Bring the excitement of new modern things into Fortran. However, underneath it is still the same old Fortran, and one can still use the mature, stable and well-tested Fortran compilers that produce highly optimized binaries, such as Intel Fortran, which is still the state-of-the-art when it comes to performance.
How to bootstrap it
The first users will be people who develop algorithms (in Python, MATLAB or Julia) that initially will be ok that only a subset of Fortran works for now. As we build a community of users and eventually developers, the Fortran compiler will support more and more features, until the whole Fortran 2018 standard works, but that will take years.
However, our compiler can parse GFortran module files, and so very soon it will be possible to literally “use” any module compiled by GFortran, interactively. That will allow the use of production codes right away, and also for anything that LFortran does not yet implement one could then simply write a module, compile with GFortran and use it in LFortran.
When Ondřej started SymPy, he was facing very analogous challenges: Computer Algebra Systems (such as Maxima, Axiom and others) were notorious for being huge and complicated, hard to contribute to (thus very small developer community), and hard to use as a library. But starting a project from scratch would mean it would take 10 years before the SymPy library could be usable by users used to all the rich and mature features of Maple, Mathematica, Maxima or Axiom. But Ondřej has done it anyway, the first users were people who only needed a subset of the features, but wanted to use a modern, well-designed library that is easy to use and easy to develop.
We are developing LFortran in the same way: first only a subset of Fortran is implemented, but the library either delivers or is close to delivering on all the other features listed above (interactivity, language interoperability, etc.) to make it useful for the first users and recruit developers from our first users.
The other approach to attract developers is that the compiler uses modern design and technologies: LLVM, interactivity of a compiled language, Jupyter notebooks, simple syntax and semantic representation of the language, etc.
Fortran already has a large community, which is an advantage (people already know Fortran), but also a disadvantage (LFortran will only become useful to most of the current Fortran community only in several years). As such, we want to recruit the initial community from Python, MATLAB and Julia users, who know and appreciate the advantage of exploratory work, and who develop new research algorithms. Only as LFortran becomes more and more mature, the current Fortran community will be able to use it also.
We expect the main key factor in Fortran uptake will be when people can see that you can use Fortran in the modern ways like you can do Python or Julia, and by providing modern nice features and tools in the compiler, attracting talent from the Python scientific community as well as the compiler community (LLVM and other).
Hacker News I
Hacker News II
Reddit I
Reddit II
Fortran Announcement
• © 2019 • LFortran
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P. Garrido Lopez
How can we optimise our organisation to deliver precision oncology? (ID 18)
Event: ELCC 2018
Type: Educational session
Moderators:P. Garrido Lopez, F. Barlesi
Coordinates: 4/12/2018, 16:45 - 18:15, Room A
Access to personalised medicine (ID 74)
16:45 - 18:15 | Presenting Author(s): P. Garrido Lopez
Organisational models for biomarkers testing (ID 73)
16:45 - 18:15 | Presenting Author(s): S. Popat
The pathologist’s point of view (ID 75)
16:45 - 18:15 | Presenting Author(s): F. Lopez-Rios
The patient’s point of view (ID 76)
16:45 - 18:15 | Presenting Author(s): S. Novello
Immunotherapy and next-generation TKIs: From second to frontline treatment (ID 55)
Type: Poster Discussion session
Presentations: 14
Moderators:P. Garrido Lopez, S. Ekman, S. Ortiz-Cuaran, E. Wauters
Invited Discussant 134PD, 136PD and 137PD (ID 674)
Invited Discussant 138PD and 139PD (ID 675)
07:45 - 09:00 | Presenting Author(s): S. Ekman
07:45 - 09:00 | Presenting Author(s): S. Ortiz-Cuaran
07:45 - 09:00 | Presenting Author(s): E. Wauters
134PD - Primary PFS and safety analyses of a randomized phase III study of carboplatin + paclitaxel +/− bevacizumab, with or without atezolizumab in 1L non-squamous metastatic NSCLC (IMpower150) (ID 469)
07:45 - 09:00 | Presenting Author(s): M. Reck | Author(s): M.A. Socinski, F. Cappuzzo, F. Orlandi, D. Stroyakovskiy, N. Nogami, D. Rodríguez-Abreu, D. Moro-Sibilot, C.A. Thomas, F. Barlesi, G. Finley, C. Kelsch, A. Lee, S. Coleman, Y. Shen, M. Kowanetz, A. Lopez Chavez, A. Sandler, R.M. Jotte
Atezolizumab (atezo; anti–PD-L1) inhibits PD-L1 binding to PD-1 and B7.1, restoring anti-cancer immunity. Bevacizumab (bev) may further enhance atezo efficacy by inhibiting VEGF immunosuppression and promoting T-cell tumour infiltration. IMpower150 evaluates the addition of atezo to carboplatin (C) + paclitaxel (P) ± bev in chemo-naive patients (pts) with non-squamous (NSQ) mNSCLC.
1202 pts received atezo 1200 mg + C AUC 6 + P 200 mg/m[2] (Arm A) or atezo + bev 15 mg/kg + C + P (Arm B) vs bev + C + P (Arm C) IV q3w for 4 or 6 cycles per investigator (INV) discretion, then maintenance atezo, atezo + bev or bev, respectively. Co-primary endpoints assessed at this data cutoff (15 Sep 2017; minimum follow up, 9.5 mo) were INV-assessed PFS in the ITT-WT (EGFR or ALK negative) population and in WT pts with expression of a tumour T-effector gene signature (Teff-WT; centrally assessed), and OS in the ITT-WT population, for the Arm B vs Arm C comparison. Due to pre-specified statistical testing hierarchy, Arm A vs Arm C has not been formally tested yet.
356 pts in Arm B and 336 pts in Arm C were enrolled in the ITT-WT. Median age was 63 y; 60% were previous smokers (both arms). 61% and 62% were male, and 39% and 43% had ECOG PS 0 in Arms B and C, respectively. The HRs for INV-assessed PFS in Arm B vs C were 0.62 (95% CI: 0.52, 0.74; P < 0.0001) in the ITT-WT and 0.51 (0.38, 0.68; P < 0.0001) in the Teff-WT populations. Median PFS in Arm B vs C was 8.3 mo vs 6.8 mo and 11.3 mo vs 6.8 mo in the ITT-WT and Teff-WT populations, respectively. PFS benefit was seen regardless of PD-L1 IHC status, including PD-L1–negative pts (TC0/IC0; HR, 0.77 [95% CI: 0.61, 0.99]). Landmark PFS and ORR are shown (Table). Arm B had a comparable safety profile to Arm C; treatment-related serious AEs were 25% vs 19%, respectively.Table:IMpower150 Primary PFS Analysis, Landmark PFS and ORR
Arm C (bev + C + P; N = 400)
Arm B (atezo + bev + C + P; N = 400)
ITT-WT population[a] n = 336 n = 356
Median PFS (95% CI), mo 6.8 (6.0, 7.1) 8.3 (7.7, 9.8)
HR (95% CI; P value) 0.62 (0.52, 0.74; P < 0.0001)
ITT-WT landmark PFS (95% CI), %
6-month 56% (51, 62) 67% (62, 72)
12-month 18% (13, 23) 37% (31, 42)
ORR[b,c] (95% CI), % 48% (43, 54) 64% (58, 68)
Teff-WT population[a] n = 129 n = 155
Median PFS (95% CI), mo 6.8 (5.9, 7.4) 11.3 (9.1, 13.0)
Teff-WT landmark PFS (95% CI), %
ORR[b,d] (95% CI), % 54% (44, 62) 69% (61, 76)
HR, hazard ratio; ORR, objective response rate; PFS, progression-free survival; Teff, T-effector; WT, wild-type.aWT populations exclude patients with EGFR or ALK driver mutations.bUnconfirmed ORR.cn = 353 in Arm B and n = 331 in Arm C.dn = 153 in Arm B and n = 127 in Arm C.
IMpower150 is the first Phase III study to show a statistically significant and clinically meaningful PFS benefit with atezo + bev + chemo vs bev + chemo in pts with 1L NSQ mNSCLC. Acknowledgement of contribution: G. Finley (Allegheny Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA), R. Jotte (Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers, Denver, CO, USA), C. Kelsch, A. Lee, S. Coleman, Y. Shen, M. Kowanetz, A. Lopez-Chavez, A. Sandler (Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA).
Clinical trial identification:
Legal entity responsible for the study:
F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd/Genentech, Inc
M. Reck: Consulting or Advisory Role: Lilly, F.Hoffmann‐La Roche, BI, BMS, MSD, AstraZeneca, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Celgene. Speakers’ Bureau: F. Hoffmann‐La Roche, Lilly, Pfizer, BI, AstraZeneca, MSD, BMS, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Celgene. M. A. Socinski: Honoraria: Genentech, Speakers Bureau: Genentech, Research Funding: Genentech. F. Cappuzzo: Participation in advisory boards for Roche, AZ, BMS, Takeda, MSD, Lilly, Pfizer. F. Orlandi: Research grants from Astrazeneca, MSD, Genetech-Roche, Advisory tasks for AstraZeneca, Roche, Boehringer Ingelheim, Pfizer. N. Nogami: Honoraria: Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Ltd., AstraZeneca, Pfizer Inc., Bristol‐Myers Squibb, ONO Pharmaceutical CO., LTD., Kyowa Hakko Kirin, Taiho Phamaceutical Co., Ltd., Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Eli Lilly Japan, Boehringer Ingelheim. D. Rodríguez-Abreu: Honoraria for lectures and Advisory Board from Bristol-Myers-Squibb, Merck Sharp & Dohme and Hoffmann-La Roche. D. Moro-Sibilot: Advisory boards for Roche, MSD, Pfizer, Novartis, BMS, Astra Zeneca, Lilly. F. Barlesi: Honarium from Genentech & Roche. G. Finley: Promotional speaking on behalf of Bristol Meyers, Boehringer Ingleheim, and Astellas Medivation, and Merck. C. Kelsch: Genentech Employee with Roche Stock. A. Lee: Genentech Employee with Roche Stock. S. Coleman: Genentech Employee with Roche Stock. Y. Shen: Genentech Employee with Roche Stock. M. Kowanetz: Genentech Employee with Roche Stock. A. Lopez-Chavez: Genentech Employee with Roche Stock. A. Sandler: Genentech Employee with Roche Stock. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
136PD_PR - 3-year survival and duration of response in randomized phase II study of atezolizumab (atezo) vs docetaxel (doc) in 2L+ NSCLC (POPLAR) (ID 607)
07:45 - 09:00 | Presenting Author(s): J. Mazieres | Author(s): K. Park, C. Lewanski, S. Gadgeel, L. Fehrenbacher, A. Rittmeyer, J. Han, A. Artal-Cortes, F. Braiteh, M. Gandhi, W. Yu, C. Matheny, P. He, A. Sandler, M. Ballinger, J. Vansteenkiste
Atezo (anti–PD-L1) has demonstrated OS benefit over doc in a randomized Phase II study, POPLAR, in patients with advanced NSCLC. This benefit has been confirmed in the randomized Phase III study OAK (Rittmeyer, 2017). The 3-year survival analysis of the POPLAR study presented here describes the longest survival follow-up reported to date of an all-comer randomized PD-L1/PD-1 immunotherapy trial in 2L + NSCLC.
Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive atezo (1200 mg) or doc (75 mg/m[2]) IV q3w. Tumors were prospectively evaluated for tumor cell (TC) or tumor-infiltrating immune cell (IC) PD-L1 expression using the VENTANA SP142 IHC assay. Landmark OS was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Data cutoff, April 7, 2017; minimum follow-up, 3 years.
The 2-year and 3-year survival with atezo vs doc were 32.2% vs 16.6% and 18.7% vs 10.0%, respectively. The long-term OS benefit of atezo vs doc was observed across histology and PD-L1 expression subgroups (Table). While the TC3 or IC3 subgroup derived the greatest OS benefit, the TC0 and IC0 subgroup also had improved long-term OS with atezo vs doc. The ITT ORR was 15% in both atezo and doc arms, but the median duration of response was 3 times longer with atezo (22.3 months [95% CI: 11.6, 31.1] vs 7.2 months [95% CI: 5.8, 12.2] with doc). Seven of the 11 doc-arm 3-year survivors received subsequent non-protocol therapy with anti–PD-L1/PD-1 agents. Atezo had a favorable safety profile compared with doc that was consistent with previous reports.Table:Landmark OS in the ITT, PD-L1 expression, and histology subgroups in POPLAR
Population (n, atezo vs doc)
2-year OS rate, %
Atezo
P value[a]
ITT (144 vs 143) 32.2% 16.6% 0.0027 18.7% 10.0% 0.0419
PD-L1 Expression Subgroups
TC3 or IC3 (24 vs 23) 41.7% 19.9% 0.1003 37.5% 14.9% 0.0724
TC2/3 or IC2/3 (50 vs 55) 36.1% 13.8% 0.0082 21.2% 9.9% 0.1166
TC1/2/3 or IC1/2/3 (93 vs 102) 36.0% 19.8% 0.0124 18.0% 11.0% 0.1759
TC0 and IC0 (51 vs 41) 25.0% 6.8% 0.0202 20.5% 6.8% 0.0693
Histology Subgroups
Non-squamous (95 vs 95) 32.2% 21.1% 0.0960 23.3% 12.4% 0.0585
Squamous (49 vs 48) 32.7% 7.8% 0.0020 9.4% 5.2% 0.4603
aFor descriptive purpose only. TC3 or IC3 = PD-L1 ≥ 50% TC or 10% IC; TC2/3 or IC2/3 = PD-L1 ≥ 5% TC or IC; TC1/2/3 or IC1/2/3 = PD-L1 ≥ 1% TC or IC; TC0 and IC0 = PD-L1 < 1% TC and IC. NCT01903993.
Atezo demonstrates superior 2-year and 3-year OS benefit compared with doc, and this benefit is observed across histology and PD-L1 expression subgroups (including TC0 and IC0). Atezo is well tolerated, and responses are highly durable. These results are consistent with long-term OS results from OAK (Satouchi, WCLC 2017). Acknowledgement of contribution: M. Gandhi, W. Yu, C. Matheny, P. He, A. Sandler, M. Ballinger, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA.
F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd/Genentech, Inc.
K. Park: Consulting/Advisory Role: Astellas Pharma, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Clovis Oncology, Lilly, Hanmi, Kyowa Hakko Kirin, Novartis, Ono Pharmaceutical, Roche. Speakers Bureau: Boehringer Ingelheim, Research Funding: AstraZeneca. C. Lewanski: Consultant: MSD, Roche, AstraZeneca. S. Gadgeel: Speaker's bureau- Astra-Zeneca, Genentech/Roche Advisory Boards: Astra-Zeneca, Ariad, Pfizer, Bristol Myers Squibb and Genentech/Roche. A. Rittmeyer: Grants as an advisor or speaker by: Astra Zeneca, BMS, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Pfizer and Roche Genentech. A. Artal-Cortes: Advisory boards: Roche, BMS, MSD Travel fees: Roche. F. Braiteh: Speaking and consulting fees received From Genentech. M. Gandhi: Genentech employee and Roche stock. W. Yu: Genentech employee and Roche stock. C. Matheny: Genentech employee and Roche stock, Roche/Genentech travel, accommodations, expenses patents, royalties or other intellectual property: Stanford University (patient with Stanford, do not currently receive royalties or have other intellectual property). P. He: Genentech employee and Roche stock. A. Sandler: Genentech employee; Roche and Amgen stock, Husband has stocks for Allergan and Gilead. M. Ballinger: Genentech employee and Roche stock. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
137PD - Prognostic factors in oligometastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (OM-NSCLC) (ID 616)
07:45 - 09:00 | Presenting Author(s): O. Juan | Author(s): J.A. Méndez, B. Domingo-Arrué, D. Lorente Estelles, C. Escoín, C. Salvador Coloma, E. Navarro, M. Melian Sosa, N. Mancheño, J. Gomez Codina
OM-NSCLC represents a distinct prognostic group within stage IV lung cancer. An increase in overall survival (OS) has been suggested with ablative (surgery or radiotherapy) therapy. We performed an analysis of clinical factors influencing outcome in a series of patients (pts) with OM-NSCLC treated in a tertiary hospital.
OM-NSCLC pts (defined as ≤3 metastatic lesions at diagnosis) diagnosed between Jan-2012 and Dec-2016 were included in the analysis. Median OS was calculated with the Kaplan-Meier method. The association between clinical and pathological factors and OS was determined using uni- (UV) and multivariable (MV) Cox regression models. Variables with a p-value <0.01 in UV analysis were included in the MV model.
84 pts were identified: 25 pts squamous histology (29.8%), 58 adenocarcinoma (58%) and 1 (1.2%) undifferentiated carcinoma. 11 pts (13%) were EGFR-mutation positive. Most patients presented with one (78.3%) or two (20.5%) metastatic sites: CNS (39.2%), bone (29.8%), lung (17.9%), adrenal (11.9%) and liver (10.7%). 57 pts (67.9%) underwent local treatment (8.8% surgery, 70.2% radiotherapy, both 21.2%) before (68.2%) or during (49.1%) chemotherapy. Median follow-up was 10.5 months with a median OS of 15.8 months (95CI%:8.9–22.7). In MV OS analysis, only T-stage (p = 0.012) and histology (p = 0.006) were significantly associated with OS (Table).Table:UV and MV Cox-regression Models
Univariate
Multivariate
HR (CI95%)
p-valor
Histology 0,32 (0.18–0.58) <0.001* 0.42 (0.23–0.78) 0.006
Sex 0,44 (0.19–1.03) 0.059* 0.52 (0.22–1.25) 0.142
Smoking 1,27 (0.79–2.05) 0.320
T stage 1,47 (1.16–1.89) 0.002* 1.44 (1.09–1.92) 0.012
N stage 1,01 (0.99–1.02) 0.496
N° of metastasis 1,32 (0.72–2.41) 0.366
Site of metastasis
Lung 0.80 (0.41–1.58) 0.522
Adrenal gland 0.91 (0.49–1.69) 0.767
CNS 0.89 (0.55–1.45) 0.647
Liver 1.36 (0.76–2.44) 0.302
Bone 1.45 (0.91–2.33) 0.118
Other 1.05 (0.42–2.63) 0.916
Local treatment (yes/no) 0.42 (0.24–0.76) 0.004* 0.61 (0.33–1.12) 0.115
Ablative therapy in OM-NSCLC pts was not associated with higher OS. Only a lower initial T-stage in the primary tumor and adenocarcinoma histology could represent a favorable prognosis. The optimal management of NSC-OM patients will require robust data from well-designed prospective clinical trials.
Medical Oncology, Hospital La Fe.
Has not received any funding
All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
138PD_PR - Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in ALEX: A phase III study of alectinib (ALEC) vs crizotinib (CRIZ) in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (ID 464)
07:45 - 09:00 | Presenting Author(s): M. Perol | Author(s): S. Peters, N. Pavlakis, E. Levchenko, M. Platania, J. Oliveira, S. Novello, T. Karagiannis, A. Zeaiter, R. Dziadziuszko
ALEC showed superior efficacy versus CRIZ in patients (pts) with treatment-naïve ALK+ NSCLC in the phase III ALEX trial (NCT02075840). PRO data (disease burden, symptom tolerability and health-related quality of life [HRQoL]) are reported here.
Pts (n = 303) were randomised 1:1 to receive ALEC (600 mg BID) or CRIZ (250 mg BID). Primary endpoint: investigator-assessed PFS. PROs were collected using EORTC QLQ-C30/QLQ-LC13 questionnaires. Pre-specified endpoints: time-to-deterioration (TTD) in lung cancer symptoms and HRQoL, longitudinal analyses of mean score changes from baseline, and proportion of pts with clinically meaningful change (≥10-point change from baseline) during treatment in the ITT population and patients with baseline CNS metastases.
Baseline completion rates and characteristics were balanced between arms in the PRO-evaluable population (ALEC n = 100, 65.8%; CRIZ n = 97, 64.2%). Median TTD in composite symptom endpoint (cough, dyspnoea, chest pain) was similar between arms (HR 1.10 [95% CI 0.72–1.68]). On average, ALEC pts reported a clinically meaningful improvement in baseline lung cancer symptoms for a longer duration of time versus CRIZ (cough, week 96 vs week 84; chest pain, week 96 vs week 80; fatigue, week 96 vs 68; pain in other parts, week 96 vs 68, respectively). Differences in lung symptoms between treatment arms tended to favour ALEC from 11.1 months (45 weeks), which was around the time of median PFS with CRIZ. ALEC pts reported a clinically meaningful improvement from baseline in HRQoL for a longer duration of time than CRIZ pts (week 88 vs 68, respectively). Fewer ALEC pts experienced a clinically meaningful worsening in treatment-related symptoms (nausea/vomiting, diarrhoea, appetite loss, dysphagia, peripheral neuropathy) than CRIZ pts.
TTD for lung cancer symptoms was comparable between arms. Clinically meaningful improvement in lung cancer symptoms was maintained for longer with ALEC versus CRIZ, consistent with the improved PFS with ALEC versus CRIZ. HRQoL was improved with ALEC versus CRIZ. PRO data are consistent with ALEX safety data and confirm greater tolerability with ALEC versus CRIZ.
BO28984; 15 April 2016
F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd
M. Perol: Advisory role for Roche and Pfizer. S. Peters: Education grants, provided consultation, attended advisory boards and/or provided lectures for the following organisations: Amgen, AstraZeneca, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Clovis, Eli Lilly, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Janssen, Merck Sharp and Dohme and Merck Serono, Pfizer, Regeneron and Takeda. N. Pavlakis: Advisory role for Novartis, Takeda, Roche and Pfizer. S. Novello: Speakers Bureau for: Eli Lilly, BMS, MSD, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd and Astra Zeneca. T. Karagiannis: Employee of, owns stocks in and has taken part in company-sponsored research for Genentech. A. Zeaiter: Employee of F.Hoffman-La Roche Ltd. R. Dziadziuszko: Substantive relationships with Novartis, Pfizer and BMS. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
139PD - Patient-reported outcomes from FLAURA: Osimertinib versus standard of care (SoC) epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) in patients with EGFR-mutated advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (ID 396)
07:45 - 09:00 | Presenting Author(s): N. Leighl | Author(s): N. Karaseva, K. Nakagawa, B. Cho, J.E. Gray, T. Hovey, A. Walding, A. Rydén, S. Novello
In the phase 3 FLAURA trial (N = 556), osimertinib demonstrated superior efficacy to SoC EGFR-TKI as first-line treatment of EGFR mutation-positive advanced NSCLC.[1]
Patients in FLAURA completed the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 items (QLQ-C30) at baseline and then every 6 weeks, and Lung Cancer 13 items (QLQ-LC13) at baseline, then weekly for 6 weeks followed by every 3 weeks. Scores range from 0 to 100; higher scores represent greater symptom burden. A ≥10-point difference is considered clinically relevant. Pre-specified key symptoms were cough, dyspnoea, chest pain, appetite loss and fatigue.
Compliance with completing the questionnaire was ≥60% at all time points in both treatment arms. Baseline mean scores were similar in the osimertinib and SoC arms for cough (32.8 vs 33.5), dyspnoea (22.5 vs 25.0), chest pain (19.5 vs 20.8), appetite loss (22.7 vs 25.6) and fatigue (32.2 vs 35.8). Key symptoms improved in both arms from baseline over the first 9 months, with no significant differences in least-squares mean changes between the osimertinib and SoC arm (Table). Improvements in cough were seen from week 1 and were maintained throughout the first 9 months in both arms. QLQ-C30 functional and global health/quality of life scores improved from baseline in both arms, with no clinically relevant differences. Additional analyses are ongoing, including statistical significance testing and time to deterioration.Table:Change from baseline over 9 months in key patient-reported symptoms
Adjusted least-squares mean (95% CI)
Estimated treatment difference (95% CI)
Cough Osimertinib 248 –11.0 (–12.8, –9.2) 0.7 (–1.9, 3.2)
SoC 252 –11.7 (–13.5, –9.8)
Dyspnoea Osimertinib 248 –4.0 (–5.6, –2.5) 0.1 (–2.2, 2.4)
SoC 252 –4.1 (–5.7, –2.5)
Chest pain Osimertinib 248 –6.6 (–8.2, –5.0) –0.2 (–2.5, 2.1)
Appetite loss Osimertinib 252 –6.2 (–8.4, –3.9) –0.5 (–3.7, 2.7)
Fatigue Osimertinib 252 –5.5 (–7.5, –3.5) –0.8 (–3.6, 2.1)
Adjusted mean and estimated treatment differences obtained from a mixed-effects model for repeated measures. Model included patient (as a random effect), treatment, visit (as fixed effect and repeated measure), and treatment-by-visit interaction as explanatory variables, and the baseline symptom score as a covariate along with the baseline symptom score by visit interaction. The covariance structure for repeated measurements within the same patient was specified as unstructured. CI, confidence interval.
Key patient-reported symptoms in the FLAURA trial improved in both treatment arms from baseline over 9 months. Improvements in cough in the two arms were clinically relevant. [1]Soria JC et al. N Engl J Med doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1713137.
N. Leighl: Research funding to University Health Network in 2015 - unrelated. Honoraria for unrelated CME from: BMS, AZ, Pfizer, Roche. K. Nakagawa: MSD K.K., A2 Healthcare Corp., in Ventiv Health Japan, Astellas Pharma Inc., Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd., Novartis Pharma K.K., AbbVie Inc., Quintiles Inc., Icon Japan K.K., Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., EP-CRSU Co., Ltd., Gritstone Oncology. Inc, Linical Co., Ltd., Eli Lilly Japan K.K., Eisai Co., Ltd., Bristol Myers Squibb Company, Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., PAREXEL International Corp., Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. for Research Funding AstraZeneca K.K., Nichi-Iko Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Astellas Pharma Inc. Clinical Trial Co., Ltd, MSD K.K., Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Bristol Myers Squibb Company, Nippon Boehringer Ingelheim Co., Ltd., Eli Lilly Japan K.K., Novartis Pharma K.K., SymBio Pharmaceuticals Limited., Pfizer Japan Inc. for Honoraria Astellas Pharma Inc., Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. for Consulting or advisor role. J.E. Gray: Advisor to Astra Zeneca. T. Hovey: Working as a consultant (Phastar Statistician) for AstraZeneca. A. Walding: Employee and shareholder of AstraZeneca R&D. A. Rydén: Employee of AstraZeneca and has AstraZeneca stocks. S. Novello: Speaker bureau: Eli Lilly, AZ, BMS, MSD, Roche. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
140PD - Complex epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations and responses to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in advanced lung adenocarcinomas (ID 411)
07:45 - 09:00 | Presenting Author(s): B. Zhang | Author(s): S. Wang, J. Qian, W. Yang, F. Qian, J. Lu, Y. Zhang, R. Qiao, B. Han
Two or more different epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations can be detected within a single tumor sample, which represents complex mutations. However, the frequency and efficacy of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatments for patients harboring these mutations are unknown.
From January 2011 to January 2017, patients diagnosed with EGFR mutation were screened. The effectiveness of TKIs in patients with complex mutations was retrospectively analyzed.
A total of 16,840 subjects were screened, with 5898 positive patients. 187 patients (3.2% of all EGFR mutant patients) had complex EGFR mutations with 95 of advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients were treated with TKIs. The objective response rate (ORR) for patients who had Del-19 + 21L858R (Group A, n = 27), Del-19/21L858R + atypical mutations (Group B, n = 28), double atypical mutations (Group C, n = 20) and complex mutations with primary drug-resistant pattern (Group D, n = 20) were 72.7%, 54.2%, 66.7% and 15.0%, respectively. Median progression free survival (PFS) in the four groups were 18.2 months (95% CI, 12.0 months to 24.4 months), 10.1 months (95% CI, 6.5 months to 13.7 months), 11.1 months (95% CI, 6.8 months to 15.4 months) and 1.4 months (95% CI, 0.2 months to 2.5 months), respectively.
These results suggest on the largest sample size that EGFR–TKI therapy is effective in patients with Del-19 + 21L858R, Del-19/21L858R + atypical mutations and double atypical mutations, but less effective in patients with primary drug–resistant pattern. Patients with the Del-19 + 21L858R mutations may therefore benefit more from treatment with first–generation TKIs.
Bo Zhang
141PD - A prospective study of molecular testing status in the EGFR mutation positive NSCLC patients with disease progression during EGFR TKI treatment (REMEDY study) (ID 167)
07:45 - 09:00 | Presenting Author(s): K. Kanai | Author(s): N. Yamamoto, N. Nogami, S. Atagi, H. Saka, N. Tashiro, T. Seto
Although EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKI) provide significant clinical benefit in patients with EGFR-mutant non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), approximately 50–60% of the patients will acquire resistance by the T790M mutation. Osimertinib is a third generation EGFR-TKI and standard of care for patients whose tumor developed the acquired resistance by T790M mutations during the prior EGFR-TKI treatments. Eligibility for treatment with osimertinib will be dependent on mutation status determined by a validated diagnostic test based on a tumor tissue or a plasma. In order to avoid the risk of false negative, the Japan Lung Cancer Society's guidance on the EGFR mutation test recommends prioritizing tissue sample over plasma sample. Moreover, in case of T790M negative by prior plasma test, it also recommends to re-confirm by tissue test if it can be obtained. We conducted this study to investigate the real world practice of sample collection and T790M testing around the time of plasma testing approval in Japan.
This is multicenter collaborative prospective observational study in Japan. Patients diagnosed with EGFR mutation-positive advanced NSCLC and whose progression of the disease (PD) was observed during EGFR-TKI treatment were enrolled. The primary endpoints are 1. the sample collection rate for EGFR T790M mutation test at PD, 2. EGFR T790M gene mutation testing and 3. the EGFR T790M detection rate. In addition, treatment information before and after PD were investigated.
In previously reported interim analysis of 111 patients, sample collection was performed in 104 cases (93.7%). Regarding collected sample type, tissue sample were collected from 19 patients, cytology sample from 14 patients and plasma sample from 71 patients. EGFR T790M mutation test was conducted in 103 cases (92.8%). T790M mutation detection rate in patients who were obtained adequate tissue sample were 43.8% (7/16) and higher than cytology (21.4%; 3/14) and plasma (22.5%; 16/71). Sixty-one percent (43/71) of the patients tested by plasma were ctDNA “non-shedders” (no detectable EGFR mutation).
In this presentation, we report final full results of total 243 registered cases.
UMIN ID; 000024928
This study was conducted by AstraZeneca KK
N. Yamamoto: Personal fees from AstraZeneca, during the conduct of the study; personal fees from Chugai Pharmaceutical, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, and Pfizer, outside the submitted work. N. Nogami: Personal fees from Meiji Seika Pharama., AstraZeneca KK, Pfizer Inc., Bristor-Myers Squibb, ONO Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Kyowa Hakko Kirin, TAIHO Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, CHUGAI Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Eliy Lilly Japan and Boehringer Ingelheim. S. Atagi: Personal fees from AstraZeneca KK, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Chugai, Lilly, Ono and Taiho and contract research with AstraZeneca KK, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chugai, Lilly, Merck Serono, Ono, Pfizer, Taiho and Yakult and consultant fee from AstraZeneca KK. H. Saka: Personal fees from AstraZeneca KK and contract research with AstraZeneca KK. and is a representative of NPO Central Japan Lung Study Group. N. Tashiro: Employee of AstraZeneca KK. T. Seto: Grants(G): Astellas, Bayer, Merck Serono, Novartis, Verastem. Personal fees(PF): BMS, Kissei, Kyowa Hakko Kirin, Nippon Kayaku, Ono, Roche, Sanofi, Showa, Sumitomo Dainippon, Taiho, Takeda and other 3. G and PF: AstraZeneca, Chugai, Daiichi Sankyo, Eisai, Eli Lilly, MSD, BI, Pfizer, Yakult. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
142PD - Detection of EGFR mutations in cerebrospinal fluid of EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma with brain metastases (ID 491)
07:45 - 09:00 | Presenting Author(s): L. Shi | Author(s): Z. Liu, J. Tang, H. Wu, L. Guo, M. Li, L. Tong, W. Wu, H. Tao, W. Wu
A large proportion of lung adenocarcinoma (LADC) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activating mutation will develop brain metastases (BMs) throughout the course of their disease. BM lesions were hard to obtain, which resulted in poor understanding of resistance mechanisms of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) therapy in these patients. Liquid biopsy of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) may provide potential information of intracranial lesions. Herein, we aimed to investigate the alternative detection of EGFR mutation status in CSF.
Between July 2014 and June 2017 in Beijing Chest Hospital, thirty LADC patients with BMs carrying activating EGFR mutation in their primary tumors determined by amplification-refractory mutation system (ARMS) assay were enrolled. Their matched CSF and plasma samples were collected. Droplet digital PCR assays (ddPCR) for EGFR mutations, including 19del, L858R, and T790M were developed using two millilitres CSF or plasma. The clinical response of intracranial objective response rate (iRR), intracranial progression-free survival (iPFS), and intracranial overall survival (iOS) from the time of diagnosis of BM were evaluated.
All of the included patients were Chinese and had been diagnosed with stage IV lung adenocarcinoma. Out of 30 patients, 21 were females and 9 males aged from 34 to 75 years old (median age of 58 years old). The majority (24/30) classified as good Eastern Cooperative Oncology Goup performance status (ECOG PS <2). In all of cases, CSF cytology were negative and examinations of cranial imaging showed no leptomeningeal metastases (LM). In ddPCR assays, EGFR mutations were detected in CSF of 10 patients (33.3%), including three cases with EGFR T790M mutations, and in plasma of 14 patients (46.7%), including six cases with EGFR T790M mutations. All EGFR T790M mutations were found during or after EGFR-TKIs treatments. Five patients with activating EGFR mutations in CSF achieved intracranial partial response (iPR) after treated with combination of first-generation EGFR-TKIs and whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT)/stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Three patients with EGFR T790M mutations in CSF achieved iPR after treated with second-line osimertinib. The median iOS and iPFS from the time of diagnosis of BM were 15.0 months and 11.0 months, respectively. The following Table shows the EGFR testing result in detail.Table: (Abstract 142PD)EGFR testing result
Primary Tissue EGFR Mutation(ARMS)
CSF EGFR Mutation
Plasma EGFR Mutation
1 19del WT T790M 0.3%
2 19del WT 19del
3 L858R L858R 37.9% L858R 2.0%
4 L858R WT WT
5 19del WT WT
6 L858R WT L858R/T790M 10.8%/26.5%
8 19del 19del 69.7% 19del/T790M 11.0%/7.0%
10 19del WT WT
12 L858R WT L858R/T790M 2.4%/0.2%
13 L858R L858R 32.8% WT
15 19del 19del/T790M 13.2%/0.5% 19del/T790M 14.4%/3.5%
16 L858R WT WT
17 L858R L858R/T790M 16.2%/2.0% L858R/T790M 8.1%/2.2%
19 19del 19del 43.3% 19del 14.9%
21 19del WT 19del 3.7%
22 19del 19del 21.8% 19del 7.4%
23 L858R WT L858R 20.5%
24 19del WT 19del 11.4%
27 L858R L858R 7.2% L858R 5.2%
28 19del 19del 6.9% WT
29 19del 19del/T790M 35.7%/12.1% WT
It was feasible to test EGFR mutation in CSF and plasma. CSF may serve as liquid biopsy of advanced LADC with BMs by detecting cfDNA within CSF to characterize EGFR mutations. For those advanced LADC with BMs harboring EGFR mutation, dynamic monitoring EGFR mutation status of CSF would be an appropriate choice.
Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research Institute, Beijing 101149, China.
Beijing Municipal Administration of Hospitals Youth Talent Training Project (Grant No. QML20151502)
143PD - Competing central nervous system or systemic progression analysis for patients with EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC receiving afatinib in LUX-Lung 3, 6, and 7 (ID 561)
07:45 - 09:00 | Presenting Author(s): J.C. Yang | Author(s): Y. Wu, V. Hirsh, K. O’byrne, N. Yamamoto, S. Popat, A. Tamiya, A. Märten, M. Schuler
CNS metastases are known complications of advanced EGFRm+ NSCLC, thus, LUX-Lung (LL) trials investigating afatinib allowed enrolment of patients (pts) with brain metastases (BM). LL3, 6 and 7 previously demonstrated activity of afatinib in pts with BM, with the magnitude of progression-free survival (PFS) improvement with afatinib vs chemotherapy or gefitinib in pts with BM being similar to that observed in pts without BM (HR 0.54, 0.47, and 0.76 in LL3, 6 and 7, respectively).[1,2] PFS was significantly improved with afatinib vs chemotherapy in a combined analysis of LL3 and 6 in pts with asymptomatic BM (HR 0.50, p = 0.0297).[1] To investigate whether afatinib can prevent CNS progression or metastasis, competing risk analyses for the progression and metastasis pattern in the CNS or non-CNS region were carried out in pts with and without BM in LL3, 6 and 7.
Competing risk analyses were performed in pts with stage IIIB/IV EGFRm+ NSCLC who received afatinib 40 mg/d in LL3, 6 and 7. Analyses were performed separately for pts with baseline BM and without baseline BM. Risk of CNS progression vs non-CNS progression or death was calculated based on the cumulative frequency of the event of interest vs the competing risk event.
In pts with baseline BM receiving afatinib in LL3 and 6 (n = 48; median follow-up 10.3 mo), 31.3% had CNS progression vs 52.1% with non-CNS progression: cumulative incidence at 6 and 12 mo (CNS vs non-CNS) was 15.5% vs 17.7%, and 24.5% vs 24.4%, respectively. In pts without baseline BM receiving afatinib in LL3, 6 and 7 (n = 485; median follow-up 13.0 mo), risk of de novo CNS progression was very low (6.4%) compared with non-CNS progression (78.4%). Cumulative incidence at 6 and 12 mo (CNS vs non-CNS) was 1.3% vs 17.2%, and 2.6% vs 41.2%, respectively.
Competing risk analyses using data from LL3, 6 and 7 add to the existing evidence that support afatinib use in pts with EGFRm+ NSCLC and CNS metastases. Taken together, these results suggest afatinib delays the onset/progression of BM. 1. Schuler. J Thorac Oncol 2016;11:380–90 2. Park. Lancet Oncol 2016;17: 577–89
NCT00949650, NCT01121393, NCT01466660
J.C-H. Yang: Honoraria/advisory board: Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Bayer, Roche/Genentech/Chugai, Astellas, MSD, Merck Serono, Pfizer, Novartis, Clovis Oncology, Celgene, Merrimack, Yuhan Pharma, BMS, Ono Pharma Daiichi Sankyo, Astrazeneca. Y-L. Wu: Honoraria: AstraZeneca, Roche, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Sanofi. V. Hirsh: Advisory Board: BI. K. O'Byrne: Advisory board & Honoraria: Astrazeneca, BMS, Roche-Genentech, MSD, Pfizer, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Novartis Speaker bureau activities: Astrazeneca, BMS, Roche-Genentech, MSD, Pfizer, Boehringer-Ingelheim Travel to international conferences: Astrazeneca, BMS, Roche-Genentech, MSD, Pfizer, Boehringer-Ingelheim 3 patents –1 on novel drugs and 2 on biomarkers – IP held by University. N. Yamamoto: Membership on an advisory board or board of directors: BI, AZ, Chugai Corporate-sponsored research: BI. S. Popat: Membership on an advisory board or board of directors: BI. A. Tamiya: Grants from Ono Pharmaceutical, Bristol-Myers Squibb Received personal fees from Eli Lilly, Ono Pharmaceutical, Chugai Pharmaceutical, Boehringer Ingelheim, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb. A. Märten: Employment Boehringer Ingelheim. M. Schuler: Employment: Universität Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsklinikum Essen, Ruhrlandklinik Consultant (compensated): AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Novartis, Roche Consultant (not compensated): Institut für Qualität und Wirtschaftlichkeit im Gesundheitswesen (IQWiG) Honoraries (CME presentations): Abbvie, Alexion, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Lilly, MSD, Novartis Research funding (institution) Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers-Squibb, Novartis Pantent: Universität Duisburg-Essen.
144PD - Leptomeningeal metastases in EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung carcinoma: Management after tyrosine kinase inhibitors (ID 611)
07:45 - 09:00 | Presenting Author(s): R. Flippot | Author(s): E. Auclin, P. Biondani, E. Le Rhun, D. Planchard, C. Caramella, C. Le Pechoux, L. Lacroix, L. Mezquita, B. Besse
Leptomeningeal metastases (LM) in non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) are associated with poor outcome. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are active in LM+ EGFR mutated (EGFRm) patients (pts), but optimal patient's management after failure of TKIs is unknown.
We included consecutive pts with EGFRm NSCLC who had LM progression during first-line EGFR TKI, defined as diagnosis of LM during TKI treatment or progression of known LM after first-line TKI, treated in our institution. Clinical and pathological data were retrospectively collected. We evaluated overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), clinical response rate (CRR), and disease control rate (DCR) defined as clinical response or stable disease >2 months.
We included 66 pts treated between Apr. 2003 and Sept. 2016, with a median age of 54 years [26–79]; 51 (77%) were females; 56 (85%) non-smokers. Twenty-three tumors (35%) had exon 19 deletion, 23 (35%) L858R exon 21 mutation, 10 (15%) T790M mutation. Median number of previous lines was 2 [1–7], and 19 pts (29%) had additional intrathecal treatment. 2[nd] line TKI was given to 36 pts (55%): 19 (53%) received erlotinib, 10 (28%) high dose (HD) erlotinib (300 mg daily), 3 osimertinib, 4 other 1[st]/2[nd] generation TKI (3 gefitinib, 1 afatinib). Median PFS and OS from LM progression were 3 months (m) [CI95% 2–3] and 7 m [CI95% 3–16], respectively. CRR and DCR for 2nd-line TKI were 43% and 77%. Nine pts (25%) were alive at 10 m (6 erlotinib, 1 HD erlotinib, 2 osimertinib). Median OS for erlotinib, HD erlotinib, osimertinib and other 1[st]/2[nd] generation TKI were 8 m (CI 95% 7–16), 3 m (CI 95% 2-not reached (NR)), NR (CI 95% NR-NR), and 2.5 m (CI 95% 0-NR), respectively. Patients treated with erlotinib, of whom 79% received prior afatinib or gefitinib, had better OS compared to patients treated with other 1[st]/2[nd] generation TKI (8 m vs. 2.5 m, P = 0.04). CRR and DCR in patients with HD erlotinib were 40% and 60%, respectively, of whom 80% received prior erlotinib.
2[nd]-line TKI can increase survival in LM+ EGFRm NSCLC previously treated with TKI. Sequential erlotinib after prior gefitinib or afatinib seems to be a suitable strategy. Increasing erlotinib dose has demonstrated clinical benefit.
Poster Display session (Friday) (ID 65)
Type: Poster Display session
Coordinates: 4/13/2018, 12:30 - 13:00, Hall 1
209P - The management of brain disease (BD) in ALK-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer (ALK NSCLC): Can systemic treatment delay the initiation of local treatments? Experience of the Ramón y Cajal University Hospital (RyCUH, Madrid) (ID 625)
12:30 - 13:00 | Author(s): P. Garrido Lopez
The arrival of oral tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) to the treatment of ALK NSCLC is becoming a paradigm shift in the treatment of BD (brain metastases and meningeal carcinomatosis), given the intracranial activity thereof, with the possibility of delaying the start of local treatments, as radiotherapy (RT), radiosurgery or neurosurgery, and the comorbidity that they entail.
Between October 2013 and October 2017 were registered patients diagnosed with ALK NSCLC at the RyCUH. Patients with BD were considered eligible, well at diagnostic of the primary tumor, well at progression of it. The systemic treatment carried out is collected as well as the local treatment at diagnosis of the BD if this is done. We studied systemic (PFSs) and brain progression free survival (PFSb) as well as overall survival (OS) according to the type of treatment and moment received. Other variables were included as neurological symptomatology and corticotherapy.
Of the 33 patients diagnosed of ALK NSCLC, 42.42% had BD at some point of their evolution (57.14% at diagnosis and 42.86% at progression). As a first-line systemic treatment, 57.14% received chemotherapy and 42.85% received a TKI, although 71.43% received a TKI as a second-line treatment. 57.14% of the patients received whole radiation therapy and 28.57% radiosurgery at some point during their evolution. PFSb is higher in those patients without brain metastases at diagnosis, who initiate systemic treatment, and who perform local treatment at brain progression (14 months), compared to patients who change systemic treatment for brain progression (12 months). The median OS is higher in patients who do not initially receive local treatment (25.5 months) versus those who do (21 months).
There are multiple strategies in the management of ALK NSCLC BD. Systemic treatment with TKIs allows to delay local treatment with RT or surgery and comorbidity. However, the use of RT or surgery for exclusive brain progression with controlled systemic disease allows the maintenance of TKI and prolong the PFSs.
Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal (Madrid)
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Amr Adly
Amr Adly is a postdoctoral fellow at the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law at Stanford University, where he is leading a research project on reforming the regulatory environment governing entrepreneurship after the Arab Spring in Egypt
Amr Adly is a postdoctoral fellow at the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law at Stanford University, where he is leading a research project on reforming the regulatory environment governing entrepreneurship after the Arab Spring in Egypt and Tunisia. He has a PhD in political economy from the European University Institute–Florence.
Adly is the author of State Reform and Development in the Middle East: Turkey and Egypt in the Post-Liberalization Era (Routledge, 2012). He has also written several other academic publications that have appeared in Business and Politics, Turkish Studies, and Middle Eastern Studies, in addition to articles in several other periodicals and newspapers in English and Arabic. Before joining Stanford, Adly worked as a senior researcher at the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, heading the unit for social and economic rights.
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The value of Bhakti
(As narrated in the Srimad Bhagawad Purana)
This interesting narrative offers us a glimpse of how we can discover good even in the darkest of times. It is narrated in the Shrimad Bhagawad Purana. This Purana begins by telling us the story of a woman named Bhakti and her sons, Gyaan and Vairagya.
It was Kali Yuga. All was not well with the world. Narada, son of Brahmma, came down to the Earth hoping to find the Supreme Consciousness here. He visited all the holy places including Pushkar, Prayag, Kashi, Haridwar, etc. But he did not feel at peace.
This was because it was Kali Yuga, he realised, a time when everything is not as it should be. All that was good and pure in Man was missing. He found people pretending to be what they were not: pious outwardly, yet involved in the worst kinds of crimes ever.
After many bad experiences on Earth, he wandered around unhappy and dispirited until he reached the banks of the Yamuna, the place where Lord Krishna had grown up. There, he saw a strange sight. A very young and beautiful woman sat there, and next to her lay two men, sickly and old. They seemed to be almost on the verge of death. The lady sat there weeping, in deep sorrow.
Narada of course, had to find out more about the lady and the two men. In reply to his queries, the weeping woman told him that her name was Bhakti and that the two men lying beside her were her sons, Gyaan and Vairagya.
Narada was astounded. She looked so young and beautiful! Her sons looked old and withered!
Then she related her story and how she being a mother, was still so young while her two sons were so weak and old.
Bhakti had been born in the land below the Vindhyas and after the birth of her sons, had travelled northwards, where the effects of Kali Yuga took its toll. As the boys grew into youth, they lost their good health and vigour, to become weak and helpless.
“So I took them to Vrindavan,” Bhakti told Narada, “hoping that they would recover. I became young and beautiful again, but my sons became old and weak, as you see them here today. I don’t understand what happened… I should be old and weak… But the opposite has happened.”
Then she said, “O Narada, can you help me understand this?”
Narada pondered upon her plight. He understood now, the effect of Kali Yuga. He said, “You are Bhakti and you are pure. In Vrindavan, Bhakti is important during Kali Yuga, therefore your devotion has been rewarded. However, it is not so for your sons, because of the values they represent are not as pure as Bhakti.”
Bhakti mulled over what Narada said. Then she asked, “O Narada, if Kali Yuga was so destructive, why then did Raja Parikshit not destroy it when he had the chance? He allowed it to remain, knowing just how it is. How did Krishna too bear the evils of Kali Yuga?”
Narada smiled at this. “There is one thing so overwhelmingly good about Kali Yuga, which was why Raja Parikshit did not destroy this era. This thing, this one thing, is so powerful that no austerities or Tapas, Yoga or even Samadhi can be achieved as easily as it can through this – and this is Bhakti or pure devotion to the Supreme.”
He smiled again and said, “So how could Parikshit destroy Kali Yuga, for Bhakti exists only in Kali Yuga, doesn’t it?”
The story of Kali Purusha
The story of how Kali lived to perpetrate the yuga of evil is also the story of Raja’s Parikshit’s journey to death. Raja Parikshit was the son of Arjuna who ruled after the Pandava kings retired from the world.
Kali Yuga had already begun on the ninth day of the Mahabharatha war. But as long as Krishna was on earth, Kali’s powers were restrained. With the death of Krishna, Kali took over the world, spreading evil thoughts and deeds. But there was one thing he could not do – that is, enter Raja Parikshit’s kingdom. Parikshit was a just and good king and his people loved him.
So one day, Kali Purusha told Parikshit, “It is my duty during Kali Yuga, to spread evil. So you have to allow me to enter your kingdom.”
“How can I do that?” asked Parikshit, “You are evil and it is my duty as king to protect my people against you.”
Kali just smiled and said, “Can you prevent the course of nature? The other three yugas have come and gone. Now Kali Yuga must play out its part…”
Now Parikshit realized that Kali could not be prevented, but he could be controlled. While he could not stop him from spreading evil, he could contain it so that his people could be safe. So he said, “So be it. But you shall be present only where gambling, prostitution,consumption of alcohol and the killing of animals take place.”
“Oh,” said Kali, smiling slyly, “I need one more space.” “Where else?” asked the Raja.
“Where there is gold…” said Kali.
“So be it,” said Parikshit, not knowing that Kali had immediately jumped into the gold crown that he wore on his head.
It was therefore, under the influence of the Kali residing in his crown, that Parikshit made the fatal mistake of placing a dead snake around the neck of Sage Samika, and was cursed by the sage’s son to die of snakebite in the next seven days.
Now in the era of Kali, Bhakti implored Narada to save her sons. “O Narada,” she said, “Can you rouse my sons and bring them back to their youth and vigour?”
Narada nodded and began to recite the Vedas and the Gita. He did this several times. But Bhakti’s two sons could not be roused completely. They tried to sit up, but could not. Sleep and weakness soon had them in their thrall.
Narada was stumped. What could he do? He closed his eyes and began to meditate on the Lord.
A few days passed and finally, a voice from the heavens proclaimed, “Find the Sanakadi Munishwars. They will show you the path.”
The Sanakadi Munishwars were sons of Brahmma, just like Narada was. The Sanat Kumaras or the Sanakadi Munishwars were born when Brahmma created the world. In the act of creation, Brahmma created different beings from the different parts of his body. The four Munishwars were created from his mind.
The four decided to be celibate lifelong, wandered about the world studying the Vedas, and became gnanis very young. The Sanat Kumaras were always together and were Vishnu devotees, having given up all things materialistic, for spiritual pursuits.Narada travelled from place to place, trying to spot them. He travelled to many pilgrim centres, met several holy men, but no one could tell him where they were.
Finally, he went to Badrivan and began a Tapas. The Sanakadi Munishwars appeared before him in a few days. They shone brilliantly, like a thousand suns.
Happy to see them, Narada put his problem before them. The Munishwars closed their eyes and began to chant the Shrimad Bhagawad Purana. The purest and greatest of all the puranas, the Shrimad Bhagawad Purana is said to invoke devotion or Bhakti towards Lord Vishnu and his incarnations, particularly, Krishna. Reciting this purana is said to free the mind of materialistic thoughts, directing the individual towards spirituality through Bhakti, and finally to moksha.
This purana is based on Bhakti, as it is one of the paths of yoga that leads to the Supreme Self. Many of the teachings in this advocate this Bhakti Yoga in its myriad forms. Reciting the Bhagawad Purana over a period of seven days or Saptaham, is said to deliver the Consciousness to the Divine. Interestingly, it is over the seven days that the Bhagawad Purana unfolds, as it is recited to Raja Parikshit, who is cursed to die by snake bite in seven days.
Shuka, son of Veda Vyasa and other rishis, gathered together to prepare him for the inevitable, and that forms the start of this purana, leading to a discourse on spirituality and the avatars of Vishnu, with a focus on Krishna. The purana also tells of the death of Raja Parikshit and how reciting the Bhagawad Purana, can make the mind pure, preparing it for the union with the One. Mere recitation of this purana over the Saptaham or the seven-day period, it is believed, can induce Bhakti and God Consciousness. That is why Bhakti is something which even Kali could not erase, and is a simple path to God in a time when evil is all-pervasive.
The Sanakadi Munishwars recited the Bhagawad Purana over seven days. Some distance away, on the banks of the Yamuna, Gyaan and Vairagya slowly rose from their stupor. Their weakness and apathy fell from them as a snake sheds its skin. They became young and vigourous once again.
And that’s why, even today, we know that devoted recitation of the Shrimad Bhagawad Purana over a Saptaham, will help cleanse the evils of Kali Yuga. As we go through Bhagawad Saptaham with our minds deeply and exclusively involved we will merge, through selfless divine Love, with Sri Krishna.
To eliminate the influence of Kali from our homes and our minds, it is suggested that we refrain from the pleasures derived from all the activities where Kali resides.
As with all our myths and traditions, Kali and Bhakti are metaphors – and help us understand the concepts of materialistic pleasures and love for God better. Once these concepts are understood properly, then, making them a part of our lives and setting ourselves on the path of Bhakti are just a step away.
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Friday, 9 Sep 2016
Making and Remaking Saints in Nineteenth-Century Britain
By Gareth Atkins
July saw the publication of my new edited book, Making and Remaking Saints in Nineteenth-Century Britain. Containing essays by fifteen authors on the reception of subjects from Paul and the Virgin Mary to William Wilberforce and Thérèse of Lisieux, it argues that saints did not fade away but took on fresh significance in the nineteenth century. Protestants as much as Catholics made saints, canonizing them unofficially in cheap print and pious kitsch. Agnostics and unbelievers appropriated religious language to sanctify figures like John Stuart Mill and Charles Darwin. Historians, psychologists and sociologists were fascinated by what charismatic figures and their cults said about past societies and present beliefs.
It’s difficult to sum all this up in one image. But when I stumbled across Edward Henry Corbould’s Dinah Morris Preaching on the Common (c. 1861) it was instantly clear that this had to be the front cover. Fans of George Eliot will recognize it as a scene from her hugely successful first novel, Adam Bede, published in 1859. In its first year Adam Bede sold over 10,000 copies, making Eliot’s name almost overnight as a commentator on manners, morals and the human condition. Enthusiasm for it extended to the highest in the land. It was read avidly by Queen Victoria and quoted frequently by Prince Albert. So taken were they with it that they commissioned Corbould to produce a pair of watercolours from it. And this is one of them.
Anyone familiar with Adam Bede will know the story. On a sunny evening on Hayslope Green, the young Methodist preacher Dinah Morris addresses the assembled villagers. It is a warm moment, richly and movingly described, drawing on affectionate memories of Eliot’s aunt Elizabeth Evans, a pioneering female preacher in her day. If this is a saint, it’s an emphatically Protestant one. Her clothes are plain and even shabby; slightly Quakerish.
Her composition and pose, however, strongly echo Catholic iconography surrounding the Virgin Mary. Specifically, Dinah appears here as mater misericordiae: mother of mercy. The triangular composition draws our eyes up to the face – the only part of the painting that the critics liked – with the tree and sky creating a sort of halo behind it. ‘It was one of those faces’, wrote Eliot, ‘that make one think of white flowers with light touches of colour on their pure petals.’ Like Mary, Dinah radiates affective power – old and young, male and female, different social classes listening with rapt attention. ‘“Dear friends,” she said, in a clear but not loud voice, “let us pray for a blessing.”’ The impact of the image lies in the fact that she addresses the viewer as much as and perhaps more than any of the figures in the painting. ‘Paint us an angel’, exclaims Eliot’s narrator, ‘but paint us yet oftener a Madonna.’ Corbould clearly took this very literally indeed.
These layers of meaning become still more interesting when we consider Eliot’s own beliefs. She had long departed from the evangelicalism of her upbringing, and from orthodox Christianity more generally. But this didn’t mean that she had abandoned the notion of religion completely. Thanks in part to the French Positivist Auguste Comte, she was fascinated by the idea that ‘religion’ might be retooled for modernity by stripping it of its supernatural trappings and focusing instead on the moralizing potential of human relationships. ‘Immortality’ was not about going to heaven but living on in others through one’s deeds and words. It’s not surprising that this insistence that individuals might somehow connect with one another through thoughts and feelings (‘subjective assimilation’), even across time and space, made her sympathetic to the reverence felt for saints in past societies. Indeed, Eliot’s humanism could sound decidedly Catholic. ‘Saints’ were as necessary in the nineteenth century as they had always been. As one protagonist in Adam Bede comments, ‘I could worship that woman’. Eliot would have had no problem with his doing so.
Of course, this is only one facet of the book. But taken as a whole, it shows that saints were not the preserve of gothic revivalists in art and architecture. Nor was the language of sanctity merely a quaint survival, a shell that the intelligentsia were beginning to outgrow. If saints were ubiquitous in our period it was because there was such fertile disagreement about what they stood for. Against the black-and-white binary of ‘faith versus doubt’ that has long held sway in Victorian studies, this book reveals the multifarious and messy ways in which belief and unbelief continued to cross-pollinate one another throughout the century.
Gareth Atkins is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at CRASSH and Fellow and Director of Studies in History at Magdalene College, Cambridge. Making and Remaking Saints in Nineteenth-Century Britain is available now.
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What makes a great boxer
CONRAD M. CARIÑO
First of two parts
Somebody shared with me the link for the BoxRec Greatest of All Time list, which is starting to get some positive and negative reactions.
The list comes from BoxRec that has a website boxrec.com. It calls itself Boxing’s Official Record Keeper, and you could even view the records of great boxers from the past like Joe Louis and Flash Elorde, among others. The records of boxers who never made it to the top could also be found from boxrec.com.
BoxRec recently listed 25 boxers that it considers the Greatest of All Time, with Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao topping the list. Former middleweight champion Carlos Monzon from Argentina followed at number three and three-time heavyweight titlist Muhammad Ali was in fourth.
Ali’s landing in fourth in the top four is sure to raise eyebrows, as “The Greatest” is still seen as making an impact beyond the sports of boxing and is widely acknowledged as having one of the fastest hands. Also, while Monzon was a great fighter himself, his impact on the sport is not as great as Ali’s.
So what about Mayweather taking the top spot?
Shall we accept the fact that Mayweather is greater than Ali. Or is Pacquiao greater than Ali?
Or are we ready to accept that Mayweather is greater than Pacquiao?
And Sugar Ray Robinson taking fifth spot in the list seems misplaced.
I would also question Bernard Hopkins occupying sixth spot ahead of Joe Louis who was at seventh and Archie Moore at eighth.
So, I have so many questions as to how BoxRec came out with its own greatest boxers of all time list.
Before I proceed, let me state I still strongly believe that Robinson is still the greatest boxer of all time. His figuring in over 200 bouts and winning 174 of them with 109 by knockouts still sounds inhuman. Also, his losing only once by knockout from so many bouts speaks volumes of his ability and durability. More can still be said of Robinson that makes him the best boxer of all time. But I will not discuss them in this column.
So obviously, I feel Mayweather is not the greatest boxer of all time. I even believe Ali is still greater than Mayweather.
Mayweather, even if he is still undefeated, should rank below Robinson and Ali, or at third.
What about Pacquiao? It is very hard not to rank Pacquiao in any all-time great list as he collared championships in eight divisions, which is no small feat considering his first title was at flyweight (112 pounds) and his heaviest championship was junior middleweight (154 pounds), or a spread of 42 pounds.
Now, should Pacquiao be ranked above Mayweather? Here is where the fierce debate could ensue, but those who favor Mayweather would surely point to the American’s decision victory over Pacquiao in May 2015.
So far, I have raised more questions on who should constitute the list of greatest boxers of all time. And seeking answers to those questions is not easy.
In the second part of this column-series, I will discuss who I believe should make up any list for the all-time greats for boxing.
Categories: Sport News
Lions, Pirates battle in NCAA finals rematch
Keys locks up WTA Cincinnati title
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WV Has New Marcellus Drilling Law in Record Time
December 15, 2011 Hydraulic Fracturing, Industrywide Issues, Regulation, Statewide WV, West Virginia
A new Marcellus drilling law (highlights of the law listed below) passed in a special session of the West Virginia legislature and has been signed by Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin into law. Yesterday, the WV House of Delegates voted 92-5 and the Senate voted 33-0 to pass the measure, known as the “Horizontal Well Act,” which was immediately signed by the governor.
Although it only took the WV legislature four days in a special session to pass the measure, in reality, it has taken most of this year to draft, tweak and alter the language of the bill to prepare it ahead of the special session.
The bulk of the bill addresses natural gas operations that use horizontal drilling and disturb more than three acres of surface, excluding roads, pipelines or gathering lines. Horizontal operations using more than 210,000 gallons of water per month also are included.
Drilling sites that were established prior to the effective date of the "Horizontal Well Act" will not be subject to the new requirements.*
Highlights of what is in the new law:
Permit fees will be raised to $10,000 per first well and $5,000 per well drilled from the same pad.
WV DEP oil and gas supervisors will have a minimum salary of $40,000 per year, and inspectors a minimum salary of $35,000 per year.
The WV DEP will have authority to make adjustments to changing technologies in the process of drilling and casing a well.
Management of road issues caused by the heavy machinery and traffic generated by drilling activity to the Division of Highways, and drillers will need to clear a plan with the DOH before drilling can begin.
Surface owners will have 30 days (up from 15) to file comments on new drilling permits.
Surface owners must receive 72 hours notice before a survey is conducted on their property.
Surface owners must receive seven days’ notice before drilling is to begin on their property.
Surface owners must be compensated for lost crops and timber and damage to water supplies and personal property.
Permit applications from drillers will require more information, including the depth they plan to drill, the rock formations they want to drill, how they will case the well, a soil and erosion plan, a safety plan and more.
Certain minimum distances from a drilled well and other structures: 250 feet of existing water wells; 625 feet of another well and certain agricultural structures; 100 feet of any perennial stream, water body or wetland; 300 feet of a naturally producing trout stream or 1,000 feet of a public surface water or groundwater intake.
Drillers must provide a water management for each operation, and they must also disclose all chemicals used in fracking fluids.
Drill cuttings and leftover solids must go to a landfill unless the DEP approves on-site management.
Operators with pits or impoundments that hold more than 210,000 gallons of water will be regulated by the DEP.
Once drilling is complete, operators have six months to reclaim the drilling site for a single pad.
Drillers must obtain a $50,000 performance bond, or if there are multiple wells in an operation, a $250,000 bond to cover all of them.*
None of the parties who are involved in the debate over gas drilling are particularly happy with the new law. The West Virginia Surface Owners Rights Organization takes issue with a number of provisions. The West Virginia Environmental Council called the new law disappointing. And members of the gas drilling industry are not happy with certain parts of the law, including the language of the setback provisions (minimum distances from certain structures for wells). However, the industry is willing to support the law in return for “predictability” in drilling in the state.
No doubt more tweaks and changes will be made in the coming months and years.
For a copy of the amended House version of the bill, which MDN believes to contain the final language, visit this page.
*The State Journal (Dec 14, 2011) – Approved Marcellus bill took months of work by W.Va. lawmakers, governor
New Report Says No Health Threats from Spills in Dimock PA
MDN Weekly Update – Dec 18, 2011: Who are you?
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Home > Baltimore Movies > Theater Showtimes > Harbor East Showtimes & Tickets
Harbor East
www.landmarktheatres.com
Harbor East Showtimes & Tickets
(R, 1 hr, 59 min.) 11:15 | 1:45 | 4:20 | 7:05 | 9:35
(R, 1 hr, 48 min.) 11:00 | 4:25 | 9:45
(PG, 1 hr, 40 min.) 11:30 | 2:00 | 4:30 | 7:00 | 9:30
(0 hr, 0 min.) 1:20 | 6:40
(PG-13, 2 hr, 3 min.) 11:00 | 1:30 | 4:15 | 6:50 | 9:25
(PG-13, 2 hr, 10 min.) 1:05 | 3:50 | 6:40 | 9:20
(R, 1 hr, 23 min.) 11:15 | 1:00 | 3:00 | 4:50 | 7:10 | 9:35
Which movies do you want to bring to Harbor East?
Maryland Science Center St. John Properties IMAX
The Charles Theatre
1711 N. Charles St.
Parkway Theatre
5 W North Avenue
CinéBistro at the Rotunda
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MPNforum Magazine
CRISPR Madness
A day at the office — MPNRF
About MPNforum
Crashing through a Barrier
–by Harvey Gould
On November 25 of this year my wife and I were in my doctor’s office to learn the results of my recent bone marrow biopsy, but I was already pretty sure that I didn’t want to hear him confirm what I already strongly suspected. My “escape” was to project myself onto the long and winding road.
There, as I looked ahead, I thought I heard someone say that there was a big barrier right ahead. I saw it. Shit, I thought to myself. I’m gonna crash right through that friggin’ thing!
I swerved to try to avoid it, but instead I crashed right through it and, out of control, plummeted into a still, dark, and foreboding forest. Thick fog surrounded me. Through it, faintly I thought I heard a voice repeatedly whispering, something that sounded like “camel” and “plant.”
Makes no sense, I thought to myself.
More of the fog dissipated and I heard the voice more clearly, but intuitively I knew that I don’t want to listen.
Go away. Leave me alone, I thought.
But it wouldn’t go away. Then, the fog lifted entirely and I saw Dr. Demon. He was saying,
“So, the final results of your bone marrow biopsy establish that your marrow is now quite active; your blast counts are now in the 20-30% range; and your myelofibrosis has now progressed into acute myeloid leukemia, or AML.”
Aha! So, I wasn’t hearing “camel”; I was hearing “AML.” I guess that’s the damn barrier through which I just crashed. But what the hell does a “plant” have to do with this.
I flashed back to the beginning. It’s March, 2000 when I collapsed in my office, was removed by paramedics, and was kept hospitalized overnight for observation for what was thought to be a “cardiac event”, a “TIA”, or, the most honest diagnosis, “We really don’t know what in the hell happened to you.”
Then, between March 2000 and July 2000, numerous tests were performed in the hunt to learn exactly what in the hell had happened to me since my blood work remained “off.”
On July 20, 2000, Dr. Damon (later dubbed “Dr. Demon” by my wife for all the bad news he imparted over the years) gave us the answer: I had primary chronic idiopathic myelofibrosis, and likely had no more than five years to live, a likely longevity subsequently modified to three to five years by the doctor from whom we secured a second opinion. (Thanks doc.)
Between July 2000 and November 2013 I encountered all manner of fun stuff, including diabetes, gall stones, surgery to remove my gall gladder, an esophageal ulcer, vertigo; hypertension, CAD, implantation of two stents; a pleural effusion nearly causing heart failure, hospitalization for pneumonia; increased cardiac risk from excessively low HDL, multiple transfusions and eventually transfusion dependency; hospitalizations for kidney stones; Vitamin D deficiency; insomnia, nocturnal leg cramps, edema, splenectomy, insanely elevated platelets, significant ocular hemorrhage causing partial permanent blindness in one eye, nocturnal leg cramps, hypothyroidism, subconjunctival hemorrhages, chronic kidney disease, nocturnal leg cramps, ruptured Achilles, five BMBs, 23,246 blood draws (OK, it only seems like that many), and all the while, hearing repeatedly, “Harvey, you look great!”
Then, just a few months ago my WBCs skyrocketed to 100,000.
In October 2013 I developed lymph nodes in my neck, armpit and groin. They proved to contain abnormal T cells and both myeloid and lymphoid elements.
In early November, 2013 my WBCs were still over 50,000 although my daily dose of Hydroxyurea (which I’d been taking for over two years) was increased.
In turn, that lead to the most recent BMB, which brought me back to Dr. Demon, who I then hear saying, “Harvey, you’ve been in the chronic phase of myelofibrosis all these years, but now you’ve raced past the ‘accelerated’ phase and you are now in acute myeloid leukemia, or AML.”
Slowly, Karen asks, “Does this mean we have to talk seriously about the elephant in the room?”
Dr. Demon says, “It does. As I just mentioned, Harvey needs a transplant.”
So that’s it! Just as I didn’t hear him saying “camel”, but “AML’, he also wasn’t saying “plant,” but “transplant.”
I look at Karen. She’s shaking her head “no.”
I was 55 when I was first diagnosed. At the time, UCSF’s age limitation for a patient to undergo a bone marrow transplant (now more commonly called a stem cell transplant) was 55, so I was given a few months to decide whether I’d agree to proceed with one. After Karen and I reviewed the literature and asked our questions, we’d decided that it was too risky and that I wouldn’t do it.
Dr. Demon nevertheless urged that my one sibling be tested since a match from a full sibling is the best of all possible matches. We recognized that it would be foolhardy to fail to know that information before making a final decision. As it turned out, my sister was not a match and oddly, Karen and I were relieved. Had she been a match, we’d have agonized that much more over our decision. In 2000, doctors then spoke of a transplant as a “possible”, not a “probable” cure; and opined that “theoretically” the transplant should be curative for MF patients though that was not yet scientifically established. Oh, yes, and that the mortality statistics sucked. “Possible?” Hell, it was possible that I could sprout wings and fly.
So, thirteen years ago I chose not to have the transplant, and during those thirteen years (ha ha—not just three to five), I’ve lived and loved life all the while, never once regretting the decision in 2000 not to proceed. Of course there have been bad times along the way, but Karen and I have always preferred to see the proverbial glass as half full. During these years we’ve managed to spend time in Ireland; I had the time to write memoirs about our times there; I became a grandfather to six grandchildren; Karen and I managed to do some horseback riding together, a love for both of us; but most of all, I’ve had these years to continue to bask in Karen’s love, a gift from the heavens.
Additionally, I no longer have the luxury of being in the chronic stage of myelofibrosis. I now have AML and though we well understand that there are no guarantees of success with a transplant, and that outcomes can be deadly, we are encouraged by the increased scientific advances that have been made in the years since my diagnosis, including greater refinement of the transplant procedure. Added to that, we also know that, at this stage, without one, almost certainly I’ll be dead within a year. Simply put, there really is no rational alternative. If you are fortunate enough to be a candidate for a transplant, and you want a chance to live, (and I very much want to live,) it’s time to forge ahead.
In an effort to retard progression of the disease while we seek a donor, by the time this article is published I’ll have had my first five consecutive days of 5-azacytidine after which I’ll go “off” for three weeks, and then start over again—for as long as it helps—until a donor can be located. When the donor is found, then I’ll be hospitalized for at least a month for the chemo in advance of the transplant, the induction itself, and then for the journey that will follow, as I seek a way out of that damned dark and foreboding forest.
I plan to give reports along this journey. So, if you’re interested in coming along for the ride, buckle your seat belts and let’s do this together
Take me back to the Contents
© MPNforum.com, 2013 and Harvey Gould. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission is prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to MPNforum.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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Comments on: "The Long and Winding Road" (9)
Bonnie Q. Atkins said:
I am so very sorry to hear about this new storm that you are going through but calm waters prevail at the end of the storm. You have gotten through so many trials as you will with this one. Thinking of you and keeping you in my prayers.
Ellen Jacquart said:
You have so many friends here that we’ve chartered a big bus so we can all go on the ride with you. I’m bringing the wine. Stay strong – you can do this. Best wishes!
Chris Harper said:
Best wishes Harvey, from a current Myelofibrosis transplant survivor to a future one.
Barbara Beckman said:
Thank you for this story. You are amazing!
Bonnie Evans said:
Harvey……your reaction to those dreaded acronyms AML sounds like you hit a brick wall going 100 miles per hour. Treatment has come a long way since 2000. The odds of a SCT succeeding keeps getting better and better. Now our MPN Forum members who have relatives in good health, get them to register as a donor. It could be them that saves Harvey’s life. Go to http://www.deletebloodcancer.org and they will mail them a kit.
Arch Mcc said:
….and all the while I’m reading this and after being invited to share an amazing journey I’m lying here grousing about MY problems. Yep, Harvey, I’ll fasten my seat belt for the ride, but I’m not lowering my kneeling bench. Love ya, Man. Best, Arch
Voncille Fryou said:
Tears….will write you
Big hugs my friend
Mary Cotter said:
Harvey may your road be long and continue to wind with only beautiful surprises around the bend.
Thank you for sharing your story, Harvey, and inviting us to come along for the ride. May it be a good ride for you and your Karen, and family.
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KLAUS Multiparking > Presse Archiv > Time for something different: the MultiBase 2078i tilts even the heaviest of SUVs
Time for something different: the MultiBase 2078i tilts even the heaviest of SUVs
Revolution 2.0: Klaus Multiparking has developed its second iParker with an electro-hydraulic synchroniser
Aitrach (jm). One more product is available for parking of the future: Klaus Multiparking GmbH in Aitrach (Baden-Württemberg), one of the leading manufacturers of premium parking systems in the world, has extended its range of intelligent iParker products. The new MultiBase 2078i is the first parking system with tilting platforms in the world that is equipped with the unique electro-hydraulic synchroniser. In practice, this means more load capacity, larger parking spaces and greater convenience – even with restricted height. That's because the MultiBase 2078i saves space. By inclining the platforms, the installation height is reduced by up to 30 cm compared to the horizontal MultiBase 2072i from Klaus Multiparking. Nevertheless, the new iParker is still able to accommodate up to four vehicles with a vehicle height of up to 2.15 m.
“It's fantastic that our design engineers have now hit the jackpot for a second time. They've combined the tried-and-tested tilting system of our MultiBase G82 with the intelligent technology of our i-generation. The result is an innovative parking system that already meets the demands and requirements of the future today,” says Michael Groneberg, Managing Director of Klaus Multiparking GmbH.
Truly different: the new MultiBase 2078i also features the unique electro-hydraulic synchroniser, which has been specially developed by Klaus Multiparking and completely replaces the former mechanical synchroniser. As a result, the weight of each parking system is reduced by up to 200 kg.
Reduced weight, but more load capacity: even true heavyweights aren't a problem for the MultiBase 2078i. There is space for vehicles weighing up to 3.0 tons on a single platform. Designed as a double platform, the MultiBase 2078i accommodates cars with a total weight of up to 2.6 tons. By comparison, only vehicles weighing up to 2.0 tons can be parked on the MultiBase G82. “We've increased the permissible load enormously here. Because there's a real trend towards heavy, large cars. And we're also ideally equipped for the future, because hybrid and electric cars are heavier than vehicles with a combustion engine. We already have the perfect solution for these future loads today,” explains Thomas Baumgärtel, Sales Manager of Klaus Multiparking. It goes without saying that the innovation from the parking specialist is already “e-ready” and can be equipped with the prepared connections for electric charging stations.
With maximum parking space widths of 2.70 metres for a single platform and up to 5.40 metres for a double platform, it is still really easy for car drivers to get out of even the biggest SUVs on the MultiBase 2078i. That's because the system's supporting pillars are positioned so far forwards and backwards that the car doors can be opened fully. There is also room for saloon cars and vans in the MultiBase 2078i, up to a vehicle length of 5.20 metres. The new iParker from Klaus Multiparking displays great versatility. A total of nine versions are available, with pit depths between 1.70 and 2.35 m.
Technologically speaking as well, the MultiBase 2078i offers a real advantage: intelligent sensor technology in the electro-hydraulic synchronization control system continuously measures the position of the parking platforms and sends balancing signals to a control unit. “The hydraulic flow in the lifting device is regulated by valves in a fraction of a second. The platforms therefore always remain at the perfect inclination angle on the MultiBase 2078i,” says Baumgärtel.
When using the MultiBase 2078i, designers and building contractors benefit from the inclination of the platforms in a number of ways. That's because depending on the version selected, vehicles with a height of up to 2.15 m can be positioned both above and below. Only Klaus Multiparking offers this parking space flexibility combined with a variety of possible pit depths with restricted headroom.
The control system for the new iParker is especially smart: with an app, users can operate the system from the comfort of their living room simply using a smartphone or tablet and get their parked car ready to go. On the way back home, one click is all it takes – and the parking space will be ready. Alternatively, the MultiBase 2078i can also be controlled using an operating device.
About Klaus Multiparking GmbH: With around 700,000 parking spaces installed and 65 sales partners on all continents, Klaus Multiparking, headquartered in Aitrach (Baden-Württemberg), ranks among the leading suppliers of vehicle parking systems. Klaus Multiparking provides innovative solutions for dependent or independent parking, such as for example double parkers, duplex parkers and stack parkers. The company is primarily known for its multiparking systems of the MultiVario and MultiBase type, the semi-automatic TrendVario parking systems and the various fully automatic MasterVario parking systems, enabling space-saving parking in the form of shelf, tower or layer systems as well as lift/shuttle systems or SmartParkers. Single platforms such as SingleVario and SingleUp and various underfloor systems also form part of the product range. For the past 50 years, all Multiparking solutions have been produced exclusively in Germany, subject to the highest quality standards. Premium parking systems by Klaus Multiparking are tailored to individual requirements. They make efficient use of the space available and enable comfortable driving in and driving out. In order to best serve the growing market in India, the company has begun a joint venture there using its own production facilities.Klaus Multiparking employs a total of 175 staff at the Aitrach production works. It has already won awards for its innovative ideas such as the MultiVario parking system, including the Innovation Prize of the Federal German State of Baden-Württemberg. The history of Klaus Multiparking GmbH goes back to 1907, when Klaus was founded as a wheelwright’s shop in Bad Tölz (Bavaria). Klaus Multiparking has been making parking systems since 1964.
Further information: Klaus Multiparking GmbH, Hermann-Krum-Straße 2, 88319 Aitrach, phone +49 (0) 7565/508-0, fax +49 (0)7565/508-88, info@multiparking.com, www.multiparking.com
Press contact: Jensen media GmbH, editorial team, Hemmerlestraße 4, 87700 Memmingen, phone 08331/99188-0, fax 99188-10, email: info@jensen-media.de, internet: www.jensen-media.de Contact: Ingo Jensen (ingo.jensen@jensen-media.de)
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Read our review and discuss with fans the highly anticipated Sesame Street "50 Years and Counting" DVD set from Shout Factory featuring over five hours of beloved moments.
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Classic Muppets
Is Mildred Zoot's mother?
Thread starter ZootxJanice2468
ZootxJanice2468
Because I saw an "at the dance" in season 1 and george asked while looking at zoot,
"I'll be darned, you say that's your boy? How could you have a son that age?" and mildred replied,
"I didn't. When I had him he was just a baby."
Reactions: LaniArianna
Muppet fan 123
It might just be a joke. I doubt that's the case since it doesn't say that anywhere else.
Pose the question to the people at Muppet Wiki on the forum.
CensoredAlso
I took it as a joke within a skit. But on the other hand, there's no reason you can't take it literally if you want to.
There's no real answer here. You can take it as a sketch, or you can take it as a literal thing. However, the important thing is that no one goes around and pushes this as fact, because it isn't. If someone wants to take this and believe it, or even write a fanfic about it, no problem with that, but it can't be accepted as complete fact. I doubt we'll never really know.
Hubert said:
If someone wants to take this and believe it, or even write a fanfic about it, no problem with that, but it can't be accepted as complete fact.
Now we're getting into the whole "canon vs. fanon" issue, lol.
Sgt Floyd
I would say it's a joke on both the character's ages. Zoot could very well be as old as Mildred. If you were going to take it literal, it could be interpreted as "He's your son? He looks as old as you."
Both characters are obviously old (Zoot has some pretty bad narcolepsy ), so to think Mildred is Zoot's mom is kinda crazy, since to me, they seem like the same age, with Mildred POSSIBLY being a tad older
Age wise, Dave Goelz has mentioned a few times that he's thought Zoot to be about 50, I believe. And I'd say Mildred would be maybe in her 60s, so that would also be evidence against it if you want to estimate that way. THough I guess you could assume Mildred to be in her 70s.
I guess you guys are right. Plus zoot is a humanoid, and mildred looks like a lizard. Aw dang it, why didn't they show zoot's dad?! Oh also I'm starting up TM again. So, might be something to look forward to.
Actually, as far as we know, Mildred is also a humanoid. She's kinda a distorted one, though, where she has a large "snout" if you will, but she seems more humanoid than anything else.
Hey can we assume zoot's last name is simms?
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Heavy Is the Head feels like the crowning moment in Stormzy’s defining hour. Album two arrives two years after the incendiary Gang Signs & Prayer, and in that time the South London MC has emerged as one of the most powerful voices in contemporary Britain. Heavy Is the Head is testament to that new spirit. Played out over 16 songs, the album sees Stormzy lay himself bare on a record that reckons with the pressures of fame and the weight of expectation that befalls a young man ordained spokesperson for his generation.
“When Banksy put the vest on me/It felt like God was testing me,” he says on “Audacity” with Headie One, calling back to that iconic moment on Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage where he wore a stab-proof Union Jack designed by the artist. Elsewhere, there are moments of impassioned prayer on “Do Better” and sorrowful confessions on “Lessons”. “Superheroes” is a love letter to an emerging black British generation, to whom he says, “Our parents were legends/They had to migrate,” before adding: “All I see is innovators and a bag of icons.”
There is flossing on “Pop Boy” with Mancunian rapper Aitch and deep vulnerability on “One Second” with US singer-songwriter H.E.R. There is homage to his upbringing and frank reflections on the direction his life has since tilted. There is defiance and regret, there is community and hope, there is passion and pride. It is Stormzy taking ownership of his responsibility, a young man whose story and words give voice to the many who go unheard and unseen in Britain today.
Heavy Is The Head Stormzy
Big Michael
Audacity (feat. Headie One)
Rainfall (feat. Tiana Major9)
Rachael's Little Brother
Don't Forget to Breathe (feat. Yebba) [Interlude]
One Second (feat. H.E.R.)
Pop Boy (feat. Aitch)
Wiley Flow
Vossi Bop
℗ 2019 Hashtag Merky Music Limited under exclusive license to Atlantic Records UK, a division of Warner Music UK Limited.
More By Stormzy
Gang Signs & Prayer
Dreamers Disease
I'm Fine (feat. Stormzy & Shalo) - Single
Know Me From - Single
WickedSkengMan 4 - Single
Dead Body, Pts. 2 & 3 (feat. Stormzy & Kano) - Single
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Home / The Original Jean Ring® / Page 1 of 1
The Original Jean Ring®
First introduced in the early 1970s the Original Jean Ring® is made of
solid brass and has a lifetime guarantee With the Jean Ring key ring, you can comfortably hold up to 32 keys. The Jean Ring's unique design allows keys to snap on and off the easily, yet remain secure.
How they are made
The first Jean Rings key rings were twisted by hand. Hand forged on an anvil, these "original" Jean Rings are true collectors items. The way to identify them is the logo "Marc Creates" will be stamped on one end. Due to the logo stamp, you can only get keys off on one side of the key ring. Also, there is no accompanying tag hanging from the Jean Ring key ring. (The actual originals had no "original" tag.) The "Original Jean Ring" accompanying tag was introduced in the late 1980s. Today, Jean Ring key rings are made in the Midwest on a "fore-slide" machine.
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Talomo police vow deeper probe on slay of 15-year-old
By Rhoda Grace Saron on January 12, 2020
The chief of the Talomo Police Station ordered a deeper investigation into the killing of a 15-year-old in Pag-ibig Drive, Barangay Dumoy, Talomo District on Friday afternoon.
Authorities said the minor, who was a child-in-conflict-with-the-law, had several records for theft and robbery in Ecoland and Dumoy.
The minor’s name is being withheld.
Lt. Col. Ronald L. Lao, station commander, said that at around 1:15 p.m. on Jan. 10, the boy was waiting for his father when two men onboard a motorcycle shot him twice at close range.
The Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) recovered a cartridge from a .45 caliber pistol in the area.
Just recently, Lao said the victim’s father went to the Talomo Women’s Child and Protection Desk (WCPD) to turn over his son for safekeeping. But he was sent back to the parents after counseling and intervention. He was also released from Bahay Pag-asa, a halfway home for vulnerable kids, in September 2019 after a six-month rehabilitation and diversion program.
“The minor victim was a usual ‘visitor’ in our station because of his involvement in illegal activities,” he said.
“Unfortunately, he did not change and went back to his transgressions,” Lao further said.
Nevertheless, he promised the family that they will try to identify the suspects and give justice to the victim.
“We extend our condolences to the family and we would like to let them know at this time, it is our priority to put all resources possible into finding these suspects,” he ended.
The body of the victim was brought to Villa Funeral Parlor in Toril.
Rhoda Grace Saron
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Rehab, recovery programs continue for quake victims
Fire victims call for help in rebuilding their homes
Bankerohan fire damages P40.2-M
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P.J. Fleck
P.J. Fleck Hires Mike Sanford Jr. As Gophers Co-Offensive CoordinatorP.J. Fleck has hired Mike Sanford Jr. and promoted Matt Simon to fill his offensive coordinator vacancy Friday.
Gopher Football Head Coach P.J. Fleck Named 2019 Big Ten Coach Of The YearThe recognition follows a 10-2 regular season record in Fleck’s third year on the job.
Big Ten West-Leading Gophers Sitting Pretty Ahead Of Wildcats Match-UpThe Big Ten West-leading Gophers remain a game ahead of No. 14 Wisconsin, with a home game against the Badgers next week.
'The Stars Have Lined Up': Minnesotans Are Very Much Aboard The Gophers BoatAt 73, Allan Vergin has been waiting a long time for his Golden Gophers to make it to a meaningful bowl game. When Minnesota beat Penn State earlier this month — giving the Gophers their first 9-0 record since 1904 — tears rolled down Vergin's face as he told a friend: "I'm smelling roses!"
Gophers’ P.J. Fleck Named Dodd Trophy Coach Of The WeekUniversity of Minnesota head football coach P.J. Fleck has been named the Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week.
Gophers Upset Penn State 31-26; 9-0 For 1st Time In 115 YearsThe 13th-ranked Gophers held on for a 31-26 victory over the 5th-ranked Nittany Lions for their first win over a top-five team in 20 years.
'If I Can, Then You Can': Gophers' Casey O'Brien Doesn't Want Any Cancer Victim Giving UpWhen he was first diagnosed in high school, doctors told the quarterback he couldn't run, so he changed positions to be a holder. When chemotherapy kept him out of the game, he took up golf.
'God's Cancer Angel': Grandfather Of Gopher Football's Casey O'Brien Reflects On Gophers DebutIt is the sports moment everyone is talking about.
‘Anybody Can Beat Anybody’: Gophers To Battle Purdue To Kick Off Big Ten CompetitionThe Gophers Football team barely had an undefeated non-conference schedule, and they've learned from their performance.
Gophers Avoid Opener Upset With 28-21 Win Over South Dakota StateDon't tell coach P.J. Fleck that Minnesota's narrow win against FCS South Dakota State on Tuesday wasn't good enough.
P.J. Fleck, Gopher Football Program Enters Pivotal SeasonThe Gophers Football team has established a benchmark for success under coach third-year coach P.J. Fleck.
PJ Fleck 'Saddened' By Former Gopher Coach Jerry Kill's CommentsMinnesota football coach P.J. Fleck says he's "saddened" by critical remarks from former coach Jerry Kill suggesting Fleck cares more about himself than his players.
Minnesota Extends Fleck's Contract By 1 Year, Through 2023The Gophers went 6-6 this year for an invitation to the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit against Georgia Tech, after finishing 5-7 in 2017, Fleck's first season.
Finalist For U President Meets With Board Of Regents For Final InterviewThe board also passed a 10 percent tuition hike for incoming, out-of-state students, and voted in favor of a one-year contract extension for coach P.J. Fleck.
Northwestern Stays In Stride With 24-14 Win At MinnesotaWhen he was an assistant at Northern Illinois, Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck once cold-called Pat Fitzgerald for a lunch meeting to learn about being a head coach. A decade later, Fitzgerald and his Northwestern Wildcats are still teaching teams like the Gophers how to win in the Big Ten. Isaiah Bowser rushed for 85 yards and two touchdowns, and No. 24 Northwestern turned three turnovers by Minnesota quarterback Tanner Morgan into 10 points on the way to a 24-14 victory on Saturday that stretched its program-record road winning streak to eight games.
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World Poetry Day, 21 March, at the World Cultural Center in Paris, UNESCO building
Badr bin Abdulmohsen
Poetry as a human journey
Badr Bin Abdulmohsin’s poems have always been subject to the standards of his an avant-garde poetic experience, combining popular poetic styles with a unique, distinctive and extraordinary artistic vision.
Since his early beginnings, Badr Bin Abdulmohsin poems held a unique ethos in its linguistic structures, his poetic imagery, and metaphors. Badr Bin Abdulmohsin was – and remain – a creator of awe-inspiring poetic imageries that bear his sensational culture and heritage, which reflect the Saudi Arabia identity from the far reaches of the north, up to south’s peaks, and from its eastern shores to its ethereal west, and finally across the glory of Najd.
As we at Misk wholeheartedly embrace this pioneering experience, we cooperate with Badr Bin Abdulmohsin Cultural Foundation, to announce World Poetry Day on 21 March as a tribute to Badr Bin Abdulmohsin poetic experience at UNESCO Headquarters. An ideal place to commemorate this human poetic journey distinctive in its character, which conveyed many tales and songs that shaped the hallmarks of succeeding generations in Saudi people, and in the Arabian Gulf in general.
“Nai Night”, is a poem title by Badr Bin Abdulmohsin. We chose to esteem this everlasting experience, and provide his French and Arab audiences with the chance to see Badr Bin Abdulmohsin versify his poems with immediate translation into French.
It is mesmerizing how a poet, a citizen, and a prince can grasp the spirit of an entire culture within his poems, songs, and dreams to solidify an earthbound identity and manifest it to an audience that doesn’t share him the language but grasp his passion.
"The Poet Prince"
Born in 1949 in Riyadh, His Royal Highness Prince Bader bin Abdulmohsen Al Saud grew up in the home of his father Prince Abdulmohsen bin Abdulaziz and his mother Princess Wadha Al-Rasheed.
The Poet Prince lived his childhood and youth spending time in his father council, filled to capacity with scientists, writers, and great thinkers at that time, which sparked his love of literature and poetry. His early practical life has shaped the heterogeneity of his perception and unbound insight and knowledge of the world which endowed him with an early awareness and multifarious interests in which he immersed himself. He studied primary schools in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, intermediate school at Queen Victoria School in Alexandria, and the secondary school in Jeddah, in addition to studying in Britain and in the United States of America.
All through his poetic journey, Badr Bin Abdulmohsin was able to discover unparalleled poetic experiences of his time, paving his way to formulate a unique and unrivaled character, unparalleled to any other poetic tone, on an elite and popular level.
His musical journey was accompanied by many composers, such as Siraj Omar, Mohamed Shafiq, Sami Ihsan, Abd El-Rab Idris, and singers like: Talal Madah, Mohamed Abdu, Abadi Al-Jawhar, Abdul Majeed Abdullah, Khaled Abdul Rahman, Rashid Al Majid, and others.
The Poet Prince is a modernist poetry pioneer in the Arabian Peninsula, where he was declared “the architect of the word” after prominent success in creative writing of stupendous literary productivity that absorbed a sense of romanticism, pride, lamentation and a deep reflective account of the social and political reality of the Kingdom and the Arab world.
About "Nai" / flute
“Asked, what’s the time?
I gazed at the night of her eyes
And the morn of her brow
Seconds of tranquility elapsed
I declared: time is you!
And be anything you seek to be
Since that day .. To my watch I disregard
Why would I count time?
When time is her, to me nearing! “
In Saudi Arabia, the poet prince Badr Bin Abdulmohsin beard his soul in eloquent poems sang by Saudi and Arabic prominent artists.
The World Poetry Day and the UNESCO World Heritage Centre was specifically preferred to honor and commemorate him as a poetry icon bearing the “leaves of the years,” yet its farewell is to remain immortal and to navigate the world as a unique and unparalleled experience from every voice the world has known.
As Badr Bin Abdulmohsin said: “to my watch, I disregard” the desire to do that faded away. Because time is the range of history, and history is embroidered today as Badr Bin Abdulmohsin.
“Nai” is not just a night gathering of a poet and his audience, but a historic moment for the world, for poetry, and the eager crowds for diverse voices in the literary world around the world. Thursday 21 March 2019, will be an everlasting moment.
Why UNESCO?
"Poetry is a window onto the breath-taking diversity of humanity"
Irina Bokova, Former Director-General of UNESCO
As an International cultural center that doesn’t surrender to cultural and geographical boundaries, UNESCO proclaimed World Poetry Day in 1999. By endorsing the World Poetry Day, UNESCO established a literary destination that celebrates arts in all forms. It serves as a catalyst for linguistic diversity through poetic expression and to promote poetry. It also aims to bring back poetry traditions of poetry nights, encourage poetry teaching, and revive dialogue between poetry and distinct arts.
UNESCO has been selected as a testament to this experience, as the strategic relationship between Misk Foundation and UNESCO advance. UNESCO is an international organization of education, science, and culture, and by adhering to this commitment, it shares Misk’s aims, which to enable the society to learn and advance in business, literature and cultural studies, and social and technological sciences.
Our unremitting partnership journey proceeds towards commemorating the poet prince Badr Bin Abdulmohsin in collaboration with the Badr Bin Abdulmohsin Cultural Foundation on World Poetry Day, 21 March; at the World Cultural Center in Paris, UNESCO building. “Nai” is a poetry night by the poet Badr Bin Abdulmohsin in an artistic display to translate Badr Bin Abdulmohsin cultural, artistic and poetic identity to the whole world from a theater that brings together his French and Arabic audience in Paris.
Permanent link to this article: https://misk.org.sa/en/nay-en/
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Home/April 2019, Opinions/These Are Your Democrats America: Insanity, Stupidity, and Utter Chaos in the Wake Of The Muller Report Release
These Are Your Democrats America: Insanity, Stupidity, and Utter Chaos in the Wake Of The Muller Report Release
By Greg Holt|2019-04-21T03:25:42-05:00April 20th, 2019|
(True Conservative Pundit) The Democratic reaction to the release of the Mueller Report was exactly as anticipated, illogical, ignorant, stupid, and pathetic. Did anyone expect anything less?
You can listen to AG Barr’s press conference here, (the relevant portion begins at the 22:05 mark).
The Democrats have completely lost touch with reality and are proving this to be true on a daily basis. No less than five Democratic House Chairman sent a letter to AG Barr demanding that he cancel his scheduled press conference on the release of the Mueller Report.
The five House members who sent the letter are:
Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee
Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee
Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), the chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee
Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) the chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee
Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
The Democrats are to no ones surprise demanding AG Barr release to Congress the full un-redacted Mueller Report.
There are several problems with all of this:
By United States law, the Attorney General has complete authority on what to release or not release from a special counsel report – including to Congress
The AG has the sole discretion on what is or is not redacted in the special counsel’s report
Congress has NO authority to compel the AG in this matter to release anything whatsoever, again by law
Another problem with Mueller’s Report according to Rush Limbaugh is that it seems apparent that Robert Mueller wrote his report in a such a manner that although he did not directly implicate President Trump in any wrongdoing whatsoever – the report was worded so as to leave the door open to the implication that there was wrongdoing on Trump’s part, Mueller just could not find it or prove it. This of course will give the Politicrats plenty of sunshine to make hay.
It is obvious to anyone that if the Democrats are provided with the full un-redacted Mueller Report that someone will immediately leak the relevant portions to the mainstream media who will be only too happy to print the dire news with absolute glee. This would all be in the name of destroying President Trump of course – while being camouflaged as being in the public’s best interest and right to know of course; as this is the number one goal of the Politicrats.
Dangerous criminal Rep. Jerry Nadler was all up in arms over the fact that AG Barr was having a press conference before releasing the Mueller Report. Nadler said, “this is wrong” – no, it’s not wrong Mr. Nadler. Nadler is only bent out of shape because the Politicrats can’t control the narrative on this one, not to mention that the Dems cannot spin this before it’s release to Congress and the public. [Link]
This is not about a press conference or even Congress right to see the report – this is solely about that fact that the Politicrats can’t publically spin this before the public sees the information for themselves.
Nancy Pelosi sounded off on Twitter:
“AG Barr has confirmed the staggering partisan effort by the Trump Admin to spin public’s view of the #MuellerReport – complete with acknowledgment that the Trump team received a sneak preview. It’s more urgent than ever that Special Counsel Mueller testify before Congress.”
AG Barr has confirmed the staggering partisan effort by the Trump Admin to spin public’s view of the #MuellerReport – complete with acknowledgment that the Trump team received a sneak preview. It’s more urgent than ever that Special Counsel Mueller testify before Congress. https://t.co/waoGzLntlt
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) April 18, 2019
So – because Trump did not impede the release of the Mueller Report, even stating that he wanted the report to be released, this is spinning the report? AG Barr repeating Mueller’s own findings, which were no collusion or obstruction – this is spinning the report? Keep in mind the source of these comments, Nancy no-mind Pelosi – who famously said that, “we have to pass the bill so you can find out what is in it.”
The Democrats have lost this fight and they know it, they are grasping at straws in sheer desperation to find something, anything with which they can hang Trump out to dry.
This writer is betting all of this partisan nonsense is going to come back to bite the Politicrats in a very big way. I recently wrote an article on the fact that the Democrats hate America; this can no longer be disputed unless one lacks a brain.
No outcome or result will in any way shape or form be accepted by the Politicrats concerning Trump, except for one – guilty. No matter that at least three separate investigations (Mueller, the Senate, and the House) all concluded that there was no collusion and no obstruction.
Wanting to, thinking about, or discussing action to stop or possibly disrupt the Mueller investigation does not qualify as obstruction. If that were the criteria needed to implicate someone in a crime, then as a matter of course we would need to remove all members of both houses of Congress along with most of the U.S. government.
The Democrats are operating on a completely ludicrous and outlandish premise that is only ever applied to those who are not on the side of the Democrats and the RINOs (Politicrats). When it is a question pertaining to the Politicrats, then the rules of engagement suddenly change. Then by golly one is innocent until proven guilty! But yet if one is not a vaunted Politicrat, well one is guilty of all charges until proven innocent.
Trump WILL win in a landslide in the 2020 election, and I see a very distinct possibility that the Republicans will regain the majority in the House and keep the Senate.
Americans are wising up to the corruption and the outright lying and manipulation of We the People via the Politicrats and the dishonorable and useless mainstream media.
Speak up and speak out America – while there is yet time.
You have been warned America…
© 2019 Greg Holt – All Rights Reserved
E-Mail Greg Holt: admin@trueconservativepundit.com
Subscribe to my daily newsletter, and join hundreds of daily readers and receive news and relevant commentary
Follow TCP on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Social Cross and Gab
About the Author: Greg Holt
Greg is a strong believer in Jesus Christ and is also a political analyst and author. By day Greg is a self-employed non-emergency medical transport driver, as well as being an author and blogger. Greg’s articles are first published on True Conservative Pundit and Inspirational Christian Blogs, and from there his articles are widely published on many well-known conservative websites. If you would like to republish his articles, feel free to do so leaving all links intact and crediting the author and the website the article appeared on. Greg is the author of the soon to be released book: Spiritual Darkness is Destroying America and the Church Subscribe to my daily newsletter, and join hundreds of daily readers and receive news and relevant commentary Follow TCP on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Social Cross and Gab Philippians 2:10-11 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Greg is the author of the newly released book: Spiritual Darkness is Destroying America and the Church https://trueconservativepundit.com https://inspirationalchristianblogs.com/
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CAPACITY BUILDINGsyn_admin2019-08-27T09:10:30+00:00
Capacity building in technology transfer
Technology transfer is the inevitable consequence of any R&D effort and the compelling prerequisite of any effort of innovating.
Building capacity in technology transfer is a synonym of open innovation on both sides of the technology market. We believe that technology transfer is first and foremost a matter of skills, competences, and cultures. This is why we try as much as we can to make sure capacity building remains high priority in the agenda of institutions and people that deal with technology transfer.
MITO is committed at improving the capacity of individuals, institutions and companies to handle intellectual property and bring technology safely and effectively from labs to markets.
We do it in a number of ways: through funded projects, by offering IT tools that allow a more convenient and strategic IP management, and by sharing our skills, processes, tools and metrics.
MITO has been involved (as coordinator and partners) in several projects about capacity building in technology transfer. We have been coordinator of ProgressTT, the largest capacity building action by the European Commission under Horizon 2020 to support the growth of high potential technology transfer organizations across Europe. Subsequently, we have been involved in EU4Tech, a project from DG Regio, aimed at increasing the capacity of TTOs in the Western Balkans. Most recently, we became coordinator of Go-Ga, together with Cc-Hub in Nigeria, a DG Connect funded initiative to adapt and implement the successful Go-Lab Learning Ecosystem in Africa.
Tech Transfer Toolbox
We have learned that capacity building is so much more than just training, that we preparing to launch a digital platform to share whatever is needed to ensure institutions and firms increase their ability to transfer and acquire technology and turn research results into business opportunity.
We are creating a digital presence with a platform we contributed to fund and launch: the Tech Transfer Toolbox. Stay tuned for learning materials, updates, templates and initiatives on technology transfer. The Tech Transfer Toolbox reflects our notion of capacity building in technology transfer, that is based on competences, but also processes, tools, and metrix.
For any further information please contact us at info@techtransfertoolbox.com
IP management and IT solutions
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Review Articles >
Immortal Thrones Review: Romance of the Six Kingdoms
by Jason Parker
@IshyJulu
Critic Score: 3 out of 5
User Rating: (10 votes, average: 3.5 out of 5)
Immortal Thrones by Zloong has a whole lot going on under the hood. It has the technology to livestream, a global multi-kingdom war (Saturday through Friday. Sunday there’s a truce), several character classes with their own branching classes, six kingdoms to serve under, and absolute tons of combat. There’s cross-server action so you should never be lacking someone to pick a fight with if that’s what you’re after. But there’s just so much going on, that even close to two weeks later, I’m still trying to parse out everything there is to know about Immortal Thrones. The UI is incredibly busy and there are so many damn icons on it all the time. I’m grateful one of the bars can be hidden, at least. This is a world plagued by war, where the Gods of old walk among man. Zeus, Hades, Poseidon, I’ve encountered them and more! There are Angels from Judeo-Christian mythology, Norse, and Fallen Angels are among the crowd of “cards” you can collect.
At face value, this is a gorgeous MMO. There’s plenty of the standard mobile MMO stuff you’ve come to expect from these games: beautiful women with incredible cleavage, visually stunning landscapes, large clumps of enemies, conveniently close together for AOE attacks. I’ve spent a couple of weeks playing this though, and I’m still trying to figure it out. I do know that there are lots of demons and other vile forces out there, sowing discontent between Gods, and it’s up to you to stop them. You know, I figure Gabriel the Archangel could probably do that himself, with the cool flaming sword, but nope. It’s your job! I do know that you will never be without something to do though! It doesn’t really matter which of these Kingdoms you pick, but they are at war with each other. If you’re playing with real life/online friends, try to pick the same Kingdom, yeah? But let’s start at the beginning, with character classes and factions!
More Gods than you can shake a stick at.
Classes:
Archer: A ranged class with a giant bow with electric arrows. Lightning Arrow, Paralyze, Volley and Blessing of Lightning are their key skills. It can advance into “Hunter” or “Chaser” classes.
Mage: A master of the arcane, Mages wield Fireball, Blaze, Pillar of Flame, and Blessing of Fire magicks at the outset. It can become either a “Sorcerer” or “Diviner”.
Knight: This is the class I spent the most time on. Armed with a lance and shield, their primary skills are Aegis Strike, Light Blast, Spear of Trials, and Blessing of Light. They can become a “Templar” or “Dragoon”.
Fencer: A melee fighter with a pair of awesome swords! They utilize Dual Slash, Shadow Strike, Shadow Dance, Dark Blessing. They can become “Duelist” or “Gladiator”.
There’s no “background” on these Kingdoms in the character creation screen, but the names all kind of feel familiar. You have Aquila (Blue), Ursaria (Red), Canisios (Green), Leonia (Orange/Brown), Tauriton (Grey), Serpenia (Purple). So pick the animal/color that you like, or whomever you think is/will be the strongest, because that’s the Kingdom you will fight for. Each faction has its own Nobility (King, Queen, Premier, Marquis, Duke, Imperator, Guard Captain, Butler) made up of players. Those in charge of your faction will decide who you are at war with when you enter PVP. However, I have no idea how you enter those ranks because it doesn’t seem to be very clear. My only estimation is that it’s based on your “Glory” in PVP. But there are already people with almost 400k glory, so that makes me wonder if it’s botting or just very serious dedication to being on top. Ultimately though, it’s up to you where you want to serve. However, there are two “War” state:. State War and Global Battlefield. If you’re level 36 or above, states who have common enemies can do battle. In Dual Mode, only neighboring states can be declared war on, and EXP, honor, Equipment and more are given to the winners (and players who score lots of kills). In this State Mode, you fight for honor and for your state. In Global Battlefield is a more territorial campaign, unlocked at level 30. This is the mode where your King declares a foe, and it’s up to the player to utilize military strategy, create alliances and offers way more challenge and excitement. Not to mention the temptation of winning a city to control! This is the most interesting part of the game, and if you’re into PVP, and acquiring potentially great rewards for it, this is where you’ll want to spend your time. But there are also dungeons, solo challenges, tons and tons of quests to undertake on top of that.
The standard single player experience is just that – standard. You’ll auto-pilot your way from quest objective to quest objective, increase the power of your skills with coins (or with skill books), kill monsters, grumble about an overflowing inventory. You can increase the power of your equipment (and in fact, I’ve only ever replaced my weapon/shield so far, and most of those were just absorbed into the current one I had), and have not come close to running out of coins. I’m still not entirely sure what the main story is, other than that I’ve never seen this many Gods in one place since SMITE. I just know I’m traveling a very scenic land, kicking the stuffing out of every evil-looking creature I come across. But how do you figure out just how strong you are? That’s your CP rating and it’s underneath your level on the main screen (level cap of 70). What gets you CP? Everything it seems! Upgrading gear, leveling up, powering up your wings, and the Pantheon cards. All those Gods I mentioned before? You collect them in card format, and they are divided into a bevy of Pantheons. You unlock them through leveling up, quests, storylines, and as you unlock more of them, you gain stats and power.
When the flashy powers aren't going off, combat is gorgeous and lovely to behold.
There’s lots of content though. There are Epic Dungeons, which are solo content. They have three difficulties, ranging from Easy to Hell, and have their own rewards, and you do battle with mythic entities such as Prometheus, Zeus and more. They were pretty easy to get through, even in Hell, and the rewards are certainly worth going after. You’ll receive items useful in increasing the power of your equipment, so yes. Do them! You need every point of CP you can get. There are also dungeons specifically to get Gold/Exp, and you have a limited number of attempts per day (Sacred Realm and Gnome Lair). 500,000 EXP (at least) is nothing to sneeze at, and you can Blitz it for free, instead of simply running the dungeon. There’s also the Arena, where you do battle with other players for honor and rewards! It’s standard 1v1 mobile MMO Arena. You pick an opponent, and enter the battle! A Then you have content like the Tower of Courage, where you enter battle against waves of enemies within a time limit and each stage has a recommended CP (your power rating), which reminds me a lot of Lineage 2: Revolution’s Tower. The higher you go, the greater your rewards. Tower of Courage also gives you “Plumes” for winning, which go into upgrading your wings. Increasing the strength of your wings also gives CP. You use the Plumes to increase stats: Max HP, MATK, PDEF, MDEF at least, for Knight. So it does behoove well of you to find ways to acquire Plumes, to give you even more CP, and increase your own Wing CP (which is a different stat altogether. But my problem with this is this: Sure, the Wings look awesome. Sure, it’s a nice touch and another way to min-max (the real goal of any good mobile MMO), but I’ve yet to fly anywhere! I still use a damn horse! It’s a cool horse, but what’s the point of having wings, when I don’t fly?
Final Verdict: Good (3/5)
You Don’t Have to Reinvent the Wheel But . . .
The Sabbath is important, so sayeth this guy. Whoever he is.
Immortal Thrones is a fun, solid mobile MMORPG. It has a pretty unique PVP system, with the Six Kingdoms all vying for land and power. But I wonder what’s going to happen if one kingdom simply overthrows all the others. Can that happen? Will it happen? I can’t help but wonder! I’m not entirely sure what the end-goal of the game is, and that’s a problem. But everything about the game is good and enjoyable. There are a whole host of options to min-max and increase your overall CP, which is the real honest goal of any mobile MMO. You can also use coins/Diamonds (real money currency) once a day to gain exp from being inactive. It’s like .. catch-up exp. Everything about the game is good, but it doesn’t stand out other than PVP. It’s beautiful, engaging, and you cannot possibly run out of stuff to do. I just think it needs a little direction and a little more explanation. It does explain to you when a new system is added, Immortal Thrones is a fun, delightful distraction and will constantly challenge you to find new ways to min-max your character to become as strong as possible in this war-torn world. And it doesn’t seem to be pay-to-win at all. I saw nothing in the shops that made me better. That is always a positive in my eyes. If you’re a fan of exciting PVP and climbing a ladder to gain glory, fame, and honor, this is the game for you.
#ImmortalThrones
#GameReview
#MobileMMO
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Inara Pey: Living in a Modem World
Second Life, virtual worlds and virtual reality
Rod Humble hints at more virtual worlds in LL’s future
Posted on October 16, 2012 February 13, 2015 by Inara Pey
On October 14th, and thanks to Lelani Carver, I commented on an article in VentureBeat’s Gamebeat in which Rod Humble discusses LL’s new products and mentions Second Life (see Rod Humble talks-up new products, creativity and Second Life).
In my piece, I included a quote from him which appeared in the article:
“We are still investing in 3D virtual worlds,” he said. “But shared creative spaces is what we do. There is an opportunity to embrace the new way of developing things. A lot of this could be done inside Second Life. But you get more creativity in the hands of more people by building on new platforms”
Rod Humble: “Yes, the plural is deliberate”
At the time I was writing, Humble’s initial wording caught my eye: “We are still investing in 3D virtual worlds” (note the plural). I thought it an odd turn of phrase; why not simply, “We are still investing in Second Life”? In the end, I dismissed the various thoughts floating around my head and assumed the quote was either misinterpreted by the interviewer or that Humble was simply using a broad term by which to define Second Life without using the name itself.
However, it would appear the quote was accurate and intentional. Dropping a comment after my article (which you can read in full here), Rod himself had this to say on the matter:
My comment about also investing in virtual worlds is correct. As you know I don’t like to detail things until we are close to something actionable, but we absolutely are investing in the large virtual world space which I think will make Second Life users, business owners and developers very happy…. but its a ways off .
In replying to my response to his comment, he went on to add:
Welcome! Yes the plural is deliberate
Now this is undoubtedly going to open the doors to speculation (why on Earth do you think I’m pushing this article front-and-centre 🙂 ). For my part, I find the comment “I think will make Second Life users, business owners and developers very happy….” possibly telling. After all, business owners and developers are by definition Second Life users – so why distinguish them somewhat apart from “Second Life users”?
Also of interest is the use of the phrase “the large virtual world space”, which is also open to a lot of speculation.
As Rod points out, it is going to be some while before anything further can officially be said. However, it is obviously fair to say that he wouldn’t have gone even this far without having a reasonable level of confidence that whatever is in the pipeline is going to come to pass.
So what do you think? Do you think he’s referring to the “SL 2.0” some have been writing about / wishing for? Is it “SL+” – perhaps with additional features such as larger regions? A whole new generation of virtual world solutions, perhaps cloud-based? Or something else entirely?
And if you decide to reply, please remember what else Rod said in his original comment: “Our commitment to Second Life remains key and central to our company.”
Rod Humble talks-up new products, creativity and Second Life
The Gamesbeat article
Tagged LL CEO, LL News, LL Products, Rod Humble
Published by Inara Pey
Eclectic virtual world blogger with a focus on Second Life, VR, virtual environments and technology. View all posts by Inara Pey
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36 thoughts on “Rod Humble hints at more virtual worlds in LL’s future”
Metacam Oh says:
He’s being smart and not mentioning Second Life. The stigma is bad, the name is even worse. If Rod is as smart as he appears to be, I’m sure they are looking at ways to rebrand. The name Second Life is awful, and I continue to say it. Why not just name it Loserville. Hey, Loserville is a great place, but if its named Loserville no one is going to be knocking down the doors. That would be a great strategy sure if you were looking to stay hidden. You need the youth to get into any big movement to virtual worlds, no one who has to sit through class with adolescent d-bags is ever going to admit to using a platform called “Second Life”.
Shug Maitland says:
Stigma aside, it was the very name “Second Life” that drew me here in the first place. It was a perfect description of what I was looking for at the time. Of course it has become much more for me since those early days, but it is still my “Second Life”.
Inara Pey says:
I tend to wonder if the entire “stigma” thing is overblown. Yes, there are some in the media who do look at SL and start pointing the finger, raising innuendo or making outright allegations. We had one such case here in the UK not so long ago when a major broadcaster dug-out a story from five years ago and re-presented as “today’s news”. However, most the the media do seem to react to SL in a pretty neutral manner – if they do react to it at all, that is.
I think the greater burden that SL does suffer from is that it is now stale in the eyes of the media on those occasions when they do think about it. It’s had its hype cycle, its been the darling of the press and the spotlight has moved on. And that is something which is very hard to overcome unless womething completely radical happens. It is again why I understand Humble doesn’t attempt to constantly promote SL when talking about LL and the new products in the manner some insist he should. Not only is it not what he’s in front of people to talk about when holding the interview, its because those doing the interviewing are aware their editors are less-than-interested in running an article on SL because it is “old news”.
The real problem facing SL in the media is that it is now well and truly “yesterday’s news”. It’s had its time in the spotlight and news and feature editors have their eyes elsewhere and they simply aren’t interested. Unless something truly radical happens with the platform, that’s a tough attitude to overcome.
In the meantime – and as you rightly say – “stigma” or not, SL is still pulling-in registrations very strongly, and not all of those signing up are doing so “for the seccs”. As such, the problem isn’t a case of overcoming any bias the media may have (stigma or otherwise), its again conversting those registations into engaged users. And that, as we know, is a horse of a quite different colour.
Yes but let me take a wild guess that you are already a mature adult. Second Life the name didn’t turn me off either, but like I said I was way beyond adolescence where I could really care what the name was. Not until trying to explain and get other people in Second Life did I see how they reacted, even if they never heard of it. Obviously intelligent people are not going to fall victim to to stereotype or preconceived notions, but kids and young people will.
Well, you are right about “mature adult” but is SL really a platform for “kids and young people”? My feeling is that they want something more like WOW, or even Patterns. SL requires some amount of commitment and willingness to learn, do we really want it dumbed down to a kiddy game?
Caliburn Susanto says:
Before the doom-and-gloomers and fist shakers trickle in to pontificate or remark snidely, I’d just like to comment that whatever Linden Lab does is not only okay by me, it’s looked forward to with pleasant anticipation. While many things increase in worth by remaining the same and becoming venerated, in the computerized industries to remain static is to die. Of course, the thought on everyone’s mind is always what about all my “stuff”? Like Pharoah, we want to take it with us when we go. 😉 If LL is planning on creating another virtual world similar to SL (most likely also on the plate are virtual worlds of a simpler type) one hopes they are taking that concern seriously. Either way, I’m stoked. (Points forward)
I share your outlook – and agree on the matter of “stuff” (depneding upon what LL have in mind / are planning).
Inventory is potentially the biggest factor (along with friends in SL) as to why the majority of people stick with SL rather than vanishing off to other grids completely. If anything comes along that requires people “start over”, then it could lead to them doing so – outside of LL’s influence.
Pingback: Rumors
Vaneeesa Blaylock says:
Do you think porting the “stuff” forward is really important? Peeps love to make new stuff! Peeps love to shop fro new stuff! It’s my sense that active residents change their shop, home, avatar, etc in an ongoing basis. Backward compatibility, aka “standards” really hampers growth and innovation, especially big change and growth.
I certainly don’t want my “stuff” abandoned at the same relentless rate that Apple changes connectors on their devices! A box full of Macbook > VGA adapters and NONE of them will get my presentation on the screen? No thank you!
But the idea that a “new world” or even a Mark II world, would be bound to, uh, “support all the ‘features’ of the Ruth avatar… let’s move on!
Stuff is determinative for many people, especially those (and there are many of them) who do not build much and have a limited budget to to out and buy.
My feeling is to make as much as possible portable and we will have to accept some loss. Much the same as Microsoft rolling out a new OS, some things will no longer work, but it is offset by what is new and wonderful.
Pussycat Catnap says:
This is one of those things…
I notice you have a non-caucasian avatar. So you can almost bet that if they don’t port your stuff to a potential 2.0; you’re going to be facing an identity crisis.
These things have always followed the same pattern: start out whites only, then wonder why all the rest of us “are backwards Luddites who don’t like technology”, and then roll their eyes when we do finally show up and start looking to make space that resembles us and our PoV.
Its going to be white-only human avatars unless and until other folks get in and master the tools. Even now, in SL, the rest of us get pretty much ignored by a lot of content makers. There’s a narrow list to choose from if you’re avatar is not a white human. A list that, if a non-white human or neko, barely existed at all two years ago. Meanwhile the homepage of LLs secondlife.com is getting even -more- ethnically exclusive over time…
Not getting my “stuff” to come over would mean losing many parts of my online self-identity. My skin tone and ethnicity. My neko state, and my furry self. Even the fact that my hair is in dreads or “nappy”.
I still can’t find a look that reflects me when I venture into Open Sim and inWorldz – and those are on the same technology as SL…
A potential SL 2.0, that’s going to be like a Cloud Party reboot. Lets not be beat around the bush with niceties… I don’t trust any pack of white folks to represent me. They never have before, and I don’t see why they would get all enlightened all of a sudden. Human nature is not good at that – people get too focused on their own worldview.
That said… an SL 2.0 -IS- needed. I just think its going to be a very nasty shock for a lot of us, and we’re going to be right back into the days of fighting over some rather outdated ethnic representation issues again.
But the avatar-mesh we have now is so dated its started to feel jarring. The underlying engine is so old it limits us way too much. Notions like a sim, a number of avatars in that sim, prim limits, and so on… just seem archaic.
And entirely new set of “computing protocols” and paradigms behind the ‘under the hood’ engine is needed… And that need grows by the day.
lokieliot says:
I think he’s just referring to investing large chunks of money to upgrade SL’s infrastructure and improve stability, which would of course make those who invest time and money into SL would be pleased with (that’s if they notice improvements)
He actually refers to a “majot upgrade” for SL quiet separately in the Gamesbeat article – which I also think is leading towards the hardware / infrastructure investment (I’m looking at the news that regions have started moving to new hardware & the recent network optimisation test as evidence of this).
However, his use of the plural when referring to “virtual worlds” is not only made quite separately to any direct reference to SL, he also makes it clear the use of the plural is quite intentional – which tends to point towards something more than just meaning SL itself.
Gwyneth Llewelyn says:
Now this will very likely be the most speculative announcement ever 🙂
Linden Lab is developing more virtual worlds?? Oh my. And virtual worlds that will make us happy?! To be honest, I have no idea what to think about that. First and foremost, it’s obvious that Linden Lab cannot fully develop a “SL 2.0” from scratch in 6, 12 or even 18 months. SL 2.0 — even assuming some form of content transfer might be possible from the current SL — will take years to develop, and I’m not sure that LL has a big enough staff to do so many things at the same time!
But then, Rod’s words sound so… odd. “We are investing in the large virtual world space which I think will make Second Life users, business owners and developers very happy”. So what is this “large virtual world space”, and why should it make us happy? By comparison, what would Rod refer to as a “small virtual world space”? (Patterns?) How does a “virtual world space” differ from a “virtual world”?
This raises so many questions that the mind boggles.
Now, Rod is definitely not stupid. There is a roadmap for Second Life’s upcoming features, and many are really dramatic, and we’ve been waiting them for a decade. But there are definitely vast areas where we have absolutely no clue what LL will do. To be honest, it’s a very hard exercise these days to think about a “better SL” which bears no relation to what we know. I can imagine a virtual world with avatars that can be even more personalised than the current batch — but that would be “SL+” and not “SL 2.0”. I can imagine LL adding a lot of clever techniques to put their CPUs to better usage: distributing the load across regions, using mega and micro regions to accomodate more avatars, and so forth (all these are possible under OpenSim so we know that the theoretical possibilities are there). That would still be an “improved SL”, not a new virtual world. LL could get a different interface on the viewer; fix inventory; make avatar clothing/attachments work in a completely different way (these days, with mesh clothing, it’s actually harder to figure out what you’re wearing and where it’s attached!); allow avatar bits to get replaced (no more ugly hands and feet!) easily in a single interface; redefine the way AOs work; revamp the exceedingly complex way people buy content in-world and hopelessly figure out how to unpack it and store it on the right place in their inventories; allow meshes to be built with the viewer tools (e.g. clamp prims together and they will be replaced by equivalent meshes; add tools that allow “sculpting” prims in the way Sculptris works); add more layers of APIs to allow more scripting integration with the simulator itself (like OpenSim does) and radically revamp how scripting works; offer Web-based and mobile/tablet viewers, or even viewers with content streamed from remotely hosted applications; and, of course, start offering cloud-based regions. The result would continue to be an “improved” SL as-we-know-it — even if it would require moving on to a “different” platform with a “different” viewer, it would pretty much be a similar experience.
Anything else would just be a “watering down” of SL’s capabilities, and I wouldn’t describe it as “making users, business owners and developers happy”. So whatever Rod has in mind, he either is using an odd turn of words to describe it, or it’s going to be something completely different, but then I fail to understand how we will be made “happy” 🙂
Gosh, too little information to work upon — a typical case where an explanation raises far more questions than answers.
On the other hand, it seems that Rod is finally starting to attract the media again, and this is definitely good news!
You’ve just written out all the speculation I ran through last night and resisted adding to the article :). What is it they say about great minds? 😉
Your point on “small virtual world space” and Patterns is a good one – particularly given the hints as to where LL want to take the product (procedural-based capabilities, cusomtisable avatars, other creatures, etc.). I wonder if Rod has any comments regarding that? :).
I’m more-or-less with you with “SL+” (which is why I threw it into the piece, to see if it would encourage a reaction), but would point-out that in terms of “SL 2.0” we actually have no idea how long LL have been working on whatever it they have planned, or what the timeline is, so while I do agree with you in feeling that “SL 2.0” is not what he’s referencing, I wouldn’t limit the planning / development to an 18-month period – it could be considerably longer.
That said, I do view things as potentially an “SL+” (or should that be, “SLs+”?), and agree with you on things like avatars – that is an area where LL could potentially have a “big win”, and have people more willing to let go of at least some of what they have currently by way of inventory. New, more comprehensive avatars with additional bone structures to alow greater customisation, a more intuitive mechanism for “fitting” mesh clothing, the addition of material processing for skins, etc., as well as your ideas, could prove popular. Add additional revisions (again like you mention), and offer-up a means of transitioning and that could be something.
On the other hand, there’s the fact that he could actually be referring to the continual, gradual development of SL “as-is” – fixing the major issues and providing new features within the the existing framework, continuing the back-end enhancements hardware / infrastructure-wise and thus leaving SL more-or-less apparently “unchanged” in terms of anything glaringly obvious, while at the same time developing “parallel” worlds that are specifically geared for “developers” and “businesses”, depending on what he means by these terms, which are themsevles pretty broad. Take “business” – is he talking “business” as most of us in SL look upon it, users establishing themselves as merchants, creating and selling content? Or is he meaning something broader – is the idea that SL can be used as some form of “real world” business platform still knocking around in LL in some revised, more pragmatic vision / idea? Just becuase they dropped the entire SLE model / approach, doesn’t mean they necessarily gave up on the basic idea that SL can have some form of business focus.
The lack of information is what makes this so intriguing. And as you say, Rod Humble isn’t stupid. He knew this to be the case when he popped in here and left his comments ;-).
Well, my assumption that there hasn’t been any development on “SL 2.0” in the past is that LL only had a limited amount of resources for doing so. During the Mark Kingdon days, this meant focusing on “SL Enterprise” — besides the Viewer 2 and other server-side improvements — which seemed to leave few resources for doing anything else. After the “Big Firing” in 2010, shrinking LL to what seemed to be 2/3 of its former glory, it meant even less resources — and now we know that a fair share of those developers are working not on one, but five different platforms. I’d be hard pressed to believe that they have anyone left to work on “SL 2.0” which would be truly a major project — unless they are able to pay a tiny team of 2-3 developers to do that over a decade 🙂 If so, it would be the Lab’s most long-term project ever attempted, which, in turn, would also be a good sign: no company plans ahead for 10 years unless they’re almost absolutely sure they will continue to be around in the next decade 🙂
I have also toyed with the words “business” and “developer” in this context. The only thing I see is that somehow Rod is planning something that would allow current business owners and developers to create and sell content elsewhere, away from LL’s SL grid. Two things cross my mind. One is the possibility of offering a SL Marketplace covering non-LL grids, i.e. using the SL Marketplace to deliver content to OpenSim grids. This is actually very, very, very, very easy to do. The benefits for LL would be some extra fees. Content creators, currently “trusting” LL (but not OpenSim grid managers), would know that at least they would get paid for content on other grids. The huge fragmentation of tons of little grids actually benefits content creators: it means that they can sell the same item over and over again and increase their revenue that way. This is a possibility, but even for Rod’s standards, it looks far too radical thinking 🙂
The other possibility is going the way Blue Mars did: develop a smartphone application where people can have fun dressing up avatars. This is not so stupid as it sounds. This is a short list of popular dress-up applications and Blue Mars is not even there. So there is clearly a market for that — an extra market, which could be tied into existing content, and allow current content developers to expand their markets as well. Let’s be honest: no one in the whole world can offer the variety of content for dressing up avatars as Linden Lab can; they would totally swamp up whatever competition is out there. And thanks to their clever model of letting content developers do all the hard work, and just charge a fee, they could easily distribute this application for free and give content creators an additional channel for sales. Easy-peasy, win-win situation, good-bye dress-up competition 😉 The only issue is how to deal with running scripted items on a mobile phone, because the rest — clothes, attachments, mesh on avatars — even if it takes a few challenges (like accessing your inventory on a mobile phone!), it’s doable, like the Radegast team is constantly showing us: you don’t need the full SL renderer to show SL avatars with some acceptable quality.
Besides those two examples — the first being rather unlikely for “political” reasons, the second being a bit more reasonable, since it was the route taken by Blue Mars (as a way to challenge IMVU on the mobile market, since IMVU doesn’t show avatars with their mobile application) to “save” themselves and their technology from completely disappearing — I cannot really imagine what Rod means.
It’s precisely because they have SLE sitting in a box somewhere that I comment on the time frame for “SL 2.0’s” development possibly being longer that 18 months. A lot of time, effort and resources (which were specifically recruited into LL for the task), so we’ve no clear idea what was developed and which never made it into the box and may be suitable for “re-tooling” for other purposes.
With regards to “shrinking LL to 2/3s of its former glory, and without belittling what happened in 2010 on a personal level, it’s worth pointing out that while one third of the workforce were laid off, during the previously 18 months, Mark Kingdon had actually increased LL’s headcount by around 50% (118 hirings between his arrival in May 2008 and late 2009 alone) – which was a phenomenal (and unsustainable) growth, most of which went into SLE development. Of course, since then, we’ve seen the losses cut a lot deeper which is why I actually do agree with you in that “SL 2.0” is unlikely.
Interestingly, I wrote about expanding the Marketplace to embrace other platforms a good while back. I still think it is a good idea today – although I strong question whether the Marketplace as it stands is up to the task, given all of the issues and problems surrounding it and would, frankly, question LL’s ability to manage such an endeavour based on their track record in managing the Marketplace since 2010. Whether or not the plethora of incidents, problems and isuses which have occurred over the years impact “a small number of users” (as LL put it) when each is taken on an individual basis is actually irrelevant. The cumulative result is a service which is gaining wider and wider acknoledgement within and beyond SL as something which “doesn’t work”. So while I’m not ruling it out, were it to happen, it could end up being a very tough sell.
The “dress an avatar” idea is interesting, but does that really fit the “3D worlds” aspect of what Rod has said? It sounds like a market for an entirely separate product range.
And keeping on the “3D worlds” part of the quote. There is something else that has been rattling around inside my head since reading the Gamesbeat article. Rod specifically said, “We are still investing in 3D virtual worlds” [emphasis mine].
Obviously “investing” can be used as another word for “working on” – as in investing time, effort and resources. However, let’s not forget the other use of “investing” – as in “putting money into other things”.
As we’ve seen, LL are not averse to acquiring other companies; we’ve also seen (most recently with Patterns) that they are not averse to working in partnership with other companies. So, could he actually be using the word in this context; that is:
LL are actively involved in acquiring another company or service in order to grow their presence within “3D virtual worlds” (including expanding SL’s own capabilities as well as helping to bring “new products” which are linked to SL to the market)?, or
LL are developing a partnership of some description to achieve the same or similar ends?
Either way, thought I’d just throw those questions into the pot for consideration ;-).
Masami Kuramoto says:
Maybe he’s going to launch themed SL spin-offs, based on the same tech. 😉
Rod knows very well that he’ll not “make Second Life users […] happy” unless it’s tied directly to Second Life, so it is almost certainly tied to the SL concept/technology as we know it.
One thing which could fit would be some interoperability with other virtual worlds. There have been many small(ish) projects about cross-grid teleportation, avatar sharing/standardization and (secure) asset transfers, and LL could be the lab which coordinated and drove a re-invigoration of those. (In the process opening up a bigger market for SL creators).
I can see words match there, but some gut feeling tells me it’s not quite this. I don’t have any better guesses, though.
What, resurrect the old Open Grid Protocol that allowed teleporting from the SL grid into any OGP-compatible OpenSim-based grid? That would be awesome! This was abandoned in 2008 or so, but I still leave the grid I manage with OGP compiled in, happily running to cover the bright, shiny day that LL might get back to OGP again 🙂
Wishful thinking!…
Indigo Mertel (@IndigoMertel) says:
Somehow I have this idea that LL may offer a package that would allow people to run independent grids, as OpenSim does, but compatible and connected with the existing grid. It would explain the use of the plural in his comment. And it would have interesting implications.
They certainly have that ready. It was called “SL Enterprise”.
Indeed, and that is what I had in mind. One could say that OpenSim already allows this but having LL behind such a package for personal/private use and connected to the SL grid would really make a difference. It would partly relieve LL from maintaining a huge grid, lowering infrastructure costs, lowering costs of virtual land. By creating an API they would open the doors to customizations and create an eco-system of new products which could go beyond creating content as we know it today. Gosh, if they created an API to developed customizations in C# I’d be a happy camper!
Gwyn, I believe it was you who suggested this in a post of some time ago.
There is another important thing to consider here: new games aside, we have a confirmation that LL has a roadmap focused on virtual worlds. There have been lots of discussions lately about LL not having a future unless it made serious changes to its business model with the current state of affairs. Rod’s comment seems to prove that the management is aware of this challenge and working on it.
Absolutely spot-on.
(Crossposting from one of Indigo’s threads on G+)
As I’ve said before, I quite like what I am seeing. LL is branching out with a clear purpose and theme, without cannibalizing their existing market.
My guess (hope?) is that we’ll see several small (for some value of small) projects and games/apps, and once LL gets some experience with those, some may be “harvested” for features and ideas to share with the others.
And given that SL *does* have a rather special, unique status, it would make sense to me to have that be the stable “main line” which provides hosting environment for the other ideas as they evolve and come to fruition.
Something like Little Text People’s work would be a perfect fit, allowing them to put their work into the hands of a large (creator-)audience without having to make a new, dedicated game/environment for each.
This would be the “lab” approach – without the SL users being the only lab rats, as Inara has worried about in an earlier post – and it could be a whole lot of fun to be along on that ride.
Hear, hear, @Indigo. You’re totally correct on that. Rod as a CEO is doing a fantastic work: branching out, making the company depend less on a single product, experiment with different business models, experiment with different distribution models (Steam, App Store, and who knows what will come next). If I were a stakeholder of LL, I’d be quite happy with the way Rod’s doing. As a SL user, all I can say is that a financially solid LL means more resources for developing and improving SL and keeping it going for several decades, which is all we want 🙂
I’m looking forward on how of your looong in-depth analyses on this, Gwyn… 🙂
I believe the the diversification is god for LL, and that people decrying it because they either believe it is “taking away” from SL or that “LL isn’t a game company” are making their pronouncements far too prematurely. Currently, I’m looking forward to seeing what Dio and Versu bring, for precisely some of the reasons you mention and, in Versu’s case, the idea that the story cannot only be shaped by choices made by the reader, but in how the reader opt to asign motivations to characters from the outset, and how those motivation feed into and impact the development of the story and the decisions of the reader. If it works, there’s potential here for establishing a strong and engaging line of interactive fiction, and LL have the initial expertise with them now to build on that.
Patterns has already shown that LL can take their strengths and bedn them in new ways, opening opportunities. The “Minecraft” meme aside (which it has to be said can work both for and against Patterns, and does need to be handled (put to one side, even) quickly by demonstrating that Patterns is far more than a “Minecraft clone”), the response from those outside of SL towards the Genesis Release has been broadly positive. While it is still very early days, the company can hopefully capitialise on the (through the rapid iteration cycle) to maint the interest and hype and grow Patterns’ popularity off the back of the interest being generated.
Whatever happens vis-a-vis these products, it’s clear the SL can and must stay central to the company’s plans and future for a good while yet, and such it is vital the paltform itself continue to be nurtured and grown. As Indigo says, doing so allows for a cross-pollination of ideas – now just outwards from SL to other products, but potentially (and in time) the other way. And while the new products can – down the road – help lift the burden of being the only source of revenue for the company from SL (which again could be highly beneficial), LL does still need that central, stable, and vibrant pillar around with it can build itself.
One thing I would quickly just put into context however. My comments on “putting the “lab” back into Linden Lab” were quite divorced from the company’s diversification. Rather, they were in relation to the apparent philosphy towards SL itself, wherein releases have apparently been made far too prematurely (and knowingly so in some cases), which have had deterimental impacts on the platform and its related services. Indeed, a further example of that approach arose not long after I questioned the approach, when the advanced creator tools were deployed across an RC channel without the requisite permissions system updates – and were immediately exploited. Given that it was known within the Lab that the code required a change to the permissions system in order to be properly implemented, it’s not as if the risk of exploitation couldn’t have been known and a basic level of protection taken.
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foneco zuzu (@ZZBottomHL) says:
LL creates a Hypergrid interface that allows any to visit other grids still using its inventory!
That would be, 4 years ago, a reasonable and hopefull idea!
But the more Sl is closing its routes to open sims, its obvious that this 1 is not going to go on!
LL creates a hypgrid and lanches a program that allows any to hops a specific grid, that will only be able to connect to sl main one, but can be hosted for free in any computer!
That would kill the mean to have land on Sl, so can’t see this happen either!
LL creates a new grid, not adult content allowed, lanch it on steam, and allows it to be connected to Sl via a sort of hypergrid, that would ease Valve puritanism (Onwers of steam just dont allow adult content on their plataform, period!)
LL lanches a grid where adult content will not be allowed, renaming it and placing it on steam!
While they do that, they will raize land on SL and will make it les expensive on that new grid!
Rod can be fired!
Sl can be sold!
Rl can end!
Well so many speculations
Lets hope that Sl will be improving and getting more stable, the rest for me is irrelevant at this time!
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Phone and Live Chat Support Maintenance January 20, 2020
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Obamacare Website Has More Bugs On Last Day To Enroll Karma Has No Deadline
Today is officially the last day to sign up for health insurance in order to get coverage in 2014 and avoid a fine for being uninsured under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). A slew of exemptions have effectively extended the deadline indefinitely, however.
If you’ve started an application by 11:59PM tonight, you can complete it after the deadline and still receive coverage in 2014. Even if you haven’t started an application by tonight, you’re allowed to apply after the deadline if you experienced website errors, were given misinformation by an ACA worker, were the victim of exceptional circumstances, or fit into one of another seven categories. These claims will not be audited and there is no penalty for lying. “Most people are truthful when applying for those benefits,” Julie Bataille, the director of communications for the Health and Human Services department that oversees the insurance marketplace, told reporters last week.
Julie Bataille believes people are truthful when applying for benefits.
Tags:dont be an idiot, obamacare deadline, obamacare website
Golden Boy Ronan Farrow Done In By Golden Girls Awkward
Ronan Farrow’s MSNBC talk show is facing cancellation amid poor ratings, sources exclusively tell Confidenti@l.
Farrow, 28 — the opinionated, blue-eyed son of actress Mia Farrow and either Woody Allen or Frank Sinatra (even Farrow’s not sure which) — has been a disaster for MSNBC. The channel took the frequent cable-show guest and handed him his own program, “Ronan Farrow Daily,” which premiered in late February.
“He sort of stinks on TV,” an MSNBC source told Confidenti@l. “He hasn’t turned out to be the superstar they were hoping for.”Nielsen rated Wednesday’s show 708th among all programming in total viewers in the crucial 18-49 age group. As the Daily News notes, the show was beat out by a “Golden Girls” rerun on the Hallmark Channel.
Golden Boy Ronan Farrow done in by Golden Girls..
Tags:Ronan Farrow, Ronan Farrow Daily
LAX Baggage Handlers Caught Up In Major Theft Ring From Bags To Bitches
Police say, that a group of baggage handlers pulled off one of the largest property heists in LAX airport history.
For months, detectives said, workers rifled through bags looking for items to steal.Basically everything of value — be it electronics, jewelry and items — that could be stolen in seconds would be removed from bags,” LAX Police Chief Pat Gannon said. “They’d just open up the suitcases and rifle through them and pocket valuables.” Police said that the workers took the stolen items home and sold them, sometimes using Craigslist. LAX is still trying to determine how long the ring was operating and the exact value of all the stolen property. They suspect thousands of items were taken. LAX property heist goes from bags to bitches.
Tags:unclaimed baggage
Ask The Eye Jilted Lover Hopping Mad
Dear Eye View
I recently ended a relationship after a year, after I found out that my ex was cheating on me, via Facebook. He woke up in my bed and fell asleep in hers. I was out shopping for his Christmas present at the time he was taking her on a date. She knew he had a girlfriend and did not care. I was blindsided. I have been cheated on before and ended many relationships, but for some reason I am still feeling angry about this four months later. I find myself daily wishing he would die a slow painful death or drink himself to death. I have never felt such hate in my life toward someone and it scares me. I know lots of people joke about this, but I am not joking. I don’t want to harm him, I just hope something really horrible happens to make him suffer. I am a good person, I volunteer, have good friends, and have never had feelings like this before and I feel horribly guilty. How can I move past this, or is this normal? Not to Be Ignored
Dear NTBI
I understand your concern.Almost anyone who’s loved then said, “Get lost,” has been there. You perhaps are having a harder time dealing with this breakup because you maybe thought this time you’d get off the dating merry-go-round. Stop feeling guilty.You haven’t hired a hit man, your brain is just pulling a Dexter on a deserving creep. Maybe you should take up a new hobby. Cooking can be a relaxing.Hope this helps.
Tags:bunny boiler, fatal attraction, glen close
Michelle Obama Wears Prada
Reid Cherlin describes Michelle Obama’s office as a “miserable place to work,” where every meeting was an identity crisis and the wrong dress was just as bad as a failed policy initiative.Playing the role of First Lady has squelched Michelle Obama’s spirit, and she’s turned the East Wing into the “worst wing,” a former White House aide claims. The First Lady’s office has become a “confining, frustrating, even miserable place to work,” according to Reid Cherlin, a former West Wing assistant press secretary, who provided a rare account of the inner workings of the East Wing department in an essay for The New Republic. The First Lady having the wrong pencil skirt on Monday is just as big of a f–k-up as someone speaking on the record when they didn’t mean to or a policy initiative that completely failed,” Cherlin wrote, quoting an unnamed former colleague.Team members are constantly under pressure to plan her events months in advance and her entire operation is guided by the mantra, “Don’t do it if it’s not going to be perfect” — a saying that often created “paralyzing” anxiety among staffers. Michelle Obama turns East Wing into Worse Wing, Michelle O wears Prada.
Tags:Devil Wears Prada, Michelle Obama
Ask The Eye Wine ‘Em Dine ‘Em 1099 ‘Em
After seeing several friends go through bitter and prolonged divorces, my husband has decided that he wants us to have a postnuptial agreement. He explains that our marriage is a “limited liability partnership” with no “out clause” and that he wants to put a “stop loss” in place, as if our marriage is one of his stock market trades. He says he doesn’t want to go on in this “contract”—meaning our marriage—unless I sign a postnup. We have been married four years and have a toddler son. We live in a state that says assets should be divided equitably in a divorce, but the postnup he offers would give me only 20 percent of his financial assets and he’d keep the house because he owned it before we were married. We both work, though I make two-thirds of his income. I consulted an attorney who says my husband’s proposal is “total B.S.” and I shouldn’t sign. My husband says if I don’t he will serve me with divorce papers. He adds this has nothing to do with his feelings for me or our son, and would prefer to continue living together even if we do divorce. I love the life we had together and don’t want to lose it. We even had been talking about having a second child. But he is obviously more worried about protecting his growing wealth than he is about our family. I just don’t know what to do.
—To Sign or Not To Sign?
Dear To Sign
Don’t sign. I agree with your attorney that your husband’s demands are ludicrous, especially given the fact that if you refuse the postnuptial and your husband becomes your ex, you will get a much larger chunk of his assets. But you are not so much dealing with a legal dilemma, as a psychological one. You say you have loved your life with your husband, without adding, “Despite his being a cold-hearted sob.” Two can play that game. Tell your husband if he does not want to go on this contract you will have no option other than to treat him as an independent contractor. Tell him you will have to hire for services rendered of his depreciating asset. Call his bluff and be sure to wine e’m dine e’m and 1099 e’m. That should tax him.
Tags:ask the eye, wine 'em dine 'em 1099 'em
Ask The Eye The Gift That Keeps On Giving
Dear Eye View I recently celebrated a milestone birthday for which my wife had commissioned a work of art to commemorate. The artist is a cousin who works in mixed media and has a notable regional reputation. I love and deeply respect him and his work, but I never really “got” it. He uses found and recycled materials collaged together. I was horrified to discover that I find the portrait extremely unflattering and troubling. I was shocked to think that my cousin saw me this way. Friends who have seen it have also found it ugly and strangely dark—parts of this collage have my age wrong and imply that I have struggled with obesity and depression. I believe I have responded to the gift appropriately with many thanks and appreciation, but I’m not sure how I am to live with this art in my home. My wife has hung it in a prominent place that I must pass scores of time a day. I’m not sure how to even start the conversation. The additional wrinkle is that a gallery has contacted me asking to include the piece in an upcoming exhibition. I’d rather not have this depiction of me in public. How should I handle this horrible mess? Disturbed
Dear D
I understand your concern. I think the new wrinkle about the exhibition is a godsend. At least it allows you to temporarily get the wrinkled mess that’s supposed to be you out of the house! Do not be concerned that people will think this is an accurate depiction of you. You should be sure to attend the gallery opening and have lot of photos snapped standing next to your “likeness.” This will only serve to make you look happy, slender, and youthful. If you’re lucky, someone will insist they have to buy the painting and you will have to convince your wife that this art lover must be appeased. Otherwise hope for a break-in.
Tags:ask the eye, King of Queens
Singer Courtney Love Has Theory On Missing Plane Picked A Bad Week To Stop Sniffing Glue
As the world continues to be puzzled and enthralled by the location and disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, Courtney Love has weighed in with her theory of what happened to the plane that went missing on March 8th. Using Tomnod, the online satellite imagery map website set up to crowdsource info on the plane’s location, Love posted an image on her Facebook page of a body of water with the words “Oil” and “Plane” crudely drawn in Microsoft Paint with respective arrows drawn on the image. “I’m no expert but up close this does look like a plane and an oil slick,” wrote Love. Love’s search for the plane may be interrupted by a few other events in her life. Last month, the singer was sued by psychiatrist Edwin Ratush, who claims the former Hole frontwoman owes him $48,250 in back payment since 2010.
Looks like she picked a bad week to give up sniffing glue.
Tags:airplane, Courtney Love, Picked a bad week to give up
Sam Adams Pulls Sponsorship From St Patricks Day Celebration Parades Nearing Extinction
Sam Adams, owned by Boston Beer Co (SAM), will no longer be sponsoring the parade in Boston on Sunday, while Heineken (HEINY) has pulled its sponsorship from the New York City parade on Monday. “We believe in equality for all,” a Heineken USA spokeswoman said.Sam Adams said it had tried to convince Boston’s parade organizers to modify their rules and allow LGBT groups to march. The South Boston Allied War Veterans Council, which is organizing the parade, said in a statement on its website that it is not opposed to LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people, it just doesn’t allow sexual orientation to be displayed.
Antiquated parades on the decline as social media replaces community interaction.
Tags:LGBT, Sam Adams, St Patricks Day Parade
Facebook COO Sheryl Sanberg Likes Shared Earning /Shared Parenting Marriage Bajinga
Shared earning/shared parenting marriage, also known as peer marriage, is a type of marriage where the partners choose at the outset of the marriage to share responsibility for earning money, meeting needs of children, and house chores and recreation time in nearly equal fashion across all four domains.It refers to an intact family formed in the relatively equal earning and parenting style from its initiation and is distinct from shared parenting and the type of equal or co-parenting that father’s rights activists in the United States, the United Kingdom and elsewhere seek after a divorce in the case of marriages, or unmarried pregnancies/childbirths, not set up in this fashion at the outset of the relationship or pregnancy.
Harvard educated Sheryl Sanberg has advanced training in Roomate Agreement.
Tags:Facebook COO, Sheryl Sanberg
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Personal data (usually referred to just as “data” below) will only be processed by us to the extent necessary and for the purpose of providing a functional and user-friendly website, including its contents, and the services offered there.
Per Art. 4 No. 1 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679, i.e. the General Data Protection Regulation (hereinafter referred to as the “GDPR”), “processing” refers to any operation or set of operations such as collection, recording, organization, structuring, storage, adaptation, alteration, retrieval, consultation, use, disclosure by transmission, dissemination, or otherwise making available, alignment, or combination, restriction, erasure, or destruction performed on personal data, whether by automated means or not.
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Our privacy policy is structured as follows:
I. Information about us as controllers of your data
II. The rights of users and data subjects
III. Information about the data processing
The party responsible for this website (the “controller”) for purposes of data protection law is:
neogrün GbR
Alexander Hilo & Enrico Nickel
Am Schwabeplan 1b
06466 Gatersleben
E-Mail: hello@neogruen.com
With regard to the data processing to be described in more detail below, users and data subjects have the right
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to the immediate deletion of data concerning them (cf. also Art. 17 DSGVO), or, alternatively, if further processing is necessary as stipulated in Art. 17 Para. 3 GDPR, to restrict said processing per Art. 18 GDPR;
to receive copies of the data concerning them and/or provided by them and to have the same transmitted to other providers/controllers (cf. also Art. 20 GDPR);
to file complaints with the supervisory authority if they believe that data concerning them is being processed by the controller in breach of data protection provisions (see also Art. 77 GDPR).
In addition, the controller is obliged to inform all recipients to whom it discloses data of any such corrections, deletions, or restrictions placed on processing the same per Art. 16, 17 Para. 1, 18 GDPR. However, this obligation does not apply if such notification is impossible or involves a disproportionate effort. Nevertheless, users have a right to information about these recipients.
Likewise, under Art. 21 GDPR, users and data subjects have the right to object to the controller’s future processing of their data pursuant to Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f) GDPR. In particular, an objection to data processing for the purpose of direct advertising is permissible.
Your data processed when using our website will be deleted or blocked as soon as the purpose for its storage ceases to apply, provided the deletion of the same is not in breach of any statutory storage obligations or unless otherwise stipulated below.
Server data
For technical reasons, the following data sent by your internet browser to us or to our server provider will be collected, especially to ensure a secure and stable website: These server log files record the type and version of your browser, operating system, the website from which you came (referrer URL), the webpages on our site visited, the date and time of your visit, as well as the IP address from which you visited our site.
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We use cookies on our website. Cookies are small text files or other storage technologies stored on your computer by your browser. These cookies process certain specific information about you, such as your browser, location data, or IP address.
This processing makes our website more user-friendly, efficient, and secure, allowing us, for example, to display our website in different languages or to offer a shopping cart function.
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The data you submit when ordering goods and/or services from us will have to be processed in order to fulfill your order. Please note that orders cannot be processed without providing this data.
The legal basis for this processing is Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. b) GDPR.
After your order has been completed, your personal data will be deleted, but only after the retention periods required by tax and commercial law.
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Customer account/registration
If you create a customer account with us via our website, we will use the data you entered during registration (e.g. your name, your address, or your email address) exclusively for services leading up to your potential placement of an order or entering some other contractual relationship with us, to fulfill such orders or contracts, and to provide customer care (e.g. to provide you with an overview of your previous orders or to be able to offer you a wishlist function). We also store your IP address and the date and time of your registration. This data will not be transferred to third parties.
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You may revoke your prior consent to the processing of your personal data at any time under Art. 7 Para. 3 GDPR with future effect. All you have to do is inform us that you are revoking your consent.
The data previously collected will then be deleted as soon as processing is no longer necessary. However, we must observe any retention periods required under tax and commercial law.
If you register for our free newsletter, the data requested from you for this purpose, i.e. your email address and, optionally, your name and address, will be sent to us. We also store the IP address of your computer and the date and time of your registration. During the registration process, we will obtain your consent to receive this newsletter and the type of content it will offer, with reference made to this privacy policy. The data collected will be used exclusively to send the newsletter and will not be passed on to third parties.
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You may revoke your prior consent to receive this newsletter under Art. 7 Para. 3 GDPR with future effect. All you have to do is inform us that you are revoking your consent or click on the unsubscribe link contained in each newsletter.
If you contact us via email or the contact form, the data you provide will be used for the purpose of processing your request. We must have this data in order to process and answer your inquiry; otherwise we will not be able to answer it in full or at all.
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Your data will be deleted once we have fully answered your inquiry and there is no further legal obligation to store your data, such as if an order or contract resulted therefrom.
User posts, comments, and ratings
We offer you the opportunity to post questions, answers, opinions, and ratings on our website, hereinafter referred to jointly as “posts.” If you make use of this opportunity, we will process and publish your post, the date and time you submitted it, and any pseudonym you may have used.
The legal basis for this is Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. a) GDPR. You may revoke your prior consent under Art. 7 Para. 3 GDPR with future effect. All you have to do is inform us that you are revoking your consent.
In addition, we will also process your IP address and email address. The IP address is processed because we might have a legitimate interest in taking or supporting further action if your post infringes the rights of third parties and/or is otherwise unlawful.
In this case, the legal basis is Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f) GDPR. Our legitimate interest lies in any legal defense we may have to mount.
Follow-up comments
If you make posts on our website, we also offer you the opportunity to subscribe to any subsequent follow-up comments made by third parties. In order to be able to inform you about these follow-up comments, we will need to process your email address.
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We use Google Analytics on our website. This is a web analytics service provided by Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043 (hereinafter: Google).
Through certification according to the EU-US Privacy Shield
Google guarantees that it will follow the EU’s data protection regulations when processing data in the United States.
The Google Analytics service is used to analyze how our website is used. The legal basis is Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f) GDPR. Our legitimate interest lies in the analysis, optimization, and economic operation of our site.
Usage and user-related information, such as IP address, place, time, or frequency of your visits to our website will be transmitted to a Google server in the United States and stored there. However, we use Google Analytics with the so-called anonymization function, whereby Google truncates the IP address within the EU or the EEA before it is transmitted to the US.
The data collected in this way is in turn used by Google to provide us with an evaluation of visits to our website and what visitors do once there. This data can also be used to provide other services related to the use of our website and of the internet in general.
Google states that it will not connect your IP address to other data. In addition, Google provides further information with regard to its data protection practices at
https://www.google.com/intl/de/policies/privacy/partners,
including options you can exercise to prevent such use of your data.
In addition, Google offers an opt-out add-on at
in addition with further information. This add-on can be installed on the most popular browsers and offers you further control over the data that Google collects when you visit our website. The add-on informs Google Analytics’ JavaScript (ga.js) that no information about the website visit should be transmitted to Google Analytics. However, this does not prevent information from being transmitted to us or to other web analytics services we may use as detailed herein.
Google+ plug-in
We use the plug-in of the Google+ social network on our website. Google+ is an online service provided by Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043 (hereinafter: Google).
The legal basis is Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f) GDPR. Our legitimate interest lies in improving the quality of our website.
Further information about the possible plug-ins and their respective functions is available from Google at
If the plug-in is stored on one of the pages you visit on our website, your browser will download an icon for the plug-in from Google’s servers in the USA. For technical reasons, it is necessary for Google to process your IP address. In addition, the date and time of your visit to our website will also be recorded.
If you are logged in to Google while visiting one of our plugged-in websites, the information collected by the plug-in from your specific visit will be recognized by Google. The information collected may then be assigned to your personal account at Google. If, for example, you use the +1 button, this information will be stored in your Google Account and may be published on the Google platform. To prevent this, you must either log out of Google before visiting our site or make the appropriate settings in your Google account.
Further information about the collection and use of data as well as your rights and protection options in Google’s privacy policy found at
Our website uses Google Maps to display our location and to provide directions. This is a service provided by Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043 (hereinafter: Google).
To enable the display of certain fonts on our website, a connection to the Google server in the USA is established whenever our website is accessed.
If you access the Google Maps components integrated into our website, Google will store a cookie on your device via your browser. Your user settings and data are processed to display our location and create a route description. We cannot prevent Google from using servers in the USA.
The legal basis is Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f) GDPR. Our legitimate interest lies in optimizing the functionality of our website.
By connecting to Google in this way, Google can determine from which website your request has been sent and to which IP address the directions are transmitted.
If you do not agree to this processing, you have the option of preventing the installation of cookies by making the appropriate settings in your browser. Further details can be found in the section about cookies above.
In addition, the use of Google Maps and the information obtained via Google Maps is governed by the Google Terms of Use https://policies.google.com/terms?gl=DE&hl=en and the Terms and Conditions for Google Maps https://www.google.com/intl/de_de/help/terms_maps.html.
Google also offers further information at
Our website uses Google reCAPTCHA to check and prevent automated servers (“bots”) from accessing and interacting with our website. This is a service provided by Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043 (hereinafter: Google).
This service allows Google to determine from which website your request has been sent and from which IP address the reCAPTCHA input box has been used. In addition to your IP address, Google may collect other information necessary to provide and guarantee this service.
The legal basis is Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f) GDPR. Our legitimate interest lies in the security of our website and in the prevention of unwanted, automated access in the form of spam or similar.
Google offers detailed information at
concerning the general handling of your user data.
Our website uses Google Fonts to display external fonts. This is a service provided by Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043 (hereinafter: Google).
The legal basis is Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f) GDPR. Our legitimate interest lies in the optimization and economic operation of our site.
When you access our site, a connection to Google is established from which Google can identify the site from which your request has been sent and to which IP address the fonts are being transmitted for display.
in particular on options for preventing the use of data.
Facebook plug-in
Our website uses the plug-in of the Facebook social network. Facebook.com is a service provided by Facebook Inc., 1601 S. California Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA. In the EU, this service is also operated by Facebook Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Dublin 2, Ireland, hereinafter both referred to as “Facebook.”
Facebook guarantees that it will follow the EU’s data protection regulations when processing data in the United States.
Further information about the possible plug-ins and their respective functions is available from Facebook at
If the plug-in is stored on one of the pages you visit on our website, your browser will download an icon for the plug-in from Facebook’s servers in the USA. For technical reasons, it is necessary for Facebook to process your IP address. In addition, the date and time of your visit to our website will also be recorded.
If you are logged in to Facebook while visiting one of our plugged-in websites, the information collected by the plug-in from your specific visit will be recognized by Facebook. The information collected may then be assigned to your personal account at Facebook. If, for example, you use the Facebook Like button, this information will be stored in your Facebook account and published on the Facebook platform. If you want to prevent this, you must either log out of Facebook before visiting our website or use an add-on for your browser to prevent the Facebook plug-in from loading.
Further information about the collection and use of data as well as your rights and protection options in Facebook’s privacy policy found at
Twitter plug-in
Our website uses the plug-in of the Twitter social network. The Twitter service is operated by Twitter Inc., 795 Folsom St., Suite 600, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA (“Twitter”).
https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000TORzAAO&status=Active
Twitter guarantees that it will follow the EU’s data protection regulations when processing data in the United States.
If the plug-in is stored on one of the pages you visit on our website, your browser will download an icon for the plug-in from Twitter’s servers in the USA. For technical reasons, it is necessary for Twitter to process your IP address. In addition, the date and time of your visit to our website will also be recorded.
If you are logged in to Twitter while visiting one of our plugged-in websites, the information collected by the plug-in from your specific visit will be recognized by Twitter. The information collected may then be assigned to your personal account at Twitter. If, for example, you use the Twitter Tweet button, this information will be stored in your Twitter account and may be published on the Twitter platform. To prevent this, you must either log out of Twitter before visiting our site or make the appropriate settings in your Twitter account.
Further information about the collection and use of data as well as your rights and protection options in Twitter’s privacy policy found at
We use YouTube on our website. This is a video portal operated by YouTube LLC, 901 Cherry Ave, 94066 San Bruno, CA, USA, hereinafter referred to as “YouTube”.
YouTube is a subsidiary of Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043 USA, hereinafter referred to as “Google”.
Google and its subsidiary YouTube guarantee that they will follow the EU’s data protection regulations when processing data in the United States.
We use YouTube in its advanced privacy mode to show you videos. The legal basis is Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f) GDPR. Our legitimate interest lies in improving the quality of our website. According to YouTube, the advanced privacy mode means that the data specified below will only be transmitted to the YouTube server if you actually start a video.
Without this mode, a connection to the YouTube server in the USA will be established as soon as you access any of our webpages on which a YouTube video is embedded.
This connection is required in order to be able to display the respective video on our website within your browser. YouTube will record and process at a minimum your IP address, the date and time the video was displayed, as well as the website you visited. In addition, a connection to the DoubleClick advertising network of Google is established.
If you are logged in to YouTube when you access our site, YouTube will assign the connection information to your YouTube account. To prevent this, you must either log out of YouTube before visiting our site or make the appropriate settings in your YouTube account.
For the purpose of functionality and analysis of usage behavior, YouTube permanently stores cookies on your device via your browser. If you do not agree to this processing, you have the option of preventing the installation of cookies by making the appropriate settings in your browser. Further details can be found in the section about cookies above.
MailChimp – Newsletter
We offer you the opportunity to register for our free newsletter via our website.
We use MailChimp, a service of The Rocket Science Group, LLC, 512 Means Street, Suite 404, Atlanta, GA 30318, USA, hereinafter referred to as “The Rocket Science Group”.
https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000TO6hAAG&status=Active
the Rocket Science Group guarantees that it will follow the EU’s data protection regulations when processing data in the United States. In addition, the Rocket Science Group offers further information about its data protection practices at
http://mailchimp.com/legal/privacy/
If you register for our free newsletter, the data requested from you for this purpose, i.e. your email address and, optionally, your name and address, will be processed by The Rocket Science Group. In addition, your IP address and the date and time of your registration will be saved. During the registration process, your consent to receive this newsletter will be obtained together with a concrete description of the type of content it will offer and reference made to this privacy policy.
The newsletter then sent out by The Rocket Science Group will also contain a tracking pixel called a web beacon. This pixel helps us evaluate whether and when you have read our newsletter and whether you have clicked any links contained therein. In addition to further technical data, such as data about your computer hardware and your IP address, the data processed will be stored so that we can optimize our newsletter and respond to the wishes of our readers. The data will therefore increase the quality and attractiveness of our newsletter.
The legal basis for sending the newsletter and the analysis is Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. a) GDPR.
Our website uses Jetpack with the WordPress Stats extension. This is a web analysis service provided by Automattic Inc, 132 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA, hereinafter referred to as “Automattic”.
https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000CbqcAAC&status=Active
Automattic guarantees that it will follow the EU’s data protection regulations when processing data in the United States.
The Jetpack: WordPress Stats services is used to analyze how our website is used. The legal basis is Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f) GDPR. Our legitimate interest lies in the analysis, optimization, and economic operation of our site.
Jetpack: WordPress Stats stores cookies on your device via your browser in order to analyze how you use our site.
Data such as your IP address, the pages you visit, the website from which you came (referrer URL), the duration of your visit, and the frequency of your visits will be processed. The data collected will be stored on an Automattic server in the USA. However, your IP address will be made anonymous immediately after processing and before it is stored.
Model Data Protection Statement for Anwaltskanzlei Weiß & Partner
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Eric Wasserman
Fiction | The University of Akron
Phone | (330) 972-6256
Email | ew22@uakron.edu
Website | www.ericwasserman.com
Celluloid Strangers: a Novel. Cut Above Books, Second Wind Publishing, October 26, 2011.
The Temporary Life: Stories. La Questa Press, March 15, 2005.
Reunion (English/Dutch bilingual edition). Aldus Boek Compagnie. Andantestraat 33, 1312 TR Almere, The Netherlands. Translated by Jan Wynsen. January 2017, 28 pages English / 32 pages Dutch.
Brothers. Cervená Barva Press. Somerville, MA. September 20, 2008. Winner of the 2007 Cervená Barva Press Fiction Chapbook Prize.
“The Festival.” Slippery Elm, July 2017, Short Story.
“Space Brothers.” I Am Gen Space. Ed. Anna Leahy and Douglas R. Dechow, April 5, 2017, Essay.
“You’ll Find It Off Market Street.” The Akron Anthology. Belt Publishing. Ed. Jason Segedy, September 2016. Featured by Vince Grzegorek of Cleveland, OH Scene Magazine in its publication’s “Best Writing From and About Northeast Ohio From 2016” list, Essay.
“Trampled Under Foot.” Insomnia & Obsession Magazine 1.3, Summer 2015, Short Story.
“Girl of Song.” Slippery Elm, Spring 2015, Short Story.
Eric Wasserman is the author of a collection of short stories, The Temporary Life, and a novel, Celluloid Strangers. His stories have recently been featured in Confrontation, Great Lakes Review, Journal of Experimental Fiction, and Soundings East. His literary interviews have appeared repeatedly in Glimmer Train. He is an Associate Professor of English at The University of Akron where he teaches literature, fiction writing, and film studies and oversees advancing his department’s minor in Popular Literature and Film.
Portland, Oregon.
What is one of your favorite places in Akron?
Highland Square.
Your best advice for a young writer?
• Write what you personally want to read, then go from there.
• Forget the “Write what you know” thing. Instead, “Write what you know about and are still trying to understand.”
• Expressing yourself is more important than being published.
What was the best reading you’ve ever been to? Why?
Salman Rushdie because of his honesty, even when I found myself in disagreement.
What’s the highest number of revisions you’ve done on a single piece of your writing?
I live for revision. It’s my greatest joy. I can’t count the number of revised drafts of anything because I lose track.
What’s your secret talent?
Gift wrapping.
How has technology helped or hindered your writing practice?
It’s a delicate balance. It makes certain things such as doing searches for continuity items more convenient. But I still edit everything by hand on a printed manuscript. That part of the process never changes.
What is your AWP advice to a first-time attendee?
Before going to AWP, you might want to first attend a nice local or regional writing conference or festival. That way you’ll have a little experience.
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News / Cyprus
Cyprus tightens up to revoke golden passports of wrongdoers
The President of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades. Photo: Wikimedia
The president of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades, has pledged to revoke the passports that were mistakenly issued to rich foreigners who have been found to have committed any wrongdoing.
According to Associated Press, Mr Anastasiades admitted that errors were made in the issuing of the “golden passports” under an earlier, less stringent investment program that was introduced in 2013.
The passports will be revoked should investigations that are under way show that the investors had breached the country’s eligibility rules.
The president said on Monday that there were between 10 and 15 cases where the original vetting process had failed to properly identify ineligible investors.
A government spokesman, Prodromos Prodromou, said that about 4,000 golden passports were issued since the program started following the financial crisis which affected the island nation in 2013.
READ MORE: Cyprus questions why state gift to Thatcher is on sale at Christie’s
EU warns Greek government re golden visas and citizenships
Greece offers more ‘golden visas’ to foreign investors
Greek PM, Cyprus leader discuss debt, energy
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nerdsnfurs
Surviving the Internet, one page at a time
A Hyperlinker’s Guide to the Internet
How to Survive 4 Types of Troll Attacks
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An important lession I learned from ponies.
Posted on April 2, 2012 by cacthenerd
The other night I had a revelation after seeing The Hunger Games. The movies about murdering children really needs a psychotic cannibal and shaky cam needs to die. But more importantly I need to stop hating on Twilight.
Wrong Twilight
At first I was avoiding the Hunger Games at first because the only thing I knew about it was it had a ton of female teen followers and was called “The Next Twilight.” That really irked me for some reason, and I resolved to avoid it like the plague. Another Twilight? That sounds terrible.
Damn it I said wrong Twilight, we did that joke already.
In the past I’ve really looked down on the Twilight fans. From everything I’ve heard the books are plainly written, the characters are flat, the main character is textbook Mary Sue, the plot is formulaic and repetitive, the message is misogynistic (women’s best traits are their chastity and their ability to produce babies), and the movies are full of laughable effects. Oh, and the werewolf turns into a were-pedophile in the end for no real reason. But I’ve never read the books, or seen the movies, so I can’t really judge.
Yes, that Twilight.
The Hunger Games turned out to be none of that. The plot was more interesting, and the characters had a bit more depth than expected. I walked out of the theater wanting to see a sequel; it wasn’t perfect, but it was worth seeing. So I started wondering, why was I so hostile to this to begin with? And it was the Twilight stigma. I’d been so wrapped up in hating Twlight that I almost missed a good movie.
Later that night I was surfing the net, looking at some message boards and seeing all the hateful pony art. Last year My Little Pony kind of exploded on the nerdy side of the internet, garnering a many fans in a ridiculously short amount of time. The backlash was a lot of haters cropped up to push back against the colorful wave that was sweeping over the net. And as a fan of the show it baffled me why so many people vehemently hate the show. I understood the show wasn’t for everyone, but it you don’t why attack it? Why not just ignore it?
Then I realized something terrifying. “Good lord I hate Twilight in the same way they hate Twilight.” So, no more hating on the Twilight fans. If they like sparkly vampires and hot shirtless werewolves then more power to them. People are going to like what they like, attacking it isn’t going to make them like it any less, or make it go away. Critiquing a work is one thing, if there’s a flaw the creator deserves to know about it so they can fix it. But just attacking something because you don’t like it? That’s just silly.
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This entry was posted in Other Stuff and tagged brony, Friendship is Magic., Hunger Games, MLP, My Little Pony, nerds, Twilight, Twilight Sparkle, Vampire, werewolf. Bookmark the permalink.
7 Responses to An important lession I learned from ponies.
M.S. Fowle says:
I find it hard not to hate on Twilight [fans] as well. I haven’t read/seen Hunger Games yet, but watching the crazed tween fans (and their moms) screaming for it in droves definitely made my eyes roll.
cacthenerd says:
I used to be right there with you, but “crazed fans” is a relative term. Everyone has something they’re crazy about. The “Team Edward/Team Jacob” group aren’t that much different from sports fans who paint their faces/bodies for games, music fans who spend hours driving around and waiting in lines to see their favorite bands, nerds who spend months making a costume they’re only going to wear for a weekend, gamers who waiting in lines in the middle of the night to get the latest game, even fans of stuff like Good Morning America who wait outside in the freeze weather for a chance to be on the air. They can be annoying to be sure, but they’re mostly harmless.
courtneybookrat says:
I started reading Hunger Games (and haven’t finished it yet…not from disinterest, but because I have simply too many assigned pieces to read at the moment!) While I find the premise to be interesting, the book is definitely for children–the prose isn’t exceptionally innovative, and parts of it seem to be a little watered down where there should be additional detail. A lot of people have told me “Hunger Games is sooooo good, READ IT NOW!” and while I have enjoyed it, I can’t help but think that if I were 12 years old, I’d be getting more out of it. Granted, I am only on page 60, so I don’t want to draw judgements before I have completed the novel.
Everything I’m seeing about “Hunger Games” gives me that impression; interesting concept, but held back due to it’s target audience. But I also feel it’s a catch-22. If the writer had made if for a mature audience it’d probably be overlooked, but since it was written for young adults it made a splash but comes off as a bit toothless. I’d of liked to see more of an edge, but at the same time I feel if it had that edge no one would pay attention to it.
glruggieri says:
As a huge Hunger Games fan (Team Peenis!) I hate that it’s constantly being called “the next Twilight.” That’s like calling Game of Thrones the next Lord of the Rings. While they could both be classified as “fantasy” they are two completely different stories. Same with Hunger Games and Twilight. Both marketed toward similar groups, with a fantasy/romance/futuristic type thing going on, but different in every other way.
I’ll admit that I was one of those crazy Twilight fans in high school, which I try to forget. I’m pretty ashamed of it, especially as an English major. But I do have a problem with the flack fans of the books get. Everybody has a guilty pleasure… they’re just a bit more vocal than others.
Courtney: Stick with it! Once you finish the first one, you’ll want to run out right away to the get the second and third.
Did you just say you’re part of Team Pen… Ooooh, wow that is a really unfortunate name to have given a character.
And really what you’re saying is entirely my point. Hunger Games is not Twilight Saga, but because a lot of people were making that comparison I was more than ready to shy away from it.
amylynnfiore says:
I myself am not a Twilight fan in the slightest bit. Haven’t read any of the books and barely get into the movies. I am sort of happy to confess to that because I see it as being somewhat of a colt. Maybe its because you’re dealing with a squad of vampires and talking about love but I never saw the hoopla over the series. It deserves all of the glorious literary credit, but I’m sorry to say I can not give it my thumbs up.
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Increase in Calls for Alcohol-Related Help Is Good News
Wellness Director Caitlin Barthelmes: “Students are looking out for one another.”
Class of 2021 Welcomed at Geisel
Ninety-two first-year students have arrived in Hanover for orientation.
Shooting the Achilles Heel of Nervous-System Cancers
Dartmouth researchers have devised a strategy to target cancer cells while sparing normal cells.
MPH and MS Capstones Offer Innovative Approaches to Improving Health
Dartmouth Institute MPH and MS students take on some of the biggest public health challenges.
Lisa V. Adams to Oversee Dartmouth’s Global Strategy
The associate dean for global health will direct global initiatives in the Office of the Provost.
Steven Leach Named Director of Norris Cotton Cancer Center
Leach, a physician and scientist, will begin work at the center in September.
Amber Barnato Named to Endowed Professorship in Health Care Delivery
The physician is known for her research on physician decision-making for patients with serious illness.
Geisel Students Elected to LMSA Regional Leadership Positions
Iara Backes ’19 and Joshua Ramos ’19 have been active members of Geisel’s LMSA chapter.
Joanne Conroy ’77 Named CEO, President of Dartmouth-Hitchcock
Physician and Dartmouth alumna Joanne Mather Conroy ’77 has been named chief executive officer and president of Dartmouth-Hitchcock and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health, announced D-H Board of Trustees Chair Anne-Lee Verville.
Geisel’s Catherine Gordon ’20: A Strong Sense of Place
“I can’t imagine going through medical school without the support of your peers,” says Gordon.
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Did you know this about the annual Blossa glögg?
Inspired by the sunny Amalfi coast of Italy, Blossa 18 glögg is brimming with fresh lemon and Mediterranean herbs. Why have these ingredients been chosen? Blossa Chief Blender Åsa Orsvärn tells us the story behing this much-loved glögg.
The planning, testing and manufacture of glögg is exacting teamwork, and the work on a new Blossa annual glögg starts one and a half years before.
Three important things are always taken into consideration with Blossa annual glögg. The new flavour needs to be a pleasant surprise every year, so it has to be sufficiently different from previous years. In addition to this, it has to reflect current taste trends. To top it all off, its taste has to be compatible with the fundamental character and flavour palette of Blossa. At the beginning, there is a long list of different flavour outlines, from which we usually choose two alternative themes, of which one is chosen as the winner.
Where does the inspiration for Blossa 18 come from?
Around 70 km from Naples, the Amalfi coast on the Sorrento peninsula is famous for its juicy lemons. Rosemary and thyme are growing wild, and basil is one of the best-known herbs used in Italian cuisine.
“Citrus fruits work well with a white wine-based glögg and bring freshness to it. We wanted to introduce herbs for the first time in our annual flavour”, says Åsa. “Italians are passionate about good food, and in particular about spending time eating and spending time together. Quality ingredients are important and food is prepared from scratch. This is also important for us in making glögg.
Much-loved annual glögg has been enjoyed for 15 years
From 2003 onwards, Blossa has brought out a new flavour for every winter season. Initially, the themes revolved around Nordic flavours, but from 2011 onwards, Blossa has ventured further afield. Sources of inspiration have included El Salvador, Japan, France, England and India.
Åsa and her team taste a new flavour hundreds of times before deciding on the final blend. “Initially, we included sage in the 2018 Blossa alongside rosemary, thyme and basil, but it didn’t work with the white wine-based glögg”, Åsa goes on to say. “Tasting is continuous, and it takes several months to determine the final blend.”
The large, sun-ripened lemon called Ovale di Sorrento is somewhat sweet by nature. The very same lemons are used to produce the famous Limoncello liqueur. “The rind of the lemons is frozen, and it’s defrosted just before being infused in strong ethanol”, Åsa says.
Selecting spices is a precise job
Blossa glöggs are made from natural ingredients only. Spices such as cloves and cardamom are roughly ground and infused with ethanol to make a spice extract. The infusion is stored for around four weeks in tanks, then matured for a further four months, before it is ready to be added to the wine base of the glögg. The herbs to be used in the annual glögg are also infused at Blossa’s own factory.
“The quality and flavour of herbs is strongly affected by the season”, says Åsa. “When the first test batches are being prepared, the spices might be freshly picked and of a totally different composition to what they are six months later. To ensure the consistent quality of the final product, we may have to adjust the composition and proportions of the spice mix.”
Producing a seasonal drink is a big challenge
Around 700,000 bottles of Blossa annual glögg are produced every year. The vast majority of this is consumed in Sweden, a country known for drinking glögg and where Blossa has a long history. These kinds of quantities are not produced in a moment, not even in the largest of factories. So, we start production already in May in order to be ready in good time for the coming glögg season. This way, the glögg has time to settle in the bottle before being released to the market.
Tasting is continuous, and it takes several months to determine the final blend.
Chief Blender Åsa Orsvärn
Try mixing Blossa 18 and sparkling water for a refreshing autumn aperitif.
“From summer onwards, the factory is a Christmas-scented hive of activity”, Åsa laughs. The 30-strong production team keeps a close eye on the glögg’s journey, all the way from receiving different batches of spices and testing to the bottling of the ready product.
How and with what should I enjoy my Blossa 18?
“Some people like to have it warm, while others prefer not to warm it. Both ways are very acceptable”, says Åsa. “It’s best to start the glögg drinking season in October with a room temperature or slightly chilled drink and as the weather gets colder, start warming the glögg.”
“Personally, I like having my Blossa 18 at room temperature accompanied by different kinds of hard cheese, such as Italian Pecorino or Parmesan, and olives or roasted almonds”, Åsa says. “Try mixing Blossa 18 with sparkling mineral water to make an autumn aperitif.” “Pour an equal measure of each into a Champagne glass.”
The glögg specialist knows everything about glögg
Åsa has been making annual Blossa glögg right from its inception in 2003. Her glögg-producing career is impressive: she has spent almost thirty years making the drink. “For me, a glass of glögg after a bracing ski is winter at its best! I will never get fed up of this job: every day is different.”
Blossa 2019 annual glögg edition has tastes from Hawaii
This year, the Blossa annual glögg has gone in search of inspiration to the Hawaiian island of Oahu, in the middle of the Pacific’s tropical zone.
Glögg and other hot drinks for cool weather
Glögg and home-cooked spicedhot wines are perfect for warming up cool nights around the year. Glögg also makes a nice ingredient for drinks, punches and pastries.
Hot cocktail
Year by Year - the story behind Annual Blossa Glögg
How did an elixir of the afterlife become the pinnacle of Scandinavian Christmas traditions veiled in a unique design? Meet the creative forces behind an iconic vehicle for Christmas spirits.
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Dept Meeting and Announcements
Dr. Shankar and Poojashri (and ol' uncle Sam) celebrated their birthdays today.
The results of the Electronics exam were announced by Mr Ramachandra - Dr. Rukmani got the first rank and was awarded a prize. Pushpakumari got a prize for distinction. All scholars did well in the exam and were congratulated.
Poojashri and Suresh Parmar were warmly recognized for their tremendous support in helping Anshu get on to the path of speedy recovery to good health.
Other departmental matters were discussed.
Confluence time - departmental meeting
Prof Bindu and Prof Raju welcomed the new scholars who have joined the department in the academic year 2012-13 - PhD Scholars (Dr. Shivaji Marella, Mr Vidyadhara, Ms Pushpa Kumari), MPhil Scholars (Ms Merlin, Dr Rukmani) and JRF (Mr Yarreiphang).
April also saw the successful completion of the MPhil examinations and the external examiners (Dr. Narender Dhingra from NBRC, Manesar and Dr Katyayani Kutty from Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College, Kolar) were pleased with quality of the examination both in content and delivery, as well as the performance of the scholars. Kudos to all the scholars (Adya, Debasish, Suresh and Vijayakumar).
The newly married (Pradeep, Dr Arun, Vrinda, Lokesh) were congratulated.
Fond Farewell to Mr. Kemparama
Today a special department meeting was held to honour Mr Kemparama, who has the distinction of being the first person to achieve superannuation in the department of Neurophysiology after having served it with love, dedication and commitment for 29 years.
Faculty, staff and students all came forward to share their experiences with this fine gentleman who has been a model of high character and conduct, an exemplar on work ethic and so the accolades showered were numerous, backed by anecdotes of special moments with him. His family also joined us for this special occasion and a group photo was taken to commemorate this occasion.
NPhy acknowledges the generous contributions from several of our Alumni - Dr. Yoga Narasimha, Dr. Narender Dhingra, Dr. Yogendra Raol, Dr. Bindu Mohan, Dr. Rekha, Dr. Mansoor Khan, Dr. Ravindra, Dr. Basavaraj, Dr. Dayalan, Dr. Deepti Nair, Dr. Preeti Hegde and Dr. Sankaranarayani. The contributions pooled from Faculty, Staff, Students and Alumni were pooled together as a gift for Mr. Kemparama.
Mr. Kemparama has set the foundation of the department strong and has earned the rich tributes. The department is proud of him and wishes him good health and happiness in his journey ahead.
NPhy Five Year Plan - Department Meeting
Neurophysiology HOD, Prof. TR Raju reviewed the departments activities over the previous five years from the clinical, manpower development and research perspectives.We have had 25 PhDs, 8 MPhils, over 120 MD trainees over the last five years. 61 publications, over 20 projects completed. Dr. Raju also went over the 12th five year plan that has been submitted by the department.
Several announcements were made - Dr. BSS Rao has been officially promoted to Additional Professor. Couple of more promotions have been cleared but not yet formally announced.
Mr. Ramachandra announced that Ajay Kumar Nair (PhD Scholar) secured 1st rank in the Biomedical electronics course that was completed recently. As per the annual tradition, the HOD presented a gift and certificate.
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Nippon News Network
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China strikes back in trade dispute with U.S. with new tariffs
August 23, 2019 - by admin - Leave a Comment
FILE PHOTO: A U.S. flag on an embassy car is seen outside a hotel near a construction site in Shanghai, China, July 31, 2019. REUTERS/Aly Song
BEIJING (Reuters) – China unveiled on Friday retaliatory tariffs against about $75 billion worth of U.S. goods, putting an additional 10% on top of existing rates in the latest tit-for-tat exchange in a protracted dispute between the world’s top two economies.
The latest salvo from China comes after the United States unveiled tariffs on an additional $300 billion worth of Chinese goods, including consumer electronics, scheduled to go into effect in two stages on Sept. 1 and Dec. 15.
China’s commerce ministry said in a statement it would impose additional tariffs of 5% or 10% on a total of 5,078 products originating from the United States including agricultural products such as soybeans, crude oil and small aircraft. China is also reinstituting tariffs on cars and auto parts originating from the United States.
“China’s decision to implement additional tariffs was forced by the U.S.’s unilateralism and protectionism,” the Chinese ministry said in a statement, adding that its retaliatory tariffs would also take effect in two stages on Sept. 1 and Dec. 15.
U.S. equity index futures fell on the news of China’s tariffs, pointing to opening losses on Wall Street.
White House trade adviser Peter Navarro told Fox Business News separately that trade negotiations with China would still go on behind closed doors.
The U.S. Trade Representative’s office had no immediate comment on China’s tariffs announcement.
Reporting by Judy Hua, Min Zhang and Se Young Lee
Subaru sets mid-2030s target to sell only electric vehicles worldwide
CEO says Bank of America aims to ‘double’ its U.S. consumer market share: FT
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navs1962
Mumblings from the back of the pack.
Montane Lakeland 50 – I’m just doing the 50
August 11, 2015 May 2, 2016 / Steve Navesey
During Lakeland 100 weekend in the run up to the start, one phrase you will hear repeatedly is “Oh, I’m just doing the 50”. As if participants have entered some kind of fun run. This is of course to pay respect to the ones who are embarking on the 105 miles of the Lakeland 100. But this is to detract from the event that is the 50. Make no mistake, this is not a fun run, or even an elongated park run. It’s an incredibly hard 50 miles of Lake District Fells, from Dalemain estate to Coniston. Underestimate this kiddie at your peril.
This is what it’s all for.
Having completed the 100 in 2014, after three attempts (yeah, don’t underestimate that one either) I was returning to the lakes to support friends who were running in both events. Knowing how my mind works my wife suggested I enter the 50, to which I agreed. I’m pretty sure it was a ploy to stop me signing straight back up for the 100. So at 9:00 am on the morning of September 1st last year I was sat, finger poised over the mouse button to get in as soon as entries opened.
I had planned to build on the momentum of a L100 finish and train steadily through the winter then pick it up in the New Year. That plan failed as a few niggling injuries wouldn’t play ball and in the end it was a pretty lacklustre winter and far from what I had envisaged. Recces had gone well and a sub 14 hour would be a nice steady outing for me ahead of CCC in Chamonix at the end of August. Nope, three weeks before race day, a tweaked Achilles sent me into paranoia and I flatly refused to do anything more strenuous than walk the dog. Two weeks of hard resting wouldn’t have been too bad, but three and I was losing my edge. A finish with 14 hours would be my ‘A’ goal but if the wheels were coming off then I’d settle for 16. I wasn’t going to go mad and risk my CCC entry.
So with that in mind I set off to Coniston with wife Bev, daughter Emma and her boyfriend, John, in tow. Arriving Thursday allowed us to catch up with the early arrivals. Particularly my mate Mike churchyard who, if you’ve read previous blogs by me, was my pacer at the SDW100. Which he blogged about! Worth a read. We met up with Mike and his family in the Bull for a few quiet beers. Mike was up for the 100 and would be setting off on Friday evening at 6:00pm to begin his event.
Friday dawned and we met up with Centurion race director James Elson who was also racing the 100, and Centurion crew member Drew Sheffield, who would be marshalling at a checkpoint out at Boot. We all piled over to race headquarters at John Ruskin school hall, to check in. Having satisfied kit check, been issued with race number, map, road book and Chief neck tube (Buff) and finally the SportIdent electronic ‘dibber’ attached to the wrist to be ‘dibbed’ at each checkpoint. A quick test ‘dib’ into the electronic timer to check it’s working and on to the last stage, weigh in. And you’re in! This whole process takes minutes. If you have your kit ready to be checked (i.e. in a box) then it really is fast. Because everything is checked. I met up with Drew and James at the end of the ‘tunnel’ and we had a browse around the Endurance Store. I needed some BodyGlide and they duly supplied me. I also took some time to catch up with Angela Bardon from the Endurance store. Ultra races are places where you meet friends that you never see anywhere else. But now there was nothing to do but wait for the 100 start.
We rocked up to the 100 start to see James and Mike off. It was a bit strange as for the past three years this is where my race had started and for the first time since watching my son Paul set off in 2011, I was again watching and not running. I had a further task though, and that was to video Mike’s son and daughter in the kids 1 mile race that takes place immediately after the start of the 100. Make no mistake, this is a keenly contested race. No doubt a few future 100 runners in that pack judging by the way they streamed out from under the gantry. But instead of grinding my way up Walna Sca this year, Bev, Emma, John and I headed over to Ambleside for dinner at Luigi’s. Followed by a few drinks at the Bull before bed.
Saturday and a fairly leisurely breakfast before wandering over to the morning race briefing Where I met up with verbal sparring partner and former Royal Marine officer James John Street. We had originally planned to race against each other but each of us had a pretty naff year so we canned it as it wasn’t going to be a competition. It turns out we had both been planning equally nefarious ways of achieving a win by foul means alone. Fair hadn’t entered into it.
Nici Griffin, Debbie Martin-Consani, Me, Chris Mills and Kat Ganly prior to the start: Photo Bev Navesey
Enough of the social aspect, on to the race. We’d awoken to some bad news, James had taken a bad fall whilst leading the 100 and was out at Pooley Bridge. Just over 60 miles in. He was mad and I think is already planning next year’s revenge.
Rather than take the bus Bev drove me to the start at Dalemain. We picked up Debbie Martin-Consani , Nici Griffin (who was quietly having a mid-life crisis in the back pre-start) and Kat Ganly, who was going to keep Nici company around the route having just come from Dragon’s Back. Which meant the trip flew by in a blizzard of cut-throat banter. We met up with the Mills’s at Dalemain, more vicious verbal interplay, then into the start pen. Hugs all round and that was the last we saw of Debs as she headed off to the front in what would see her be second lady home only minutes behind Sally Fawcett, who I’d been lucky enough have for company up Fusedale a few weeks before the race while we were out on private recces.
L50 Start
As the hooter went Chris and I stayed together as the field flooded through the gantry on what is a four mile loop around Dalemain estate. Gentle hills and grass. I was longing to get out on to the Fells as I wasn’t relaxing into it. Chris and I jogged around, and headed out towards Pooley Bridge. Chris’s early pace was looking to be too hot for me so I let him go. It was a good choice as he burned his way to a 12 hour 20 finish. Not shabby on the L50 course by any means! Into Pooley Bridge at a steady jog, family and friends by the bridge shouting encouragement, out of the village and up to the first of the Fells.
The first leg over to Howtown is not strenuous at all. Once out of Pooley Bridge the trail undulates along the side of the Fell. It’s a long section, 11 miles with the Dalemain loop. But it passed quickly, as did the first aid station, just water and a grab bag of jelly babies and flapjack, then away towards Fusedale.
The climb up Fusedale always throws up conversations with the runners. Which is worse? The long drag up the highest climb of the course, or the steep rocky 24 carat bitch otherwise known as Gatesgarth Pass? For me it’s Gatesgarth. Fusedale is long, yes. High, yes. But not particularly steep until near the end. It also has an excellent stream to full up on if needed. It was quite warm but I had two full bottles when I left Howtown so didn’t need it. However, when I got over the ridge line at the top and began to jog up to High Kop the three weeks of hard resting suddenly made themselves known. I’d gone at Fusedale with my normal enthusiasm, as soon as the pressure eased, my quads seized! This was the third time in two months I’d been up here, with a 100 miler over the South Downs in between and never a problem, ’til now. Ok, hike over High Kop and shake it out down to Low Kop.
Fusedale – Lake District
That didn’t work, shake it out down the hill to Haweswater then. Bollocks! This is going to be a long day. Well, I’ve been here before and it’s come back to me so crack on as best I can and tick the miles off. To be fair the miles were ticking off reasonably well despite all. So I hiked, ran, stumbled along the side of Hawewater, filling a bottle at a stream along the way as I was getting through the fluid quite rapidly in the warmth of the afternoon. It wasn’t cracking the flags like it was in last year’s races, but it was warm enough thanks.
Looking back from the lower part of Gategarth Pass to Mardale head, Haweswater
Into Mardale Head and a piece of grit had lodged under my foot. A slightly longer stop as I carried out some foot admin. Which took a bit longer as I was struggling with seizing muscles. Definitely not what I was expecting this early into the race. Leaving the aid station I saw Delyth Wright with Yogi looking strong as she came down to Mardale, big smile plastered across her face. We exchanged a quick greeting and I went at 24 carat bitch hill, AKA Gatesgarth Pass. Oddly enough I was actually looking forward to it as my climbing was actually going quite well. So I decided to make the best of it and pushed on. Knowing that the steep, winding, rocky trail was going to be matched in every way be the never ending descent on the far side. Which was going to hurt. It didn’t disappoint. As a result of the early demise of my quads, I had no confidence running on the loose, downhill trail. Which took a big weapon out of the armoury for me. I used my poles to compensate and that at least kept me descending at an acceptable rate.
Through Sadgill, up onto the open Fell towards Kentmere, this isn’t a challenging stretch, except today. Today it was challenging. I began to analyse what was going on and why. Energy wise, I felt fine. The engine room was chucking out the power, but it wasn’t turning into traction. The niggling injury, which actually was just about the only thing below my hips that wasn’t bothering me at all, could have been managed far better in the run (did I say run? Ha!) up to what should have been a straightforward event for me. I was getting pretty annoyed, something in my control was the problem. I had the torque, but the gears were stripped. Thanks Christ I wasn’t racing James else this would have been a nightmare.
On the approach to Kentmere I ended up in a small group and was chatting to a Scots lady, we were discussing other events and found we both had an acquaintance doing the Spine race, we both knew Jon and Otto and, wait a minute? Elaine (Wilde)? Yep. I was with Jon and Otto on the run in to Braithwaite two years ago, Elaine and two of her friends met up with us on the same descent. We didn’t have separate friends in the Spine race we knew the same person, who was one of the three, Sarah Fuller. This sport is incestuous.
I sat down at Kentmere, it hadn’t been the plan, but the plan was now out the window. Plan B; finish. It’s a good plan B. It doesn’t take much to implement and is easy to understand. Whilst I was sat surrounding a bowl of pasta the lovely Jacqui made sure I had everything I needed to get going again. Which as soon as I’d eaten is exactly what I did. I might have sat down but that didn’t mean I was going to hang around. I wanted to get over Garburn Road and into Ambleside. Garburn was the only really significant climb to do and I wanted it behind me. So fed and watered, Garburn, here I come.
Garburn Road
Take a rocky stream, remove the water and tip in up at a steep angle. You’ve got Garburn Road. It was horrific last year in the dark during the 100 but in daylight, it wasn’t so bad. Except I wasn’t in the greatest shape. Cramp was setting in and that’s not something I’ve suffered from for some time. Over the top of the pass and the descent down to Troutbeck. My stride length was pitiful, so I decided to do something about it. If I could stretch my legs a little and maybe loosen things up a bit I could get some traction going. Stumble, trip, cramp. Ok, that went well, try again. Same results. So, about this pitiful stride length…….It’ll just have to do I guess.
And it did, it got got me pitifully through Troutbeck and over the hill to Ambleside. In fact it got me pitifully jogging, but jogging nonetheless, through Ambleside and the first real positive of the day. When I set out I had wanted to come through Ambleside in daylight and enjoy some of that Tour de France atmosphere. Well I’d made it. Sure enough, people were out by the side of the road and the White Lion pub terrace was full with people cheering on each runner to come through. Bev was waiting across the road from the White Lion and as I passed the chip shop just ahead of the aid station, John and Emma caught up with me. I wasn’t rushing now so I passed through the aid station stocking up what I needed and went out to rejoin the others in the park on the far side. It was turning cold so I stopped and put my waterproof on and set my head torch up while I had my pack off. A bit of a photo op and I was on my way to Loughrigg and the home section.
Part way up Loughrigg Rob Harrison and Bernd Tast pulled up next to me and asked if I was familiar with the route. I assured them I was and they asked if they could tag along through the night. I’d slowed quite a bit but they were happy with the pace and we continued as a three over the fell towards Skelwith Bridge. Running down to Skelwith I saw Bev, Emma and John waiting to give me my last bit of support through the night. Just ahead of me I saw John’s quads give out and he stumbled a little. Mine gave out about 3 seconds later. After a quick chat with my fan club I jogged off to catch the others who were hiking through the hotel buildings towards the river. As I caught up we agreed that running wasn’t really much of a goer, and we resolved to death march it to the end. Just under 14 miles from home. It wasn’t ideal but we were now decided that a finish was what we wanted and if if had to be ugly then ugly it was going to be.
The lights and music of Chapel Stile greeted us out of the dark, a quick sit down and grab something to eat and drink. I gave the sofa of doom a baleful glare and plonked myself down on a plastic chair. At this point during the 100 last year it was all business. Water, grab jelly babies, leave. But it was a different day today. Before we got too comfortable Rob gave us a nudge and we creaked out into the darkness as the rain began to come down.
Chapel Stile Aid Station
As we passed the barns on the way over Langdale I had one of those moments that you get in the darkness. Now that my world had shrunk into what I could see in my head torch beam, it all looked wrong. I didn’t recognise the ground. running this in daylight I can see across Langdale and this bit didn’t even register. A few moments of road book checking and we were reasonably happy we were actually correct. Two minutes later and the first of the high stiles came up and I was 100% happy I knew where I was. Now it was just the slog over to Tilberthwaite. Slippery rock (nothing sticks to wet rock). Wet grass and peat of various liquid consistency and depth. You aren’t getting over here with dry feet. But at least the rain had passed over. Then we were tracking over Blea Moss and could almost smell the end. A crash behind us and another runner had stepped off of the trail. Not a great move as we are passing along a ledge at this point and it’s a bit of a drop into the stream below. A rocky one at that. Fortunately he hadn’t fallen far and was tangled in the bracken. Bernd and Rob had grabbed him and hauled him back onto the trail non the worse for wear. Shaken, but not stirred.
Tilberthwaite steps
Tilberthwaite was a quick pit stop. It had been a bit of a trial getting going after Chapel Stile so we stayed stood. Quickly grabbed something from the buffet and set off up the steps out of the car park. Rob was a few metres ahead of me as we climbed up out of Tilberthwaite and suddenly pulled up. I had a quiet chuckle to myself. He’d just come up against the ‘wall of death’, a near vertical stretch of slate that has been weathered into what can only be described as a scarifier. This is a monkey run job to scramble over. But we were almost there.
Dave Smith on the last stretch before the drop into Coniston: Photo Paul Clarke
Then, suddenly, we could see lights on the far horizon instead of the black sides of fells. The path took a distinct downward turn and we were on the descent to Coniston! The mood, which to be fair wasn’t bad, lifted instantly. I called back to Bernd, who was hidden in the gloom behind us, that it was all down hill now. A reassuringly close, cheerful response satisfied me that he was right with us as we began clambering down that last descent.
Into the village and pride took over, we broke into a shambling jog/run. The early birds (or all nighters?) were there waiting for their runners to come in and cheering others on. My own little support crew were there waiting with hugs and photo ops. The guys at the finish tried to get us all identical times. But Bernd got 3 seconds on Rob and I. Nice try lads and the thought really was appreciated. But we won’t quibble about 3 seconds. Into the school hall for medals, tee shirts and the cry of “Fifty finisher!” And it was all over bar the shouting.
There was just one more job to do. Back to the B&B, shower, grab a hour’s kip and then back up to Miner’s Bridge to see Mike Churchyard in to finish his 100. Which he did in fine style and was mere minutes off of his plan. Whereas I’d been over 2 hours off of mine. Crossing the line in 16:44.
Waiting for Mike
In retrospect, panicking over an injury and sitting on one’s backside for three weeks before a race like the Lakeland 50 is quite possibly the dumbest preparation. What I should have done is seen a physio and and worked out how to train around it. I went at Fusedale the same rate I had on previous visits, but on previous visits I hadn’t taken three weeks off. No wonder my quads went on strike at the top! 20:20 hindsight, I know. But I did achieve my ‘B’ goals; get to Ambleside in daylight and get to Coniston before daylight broke again. So yes, disappointing because I know I can do much better. But not a failure, you can only run the race that presents itself on the day. Will I be back next year? No. Well, yes and no. I won’t be running but I have volunteered and will be marshalling. I’ll be marshalling for two reasons. Firstly, because I don’t want to miss out on the weekend and want to give something back to the event. Secondly, to get a race entry assured for 2017. I have a big year in the diary for 2016, all preparation for a real assault on the 100 in 2017. I’m setting myself a big goal for that one and want to make sure I’m in.
Until then, it’s just a few short weeks until CCC and half a lap of Mont Blanc. see you soon.
James Elson, L100, L50, Lakeland 100, Lakeland 50, Montane, Ultra Marathon, Ultra Running
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2 thoughts on “Montane Lakeland 50 – I’m just doing the 50”
DebsM-C
Nice work, Steve. Great run and great report. I think you’ll be running next year though…x
Steve Navesey
Haha! I’ll be in Coniston next year Debs, but I don’t plan to run. Got a busy year planned. However, I do plan to return to the 100 in 2017 for a real crack at it. Ok, I won’t catch you (if you are running). But I do have an ambitious goal in mind for myself.
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by allison March 20, 20197:45 am April 2, 2019
STAGE PRESENCE: YATRA (Maryland Doom Trio)
For our first Stage Presence video, we explore the art of stage presence with YATRA!
YATRA is a three-piece doom band from Maryland. Their debut album Death Ritual was released on Grimoire Records in January 2019. YATRA is Dana Helmuth (guitars, vocals), Maria Geisbert (bass), and Sean Lafferty (drums). Learn more about YATRA, follow them as they tour the U.S and Europe, and keep up-to-date with all of their exciting news on their Facebook page.
Our first live experience with YATRA was at Descendants of Crom II in September 2018. I was intrigued by their stage setup: They draped black material with painted white runes over their tall stacks and they lit incense in front of the kick drum. None of them moved outside a small radius in their respective parts of the stage, but they moved rhythmically and dramatically to the music. It seemed as if they, themselves, were hypnotized by the sound. This setup and their physical performance matched their music: dark, sparse, and ritualistic in theme.
Here’s what Dana said about their music and live performance in a press release from Earsplit PR: “We had moved back to the country, into a small cottage in the woods, with no plumbing for the first three months we were there… We had an outhouse and outdoor shower. It was primitive, and it was during that time that I started writing all the material for Death Ritual. The solitude and the darkness of the night put me in a space of prolific writing and I wrote all eight songs in a month… We were able to channel that same darkness in the writing, also into our live shows, and the positive response was tremendous and really pushed us harder on our journey.”
After their Crom set, I told Maria that I really liked their stage setup and performance. She explained that what we saw was the same setup that they used in their practice space. She pointed out that having the same environment for practice and shows helped to get them to – and keep them in – a certain mental space. I really liked that: regardless of the changing venue, city, or crowd important aspects of the environment stayed the same and induced the appropriate headspace. That stuck with me and was why we wanted to highlight them for this first installment of Stage Presence!
Live and interview footage for this video was filmed and edited by Trevor Richards and comes from a March 2019 show at Gooski’s in the Polish Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, PA. By the way, the American flag is a mainstay at Gooski’s, and though it looks cool, it is not a part of YATRA’s setup.
YATRA’s stage setup was a bit different at this show than it was the first time we saw them. They kept the tall stacks but no longer cover them with rune flags. They kept the incense and added sage (or, maybe I missed the sage the first time). They have a new drummer, Sean, instead of original drummer, Mike Tull. And there are some extra elements on stage that we might not see from the crowd, but that are important to the overall vibe such as animal bones found by members of the band in their travels and snakeskin shed by Maria’s snake. Despite any changes, their performance stayed the same: rhythmic, loud, and intense.
We appreciate Dana, Maria, and Sean taking a few moments before a show we played together to talk with us about this topic. It was great to share a stage with them again, talk with them about performance, get a chance to study their stage presence, and to experience their excellent live show! If you haven’t heard or seen YATRA yet, hurry up and do it!
Get more info about our Stage Presence series here, because more Stage Presence videos are coming! Subscribe to this blog and the Of Music and Mind YouTube Channel so you don’t miss any! Be well!
Tagged with: death ritual doom grimoire records live music maryland metal music musicians performance pittsburgh Stage Presence stoner video yatra
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Tag Archives: hemp
by Peggy Kirk Hall | December 23, 2019 · 11:44 am
The Ohio Ag Law Blog–Ag Law Harvest
Written by Ellen Essman
Hemp, drones, meat labeling and more—there is so much going on in the world of ag law! With so much happening, we thought we’d treat you to another round of the Harvest before the holidays.
Hemp for the holidays. As 2020 and the first growing season approach, there has been a flurry of activity surrounding hemp. States have been amending their rules and submitting them to the USDA for approval in anticipation of next year. In addition, just last week USDA extended the deadline to comment on the interim final hemp rule from December 30, 2019 to January 29, 2020. If you would like to submit a comment, you can do so here. To get a refresher on the interim rule, see our blog post here.
In other hemp news, EPA announced approval of 10 pesticides for use on industrial hemp. You can find the list here. Additional pesticides may be added to the list in the future.
Congress considers a potential food safety fix. It’s likely that over the last several years, you’ve heard about numerous recalls on leafy greens due to foodborne illnesses. It has been hypothesized that some of these outbreaks could potentially be the result of produce farms using water located near CAFOs to irrigate their crops. A bill entitled the “Expanded Food Safety Investigation Act of 2019” has been introduced to tackle this and other potential food safety problems. If passed, the bill would give FDA the authority to conduct microbial sampling at CAFOs as part of a foodborne illness investigation. The bill is currently being considered in the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.
Animal welfare bill becomes federal law. In November, the President signed the “Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act” (PACT), into law. PACT makes it a federal offense to purposely crush, burn, drown, suffocate, impale, or otherwise subject non-human mammals, birds, reptiles, or amphibians to serious bodily injury. PACT also outlaws creating and distributing video of such animal torture. The law includes several exceptions, including during customary and normal veterinary, agricultural husbandry, and other animal management practices, as well as during slaughter, hunting, fishing, euthanasia, etc.
No meat labeling law in Arkansas? Last winter, Arkansas passed a law that made it illegal to “misbrand or misrepresent an agricultural product that is edible by humans.” Specifically, it made it illegal to represent a product as meat, beef, pork, etc. if the product is not derived from an animal. Unsurprisingly, the law did not sit well with companies in the business of making and selling meat substitutes from plants and cells. In July, The Tofurky Company sued the state in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, Central Division, claiming the labeling law violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments, as well as the dormant Commerce Clause. On December 11, the District Court enjoined, or stopped Arkansas from enforcing, the labeling law. This means that the state will not be able to carry out the law while the District Court considers the constitutionality of the law. We will be following the ultimate outcome of this lawsuit closely.
Ag wants to be part of the drone conversation. The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is currently considering a bill called the “Drone Advisory Committee for the 21st Century Act.” If passed, the bill would ensure that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) includes representatives from agriculture, forestry, and rangeland, in addition to representatives from state, county, city, and Tribal governments on the Drone Advisory Committee (DAC). Thus, such representatives would be part of the conversation when the DAC advises the FAA on drone policies.
Ag financing tools may get an upgrade. The “Modernizing Agriculture and Manufacturing Bonds Act,” or MAMBA (what a great name) was introduced very recently in the House Committee on Ways and Means. Text of the bill is not yet available, but when it is, it should be located here. According to this fact sheet, the bill would make a number of changes to current law, including increasing “the limitation on small issue bond proceeds for first-time farmers” to $552,500, repealing “the separate dollar limitation on the use of bond proceeds for depreciable property” which would mean famers could use the full amount for equipment, breeding livestock, and other capital assets, and modifying the definition of “substantial farmland” to make it easier for beginning farmers to gain access to capital.
Shoring up national defense of agriculture and food is on the docket. The Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry sent the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility Act of 2019 (NBAF) to the floor of the Senate for consideration. Among other things, the bill would allow the USDA, through the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, to address threats from human pathogens, zoonotic disease agents, emerging foreign animal diseases, and animal transboundary diseases, and to develop countermeasures to such diseases. Essentially, USDA and NBAF would see to national security in the arena of agriculture and food.
We hope you have a wonderful holiday season! We will be sure to continue the ag law updates in the next decade!
Filed under ag law harvest, Animals, Drones, Food, livestock facilities, Uncategorized
Tagged as animal welfare, financing, Food Safety, hemp, industrial hemp, labeling, meat labeling
by Peggy Kirk Hall | December 11, 2019 · 1:30 pm
The Ohio Ag Law Blog–The Ag Law Harvest
Written by Ellen Essman and Peggy Hall
The holidays are almost here, 2019 is almost over, but the world of ag law isn’t taking a break. From cannabidiol, to Ohio bills on water quality and wind power, to a cage-free egg law in Michigan, here’s the latest roundup of agricultural law news you may want to know:
FDA warns companies about cannabidiol products. If you’ve been following the hemp saga unfold over the past year, you know that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been contemplating what to do with cannabidiol, or CBD from derived hemp products. In addition to manufacturing standards, FDA has also considered how CBD products are marketed and labeled. Although FDA has issued no official rules on CBD marketing and labeling, the agency has warned a number of companies that their marketing of CBD violates the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). On November 25, FDA sent warning letters to 15 companies. FDA asserts that the companies “are using product webpages, online stores and social media to market CBD products in interstate commerce in ways that violate the FD&C Act.” In particular, FDA is apprehensive about those companies who market CBD products in ways that claim they can treat diseases or be used therapeutically for humans and animals. Since CBD has not been approved by FDA or found safe for these uses, companies cannot make such claims. You can see FDA’s news release for more information and for the list of companies.
It won’t be as difficult for financial institutions to serve hemp related businesses. Federal agencies and state bank regulators released a statement clarifying what is required of banks when hemp businesses are customers. Since hemp was removed from the federal list of controlled substances, banks no longer have to file a Suspicious Activity Report on every customer involved in growth or cultivation of hemp just because they grow hemp. This action will make it easier for those legally cultivating hemp to work with banks and obtain loans for their farms. For more information, the agencies’ press release is available here.
Ohio House considers the Senate’s water quality bill. Ohio’s House Energy & Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on Senate Bill 2 just last week. The bill would implement a Statewide Watershed and Planning Program through the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA). Under the bill, ODA would be charged with categorizing watersheds in Ohio and appointing coordinators for each of the watersheds. ODA and the coordinators would work closely with soil and water conservation districts to manage watersheds. Ag groups such as the Sheep Improvement Association, the Cattleman’s Association, the Pork Council, the Dairy Producers Association, and the Poultry Association testified in favor of SB 2.
Ohio House committee debates wind bill. The House Energy & Natural Resources
Committee was busy last week—in addition to SB 2, they also discussed House Bill 401. In the simplest terms, if passed, HB 401 would allow townships to hold a referendum on approved wind projects. This means that with a vote, townships could overturn decisions made by the Ohio Power and Siting Board (OPSB). In the committee hearing, wind industry representatives argued that such a referendum would be harmful, since it would overturn OPSB decisions after companies have already spent a great deal of money to be approved by the Board. They also argued that the bill singles out the wind industry and does not allow referendums on other energy projects. Republican committee members signaled that they may be willing to revise the language of HB 401 to allow a referendum before OPSB decisions.
Iowa’s ag-gag law is paused. In May, we wrote about Iowa’s new ag-gag law, which was the state’s second attempt to ban undercover whistleblowers and journalists from secretly filming or recording at livestock production facilities. In response, numerous animal rights groups sued the state, claiming that the law unconstitutionally prevents their speech based on content and viewpoint. On December 2, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa issued a preliminary injunction, which means that the state will not be able to enforce the ag-gag law while the lawsuit against it is being considered. The preliminary injunction can be found here.
Cage free eggs coming to Michigan in 2024. Michigan lawmakers recently passed Senate Bill 174, which, among other things, will require that all birds producing eggs both in and out of the state be housed in “cage-free” facilities by 2024. The cage-free facilities will have to allow hens to roam unrestricted with the exception of exterior walls, and some types of fencing to contain the birds. In an indoor facility, the farmer must be able to stand in the hens’ usable floor space while caring for them. In addition, the facilities must have enrichments for hens such as scratch areas, perches, nest boxes, and dust bathing areas. Michigan joins California, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington in banning non-cage-free eggs. Note that Michigan’s law will apply to Ohio egg producers who sell eggs to buyers in Michigan.
Case watch: hearing set in Lake Erie Bill of Rights case. The court has set a January 28, 2020 hearing date for the slow moving federal lawsuit challenging the Lake Erie Bill of Rights (LEBOR) enacted by Toledo voters in February. The hearing will likely focus on several motions to dismiss the case filed by the parties on both sides of the controversy, but Judge Zouhary indicated that he’ll set the agenda for the hearing prior to its date. Drewes Farm Partnership filed the federal lawsuit against the City of Toledo in February, claiming that LEBOR is unconstitutional and violates several Ohio laws. The State of Ohio was permitted to join the farm as plaintiffs in the case, but the court denied motions by Toledoans for Safe Water and the Lake Erie Ecosystem to join as defendants in the case. For more on the LEBOR lawsuit, refer to this post and this post. For our explanation of LEBOR, see this bulletin.
Stay tuned to the Ohio Ag Law Blog as we continue to track these and other developments in agricultural law through the holidays and beyond.
Filed under ag law harvest, Animals, Environmental, Food, livestock facilities, Renewable Energy, Uncategorized, Water
Tagged as alternative energy, CBD, FDA, hemp, lake erie, LEBOR, water quality, wind energy
USDA rolls out its hemp rule: is Ohio ready?
By Peggy Kirk Hall and Ellen Essman
Legalized hemp production in the U.S. took a major step forward today with the publication of the USDA’s rule establishing the “U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program.” States and potential hemp growers have been awaiting this rule since the Farm Bill legalized hemp back in December 2018 but required that regulatory programs be established for overseeing hemp production. Today’s hemp rule sets up the regulatory framework for state departments of agriculture, Indian tribal governments and the USDA to license producers who want to grow hemp as a commodity crop.
What’s in the hemp rule?
The hemp rule lays out the requirements for establishing hemp production programs within State or Tribal governments and creates a USDA administered licensing program for producers in areas that choose not to regulate hemp production. Other parts of the rule include definitions, appeal provisions, and reporting requirements. The rule also addresses the interstate transportation of hemp. Here’s a quick summary of provisions that affect Ohioans.
Requirements for State and Tribal Hemp Production Plans. A State or Tribe must include the following in a Hemp Production Plan that the USDA must approve before the State or Tribe can allow hemp production within its borders:
Plans to maintain relevant producer and land information. A state must collect, maintain and provide USDA with contact and location information for each licensed hemp producer, including personal information about the individual or business and location information about the land where hemp is produced.
Plans for accurate and effective sampling and testing. A plan must include procedures for collecting hemp flower samples; conducting sampling and testing of plants 15 days prior to any harvest; ensuring that sampling methods are reliable and represent a homogeneous composition of the sampling area; preventing commingling of plants from different sampling areas; requiring that producers are present during sampling; and allowing samplers to have unrestricted access to hemp plants and all land and facilities used for cultivating or handling hemp.
Procedures to accurately test THC levels in samples. The rule lays out suggested reliable testing methods but does not establish a single, national testing procedure for determining whether a hemp plant falls beneath the 0.3 threshold for THC, the psychoactive ingredient that distinguishes hemp from marijuana. However, a State or Tribe must use a testing lab that is registered with the Drug Enforcement Agency and must require the lab to follow testing performance standards. The standards must include evaluation of “measurement of uncertainty,” a concept similar to determining the margin of error, and must account for the uncertainty in THC test results.
Procedures for disposal of non-compliant plants. A State or Tribal plan must prohibit any handling, processing, or entering the stream of commerce of any hemp grown in an area that exceeds the acceptable THC level and must have procedures for disposing of the plants, verifying disposal, and notifying USDA of non-compliant plants, including provision of test results to USDA.
Inspection procedures. A plan must include procedures for annual inspections of random samples of licensed producers.
Reporting procedures. A plan must explain how a State or Tribe will submit all of the information and reports required by the rule, which includes monthly producer reports, monthly hemp disposal reports, and annual reports of total planted, harvested, and disposed acreage. The plan must also require producers to report crop acreage to the Farm Service Agency.
Corrective action plans. A required corrected action plan will address procedures for allowing producers to correct negligent regulatory violations such as failing to provide a legal description, failing to obtain a license, and exceeding the THC level. The procedures must include a reasonable compliance date, reporting by the producer for two years after a violation, five years of ineligibility for producers with three negligence violations with a five-year period, and inspections to ensure implementation of corrective action plans.
Enforcement for culpable violations. A plan must have procedures for reporting any intentional, knowing, willful or reckless violations made by producers to the U.S. Attorney General and chief law enforcement officers of the State or Tribe.
Procedures for addressing felonies and false information. The plan must not allow a producer with a felony conviction relating to controlled substances to be eligible for a hemp license for a period of ten years from the felony conviction, and must prohibit a producer who materially falsifies information on an application to be ineligible for a license.
Plan review by USDA. The rule states that after a State or Tribe submits a hemp plan, USDA has 60 days to approve or deny the plan. The rule also allows USDA to audit approved state plans at least every three years.
Interstate commerce of hemp. The rule reiterates an important provision first mentioned in the 2018 Farm Bill: that no state can prohibit transportation of hemp or hemp products lawfully produced under an approved state plan or a USDA license.
USDA issued licenses. A producer in a state that chooses not to regulate hemp production may apply to the USDA for a license to cultivate hemp. The USDA’s sets forth its licensing program requirements in the rule, which are similar to provisions for State and Tribal Hemp Production Plans.
Effective date: today
It’s important to note that the USDA published the rule as an “interim final rule” that becomes effective upon its publication in the Federal Register, which is today, October 31, 2019. Federal law allows an agency to forego the typical “notice and comment” period of rulemaking and publish a final rule if there is good cause for doing so. USDA explains that good cause exists due to Congress’s interest in expeditious development of domestic hemp production, critically needed guidance to stakeholders who’ve awaited publication of the hemp rule, previous outreach efforts, and the public’s interest in engaging in a new and promising economic endeavor. The immediacy of USDA’s rule allows the agency to begin reviewing State and Tribal Hemp Production Plans now, in hopes that producers will be able to plant hemp for the 2020 growing season. USDA is seeking public input on the interim final rule for the next sixty days, however, and plans to consider such comments when it replaces the interim final rule with a “final rule” in two years time.
Is Ohio ready?
While Ohio’s Department of Agriculture (ODA) won’t be the first in line to have its hemp production program reviewed under the new USDA program, Ohio won’t be too far behind the twenty states and tribes that are already awaiting review. ODA proposed Ohio’s hemp regulations earlier this month after the General Assembly decriminalized hemp and authorized the agency to develop a hemp program in July of this year via Senate Bill 57. The USDA rule comes just one day after ODA closed the comment period on the proposed rules, which we summarize here. Once ODA publishes the final hemp regulations, it can proceed to submit Ohio’s Hemp Production Plan to the USDA for approval. Ohio’s timing may prove beneficial, as ODA now has the opportunity to review the USDA rule and ensure that Ohio’s plan will meet the federal requirements.
Our comparison of Ohio’s hemp laws and regulations to the USDA’s hemp rule indicates that Ohio is well prepared to meet the hemp rule requirements. Only a few provisions in the federal rule may require additional attention by Ohio before ODA submits its plan for USDA approval. Key among those are procedures for THC testing methods (technical details not included in Ohio’s proposed regulations) and procedures for corrective action plans (which are not clearly laid out in the proposed regulations but are addressed in Senate Bill 57). One potential conflict between the federal and Ohio rules regards destruction of hemp plants that exceed the allowable 0.3 THC level. The federal rule prohibits any further handling, processing or entering into the stream of commerce of any hemp plants from the sampling area and requires disposal of non-compliant plants, while Ohio’s regulations allow bare hemp stalks for fiber that is free of leaf, seed and floral material to be harvested, processed and used while all other material from plants that exceed 0.3 THC must be destroyed. We’ll soon see how ODA handles these and other issues when it submits Ohio’s Hemp Production Plan for USDA approval.
Read the interim final rule on “Establishment of a Domestic Hemp Production Program” here, which is also the site for submitting comments on the rule. USDA will accept public comments until December 30, 2019.
Filed under Crop Issues, Property
Tagged as hemp, hemp production plan, hemp regulations, USDA
by Peggy Kirk Hall | October 14, 2019 · 9:23 am
Ohio’s proposed hemp rules are out
Ohio’s newly created hemp program is one step further toward getting off the ground. On October 9, the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) released its anxiously awaited proposal of the rules that will regulate hemp production in Ohio. ODA seeks public comments on the proposed regulations until October 30, 2019.
There are two parts to the rules package: one rule for hemp cultivation and another for hemp processing. Here’s an overview of the components of each rule:
1. Hemp cultivation
The first rule addresses the “cultivation” of hemp, which means “to plant, water, grow, fertilize, till or harvest a plant or crop.” Cultivating also includes “possessing or storing a plant or cop on a premises where the plant was cultivated until transported to the first point of sale.” The proposal lays out the following regulatory process for those who wish to cultivate hemp in Ohio.
Cultivation licenses. Anyone who wants to grow hemp must receive a hemp cultivation license from the ODA. Licenses are valid for three years. To obtain a license, the would-be hemp cultivator must submit an application during the application window, which will be between November 1 and March 31. The application requires the applicant to provide personal information about the applicant, and if the applicant is a business, information about who is authorized to sign on behalf of the business, who will be primarily responsible for hemp operations and the identity of those having a financial interest greater than ten percent in the entity. The cultivation license application will also seek information about each location where hemp will be grown, including the GPS coordinates, physical address, number of outdoor acres or indoor square footage, and maps of each field, greenhouse, building or storage facility where hemp will grow or be stored. Cultivators must pay a license application fee of $100, and once licensed, an additional license fee of $500 for each growing location, which the rule defines as “a contiguous land area or single building in which hemp is grown or planned to be grown.” All applicants and anyone with a controlling interest in the hemp cultivation business must also submit to a criminal records check by the bureau of criminal identification and investigation.
Land use restrictions. The proposed rules state that a licensed hemp cultivator shall not:
Plant or grow cannabis that is not hemp.
Plant or grow hemp on any site not approved by the ODA.
Plant, grow, handle or store hemp in or within 100 feet of a residential structure or 500 feet of a school or public park, unless for approved research.
Co-mingle hemp with other crops without prior approval from ODA.
Plant or grow hemp outdoors on less than one-quarter acre, indoors on less than 1,000 square feet, or in a quantity of less than 1,000 plants without prior approval from ODA.
Plant or grow hemp within half a mile of a parcel licensed for medical marijuana cultivation.
Plant or grow hemp on property that the license holder does not own or lease.
Hemp harvesting. Licensed growers would be required to submit a report to ODA at least 15 days before their intended harvest date and pay a pre-harvest sample fee of $150. ODA then has to sample the hemp for THC content, and only if approved can a cultivator harvest the crop, which in most cases must occur within 15 days after the sample is taken. Failing to harvest within the 15-day window might require a secondary sampling and sampling fee. A cultivator would be required to have a hemp release form from ODA before moving any harvested materials beyond the storage facility.
Random sampling. The proposed rules also allow for random sampling of hemp by ODA and provide details on how ODA will conduct the sampling and charge sampling fees. Any cultivator is subject to random sampling in each location where hemp has been cultivated. ODA will report testing results that exceed 0.3 THC to the cultivator, who may request a second sample. A cultivator must follow procedures for destroying any leaf, seed, or floral material from plants that exceed 0.3 THC and any material that was co-mingled with the 0.3 THC materials, but may harvest bare hemp stalks for fiber.
Destruction of hemp. Under the proposed regulations, a license holder must submit a destruction report before destroying hemp and ODA must be present to witness the destruction. The proposed rules also authorize ODA to destroy a crop that was ordered destroyed, abandoned, or otherwise not harvested and assess the costs against the licensee.
Reporting and recordkeeping are also important in the proposed rules. Licensed cultivators must submit a planting report on an ODA form for each growing location by July 1 or within 15 days of planting or replanting, which shall include the crop’s location, number of acres or square footage, variety name, and primary intended use. The rule would also require licensees to submit a completed production report by December 31 of each year. A licensee that fails to submit the required reports would be subject to penalties and fines. Cultivators must maintain planting, harvest, destruction and production reports for three years.
Control of volunteer plants. A licensee must scout and monitor unused fields for volunteer hemp plants and destroy the plants for a period of three years past the last date of reported planting. Failing to do so can result in enforcement action or destruction of the plants by ODA with costs assessed to the licensee.
Pesticide and fertilizer use. The laws and rules that apply to other crops will also apply to hemp, except that when using a pesticide on a site where hemp will be planted, the cultivator must comply with the longest of any planting restriction interval on the product label. ODA may perform pesticide testing randomly, and any hemp seeds, plants and materials that exceed federal pesticide residue tolerances will be subject to forfeiture or destruction without compensation.
Prohibited varieties. The proposed rule states that licensed cultivators cannot use any part of a hemp plant that ODA has listed as a prohibited variety of hemp on its website.
Clone and seed production. Special rules apply to hemp cultivators who plan to produce clones, cuttings, propagules, and seed for propagation purposes. The cultivator can only sell the seeds or plants to other licensed cultivators and must maintain records on the variety, strain and certificate of analysis for the “mother plants.” The licensee need not submit a harvest report, but must keep sales records for three years of the purchaser, date of sale, and variety and number of plants or seeds purchased.
Cultivation research. Universities may research hemp cultivation without a license but private and non-profit entities that want to conduct research must have a cultivation license. Cultivation research licensees would be exempt from many parts of the proposed rules, but must not sell or transfer any part of the plants and must destroy the plants when the research ends.
Enforcement. The proposed rule grants authority to the ODA to deny, suspend or revoke cultivation licenses for those who’ve provide false or misleading information, haven’t completed a background check, plead guilty to a felony relating to controlled substances within the past 10 years, or violated the hemp laws and rules three or more times in a five-year period.
2. Hemp processing
The proposed rules package by ODA also addresses processing, which the rule defines as “converting hemp into a hemp product” but does not include on-farm drying or dehydrating of raw hemp materials by a licensed hemp cultivator for sale directly to a licensed hemp processor. Because of this definition, many farmers who want only to grow and dry hemp would need only a cultivation license. Growers who want to process their licensed hemp into CBD oil or other products, however, must also obtain a processing license. The processing rules follow a similar pattern to their cultivation counterpart, as follows.
Processing licenses. In addition to submitting the same personal, business and location information as a cultivation license requires, a hemp processing license application must list the types of hemp products that the processor plans to produce. An “extraction operational plan” including safety measures and guidelines is required for processors who want to extract CBD from hemp to produce their product, and an applicant must indicate compliance with all building, fire, safety and zoning requirements. The amount of the license fee depends on what part of the hemp plant the processor plans to process. Processing raw hemp fiber, for example, requires a $500 license fee for each processing site, whereas processing the raw floral component of hemp requires a $3000 fee for each site. Like the cultivation license, a processing license is valid for three years. Applicants and those with a controlling interest in the business must submit to a background check.
Land use restrictions. The proposed regulations would prevent a licensed processor from:
Processing or storing any cannabis that is not hemp.
Processing or storing hemp or hemp products on any site not approved by ODA.
Processing, handling, or storing hemp or hemp products in or adjacent to a personal residence or in any structure used for residential use or on land zoned for residential use.
Processing hemp within 500 feet of a school or public park, except for approved research.
Financial responsibility. A licensed processor must meet standards of financial responsibility, which require having current assets at least $10,000 or five percent of the total purchase of raw hemp materials in the previous calendar year, whichever is greater, and possessing a surety bond.
Inspection and sampling. As with cultivation licensees, hemp processing licensees would be subject to inspection and sampling by ODA under the proposed rule.
Food safety regulations. The proposed rule requires hemp processes to comply with federal and state food safety regulations.
Sources and extraction of cannabinoids (CBD). A processor who wants to extract or sell CBD products must obtain the materials from a licensed or approved cultivator or processor in Ohio or another state with hemp cultivation licenses. The regulation outlines components of the extraction operational plan that a processor must submit with the processing application, as well as acceptable extraction methods and required training.
Product testing. A hemp processor must test hemp products at an accredited testing laboratory before selling the products. The proposed rule describes the testing procedures, which address microbial contaminants, cannabinoid potency, mycotoxins, heavy metals, pesticide and fertilizer residue and residual solvents. There are testing exemptions, however, for hemp used exclusively for fiber, derived exclusively from hemp seed and hemp extracts. The testing laboratory must create a certificate of analysis for each batch or lot of the tested hemp product.
Processor waste disposal. Under the proposed rule, a licensed processor must follow procedures for proper disposal of hemp byproducts and waste and must maintain disposal records.
Product labeling requirements are also proposed in the rule. A processor must label all hemp products except for those made exclusively from hemp fiber as outlined in the rule and in compliance with federal law and other existing Ohio regulations for standards of identify and food coloring.
Recordkeeping. As we’d expect, the proposal states that hemp processors must maintain records for five years that relate to the purchase of raw, unprocessed plant materials, the purchase or use of extracted cannabinoids, and the extraction process.
Prohibited products. Finally, the proposed rules include a list of hemp products that cannot be offered for sale, which includes hemp products with over 0.3 percent THC by dry weight basis, hemp products which laboratory testing determines do not meet standards of identity or that exceed the amount of mytoxins, heavy metals, or pesticides allowed, and any hemp products produced illegally.
What’s next for the hemp rules?
Keep in mind that these rules are not yet set in stone; they are a simply a proposal for hemp licensing rules in Ohio. Those interested in cultivating or processing hemp in the future should read the draft rules carefully. The proposed rule for hemp cultivation is here and the proposal for hemp processing is here. Anyone can submit comments on the proposed rules here. Your comments could affect what the final hemp rules require for hemp cultivators and processors. After ODA reviews all comments, it will issue its final hemp licensing regulations.
Federal law requires that after Ohio finalizes its rules, ODA must submit them to the USDA for approval. That approval won’t occur, however, until USDA completes its own hemp regulations, which are due out in proposal form any day now. Ohio’s rules will become effective once USDA approves them, hopefully in time for the 2020 planting season. Stay tuned to the Ag Law Blog to see what happens next with hemp production in Ohio.
Tagged as hemp, hemp regulations, industrial hemp
by Peggy Kirk Hall | September 16, 2019 · 2:05 pm
Farm Science Review is upon us, and we’re hoping that the low-80s forecast holds true. In addition to checking the weather report, we’ve been monitoring the news for developments in the agricultural law world, and quizzing each other on agricultural law topics so that we’re ready to answer your questions. While we hope you come see our presentations (speaking schedule available HERE), we won’t make you wait until you see us at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center in London to learn what we’ve found in the news.
Here’s our latest gathering of agricultural law news you may want to know:
Family Farmer Relief Act of 2019 signed into law. We’ve talked about this bill on the ag law blog, and now it’s official. With the President’s signature, the debt limit for family farmers seeking to reorganize under Chapter 12 bankruptcy increases to $10 million from an adjusted $4.4 million.
No vote on community rights in Williams County, yet. A proposed county charter for Williams County, Ohio containing language similar to the Lake Erie Bill of Rights may not make it on the November ballot. The Ohio Supreme Court recently refused to compel the Williams County Board of Elections (BOE) to include the charter on the ballot for procedural reasons.
The charter would have declared that the people of Williams County have the right to a healthy environment and sustainable community, and that the Michindoh Aquifer and its ecosystem have the right to exist, flourish, evolve, regenerate. Further, the aquifer would have the right of restoration, recovery, and preservation, including the right to be free from interferences such as the extraction, sale, lease, transportation, or distribution of water outside of the aquifer’s boundary.
Even though the petition to put the charter on the ballot had enough signatures, the BOE believed that the language of the charter violated Ohio law, and therefore exercised its power to reject the petition and keep it off the ballot. The petitioners appealed the BOE’s decision to the Williams County Court of Common Pleas, and that court agreed with the BOE. Instead of going to the Court of Appeals, the petitioners tried to go directly the Ohio Supreme Court because the BOE will soon print the November ballots. The Ohio Supreme Court said the petitioners should have gone to the Court of Appeals first, and that it will not decide on whether the BOE has to include the charter on the ballot until the petitioners do so.
This doesn’t mean the end for the proposed charter, but rather that more court time is in the proposed charter’s future. To read the Ohio Supreme Court’s opinion, click HERE. To read the text of the proposed charter, click HERE.
Hemp, hemp, and more hemp. Legal and policy updates on hemp continue to trickle down from state and federal officials. Since our last blog post, when we released our latest law bulletin on the legal status of hemp in Ohio, there have been a couple additional developments.
One of the latest updates we’ve heard from USDA is that industrial hemp growers in states with a USDA-approved hemp production plan may apply for crop insurance to cover hemp grown for fiber, flower, or seeds starting next year. Ohio is in the process of putting together a hemp program to send to the USDA for approval. Ohio farmers still cannot legally grow hemp until the Ohio Department of Agriculture creates a hemp program and the USDA approves that program, but we are expecting rules to be released from those agencies in the coming weeks. For more about the crop insurance update, read the Risk Management Agency’s press release HERE.
Closer to home, we’ve heard that the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) has requested $3.3 million from the Ohio Controlling Board for staffing along with IT equipment and support. Further, ODA has made statements predicting that it expects to have its rule hemp program rule package ready by the end of the year.
Federal court orders U.S. EPA to reconsider Renewable Fuel Standards waivers and their impact on endangered species. The U.S. EPA is responsible for creating fuel standards that incorporate and blend renewable sources of energy under the Clean Air Act. These standards tell refineries how much of their fuel blend must come from renewable sources of energy; however, the U.S. EPA also has the authority to grant waivers to companies that would have difficulty meeting the standard. The court noted that some industry groups felt that the 2018 rules were too strict, while others argued that they were too lax. The court ended up dismissing all but one of the claims against the U.S. EPA, saying that Congress gave it discretion in developing the standards. However, the court sent the rule back to the U.S. EPA due to an argument by environmental groups that the federal agency failed to conduct a thorough review of the risk to endangered animals, plants, and habitats under the Endangered Species Act. Many farm groups have criticized the Trump administration’s granting of waivers for causing a reduction in demand for their products from energy companies, but it appears that they will have to make their arguments to the administration rather than to the courts. To read the D.C. Circuit’s opinion, click HERE.
Filed under ag law harvest
Tagged as chapter 12 bankruptcy, community rights, Family Farmer Relief Act, fuel waivers, hemp, renewable fuel standards
by Peggy Kirk Hall | September 6, 2019 · 12:26 pm
Ohio Ag Law Blog— Law Bulletin Helps Explain the New Hemp Frontier
Written by Ellen Essman, Senior Research Associate, OSU Extension Agricultural & Resource Law Program
These days, industrial hemp never seems to leave the news. Just this week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit declined to decide a case involving the interstate shipment of hemp between Oregon and Colorado by way of Idaho. Hemp is illegal in Idaho, where the product was seized and the driver was arrested, even though the 2018 Farm Bill allows for the interstate transportation of hemp. The Ninth Circuit, reviewing the case, determined that the state court actions needed to be decided before federal courts could hear the case. As you may be aware, Ohio also made news this summer when the state passed a bill legalizing hemp in the state.
All of these developments involving industrial hemp may leave you with many questions. What is hemp? What did the 2018 Farm Bill do? What does Ohio’s new law do? Most importantly, can I grow and process hemp right now? To help farmers and others interested in the status of the hemp industry, we have recently added a law bulletin entitled “Legal or Not? Growing Industrial Hemp in Ohio” to our Ag Law Library. There, we sort out the above questions and more. We also discuss the anticipated development of federal and state hemp regulations. The bulletin is available for you to read here.
Filed under Crop Issues, Uncategorized
Tagged as crop insurance, farm bill, hemp, industrial hemp, law bulletin
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OFFICE OF
STATUS OF THE
SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION’S
IMPLEMENTATION OF FISCAL YEAR 2000
MANAGEMENT LETTER ISSUES
We improve SSA programs and operations and protect them against fraud, waste, and abuse by conducting independent and objective audits, evaluations, and investigations. We provide timely, useful, and reliable information and advice to Administration officials, the Congress, and the public.
The Inspector General Act created independent audit and investigative units, called the Office of Inspector General (OIG). The mission of the OIG, as spelled out in the Act, is to:
Conduct and supervise independent and objective audits and investigations relating to agency programs and operations.
Promote economy, effectiveness, and efficiency within the agency.
Prevent and detect fraud, waste, and abuse in agency programs and operations.
Review and make recommendations regarding existing and proposed legislation and regulations relating to agency programs and operations.
Keep the agency head and the Congress fully and currently informed of problems in agency programs and operations.
To ensure objectivity, the IG Act empowers the IG with:
Independence to determine what reviews to perform.
Access to all information necessary for the reviews.
Authority to publish findings and recommendations based on the reviews.
By conducting independent and objective audits, investigations, and evaluations, we are agents of positive change striving for continuous improvement in the Social Security Administration's programs, operations, and management and in our own office.
Date: September 20, 2002 :
To: The Commissioner
From: Inspector General
Subject: Status of the Social Security Administration’s Implementation of Fiscal Year 2000 Management Letter Issues (A-15-02-12046)
This is a follow-up audit to the PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC), "FY 2000 Management Letter – Part 2, Recommendations to Improve Management Controls and Operations Resulting from the Fiscal Year 2000 Financial Statement Audit," dated November 30, 2000. The objective of this follow-up audit was to determine the status of corrective action on selected findings and recommendations in the management letter referred to above.
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2000, PwC, an independent Certified Public Accounting firm, performed an audit of the consolidated financial statements of the Social Security Administration (SSA) as of and for the year ending September 30, 2000. PwC issued its Report of Independent Accountants, dated November 30, 2000, which is included in SSA’s Performance and Accountability Report for FY 2000. The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) monitored the work of PwC.
The primary objectives of the financial statement audit were to:
Give an opinion on the SSA financial statements as of and for the year ending September 30, 2000, including the related notes.
Give an opinion as to whether SSA management’s assertion about the effectiveness of its internal control was fairly stated.
Issue a report on SSA’s compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
Determine whether any material inconsistency was found between the financial statements and the accompanying overview and supplemental information (including performance measures), and PwC’s understanding of relevant internal control for the reported performance measures, its determination as to whether they had been placed in operation, and its assessment of the related control risk.
The audit of SSA’s financial statement also identified conditions that did not have a material impact on the financial statements. To report these conditions, PwC issued Management Letters – Part 1 and Part 2 to SSA addressing areas in need of management attention. Management Letter, Part 1, conveys details of a sensitive nature to SSA and is, therefore, restricted in its use. It is considered a limited distribution report. Management Letter – Part 2, contains issues of a general nature and is not limited in its distribution, but is intended as information for management and the Inspector General of SSA. In accordance with applicable standards, the Management Letter issues were not considered by PwC to be material weaknesses or reportable conditions. Nonetheless, the letters contain both findings and recommendations requiring management action.
SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY
We performed follow-up audit work on 22 of the 58 recommendations published in PwC’s FY 2000 Management Letter – Part 2. We selected recommendations from the FY 2000 report that, in our opinion, were the most important for SSA to implement. Because the original audit was SSA-wide, the findings and recommendations covered various offices within SSA. For the specific findings we reviewed, see Appendix A.
To accomplish our objective, we:
Validated SSA’s reported status of management action on selected recommendations.
Determined whether corrective action has addressed the recommendations.
We conducted our review from December 2001 through March 2002, at SSA Headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland. Our audit was conducted in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards.
RESULTS OF REVIEW
Of the 22 recommendations we selected, SSA reported that it completed work on 11 recommendations. SSA agreed with, but had not fully completed corrective actions on the remaining 11 recommendations.
OIG’s Evaluation of SSA Corrective Actions
We evaluated SSA’s progress and corrective actions by: interviewing the responsible SSA contact officials; reviewing PwC’s work conducted during the FY 2001 financial statement audit; and performing audit tests where necessary. In some cases, we relied on the audit work performed by PwC during the FY 2001 financial statement audit. The results of our review are as follows:
Findings/Recommendations
OIG agrees with SSA’s reported status
OIG disagrees with SSA’s reported status
Summary of OIG’s Findings
PwC recommended SSA complete the drafting and implementation of program service center (PSC) change control procedures and consider assigning the production environment to non-programmers. SSA agreed with this recommendation and reported that work on this recommendation was complete. OIG determined that corrective action is not complete. SSA has developed standardized change control procedures for the PSCs. However, a systems change still needs to be made to limit programmer access to the production environment at the PSCs. SSA stated that it expected to complete this change by the end of April 2002. However, as of April 2, 2002, this was not completed. See finding II.B.2. on pages 3-4 of Appendix A.
PwC recommended SSA enhance the current re-certification process by implementing a standard profile for each position requiring access to the Financial Accounting System (FACTS), and a requirement that access be requested in terms of the standard profile. SSA agreed with this recommendation and reported that work on this recommendation would be completed by August 31, 2001. OIG determined that corrective action was not completed by August 31, 2001. SSA has created standard profiles for all of the FACTS users. However, as of April 5, 2002, a re-certification had not been completed. It is important that the re-certification process is completed to ensure that the level of access currently held by FACTS users matches their standard profiles. See finding V.A.5. on pages 28-29 of Appendix A.
PwC recommended SSA document the process which should be followed regarding possible disputes with the Department of Treasury (Treasury) and determine that Treasury is in agreement with all aspects of SSA’s procedures of estimating the tax revenues and for resolving discrepancies. SSA agreed with this recommendation and reported that procedures would be in place by August 31, 2001. SSA did issue its accounting manual chapter; however, Treasury has not yet established a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with SSA. This was scheduled to take place during FY 2002. SSA believes the finding should be closed. OIG agrees that SSA has completed all work that it can at this time and can close this finding. We encourage SSA to monitor Treasury’s actions to formalize the MOU. See finding VI.B.1. on pages 40-41 of Appendix A.
PwC recommended that SSA develop and document a comprehensive set of policies and procedures regarding the Limitation on Administrative Expenses (LAE) program to outline how transactions are processed, allocated, and reported. SSA agreed with the recommendation and stated that the documentation would be complete by August 31, 2001. OIG determined that corrective action on this recommendation was not complete as of January 30, 2002. SSA had drafted LAE Accounting and Reporting procedures in August 2001. SSA recently revised the draft procedures, but has not completed this effort. See finding VI.C.2. on pages 44-45 of Appendix A.
Based on our work, we determined that SSA has implemented 8 of the 22 recommendations we selected for examination from PwC’s FY 2000 Management Letter – Part 2. SSA has not fully implemented the remaining 14 recommendations, although some actions have been taken to begin addressing these issues. Of the 14 recommendations not fully implemented, only 4 were new recommendations made during the FY 2000 financial statement audit.
YEAR RECOMMENDATIONS WERE FIRST REPORTED
NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS WHERE CORRECTIVE ACTION IS INCOMPLETE
TOTAL INCOMPLETE
Since PwC has already made these recommendations in the FY 2000 Management Letter – Part 2, we will not include duplicate recommendations in this report. However, SSA should continue to work to bring all of the issues identified by PwC to closure within the next audit cycle. In addition, in April 2002, PwC issued the FY 2001 Management Letter – Parts 1 and 2, which makes further recommendations for some of the issues discussed in this report.
AGENCY COMMENTS AND OIG RESPONSE
SSA did not disagree with our findings presented in the formal draft report, but stated that it has completed work or will shortly complete work on the four recommendations where OIG disagreed with SSA’s reported status. SSA stated that finding 1 under the "Results of Review" section of this report will be completed in 6 weeks. SSA stated that finding 2 was completed on May 6, 2002. However, based on our discussions with PwC, FY 2002 testing found individuals who had left SSA’s Office of Finance, but still had access to FACTS. With respect to finding 3, we agree that SSA has completed as much as it can at this time. Based on SSA’s comments to our formal draft report, we have reconsidered our position and agree to close this finding. However, we believe trust fund tax revenue estimation is a critical process, and we encourage SSA to monitor Treasury’s efforts to complete an MOU. Lastly, SSA stated that the LAE accounting policies and procedures discussed in finding 4 are now complete. However, OIG did not conduct further testing to validate the new accounting procedures.
James G. Huse, Jr.
APPENDIX A – Audit Results: FY 2000 Management Letter Part 2
APPENDIX B – Table of Acronyms
APPENDIX C – Agency Comments
APPENDIX D – OIG Contacts and Staff Acknowledgments
Audit Results – FY 2000 Management Letter – Part 2
Report Section/Area Application Development and Change Control – Scope of Application Programmer Duties
Finding/Rec Number II.B.1.
PwC Finding In prior year audits we noted that the existing architecture for the change control process is Endevor software, which records programmatic changes within the Development to Validation process. A program change will then migrate to final production through the use of both SSA home grown and third party software. We previously recommended that SSA establish a QA library where only validated software that is ready to be moved into production will reside. In addition to the establishment of this QA library, SSA was considering expanding the role of Endevor to be included within the Validation to Integration and Integration to Production stages of the program change control process. At this time, SSA is analyzing whether utilizing the additional capabilities of Endevor software would provide the most effective controls. If Endevor's capabilities prove effective, implementation of these capabilities would replace the use of the QA library, provide controlled migration of code between regions and protect source code and load modules from unauthorized tampering.
PwC Recommendation SSA should expedite its assessment of the potential use of Endevor in the Validation to Integration and Integration to Production phases of the system change control process. If, as a result of this assessment, SSA decides not to use Endevor in lieu of establishing a QA library for this purpose, the agency should continue to work towards implementing the QA library for use in moving validated software into production.
SSA Management Response We agree. SSA has completed an extensive assessment of a number of options including ENDEVOR to properly maintain the scope of programmer duties in the release of executable applications. An enhanced version of the QA solution recommended by PwC has been approved by development. It will be an automated process which incorporates the SRCOL approval software (see II.A.2.), a Quality Assurance library, enhancements to SRCOL for movement of executables and establishes various automated alerts to assure the proper separation of duties as noted in prior year audits.
Cross Reference FY99 Management Letter - Part 2, II.2.A; FY98 Management Letter - Part 2, II.2.A; FY97 Management Letter - Part 2, III.2.A.
SSA Action Plan See management response.
Current Status per SSA ENDEVOR was determined not to be a suitable tool for maintaining separation of duties. However, as noted in the Agency's initial response, a QA solution is being developed. We expect initial rollout to occur in March 2002, and full deployment by September 2002.
SSA Target Date September 1, 2002
End Date – OIG Review 1/10/02
OIG Confirmation of Status Agree. SSA’s work on this recommendation is incomplete. SSA is ready to start validation of the QA solution it developed (called QA2), which should be complete in the spring of 2002. Rollout is still planned for the fall of 2002.
Report Section/Area Application Development and Change Control - Scope of Application Programmer Duties Finding/Rec Number II.B.2.
PwC Finding The current manual change control process in place at PSCs is ineffective. PSC programmers have the ability to develop and maintain code while at the same time being allowed to move programs into the production environment. This increases the risk that programs adversely impacting the normal processing of information (e.g., programs to suppress alerts and/or exceptions), unauthorized programs, and/or unauthorized changes to authorized programs can be implemented into production.
SSA Headquarters has formed a productivity workgroup which is addressing this issue through the development of procedures detailing the migration of programs into the production environment, and the change control process surrounding those programs.
PwC Recommendation The Headquarters productivity workgroup should complete the drafting and implementation of PSC change control procedures. These procedures provide for removing the ability of PSC programmers to migrate new and modified programs into the production environment. In this regard, SSA should consider assigning the production environment to non-programmers, as suggested by the productivity workgroup.
SSA Management Response We agree. Operations implemented a standardized change control process in the PSCs effective January 2, 2001. The PSC local programmers also reached a consensus on limiting programmer access to production software. A workgroup consisting of DCO and DCS personnel in cooperation with local PSC programmers are developing a TOP SECRET process to assure separation of duties. Once implemented, access to the production environment will be limited to non-programming personnel.
Cross Reference New
Current Status per SSA The PSCs have developed a change control process that will require review and management signoff prior to moving any new software or modification to existing software from development to production. This process is being used at all seven PSCs. Originals of change control forms will be retained by the Integrity staff at each PSC to document this process.
SSA Target Date Completed
OIG Confirmation of Status Disagree. SSA’s work on this recommendation is incomplete. SSA has developed standardized change control procedures for the processing centers. However, TOP SECRET has not been changed to limit programmer access at the processing centers to the production environment. On April 2, 2002 SSA informed OIG that it expected to complete this change by the end of April 2002.
Report Section/Area Service Continuity Finding/Rec Number III.2.
PwC Finding At the time of our fieldwork, SSA had not yet completed documenting a business continuity plan for the FACTS application. Management represented that appropriate business continuity procedures had been developed, but this did not include documenting and distributing to affected staff a list of IT personnel and users responsible for action during operational failure. In addition, no documentation was available confirming that any existing informal procedures had been kept up to date and adequately tested.
Without a formally documented business continuity plan that is comprehensive, updated regularly, and periodically tested, management cannot be assured that necessary FACTS processing can be accomplished during an emergency.
PwC Recommendation SSA should expedite completion of a formally documented business continuity plan for FACTS, ensuring that it is:
- Sufficiently comprehensive, addressing both short term and long term interruption to normal processing and providing for such actions as the preparation and distribution of a list of IT personnel and users responsible for action during operational failure;
- Updated regularly; and
- Periodically tested.
SSA Management Response We agree. Building upon the existing emergency response procedures for FACTS, SSA will develop a business continuity plan outlining the accounting process and responsible personnel in the event of short and long-term operational failure. We anticipate preparation of the plan by May 1, 2001.
Current Status per SSA The business continuity plan for OFPO systems has been drafted and is undergoing review and revision.
SSA Target Date Ongoing
End Date – OIG Review 3/1/02
OIG Confirmation of Status Agree. SSA’s work on this recommendation is incomplete. SSA developed a business continuity plan for FACTS in August 2001. However, this plan needs to be tested before OIG will consider this recommendation closed. As of the end of our fieldwork, no dates had been set up for testing.
Report Section/Area Programmatic Systems – Title II
Finding/Rec Number IV.A.1.
PwC Finding SSA has accepted specified levels of access granted to individuals in the field as being excessive in order to provide a high level of customer service. Compensating controls have been implemented to control this access such as the integrity review process. During the FY 2000 audit, PwC noted that the access granted to supervisors allows them to initiate and adjudicate claims. This is a separation of duties weakness that is not compensated for through inclusion in the integrity review process as required in SSA’s "Behind the Scenes" Policy.
PwC Recommendation SSA should implement a process that would include the independent review of initial claims that are also adjudicated by the same individual, especially if that individual is performing the duties of a supervisor.
SSA Management Response We agree and are addressing this issue through an alternative approach. SSA has a formal systems life cycle process for the development of all of its applications. The life cycle integrates security into the development of each application and ensures that compensating controls to mitigate opportunity for fraud are put in place before applications move to production.
The Enumeration process, a crucial first step for attaining Title II benefits, is subject to variety of compensating controls that include systems access, system enforced separation of duties through a 2-PIN procedure and reviews performed by management, such as CIRP and the Enumeration Sample Review. Moreover, Enumeration is also subjected to oversight by independent organizations, such as OIG, quality reviews and audit trail tracking.
Compensating controls also are incorporated into the Title II claims initiation and adjudication processes, significantly reducing opportunity for fraud. Controls specific to Title II claims processes include the Integrated Client Data Base, which provides death alerts from the Numident. SSA’s claims procedure requires documentary review and are subjected to quality assurance reviews. As with Enumeration, Title II claims are also subjected to the system enforced 2-PIN procedure. In addition, claims are checked against the Numident for date of death and are subjected to integrity reviews and audit tracking.
Finally, when implemented, CIRP Release 4 will provide for a review of claims where an employee processed an initial enumeration and adjudicated the same claim. CIRP also ensures an independent review by preventing an individual from reviewing actions which they processed.
Current Status per SSA Selection criteria is under development jointly by DCFAM, OISS; DCO, OPSOS; AND DCS, OSA.
SSA Target Date To be determined.
Updated Target Date Complete
OIG Confirmation of Status Agree. SSA’s work on this recommendation is complete. PwC was able to test 19 of 22 compensating controls over initial and adjudicated claims and determined that these controls are effective. OIG reviewed PwC’s documentation and agrees that these controls are effective. In addition, SSA has scheduled CIRP release 4 for implementation in June 2003. Therefore, OIG believes that SSA has taken appropriate steps to complete work on this recommendation.
PwC Finding PwC performed on-line and batch testing of the Title II application as part of its FY 2000 audit. This testing included entering transactions in both MCS and MACADE to ensure adequate editing and data validation checks were performed to ensure data integrity and reduce the risk of fraud. As a result of our work the following situations were identified:
- MCS should have provided (but did not) an alert or error message when:
- An individual filing for a claim was dead.
- A child was filing for a claim, but was married.
- The date of adoption of a child was after the numberholder’s date of death.
- MACADE should have provided (but did not) an alert or error message when:
- The sex code is not validated when entering claim information.
- The Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) is not validated to ensure that it is <=$3,000.
PwC Recommendation SSA needs to enhance its edits and data validation checks for Title II applications, thereby improving data integrity and reducing the risk of fraud. Additionally, the batch process should produce alerts for transactions that are inaccurate or questionable but have not resulted in a surface, inter-screen or intra-screen error message being displayed during on-line data entry.
SSA Management Response We agree and are evaluating PwC’s findings. Corrective actions will be incorporated into future Title II redesign initiatives.
Current Status per SSA SSA provided PwC with additional information regarding the MACADE findings and it was agreed that these situations were valid and no action was necessary by SSA.
Regarding MCS findings, we agree and expect to schedule changes for a future release.
OIG Confirmation of Status Agree. SSA’s work on this recommendation is complete. PwC was not able to test all MCS edits in the online environment. However, for the edits that were tested, PwC found no exceptions. In addition, a MCS release was completed in September 2001 that includes corrections made to the edits PwC was not able to test. PwC was able to test MACADE edits online with no exceptions. SSA should continue to ensure that alerts are working correctly in the situations described in PwC’s finding, as PwC will be testing these again for FY 2002.
Report Section/Area Programmatic Systems – Earnings Record Maintenance System (ERMS)
Finding/Rec Number IV.B.1.
PwC Finding SSA has developed a key initiative tactical plan and schedule entitled "Reduce Earnings Suspense File’s Future Growth and Current Size" to address the suspense file and reconciliation issue identified in 1997. This plan, initially drafted in July 1998, is currently being revisited for changes, which SSA had hoped to complete by December 1999. During the FY 2000 audit, a contract was awarded to a third party to provide assistance and guidance in reducing the suspense file and implement a process that would maintain future suspense postings at a manageable level.
PwC Recommendation SSA should await the results of the contractor’s efforts on the suspense file project and then use them to implement a solution to reduce the suspense file and improve the process for handling future suspense postings.
SSA Management Response SSA is still waiting on the contractor’s final report. When the report is received, SSA will assess the results and determine what actions are appropriate.
Cross Reference FY99 Management Letter - Part 2, III.2.A; FY98 Management Letter - Part 2, III.3.A; FY97 Management Letter - Part 2, V.3.A.1.
SSA Action Plan A final action plan will be developed based on the outcome of the contractor’s efforts.
Current Status per SSA SSA recently received the contractor’s final report and is in the process of evaluating its findings and recommendations.
OIG Confirmation of Status Agree. SSA’s work on this recommendation is incomplete. SSA has not yet selected an approach option from the contractor’s final report. The Office of Quality Assurance (OQA) is evaluating the report and expects to complete their evaluation by October 31, 2002.
Report Section/Area Programmatic Systems – Death Alert, Control and Update System (DACUS)
Finding/Rec Number IV.D.2.
PwC Finding As PwC has noted in prior audits, SSA’s current practice of obtaining death data does not ensure that this data is entered into DACUS accurately, timely, and only once. External entities under contract to SSA to supply death data are paid 60 cents per transaction. SSA could pay more than once for the same death data because DACUS contains no edit routine to identify instances where two or more data providers submit the same death notice. These data providers are contractually required to submit death notices within 3 months of the month of death. The majority of these entities are still preparing this data manually prior to transmission, accounting for the extended time period allowed for data submission. SSA is moving forward with the implementation of electronic death certificates to reduce the timeframe for submission. Upon the completion of the pilot program for this process, SSA expects to deliver final contract standards to the states by March 2001 and to phase in all states over the next five to ten years.
PwC Recommendation SSA should look for ways to expedite its initiatives for reducing the amount of time required by outside sources to submit death notifications, such as use of the electronic death certificate.
SSA Management Response We agree. We concur with the recommendation to explore initiatives to obtain death data more timely from outside agencies. SSA is providing support for the Electronic Data Registration (EDR) pilot activities now being developed by partially funding the States to develop and implement their electronic systems. Under EDR, SSA will receive a death report from the States within 24 hours or within 5 days of the filed certificate.
Cross Reference FY99 Management Letter - Part 2, III.4.B; FY98 Management Letter - Part 2, III.5.B.
Current Status per SSA SSA plans to award contracts to some of the States in September 2001. Under EDR, SSA will receive a death report from the States within 24 hours or within 5 days of the person’s death. Part of SSA’s requirement is to obtain a verified SSN at the first point of collection in the EDR process. For those verified SSN’s, SSA will take immediate action on those death reports.
DCS recently received from DCDISP two new Initiative Information Documents outlining a permanent Internet-based solution and changes that would designate an EDR as a first priority report. Meetings/discussions to schedule the Initiative Information Documents began on July 19, 2001 and the Plan Chairs for the affected 5 Year Plans are working to determine timeframes for the planning and analysis on this project.
OIG Confirmation of Status Agree. SSA’s work on this recommendation is incomplete. SSA has made considerable progress towards closing this recommendation. It awarded two contracts to New Hampshire and Washington, D.C. to begin receiving electronic death reports and plans to eventually award contracts to all states. In addition, SSA is planning a pilot for Electronic Death Registration to begin in August 2002.
Report Section/Area Programmatic Systems – Computer Assisted Audit Techniques
Finding/Rec Number IV.F.Overview
PwC Finding Overview
Our 2000 work confirmed that data reliability/integrity weaknesses still exist within SSA’s automated files and records. While such problems can result from application change control weaknesses or application design weaknesses, they can also be the result of minimal effort made to remove incorrect data remaining on files after identified software code weaknesses have been corrected. These data anomalies could impact future processing or add to SSA’s workload by requiring extra effort to resolve incorrect data.
We performed selected tests, using audit software, on some of SSA’s primary data files. This testing was restricted to the eleventh segment of the Numident, MBR, and SSR files, and to the 1999 earnings data posted for persons in that segment. A projected total for all segments is presented in parenthesis for each test listed.
Although SSA has shown some improvement in this area, examples of the data integrity weaknesses we identified during our 2000 testing are discussed below.
PwC Recommendation General Recommendations
SSA should:
- Analyze its automated databases to identify key data integrity conditions that should apply within and across databases.
- Design and implement data integrity checking programs for the full production databases to identify the total population of records with potential data integrity problems.
- Investigate, identify, and rectify the root causes of data integrity problems.
- Ensure appropriate automated and manual controls are in place to prevent problems from recurring, including periodically running the data integrity checking programs as a detective control.
- Investigate and correct instances of invalid data on individual records that may affect payment status. Refer any suspicious transactions to the OIG for investigation.
- Improve data administration for systems with regard to applying consistent definitions and formats for commonly used data elements.
For those instances where the data integrity problems noted may be the result of historical problems now prevented by recent SSA modernization efforts, the agency should ensure that the existence of this data will not adversely affect the payment status of any individual.
SSA Management Response We agree. However, there are no major changes planned for Client between now and the end of the calendar year (2001) that would impact this recommendation. With all available resources devoted to high priority initiatives in the TII and TXVI areas, not to mention legislation and Internet, there are none available to work on Client-related enhancements.
Long-range plans exist to develop the Client system to strengthen data integrity. Automated database clean-up efforts, whenever technically feasible, are included in these plans. One example is the planned posting of proven dates of birth on the MBR and SSR to the Numident. This will not only reduce date of birth discrepancies, but also facilitate future postings of dates of death since there will be fewer non-match situations. This activity is currently unscheduled in the Enumeration/Client 5-Year Plan; resource issues may or may not impact the originally anticipated implementation target date of late 2001; we will know more by March 2001.
Current Status per SSA Recent and upcoming Client activity to improve data integrity and system communication includes:
· With the 9/2001 T2R2.1 release, certain miscellaneous data corrections coming in through the MONET system will also update Client and the Numident. This includes corrections to claimants own SSN plus changes to DOB, DOB proof and SEX.
· Also with the 9/2001 T2R2.1 release, the T2R batch process will update Client with language preference changes.
· A service request has been submitted to OSDD to clean up certain data anomalies remaining on Client after software changes had been incorporated. Due to higher priority initiatives, OSDD resources have not yet been available to institute the cleanup activity.
· A contractor review of SSA death processing is currently being done with an eye toward a future overhaul of such processing. The Client database and/or screens will be integral to any resulting new process and will help to enable sharing and integrity of death data.
· Client is slated to play an important role in the proposed Customer Service Record (CSR) project. This system also is intended to interface with SSA's application systems and promote data sharing and hence, greater data integrity.
OIG Comment See Finding/Rec Numbers IV.F.1., IV.F.2., and IV.F.4. for specific findings, management response, and OIG conclusions. The Overview is not considered a separate recommendation by OIG.
Finding/Rec Number IV.F.1.
PwC Finding In 1997, a comparison of the MBR and Numident identified 819 records (projected total 16,380) where the individual was alive and in a current pay status on the MBR but listed as dead on the Numident.
In 1998, the comparison yielded similar results, with 944 records (projected total 18,880) identified.
In 1999, our comparison again yielded similar results, with 867 records (projected total of 17,340) identified.
The 2000 comparison showed a slight improvement, with a yield of 706 records (projected total of 14,120).
PwC Recommendation Refer to the General Recommendations in the Overview above.
SSA Management Response F.1 and F.2. We agree. In November 2000, we implemented a DACUS change that will automatically delete the Numident death posting when a person is reinstated to benefit status on the MBR and/or SSR after having been erroneously terminated for death. The former second input needed to DACUS was the primary cause of these inconsistencies. We are currently developing a program to identify all records on the MBR where payment has been reinstated and the Numident retains the death information. We will then delete the erroneous death. We expect to complete this by March. We will then develop a similar matching and update for the SSR; we do not yet have a target date. We expect that this will eliminate the problem.
Cross Reference FY99 Management Letter - Part 2, III.6.A; FY98 Management Letter - Part 2, III.6.Overview and A.-D.; FY97 Management Letter - Part 2, III.6.A. and A1. - A4.
Current Status per SSA Actions to identify MBR records where payment was reinstated but the Numident retained the death information was completed for one segment of the Numident in March 2001. The results of this match are being analyzed and will be presented to management. Actions to address SSR/Numident inconsistencies remain in development.
OIG Confirmation of Status Agree. SSA’s work on this recommendation is incomplete. Progress has been made, as PwC found only eight discrepant cases after the date of the DACUS change in the MBR segment it tested. In addition, SSA now has several projects under way to help decrease the number of discrepancies encountered. In the future, PwC plans to address the cause of these discrepancies in a new recommendation that is being developed. SSA is still completing work to manually correct MBR/Numident discrepancies where the date of death is 1990 or later.
PwC Finding In 1997, a comparison of the SSR and Numident identified 60 records (projected total 1200) where the individual was alive and in a current pay status on the SSR but listed as dead on the Numident.
In 1998, the comparison yielded similar results, with 66 records (projected total 1320) being identified.
In our 1999 testing we identified 49 (projected total 980) records meeting this test criteria.
In 2000, the comparison identified 79 (projected total of 1580) individuals that were alive and in current pay status on the SSR, but listed as dead on the Numident.
Cross Reference FY99 Management Letter - Part 2, III.6.B; FY98 Management Letter - Part 2, III.6.Overview and A.-D.; FY97 Management Letter - Part 2, III.6.A. and A1. - A4.
OIG Confirmation of Status Agree. SSA’s work on this recommendation is incomplete. PwC found discrepancies after the date of the DACUS change in the SSR segment it tested. SSA now has several projects under way to help decrease the number of discrepancies encountered. SSA is still completing work to manually correct SSR/Numident discrepancies where the date of death is 1990 or later.
PwC Finding In 1997, a comparison of the MBR, SSR, and Numident identified a large number of corresponding records with significant differences in dates of birth. Using a tolerance of >3 years for comparison purposes, we noted 13,998 differences between the MBR and the Numident, and 20,254 between the SSR and Numident.
The number of discrepancies improved in 1998; however, we still identified 6,433 differences between the MBR and the Numident, and 711 between the SSR and Numident.
In 1999 the numbers improved some more with 6,078 differences between the MBR and the Numident, and 579 between the SSR and Numident.
In 2000, the number of records with a date of birth difference > 3 years between the MBR and the Numident continued to improve, dropping to 5,389. However, we also identified 1,041 records with a date of birth difference > 3 years between the SSR and Numident, a significant increase over the 1999 results.
SSA Management Response We agree with this recommendation. We continue to plan to resolve the condition by updating the Numident with the proven MBR and SSR dates of birth. However, higher priority workloads continue to keep this project as Unscheduled in the 5 Year Plan.
Cross Reference FY99 Management Letter - Part 2, III.6.D; FY98 Management Letter - Part 2, III.6.Overview and A.-D.; FY97 Management Letter - Part 2, III.6.A. and A1. - A4.
Current Status per SSA No change.
OIG Confirmation of Status Agree. SSA’s work on this recommendation is incomplete. SSA indicated that there has been no status change since the last update. Clean up of discrepant cases is still unscheduled in the 5-Year Plan.
Report Section/Area Administrative Systems – Financial Accounting System (FACTS)
Finding/Rec Number V.A.2.
PwC Finding Past audits determined that additional changes in the front-end edit criteria are required to reduce the number of suspense items. Without these changes, the number of suspense items would grow to a level that would impair SSA’s ability to clear items in a timely manner. This, in turn, would increase the risk of inaccurate data and inflated dollar values in suspense.
SSA implemented four fixes during FY 1999 to address this issue. During FY 2000 the agency also implemented a Third Party Draft vendor table in the field offices that is to reduce the number of rejections by providing valid EINs that will be used to edit input prior to transmission to Headquarters.
Release 1.1 of the Third Party Draft system has been received by 1300 field offices. About 435 offices have already converted to the new system. The field offices can now update the FACTS vendor tables using a manual process. Release 2.0, which was expected in October 2000, will allow a more direct link to the FACTS vendor tables.
At the time of our follow-up work, the implementation of the Third Party Draft vendor table had little impact on the volume of suspense transactions. We acknowledge, however, that this initiative probably had not been in place long enough to fairly assess its effectiveness.
PwC Recommendation SSA should monitor the volume of suspense file transactions to ensure that the changes in the edit criteria required to improve suspense processing, along with the addition of a Third Party Draft vendor table, meet the expected results of reducing the number of suspense items.
SSA Management Response We agree. In mid-December, Release 2.0 of TPPS occurred with completion of the rollout by early February 2001. With TPPS release 2.0, a Vendor Maintenance Form (VMF) is generated when a new payee is entered in the payee table. While it is expected this software release will substantially reduce the number of TPPS errors, it is too premature to make that assessment.
Cross Reference FY99 Management Letter - Part 2, IV.1.B; FY98 Management Letter - Part 2, IV.1.B.; FY97 Management Letter - Part 2, V.3.E.
Current Status per SSA Completed
OIG Confirmation of Status Agree. SSA’s work on this recommendation is complete. SSA has improved the processing for third party draft suspense items and demonstrated that the number of third party draft suspense errors continues to be low.
PwC Finding There is a need for more complete tracking and reporting on the activities related to resolving open obligations. Past audits identified that open obligations were not being de-obligated in a timely manner and de-obligated obligations were not adequately documented. Consequently, funding levels may be incorrectly stated, resulting in the potential for inappropriate use of valuable resources.
In FY 1999, SSA implemented procedures to document liquidated obligations. However, per the Open Obligation Report, a significant number of long standing unliquidated obligations remain outstanding, including numerous obligations from fiscal years 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997. Open obligations are not being de-obligated in a timely manner in part because current procedures do not address the timely liquidation of obligations.
PwC Recommendation SSA should enhance current policies and procedures to ensure that the de-obligation process is operating effectively and timely. An overall aged balance should be established as of the end of the fiscal year and all activities by the Office of Finance should be accumulated into the monthly Report of Validations to ensure that management has a complete picture of the status of open obligations and the activity related to resolving them.
SSA Management Response We agree. Additional research demonstrates that large portions of prior fiscal year open obligations are Reimbursable Work Authorizations (RWA's) with the General Services Administration (GSA). To that end, we now receive from GSA an electronic feed of open RWA's to enhance the validation process. In addition, beginning January 2001, SSA developed an accounting system query to produce an aging report for open obligations. This report is produced and analyzed on a monthly basis.
In addition, based upon our experience of validating RWA's with GSA, we plan to look at other categories of obligations to improve the validation process.
Cross Reference FY99 Management Letter - Part 2, IV.1.E; FY98 Management Letter - Part 2, IV.1.F.
OIG Confirmation of Status Agree. SSA’s work on this recommendation is complete. PwC found that statistics are being reported for open obligations acted on and cleared and that the validation and reduction of open obligations are being tracked. SSA was able to provide evidence that it is making definite progress in validating open obligations. By the end of November 2001, SSA had reviewed all Headquarters reimbursable work authorizations and all interagency agreements for FY 1997. However, OIG may revisit this issue in the future to ensure open obligations continue to be addressed in a timely manner.
PwC Finding The current FACTS re-certification process used to validate an individual’s access to the system needs to be enhanced. Of 39 FACTS user profiles sampled, 12 had access that was not necessary for the performance of their duties. There were some indications that access had been retained from a prior position. The FACTS re-certification process needs to ensure that access is only granted to those with a need.
PwC Recommendation SSA should enhance their current re-certification process by implementing the following:
- A standard profile for each position requiring access to FACTS and a requirement that access be requested in terms of the standard profile.
- A re-certification listing showing the access of each person and a requirement that each supervisor justify access that is not consistent with the standard profile.
SSA Management Response We agree. SSA has begun to develop standard profiles for each position that accesses FACTS. In addition, a re-certification listing will be developed as described in the recommendation.
Current Status per SSA FACTS Standard Profiles are near completion. Once complete, a recertification of the profiles will occur and is targeted for 8/31/01.
SSA Target Date August 31, 2001
OIG Confirmation of Status Disagree. SSA’s work on this recommendation is incomplete. SSA has created standard profiles for all of the FACTS users. However, as of April 5, 2002 a re-certification had not been completed. It is important that the re-certification process is completed to ensure that the level of access currently held by FACTS users matches their standard profiles.
Report Section/Area Other – Title 2/Title 16 Issues
Finding/Rec Number VI.A.1.
PwC Finding SSA has established preventive and detective controls to ensure accurate payments to beneficiaries. Two of the main detective controls are the Index of Dollar Accuracy (IDA) review and the Stewardship review. Through these reviews, SSA successfully confirms the accuracy, and in certain cases, the inaccuracy of benefit payments. When payment discrepancies are identified, the appropriate Program Service Center (PSC) or Field Office (FO) is notified to follow-up on the matter. Our testing confirmed that these notifications were being sent. However, our testing also indicated that the PSCs/FOs inconsistently resolve these payment discrepancies. Furthermore, we noted current SSA policy does not provide a mechanism to reasonably assure that the noted discrepancies are ultimately resolved by the PSCs/FOs.
PwC Recommendation We recommend that SSA update its current policies related to the IDA and Stewardship reviews to provide a means of ensuring that all payment discrepancies noted during these reviews are resolved by the PSCs/FOs in a timely manner.
SSA Management Response We agree. Existing Quality Review Manual (Title II) and Quality Review Manual System (Title XVI) procedures call for the quality reviewers to obtain master beneficiary/supplemental security record queries 30 days after sending a payment error feedback report to the PSCs/FOs to determine if the corrections have been made. If the corrections have not been made, the reviewers are to follow up with PSC/FO. If there is no response to the followup request in 15 days, the Regional Director for Quality Assurance and Performance Assessment (ROQA) is to request the assistance of the Assistant Regional Commissioner for Management, Operations and Systems to have the PSC or FO correct the case. These procedures can also be found in POMS (the Title XVI procedure in DG 16590.040 and the Title II procedure in DG 16073.047). We believe that the procedures are adequate for ensuring that payment errors are corrected; however, these procedures have not been followed in all instances. We are sending a reminder to all ROQA directors emphasizing the importance of closely following the established QRM and QRMS procedures for ensuring that payment errors are corrected by the PSCs and FOs.
Current Status per SSA In January 2001, a reminder was sent to all ROQA Directors emphasizing the importance of closely following the established QRM and QRMS procedures for ensuring that payment errors are corrected by the PSCs and FOs.
OIG Confirmation of Status Agree. SSA’s work on this recommendation is complete. In FY 2001, no cases were found where OQA failed to ensure that the PSC or FO corrected a payment error found by OQA. In addition, OQA has instituted periodic monitoring of ROQA adherence to Quality Review Manual and Quality Review Manual System procedures regarding correction of payment errors.
PwC Finding Individuals incarcerated are generally ineligible for Title II and Title XVI benefits. One of the tools SSA uses to identify incarcerated recipients is the Prisoner Update Processing System (PUPS). During our audit, we sampled information from the PUPS and compared it against information in the SSR to determine whether SSI payments were appropriately suspended when an individual was incarcerated. During our testing, we noted several instances when no release date was recorded in the PUPS database for incarcerated individuals even though they were in current pay status on the SSR. POMS section SI 02310.076 requires that the PUPS database be updated with the release date and the effective date of reinstatement if an individual meets the condition for reinstatement. However, it appears that SSA employees in the Field Offices are not updating the PUPS in all instances. Failure to appropriately update both the PUPS and SSR could result in improper payments being made to SSI recipients.
PwC Recommendation We recommend that SSA enforce its requirement that the PUPS database be updated with the release date and effective date of reinstatement if an individual meets the condition for reinstatement. We also recommend that SSA run logic queries between the PUPS database and the SSR to identify individuals who should be ineligible for payment based on information in the PUPS database.
SSA Management Response We agree. The system allows for the collection of the data mentioned. We will continue to monitor technical compliance.
In regard to running logic queries between PUPS database and the SSR, it should be mentioned that the SSR Online Query already presents an alert if the record is also on the PUPS database.
Also, OQA is scheduled to conduct another review of prisoner processing in Fiscal Year 2001 and will advise Operations of any processing deficiencies they find. Additional training will be provided on any problem areas identified by OQA.
Cross Reference FY99 Management Letter - Part 2, V.12; FY98 Management Letter - Part 2, V.R.
Current Status per SSA DCO will continue to monitor for technical compliance. DCO will also submit a request to the Office of Systems to create a semi-annual compare operation to check the PUPS data base for release dates on all reinstatements following Prisoner suspension and to generate alerts for FO resolution.
OQA is planning to conduct a followup review of prisoner alert development in calendar 2001. Results of the review, expected late in FY 2002, will be shared with Operations. Additional training will be provided on any problem areas identified by OQA.
SSA Target Date Late FY 2002.
OIG Confirmation of Status Agree. SSA’s work on this recommendation is incomplete. The Office of Systems will not be able to create a semi-annual compare operation to check PUPS for release dates on all reinstated benefit claims following Prisoner suspension. Based on our discussions with SSA, an analysis was performed and the semi-annual compare operation is not a feasible solution to the issue reported by PwC. In addition, the review of prisoner alert development has not yet begun. Based on the delays SSA is encountering during their work, the target date of "Late 2002" no longer appears to be reasonable.
PwC Finding During previous audits, we noted that the four balancing reports generated from the Time Share Option (TSO) system by the Division of Benefit Certification Branch (DBCA) indicated an out-of-balance condition. During fiscal year 2000, SSA reset the balances on the Group Totals report and temporarily the reports balanced. However, because the exact cause of the out-of-balance condition was not determined, the reports currently indicate a continued out-of-balance condition at September 30, 2000. Specifically, the Group Totals report indicated that 11,275 fewer payments totaling $4,012,972.99, were made than payments reported on the other three reports. DBCA believes that they have identified the reason for this out-of-balance condition. Our review disclosed that SSA created a task group to identify the cause of and solution to the out-of-balance condition, but actions to fully resolve this matter have not been taken. Failing to properly balance the reports from the TSO system could cause inaccurate payments to be made to recipients.
PwC Recommendation SSA should continue its efforts to identify the exact cause for this out-of-balance condition, modify the system as needed, so out-of-balance conditions are reconciled in a timely manner.
SSA Management Response We agree. Currently we have formed a cross-functional workgroup and are in the Planning and Analysis (P&A) stage of evaluating the problem. P&A should be completed in March 2001. Since Group Totals do not produce any transactions, only summary totals, it has been impossible to perform the type of reconciliation recommended when an out-of-balance condition exists. A record-level database needs to be established to perform this validation. Evaluation of the various options the Office of Systems may need to pursue (e.g., possibly a rewrite of the entire system) based on the workgroup's recommendation will occur after P&A is completed.
Cross Reference FY99 Management Letter - Part 2, V.7; FY98 Management Letter - Part 2, V.H.; FY97 Management Letter - Part 2, V.2.G.
Current Status per SSA DBCA formed a cross-functional workgroup to evaluate the problem. While in the Planning and Analysis (P&A) stage the group was temporarily suspended in January 2001 because the Office of Systems Design and Development (OSDD) was forced to allocate its resources to a Modernized Overpayment/Underpayment Reporting System (MOURS)-related project.
SSA Target Date To be determined
OIG Confirmation of Status Agree. SSA’s work on this recommendation is incomplete. SSA has submitted an IT proposal to correct the out-of-balance condition for the SSI payment files. Corrections are still needed for other files that feed into the Group Totals report.
Finding/Rec Number VI.A.10.
PwC Finding During our testing of the Index of Dollar Accuracy (IDA) and Stewardship reviews performed by the Office of Quality Assurance (OQA) we noted the following weaknesses which impair the effectiveness of the reviews.
- OQA needs to update its RSDI Quality Review Manual (QRM) to include detailed guidance related to performing Index of Dollar Accuracy (IDA) and Stewardship reviews. During our testing we noted that the lack of detailed guidance has resulted in inconsistencies among regions in the way that the reviews are performed.
- OQA needs to update the QRM to include new existing policies and procedures. During our testing we noted that the QRM does not include the new policies and procedures regarding the use of the SSA-2930, RSI/DI Quality Review Case Analysis – Sampled Number Holder or the SSA 2931, RSI/DI Quality Review Case Analysis – Auxiliaries/Survivors. In addition, our testing disclosed several instances where OQA reviewers improperly excluding cases from review based on the existence of the "dual entitlement stratum", which has not been in place since FY 1996.
- OQA does not have written policies or procedures in place to reasonably assure that cases are excluded from the IDA and Stewardship reviews based on valid programmatic/business reasons. During our audit we noted several instances where OQA reviewers improperly excluded sample items from review. The lack of such policies and procedures increases the risk that errors could go undetected because sample items were improperly excluded from testing.
PwC Recommendation We recommend that SSA update the RSDI QRM to reflect current policies and procedures and to include detailed guidance for performing IDA and Stewardship reviews. We further recommend that SSA establish and implement written policies and procedures to reasonably assure the propriety of IDA and Stewardship cases excluded from review.
SSA Management Response We agree. To the extent possible, exclusion criteria are written into the Automated Sample Selection Process (ASSP). Where manual exclusions occur, they are made in accordance with established guidelines. Should situations outside the guidelines occur, regional staffs consult with central office before excluding a case.
Cross Reference FY99 Management Letter - Part 2, V.2; Various.
Current Status per SSA The current effort to replace the IDA reviews with a transaction analysis review procedure to make the process a more useful tool for Operations to improve accuracy has deferred our plans to completely overhaul the QRM procedures. Instead of a complete overhaul, we are now planning a QRM release to cover key changes, once the revised transaction review procedures are finalized after testing and piloting. The planned QRM release is not expected before mid to late FY 2002.
SSA Target Date Late FY 2002
OIG Confirmation of Status Agree. SSA’s work on this recommendation is incomplete. The transaction analysis review to replace IDA reviews was approved by Acting Commissioner Massanari. SSA still plans to have a QRM release covering key procedural changes completed during FY 2002.
PwC Finding During our overall review of the Continuing Disability Review (CDR) process that was in place in FY 2000, and more specifically the CDR profiling and scoring process, we noted that the Office of Disability did not maintain full documentation of the CDR process or of the input data sets and variables used in fitting the prediction models. Without this documentation, the CDR profiling and scoring programs are at risk of not having sufficient information available for review which would support the profile scores and the overall program. In addition, we noted that the CDR profiling program is continually under development without version control procedures and without detailed cataloging and comparison of results based on the difference variables used in the different models.
PwC Recommendation We recommend that SSA maintain documentation on all aspects of the CDR process, in addition to the profiling and the scoring programs, including input data sets and all variables used as candidates in the prediction models.
It is our understanding that SSA recently entered into a contract with an outside vendor to assist them with this effort, thus we recommend that SSA continue the implementation of this effort. We also recommend that since profiling validation activities are ongoing, version control also should be implemented. SSA should also consider establishing a fixed schedule for developmental analysis and algorithm updates. Final study results should be catalogued, including the data sets used to define the algorithms actually used to establish the models.
SSA Management Response We agree that documentation of the profiling and scoring process could be more complete and note that we have already begun developing version control methodology, which we plan to implement in FY '01. We also plan to transfer the development of profiling models to the PC environment during FY '01. This will simplify the archiving procedure and satisfy the recommendation made in this area. With regard to the recommendation to consider establishing a fixed schedule for developmental analysis and algorithm updates, we do not believe this is practical, at least, at this time. Currently, we adjust and refine our scoring model to accommodate significant legislative, policy, or procedural changes, as they occur. We believe this approach is a better use of our limited resources. Lastly, it should be noted that it has always been our practice to retain the data sets used to define the algorithms used in our profiling models and that, beginning in FY 2000, we increased the retention period to three years. We believe our current retention system provides adequate documentation of the changes and enhancements to our profiling models without adding an unnecessary burden to the process.
Cross Reference FY99 Management Letter - Part 2, V.13.
SSA Action Plan Develop version control methodology for profiling and scoring process.
Transfer development of profiling models to PC environment.
Retain data sets used to define algorithms in profiling for 3 years.
Current Status per SSA Data set retention for 3 years – completed. Remainder – in progress.
SSA Target Date September 2001
OIG Confirmation of Status Agree. SSA’s work on this recommendation is complete. Through the new profiling system, SSA has ensured that documentation is maintained on all aspects of the CDR process. SSA also confirmed its intention to maintain data sets for a minimum of 3 years.
Report Section/Area Other - Revenue
Finding/Rec Number VI.B.1.
PwC Finding Prior to SSA’s final wage certification, the Department of Treasury is responsible for transferring estimated amounts for employment taxes collected to the SSA trust funds. These transfers are made based on revenue estimations completed by SSA’s Office of the Chief Actuary (OCACT). SSA and Treasury have never formally documented the responsibilities of each party involved in this process, nor documented the course of action which would be followed should a dispute arise concerning the transfer of funds from Treasury to the SSA Trust Funds. Because this process has not been documented, disputes between the two parties could delay the transfers should an error or dispute ever arise. SSA has documented its own procedures of estimating and certifying the wages in its Accounting Manual, however the responsibilities of each party involved in this process have not been documented, nor has a dispute resolution process been documented.
PwC Recommendation We recommend that SSA clearly document the process which should be followed regarding possible disputes with Treasury and determine that Treasury is in agreement with all aspects of SSA’s procedures of estimating the tax revenues and for resolving discrepancies.
SSA Management Response We agree with modification. On December 15, 2000, the Department of the Treasury released a review of its duties and responsibilities in the administration of trust funds and other government accounts with investment authority (or investment funds). The report contains several recommendations one of which is to clearly define Treasury and program agency roles and responsibilities for investment fund management through standardized agreements. These standard agreements will define policies and procedures and allocation of roles and responsibilities. Where needed, the agreements will be customized. Treasury plans to initially develop these agreements in the next 6-9 months with 5 Federal agencies, including SSA.
The procedures developed by SSA to document the roles and responsibilities for estimating the transfer of collected employment taxes to the SSA trust funds will be incorporated into the agreement with Treasury.
Cross Reference FY99 Management Letter - Part 2, V.3; FY98 Management Letter - Part 2, V.D.; FY97 Management Letter - Part 2, V.2.I.
Current Status per SSA These procedures are currently being modified to the SSA intra-net publication process. Expected release is 8/31/01.
OIG Confirmation of Status Agree. SSA did issue its accounting manual chapter, however Treasury has not yet established a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with SSA. This was scheduled to take place sometime during FY 2002, but had not occurred as of the end of our fieldwork. SSA believes the finding should be closed. OIG agrees that SSA has completed all work that it can at this time and can close this finding. We encourage SSA to monitor Treasury’s actions to formalize the MOU.
PwC Finding The majority of revenue recognized by SSA and transferred to the Trust Funds, relates to employment tax revenue which is estimated by the Office of the Chief Actuary. Previously, we have noted that system documentation for the two estimation models used by OCACT, the REVEARN and MODEEM models, was lacking. We also noted that individuals within OCACT had not been sufficiently cross-trained to allow for succession planning. During our current audit, we noted that OCACT has taken several steps to train individuals to run both estimation models. However, as required by the Office of Management and Budget, systems documentation regarding these two models and cross-checks to ensure estimation constancy have not been formally documented.
PwC Recommendation We recommend that OCACT document these models in accordance with OMB Circulars A-123 and OMB Circular A-127, including the use of cross-checks to ensure model constancy.
SSA Management Response We agree. However, although we agree that additional documentation may be desirable, we cannot implement the recommendation at this time due to higher priority work. Our highest priority is to our basic mission to produce cost estimates of the present-law and proposed OASDI programs. This requires us to commit our resources to performing and documenting data analyses, and maintaining and updating the computer models used to produce these estimates. While the additional documentation may be valuable for the purpose of informing external groups, current documentation has been satisfactory for internal use in producing high-quality cost estimates.
Cross Reference FY99 Management Letter - Part 2, V.8 and V.14; FY98 Management Letter - Part 2, V.I.; FY97 Management Letter - Part 2, VI.A1 and A2.
SSA Action Plan On May 3, 2001 SSA provided documentation to the auditors that we believe should close this recommendation.
Current Status per SSA While the documentation may not be exactly what the auditors recommended, we believe it is the documentation appropriate for SSA processes.
OIG Confirmation of Status Agree. SSA’s work on this recommendation is complete. SSA provided sufficient documentation to PwC for the REVEARN and MODEEM models. In addition, OCACT now has plans in place to update model documentation every year. OCACT also plans to train a second individual on the REVEARN model during 2002. OCACT should ensure that these items are completed as planned, as PwC will review this issue again during the FY 2002 financial statement audit.
Report Section/Area Other – Financial Reporting
Finding/Rec Number VI.C.2.
PwC Finding The Office of Finance lacks a formal set of documented policies and procedures regarding the accounting treatment for transactions processed through the Limitation on Administrative Expenses (LAE) fund. Informal policies have been developed over the years, but a comprehensive document outlining the budgetary and proprietary aspects of this program, along with the allocation of expenses, and reporting requirements has not been completed. During the audit, we noted that for financial reporting purposes, SSA applies a series of one-sided adjustments to financing sources and cumulative results of operations on the program-level Balance Sheets and Statements of Changes in Net Position and establishes intra-agency payables/receivables to counteract the effect of uneven LAE allocations. We believe that these adjustments, along with other adjustments made to correct previous errors related to LAE are necessary due to the fact that SSA has not developed a formal set of policies and procedures for processing, allocating, and reporting LAE transactions.
PwC Recommendation We recommend that SSA develop and document a comprehensive set of policies and procedures regarding the LAE program. These policies and procedures should outline how LAE transactions are to be processed, allocated, and reported. This document should address budgetary as well as proprietary issues, and should be used as a reference tool to reasonably assure that LAE transactions are handled appropriately.
SSA Management Response We agree. SSA plans to complete the documentation of the LAE program by March 30, 2001.
Current Status per SSA The procedures to document accounting for LAE are undergoing review. Target completion date is 8/31/01.
OIG Confirmation of Status Disagree. SSA’s work on this recommendation was incomplete. SSA drafted LAE Accounting and Reporting procedures in August 2001. SSA recently revised the draft procedures, but has not completed this effort as of the end of our fieldwork.
PwC Finding The Debt Collection and Improvement Act (DCIA) of 1996 authorizes SSA to use several additional procedures to collect Title II overpayments, if the overpayments are not remitted to SSA within a specified timeframe. In previous management recommendation letters, we have noted that SSA currently is not using several of the procedures outlined in the DCIA. However, we also noted that SSA is currently working on several systems initiatives which will allow the Agency to track and re-coup overpayments more effectively and to assess various penalties outlined in the DCIA. Most of these improvements are scheduled for implementation during the next 12 – 24 months.
PwC Recommendation We recommend that SSA continue its plans to implement policies and procedures to assess penalties when needed, efficiently track amounts due to SSA, and finally to fully collect amounts due to SSA.
SSA Management Response We agree. SSA is currently developing the two debt collection tools with the highest expected debt collection payoffs. The two tools are Cross Program Recovery, or the collection of a Title XVI debt from any Title II benefits payable to the debtor, and Administrative Wage Garnishment, which is the collection of a delinquent debt from the wages of the debtor. Cross Program Recovery was authorized by a different legislation than DCIA, and SSA estimates that it will yield $115 million in collections over 5 years. Implementation is scheduled for March 2001. SSA is also engaged in developing administrative wage garnishment, and has completed the required planning and analysis. Implementation is scheduled for 2001.
In the year 2000 SSA also developed the expansion of our existing credit bureau reporting and administrative offset programs to include Title XVI debts (which was authorized by the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999). These tools will also be implemented in March 2001.
All other debt collection tools (Federal salary offset, private collection agencies and interest charging) will be developed in turn.
In addition, we have one comment regarding the wording of PwC's Finding on item V1.C.7. The third sentence (beginning with the words "However, we also. . .") should be changed as follows: "However, we also noted that SSA is currently working on several systems initiatives which will allow the Agency to collect overpayments more effectively."
Cross Reference FY99 Management Letter - Part 2, V.9; FY98 Management Letter - Part 2, V.M.; FY97 Management Letter - Part 2, VI.B.
Current Status per SSA Currently, SSA has three title XVI projects that are fully developed and two are in active development. The three fully developed projects are Cross-Program Recovery, Administrative Offset and Credit Bureau Reporting.
Cross-Program Recovery is the collection of a Title XVI debt from any Title II benefits payable to the debtor. Cross-Program Recovery was authorized by a different legislation than DCIA, and SSA estimates that it will yield $115 million in collections over 5 years. In the year 2000 SSA also developed the expansion of our existing administrative offset and credit bureau reporting programs to include Title XVI debts (which was authorized by the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999). These new tools will be implemented after the final regulations are published.
Two debt collections tools are in active development. Administrative Wage Garnishment (AWG), which is the collection of a delinquent debt from the wages of the debtor, is in the development stage and the Notice of Proposed Rule Making for AWG has been written. SSA is also developing Federal Salary Offset.
Development of the remaining tools, Interest Charging and the use of Collection Agencies, will begin upon the completion of the activities currently underway. The use of these tools will enhance SSA's ability to collect delinquent debt in the future.
OIG Confirmation of Status Agree. SSA’s work on this recommendation is incomplete. SSA implemented three new debt collection tools at the end of February 2002 – administrative offset and credit bureau reporting for Title XVI overpayments and the Cross-Program Recovery to collect Title XVI overpayments from the debtor’s Title II benefits. The other tools continue to be worked on.
Table of Acronyms
ASSP Automated Sample Selection Process
AWG Administrative Wage Garnishment
CDR Continuing Disability Review
CIRP Comprehensive Integrity Review Process
CSR Customer Service Record
DACUS Death Alert, Control and Update System
DBCA Division of Benefit Certification Branch
DCDISP Deputy Commissioner for Disability and Income Security Programs
DCFAM Deputy Commissioner for Finance, Assessment and Management
DCIA Debt Collection Improvement Act
DCO Deputy Commissioner for Operations
DCS Deputy Commissioner for Systems
DI Disability Insurance
DOB Date of Birth
EDR Electronic Death Registration
EIN Employer Identification Number
ERMS Earnings Record Maintenance System
FACTS Financial Accounting System
FO Field Office
FY Fiscal Year
GSA General Services Administration
IDA Index of Dollar Accuracy
IT Information Technology
LAE Limitation on Administrative Expenses
MACADE MADCAP Direct Data Entry
MADCAP Manual Adjustment Credit and Award Process
MBR Master Beneficiary Record
MCS Modernized Claims System
MONET Miscellaneous Online Edited Transaction
MOURS Modernized Overpayment/Underpayment Reporting System
NUMIDENT A query using the SSN to obtain the name of the number’s owner
OASDI Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance
OCACT Office of the Chief Actuary
OFPO Office of Financial Policy and Operations
OISS Office of Information Systems Security
OMB Office of Management and Budget
OPSOS Office of Public Services and Operations Support
OIG Office of the Inspector General
OSA Office of Systems Analysis
OQA Office of Quality Assurance
OSDD Office of Systems Design and Development
P&A Planning and Analysis
PC Personal Computer
PIA Primary Insurance Amount
PIN Personal Identification Number
POMS Program Operations Manual System
PSC Program Service Center
PUPS Prisoner Update Processing System
PwC PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
QA Quality Assurance
QRM Quality Review Manual
QRMS Quality Review Manual System
ROQA Regional Office of Quality Assurance and Performance Assessment
RSDI Retirement and Survivors Disability Insurance
RSI Retirement Survivors Insurance
RWA Reimbursable Work Authorization
SRCOL System Release Certification Online
SSA Social Security Administration
SSI Supplemental Security Income
SSN Social Security Number
SSR Supplemental Security Record
TII Title II of the Social Security Act
TPPS Third Party Payment System
TSO Time Share Option
TXVI Title XVI of the Social Security Act
VMF Vendor Maintenance Form
September 4, 2002 Refer
Larry Dye
Office of the Inspector General (OIG) Draft Report, "Status of the Social Security Administration’s Implementation of Fiscal Year 2000 Management Letter Issues" (A-15-02-12046)—INFORMATION
We appreciate the OIG’s efforts in conducting this review. Our comments on the report are attached.
Staff questions can be referred to Mark Welch on extension 50374.
SSA Comments
COMMENTS ON THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL’S (OIG) DRAFT REPORT, "STATUS OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION’S IMPLEMENTATION OF FISCAL YEAR 2000 MANAGEMENT LETTER ISSUES" (A-15-02-12046)
Thank you for performing this review of Social Security Administration (SSA) actions to resolve issues presented in prior PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) reports relating to SSA management controls and operations. The annual PwC audit of our financial statements is an important component in the overall management of the programs administered by SSA, and we are working to resolve issues presented by PwC as soon as possible.
We have the following comments on the status of SSA actions relating to the four prior PwC findings highlighted in this OIG report:
Finding II.B.2. (pages 3-4 of Appendix A)
PwC recommended SSA complete the drafting and implementation of program service center (PSC) change control procedures and consider assigning the production environment to non-programmers. SSA agreed with this recommendation and reported that work on this recommendation was complete. OIG determined that corrective action is not complete. SSA has developed standardized change control procedures for the PSCs. However, a systems change still needs to be made to limit programmer access to the production environment at the PSCs. SSA stated that it expected to complete this change by the end of April 2002. However, as of April 2, 2002, this was not completed.
The requirement to implement the creation of profiles to establish the appropriate separation of duties for the PSCs is under review by SSA systems security staff. Once approved, implementation should occur within 6 weeks.
Finding V.A.5. (pages 28-29 of Appendix A)
PwC recommended SSA enhance the current re-certification process by implementing a standard profile for each position requiring access to the Financial Accounting System (FACTS), and a requirement that access be requested in terms of the standard profile. SSA agreed with this recommendation and reported that work on this recommendation would be completed by
August 31, 2001. OIG determined that corrective action was not completed by August 31, 2001. SSA has created standard profiles for all of the FACTS users. However, as of April 5, 2002, a re-certification had not been completed. It is important that the re-certification process is completed to ensure that the level of access currently held by FACTS users matches their standard profiles.
Recertification of FACTS profiles was completed on May 6, 2002. The FACTS standard profiles were completed on April 11, 2002. Therefore, we believe SSA has satisfied this audit finding.
Finding VI.B.1. (pages 40-41 of Appendix A)
PwC recommended SSA document the process which should be followed regarding possible disputes with Treasury and determine that Treasury is in agreement with all aspects of SSA’s procedures of estimating the tax revenues and for resolving discrepancies. SSA agreed with this recommendation and reported that procedures would be in place by August 31, 2001. OIG determined that corrective action was not complete as of March 1, 2002. SSA did issue its accounting manual chapter; however, Treasury has not yet met with SSA to establish a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). This is scheduled to take place sometime during FY 2002. We feel that SSA should change its target date for completion of work on this recommendation to "To be determined – pending action by Treasury." Although SSA has completed all work that it can at this time, SSA still has a responsibility to ensure that Treasury’s MOU encompasses all aspects of SSA’s procedures.
We are pleased that the OIG recognizes that SSA has fulfilled its portion of this audit finding. However, we do not agree that SSA should be held responsible for actions pending by an outside entity, in this instance the Department of the Treasury. We recently learned that Treasury has once again delayed development of user agreements with the 15 trust fund managed agencies (including SSA) until FY 2003, focusing instead on agencies that maintain their own investments. Treasury plans to conduct a survey of the trust fund managed agencies prior to development of any agreements. However, if Treasury development of the various agency agreements is once again re-prioritized by Treasury, SSA will be unfairly held responsible in the meantime. Since the roles and responsibilities of SSA and Treasury are already documented and will be subsumed in Treasury's agreement, we see no need for this audit finding to remain open.
Finding VI.C.2. (pages 44-45 of Appendix A)
PwC recommended that SSA develop and document a comprehensive set of policies and procedures regarding the Limitation on Administrative Expenses (LAE) program to outline how transactions are processed, allocated, and reported. SSA agreed with the recommendation and stated that the documentation would be complete by August 31, 2001. OIG determined that corrective action on this recommendation was not complete as of January 30, 2002. SSA had drafted LAE Accounting and Reporting procedures in August 2001. SSA recently revised the draft procedures, but has not completed this effort.
The accounting policies and procedures for the LAE program have been completed and implemented.
OIG Contacts and Staff Acknowledgments
OIG Contacts
Frederick C. Nordhoff, Director, Financial Audit Division, (410) 966-6676
Victoria Vetter, Deputy Director, Financial Audit Division, (410) 966-9081
In addition to those named above:
Kristen Schnatterly, Auditor-in-Charge
Cheryl Robinson, Writer/Editor
For additional copies of this report, please visit our web site at www.socialsecurity.gov/oig or contact the Office of the Inspector General’s Public Affairs Specialist at (410) 966-1375. Refer to Common Identification Number A-15-02-12046.
Overview of the Office of the Inspector General
The Office of Audit (OA) conducts comprehensive financial and performance audits of the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) programs and makes recommendations to ensure that program objectives are achieved effectively and efficiently. Financial audits, required by the Chief Financial Officers' Act of 1990, assess whether SSA’s financial statements fairly present the Agency’s financial position, results of operations and cash flow. Performance audits review the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of SSA’s programs. OA also conducts short-term management and program evaluations focused on issues of concern to SSA, Congress and the general public. Evaluations often focus on identifying and recommending ways to prevent and minimize program fraud and inefficiency, rather than detecting problems after they occur.
Office of Executive Operations
The Office of Executive Operations (OEO) supports the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) by providing information resource management; systems security; and the coordination of budget, procurement, telecommunications, facilities and equipment, and human resources. In addition, this office is the focal point for the OIG’s strategic planning function and the development and implementation of performance measures required by the Government Performance and Results Act. OEO is also responsible for performing internal reviews to ensure that OIG offices nationwide hold themselves to the same rigorous standards that we expect from SSA, as well as conducting investigations of OIG employees, when necessary. Finally, OEO administers OIG’s public affairs, media, and interagency activities, coordinates responses to Congressional requests for information, and also communicates OIG’s planned and current activities and their results to the Commissioner and Congress.
Office of Investigations
The Office of Investigations (OI) conducts and coordinates investigative activity related to fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement of SSA programs and operations. This includes wrongdoing by applicants, beneficiaries, contractors, physicians, interpreters, representative payees, third parties, and by SSA employees in the performance of their duties. OI also conducts joint investigations with other Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies.
Counsel to the Inspector General
The Counsel to the Inspector General provides legal advice and counsel to the Inspector General on various matters, including: 1) statutes, regulations, legislation, and policy directives governing the administration of SSA’s programs; 2) investigative procedures and techniques; and 3) legal implications and conclusions to be drawn from audit and investigative material produced by the OIG. The Counsel’s office also administers the civil monetary penalty program.
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Equilibrium melting temperature of isotactic polypropylene with high tacticity: 1. Determination by differential scanning calorimetry
Koji Yamada, Masamichi Hikosaka, Akihiko Toda, Shinichi Yamazaki, Katsuharu Tagashira
A new method to determine the correct Gibbs-Thomson plot and equilibrium melting temperature (Tm0) of polymers was proposed. The Gibbs-Thomson plot method is reliable, because the Gibbs-Thomson equation is directly derived from thermodynamical relations. In this method, the heating rate dependence of melting temperature (Tm) was omitted by applying the theory of the "melting kinetics", and the effect of lamellar thickening on Tm was also omitted by observing thick lamellae. A differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) was used for observation of Tm as a conventional method. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) was used to observe a distribution of lamellar thickness (l). It was shown theoretically that peak temperature of melting endotherm (Tm(DSC)) corresponded to averaged reciprocal l (〈l-1〉) for the case of sharp distributions of Tm and l-1. The Gibbs-Thomson plot, Tm (DSC) vs 〈l-1〉, was carried out. A reliable Gibbs-Thomson plot and Tm0 = 186.2 °C were obtained for a fraction of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) with high tacticity ([mmmm] = 99.6%, Mn = 64 × 103 and Mw/Mn = 2.4). It was shown that DSC double melting endotherm corresponded to the number-distribution of l-1, when lamellar thickening did not occur.
https://doi.org/10.1021/ma021206i
Published - Jul 1 2003
Polypropylenes
Heating rate
Electron microscopes
Yamada, K., Hikosaka, M., Toda, A., Yamazaki, S., & Tagashira, K. (2003). Equilibrium melting temperature of isotactic polypropylene with high tacticity: 1. Determination by differential scanning calorimetry. Macromolecules, 36(13), 4790-4801. https://doi.org/10.1021/ma021206i
Equilibrium melting temperature of isotactic polypropylene with high tacticity : 1. Determination by differential scanning calorimetry. / Yamada, Koji; Hikosaka, Masamichi; Toda, Akihiko; Yamazaki, Shinichi; Tagashira, Katsuharu.
In: Macromolecules, Vol. 36, No. 13, 01.07.2003, p. 4790-4801.
Yamada, K, Hikosaka, M, Toda, A, Yamazaki, S & Tagashira, K 2003, 'Equilibrium melting temperature of isotactic polypropylene with high tacticity: 1. Determination by differential scanning calorimetry', Macromolecules, vol. 36, no. 13, pp. 4790-4801. https://doi.org/10.1021/ma021206i
Yamada K, Hikosaka M, Toda A, Yamazaki S, Tagashira K. Equilibrium melting temperature of isotactic polypropylene with high tacticity: 1. Determination by differential scanning calorimetry. Macromolecules. 2003 Jul 1;36(13):4790-4801. https://doi.org/10.1021/ma021206i
Yamada, Koji ; Hikosaka, Masamichi ; Toda, Akihiko ; Yamazaki, Shinichi ; Tagashira, Katsuharu. / Equilibrium melting temperature of isotactic polypropylene with high tacticity : 1. Determination by differential scanning calorimetry. In: Macromolecules. 2003 ; Vol. 36, No. 13. pp. 4790-4801.
@article{0925c1ec3a914ef28aadcacf90bb6893,
title = "Equilibrium melting temperature of isotactic polypropylene with high tacticity: 1. Determination by differential scanning calorimetry",
abstract = "A new method to determine the correct Gibbs-Thomson plot and equilibrium melting temperature (Tm0) of polymers was proposed. The Gibbs-Thomson plot method is reliable, because the Gibbs-Thomson equation is directly derived from thermodynamical relations. In this method, the heating rate dependence of melting temperature (Tm) was omitted by applying the theory of the {"}melting kinetics{"}, and the effect of lamellar thickening on Tm was also omitted by observing thick lamellae. A differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) was used for observation of Tm as a conventional method. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) was used to observe a distribution of lamellar thickness (l). It was shown theoretically that peak temperature of melting endotherm (Tm(DSC)) corresponded to averaged reciprocal l (〈l-1〉) for the case of sharp distributions of Tm and l-1. The Gibbs-Thomson plot, Tm (DSC) vs 〈l-1〉, was carried out. A reliable Gibbs-Thomson plot and Tm0 = 186.2 °C were obtained for a fraction of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) with high tacticity ([mmmm] = 99.6{\%}, Mn = 64 × 103 and Mw/Mn = 2.4). It was shown that DSC double melting endotherm corresponded to the number-distribution of l-1, when lamellar thickening did not occur.",
author = "Koji Yamada and Masamichi Hikosaka and Akihiko Toda and Shinichi Yamazaki and Katsuharu Tagashira",
doi = "10.1021/ma021206i",
journal = "Macromolecules",
T1 - Equilibrium melting temperature of isotactic polypropylene with high tacticity
T2 - 1. Determination by differential scanning calorimetry
AU - Yamada, Koji
AU - Hikosaka, Masamichi
AU - Toda, Akihiko
AU - Yamazaki, Shinichi
AU - Tagashira, Katsuharu
N2 - A new method to determine the correct Gibbs-Thomson plot and equilibrium melting temperature (Tm0) of polymers was proposed. The Gibbs-Thomson plot method is reliable, because the Gibbs-Thomson equation is directly derived from thermodynamical relations. In this method, the heating rate dependence of melting temperature (Tm) was omitted by applying the theory of the "melting kinetics", and the effect of lamellar thickening on Tm was also omitted by observing thick lamellae. A differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) was used for observation of Tm as a conventional method. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) was used to observe a distribution of lamellar thickness (l). It was shown theoretically that peak temperature of melting endotherm (Tm(DSC)) corresponded to averaged reciprocal l (〈l-1〉) for the case of sharp distributions of Tm and l-1. The Gibbs-Thomson plot, Tm (DSC) vs 〈l-1〉, was carried out. A reliable Gibbs-Thomson plot and Tm0 = 186.2 °C were obtained for a fraction of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) with high tacticity ([mmmm] = 99.6%, Mn = 64 × 103 and Mw/Mn = 2.4). It was shown that DSC double melting endotherm corresponded to the number-distribution of l-1, when lamellar thickening did not occur.
AB - A new method to determine the correct Gibbs-Thomson plot and equilibrium melting temperature (Tm0) of polymers was proposed. The Gibbs-Thomson plot method is reliable, because the Gibbs-Thomson equation is directly derived from thermodynamical relations. In this method, the heating rate dependence of melting temperature (Tm) was omitted by applying the theory of the "melting kinetics", and the effect of lamellar thickening on Tm was also omitted by observing thick lamellae. A differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) was used for observation of Tm as a conventional method. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) was used to observe a distribution of lamellar thickness (l). It was shown theoretically that peak temperature of melting endotherm (Tm(DSC)) corresponded to averaged reciprocal l (〈l-1〉) for the case of sharp distributions of Tm and l-1. The Gibbs-Thomson plot, Tm (DSC) vs 〈l-1〉, was carried out. A reliable Gibbs-Thomson plot and Tm0 = 186.2 °C were obtained for a fraction of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) with high tacticity ([mmmm] = 99.6%, Mn = 64 × 103 and Mw/Mn = 2.4). It was shown that DSC double melting endotherm corresponded to the number-distribution of l-1, when lamellar thickening did not occur.
U2 - 10.1021/ma021206i
DO - 10.1021/ma021206i
JO - Macromolecules
JF - Macromolecules
10.1021/ma021206i
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cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line18419
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